The provisions of this article shall govern the minimum conditions
for the maintenance of exterior property, premises and structures;
premises shall comply with the conditions herein prescribed insofar
as they are applicable.
The owner of the premises shall maintain such structures and
premises in compliance with the following requirements. A person shall
not occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy or use
the premises which do not comply with the following requirements of
this section.
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.
All exterior property areas and premises shall be maintained
in a clean, safe and sanitary condition free from any accumulation
of rubbish or garbage.
The operator of every establishment producing garbage, vegetable
wastes or other prescribed materials shall provide, and at all times
cause to be used, leak proof approved containers provided with close
fitting covers for the storage of such materials until removed from
the premises for disposal.
All premises shall be graded and maintained so as to prevent
the accumulation of stagnant water thereon or within any structure
located thereon. It shall be unlawful to discharge any liquid from
a pump onto adjacent properties.
All loading areas, automobile service stations, drive-in establishments,
etc. except those located within a flood plain shall be paved with
bituminous concrete or equivalent surfacing and shall be free from
dirt and other litter and kept in good repair. When lighted for nighttime
use, lights shall not be permitted to cast directly upon dwellings
nearby.
An owner of a structure or property shall be responsible for
the extermination of insects, rodents, vermin or other pests in all
exterior areas of the premises, except that the occupant shall be
responsible for such extermination in the exterior areas of the premises
of a single family dwelling. Whenever infestation exists in the shared
or public parts of the premises of other than a single family dwelling,
extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner.
All sidewalks, steps, driveways, parking spaces and similar
paved areas for public use shall be kept in a proper state of repair
and free of all snow, ice, mud and other debris. If any sidewalk or
driveway or portion thereof by virtue of its state of repair shall
constitute a danger to public health and safety, the sidewalk or driveway
or portion thereof shall be replaced.
All areas shall be kept free from weeds or plant growth which
are noxious, overgrown or detrimental to the public health and welfare.
All open salvage yards and open storage areas shall be completely
obscured from surrounding property by a solid screen not less than
six feet in height.
A person shall not construct, maintain or operate pipes, ducts,
conductors, fans or blowers discharging gases, steam, vapor, hot air,
grease, smoke, odors or other gaseous or particulate wastes so as
to discharge directly upon abutting or adjacent public or private
property or that of another tenant.
All necessary structures, including detached garages, fences and walls shall be maintained structurally sound and in compliance with Sections
16-19 and
16-20 of this code.
It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or permit the keeping
on the streets, vacant lots, driveways and residential lawns, except
in a fully enclosed structure, any motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer
which is (a) missing tires, wheels, engine or any essential parts;
or (b) which does not display a current, valid New Jersey state license;
or (c) which is wrecked, disassembled or partially disassembled. Furthermore,
no person shall park, stop or stand any motor vehicle, or permit or
suffer the same to be done, in any front yard areas of premises occupied
by a dwelling or hotel, except on driveways and parking areas constructed
and installed in compliance with applicable Borough ordinances and
not less than three feet from the interior front sidewalk line adjacent
to said premises.
The exterior of a structure shall be maintained structurally
sound and sanitary so as not to pose a threat to the health and safety
of the occupants and so as to protect the occupants from the environment.
All supporting structural members of all structures shall be
kept structurally sound, free of deterioration and maintained capable
of safely bearing the dead and live loads imposed upon them.
Every foundation, exterior wall, roof and all other exterior
surfaces shall be maintained in a workmanlike state of maintenance
and repair and shall be kept in such condition as to exclude rodents.
All foundation walls shall be maintained so as to carry the
safe design and operating dead and live loads and shall be maintained
plumb and free from open cracks and breaks so as not to be detrimental
to public safety and welfare.
Every exterior wall shall be free of holes, graffiti, breaks,
loose or rotting boards or timbers, and any other conditions which
might admit rain or dampness to the interior portions of the walls
or to the occupied spaces of the building. All exterior surface material,
including wood, composition or metal siding, shall be maintained weatherproof
and shall be properly surface coated as required to prevent deterioration.
The roof shall be structurally sound, tight and not have defects
which might admit rain, and roof drainage shall be adequate to prevent
the rain water from causing dampness in the walls or interior portion
of the building.
All cornices, shutters, entablatures, belt courses, corbels,
terra cotta trim, wall facings and similar decorative features shall
be maintained in good repair with proper anchorage and in a safe condition.
