[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Brighton at time of adoption of Code 1-24-1996 by L.L. No. 1-1996; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Junk vehicles — See Ch. 85.
Litter in parks — See Ch. 113.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 129.
Solid waste — See Ch. 160.
A. 
Generally. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural number include the singular number, and words used in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
B. 
Specific terms. For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings given herein:
COMMERCIAL HANDBILL
Any printed or written matter, any sample or device, dodger, circular, leaflet, pamphlet, paper, booklet or any other printed or otherwise reproduced original or copies of any matter or literature:
(1) 
Which advertises for sale any merchandise, product, commodity or things;
(2) 
Which directs attention to any business or mercantile or commercial establishment or other activity for the purpose of either directly or indirectly promoting the interest thereof by sales;
(3) 
Which directs attention to or advertises any meeting, theatrical performance, exhibition or event of any kind, for which an admission fee is charged for the purpose of private gain or profits; but the terms of this subsection shall not apply where an admission fee is charged or a collection is taken up wholly for a charitable or educational purpose or by a church or institution of religion for its lawful purposes or for the purpose of defraying the expenses incident to such meeting, theatrical performance, exhibition or event of any kind, whenever the same is held, given or takes place in connection with the dissemination of information which is not restricted under the ordinary rules of decency, good morals, public peace, safety and good order. Nothing contained in this subsection shall be deemed to authorize the holding, giving or taking place of any meeting, theatrical performance, exhibition or event of any kind without a license, where such license is or may be required by any law of this state or under any provision of this municipal Code; or
(4) 
Which, while containing reading matter other than advertising matter, is predominantly and essentially an advertisement and is distributed or circulated for advertising purposes or for the private benefit and gain of any person so engaged as advertiser or distributor.
GARBAGE
Putrescible animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and/or consumption of food.
LITTER
"Garbage," "refuse" and "rubbish," as defined herein, and/or all other waste material which, if thrown or deposited as herein prohibited, tends to create a danger to public health, safety and welfare. This excludes materials placed in private receptacles and lawn and yard debris placed in accord with published town instructions.
NEWSPAPER
Any newspaper of general circulation as defined by general law, any newspaper duly entered with the Post Office Department of the United States in accordance with federal statute or regulation and any newspaper filed and recorded with any recording officer as provided by general law; and, in addition thereto, shall mean and include any periodical or current magazine regularly published with not fewer than four (4) issues per year and sold to the public.
NONCOMMERCIAL HANDBILL
Any printed or written matter, any sample or device, dodger, circular, leaflet, pamphlet, newspaper, magazine, paper, booklet or any other printed or otherwise reproduced original or copies of any matter of literature not included in the aforesaid definitions of a commercial handbill or newspaper.
PARK
A public park, reservation, playground, recreation center or any other public area in the town devoted to active or passive recreation.
PERSON
Any natural person or any firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
PRIVATE PREMISES
Any privately owned parking lot and any dwelling, housing, building or other structure, designed or used either wholly or in part for private residential purpose, whether inhabited or temporarily or continuously uninhabited or vacant, and shall include any yard, grounds, walk, driveway, porch, steps, vestibule or mailbox belonging or appurtenant to such dwelling, house, building or other structure.
PRIVATE RECEPTACLE
A receptacle designed for the collection of solid waste and suitable for keeping animals from getting at the garbage, rubbish or refuse and for preventing the scattering of garbage, rubbish or refuse by the wind.
PUBLIC PLACE
Any and all streets, sidewalks, boulevards, alleys or other public ways and any and all public parks, squares, spaces, grounds, buildings and parking lots.
REFUSE
All putrescible and nonputrescible solid wastes (except body wastes), including but not limited to garbage, rubbish, ashes, street cleanings, dead animals, abandoned automobiles and/or solid, market and/or industrial wastes.
RUBBISH
Nonputrescible solid wastes consisting of combustible and/or of noncombustible wastes and shall include but shall not be limited to paper, wrappings, cigarettes, grass clippings, lawn and yard debris, cardboard, tin cans, yard clippings, leaves, wood, glass, bedding, crockery and similar materials.
TOWN
The Town of Brighton.
VEHICLE
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, including devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
Except as may be otherwise permitted by any other local law of the Town of Brighton, no person shall throw or deposit litter in or upon any street, sidewalk or other public place or upon private premises within the town.
Persons placing litter in public receptacles or in authorized private receptacles shall do so in such a manner as to prevent it from being carried or deposited by the elements upon any street, sidewalk or other public place or upon private property.
No person shall sweep into or deposit in any gutter, street or other public place within the town the accumulation of litter from any building or lot or from any public or private sidewalk or driveway. Persons owning or occupying property shall keep the sidewalk, if any, in front of their premises free of litter. Lawn and yard debris, if prepared and placed in accord with published town instructions, may be placed within the right-of-way but off of pavements and sidewalks.
No person owning or occupying a place of business shall sweep into or deposit in any gutter, street or other public place within the town the accumulation of litter from any public or private sidewalks or driveways. Persons owning or occupying places of business within the town shall keep the sidewalk in front of their business premises free of litter.
No person shall throw or deposit or cause to be thrown or deposited any garbage, rubbish or abandoned vehicles or parts thereof in or upon any public highway, street or place within the Town of Brighton.
