[Ord. #2008-04, S 1]
The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health,
safety and welfare of individuals in the Township by establishing
minimum standards governing the maintenance and condition of premises
situated in the Township. This chapter establishes minimum standards
governing physical conditions essential to make such premises fit
for human habitation, occupancy and use; to prevent blighting conditions
and deterioration of property values; to authorize and establish procedures
for the inspection of such premises; and to fix penalties for the
violation of this chapter. This chapter is declared to be remedial
and essential for the public interest and it is intended that this
chapter be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes as stated
herein.
While the Township acknowledges the inherent benefits of applying
environmentally sound property management practices, a significant
purpose of this chapter is the prevention of blight and vandalism
within recognizably developed areas as well as environmentally sensitive
areas.
[Ord. #2008-04, S 1]
As used in this chapter:
BUILDING
Shall mean any structure or extension thereof or addition
thereto, or part thereof, used or intended to be used or designated
in whole or in part for commercial, retail, industrial, multi-family
residential use or occupancy, and single-family or two-family residential
property that has been abandoned or foreclosed, and includes any outbuildings
and appurtenances belonging to a Building or usually associated therewith.
COMBUSTIBLE WASTE
Shall mean yard trimmings (except those in a managed compost
pile), rags, waste wood, or cardboard and other combustible waste
of nonvolatile, or explosive nature.
DETERIORATION
Shall mean the condition of a building, or part thereof,
characterized by holes, breaks, rot, crumbling, cracking, peeling,
rusting, or other evidence of physical decay, neglect, lack of maintenance
or excessive wear.
ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
Shall mean rain gardens, wooded areas, meadows, buffer areas,
ornamental plantings, conservation easements, wetlands and managed
compost piles. These areas are intended to be left in a natural state
and are exempt from the vegetative management requirements of this
chapter. However, these areas are not exempt from the garbage or hazard
management requirements of this chapter.
EXTERMINATION
Shall mean the control and elimination of insects, rodents
and vermin by eliminating their harborage places; or by removing or
making inaccessible material that may serve as their food; or by poisoning,
spraying, fumigating, trapping; or by any other approved means of
pest elimination conducted by a pest control operator licensed by
the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and qualified
by categoric exam.
GARBAGE
Shall mean the animal and vegetable and other organic waste
resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption
of food or other products of putrescible nature that are not part
of a managed compost pile.
HAZARD
Shall mean any one of the following conditions.
a.
Refuse, broken glass, stumps, roots, obnoxious growths, filth,
garbage, trash, rubbish, and debris of any description.
b.
Natural growth that is dead or dying and other natural growth
which, by reason of rotting or deteriorating conditions or stem damage,
is or may be dangerous to persons in the vicinity thereof.
c.
Loose, overhanging or projecting objects and accumulations of
ice and snow that, by reason of location above ground level, constitute
dangers to persons in the vicinity thereof.
d.
Holes, excavations, breaks, projections, obstructions on paths,
sidewalks, walks, driveways, parking lots and parking areas, and other
parts of the exterior of the premises which are accessible to and
used by persons having access to such premises.
NUISANCE
Shall mean any of the following:
a.
Any matter that creates foul and noxious odors, gases or vapors;
water in which mosquito larvae may breed; and all causes of disease
which in the Health Officer's opinion are injurious to the health
of the inhabitants of the Township.
b.
Any inadequately protected well, shaft, basement, excavation,
structurally unsound fence or building, an accumulation of lumber,
trash, debris or vegetation such as poison ivy, poison oak or sumac,
or other condition that is or may be detrimental to the safety or
health of the inhabitants of this Township.
c.
Physical conditions dangerous to life or detrimental to health
of persons on or near the premises where the condition exists.
d.
The existence or presence of any accumulation of garbage, refuse,
manure, or animal or vegetable matter that may attract flies and rodents
or other vermin to which flies, rodents or other vermin have access,
or in which fly larvae or pupae breed or exist.
e.
Manmade holes in the earth, depressions, gullies, mounds, accumulations
of debris including earth, or other ground conditions which in the
opinion of the Health Officer are unsafe or unhealthful to persons
on, about or near such conditions.
f.
Grass or weeds in excess of 12 inches tall and within 10 feet
of a property line.
REFUSE
Shall mean all putrescible and nonputrescible solid wastes
including but not limited to: garbage, rubbish, ashes, street cleanings,
dead animals, abandoned automobiles and solid wastes generated by
nonresidential use.
RUBBISH
Shall mean and include all combustible and noncombustible
waste material, except garbage.
[Ord. #2008-04, S 1]
The Health Officer of the Board of Health or his authorized
agent is hereby designated as the official of the Township to enforce
this chapter. Nothing herein contained shall preclude, however, the
Police Department or any other enforcement agency of the Township
from enforcing the provisions of this chapter.
[Ord. #2008-04, S 1]
Any person, partnership, joint venture, entity or corporation found in violation of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be liable to a penalty as stated in Chapter
BH1, Section
BH1-2.