[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-201.1]
The provisions of this Article shall govern the minimum conditions
and the responsibilities of persons for maintenance of structures,
equipment and exterior property.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-201.2]
The owner of the premises shall maintain the structures and exterior property in compliance with these requirements, except as otherwise provided for in Sections
14-18 and
14-19. The owner or operator is required to keep the premises free of hazards which include dead and dying trees and limbs or other natural growth, which, by reason of rotting or deteriorating conditions or storm damage, constitute a hazard to the persons in the vicinity thereof. Trees shall be kept pruned and trimmed to prevent such conditions. The owner or operator is also required to keep the premises free of brush, weeds, broken glass, stumps, roots, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash, refuge and debris. A person shall not occupy as owner/occupant or permit another person to occupy premises which do not comply with the requirements of this chapter and until a certificate of occupancy has been issued.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-201.3]
All vacant structures and premises thereof or vacant land shall
be maintained in a clean, safe, secure and sanitary condition as provided
herein so as not to cause a blighting problem or adversely affect
the public health or safety.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-202.1]
All exterior property and premises shall be maintained in a
clean, safe and sanitary condition. The occupant shall keep that part
of the exterior property which such occupant occupies or controls
in a clean and sanitary condition.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-202.2]
All premises shall be graded and maintained to prevent the accumulation
of stagnant water thereon, or within any structure located thereon.
Exception: Water retention areas and storm water management
facilities approved by the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment as
part of a formal subdivision or site plan approval or as otherwise
approved by the Borough Engineer.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-202.3]
All walkways, stairs, driveways, parking spaces and similar
areas shall be kept in a proper state of repair, unbroken, and maintained
free from hazardous conditions. Stairs shall comply with the requirements
of Section PM - 304.10 and PM -702.9 of the Property Maintenance Code.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-202.4]
All structures and exterior property shall be kept free from
nondomesticated animal infestation. Where nondomesticated animals
are found, they shall be promptly exterminated by approved processes
which will not be injurious to human health. After examination, proper
precautions shall be taken to prevent reinfestation.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-202.5]
Pipes, ducts, conductors, fans or blowers shall not discharge
gases, steam, vapor, hot air, grease, smoke, odors or other gaseous
or particulate wastes directly upon abutting or adjacent public or
private property or that of another tenant.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-202.6]
All accessory structures, including detached garages, fences
and walls, shall be maintained structurally sound and in good repair.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-202.7]
Except as provided for in other regulations, not more than one
currently unregistered or uninspected motor vehicle shall be parked,
kept or stored on any premises for a period of more than one week
without approval of the Code Official, and no vehicle shall at any
time be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair, or in the process
of being stripped or dismantled.
Exception: A vehicle of any type is permitted to undergo major
overhaul, including body work, provided that such work is performed
inside a structure or similarly enclosed area designed and approved
for such purposes.
No vehicle shall be displayed for sale or lease on any property
except on a driveway or parking area within a residential zone by
the owner/tenant for more than a 10 day time period once per year.
No vehicle may be offered for sale on a nonresidential property
unless otherwise allowed by law.
A public garage or service station may not have more than one
vehicle as described above on its property for a period in excess
of seven days.
[Ord. No. 99/08 §§ PM-202.8,
PM-202.9; Ord. No. OR:10/05 §§ 1,
2]
No person shall park, stop or stand any motor vehicle, boat,
recreational vehicle or trailer, or permit or suffer the same to be
done, in any front yard area of premises occupied by a dwelling, except
on driveways and parking areas constructed and installed in compliance
with applicable Borough ordinances.
Such motor vehicles, boats, recreational vehicles or trailers
shall not be used for temporary or permanent living quarters while
situation on the lot. Such vehicles shall be annually licensed with
a valid registration and shall be capable of use on a public road
or waterway; no junk motor vehicles, boats, recreational vehicles
or trailers shall be permitted on any lot.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-203.1; Ord. No. OR:07/13 § 1]
All curbs, sidewalks and walkways shall be maintained by the
property owner in a safe and accessible condition. The travel area
shall be maintained free of obstruction to a height of eight feet
and all weed and vegetation growth shall be removed to enhance safety.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-203.2]
Any permanent structure including but not limited to mailboxes,
lighting fixtures, fences, sprinkler systems, invisible dog fences
installed within the public right-of-way are done at the property
owner's risk and removal and relocation of said structures necessitated
by or for public purposes shall be at the property owner's cost
and expense.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-203.3]
No storm water management facility shall be permitted to discharge
water within 10 feet of the property line.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-203.4]
Stormwater drainage facilities shall be provided to accommodate
drainage of roofs and paved areas, yards and courts, and other open
areas on the premises and shall be maintained in accordance with Borough
ordinances.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-203.5]
Mailboxes shall be placed in accordance with U.S. Postal Service
specifications.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-204.1]
The following activities within municipal utility easements
including water and sewer utility easements, telephone and communication
easements, and cable TV easements are prohibited: regrading; erection
of permanent or temporary structures; construction of walls of timber,
stone, concrete, metal or other materials; and construction of fencing
of any kind and are done at the property owner's risk. Removal
and relocation of said structures necessitated by or for public purposes
shall be at the property owner's cost and expense.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-204.2]
Municipal utility easements are to be maintained by the property
owner in a manner that provides free and uninhibited access to the
full easement.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-204.3]
The placement or storage of litter, as defined by subsection
6-1.1 of the Code of the Borough of Watchung, is prohibited within municipal utility easements.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-205.1]
The exterior of a structure shall be maintained in good repair,
structurally sound and sanitary so as not to pose a threat to the
public health, safety or welfare.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-205.2]
Each structure to which a street number has been assigned shall
have such number displayed in a position easily observed and readable
by police and emergency vehicles.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-205.3]
All canopies, marquees, signs, metal awnings, stairways, fire
escapes, standpipes, exhaust ducts and similar overhang extensions
shall be maintained in good repair and be properly anchored so as
to be kept in a safe and sound condition. When required, all exposed
surfaces of metal or wood shall be protected from the elements and
against decay or rust by periodic application of weather-coating materials,
such as paint or similar surface treatment.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-205.4]
All chimneys, cooling towers, smoke stacks, and similar appurtenances
shall be maintained structurally safe and sound, and in good repair.
