[Added by Ord. No. 1021]
For the specific purposes of this article, the following terms, whenever used herein or referred to in this article, shall have the respective meanings assigned to them hereunder unless a different meaning clearly appears from context:
EXTERIOR OF PREMISES
Those portions of a building or structure which are exposed to public view or are visible from adjoining or adjacent lots, including all outside surfaces and appurtenances thereto and the open land space of any premises outside of any building or structure erected thereon.
NUISANCE
A. 
Any public or private condition that would constitute a nuisance according to the statutes, laws and regulations of the State of New Jersey, its governmental agencies or the ordinances of the Borough.
B. 
Any physical condition existing in or on the exterior of any premises which is potentially dangerous, detrimental or hazardous to the life, health or safety of persons on, near or passing within the proximity of premises where such condition exists.
OCCUPANT
Any person residing, living or sleeping in or on the premises or having actual possession, use of occupancy of a dwelling premises or unit or operating a business therein, or any person or entity in possession of or using any premises or part thereof, whether or not the owner thereof and regardless of the duration of time of such possession, use or occupancy.
OPERATOR
Any person, persons or entity not the owner, who has charge, care or control of a dwelling or premises or a part thereof, with or without the knowledge, consent or authority of the owner.
OWNER
Any person, persons, or entity who shall have legal or equitable title in any form whatsoever to any premises or part thereof, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof or who shall have charge, care or control of any lot, premises, building, structure or part thereof, as owner or agent of owner, or as a fiduciary, trustee, receiver, guardian, lessee or mortgagee in possession, regardless of how such possession was obtained. Any person, group of persons or entity who is a lessee, sublessee or assignee of a lease of any part or all of any building, structure or land shall be deemed to be co-owner with the lessor for the purposes of this article and shall have responsibility over the portion of the premises so sublet, leased or assigned.
PREMISES
A lot, plot, or parcel of land, right-of-way or multiples thereof, including the buildings or structures thereon.
REFUSE OR RUBBISH
All solid waste matter or materials, combustible or noncombustible, including but not limited to garbage, trash, ashes, paper goods and products, wrappings, cans, bottles, containers, yard clippings, garden refuse, brush and containers of waste materials, chemicals or oil other than garbage containers used and intended to be picked up in the normal weekly scavenger collection service; debris, junk, glass, boxes, crockery, wood, mineral matter, plastic, rubber, leather, furniture, household goods, appliances, fixtures, bedding, scrap lumber, scrap metal, construction material (except during construction); inoperable machinery or parts thereof, dead or rotting vegetation, excluding compost piles which are not otherwise prohibited in this section, abandoned, inoperative, unused or unusual automobiles and vehicles, or parts or components of automobiles, motor vehicles, motorcycles or vehicles of any kind, and solid commercial or industrial waste.
Every residential and nonresidential building, structure, lot and the premises or part of the premises on which it is situated in the Borough, previously or presently used or intended to be used for dwelling, commercial, business, recreational, service, transportation, institutional, religious, charitable, quasi-public, professional or industrial occupancy and uses accessory thereto, shall comply with the provisions of this article whether or not any such building or structure shall have been constructed, altered or repaired before or after the enactment of this article and irrespective of any permits or licenses which may have been issued for the use or occupancy of such building or for the installation or repair of equipment or facilities prior to the effective date of this article. Vacant lots, lands and premises are also required to comply with the provisions of this article.
In any case where the provisions of this article impose a higher or stricter standard than set forth in any other ordinance or regulation of the Borough of Franklin Lakes or under the laws or regulations of the State of New Jersey or any of its agencies, then the standards as set forth herein shall prevail, but if the provisions of this article impose a lower or lesser standard than any other regulation or ordinance of the Borough of Franklin Lakes or the laws and regulations of the State of New Jersey or any of its agencies, then the higher standard contained in any such other ordinance, regulation or law shall prevail.
Compliance with this article shall not constitute a defense against any violation of any other ordinance of the Borough applicable to any structure or premises, nor shall any one act of compliance constitute a defense against any subsequent or other violation of this article.
