[HISTORY Adopted by the Township Committee (now Township Council) of the Township of Bridgewater 9-9-1946. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The owner or owners, tenant or tenants of land abutting upon the public
roads, streets and avenues of the Township of Bridgewater shall, upon 15 days'
notice to do so, remove any existing determined inadequate drainage pipe,
paved gutter, bridging, structure or other impediment that retards or prevents
the free flow of water along the road ditches or gutters lying in front of
or bordering the respective properties.
[Amended 4-1-1974 by Ord.
No. 74-5]
Where any type drainage structure exists in the road ditches or gutters
lying in front of or bordering the respective properties across any existing
driveway entering upon any public road, street or avenue of said Township
and the same has been determined by the Township Engineer to be inadequate,
such obstruction shall, upon 15 days' notice sent by the Township Clerk by
registered mail to the owner or owners, tenant or tenants, be removed by the
owner or owners, tenant or tenants thereof and replaced with either a paved
gutter of a width and length or cast-iron pipe, corrugated metal pipe or concrete
pipe of an internal diameter, quality, length and type of replacement determined
by the Township Engineer and approved by the Bridgewater Township Council
installed in accordance with the lines and grades established by the Township
Engineer; provided further that where inadequate present facilities are removed
or where any new driveway is to be built to any property entering upon any
public road, street or avenue of the Township aforesaid, the property owner
or owners, tenant or tenants of lands involved may request the Township Council
to construct the requisite drainage structure in the driveway entrance and
provide the material necessary and proper therefor, at a net cost to the property
owner of the pipe and other necessary materials used. Said cost, when certified
by the Township Council, shall be and constitute a charge against the land
involved, and the amount so charged shall forthwith become a lien upon such
lands and shall be added to and become and form part of the taxes then next
to be assessed and levied upon such lands, except where the property owner
or owners, tenant or tenants shall forthwith pay said costs, and shall be
collected and enforced according to law. However, in any case wherein the
Road Department undertakes the improvement of an entire roadway by the construction
of drainage ditches along one or both sides, those pipes that are installed
in the driveways in connection with said improvement shall be installed at
no cost to the property owner.
Whenever the owner or owners, tenant or tenants aforesaid shall refuse
or neglect to remove any such inadequate drainage structure or impediments
as hereinbefore related after first having received notice as hereinbefore
provided, or shall refuse or neglect to replace removed structures or construct
requisite new structures as required by the foregoing sections of this chapter,
the said inadequate facilities or impediments may be removed by or under the
direction of the Township employee or officer having charge of said roads,
streets and avenues of the Township, and the cost of such removal and replacement
as hereinbefore provided of adequate facilities shall be paid by the property
owner, and upon said bill of cost being submitted to the Township Council
and certified by it, shall become a lien upon the lands involved and shall
be added to and form a part of the taxes then next to be assessed and levied
upon such lands and shall be collected and enforced according to law.
[Amended 10-3-1997 by Ord.
No. 77-37.]
Any owner or owners, tenant or tenants violating any of the provisions
of this chapter shall, Upon conviction thereof, forfeit and pay a fine of
not more than $500 or suffer imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days,
or be punished by both such fine and imprisonment; and each violation of any
of the provisions of this chapter and each day the same is violated shall
be deemed and taken to be a separate and distinct offense.
