The township committee unanimously approved an ordinance to amend the code for chapters titled “Abandoned Property” and “Dangerous Buildings.” This is in regard to vacant and abandoned property and the responsibilities of foreclosing creditors.
“It gives us more authority to go after banks or lienowners who are not maintaining the abandoned properties,” Larry Spellman, township administrator, said.
According to the ordinance, a creditor filing a summons and complaint to foreclose a lien on a residential property that is vacant and abandoned shall be responsible for the care, maintenance, security and upkeep of the exterior of the residential property. It also does not matter whether the filing of the summons and complaint is made before or after the determination that the property is vacant and abandoned, they are still held responsible.
An out-of-state creditor is to include the full name and contact information of the in-state representative or agent in the notice required to be provided to the municipal clerk. An out-of-state creditor found by a court to have violated this provision shall be subject to a fine of $2,500 for each day of the violation commencing on the day after the 10-day period set forth with respect to notifying the municipal clerk that an action to foreclose on the property has been filed.
Any person, firm, corporation or entity, including a creditor, required to care, maintain, secure and keep up a property found violating any provision of these chapters is subject to a fine of $1,500 for each day of the violation.
Notice of violations of property maintenance, building or other property codes for any property declared vacant and abandoned consistent to the “Abandoned Property” chapter shall be given to a foreclosing creditor consistent to the procedures.
“The ordinance was approved quickly and unanimously,” Spellman said.
In other news:
• Bond ordinances were passed for $35,000 for road improvements still needing to be done due to last year’s winter and $100,000 for a sewer line break on Laurel Oak Road that happened over the summer. According to Spellman, the township didn’t want to wait one more year to continue fixing the roads and let them get worse, and the sewer break was 12 feet down and required 100 yards of pipe to replace the broken ones.
• Bonds and bond reductions were approved for Lone Dawg Café, Marriot Springhill Suites and Muslim American Church for site improvements.
• Two trash trucks were purchased replacing old trucks. One is a rear loader for trash, brush and picking up large dumpsters. The other has a side arm which will be used for trash and recycling.
• The township approved Halloween hours from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. for trick or treating on Oct. 31. A curfew of 8 p.m. for those 17 years old and under will be in effect for the night before Halloween and Halloween night.
