[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Palisades Park 8-25-2015 by Ord. No. 1650. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter is adopted to control the planting, cultivating
and/or growing of bamboo in the Borough of Palisades Park and to require
barriers to prevent the spread of existing bamboo into others areas
of the Borough.
Subject to certain exemptions set forth in this chapter, no
persons, residents, citizens, property owners and/or tenants of the
Borough shall plant, cultivate, or cause to grow, any bamboo on any
lot and/or parcel of ground anywhere within the geographic boundaries
of the Borough of Palisades Park, except for:
A.
Where the root system of such bamboo plants is entirely contained
within an aboveground level planter barrel, or other vessel of such
design, material and location as to entirely prevent the spread of
growth of the bamboo plants' root system beyond the container
beyond which it is planted;
B.
Whether planted or growing in a container, as described herein, all
bamboo plants shall be located, trimmed and maintained so that no
part of the plant shall be closer than 10 feet from any property line.
This chapter shall not apply to any landowner or possessor of said land who, prior to the effective date of this chapter, has planted or caused to grow any bamboo on any property within the Borough limits unless the code enforcement officer determines on his/her own, or upon complaint from any abutting or nearby property owner, that any portion of such bamboo has been allowed to grow upon, extend roots across, or extend branches, stalks or leaves over any public way or any private property not owned by or in the possession of such landowner or any possessor of said land. If such occurs, the provisions of § 90-4 shall apply.
Whenever a complaint is received by the Borough regarding the
encroachment of any bamboo plant or root, or whenever the Borough,
on its own observations and inspections, determines that there is
an encroachment of bamboo plants or roots on to the property of another
landowner, or tenant in possession of the property, or both, the Borough
shall cause notice to be served and the following actions occur:
A.
The notice shall be mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested,
properly addressed and with sufficient postage and also by first class
mail. Notice by certified mail shall be deemed complete on the date
of personal delivery, or the date the certified mail is marked refused
or unclaimed or otherwise undeliverable by the United States Post
Office. First class mail shall be deemed delivered within five calendar
days of its being mailed by the Borough.
B.
The notice shall specify the nature of the violation(s).
C.
The notice shall state that the violation(s) must be corrected within
20 calendar days from the date of the received or returned mailing.
D.
The Notice shall state specifically what must be done by the responsible
party to correct the violation(s).
A.
Any person determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to have
violated this chapter shall be subject to pay a fine of not less than
$25 per day nor more than $100 per day, for each day the violation
exists after the date for removal as set forth in the Notice which
was sent to violator and received by the violator as defined above.
Each day of a continuing violation shall constitute a separate offense,
for which an additional fine can be levied. The per-day fine will
be in addition to a penalty for failure to comply with the Bamboo
Ordinance. This fine can be up to the maximum penalty set by the State
of New Jersey.
B.
If the violation is not remedied within the time set forth in the
aforesaid Notice, the Borough is hereby authorized to remove or have
removed any encroaching bamboo and to take all reasonable steps to
eradicate the regrowth of the bamboo on the public rights-of-way,
including sidewalks, and to restore such land to its normal condition,
prior to such removal and eradication.
C.
The cost of the corrective action together with any civil penalties,
legal fees and other costs shall be recoverable from the responsible
party.
A.
If any section, subsection, clause or phrase of this chapter is for
any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid by any court of
competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the remaining
portion of this chapter.
B.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent with any provisions
of this chapter are hereby repealed.
C.
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon final passage and
publication according to law.
