[Amended 2-10-1998 by Ord. No. 98-5]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Includes any brush, hedges and other plant life on lands
within the Borough.
The Mayor and Council hereby finds and declares
that the existence of plant life growing within 10 feet of any roadway
and within 25 feet of the intersection of two roadways to a height
in excess of 2 1/2 feet is inimical to the preservation of public
safety and general welfare and is likely to constitute a traffic hazard.
[Amended 8-24-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-17]
Whenever it shall appear to the Chief of Police
or his or her designee or any other authorized personnel of the Borough
of Paramus that the existence upon any land within the Borough of
plant life growing within 10 feet of any roadway or within 25 feet
of the intersection of two roadways and exceeding 2 1/2 feet
in height is hazardous to the public safety or general welfare of
the residents of the Borough or those using its highways or constitutes
a safety hazard, the owner or tenant of any such lands shall be required
to cut such plant life to a height of not more than 2 1/2 feet
within 10 days after service of written notice from the Chief of Police
requiring such trimming or cutting.
Such notice may be served upon the owner or
tenant of said lands by delivering a notice to him or by mailing it
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed
to him at his last known address. Delivery of the notice shall mean
handing it to the owner or the tenant or leaving it at his dwelling
house or usual place of abode with some competent member of his family
of the age of 14 years or over then residing therein. Service by mail
shall be deemed complete upon the date of delivery of said registered
or certified mail as appears on the return receipt from the postal
authorities.
Every such notice shall, in addition to requiring
the cutting as aforesaid, warn the owner or tenant of the lands to
which it refers that failure to accomplish such cutting will result
in the cutting by or under the direction of the Department of Public
Works. The notice shall also state that in the event of the cutting
by the Department as designated above, the cost of such cutting shall
forthwith become a lien upon said lands and shall be added to and
become a part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon the
same, to bear interest at the same rate and to be collected as in
the case of such taxes.
Whenever the owner or tenant of any lands receiving notice to cut from said lands any plant life shall have neglected or refused to effect the cutting of said plant life in the manner and within the time hereinabove provided, such cutting shall be accomplished by or under the direction of the Department designated in § 383-36, which, upon completion thereof, shall certify the cost to the Mayor and Council. The Mayor and Council shall examine the certificate, and if it shall find the same to be correct, it shall cause the cost so certified to be charged against said lands. The amount of such charge shall forthwith become a lien upon said lands and shall be added to and become and form a part of the taxes next to be assessed and levied upon said lands, to bear interest at the same rate as taxes and to be collected and enforced by the same officers and in the same manner as taxes.
