Township of Ocean, NJ Article II Brush, Weeds and Other Debris

[Adopted by Ord. No. 1974-4 (§ 5-4 of the 1972 Ocean Codified Ordinances)]

§ 280-5 Duties of owners and tenants.

[Amended by Ord. No. 2002-28]

It shall be the duty of the owner, tenant or person in possession of any lands in the Township to:

A. Keep all brush, hedges or other plant life growing within 10 feet of any roadway and within 25 feet of the intersection of two roadways, cut to a height of not more than 2 1/2 feet where it shall be necessary and expedient for the preservation of public safety;

B. Keep the lands free of brush, weeds, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash and debris, where the same are inimical to the preservation of public health, safety or general welfare of the Township, or which may constitute a fire hazard;

[Amended 6-13-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-6]

C. To dispose of material accumulated by clearing, grubbing and excavating lands within the Township by means other than burying. The filling of lands by use of materials described in Subsection B of this section, or by any other organic material, is prohibited.

§ 280-6 Notice to owners or tenants.

[Amended 9-10-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13; 6-13-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-6]

After an investigation of any complaint of a resident, officer or employee of the Township relative to a violation of this article, or upon the Code Enforcement Officer's own initiative, the Code Enforcement Officer shall notify the owner, tenant or person in possession of the lands in writing, by way of certified mail or delivered personally, to remove such brush, weeds, stumps, roots, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash and/or debris within 10 days. The Code Enforcement Officer shall reinspect the lands in question after the ten-day period expires, and if the condition complained of has not been abated or remedied, the Code Enforcement Officer may issue an appropriate summons in his or her discretion. In addition, the Code Enforcement Officer may take action pursuant to § 280-7 of this chapter.

§ 280-7 Removal by Township; costs established as a lien.

[Amended 9-10-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-13]

If the owner, tenant or person in possession of the lands in question fails to abate the condition complained of within 10 days after receipt of notice, the Code Enforcement Officer shall cause the condition complained of to be abated and shall certify the cost to the Township Committee, which shall examine the certificate and, if it is correct, cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against the lands. The amount so charged shall become a lien upon the lands and shall be added to and become a part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon the lands, shall bear interest at the same rate as taxes, and shall be collected and enforced by the same officer and in the same manner as taxes. Costs shall be in addition to any penalties imposed for any violation of this article. In addition to the actual costs incurred by the municipality for labor and the use of Township equipment, the lien shall also include an administrative fee in the amount of $250, which shall be included in said lien to cover the Township's administrative costs in addressing and abating the conditions complained of.