[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Morrisville 7-11-1967
by Ord. No. 596. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 4-10-2001 by Ord. No. 913]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation
or unincorporated association owning, occupying or possessing an interest
in any real estate in the Borough of Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania,
to permit weeds, grass or any vegetation whatsoever, not edible or planted
for some useful or ornamental purpose, to grow or to remain upon such premises
as to exceed a height of 10 inches (254 mm) or to throw off any unpleasant
or noxious odor or to conceal any filthy deposit or to create or produce pollen
or to harbor or serve as a breeding place for insects. Any grass, weeds or
other vegetation growing upon any premises within the Borough of Morrisville
in violation of provisions of this chapter are hereby declared to be a public
nuisance and detrimental to the health, safety and comfort of the inhabitants
of the Borough of Morrisville.
Any weeds such as jimson, burdock, ragweed, thistle, cocklebur, or other
weeds of a like kind, found growing in any lot or tract of land in the Borough
are hereby declared to be a nuisance, and it shall be unlawful to permit such
weeds to grow or remain in any such place.
[Amended 4-2-1926]
Every owner of land fronting or abutting on any highway, street, avenue,
roadway, or other thoroughfare within the limits of the Borough of Morrisville,
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, its parks, or public lands, shall keep the grass,
briars, weeds, soil, stones, and bushes removed from along, on and over the
pavements, paths, and sidewalks bordering on, along or within the boundaries
of such highway, street, avenue, roadway, or other thoroughfare, so that they
shall in no way soil or interfere with the clothing or wearing apparel of
pedestrians.
The owner of any vacant premises, the owner of any premises occupied
by such owner, or the occupant of any premises not occupied by the owner,
shall remove, trim or cut all grass, weeds, or other vegetation growing or
remaining upon such premises which are in violation of the provisions of this
chapter.
The owner or occupant, as the case may be, shall be required to trim
or cut all grass, weeds, or vegetation not only upon the actual premises owned
or occupied by him but also the grass, weeds or vegetation growing or remaining
upon any grass strip, street or gutter immediately adjacent or contiguous
to the premises, it being the intent of this chapter that the abutting property
owner or occupant of premises along a street shall cut or trim the grass,
weeds or other vegetation within the sidewalk or cartway area where such sidewalk
area is not completely paved.
Town Council, the Chief of Police, or any police officer or employee
designated by Council for this purpose, is hereby authorized to give notice
to the owner or occupant, as the case may be, of any premises or abutting
street area whereon grass, weeds or other vegetation is growing or remaining
in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Said notice shall be served
either personally or by registered mail and mailed to the last known address
of such owner or occupant or by posting such notice in a conspicuous place
on the land involved.
In the event such person, firm, partnership, corporation or unincorporated
association of the land on which such offense is occurring shall not cause
the same to be cut or removed within five days of notification, then the Borough
authorities may remove, trim or cut such grass, weeds, or vegetation and the
cost thereof, together with a penalty of 10%, may be collected by the Borough
from such person, firm, partnership, corporation or unincorporated association
in the manner provided by law. Charges for such removal shall be a lien upon
the premises. Whenever a bill for such charges remains unpaid for 30 days
after it has been rendered, the Borough may file with the Prothonotary of
Bucks County a statement of lien claim. This statement shall contain a legal
description of the premises, the expenses and costs incurred and the date
the weeds were cut, and a notice that the Borough claims a lien for this amount.
Notice of such lien claim shall be mailed to the owner of the premises if
his address is known or by posting such notice in a conspicuous place on the
land involved. Provided, however, that failure of the Borough to record such
lien claim or to mail such notice, or the failure of the owner to receive
such notice, shall not affect the right to file the lien for such charges.
Property subject to a lien for unpaid charges shall be sold for nonpayment
of the same and the proceeds of such sale shall be applied to pay the charges
after deducting costs, as is the case in the foreclosure of statutory liens.
Such foreclosure shall be in equity in the name of the Borough. The Borough
Solicitor is hereby authorized and directed to institute such proceedings
in the name of the Borough, in any court having jurisdiction over such matter,
against any property for which such bill has remained unpaid 30 days after
it has been rendered. Provided, however, that the imposition of or the collection
of such cost and penalty shall not relieve the owner or occupant from the
imposition of any fine hereinafter provided.
[Amended 5-14-1985 by Ord. No. 800]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this
chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not
more than $300, together with costs of prosecution, or to imprisonment for
a term not to exceed 30 days. Every day that a violation of this chapter continues
shall constitute a separate offense.