All exposed surfaces of metal or wood shall be protected from the
elements and against decay or rust by periodic application of weather-coating
materials, such as paint or similar surface treatment.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-205.5]
Every handrail and guard shall be firmly fastened and capable
of supporting normally imposed loads and shall be maintained in good
condition.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-206.1]
The interior of a structure and equipment therein shall be maintained
in good repair, structurally sound and in a sanitary condition. Every
occupant shall keep that part of the structure which such occupant
occupies or controls in a clean and sanitary condition. Every owner
of a structure containing two or more dwelling units or two or more
nonresidential occupancies, shall maintain, in a clean and sanitary
condition, the shared or public areas of the structure and exterior
property.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-207.1]
All exterior property and premises, and the interior of every
structure shall be free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-207.2]
Every occupant of a structure shall dispose of all rubbish in
a clean and sanitary manner.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-207.2.1]
The owner and/or tenant of every occupied premises shall supply
approved covered containers for rubbish, and the owner and/or tenant
of the premises shall be responsible for the removal of rubbish.
[Ord. No. OR:10/10]
a. The purpose of this subsection is to require dumpsters and other
refuse containers that are outdoors or exposed to stormwater to be
covered at all times and prohibits the spilling, dumping, leaking,
or otherwise discharge of liquids, semi-liquids or solids from the
containers to the municipal separate storm sewer system operated by
the Borough of Watchung and/or the waters of the State so as to protect
public health, safety and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for
the failure to comply.
b. Definitions. For the purpose of this subsection, the following terms,
phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meanings stated
herein unless their use in the text of this subsection clearly demonstrates
a different meaning. When not inconsistent with the context, words
used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural
number include the singular number, and words used in the singular
number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory
and not merely directory.
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM (MS4)
Shall mean a conveyance or system of conveyances (including
roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs,
gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains) that is owned
or operated by the Borough of Watchung or other public body, and is
designed and used for collecting and conveying stormwater.
PERSON
Shall mean any individual, corporation, company, partnership,
firm, association, or political subdivision of this State subject
to municipal jurisdiction.
REFUSE CONTAINER
Shall mean any waste container that a person controls whether
owned, leased, or operated, including dumpsters, trash cans, garbage
pails, and plastic trash bags.
STORMWATER
Shall mean water resulting from precipitation (including
rain and snow) that runs off the land's surface, is transmitted
to the subsurface, is captured by separate storm sewers or other sewerage
or drainage facilities, or is conveyed by snow removal equipment.
WATERS OF THE STATE
Shall mean the ocean and its estuaries, all springs, streams
and bodies of surface or groundwater, whether natural or artificial,
within the boundaries of the State of New Jersey or subject to its
jurisdiction.
c. Prohibited Conduct. Any person who controls, whether owned, leased,
or operated, a refuse container or dumpster must ensure that such
container or dumpster is covered at all times and shall prevent refuse
from spilling out or overflowing.
Any person who owns, leases or otherwise uses a refuse container
or dumpster must ensure that such container or dumpster does not leak
or otherwise discharge liquids, semi-liquids or solids to the municipal
separate storm sewer system operated by the Borough of Watchung.
d. Exceptions to Prohibition.
1. Permitted temporary demolition containers.
2. Litter receptacles (other than dumpsters or other bulk containers).
3. Individual homeowner trash and recycling containers.
4. Refuse containers at facilities authorized to discharge stormwater
under a valid NJPDES permit.
5. Large bulky items (e.g., furniture, bound carpet and padding, white
goods placed curbside for pickup).
e. Enforcement. This subsection shall be enforced by the Code Official
or the Police Department of the Borough of Watchung.
f. Penalties. Any person who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be subject to the penalty stated in Chapter
1, Section
1-5, General Penalty.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-208.1]
All properties, including but not limited to structures, shall
be kept free from insect and nondomesticated animal infestation. Insects
or nondomesticated animals shall be promptly exterminated by approved
processes that will not be injurious to human health. After extermination,
proper precautions shall be taken to prevent reinfestation.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-208.2]
The owner of any structure shall be responsible for extermination
within the structure should evidence of infestation be found.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-208.3]
The owner of a structure containing a single dwelling unit or
of a single nonresidential structure shall be responsible for extermination
on the premises. If infestation is caused by failure of an occupant
to prevent such infestation in the area occupied, the occupants shall
be responsible for extermination.
[Ord. No. 99/08 § PM-208.4]
The municipality may take action to remedy an infestation and
bill the owner or occupant of the property for extermination services
if the owner or occupant has failed to treat the infestation. Failure
of the owner to reimburse the Borough within 30 days for remediation
action taken by the Borough will result in a lien being placed on
the property.