Source: https://www.ecode360.com/7048382
Timestamp: 2019-11-18 16:19:13
Document Index: 344926839

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 85']

Borough of Closter, NJ Buildings, Unfit
§ 85-2 Exercise of powers.
§ 85-4 Powers of Building Committee; Chairman.
§ 85-5 Filing of petition; serving of complaint; hearing.
§ 85-6 Order to correct, vacate or demolish.
§ 85-7 Failure to repair or vacate.
§ 85-8 Failure to demolish or remove.
§ 85-9 Costs to constitute municipal lien.
§ 85-10 Determination of unfitness.
§ 85-11 Service of complaint.
§ 85-12 Powers of public officer.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Closter 11-22-1967 by Ord. No. 1967:179 as Ch. 32 of the 1967 Code; amended in its entirety 9-27-1974 by Ord. No. 1974:257. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
It is hereby found and declared that the existence or occupation of any building or buildings or parts thereof in the Borough of Closter which are so old, dilapidated or have become so out of repair as to be dangerous, unsafe, unsanitary or otherwise unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use are inimical to the welfare and dangerous and injurious to the health and safety of the residents of the Borough of Closter and that a public necessity exists for the repair, closing or demolition of such building or buildings, or parts thereof.
Whenever the proper officials of the Borough of Closter designated herein find that there exists in the Borough of Closter any building or buildings which are unfit for human habitation, occupancy or use due to dilapidation, defects increasing the hazards of fire, accidents or other calamities, lack of ventilation, light or sanitation facilities or due to other conditions rendering such building or buildings or parts thereof unsafe or unsanitary or dangerous or detrimental to the health or safety or otherwise inimical to the welfare of the residents of the Borough of Closter, the officials designated shall exercise the power vested under this chapter and under the law of the State of New Jersey to repair, close or demolish or cause or require the repairing, closing or demolition of such building or buildings or part thereof in the manner set forth in this chapter.
Any officer who is in charge of any department or branch of the government of the Borough of Closter relating to health, fire, building regulations or to other activities concerning buildings in the Borough of Closter.
Construction Code Official or Building Official.
[Amended 6-14-1989 by Ord. No. 1989:576]
The Chairman of the Building Committee of the Council is hereby designated and appointed to exercise the powers set forth in this chapter. In the event that the Chairman of the Building Committee is unable to act, then any member of said Committee may act in his or her place and stead. The Mayor and Council of the Borough of Closter may from time to time, by resolution, designate any other person or persons to act in the place of the Chairman of the Building Committee.
[Amended 10-6-1980 by Ord. No. 1980:391]
Whenever a petition is filed with the public officer by a public authority or by at least five (5) residents of the Borough of Closter charging that any building is unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use or whenever it appears to the public officer that any building is unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use, the public officer shall, if his or her preliminary investigation discloses a basis for such charges, issue and cause to be served upon the owner of and parties in interest in such building a complaint stating the charges in that respect and containing a notice that a hearing will be held before the public officer or his or her designated agent at a place therein fixed not less than seven (7) days nor more than thirty (30) days after the serving of said complaint and that the owner and parties in interest shall be given the right to file an answer to the complaint and to appear in person or otherwise and give testimony at the place and time fixed in the complaint. The rules of evidence prevailing in the courts shall not be controlling in hearings before the public officer.
After notice and hearing, if the public officer determines that the building under consideration is unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use, he or she shall state, in writing, his or her findings of fact in support of such determination and shall issue and cause to be served upon the owner thereof and parties in interest an order requiring the repair, alteration or improvement of said building to be made by the owner within a reasonable time, which time shall be set forth in the order, or, at the option of the owner, to vacate or have said building vacated and closed within the times set forth in the order.
The amount of the cost of the filing of legal papers, expert witnesses fees, search fees and advertising charges incurred in the course of any proceeding taken under this chapter determined in favor of the Borough of Closter and the cost of such repairs, alterations or improvements or vacating and closing or removal or demolition, if any, or the amount of the balance thereof remaining after deduction of the sum, if any, realized from the sale of materials derived from such building or from any contract for removal or demolition thereof shall be a municipal lien against the real property upon which such cost was incurred. If the building is removed or demolished by the public officer, he or she shall sell the materials of such building. There shall be credited against the cost of the removal or demolition thereof the proceeds of any sale of such materials or any sum derived from any contract for the removal or demolition of the building. If there are no such credits or if the sum total of such costs exceeds the total of such credits, a detailed statement of the aforesaid costs and the amount so due shall be filed with the Municipal Tax Assessor or other custodian of the records of tax liens, and a copy thereof shall be forthwith forwarded to the owner by registered mail. If the total of the credits exceed such costs, the balance remaining shall be deposited in the Superior Court by the public officer, shall be secured in such manner as may be directed by such Court and shall be disbursed according to the order or judgment of the court to the persons found to be entitled thereto by final order or judgment of such Court; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be construed to impair or limit in any way the power of the Borough of Closter to define and declare nuisances and to cause their removal or abatement, by summary proceedings or otherwise. Any owner or party in interest may, within thirty (30) days from the date of the filing of the lien certificate, proceed in a summary manner in the Superior Court to contest the reasonableness of the amount or the accuracy of the costs set forth in the municipal lien certificate.
Nothing in this section shall be constructed to impair or limit in any way the power of the municipality to define and declare nuisances and to cause their removal or abatement, by summary proceedings or otherwise, nor is anything in this chapter intended to limit the authority of the enforcing agency or construction official under the State Uniform Construction Code Act, P.L. 1975, c. 217 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.), or any rules or regulations adopted thereunder.
The public officer may determine that a building is unfit for human habitation or occupancy or use if he or she finds that conditions exist in such building which are dangerous or injurious to the health or safety of the occupants of such building, the occupants of neighboring buildings or other residents or the Borough of Closter; such conditions may include but shall not be limited to defects therein increasing the hazards of fire, accident or other calamities; lack of adequate ventilation, light or sanitary facilities; dilapidation or disrepair; structural defects; or uncleanliness.
A complaint or order issued by a public officer pursuant to this chapter shall be served upon persons either personally or by registered mail, but if the whereabouts of such persons is unknown and the same cannot be ascertained by the public officer in the exercise of reasonable diligence, and the public officer shall make an affidavit to that effect, then the serving of such complaint or order upon such persons may be made by publishing the same once in a newspaper printed and published in the Borough of Closter or, in the absence of such newspaper, in one printed and published in Bergen County and circulating in the Borough of Closter. A copy of such complaint or order shall be posted in a conspicuous place on premises affected by the complaint or order. A copy of such complaint or order shall be duly recorded or lodged for record with the Clerk of Bergen County.
The public officer or other official designated under this chapter may exercise such powers as may be necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this chapter, including the following powers in addition to others herein granted:
To administer oaths and affirmations, to examine witnesses and to receive evidence.
To appoint and fix the duties of such officers, agents and employees as he or she deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.