Effective 30 days after adoption of this Ordinance, the owner of any vacant property, as defined herein, shall, within 30 calendar days after the building becomes vacant property or within 30 calendar days after assuming ownership of the vacant property, whichever is later, or within 10 calendar days of receipt of notice by the municipality, file a registration statement for such vacant property with the Code Enforcement Official on forms provided by the town for such purposes. Failure to receive notice by the municipality shall not constitute grounds for failing to register the property.
A. Each property having a separate block and lot number as designated in official records of the municipality shall be registered separately.
B. The registration statement shall include the name, street address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if applicable) of a person 21 years or older, designated by the owner or owners as the authorized agent for receiving notices of code violations and for receiving process in any court proceeding or administrative enforcement proceedings on behalf of such owner or owners in connection with the enforcement of any applicable code; and the name, street address, telephone number, and e-mail (if applicable) of the firm and the actual name(s) of the firm's individual principal(s) responsible for maintaining the property. The individual or representative of the firm responsible for maintaining the property shall be available by telephone or in person on a 24-hour-per-day, seven-day-per-week basis. The two entities may be the same or different persons. Both entities shown on the statement must maintain offices in the State of New Jersey or reside within the State of New Jersey.
C. The registration shall remain valid for one year from the date of registration, except for the initial registration, which shall be prorated through December 31. The owner shall be required to renew the registration annually as long as the building remains a vacant and/or abandoned property and shall pay a registration or renewal fee in the amount prescribed in § 211-18 of this article for each vacant property registered.
D. The annual renewal shall be completed by January 1 each year. The initial registration fee shall be prorated for registration statements received less than 10 months prior to that date.
E. The owner shall notify the Code Enforcement Official within 30 calendar days of any change in the registration information by filing an amended registration statement on a form provided by the Code Enforcement Official for such purpose.
F. The registration statement shall be deemed prima facie proof of the statements therein contained in any administrative enforcement proceeding or court proceeding instituted by the Borough against the owner or owners of the building.