[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health of the Borough of Ridgefield by Ord. No. 3-84. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Sanitary Code — See Ch. 440.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
Any individual licensed by the State of New Jersey to perform the duties of a Sanitary Inspector and in the employ of the local Board of Health.
HEALTH OFFICER
Any individual licensed by the State of New Jersey to perform the duties of a Health Officer and in the employ of the local Board of Health.
A. 
Whenever the Health Officer or his duly licensed authorized agent shall determine that there exists a violation of the New Jersey State Sanitary Code, or New Jersey State health laws, or local Health Ordinance, or State of New Jersey D.E.P., said officer or agent shall issue a notice of violation and orders to terminate, directing the discontinuance of the illegal action or condition and the correction of the violation.
B. 
The notice and orders shall contain at least the following information:
(1) 
The name and address of the owner.
(2) 
The address at which the violation occurred.
(3) 
The name and address of the person to whom the order is directed. If it be other than the owner, a copy shall be delivered to the owner or his agent stating that the owner bears joint responsibility for bringing about compliance with the person named.
(4) 
A citation to the sections of the law, ordinance or regulations violated.
(5) 
An order to terminate violations within a time specified in the order.
(6) 
The amount of penalty assessed, if any, and if cumulative; and an explanation of the method of computation.
(7) 
Shall be signed by the appropriate health official.
C. 
The Health Officer shall permit such time period for correction as is reasonable within the context of the situation.
D. 
Extensions. The Health Officer may grant extensions of time whenever he shall determine that, despite diligent effort, compliance cannot be accomplished within the time specified in the notice.
A. 
If the notice of violation and orders to terminate have not been complied with, the Health Officer, in addition to any other available remedies likely to bring about compliance, may request the legal counsel of the municipality to institute the appropriate processing, at law or in equity, to retain, correct, or abate such violations.
B. 
Penalties.
(1) 
Any person or corporation, or anyone, shall be subject to a penalty of not more than $500 but not less than $50, if that person violates any provision of this chapter and fails to comply with an order issued by the health official.
(2) 
Anyone who knowingly refuses entry or access to the Health Officer or an Inspector lawfully authorized to inspect any premises, building or structure pursuant to the laws cited in this chapter, or who unreasonably interferes with such an inspection, shall be subject to a fine of $250.
(3) 
A person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each day that he or she fails to comply with a notice of violation order validly issued by a duly authorized health official.
(4) 
A person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each violation of any provision of the laws cited in this chapter.
(5) 
So such penalty shall be assessed except upon notice of violation and orders to terminate and upon expiration of the time period delineated in the notice.
(6) 
The health official may separately serve a notice of penalty assessment and order to pay a penalty, whenever he or she shall not have done so in the original notice and orders.
(7) 
The Health Official shall assess a monetary penalty whenever such shall be likely to assist in bringing about compliance. The penalty shall be no less than $25 nor more than $500 for each violation. All penalty assessment shall be made payable to the Board of Health and sent or delivered in person to the Clerk of the Department of Health.
(8) 
Penalties pursuant to this chapter may be collected in a summary proceeding pursuant to the Penalty Enforcement Law (N.J.S.A. 2A:58-1 et seq.).[1] Jurisdiction to enforce such penalties is conferred upon Judges of the Municipal Court in addition to the courts specified by N.J.S.A. 2A:58-2. Suit may be brought by a municipality or the State of New Jersey. Payment of a money judgment pursuant hereto shall be remitted, in the case of suit brought by the municipality, to the Municipal Treasurer and, in the case of a suit brought by the State of New Jersey, to the State Treasurer.
[1]
Editor's Note: N.J.S.A. 2A:58-1 through 2A:58-9 were repealed by L.1999, c.274, § 4. See now N.J.S.A. 2A:58-10 et seq.
(9) 
All previous penalties in all ordinances heretofore passed by the Board of Health are hereby superseded and repealed.
The Health Officer shall be the enforcement officer of this chapter. The Health Officer may delegate enforcement authority to a duly authorized representative.