Moorestown Council Moves on Abandoned and Vacant Homes

Moorestown Council took the first step on an ordinance that deals with abandoned homes and vacant properties in the Township Monday night.

Council approved an ordinance on introduction that amends township code over vacant properties.

The vote was 5-0 after Councilman Greg Newcomer initially proposed tabling the ordinance.

Newcomer came across ordinances from three local towns that he felt offered aspects that could be incorporated into Moorestown’s proposed changes.

Township Solicitor Michael Drollas said if the changes Newcomer was proposing were substantial, council would have to start the process over again.

“Why not introduce this ordinance and review the others, and if we come across items we believe should go in to our ordinance, we can amend it down the road,” Township Manager Scott Carew suggested.

Some council members expressed a desire to move on the issue, which was first raised in public at the Aug. 18 council meeting.

The most discussed vacant home in Moorestown is on Church Street. It had been vacant for about 20 years, and one neighbor who has been helping maintain the property said it has become a safety hazard and a financial hardship.

Among Newcomer’s suggested changes:

• a specific requirement to stop all utilities such as water, electric etc.;
• a specific requirement to stop delivery of periodicals etc., so that paper is not strewn across the neighborhood;
• requiring a sign to be posted on long term vacant homes which would give a phone number for people to call to inquire about that property;
• a “repealer” which says that all other similar ordinances are repealed so this current document is the sole document to administrate eliminating confusion; and
• addressing insurance insurance and its impact on vacant homes.

“My intent is that we get the benefit of these other documents which will make our process

and ability to carry out that process the most effective,” said Newcomer, who said he brought the ordinances before council at the behest of a resident.

The ordinance introduced by Moorestown on Monday night included giving the property owner 30 days from the time a property is declared vacant, 30 days from the time they assume ownership of the vacant property or 10 days following a receipt of notice from Moorestown to file a registration with the Township Clerk.

The statement includes information for a person designated by the owners as the designated person to receive code violations and legal notices for the property, as well as information for the person designated to maintain the property.

One or both of these people can be the property owner. They will be responsible for securing the property and posting signs informing people the property is vacant. Fines for violations are between $100 and $1,000.

The initial registration fee is $500, with a $1,500 renewal fee; a $3,000 fee for the second renewal; and a $5,000 fee for each renewal after that.

The registration is good for one year, and must be renewed as long as the property is vacant.

Township officials will have access to inspect the property on both the inside and outside, as arranged with those registered to oversee the property.

A public officer is appointed to oversee abandoned properties, and those abandoned properties will be put onto a list, that will be available to the public via the Open Public Records Act (OPRA).

The public officer will then contact the owner of record to inform them their property has been declared abandoned, or post notice on the property if the owner is unknown.

That person will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the abandoned property, and will have 30 days to correct any violations that present a hazard. They will be fined $1,500 a day if the violations are not addressed. An out-of-state creditor will be fined $2,500 a day.

The officer can choose to repair, alter, improve or demolish an abandoned property. Moorestown would have the power to seize the property and put it up for tax sale.

The ordinance defines a vacant home as any building used or to be used as a residence which is not legally occupied, construction has stopped or it can’t be reoccupied without rehabilitation.

It defines an abandoned home as one that has not been legally occupied for six months and: is need of rehabilitation; construction was initiated and discontinued for at least six months; at least one tax payment is delinquent or the property has been deemed a “nuisance.”

For the full text of the proposed ordinance, click here.

The attached image of a vacant home was previously provided by Moorestown Councilman Greg Newcomer.