[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Upper Mount Bethel 6-14-1993 by Ord. No. 93-8. Amendments noted where applicable.]
No person, firm or corporation owning or occupying any property within the Township of Upper Mount Bethel shall permit any grass or weeds or any vegetation whatsoever not edible or planted for some useful or ornamental purpose to grow or remain upon such premises so as to exceed a height of 12 inches or to throw off any unpleasant or noxious odor or to conceal any filthy deposit or to create or produce pollen. Any grass, weeds or other vegetation growing upon any premises in the Township of Upper Mount Bethel in violation of any of the provisions of this section is hereby declared to be a nuisance and detrimental to the health, safety, cleanliness and comfort of the inhabitants of the Township.
The owner of any premises, as to vacant premises or premises occupied by the owner, and the occupant thereof, in case of premises occupied by other than the owner thereof, shall remove, trim or cut all grass, weeds or other vegetation growing or remaining upon such premises in violation of the provisions of § 80-1 of this chapter.
The Board of Supervisors of Upper Mount Bethel Township or any officer or employee of the Township designated thereby for the purpose, is hereby authorized to give notice, by personal service or by registered mail to the owner or occupant, as the case may be, of any premises whereon grass, weeds or other vegetation is growing or remaining in violation of the provisions of § 80-1 of this chapter, within five days after receipt of such notice. In case any person, firm or corporation shall neglect, fail or refuse to comply with such notice within the period of time stated therein, the Township authorities may remove, trim or cut such grass, weeds or vegetation, and the cost thereof, together with any additional penalty authorized by the law, may be collected by the Township from such person, firm or corporation, in the manner provided by law.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a Magisterial District Judge under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense.
Any ordinance or parts of any ordinance inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter are hereby repealed insofar as the same affects this chapter.