Owners, operators and occupants shall have all the duties, obligations and responsibilities prescribed in this article, and no such person or entity shall be relieved of any such duty, obligation or responsibility hereunder nor be entitled to assert as a defense against any charge made against him or them for violation of this article the fact that another owner, operator or occupant or any other third person or entity is also responsible therefor and in violation thereof.
Any alterations to buildings, structures or appurtenances thereto, or changes or use therein, which may be caused directly, indirectly by the enforcement of this article, shall be done in accordance with all applicable sections of the Uniform Construction Code of the Borough.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 220, Construction Codes, Uniform.
Nothing contained in this article or any requirement of compliance herewith shall be deemed to alter, impair or affect the application of Chapter 300, Land Use and Development, or zoning laws of the Borough.
Nothing in this article shall be deemed to abolish or impair existing remedies of the Borough or its officers or agencies relating to the removal or demolition of any buildings or structures which are deemed to be dangerous, unsafe or unsanitary.
In furtherance of the purposes of this article, it shall be the duty and responsibility of the owner, operator or occupant of the premises to comply with any or all of the requirements and standards of this article, to keep the premises free of conditions which constitute violations hereof and to promptly remove, prevent or abate such conditions.
A. 
Sanitation. All exterior property areas and premises shall be maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary condition, free from any accumulation of rubbish, garbage or household goods.
B. 
Containers. The operator of every commercial and industrial establishment producing garbage, vegetable wastes or other putrescible materials shall provide, and at all times cause to be used, leakproof approved containers, provided with close-fitting covers, for the storage of such materials until removed from the premises for disposal. Garbage or trash dumpsters shall not be maintained in front yards unless permitted by site plan approval from the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment or municipal approval for temporary construction or renovation purposes.
C. 
Grading and drainage. All premises shall be graded and maintained so as to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water thereon. Stagnant surface or ground water accumulations which create or are likely to create mosquito or other insect-breeding areas are prohibited.
D. 
Paved areas. In commercial and industrial areas, all driveways, parking areas, loading areas, automobile service stations and drive-in food establishments shall be paved with bituminous concrete or equivalent surfacing and shall be free from dirt and other litter and kept in good repair. Pavement which is severely cracked with a deteriorated surface, frost heaved or with potholes shall be repaired. When lighted for nighttime use, lights shall not be permitted to cast directly upon dwellings nearby. All motor vehicles will park only on paved areas.
E. 
Traffic safety maintenance. All traffic-flow and control signs, whether painted on pavement or vertical structures, shall be properly maintained in a functional condition. Bent and leaning sign poles shall be replaced and/or straightened. Painted directional and parking-bay strips shall be maintained in a readable condition. Bent and broken traffic control guardrails and fencing shall be replaced.
F. 
Litter and maintenance of solid waste disposal facilities.[1] All industrial and commercial sites shall be kept free from noticeable accumulation of paper and solid waste debris. Common refuse storage areas shall be kept in a clean and repaired state in full conformance with the site plan provisions for such facilities. All parking areas, walkways, sidewalks and pathways on industrial and commercial sites shall be cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours of the end of any snow or ice storm.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 318, Littering.
G. 
Insect and rat control. All premises shall be kept free of rodents, vermin, pest infestation or rodent harborages. An owner of a structure or property shall be responsible for the extermination of insects, rats, vermin or other pests in all exterior and interior areas of the premises.
H. 
Public areas. All sidewalks, steps, driveways, parking spaces and similar paved areas for public use shall be kept in a proper state of repair.
I. 
Noxious vegetation. The exterior of all premises shall be kept free of the following matter, materials or conditions: weeds, brush, stumps, roots which are obnoxious, noxious or detrimental to public health and safety; this includes but is not limited to poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac and ragweed growth. This shall also include dead and dying trees and limbs or other natural growth, including compost heaps or piles which, by reason of rotting or deteriorating conditions, create obnoxious odors or blighting and unsightly factors for adjoining properties or the Borough of Franklin Lakes. Under no circumstances are compost heaps or piles permitted in front or side yards. The provisions of this article shall not apply to farmland, pastureland, grazing land, natural areas and undeveloped tracts.
J. 
