As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLE
Any motor vehicle which:
A.
Is parked without the current year’s registration or identification
markers as required by law;
B.
Has been continuously parked in any public street or on any public land
for a period of two days, or 30 days upon any private land or premises.
C.
Is so disabled as to constitute an obstruction to traffic, and the driver
or person owning or in charge thereof neglects or refuses to
move the same to a place where it will not obstruct traffic;
D.
Is found to be mechanically inoperative and is allowed to remain inoperative
for a period of seven days and such period of time has not been extended by
the Police Department; or
E.
Is found without one or more tires.
MOTOR VEHICLE or VEHICLE
Any “motor vehicle,” “omnibus,” “road
tractor,” “trailer,” “truck,” “truck-tractor”
and “vehicle,” which terms are intended to have the meaning stated
and defined in N.J.S.A. 39:1-1 et seq.
It is hereby determined and declared that the placing, abandonment,
leaving, keeping or storing out-of-doors of any motor vehicle, trailer or
semitrailer not currently in use for transportation and not licensed for the
current year, or missing tires, wheels, engine or any essential parts, or
which displays extensive body damage or deterioration, or is disassembled,
in whole or in part, or any other unusable machinery or equipment or parts
of machines or parts of automobiles on public or private lands in the Township
is contrary and inimical to the public welfare in that such articles so placed,
abandoned, left, kept or stored, attract or may attract persons of tender
years who, being so attracted, may play in and about them and be injured in
so doing, and further in that such articles so placed, abandoned, left, kept
or stored out-of-doors and exposed to the elements, deteriorate and in themselves
are unsightly and in deteriorating become more unsightly and are detrimental
to and depreciate the value of the property in the neighborhood where they
are located and in the Township as a whole.
Upon the complaint of any resident or property owner of the Township
or any employee of the Township, or upon his/her own motion, the Chief of
Police, or his/her designated agent, shall make an investigation of the condition
complained of.
If the land about which the complaint was made is found to be in such
condition that a violation of one or more of the provisions of this chapter
exists thereon, the Chief of Police shall notify the owner, possessor or occupant
of the land complained of, which notice shall be served upon the owner or
possessor personally if (s)he resides in the Township or by certified mail.
If the owner or possessor resides outside the Township, the notice shall be
served upon him/her by registered or certified mail addressed to his/her usual
residence, if ascertainable, otherwise by notice published in the newspaper
in which legal notices of the Township are published. The owner or tenant
shall abate the violation within 10 days after receipt of the notice.
The Chief of Police shall reinspect the lands after the thirty-day period
has expired and report, in writing, to the Township Council whether or not
the condition complained of and previously found to exist in violation of
this chapter has been abated or remedied.
In the event that the owner, possessor or occupant of the land, or the
owner of the abandoned property, refuses or neglects to abate or remedy the
condition complained of after 10 days' notice, the Chief of Police shall
cause the condition complained of to be abated and remedied.
Upon the removal of any motor vehicle by or under the direction of an
officer of the Township, in cases where the owner has refused or neglected
to remove it in the manner and within the time provided above, the officer
shall certify the cost thereof to the Township Council. Upon receipt of same,
the Council shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against the
lands. The amount so charged shall become a lien upon the land and shall be
added to and become and form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied
upon the land, and 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.
If the Township has caused the abandoned property to be removed, and
such property is not reclaimed within the time set forth in N.J.S.A. 39:10A,
such property may be sold at public auction and the proceeds applied towards
the costs incurred by the Township and any penalty imposed, in accordance
with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 39:10A-1 et seq.
If the owner or tenant to whom notice is sent neglects or refuses to comply with the notice within 10 days of its receipt, the Township shall cause a complaint to be brought against him/her in Municipal Court, and upon conviction, such penalties as set forth in Chapter
1, General Provisions, Article
III, Penalties and Enforcement, may be imposed.