[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Springettsbury 5-25-1995 by Ord. No. 1995-06
(Ch. 10, Part 3, of the 2003 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
In the interest of public health and safety, the Township, from time
to time, finds it necessary to enter upon private property for the purpose
of enforcing its health, sanitation and public safety ordinances by cutting
or removing offending natural growth, removing or securing dangerous structures,
removing or securing unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous substances and otherwise
abating public nuisances. The cost to the Township of such action should be
borne by the property owner causing or allowing the condition to exist or
who fails or refuses to correct it after notice from the Township. It is the
purpose of this chapter to authorize the assessment of the cost of the Township’s
corrective actions or measures to the property benefitted and for the filing
of a lien against such property for nonpayment.
Whenever the Township, acting pursuant to any health, sanitation or
public health statute or ordinance, shall notify the owner of any real property
within the Township to cut or remove any offending natural growth, to remove
or secure any dangerous structure, to remove or secure any unsanitary, hazardous
or dangerous substances or to abate a public nuisance and such property owner
shall fail or refuse to take or perform the required action, the Township
is authorized to enter upon such private property and to perform the same
using Township personnel or a contractor engaged by the Township for such
purposes.
The notice required under § 232-1 hereof shall be such notice as is provided in the statute or ordinance being enforced and, in the absence of a specified time, the notice period shall be reasonable, taking into account the severity of the problem sought to be remedied.
The reasonable cost to the Township of the work or services required to correct or remedy the offending condition is hereby assessed to the property upon which the condition existed. The owner of such property shall pay such assessment within 30 days of receipt of an invoice for the same and, in default of payment, the Township may elect one or more of the remedies set forth in § 232-5 hereof.
Should the owner of property assessed pursuant to this chapter fail
or refuse to pay any assessment when due, the Township may:
