[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Harmony 10-6-2009 by Ord. No. 09-10 (Ch. 100 of the 1990 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
Whenever it shall be deemed necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety and welfare, or to eliminate fire hazard, the Zoning Officer or a designee shall require any owner, tenant, occupant, managing agent, executor, administrator, or other similar person to remove or destroy brush, weeds (including ragweed), grass, dead and dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash and debris within 10 days after receipt of notice to remove or destroy the same.
The Director or his designee shall serve written notice upon any such person described in § 235-1, describing the condition of the premises and demanding that the condition be abated within 10 days of receipt of such notice. Notice shall be made by personal service, or by certified mail, return receipt required. In the event that personal service cannot be effected because the owner or agent is not a resident of the Township, or in the event that service by certified mail is unaccepted, then notice by regular mail shall be sent, and the Zoning Officer aforementioned or his designee shall post said notice in a conspicuous place on the premises.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
When the owner, tenant or other such person set forth in § 235-1 shall refuse or neglect to remove or destroy any such brush, weeds, grass, dead or dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash or debris within 10 days after receipt of notice to remove or destroy the same, he shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalty provisions in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty, of the Code of the Township of Harmony. The imposition and collection of a fine shall not bar the right of the Township to collect the cost of removal in the manner provided herein, or by summary action in a court of law.
Where the owner, tenant or other person set forth in § 235-1 above shall have refused and neglected to remove or destroy any such brush, weeds, grass, dead or dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash or debris within 10 days after receipt of notice to remove or destroy same, or upon the expiration of 10 days following posting of notice as provided in § 235-2 above, the Zoning Officer aforementioned or his designee shall cause same to be removed or destroyed at the expense of the owner, tenant, occupant, managing agent, executor, administrator or other similar person, as the case may be.
In all cases where brush, weeds, including ragweed, grass, dead and dying trees, stumps, roots, obnoxious growth, filth, garbage, trash or debris are destroyed or removed from any lands under this chapter by or under the direction of the Zoning Officer, the Zoning Officer aforementioned or his designee shall certify the cost thereof to the Township Committee, which shall examine the certificate and, if found correct, shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against said lands; the amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon said lands and shall be added to and become a part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lands, to 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.