Source: https://ecode360.com/14526716
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 02:34:51+00:00

Document:
§ 144-3 Public nuisances prohibited.
§ 144-4 Notice of public nuisance.
§ 144-5 Presumption of knowledge.
§ 144-6 Burden of proof of violation.
§ 144-7 Convictions as presumption of public nuisance.
§ 144-8 Summons and complaint for civil action.
§ 144-11 Closing of building, structure or real property.
§ 144-13 Temporary restraining order.
Historic preservation — See Ch. 135.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 157.
Solid waste management — See Ch. 174.
Stormwater management — See Ch. 176.
Junked vehicles — See Ch. 203.
The Town Board of the Town of Greece hereby finds and concludes that it is necessary and appropriate for the Town to enact legislation which will facilitate and encourage the discontinuance of public nuisances. This chapter is intended to provide the Town with additional enforcement tools to accomplish the goal of abating and eliminating the public nuisances described in this chapter. This chapter is not intended to limit any rights, remedies, or actions that may exist under common law nuisance.
Any violation of the Code of the Town of Greece, the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, including the New York State Property Maintenance Code, and any subsequent amendments or superseding provisions to these codes.
No owner, operator, manager, tenant, lessee, occupant, or user of a building, structure or real property shall conduct, maintain, permit or allow a public nuisance at the building, structure or real property.
No building, structure or real property shall be used in any manner that constitutes a public nuisance.
Notice that a public nuisance, as defined in the definition of "public nuisance" in § 144-2, Subsections A, B or C, of this chapter, has occurred at any building, structure, or real property, or any portion thereof, shall be served by personal service upon the owner, operator, manager, tenant, lessee, occupant, or user of a building, structure or real property; or if no such person can be reasonably found, by mailing said owner, operator, manager, tenant, lessee, occupant, or user of the affected building, structure or real property such notice by means of certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address as shown on the records of the Town Assessor, and by securely affixing a copy of such notice upon the door of the affected building, structure, or real property.
The notice must contain a statement of the date or dates upon which the public nuisance took place on the affected building, structure, or real property, or any portion thereof, the nature of the public nuisance, as defined in § 144-2A, B, or C of this chapter, a copy of this chapter, and a warning that if a second occurrence of any public nuisance, as defined in § 144-2A, B, or C of this chapter, takes place within one year of the first occurrence of a public nuisance, then the Town may seek action pursuant to § 144-8 and 144-14 of this chapter.
Notice of public nuisance given in accordance with § 144-4 of this chapter shall be prima facie evidence of knowledge of the public nuisance by each and every property owner, operator, manager, tenant, lessee, occupant, or user of the building, structure or real property or any portion thereof.
Any of the activities set forth in the definition of "public nuisance" in § 144-2A, B, or C of this chapter must be established by a preponderance of the evidence in any civil action or administrative proceeding brought pursuant to this chapter.
Two or more convictions for any of the activities set forth in § 144-2A, B or C of this chapter at any building, structure or real property, within a two-year period prior to the commencement of a civil action and/or the service of notice of an administrative hearing pursuant to this chapter, shall be prima facie evidence of the existence of a public nuisance. For the purpose of this section, a "conviction" means the entry of a plea of guilty and/or a verdict of guilty upon an accusatory instrument other than a felony complaint to one or more counts of such instrument.
The Town Board may authorize the Town Attorney to bring and maintain a civil action in the name of the Town to abate a public nuisance.
The summons and complaint in such action may name as defendants the building, structure or real property by describing it by Tax Map number and/or street address, and also shall name as defendants at least one of the record owners of some portion of or some interest in the property where the public nuisance is alleged to have occurred.
The summons and complaint in such action may also name as a defendant any owner, operator, manager, tenant, lessee, occupant, or user of a building, structure or real property.
The complaint in such action shall allege facts constituting the public nuisance.
The complaint in such action may be accompanied by affidavits alleging that the owner, operator, manager, tenant, lessee, occupant, or user of the building, structure or real property had notice of the nuisance and had an opportunity to abate the nuisance.
In rem jurisdiction over the building, structure or real property may be obtained and completed by affixing a copy of the summons to the building, structure or real property, and by mailing a copy of the summons and complaint by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the record owner(s) of the real property and to each person or entity listed in the Town records as the person or entity to whom such tax bills should be sent.
Defendants other than the building, structure or real property shall be served with the summons and complaint in the manner required by state law.
With respect to any action commenced or to be commenced pursuant to this chapter, the Town Attorney may file a notice of pendency as authorized pursuant to state law.
A civil penalty may be assessed against any defendant(s) found liable under this chapter in an amount not to exceed $1,000 for each day it is determined that a public nuisance existed after notice of public nuisance has been served upon such defendant(s) pursuant to § 144-4 of this chapter. Upon recovery, such penalty shall be paid into the Town general fund.
