[Added 7-19-2022 by L.L. No. 2-2022]
Consistent with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the New York State Property Maintenance Code and the standards contained therein, it is hereby declared by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Belle Terre that all improved properties shall be maintained in conformity with the provisions of this chapter so as to assure the desirable character of the property, to prevent blight and the spread thereof and to prevent hazards to the public health, safety and welfare.
[Added 7-19-2022 by L.L. No. 2-2022]
A. 
Surface and subsurface water shall be appropriately drained to protect buildings and structures, to prevent damage to adjacent property and to prevent the development of stagnant ponds. Swimming pools, spas, hot tubs and other structures erected for recreational use shall be maintained so as to avoid the stagnation of the water contained therein.
B. 
Fences and other minor construction shall be maintained in a safe and substantial condition.
C. 
Steps, walks, driveways, parking spaces and appurtenances and other paved areas shall be maintained so as to afford safe passage for pedestrian traffic and motor vehicle traffic under normal use and weather conditions. Holes or other hazards shall be immediately filled or otherwise repaired or replacements carried out.
D. 
Maintenance of landscaping.
(1) 
All landscaping shall be maintained so that lawns, hedges, bushes and trees shall be kept trimmed and free from becoming overgrown and unsightly, constituting an unsafe condition or blight. The owner of any lot containing a grass lawn shall cause such grass lawn to be cut whenever necessary so that such grass lawn does not exceed six inches in height. The owner of any lot containing brush, rubbish and/or noxious weeds shall cause such brush, rubbish and/or noxious weeds to be cut whenever necessary so that such brush, rubbish and/or noxious weeds do not exceed three inches in height. All such brush, rubbish and/or noxious weeds shall immediately be removed from the premises upon such cutting.
(2) 
Any such violation shall also serve to authorize the Building Inspector, upon seven days' written notice to said owner, to cut and remove such grass, brush, rubbish and/or noxious weeds as is provided above. In such event, the cost and expense of such cutting and removal shall be assessed against the premises, shall become the personal liability of the owner of such lot and shall be a lien upon such lot to be paid/collected pursuant to law, or added to the Village property tax bill.
E. 
All garbage, crates, rubbish, refuse or debris shall be kept inside the building or buildings on the premises, or in an acceptable enclosed container, and shall be regularly collected and removed from the premises.
F. 
No portable storage unit or receptacle shall be permitted on a parcel for more than four weeks, unless the property benefits from an open and valid building permit. If the property benefits from an open and valid building permit, said portable storage unit may remain until either the building permit expires or a certificate of occupancy and/or compliance is issued for the work described in the permit, whichever occurs first. Thereafter, the portable storage unit must be removed.
G. 
No dumpster shall be permitted in the front yard or side yard of a residential property for more than four weeks, unless the property benefits from an open and valid building permit. If the property benefits from an open and valid building permit, said dumpster may remain in the front yard or side yard until either the building permit expires or a certificate of occupancy and/or compliance is issued for the work described in the permit, whichever occurs first. Thereafter, the dumpster must be removed.
H. 
Yards, courts, play areas and vacant lots shall be kept clean and free of physical hazards. They shall be maintained in a manner that will prevent rubbish from being blown about the neighborhood. Open wells, cesspools or cisterns shall be securely closed or barricaded to prevent access by the public.
I. 
The owner of a vacated building shall take such steps and perform such acts as may be required of him from time to time to ensure that the building and its adjoining yards remain safe and secure and do not present a hazard to adjoining property or to the public.
A. 
No person, firm or corporation in ownership or in control of real estate shall permit or cause to permit trees or the branches of the same or shrubbery to be a danger to automobiles, automobile traffic or life along the highways or to interfere with the access of fire apparatus or the life and property of a neighbor.
B. 
The Building Inspector shall serve a written notice, either by mail or personally, to the offending owner, tenant, person or persons or corporation in control of the property of the violation of this chapter and the remedy of the same, whether removal or trimming, to the last known address on the Village tax rolls.
C. 
If, within 10 days of such written notice, said hazardous condition or conditions have not been remedied, the same may be removed or remedied by order of the Board of Trustees, and the cost of the same shall be charged to the owner and become a lien upon the land.
D. 
The owner has the above ten-day period in which to ask for a hearing of the Board of Trustees as to the necessity for removal of the hazardous condition. In the event that the Board of Trustees upholds the original violation of this chapter, the offending owner or the person, persons or corporation in control of the property has 10 days to comply, otherwise the condition will be corrected by the order of the Board of Trustees and the cost of the same shall be a lien upon the property.
Where it reasonably appears that there is present a clear and imminent danger to the life, safety or health of any person or property, unless a hazardous condition caused by trees, branches, brush, etc., is remedied, the Building Inspector may immediately cause the removal or repair of the hazardous condition. The expenses of such removal or repair shall be charged to the owner and become a lien upon the land.
[Amended 7-19-2022 by L.L. No. 2-2022]
A. 
The violation of any provision of this chapter shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $250 per day or by imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both.
B. 
Any person who shall remove, injure, deface, mutilate or destroy or cause to be removed, injured, defaced, mutilated or destroyed any trees, flowers, shrubs, grass plots or other property along the public streets of the Village in violation of this chapter shall, in addition to the penalties prescribed above, replace any destroyed or damaged vegetation to the satisfaction of the Board of Trustees, its designee or the Building Inspector.