[Amended 7-26-2001 by Ord. No. MC-3676]
Any person or persons, notwithstanding age, may petition to
the Department of Public Works of the City of Camden to participate
in the Adopt-a-Street and -Lot Programs.
Any individual, organization or group shall complete a form
setting forth the name of the street or lot for which it desires to
become responsible and setting forth the names and addresses of all
participants, either on an individual or group basis.
[Amended 7-26-2001 by Ord. No. MC-3676]
The application shall be reviewed by the Department of Public
Works of the City of Camden and forwarded to the Department of Utilities,
Division of Engineering, and any other appropriate departments or
divisions of this City for review and comment as to the feasibility
and compatibility of the individual, organization or group participating
in the cleanup and care program.
The City Council, after receipt and review of reports of the
proper departments and divisions of the government of the City of
Camden, will adopt a resolution authorizing the individual, organization
or group to begin a program of care and maintenance of said street
or lot.
The application for participation in this program shall set
forth what steps and what actions the particular individual or individuals
are going to take to provide the continuous care and maintenance of
the street from debris, trash and refuse.
After a period of not less than six months, the individual,
organization or group who has petitioned the City of Camden shall
request the City Council and the appropriate departments and divisions
of this municipal government to review its actions over a six-month
period, and the departments and divisions of this City shall then
report their findings to the governing body. After the governing body
has received the reports of the departments and divisions of the City
of Camden who have reviewed and inspected the work efforts and, after
City Council or a committee created of Councilpersons shall review
the area, it shall then be recommended to the governing body for the
adoption of a resolution to post said street or lot as an "adopted
street" or "adopted lot" and shall then commend the individual, organization
or group for its efforts.
If a street or lot is adopted after the procedures have been
followed, as set forth herein, an appropriate sign or signs shall
be erected in a prominent place displaying the fact that this street
or lot has been adopted under this program and has qualified as a
street or lot appropriately cared for and maintained by the adoptive
groups.
No individual, organization or group who performs any work or
services under this program shall be deemed to be an employee of the
City of Camden, but merely volunteers, and the City shall be held
harmless from any negligent or careless acts of the individual, organization
or group in the performance of any functions under the program.
The City shall not supply any tools, equipment or supplies for
this program. Any and all tools, equipment or supplies shall be furnished
by the volunteers.
[Added 8-9-2016 by Ord. No. MC-4983]
A. Camden City property owners can "adopt" City-owned lot(s) (hereinafter
referred to as an "Adopt-a-Lot") that are located adjacent to the
property they own. Only Camden City property owners can apply for
Adopt-a-Lot status (hereinafter referred to as an "adoptee"). Any
tenant who wants to adopt a lot(s) shall be required to have their
landlord apply to the Adopt-a-Lot Program for such adoption.
B. At all times, the City of Camden maintains full and continuous legal
ownership of the adopted City-owned lots under an Adopt-a-Lot. The
City's approval of an Adopt-a-Lot shall not be intended or construed
as a grant to adoptee of any ownership interest in the subject City-owned
lot(s).
C. The purpose of the Adopt-a-Lot is solely for the cleaning and beautification
of City-owned lots. The lot is permitted to be used to plant a floral
or vegetable garden only. No other activities can be conducted on
the lot. The adoptee is required to properly keep up with the maintenance
of the lot, which means the grass should be cut and the yard cleaned.
The vegetable and/or flower gardens are to be kept nice and neat.
D. It is suggested that all adoptees complete a request to purchase
the lot(s) at the Bureau of City Properties in City Hall, 3rd Floor,
Room 327-A, Camden, NJ as the maximum time period to Adopt-a-Lot is
now three years. Additional information in this regard can be provided
by the City properties upon request.
E. An adoptee must supply the City of Camden with a certificate of insurance,
which shall evidence sufficient types and amounts of insurance coverage
— as set by the City in its sole discretion — for the
City against general liability while the adopted lot(s) is under the
care and upkeep of the adoptee.
F. All Adopt-a-Lots will be issued signage designating the lot(s) as
an adopted lot.
G. Periodic inspections will be performed by the City to verify an adoptee's
compliance with the ordinances, rules and regulations governing Adopt-a-Lot.
If an adoptee is found by the City to not be in compliance, the City
can immediately revoke its Adopt-a-Lot designation without any prior
notice.
H. An Adoptee cannot engage in or do the following activities upon the
Adopt-a-Lot:
(1) Adoptee is not permitted to park cars, trailers, boats or any other
vehicle on the adopted lot.
(2) Adoptee is not permitted to plant trees on the lot.
(3) Adoptee is not permitted to put any permanent structures on the adopted
lot [For example, without limitation: No pools, car ports, driveways
(concrete, asphalt etc.), sheds, garages, permanent playground equipment,
etc.].
(4) Adoptee is not permitted to place large compost piles on the lot
(5) Adoptee is not permitted to conduct any business transactions of
any kind on the adopted lot (For example, without limitation: No vegetable
stands, no selling of cars, no car repairs, no yard sales, etc.).
(6) Adoptee is not permitted to rent, lease, sublet, sell, or assign
the adopted lot to any person or organization.
(7) Adoptee is not permitted to remove the City signage of the adopted
lot.
(8) Adoptee is not permitted to conduct religious services on the adopted
lot.
(9) Adoptee is not permitted to have alcoholic beverages on the adopted
lot.
(10)
Adoptee is not permitted to allow pets or any other animals
to be housed or roam freely unleashed on the adopted lot.
I. Adoptees shall further comply with the following:
(1) Fencing is the sole responsibility of the adoptee.
(2) Fencing cannot be higher than four feet tall.
(3) Adoptee shall not remove or change any existing fencing.
(4) No cemented poles are to be erected by adoptee.
(5) If an adoptee decides to cancel his/her Adopt-a- Lot privileges,
adoptee is solely responsible for, and must immediately remove, all
fencing that adoptee erected on the lot.
(6) An adopted lot, at any time, can be removed from the Adopt-A-Lot
status.
(7) For any reason deemed necessary by the City of Camden, at its sole
discretion, and at any time, if the City of Camden sells the adopted
lot(s) and adoptee is not the buyer of the lot(s), adoptee must immediately
cease any and all activity on the lot. The adoptee is solely responsible
for, and must immediately remove, all fencing that adoptee erected
on the lot.
J. Community gardens.
(1) Community gardens are no longer permitted under Adopt-a-Lot program.
Individuals or groups desiring to establish a community garden must
enter into an appropriate license agreement with the City of Camden.
(2) The City of Camden does not provide a water source for any Adopt-a-Lot
or community garden.
(3) After harvest season, the ground must be tilled and leveled for a
nice, neat and kept appearance for any Adopt-a-Lot or community garden.