The short title of this chapter shall be "Weed Control."
[Amended 10-16-1989 by Ord. No. 89-18]
It shall be unlawful for an owner, tenant or occupant of land
lying within the limits of the Town of Belvidere to allow, suffer
or permit on such lands any accumulation of brush, tall grasses and/or
weeds, including poison ivy and rag weed, in a manner detrimental
to the public health, safety or general welfare or in such manner
as to constitute a fire hazard, and in such cases, the owner, tenant
or occupant shall remove or destroy the same.
[Amended 10-16-1989 by Ord. No. 89-18]
Whenever brush, tall grasses and/or weeds, including rag weed
and poison ivy, shall have been allowed, suffered or permitted to
accumulate on lands lying within the limits of the Town of Belvidere
in a manner detrimental to the public health, safety or general welfare
or in such manner as to constitute a fire hazard, the Town Council
or the Warren County Health Officer, Chief of the Police Department
or other Town official designated for this purpose by the Town Council
shall cause seven days' written notice to remove or destroy the same
to be given to the tenant, occupant or owner of any such lands.
[Amended 10-16-1989 by Ord. No. 89-18]
In the event that any owner, tenant or occupant shall refuse
or neglect to remove or destroy said accumulation within the time
limited by such notice, then the Town Council may authorize and direct
that the same be removed or destroyed by or under the direction of
the Warren County Health Officer, Chief of the Police Department,
Supervisor of the Department of Public Works or such other Town official
designated by the Town Council for this purpose.
In the event that such owner, tenant or occupant shall refuse
or neglect to remove or destroy any such accumulations as hereinbefore
set forth, and it shall be necessary for the Town Council to cause
the same to be removed or destroyed, the officer responsible therefor
shall certify the cost thereof to the Town Council.
[Amended 10-16-1989 by Ord. No. 89-18]
In all cases where brush, tall grasses and/or weeds, including rag weed and poison ivy, are destroyed or removed from any lands pursuant to this chapter by or under the direction of any official designated in §
498-3, such official shall certify the cost thereof to the Town Council, as provided in §
498-6, which shall examine the certificate and, if found to be correct, shall cause the cost as shown thereon to be charged against said lands, the amount so charged to become a lien upon such lands and to be added to and become and form part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon such lands, the same to bear interest at the same rate as taxes and to be collected and enforced by the Tax Collector.
Upon adoption of a resolution by the Town Council charging the
cost against the lands, a certified copy thereof shall be filed with
the Collector of Taxes of the Town of Belvidere, and the amount so
charged shall forthwith become a lien upon such lands and shall be
added to and become and form a part of the taxes next to be assessed
and levied upon such lands, the same to bear interest at the same
rate as taxes and shall be collected and enforced by the same officers
and in the same manner as taxes.
Any person violating any of the provisions hereof shall, upon
conviction, be subject to a penalty, either by imprisonment for not
more than 90 days or by a fine not exceeding $500, or both, in the
discretion of the court. Each and every day any violation continues
after service of notice to remove or destroy any accumulation, as
provided herein, shall be considered a separate offense, punishable
by a like fine or penalty.