[Added 11-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2689]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ABANDONED PROPERTY
As defined in accordance with the Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act, N.J.S.A. 55:19-78 et seq., shall mean the following:
A. 
Except as provided in Section 6 of P.L. 2003, c. 210 (N.J.S.A. 55:19-83), any property that has not been legally occupied for a period of six months and which meets any one of the following additional criteria may be deemed to be abandoned property upon a determination by the public officer that:
(1) 
The property is in need of rehabilitation in the reasonable judgment of the public officer, and no rehabilitation has taken place during that six-month period;
(2) 
Construction was initiated on the property and was discontinued prior to completion, leaving the building unsuitable for occupancy, and no construction has taken place for at least six months as of the date of a determination by the public officer pursuant to this section;
(3) 
At least one installment of property tax remains unpaid and delinquent on that property in accordance with Chapter 4 of Title 54 of the Revised Statutes (see N.J.S.A. 54:4-1 et seq.) as of the date of a determination by the public officer pursuant to this section; or
(4) 
The property has been determined to be a nuisance by the public officer.
B. 
A property which contains both residential and nonresidential space may be considered abandoned pursuant to P.L. 2003, c. 210 (N.J.S.A. 55:19-78 et seq.) so long as 2/3 or more of the total net square footage of the building was previously legally occupied as residential space and none of the residential space has been legally occupied for at least six months at the time of the determination of abandonment by the public officer and the property meets the criteria of either Subsection A(1) or Subsection A(4) of this definition.
EVIDENCE OF VACANCY
A. 
Any condition that on its own or combined with other conditions present would lead a reasonable person to believe that the property is or has been vacant for three or more months. Such evidence would include, but is not limited to, evidence of the existence of two or more of the following conditions at a property: overgrown or dead vegetation; accumulation of newspapers, circulars, flyers or mail; past-due utility notices or disconnected utilities; accumulation of trash, junk or debris; the absence of window coverings such as curtains, blinds or shutters; the absence of furnishings or personal items consistent with residential habitation; statements by neighbors, delivery agents, or government employees that the property is vacant or abandoned; infestation by insects, vermin, rats or other pests; windows or entrances that are boarded up or closed off; multiple window panes that are damaged, broken or unrepaired; doors that are smashed, broken, unhinged or continuously unlocked; or any uncorrected violation of a municipal building, housing or similar code during the preceding year.
B. 
Property determined to be "abandoned property" in accordance with the meaning of such term in the Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act, N.J.S.A. 55:19-78 et seq., shall also be deemed to be vacant property for the purposes of this chapter.
OWNER
Shall include the title holder, any agent of the title holder having authority to act with respect to a vacant property, any foreclosing entity subject to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 46:10B-51 (P.L. 2008, c. 127, § 17), or any other entity determined by the Borough of Somerville to act with respect to the property.
VACANT PROPERTY
Any building used or to be used as a residence which is not legally occupied or at which substantially all lawful construction operations or residential occupancy has ceased for a period of at least three months, and any commercial property that has not been legally occupied or at which substantially all lawful construction operations have ceased for a period of at least three months, and which exhibits evidence of vacancy such that a reasonable person would believe that the property is vacant. Any property that contains all building systems in working order, is being maintained on a regular basis, has not been cited by the Borough for any violation of municipal ordinance within such time and is being actively marketed by its owner for sale or rental shall not be deemed vacant.
A. 
The owner of any vacant property as defined herein shall, within 30 days after the building becomes vacant property or within 30 days after assuming ownership of the vacant property, whichever is later, file a registration statement for each such vacant property with the Borough of Somerville on forms provided by the Borough of Somerville for such purposes. The registration shall remain valid until the end of the calendar year. The owner shall be required to renew the registration annually, no later than January 1, as long as the building remains vacant property and shall pay a registration or renewal fee in the amount prescribed in § 164-4 of this chapter for each vacant property registered. The property owner may request in writing that the current year's renewal fee be prorated and/or a prorated refund issued for the year in which the property becomes legally occupied in compliance with all applicable ordinances and state statutes.
B. 
Any owner of any building that meets the definition of "vacant property", shall file a registration statement for that property on or before January 1, 2023. The registration statement shall include the information required under § 164-3 of this chapter, as well as any additional information that the public officer may reasonably require.
C. 
The owner shall notify the Borough of Somerville within 30 days of any change in the registration information by filing an amended registration statement on a form provided by the Borough of Somerville for such purpose.
D. 
The registration statement shall be deemed prima facie proof of the statement therein contained in any administrative enforcement proceeding or court proceeding instituted by the Borough of Somerville against the owner or owners of the building.
