[Adopted by the Borough Council of Neptune City as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-23-1946 by Ord. No. 46-6]
[Amended 11-8-1976 by Ord. No. 76-10]
The owner or tenant of any lands lying within the limits of the Borough of Neptune City, where it shall be necessary and expedient for the preservation of the public health or safety or elimination of fire hazards to remove from the front line of any lots or the front line and side line of any corner lots any shrubbery or hedges, walls or fences which shall be more than three feet in height above street level, shall, within 10 days after notice, remove the same.
If the owner or tenant shall refuse or neglect to remove the same within the time provided above, the Borough of Neptune City, under the direction of some officer of the municipality, may provide for the removal of the same.
If the same shall be removed by or under the direction of an officer of the municipality, such officer shall certify the cost thereof to the Borough Council, who shall examine the certificate and, if found correct, shall cause the cost, as shown thereon, to be charged against said lands, and the amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon such lands and shall be added to and become and form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lands, and shall bear interest at the same rate as taxes, and shall be collected and enforced by the same officers and in the same manner as taxes.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Section 89-4 was repealed 9-27-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-15. Provisions for violations and penalties, previously codified herein, may be found in Ch. 1, Art. III of these Revised General Ordinances.
[Adopted 11-13-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-11[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also redesignated Sections 89-1 through 89-4 as Art. I, Line-of-Sight Obstructions, of this chapter.
The purpose of this chapter is to protect and promote the public health through the control of the growth of invasive plant species.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
INVASIVE PLANTS
All native and nonnative vines, vegetation and flowering vines that grow out of place, are competitive, persistent, and pernicious. These plants may damage trees, vegetation, or structures. Examples include, but are not limited to, bamboo (spreading or running type), ragweed, multiflora rose, kudzu vine and poison ivy or oak.
All persons must control the growth of invasive plants. Failure to control the spread of such vegetation beyond the boundaries of a resident's property, including, but not limited to, growth onto neighboring properties and public or nonpublic utilities, is a violation of this article.
All places and premises in the Borough of Neptune City shall be subject to inspection by the enforcement officer. Such inspections shall be performed by such person, persons or agency duly authorized and appointed by the Borough of Neptune City. An inspection shall be made if that official has reason to believe that any section of this article is being violated.
A. 
Whenever an invasive plant, as defined by this article, is found on any plot of land, lot or any other premises or place, a violation notice shall be given to the owner, in writing, to remove or abate the violation within such time as shall be specified in such notice.
B. 
The cost of abatement shall be borne by the property owner.
C. 
If the owner fails to comply with such notice within the time specified therein, the enforcing official may remove or otherwise control the invasive plant species, and the Borough may thereafter recover the cost of such removal from the property owner and place a lien on the property to recover the cost of invasive plant removal.
Any person, partnership, limited-liability company, corporation or other entity who shall violate any provision of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to the maximum fines and penalties established under N.J.S.A. 40:49-5 and 40:69A-29, and as same shall be amended from time to time. Each and every day a violation of this article shall exist shall constitute a separate violation.