[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Belvidere 4-10-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-01. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PERSON
Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, organization or entity of any kind, with the exception of duly organized fire, ambulance and rescue squads.
PRIVATE PROPERTY
All nonpublic residential and commercial real property within the Town of Belvidere, including residential lots, multifamily dwellings, condominiums and townhouses, retail establishments, office buildings and commercial/industrial buildings.
PUBLIC PROPERTY
All property devoted to public use, including public roads, rights-of-way and property whereon public buildings are erected.
VEHICLE
With respect to private property, the term "vehicle" shall be defined to mean passenger automobiles, motorcycles, and commercial automobiles, as defined in the Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulations of the State of New Jersey, N.J.S.A. 39:1-1. Vehicle shall also include all parts, tools, tires and other vehicle accessories and equipment. With respect to public property, the term "vehicle" shall be defined to mean every device in, upon or by which a person or property is or may be transported upon a highway, including trailers, as these terms are defined in the Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulations on the State of New Jersey, N.J.S.A. 39:1-1.
A. 
No person shall park, abandon, leave, keep or otherwise store any vehicle on private property in the Town of Belvidere, for a period of more than 30 days, except in an enclosed garage, barn or other building, or behind a fence that prevents the vehicle from being visible to adjoining property owners or the public at large.
B. 
No person shall park, store, abandon or otherwise keep any motor vehicle on public lands, except as expressly permitted by parking regulations or as authorized by an officer of the Belvidere Police Department.
The prohibition on the outdoor storage of vehicles on private property as set forth in § 481-2A shall be subject to the following exceptions:
A. 
Vehicles that have a current registration and display proper license plates such as to be operable on the public highways in the State of New Jersey.
B. 
Any vehicle that is unregistered, or whose registration is expired, provided that said vehicle is owned by the owner or occupant of the property where stored and:
(1) 
Is properly covered with a car cover, tarpaulin or other appropriate cover suitable for the type of vehicle in question;
(2) 
The area around where the vehicle is stored is properly maintained and kept clear of brush, grass and weeds;
(3) 
Is not be kept in the front yard;
(4) 
Is set back at least 10 feet from any property line; and
(5) 
All parts, tools, tires, or other vehicle accessories and equipment are properly covered.
C. 
Vehicles properly registered as historic vehicles pursuant to the rules and regulations of the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles.
D. 
Vehicles utilized in conjunction with a designated commercial farm as defined in the Right to Farm Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 4:1c-1 et seq.
E. 
New or used automobile dealers that are licensed by the State of New Jersey for the purpose of displaying vehicles for sale to the general public and have received zoning approval will be exempt from this article as long as they hold a current dealer's license and do not retain vehicles on their lot that are not salable vehicles.
F. 
Licensed service stations (repair garages) and auto body repair shops will also be exempt from the provisions of this article as long as they are licensed by the State of New Jersey for the type of business they are conducting and have received zoning approval for the area where they are operating. They shall maintain a neat and orderly lot and limit the number of vehicles that are being kept on the lot for repairs, according to the size of the available space. No vehicle shall be kept on the lot for more than 30 days awaiting repairs.
A. 
The agencies and officers in the Town of Belvidere that shall be charged with the enforcement of this chapter are the Zoning Officer, the Belvidere Police Department and its Police Officers and the County Board of Health or its designated representative. These agencies or officers may act individually or in conjunction with one another in the enforcement of this chapter.
B. 
When a violation is observed, other than on municipal property or a public street, the enforcing officer or agency may, in the exercise of discretion, provide reasonable notice and an opportunity to abate the violation to the owner or occupant of the property that a violation occurs. Notice may be verbal or in writing and under no circumstances shall notice be a precondition for the issuance of a summons or complaint.
Whenever a violation of this chapter occurs on Town property or any public roads or right-of-ways within the Town Belvidere, enforcement of this chapter shall be exclusively by the Belvidere Police Department in accordance with the following standards:
A. 
If a vehicle constitutes or may constitute a traffic hazard to the public, it may be removed by a licensed towing operator to the place of business of the tow operator until the owner shall come to claim it.
B. 
If a vehicle is not creating a traffic hazard, the Police Department shall endeavor to make a good-faith effort to contact the registered owner of the vehicle and arrange for its removal prior to having the same removed by a licensed towing operator.
C. 
If a vehicle is parked on public property due to it becoming mechanically disabled during operation, the owner/operator shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to arrange for its removal by a towing service of the owner's choice, provided the owner timely alerts the Belvidere Police Department when the vehicle becomes inoperable, and the same is not creating a hazard.
D. 
The owner or person entitled to possession of any vehicle removed from public property shall be responsible for all reasonable costs of removal and storage in conjunction with recovering possession of the vehicle.
E. 
If the vehicle is not claimed by the owner or other person entitled thereto, or if the cost of removal, storage, fine and/or court costs remain unpaid, the Chief of Police may cause the vehicle to be sold or disposed of as provided by N.J.S.A. 39:10A-1 et seq.
F. 
Enforcement as set forth in this section with respect to violations on public property shall be in addition to the authority of the Police Department to issue summonses for any applicable violations of the motor vehicle laws of the State of New Jersey.
A. 
Any person who shall violate any provision of the restrictions on the parking and storage of vehicles on private property as set forth in this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to the following penalties:
(1) 
A fine of not more than $100 for a first offense.
(2) 
For a second offense, the fine shall be not less than $100 nor exceed $500.
(3) 
For a third and subsequent offense, the fine shall be $1,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 90 days, or both.
B. 
The imposition of a penalty or penalties for any violation shall not excuse or be deemed to permit to continue, and all such persons convicted shall be required to correct or remedy such violations within a reasonable time. If said violations are not corrected within 10 days following conviction, the prohibited condition shall be deemed a separate offense hereunder.