[New]
This book shall be known and may be cited as "The Revised General Ordinances of the Town of Guttenberg (1993)", and is herein referred to as the "Revision" or "Code."
[New]
For the purpose of this Code, and in the interpretation and application of all other ordinances heretofore or hereafter adopted, except as the context may otherwise require:
BOARD OF COUNCIL
Shall mean the Governing Body of the Town of Guttenberg elected pursuant to law.
CLERK OR TOWN CLERK
Shall mean the Municipal Clerk duly appointed pursuant to law.
COUNTY
Shall mean the County of Hudson.
DAYS
Shall mean the calendar days.
DEPARTMENT
Shall mean an organizational unit of the Town government established or designated by ordinance or this Code as a department, together with any agency or instrumentality of the Town government assigned to such organizational unit by the Board of Council.
LICENSED
Shall mean licensed in accordance with the appropriate section or chapter of this Code.
MONTH
Shall mean a calendar month unless otherwise specifically provided.
OATH
Shall be construed to include an affirmation where an affirmation may be substituted for an oath. In such cases, the words swear and sworn shall be construed to be equivalent to the words affirm and affirmed.
OCCUPANT
See tenant.
OFFICER OR OFFICIAL
And the title of an officer or official shall be construed as if the words "of the Town of Guttenberg" followed it.
ORDINANCE
Shall mean any act of local legislation heretofore or hereafter adopted, including this Code, so long as it shall have been adopted by the procedure required for the adoption of an ordinance and so long as it shall remain in force and effect pursuant to law.
OWNER
When applied to a building or land shall include any part owner, any corporation, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership, joint tenant or tenant by the entirety, of the whole or of a part of such building or land.
PERSON
Shall mean any individual, natural person, partnership, joint venture, society, association, club, firm, trustee, trust, corporation or unincorporated group; or any officers, agents, employees, servants, factors of any kind or personal representatives of any kind thereof in any capacity, acting either for himself or for any other person, under either personal appointment or pursuant to law.
PRECEDING AND FOLLOWING
Shall mean next before and next after, respectively.
PROPERTY
Shall mean real and personal property.
PUBLIC GROUNDS, PUBLIC SQUARES, PUBLIC PLACE OR PUBLIC PLACES
Shall severally be construed to mean any and every public ground, public square, public park or other public place within the Town.
REAL PROPERTY
Shall include lands, tenements and hereditaments, all rights thereto and interests therein.
SIDEWALK
Shall mean any portion of a street between the curb line and the adjacent building line, intended for the use of pedestrians, excluding parkways.
STREET
Shall mean and include an avenue, road, alley, lane, highway, boulevard, concourse, driveway, culvert, sidewalk and crosswalk, and every class of road, square, place or municipal parking field used by the general public. "Street" shall be considered to include a sidewalk or footpath, unless the contrary is expressed or unless such construction is inconsistent with the apparent intent.
TENANT
As applied to a building or land, shall include any person who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
TOWN
Shall mean the Town of Guttenberg, in the County of Hudson and the State of New Jersey. The word "Town" shall be construed as if the words "of Guttenberg, New Jersey" followed it.
WEEK
Shall mean seven days.
YEAR
Shall mean a calendar year unless otherwise specifically provided.
[New]
For the purpose of this Code and any other ordinances heretofore or hereafter adopted, except as the context may otherwise require:
The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the future, the present.
The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter.
The singular number includes the plural, and the plural the singular.
"Shall" is mandatory and may is permissive.
The time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and including the last day, and if the last day be a Sunday or a legal holiday, that day shall be excluded.
"Writing" and "written" includes printing, typewriting, and any other mode of communication using paper or similar material which is in general use, as well as legible handwriting.
"Chapter" shall mean one of the major divisions of the Code, identified by Arabic numbers, and divided by subject matter.
"Section" shall mean a major subdivision of a chapter.
"Subsection" shall mean a subdivision of a section, identified by a decimal number.
"Paragraph" shall mean a subdivision under a subsection, identified by an alphabetical letter and/or Arabic number.
Whenever a specific time is used in this Code, it shall mean the prevailing and established time in effect in the State of New Jersey during any day in any year.
Any citation of a statute, law or ordinance contained in this Code shall be deemed to refer to such statute, law or ordinance as amended, whether or not such designation is included in the citation.
