Township of Bridgewater, NJ Article II Nuisances

§ 170-5 Nuisances specified.

[Amended 9-20-2010 by Ord. No. 10-37]

Any thing, condition or act which is or may become injurious or hazardous to public health is hereby declared to be and is defined as a nuisance. The following specific things, conditions and acts, each and all of them, are hereby declared to be and are defined as nuisances:

A. Garbage and excrement: depositing, maintaining or permitting to be maintained or to accumulate upon any public or private property any household wastewater, sewage, garbage, tin cans, offal or excrement, any decaying fruit, vegetables, fish, meat or bones, any oyster or clam shells, any dead animals or any foul, putrid or obnoxious liquid or substance.

B. Mosquito larvae: any water or liquid in which mosquito larvae may or do exist.

C. Fly larvae: any accumulation of manure or animal or vegetable matter in which fly larvae or pupae exist.

D. Spitting: spitting upon any public sidewalk or crossing or upon the floor or any part of any building or public conveyance.

E. Garbage containers: any container or utensil in which garbage, offal, scraps, waste food and any other putrescible material is held in or upon any premises and which is not watertight, tightly covered and so kept at all times to exclude flies, rodents and vermin, or from which the contents thereof are not completely removed from the premises at least once in each week.

F. Wells: any well or other supply of water used for drinking or household purposes which is polluted or which is so situated or constructed that it may become polluted.

G. Plumbing: any leaking, unclean or filthy sink or water closet, urinal or other plumbing fixture or any such plumbing fixture which does not comply with the Plumbing Code of the Township[1] in any building used or occupied by human beings.

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 62, Building Construction, for provisions pertaining to the plumbing subcode promulgated by the state pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.

H. Emission of smoke: emission from any premises of any smoke, gases, soot, stench or other substance in quantity or strength sufficient to cause injury or hazard to health.

I. Chimneys, stacks, pipes and flues: any chimney, smokestack, pipe or flue, or any part thereof or any connection therewith, that is so defective or out of repair as to allow coal gas or other noxious fumes to escape into the building; any gas pipe or other fixture that allows illuminating gas to escape into the building.

J. Hydrocyanic acid gas: the use of hydrocyanic acid gas or any product of cyanogen or any other substance poisonous to animal life or human beings for fumigating or disinfecting any structure or premises in the Township without first having obtained a permit so to do from the Board of Health.

K. Common drinking cup: any common drinking cup or utensil in any park, playground, railroad station, theater, school, club, boardinghouse, public hall, amusement ground, public washroom or lavatory or in any place where a number of people congregate or are employed.

L. Common towel: any common towel for use by more than one person without intermediate laundering, except roller towels which can be mechanically adjusted for individual use, in any park, playground, railroad station, theater, school club, boardinghouse, public hall, amusement ground, public washroom or lavatory or in any place where a number of people congregate or are employed.

M. Vehicles: maintaining any vehicle, used for hire or for the transportation of the public, in a dirty or unsanitary condition.

N. Manure: maintaining any manure pit, box or other receptacle within 30 feet of any dwelling or without a tight-fitting cover or without having the contents thereof completely removed at least once each week.

O. Animals: the keeping of any animal or animals under unsanitary conditions; or the housing of horses, cattle, swine, sheep or fowl in any building used as a habitation for human beings or within 50 feet from the nearest outside wall thereof.

P. Transportation of garbage, swill or offal: the conveying of garbage, swill or offal through or along any street within the Township, except in watertight metal or metal-lined receptacles with tightly fitting covers of like material, which said receptacles shall be kept tightly covered at all times when in the Township, except while being loaded or unloaded.

Q. Urinating or defecating in public places.

(1) It is unlawful for any person to urinate or defecate on a public street, sidewalk or in any other public place or in any other places opened to or use by the public, other than when using a toilet, urinal or commode located in a rest room, bathroom or other structure enclosed from public view.

(2) The enforcement provisions of this Subsection Q shall not apply to the following individuals who may not be able to adequately control the bodily functions that control urination or defecation:

(a) Children nine years of age or younger;

(b) Persons of any age who violate this ordinance due to a verified medical and/or psychiatric condition.

§ 170-6 Nuisances prohibited.

No person shall create, commit, maintain or suffer to be created, committed or maintained any nuisance as defined in the foregoing section of this chapter.