[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Skippack 8-14-1985 by Ord. No. 118. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Attorney's fees — See Ch. 98, Art. I.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 143.
Solid waste — See Ch. 159.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meanings given herein.
AUTHORIZED PRIVATE RECEPTACLE
A container of watertight construction with a tight-fitting lid or cover capable of preventing the escape of contents within. Such receptacles shall have handles or other means for safe and convenient handling and be of such size or sufficient capacity to hold all litter generated between collection periods.
CONSTRUCTION SITES
Any private or public property upon which repairs to existing buildings, construction of new buildings or demolition of existing structures is taking place.
LITTER
Garbage, trash, waste, peelings of vegetables or fruits, rubbish, ashes, cans, bottles, wire, paper, cartons, boxes, furniture, glass, oil or anything of an unsightly or unsanitary nature which, if thrown or deposited as herein prohibited, tends to create a danger to public health, safety and welfare.
PRIVATE PREMISES
All property, including but not limited to vacant land or any land, building or other structure designed or used for residential, commercial, business, industrial, institutional or religious purposes, together with any yard, grounds, walk, driveway, fence, porch, steps, vestibule, mailbox and other structures appurtenant thereto.
PUBLIC PLACE
Any and all streets, sidewalks, alleys or other public ways, watercourses and any and all public parks, spaces, grounds and buildings.
PUBLIC RECEPTACLES
Any receptacles provided by or authorized by the township.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Skippack.
VEHICLE
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon land or water.
No person shall deposit any litter within the Township of Skippack, except in public receptacles, in authorized private receptacles for collection or at any duly licensed disposal facility.
Persons placing litter in public receptacles or in authorized private receptacles shall do so in such manner as to prevent litter from being carried or deposited by the elements upon any public place or private premises.
No person shall upset or tamper with a public or private receptacle designed or used for the deposit of litter or cause or permit its contents to be deposited or strewn in or upon any public place or private premises.
Persons owning, occupying or in control of any public place or private premises shall keep the sidewalks and alleys adjacent thereto free of litter.
The owner or person in control of any private premises, including vacant lots visible from any public place or private premises, shall maintain such premises in a reasonably clean and orderly manner and to a standard conforming to other orderly premises in that vicinity. It shall be a violation of this section to abandon, neglect or disregard the condition or appearance of any premises so as to permit it to accumulate litter thereon.
A. 
No person, while the operator of or passenger in a vehicle shall deposit litter upon any public place or private premises.
B. 
No person shall drive or move any loaded or partly loaded truck or other vehicle within the township unless such vehicle is so constructed or loaded as to prevent any part of its load, contents or litter from being blown or deposited upon any public place or private premises. No person shall drive or move any vehicle or truck within the township, the wheels or tires of which carry onto or deposit in any public place or private premises, mud, dirt, sticky substances, litter or foreign matter of any kind.
No person shall deposit litter in any park or playground within the township except in receptacles and in such a manner that the litter will be prevented from being carried or deposited by the elements upon any part of the park or upon any other public place or private premises. Where receptacles are not provided, all such litter shall be removed from the park or playground by the person responsible for its presence and properly disposed of elsewhere in a lawful manner.
No person shall post or affix any notice, poster or other paper or device, calculated to attract the attention of the public upon any public place, except as may be authorized or required by law. No person except the owner or tenant shall post any such notice on private property, without the permission of the owner or tenant.
A. 
Each contractor shall be responsible for the job site so that litter will be prevented from being carried or deposited by the elements upon any public place or other private premises.
B. 
Litter or other debris, including dirt and mud, deposited as the result of normal construction process upon any public place or private premises shall be removed by the contractor.
A. 
Litter receptacles required. Any public place containing any provision for parking vehicles shall be equipped with litter receptacles in compliance with this section. Such premises shall include, but is not limited to, such places as shopping centers, drive-in restaurants, gasoline service stations, apartment developments, parking lots and any other place where provision is made for vehicles to stop or park in a designated area for any purpose.
B. 
Number of receptacles. All premises having parking lots shall provide in an easily accessible location a minimum of one refuse container for every 50 parking spaces or fraction thereof.
C. 
Specifications. Litter receptacles shall have tight-fitting lids or tops and shall be weighted or attached to the ground or other fixed structures as necessary to prevent spillage. A minimum container size of 20 gallons or 75.7 liters shall be used.
D. 
Cleanliness. Premises used for the purpose designated herein shall be kept in a litter-free condition, and all litter shall be removed periodically from the receptacles.
E. 
Obligation to use receptacles. It shall be the duty and obligation of all persons using parking areas to use such litter receptacles as hereinabove provided for the purposes intended, and it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to deposit upon any such parking lot any litter.
The township may erect such signs informing the public of the prohibition against littering within the township as it deems appropriate.
When premises are in violation of any section of this chapter, the township is hereby empowered to enter upon the premises and may thereupon correct the unclean conditions by such means as may be required. In the event that the township shall have expended moneys to remove litter under the terms of this chapter, the township shall recover the costs thereof, together with a penalty of 6% and an attorney's fee of 5% by a municipal claim proceeding under the Act of May 16, 1923, P.L. 207, as amended,[1] or the Act of May 1, 1933, P.L. 103, Article VII, Section 702, as amended,[2] or by such other remedies as may be provided by law, at the election of the township. In addition to other remedies as shall be provided for hereby, the township may institute proceedings in a court of equity to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 7106 and 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 1725.1.
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 66601(c.1)(1).
[Amended 7-24-1996 by Ord. No. 202]
A. 
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding, shall pay a fine of not more than $600, plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, incurred by the township in the enforcement of this chapter. No judgment shall be imposed until the date of the determination of the violation by the District Justice and/or Court. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the township may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable rules of civil procedure. Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense. Further, the appropriate officers or agents of the township are hereby authorized to seek equitable relief, including functions to enforce compliance herewith.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
The Code Enforcement Officer or other officer of the township authorized to do so by the Board of Supervisors shall determine in each instance whether a violation has occurred. Upon determining that a violation has occurred, the officer shall impose a civil penalty in accordance with the amounts specified in Subsection A upon the violator. Notice of a violation shall be served upon the violator by registered or certified mail. In the event that the register or certified mail is returned unclaimed, such notice shall be served by first class mail.