[New]
If any chapter, section, subsection or paragraph of this Code shall be declared to be unconstitutional, invalid or inoperative, in whole or in part, by a court of competent jurisdiction, such chapter, section, subsection or paragraph shall, to the extent that it has not been declared unconstitutional, invalid or inoperative, remain in full force and effect, and no such determination shall be deemed to invalidate the remaining chapters, sections, subsections or paragraphs of this Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: Penalty provision taken from N.J.S.A. 40:69A-29.
[New; Ord. No. 23-12]
For violation of any provision of this Code, or other ordinance of the Town of Guttenberg unless a specific penalty is otherwise provided in connection with the provision violated, the maximum penalty upon conviction of the violation shall be by one or more of the following: imprisonment in the County jail or in any place provided by the municipality for the detention of prisoners, for any term not exceeding 90 days; and/or by a fine not exceeding $2,000; and/or by a period of community service not exceeding 90 days.[1]
[1]
Note: Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:69A-29, any municipality that chooses to impose a fine in an amount greater than $1,250 upon an owner for violations of housing or zoning codes shall provide a thirty-day period in which the owner shall be afforded the opportunity to cure or abate the condition and shall also be afforded an opportunity for a hearing before a court of competent jurisdiction for an independent determination concerning the violation. Subsequent to the expiration of the thirty-day period, a fine greater than $1,250 may be imposed if a court has not determined otherwise or, upon reinspection of the property, it is determined that the abatement has not been substantially completed. (N.J.S.A. 40:69A-29)
[New]
The Board of Council may prescribe that for the violation of any particular provision of the Code or of any particular ordinance at least a minimum penalty shall be imposed which shall consist of a fine which may be fixed at an amount not exceeding $100. The court before which any person is convicted of violating any ordinance or Code provision shall have power to impose any fine, term of punishment, or period of community service not less than the minimum and not exceeding the maximum fixed in the Code or such ordinance.
[New]
Any person who is convicted of violating this Code or an ordinance within one year of the date of a previous violation of the same provision of this Code or of the same ordinance and who was fined for the previous violation, shall be sentenced by a court to an additional fine as a repeat offender. The additional fine imposed by the court upon a person for a repeated offense shall not be less than the minimum or exceed the maximum fine fixed for a violation of the ordinance or Code provision, but shall be calculated separately from the fine imposed for the violation of the ordinance or Code provision.
[New]
Any person convicted of the violation of any provision of this Code or any ordinance may, in the discretion of the court by which he was convicted, and in default of the payment of any fine imposed therefor, be imprisoned in the County jail or place of detention provided by the Town, for any term not exceeding 90 days, or be required to perform community service for a period not exceeding 90 days.
[New]
Except as otherwise provided, each and every day in which a violation of any provision of this Code or any other ordinance of the Town exists shall constitute a separate violation.
[New]
The maximum penalty stated in this section is not intended to state an appropriate penalty for each and every violation. At the discretion of the Court, any lesser penalty, including a nominal penalty or no penalty at all, may be appropriate for a particular case or violation.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
Where a violation of these Revised General Ordinances is found to exist, a written notice from the enforcing official shall be served on the person or persons responsible for the correction thereof.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
The notice shall specify the location of the property by Tax Map reference, the violation or violations committed, what must be done to correct same, a reasonable period of time not to exceed 30 days to correct or abate the violation, the right of the person served to request a hearing and that the notice shall become an order in 10 days after service unless a hearing is requested pursuant to Subsection 1-5.10. The notice shall also advise the recipient that if the violation is found to be harmful to the health and safety of the occupants and the general public and is not corrected or abated, the Town may do same, the cost of which shall become a lien on the subject property.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
a. 
Notice may be served personally or by mail, certified return receipt requested, addressed to the last known address of the person to be served. Where it is ascertained that the owner does not reside on the premises, the last known address shall be the address of the owner as shown in the office of the Tax Collector. Service upon an owner or operator may also be attained by personal service of any notice upon a member of the family of the owner or operator over the age of 14 years, residing with the owner or operator.
b. 
If the whereabouts of the person to be served is unknown and the same cannot be ascertained by reasonable diligence, the serving of such notice upon such persons may be made by publishing the same once each week for two successive weeks in a newspaper printed and published in the county and circulating in the Town of Guttenberg. A copy of such notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises affected by the notice, and a copy of such notice shall be duly recorded or lodged for record in the office of the Town Clerk.
c. 
