Matawan Plans to Slap Owners of Vacant, Abandoned Properties with Fees

Story by Anastasia Millicker, anastasia.millicker@patch.com

Property owners who abandon their home or business will have to register their property with the borough or face fines up to $1,000 for each day under a proposed property maintenance ordinance.

The Matawan Borough Council introduced an ordinance July 2 with hopes of reducing the problems of vacant and abandoned structures, including code enforcement violations, excessive police calls, fire calls, complaints about property maintenance, and property inspections.

“Vacant and abandoned structures cause severe harm to the health, safety, and general welfare of the community, including diminution of neighboring property values, increased risk of fire, and potential increases in criminal activity and public health risk,” according to the ordinance.

The ordinance further states that, “it is in the public interest for the Borough of Matawan to establish minimum standards of accountability for the owners or other responsible parties of vacant and abandoned structures in order to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of the Borough of Matawan”.

If passed, the ordinance would go into effect Sept. 1. Owners of currently vacant properties or abandoned structures would have until Nov. 1 to register with the borough. 

The initial registration fee for each building in the proposed ordinance is $500. The fee for the first renewal is $1,000 and the fee for the second renewal is $1,500. Subsequent renewal fees would be $2,000.

Any owner who is found not to be in compliance with the ordinance would be subject to a fine of no less than $200 and not more than $1,000 for each offense. Each day can be considered a separate offense, according to the ordinance.

The public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for the August 7 Council Meeting at the Matawan Municipal Community Center on Broad Street beginning at 7 p.m.