Vacant lots in Edison are covered by Chapter 15 Property Maintenance, which expressly defines 'property exterior' to include the open land space of any premises outside any building, including vacant lots. Owners must maintain the lot in a clean, sanitary condition, free of trash, debris, overgrown vegetation, and rodent harborage.
Chapter 15 of the Edison Code defines property exterior broadly so that bare vacant lots receive the same maintenance treatment as occupied properties. Owners are responsible for: (1) keeping the lot free of accumulated trash, debris, junk, and discarded furniture or appliances; (2) controlling vegetation so it does not become a fire, sight-distance, or pest hazard - in practice, Edison Code Enforcement issues notices when grass and weeds exceed roughly 10 inches in residential zones (consistent with the New Jersey Property Maintenance Code adopted by reference); (3) eliminating standing water that could breed mosquitoes; and (4) maintaining any fence, retaining wall, or other improvement on the lot. Where a lot is vacant because the structure was demolished, the owner must also maintain a smooth, graded surface free of foundation remnants and trip hazards. Lots adjacent to public sidewalks are additionally subject to the snow-clearance and sidewalk-repair obligations under Chapter 19 Streets and Sidewalks. Persistent violations can be abated by the township at the owner's expense under Chapter 15, with the cost assessed as a tax lien. If the lot is also formally vacant for registration purposes, the registration ordinance fees stack on top of these maintenance obligations.
Chapter 15 violations: $25 - $250 first offense, $200 - $2,000 subsequent under Β§1-5 / N.J.S.A. 40:49-5. The township may also perform summary abatement (mowing, debris removal) and assess the cost as a lien collectible on tax sale.
Edison, NJ
Edison requires every swimming pool to be enclosed by a fence at least 4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching, lockable gate. Woven-mesh openings may...
Edison, NJ
Chapter 37 prohibits any fence made of materials dangerous to persons or animals - barbed wire, electrified wire, and razor wire are not permitted in residen...
Edison, NJ
Edison's Chapter 37 requires fences to be built entirely on the owner's property - no joint or boundary-straddling fences are authorized in code. Boundary an...
Edison, NJ
A zoning permit from the Edison Zoning Officer is required for any fence under Chapter 37. The application must include a current survey or plot plan showing...
Edison, NJ
Edison's Chapter 37 (Zoning) caps residential fences at 4 ft in the front yard and 6 ft overall. Up to 8 ft is allowed along a rear lot line bordering a non-...
Edison, NJ
Edison Township does not publish a specific numerical household pet limit in its general Code. Multi-animal keeping is governed instead by the general sanita...
See how Edison's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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