Where the manner of service of notice for a particular type of matter is prescribed by a state statute in a manner different from above, then such statutory provision shall be applicable to the service of the notice in question, notwithstanding the provisions of this section.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
Within 10 days of the date of service of a notice, the notice shall constitute a final order, unless any person affected by the notice requests a hearing thereon and serves a written request within the ten-day period in person or by mail to the Town Clerk. Such request for a hearing shall set forth briefly the grounds or reasons on which the request for a hearing is based and the factual matters contained in the notice of violation which are to be disputed at the hearing. The Town Clerk, upon receipt of the request, shall, within 45 days therefrom and upon five days' notice to the party aggrieved, set the matter down for hearing.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
At any hearing provided hereunder, the hearing officer shall be vested with all the powers provided by law to compel the attendance of witnesses and parties in interest by issuance and service of subpoena, to require by subpoena the production of books, records or other documents at any such hearing which may be pertinent to matters to be determined by him/her and to enforce any such subpoena as provided by law. Determination shall be made within 10 days from the completion of the hearing. The hearing officer shall issue an order either incorporating the determinations and directions contained in the notice, modifying the same or withdrawing of the notice.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
Where the violation or condition existing on the premises is of such a nature as to constitute an immediate threat to public health or life and limb unless abated without delay, the enforcement official may either abate the violation or condition immediately or order the owner, operator or occupant to correct the violation or condition within a period of time not to exceed three days, and upon failure to do so, the enforcement official may abate the condition immediately thereafter.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
Where abatement of any nuisance, as defined herein, correction of a defect in the premises, or the maintenance of the premises in a proper condition so as to conform to municipal ordinances or state law applicable thereto involves a condition harmful to the health and safety of the occupants or the general public and requires expending Town moneys to correct it, the enforcing officer shall present a report of work proposed to be done to accomplish the foregoing to the Town Administrator with an estimate of the cost thereof, along with a summary of the proceedings undertaken by him/her or under his/her direction to secure compliance, including notices served upon the owners, operators, lessors or agents, as the case may be, and summaries of hearings and copies of orders of the Town with reference thereto. The Town Council may thereupon order the abatement of the nuisance, correction of the defect or any work necessary to place the premises in proper condition and in compliance with ordinances of the Town and laws of the state, by resolution adopted after notice and hearing to the owner in the manner provided above to the extent applicable. The Town may thereafter proceed to have the work performed in accordance with such resolution at Town expense, not to exceed the amount specified in the resolution. Upon completion thereof, the Town Council, by resolution, may approve the expenses and costs, whereupon the same shall become a lien against the premises, collectible as provided by law. A copy of the resolution approving the expenses and costs shall be certified by the Town Clerk and filed with the Tax Collector of the Town, who shall be responsible for the collection thereof, and a copy of the resolution shall be sent by certified mail to the owner.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
If the Town incurs costs for emergency abatement including legal fees and costs as provided in Subsection 1-5.13, the enforcing officer shall present to the Town Council a report of the work done and the cost thereof with a summary of the proceedings undertaken and the reasons for the emergency abatement. The Town Council, after notice and hearing to the owner in the manner provided above to the extent applicable, may by resolution approve the costs, including legal fees and costs, whereupon the same shall become a lien against the premises collectible as provided by law.
[Added 3-28-2022 by Ord. No. 02-2022]
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, violations of any provision of this section may be prosecuted without the prior notices and hearings required by this section by the filing of a complaint by the Town, or a person designated by it, in the appropriate Court, it being the intention that the remedies and penalties provided herein shall be cumulative and not exclusive.
[New]
It shall be the duty of the Town Clerk or someone authorized and directed by the Clerk to keep up-to-date the certified copy of the book containing "The Code of the Town of Guttenberg, 1992" required to be filed in the office of the Town Clerk for the use of the public. All changes in the Code and all ordinances adopted by the Board of Council subsequent to the adoption of the Code, which the Board of Council shall adopt specifically as a part of the Code, shall, when finally adopted, be included therein by reference until such change or new ordinances are printed as supplements to the Code, at which time such supplements shall be inserted therein.
[New]
It shall be unlawful for anyone to improperly change or amend, by additions or deletions, any part or portion of the Code, or to alter or tamper with such Code in any manner whatsoever, which will cause the law of the Town of Guttenberg to be misrepresented thereby. Anyone violating this section of this ordinance shall be subject, upon conviction, to the penalty stated in Section 1-5.