No person, while a driver or passenger in a vehicle, shall throw or deposit litter upon any street or other public place within the town or upon private property.
No person shall drive or move any truck or other vehicle, excluding private passenger vehicles, within the town unless such vehicle is so constructed or loaded as to prevent any load contents or litter from being blown or deposited upon any street, alley or other public place, nor shall any person drive or move any vehicle or truck within the town, the wheels or tires of which carry into or deposit in any street, alley or other public place mud, dirt, litter or foreign matter of any kind. Garbage truck bodies and hoppers shall be watertight so as to prevent the leaking of oil and liquid waste therefrom.
No person shall throw or deposit litter in any park within the town except in public receptacles and in such a manner that the litter will be prevented from being carried or deposited by the elements upon any part of the park or upon any street or other public place. Where public receptacles are not provided, all such litter shall be carried away from the park by the person responsible for its presence and properly disposed of elsewhere as provided herein.
No person shall throw or deposit litter in any pond, lake, river or any other body of water in a park or elsewhere within the town, except that this provision shall not prohibit the authorized treatment and control of pools or reservoirs to control or regulate water purity or aquatic vegetation by persons or corporations having all required permits issued by state, county, town or watershed authorities having jurisdiction over such treatment or such permits.
No person shall throw or deposit any commercial or noncommercial handbill in or upon any vehicle; provided, however, that it shall not be unlawful in any public place for a person to hand out or distribute, without charge to the receiver thereof, a noncommercial handbill to any occupant of a vehicle who is willing to accept it.
No person shall throw, deposit or distribute any commercial or noncommercial handbill upon any private premises if requested by anyone thereon not to do so if there is placed on said premises in a conspicuous position near the entrance thereof a sign bearing the words "No trespassing," "No peddlers or agents," "No advertisements" or any similar notice indicating in any manner that the occupants of said premises do not desire to be molested or have their right of privacy disturbed or to have any such handbills left upon such premises.
A. 
Generally. No person shall throw, deposit or distribute any commercial or noncommercial handbill in or upon private premises which are inhabited, except by handing or transmitting any such handbill directly to the owner, occupant or other person then present in or upon such private premises; provided, however, that in case of inhabited private premises which are not posted as provided in this chapter, such person, unless requested by anyone upon such premises not to do so, may place or deposit any such handbill in or upon such inhabited private premises if such handbill is so placed or deposited as to secure or prevent such handbill from being blown or drifted about such premises or sidewalks, streets or other public places and except that mailboxes may not be so used when prohibited by federal postal regulations or laws.
B. 
Exemption for mail and newspapers. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the distribution of mail by the United States, nor to newspapers, as defined herein, except that newspapers shall be placed on private property in such a manner as to prevent their being carried or deposited by the elements upon any street, sidewalk or other public place or upon private property.
No person shall throw or deposit litter on any occupied private property within the town, whether owned by such person or not, except that the person in control of private property may maintain authorized private receptacles for collection in such a manner that litter will be prevented from being carried or deposited by the elements upon any street, sidewalk or other public place or upon any private property.
The owner or person in control of any private property shall at all times maintain the premises free of litter; provided, however, that this section shall not prohibit the storage of litter in authorized private receptacles for collection.
No person shall throw or deposit litter on any open or vacant private property within the town, whether owned by such person or not.
A. 
Notice to remove. The Commissioner of Public Works or designee is hereby authorized and empowered to notify the owner of any private property within the town or the agent of such owner to properly dispose of litter located on such owner's property or to properly remove and dispose of litter swept or removed from their property into any gutter, street or other public place.
B. 
Action upon noncompliance. Upon the failure, neglect or refusal of any owner or agent so notified to properly dispose of litter dangerous to the public health, safety or welfare within ten (10) days after receipt of written notices provided for in Subsection A above or within fifteen (15) days after the date of such notice in the event that the same is returned to the town because of the inability to make delivery thereof, provided that the same was properly addressed to the last known address of such owner or agent, the Commissioner of Public Works or designee is hereby authorized and empowered to order its disposal by the town.
C. 
Charge included in tax bill. When the town has effected the removal of such dangerous litter or has paid for its removal, the actual cost thereof, plus accrued interest at the rate of six percent (6%) per annum from the date of the completion of the work if not paid by such owner prior thereto, shall be charged to the owner of such property on the next regular tax bill forwarded to the owner by the town; and said charge shall be due and payable by said owner at the time of such payment of such bill. Said charge, together with the costs and expenses, shall be collected in the manner fixed by law for the collection of taxes and shall be subject to a delinquent penalty of six percent (6%) in the event that the same is not paid in full on or before the date the tax bill upon which said charge appears becomes delinquent. Sworn statements recorded in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be prima facie evidence that all legal formalities have been complied with and that the work has been done properly and satisfactorily and shall be full notice to every person concerned that the amount of the statement, plus interest, costs and expenses, constitutes a charge against the property designated or described in the statement and that the same is due and collectible by law.
A. 
Each and every violation of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions.
B. 
In addition to the above-provided penalties and punishment, the Town Board may also maintain an action or proceeding in the name of the town in a court of competent jurisdiction to compel compliance with or to restrain by injunction the violation of such chapter.