Shore Town May Charge $300 If Cops Keeping Coming to Your Door
BARNEGAT — Township committee members will decide Tuesday night whether properties where police respond frequently should be subject to fines.
A draft of a proposed ordinance says "nuisance properties" result "in the excessive consumption of municipal services." Those costs, the ordinance states, should not be paid by the taxpayers.
Under the ordinance, an officer would issue a summons to the resident or owner of a property that exceeds a certain number of calls, depending on how many families dwell on site.
Properties under "probationary nuisance status" — because of frequent police calls — would see a fee of $300 for each additional call. Qualifying calls include matters related to disorderly conduct, property damage, possession of a dangerous animal, prostitution and other violations.
The proposed rule is similar to one approved in May by Toms River officials.
Repeat police visits is particularly an issue at hotels and motels along the Jersey Shore, as well as rental properties where a landlord is essentially absent.
The City of Wildwood has had a nuisance-property law on the books since 2011.
"We've probably reduced the problem anywhere from 50 to 70 percent," said Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano. "It's a wonderful tool to help control the people who come down and can't seem to control themselves."
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Contact reporter Dino Flammia at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com.