Unless otherwise provided by law or in this chapter, no building
or structure shall be constructed, erected or extended, and no building,
structure or land shall be used or occupied, except for the purposes
permitted herein.
In case any building or structure is erected, constructed, reconstructed,
altered, repaired, converted or maintained, or any building, structure
or land is used in violation of this chapter, the Zoning Officer may
institute in the name of the Township any appropriate action or proceedings
to prevent such unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration,
repair, conversion, maintenance or use; to restrain, correct or abate
such violation; to prevent the occupancy of said building, structure
or land; or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business or use in
or about such premises.
B.
If it appears that a violation of this chapter has occurred, the
Zoning Officer shall initiate enforcement proceedings by sending an
enforcement notice to the owner of record of the parcel on which the
violation has occurred, to any person who has filed a written request
to receive enforcement notices regarding that parcel, and to any other
person requested in writing by the owner of record.
C.
An enforcement notice shall state the following:
(1)
The name of the owner of record and any other person against
whom the municipality intends to take action.
(2)
The location of the property in violation.
(3)
The specific violation with a description of the requirements
which have not been met, citing in each instance the applicable provisions
of this chapter.
(4)
That the owner of record or other person against whom the municipality
intends to take action has five days to commence steps to comply with
this chapter and 30 days within which to complete such steps to be
in compliance with this chapter, unless such times are extended in
writing by the Zoning Officer for cause shown.
(5)
That the recipient of the notice has the right to appeal to
the Zoning Hearing Board within 30 days of the date of the enforcement
notice or not later than the expiration of any extension granted,
in writing, by the Zoning Officer.
(6)
That the failure to comply with the enforcement notice within
the time specified, unless extended by appeal to the Zoning Hearing
Board, constitutes a violation with sanctions clearly described.
A.
Any person, partnership or corporation who or which has violated
any of the provisions of this chapter, upon being found liable therefor
in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township, shall
pay a judgment of not more than $500 plus all court costs plus reasonable
attorney's fees incurred by the Township as a result thereof. No judgment
shall commence or be imposed, levied or payable until the date of
the determination of a violation by the Magisterial District Judge.
If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the
Township may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable rules
of civil procedure. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute
a separate violation, unless the Magisterial District Judge determining
that there has been a violation further determines that there was
a good faith basis for the person, partnership or corporation violating
this chapter to have believed that there was no such violation, in
which event there shall be deemed to have been only one such violation
until the fifth day following the date of the determination of a violation
by the Magisterial District Judge, and thereafter each day that the
violation continues shall constitute a separate violation.
B.
The Court of Common Pleas, upon petition of the defendant, may grant
an order of stay, upon cause shown, tolling the per-diem judgment
pending a final adjudication of the violation and judgment.
C.
Nothing contained herein shall be construed or interpreted to grant
to any person or entity other than the Township the right to commence
any action for enforcement pursuant to this section.