Exhaust vents. A person shall not construct, maintain or operate pipes, ducts, conductors, fans or blowers discharging gases, steam, vapor, hot air, grease, smoke, odors or other gaseous or particulate wastes so as to discharge directly upon abutting or adjacent public and private property or that of another tenant.
K. 
Accessory structures. All accessory structures, including detached garages, fences and walls, shall be maintained structurally sound.
L. 
Prohibited conditions. The exterior of all premises shall be kept free of the following matter, materials or conditions:
(1) 
Abandoned, uncovered or structurally unsound wells, shafts, towers, exterior cellar opening, basement hatchways, foundations or excavations.
(2) 
Abandoned iceboxes, refrigerators, heaters, television sets and other similar major appliances.
(3) 
Animal excrement piles or manure piles within 100 feet of a property line.
(4) 
Hidden uncovered ground or surface hazards, such as holes, sudden depressions, sharp or jagged projections or obstructions.
(5) 
Buried rubble, refuse or rubbish.
(6) 
Nuisances as hereinabove defined.
(7) 
Vehicles or parts thereof, including boats and trailers, motorized or not, licensed or unlicensed, registered or unregistered, which vehicles or parts thereof are or have been junked, abandoned, dismantled or are in a state of visible disrepair for a period of more than two weeks. This subsection shall take effect only where the conditions described herein are visible from surrounding or adjoining properties. This subsection, however, shall not be applicable to vehicles located on properties upon which the business of an automobile body or repair shop or automobile dealership is conducted, where ongoing repairs are being conducted in a vehicle for up to 45 days.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 461, Vehicles, Abandoned.
(8) 
Dangerously loose and overhanging objects, including but not limited to dead trees or tree limbs, accumulations of ice or any object, natural or man-made, which could threaten the health and safety of persons if caused to fall or other similar dangerously loose and overhanging objects, which, by reason of their location above ground level, constitute an actual hazard to persons or vehicles in the vicinity thereof.
(9) 
Structurally unsound, loose, dangerous, crumbling, missing, broken, rotten or unsafe exterior portions of buildings or structures, including but not limited to porches, landings, balconies, stairways, handrails, steps, walls, overhangs, roofs, fences, supporting members, timbers, abutments, fire escapes, signs or loose, crumbling or falling bricks, stones, mortar or plaster.
(10) 
Exterior surfaces or parts of buildings or structures containing sharp, rough or projecting surfaces or objects which might cause injury to persons coming in contact therewith.
(11) 
Broken glass or windows or rotted, missing or substantially destroyed window frames and sashes, door frames, exterior doors or other major exterior component parts of buildings or structures.
M. 
Streams, brooks and public drainage facilities. The dumping or discarding of lawn clippings, vegetation, leaves or yard waste into any stream, brook, or public drainage easement, swale, ditch or facility shall be strictly prohibited.
[Amended 11-21-2017 by Ord. No. 1728]
N. 
Maintain area between street and property line. Every owner shall cut and maintain the grass, weeds, brush, hedges or trees from the curbline or edge of street pavement to the owner’s property line in a neat and orderly manner so that the same do not extend over sidewalk, curb or street in such manner as to obstruct or otherwise interfere with the free use of said sidewalk, curb or street, such interference being deemed maintenance of a nuisance.
[Added 2-26-2008 by Ord. No. 1400]
A. 
General. The exterior of a structure shall be maintained structurally sound and sanitary so as not to pose a threat to the health and safety of the occupants and so as to protect the occupants from the environment and shall be maintained so that the appearance of the premises and structures shall not constitute a blighting factor for adjoining properties or the Borough of Franklin Lakes, such as but not limited to structural collapse, excessive peeling paint, graffiti, rotting or decay. The exterior structure or accessory structure, including signs and fences, shall be maintained in good repair. The same shall be maintained free of broken glass, loose shingles, crumbling stone or brick, excessive peeling paint or other conditions reflective of deterioration or inadequate maintenance, to the end that the property itself may be preserved, safety and fire hazards eliminated on adjoining properties and the Borough of Franklin Lakes be protected from blighting influences.
B. 
Structural members. All supporting structural members of all structures shall be kept structurally sound, free of deterioration and maintained capable of safely bearing the dead and live loads imposed upon them.
C. 