A. 
After filing a registration statement or a renewal of a registration statement, the owner of any vacant property shall provide access to the Borough of Somerville if requested, following reasonable notice, during the period covered by the initial registration or any subsequent renewal. If an inspection is required of the interior of the property due to complaints or other cause, the fee for such inspection shall be the same as that for a certificate of occupancy inspection as provided in the applicable provisions of the Code of the Borough of Somerville.
B. 
The registration statement shall include the name, street address, and telephone number of a natural person 21 years of age or older, designated by the owner or owners as the authorized agent for receiving notices of code violations and for receiving process in any court proceeding or administrative enforcement proceeding, on behalf of such owner or owners in connection with the enforcement of any applicable code. The designated agent must have a contact number that will be available 24 hours per day on an emergency basis. The statement shall also include the name of the person responsible for maintaining and securing the property, if different from the designated agent.
C. 
An owner who is a natural person and who meets the requirements of this section as to availability of a contact number on a twenty-four-hour emergency basis may designate himself or herself as agent.
D. 
By designating an authorized agent under the provisions of this section, the owner consents to receive any and all notices of code violations concerning the registered vacant property and all process in any court proceeding or administrative enforcement proceeding brought to enforce code provisions concerning the registered building by service of the notice or process on the authorized agent. Any owner who has designated an authorized agent under the provisions of this section shall be deemed to consent to the continuation of the agent's designation for the purpose of this section until the owner notifies the Borough of Somerville of a change of the authorized agent or until the owner files a new annual registration statement. The designation of an authorized agent in no way releases the owner from any requirement of this section.
The initial registration fee for each building shall be $250 for the period from the date of registration through December 31 of the initial registration year and shall not be refundable in the event that the property should subsequently become legally occupied during the initial registration year. The fee for the first renewal is $500. The fee for any subsequent renewal is $1,000. After five years, the registration fee shall be $5,000. After the initial registration year or any subsequent renewal year, the owner may apply, in writing, for a prorated refund of the current year's registration fee based upon the date of legal occupancy of the registered property in the event that any property shall become legally occupied.
The owner of any building that has become vacant and abandoned property, and any person maintaining, operating or collecting rent for any such building that has become vacant, shall, immediately:
A. 
Post a sign affixed to the inside of the building indicating the name, address and telephone number of the owner, the owner's authorized agent for the purpose of service of process (if designated pursuant to § 164-3 of this chapter), and the person responsible for the day-to-day supervision and management of the building, if such person is different from the owner holding title or authorized agent. The sign shall be of a size and placed in such a location so as to be legible from the nearest public street or sidewalk, whichever is nearer, but shall be no smaller than 15 inches by 17 inches; and
B. 
Enclose and secure the building against unauthorized entry as provided in the applicable provisions of the Code of the Borough of Somerville and maintain the sign required in Subsection A above until the building is again legally occupied or demolished or until repair or rehabilitation of the building is complete; and
C. 
Make provision for the maintenance of the lawn and yard, including regular grass cutting as required by the applicable provisions as per this chapter; and
D. 
Make provision for the cessation of the delivery of mail, newspapers and circulars to the property, including having the property listed on the exclusion list maintained by the Borough of Somerville for the delivery of circulars and advertisements to the property; and
E. 
Make provision for the winterizing of the property by the cessation of water service to the property and the draining of water lines; other than buildings with a fire sprinkler system; and
F. 
Make provision for the cessation of electric or gas utility services to the property, other than buildings with a fire sprinkler system; and
G. 
Make provision for the regular maintenance of the exterior of the property.
The Borough of Somerville Mayor and Council shall issue rules and regulations for the administration of the provisions of this section.
A. 
Any owner who is not in full compliance with this article or who otherwise violates any provision of this article or of the rules and regulations issued hereunder shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $1,000 for each offense. Every day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. Fines assessed under this section shall be recoverable from the owner and shall be a lien on the property.
B. 
For purposes of this article, failure to file a registration statement in time, failure to provide correct information on the registration statement, failure to comply with the provisions of § 164-5 of this chapter, or such other matters as may be established by the rules and regulations of the Borough of Somerville shall be deemed to be a violation of this article.
Nothing in this article is intended to nor shall be read to conflict with or prevent the Borough of Somerville from taking action against buildings found to be unfit for human habitation or unsafe structures as provided in applicable provisions of the Code of the Borough of Somerville and/or the Uniform Construction Code. Further, any action taken under any such code provision other than the demolition of a structure shall not relieve an owner from its obligations under this article.