A permanent injunction may be granted against any defendant(s) found liable under this chapter.
Any such permanent injunction may prohibit such defendant(s) from conducting, maintaining, permitting or allowing the public nuisance, and may include such other relief as the issuing court may deem appropriate under the circumstances.
Any such permanent injunction may also authorize agents of the Town to remove and correct any conditions in violation of the Code of the Town of Greece, and direct that the costs of removing and correcting the violations shall be charged against such property and defendant(s) and awarded to the Town. The amount so awarded shall constitute a lien against the real property and shall be collected in the same manner provided by law for the collection of real property taxes with respect to real property within the Town.
A judgment or order granting a permanent injunction may also direct the closing of the building, structure or real property by the Town Code Enforcement Officer, to the extent necessary to abate the nuisance.
A judgment or order granting a permanent injunction may also provide for all costs and disbursements allowed by state law, and for the actual costs, expenses and disbursements of the Town in investigating, bringing and maintaining the action, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorney’s fees.
If the judgment or order in any such action directs the closing of the building, structure or real property, notice of entry of the judgment or order shall be given to any defendant(s) in the manner required by state law, and a copy of such judgment or order, shall be posted at one or more of the entrances to the building, structure or real property or in another conspicuous place on the building, structure or real property.
In addition, a printed notice shall be affixed to one or more of the doors at entrances of the building, structure or real property or in another conspicuous place on the building, structure or real property, stating "CLOSED BY COURT ORDER" in block lettering of sufficient size to be observed by anyone intending to enter the premises.
Mutilation or removal of such posted judgment or order or notice while it remains in force will be considered a separate violation of the Code of the Town of Greece and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $250 or by imprisonment not exceeding 15 days, or both, provided such judgment or order or notice contains therein a notice of such penalty.
On or after the posting of such judgment or order or notice, the Town Code Enforcement Officer may command any and all persons present in the building, structure or real property, or any portion thereof, which has been determined to be a public nuisance to vacate such property or portion thereof forthwith and may secure the premises after it is vacated.
The closing of a building, structure or property, or portion thereof, as directed by the judgment or order, shall be for such period as the court may direct, but in no event shall the closing be for a period of more than one year from the posting of the judgment or order.
A closing of a building, structure or premises, or any part thereof, pursuant to any such judgment or order shall not constitute an act of possession, ownership or control by the Town.
A preliminary injunction enjoining the public nuisance may be granted in such action pursuant to state law.
A temporary restraining order may be granted in such action, without notice to the defendant(s), pursuant to state law.
Whenever there is evidence of a public nuisance at any building, structure or real property within the Town, the Town Attorney, or his/her designee, may initiate an administrative hearing pursuant to this section.
Notice of such hearing shall be served on any record owner of the building, structure or real property, and may also be served on any known operator, manager, tenant, lessee, occupant, or user of the building, in any manner authorized for the service of a summons in a civil action.
The notice of hearing shall allege facts constituting a public nuisance and shall set forth the time and place of the hearing. The Town Supervisor shall appoint the hearing examiner, who shall not be an elected official of the Town, to conduct the hearing.
At such hearing, the Town Attorney, or his/her designee, shall present evidence and/or witnesses demonstrating the existence of a public nuisance at the building, structure or real property and as to appropriate remedies. The named respondents, or their legal counsel, shall have the right to examine such evidence and cross-examine any witnesses presented by the Town Attorney, or his/her designee. The named respondents, or their legal counsel, may present any evidence and/or witnesses in their defense, and the Town Attorney, or his/her designee, shall have the right to examine such evidence and cross-examine any witnesses presented by the named respondents, or their legal counsel.
Within five business days after the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing examiner shall provide findings of fact to the Town Board. The findings of fact shall state whether it has been established by a preponderance of the evidence that a public nuisance exists at the building, structure or real property. In the event a public nuisance is found, the hearing examiner shall also provide a written recommendation of remedies to abate the public nuisance.
Issue a decision and order setting forth such other remedies as the Town Board deems just and proper.
The decision and order shall be served upon the respondent(s) in any manner permitted for service of a summons in a civil action, or by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by posting in a conspicuous place on the property which is the subject of the decision and order. Where legal counsel has appeared for any respondent with respect to the administrative hearing authorized by § 144-14, service of the decision and order on legal counsel for such respondent by authorized means under the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules shall be sufficient.
Any decision or order of the Town Board shall be subject to review under Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
Nothing in this chapter shall limit the authority of the Town Board to take such other or further actions which it may deem necessary to abate any existing public nuisance to the extent necessary to ensure the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the general public.

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