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. They shall be protected
from the elements and against decay and rust by the periodic application
of a weather-coating material such as paint or other protective treatment.
All chimneys, cooling towers, smoke stacks and similar appurtenances
shall be maintained structurally safe, 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
material such as paint or similar surface treatment.
Every stair, porch, balcony and all appurtenances thereto shall
be so constructed as to be safe to use and capable of supporting the
loads to which it is subjected and shall be kept in sound condition
and good repair.
Every window, door and frame shall be constructed and maintained
in such relation to the adjacent wall construction so as to exclude
rain as completely as possible, and to substantially exclude wind
from entering the dwelling or structure.
Every window and exterior door shall be fitted reasonably in
its frame and be weather tight and weather stripping shall be used
to exclude wind or rain from entering the dwelling or structure and
they shall be kept in sound condition and good repair.
Every required window sash shall be fully supplied with approved
glazing material which are without open cracks or holes.
Every window, other than fixed window, shall be capable of being
easily opened and shall be held in position by window hardware.
Every door and window or other outside opening used for ventilation
purposes shall be supplied with approved screening and every swinging
screen door shall have a self-closing device in good working condition,
except that such screens shall not be required for areas on a floor
above the fifth floor and screen doors shall not be required on nonresidential
structures or structures where the doors are required to swing out.
Every exterior door, door hinge and door latch shall be maintained
in good condition. Door locks in dwelling units shall be in good repair
and capable of tightly securing the door.
Every basement or cellar hatchway shall be so constructed and
maintained as to prevent the entrance of rodents, rain and surface
drainage water into the structure.
Every basement or cellar window which is openable shall be supplied
with rodent proof shields, storm windows or other material affording
protection against the entry of rodents.
The interior of a structure and its equipment shall be maintained
structurally sound and in sanitary condition so as not to pose a threat
to the health and safety of the occupants and to protect the occupants
from the environment.
The supporting structural members of every building shall be
maintained structurally sound, not showing any evidence of deterioration
which would render them incapable of carrying the imposed loads. In
every existing building used for business, industrial, mercantile
or storage occupancy in which heavy loads or concentrations occur
or in which machinery is introduced, the owner or occupant shall cause
the weight that each floor shall safely sustain to be calculated by
a registered architect or engineer and filed with the Code Official,
and after such acceptance by the Code Official, posted on each floor
in a conspicuous place.
Floors, walls, including windows, doors, ceilings and other
interior surfaces shall be maintained in good, clean and sanitary
condition. Peeling paint, cracked or loose plaster, decayed wood and
other defective surface conditions shall be eliminated.
Lead based paint with a lead content of more than five-tenths
of one percent: (0.5%) shall not be applied to any interior or exterior
surface of a dwelling, dwelling unit or child care facility, including
fences and outbuildings at these locations. Existing interior and
exterior painted surfaces of dwelling units and child care facilities
that contain an excess of five-tenths of one percent (0.5%) lead shall
be removed and remedied in accordance with N.J.S.A. 23:14(A)-1 et
seq.
Every toilet, bathroom and kitchen floor surface shall be constructed
and maintained so as to be substantially impervious to water so as
to permit such floor to be easily kept in a clean and sanitary condition.
In every building, cellars, basements and crawl spaces shall
be maintained reasonably free from dampness to prevent conditions
conducive to decay or deterioration of the structure.
The interior of every structure shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition free from any accumulation of rubbish, refuse or garbage. Rubbish, garbage and other refuse shall be properly kept inside temporary storage facilities as required under Section
16-66.
Garbage or refuse shall not be allowed to accumulate or be stored
in public halls or stairways.
All structures shall be kept free from insect and rodent infestation
and where insects or rodents are found, they shall be promptly exterminated
by acceptable processes which will not be injurious to human health.
After extermination, proper precautions shall be taken to prevent
reinfestation.
Every door available as an exit shall be capable of being opened
easily from the inside and without the use of a key.
Stairs and other exit facilities shall be adequate for safety
as provided in the building code.
All interior stairs and railings and other exit facilities of
every structure shall be maintained in sound condition and good repair
by replacing treads and risers that evidence excessive wear or are
broken, warped or loose. Every inside stair shall be so constructed
and maintained as to be safe to use and capable of supporting the
anticipated loads.
Every flight of stairs which is more than three risers high
shall have handrails.