Exterior surfaces (foundations, walls and roof). Every foundation, exterior wall, roof and all other exterior surfaces shall be maintained in a workmanlike state of maintenance and repair and shall be kept in such condition as to exclude rats.
D. 
Foundation walls. All foundation walls shall be maintained so as to carry the safe design and operating dead and live loads and shall be maintained plumb and free from open cracks and breaks, so as not to be detrimental to public safety and welfare.
E. 
Exterior walls. Every exterior wall shall be free of holes, breaks, loose or rotting boards or timbers and any other conditions which might admit rain or dampness to the interior portions of the walls or to the occupied spaces of the building. All exterior surface materials, including wood, composition or metal siding, shall be maintained weatherproof and shall be properly surface-coated when required to prevent deterioration.
F. 
Roofs. The roof shall be structurally sound and tight and shall not have defects which might admit rain, and roof drainage shall be adequate to prevent rainwater from causing dampness in the walls or interior portion of the building.
G. 
Chimneys. All chimneys, cooling towers, smoke stacks and similar appurtenances shall be maintained structurally safe, sound and in good repair. All exposed surfaces of metal or wood shall be protected from the elements and against decay or rust.
H. 
Stairs and porches. Every stair, porch and balcony, and all appurtenances attached thereto, shall be so constructed as to be safe to use and capable of supporting the loads to which they are subjected and shall be kept in sound condition and good repair.
I. 
Properties with landscaping, lawns, hedges and bushes shall be kept from becoming overgrown and unsightly where exposed to public view and from becoming a blighting factor for adjoining properties of the Borough of Franklin Lakes. Grass located in any landscaped or improved or cleared area which is taller than five inches shall be considered overgrown and a violation of this section.
The interior of a structure and its equipment shall be maintained structurally sound and in a sanitary condition so as not to pose a threat to the health and safety of the occupants, and to protect the occupants from the environment.
Enforcement Officers are hereby granted the discretion to provide a notice of violation prior to the issuance of a summons. The notice of violation when issued shall provide the property owner no more than 10 days to correct the violation. Notices shall not be provided where there have been prior similar violations. Notices may be personally delivered or mailed certified mail to the property or to the address of the property owner as on file with the Municipal Tax Collector. This section shall not be intended as a requirement that a notice be issued and the Enforcement Officer shall take into consideration the continuing impact on neighboring properties when issuing the notice.
A. 
Maximum penalty. For a violation of any provision of Chapter 373 of the Code of the Borough of Franklin Lakes, unless a specific penalty is otherwise provided for the specific violation, the maximum penalty upon conviction shall be a fine not exceeding $2,000 and/or imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding 90 days and/or 90 days of community service.
[Amended 3-15-2016 by Ord. No. 1656R]
B. 
Separate violations. Except as otherwise provided, each and every day in which a violation of any provision of this chapter exists shall constitute a separate violation.
C. 
Application. The maximum penalty stated, in the general penalty clause is not intended to state an appropriate penalty for each and every violation. Any lesser penalty, including a nominal penalty or no penalty at all, may be appropriate for a particular case or a particular violation. The court is directed to take into consideration when imposing a penalty the nature of the violation, as well as the existence of prior similar violations.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Ord. No. 1704, adopted 4-18-2017, recodified former Art. VI, Vacant and Abandoned Residential Properties, added 2-17-2015 by Ord. No. 1614, which immediately followed this section, as Ch. 370, Art. III, Creditor Responsible for Vacant and Abandoned Residential Properties.
[Added 6-18-2019 by Ord. No. 1792]
A. 
No gasoline service station shall permit its premises to be used, hired or rented for the outdoor storage or parking of licensed vehicles which have not been temporarily left in the custody of the operator of the service station for service or repair, nor for overnight storage or parking of any unlicensed or unregistered vehicle under any circumstance. Furthermore, no more than seven vehicles temporarily left in the custody of the operator of the service station for service or repair shall be stored or parked outdoors overnight on the premises and no such vehicle shall remain on the premises for more than 10 consecutive days.
B. 
There shall be no overnight outdoor display or storage of materials, merchandise, supplies or accessories, including, but not limited to, tires and auto parts.