Seneca Falls, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 217 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 217-4

All property and the buildings and structures thereon shall reflect a level of maintenance in keeping with the intent and purposes of this chapter, in addition to the provisions set-forth in § 300-57 of the Zoning Code. Every dwelling and every structure shall be kept in good condition and repair and fit for human habitation if a dwelling and, if some other structure, in such a condition that it will not likely injure or damage persons or property of others. Such maintenance shall be the responsibility of the property owner and, for the purposes of this chapter, shall include the following: A. General provisions for all properties. (1) Porches, decks, steps, stairs, railings, foundations, roofs, and exterior walls, including doors, windows, chimneys, and balconies, shall be maintained and kept in safe working repair. (2) Roof drains, overflow pipes, air-conditioning drains and similar devices used to channel water off or out of a building shall not drain onto a public walkway or adjoining property. (3) The roof and sides, doors and windows of dwellings and structures shall be maintained so as not to leak, and all rainwater shall be collected so as not to cause dampness, decay and deterioration in the walls and ceilings. (4) All exposed exterior surfaces shall be kept free of broken glass, loose shingles, loose or crumbling bricks, loose shutters and railings, excessive peeling paint, dry rot, or other conditions reflective of serious deterioration or inadequate maintenance. (5) Exterior surfaces shall be protected from the elements and decay by painting or other approved protective finish. (6) Awnings, marquees, and overhangs shall be kept in good working repair so as to prevent injury to the public. (7) Vacant buildings shall be secured to prevent unauthorized entry. Such vacant buildings and adjoining yards shall be maintained so that hazards to adjacent property and the general public can be prevented. (8) Permanent signs and billboards that have become excessively weathered or deteriorated shall be repaired or removed. (9) Grounds, buildings, and structures shall be kept free of excessive insect, vermin and rodent harborage and infestation. (10) Adequate facilities and methods shall be used for the collection, storage, handling and disposal of garbage and refuse. (11) Dumpsters and similar large receptacles used for the storage of garbage, litter, junk, and similar waste shall, when feasible, be screened from public view by means of appropriate landscaping, hedges, fences, or similar screening. (12) Wrecks, as defined herein, shall not be stored in the driveway or yard of any dwelling if, by so doing, such wrecks would be exposed to all public views. (13) No more than one unregistered vehicle may be stored in the driveway or yard of any dwelling unless such additional vehicles are not exposed to public view for no more than a three-month period. (14) Refuse or junk shall not be stored or kept in any front yard space. Any refuse or junk stored or kept in other areas of the lot shall be enclosed behind a fence or hedge that will keep such refuse or junk from being exposed to public view. (15) No outside accumulation of garbage, rubbish or debris shall be permitted unless it is kept in acceptable containers or enclosures and regularly collected and removed from the premises. (16) Furniture, unless specifically manufactured and intended for exterior use, shall be prohibited on porches, decks or elsewhere on the exterior of the property. This includes, but is not limited to, tables, chairs, equipment, and upholstered furniture. (17) Whenever a building is removed or destroyed by fire beyond repair, the rubble and debris shall be removed. (18) Brush, grass and weeds. (a) Purpose. The purpose of this subsection is to control the unattended growth of brush, long grass, noxious weeds and other rank growth on private properties within the Town of Seneca Falls, to prevent the unsightly appearance such growth presents to the public, to prevent the blight such uncared for properties inflict upon otherwise maintained neighborhoods and to forestall the havens such unattended properties afford for vermin and other undesirable animal and insect life and to reduce the danger of fire associated therewith. (b) Prohibitions. The owner of any property who permits brush, grass, noxious weeds or other rank growth to proliferate on his or her property to a height greater than five inches shall be deemed to be in violation of this chapter. (c) Procedure upon report of violation. [1] Upon a report of such a violation to the Zoning Officer, the Zoning Officer, in the cases of a report made for the first time respecting such property, shall issue a notice to such property owner of record, advising him or her that, if such violation is not corrected within five days, the Town will cause such corrections to be made and that the actual costs of making such corrections will be billed to the property owner and that, upon his or her failure to pay such billing, the same shall be added to the next real property tax bill of such property owner. [2] The notice provided for in Subsection A(18)(c)[1] above shall be by ordinary, first-class mail and, in the case of a property owner having an out-of-Town address, the Zoning Officer shall add three days to the notice's five-day period before enforcing the within provisions. [3] In the case of a property owner who has once received the notice provided for in Subsection A(18)(c)[1] above, subsequent written notice need not be given by the Zoning Officer for subsequently reported violations of this section. [4] Upon the expiration of the notice period provided for in Subsection A(18)(c)[2] and [3] above or upon notification of a subsequent violation, pursuant to Subsection A(18)(c)[3] above, if the property owner has failed to take remedial action and the violation continues, the Zoning Officer shall assign Town workers or contract with private individuals to correct the violation, and, upon the completion of such corrective work, he or she shall promptly bill the property owner at his or her address as shown on the tax rolls. Any charges remaining unpaid at the time Town tax notices are prepared are to be added as charges on such Town tax notices. B. Commercial uses. (1) All fences and planting areas installed on the premises of a commercial use shall be maintained. Such maintenance shall include such things as replacement of dead or diseased trees and shrubs, cutting grass and the repair or replacement of damaged or deteriorating fences. (2) Shopping centers, supermarkets and similar commercial uses shall provide and maintain appropriate litter receptacles on the premises. (3) Articles for sale that are stored or kept outside shall be maintained in a neat and orderly fashion and shall not interfere with walkways or parking areas that are used by the public. C. Open areas and parking space. (1) Steps, walks, driveways, parking space and similar paved areas shall be maintained to afford safe passage under normal use and weather conditions. Holes and other hazards that may exist shall be filled and repaired. (2) Surface and subsurface water shall be appropriately drained to protect buildings and structures and to reduce the potential for stagnant pools. (3) Open wells, cesspools or cisterns shall be securely closed or barricaded so as to protect the general public from injury. (4) Vacant lots, parking spaces and undeveloped areas shall be kept clean and free of physical hazards, garbage, refuse or debris. (5) Fences and similar constructions shall be maintained in a safe condition. D. Property under construction. (1) For purposes of enforcement of this chapter, when work is being done on property, the owner of said property shall be held responsible for compliance. (2) All excavations in or near a public or private walkway or street must be properly guarded and protected at all times by warnings sufficient to protect the public from potential danger. (3) Materials may be stored on any area of the property upon which construction is occurring, provided that the method of storage and the materials stored are in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. (4) Drainage crossing the property under construction must be maintained, and no materials may be stored, land disturbed or other work done to interfere with drainage or divert or cause runoff of groundwater in an unnatural fashion. (5) Construction roads and equipment must be maintained as necessary to minimize the spread of dust and the deposit of mud, stones, and similar materials on adjacent public roads. (6) A temporary cover, such as rye grass or mulch, must be applied on land that has been stripped of its protective vegetation during the course of construction. E. Exceptions. (1) Except to the extent that a health, safety or fire hazard is found to exist, or if the storage of such items would constitute a nuisance, it shall not be a violation of this chapter to maintain on real property items of the kind and nature set forth in Subsections A through D above if such items are stored inside a building or if they are stored in such a manner that they are not visible to neighboring properties or from a highway. (2) In an Agricultural District, the storage of agricultural equipment which are being used in farm operation are not subject to these standards. (3) A private vehicle that is offered for sale may be kept outside of a building for no longer than a ninety-day period, provided that no more than one private vehicle may be offered for sale on any parcel within any twelve-month period.