[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of West Manheim 10-1-2009 by Ord. No. 9-2009. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
A.
No person, firm, or corporation owning or occupying any property
within West Manheim Township shall permit any grass or weeds or vegetation
whatsoever, not grown for human consumption or domestic animal consumption,
or planted for some useful or ornamental purpose, to grow or remain
upon such premises so as to exceed a height of 12 inches; nor shall
any noxious weeds prohibited by the Noxious Weed Control Law (3 P.S.
§ 255.8) or by regulations of the Department of Agriculture
be permitted to grow within West Manheim Township, including, but
not limited to, the following:
B.
Any grass, weeds or other vegetation growing upon any premises in
the Township in violation of the provisions of this section is hereby
declared to be a nuisance and detrimental to the health, safety, cleanliness
and comfort of the inhabitants of the Township.
The owner of any premises, as to vacant premises or premises occupied by the owner, or the occupant thereof, in case of premises occupied by other than the owner, shall remove, trim, or cut all grass, weeds or other vegetation growing or remaining upon such premises in violation of the provisions of § 82-1 of this chapter.
The Board of Supervisors, or any other officer or employee of the Township designated for this purpose, is hereby authorized to give notice, by personal service or by United States Mail, to the owner or the occupant, as the case may be, of any premises whereon grass, weeds, or other vegetation is growing or remaining in violation of the provisions of § 82-1 of this chapter, directing and requiring such occupant to remove, trim, or cut such grass, weeds or vegetation so as to conform to the requirements of this chapter within five days after issuance of such notice. Whenever, in the judgment of the enforcement officer, it shall appear to be impractical to give notice as provided, either because the owner or occupant cannot readily be found or because a search for the owner or occupant would entail unreasonable delay, the Board of Supervisors, or any officer or employee of the Township designated thereby for that purpose, may give notice by posting conspicuously on the property where such nuisance exists a notice or order directing and requiring that such nuisance be abated within five days. In case any person, firm or corporation shall neglect, fail or refuse to comply with such notice within the period of time stated therein, the Township authorities may remove, trim or cut such grass, weeds or vegetation; and the cost thereof, together with a penalty of 10% of the cost thereof, shall be collected by the Township from such person, firm or corporation in the manner provided by law. Such charge may be filed as a municipal lien on the property.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter
shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a Magisterial
District Judge under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure,
be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of
not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment
thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term
not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such violation
continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a separate
offense, and each section of this chapter that is violated shall also
constitute a separate offense.
