[Added 1-28-2019 by Ord.
No. 1654; amended 6-23-2022 by Ord. No. 1673]
The purpose of this article is to protect the health, safety
and welfare of residents of Crafton Borough and, in particular, to
guarantee that dwelling units are in a safe, livable and habitable
condition and that all buildings and premises in the Borough of Crafton
meet fire, safety, health and other regulations.
The following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed
to them, as follows:
The Borough of Crafton, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
The Council of the Borough of Crafton, Allegheny County,
Pennsylvania.
Any building or portion of any building that is designed
or used for business, storage or any purpose other than a place of
residence for a person or family.
Any house, building, premises, apartment or portion of any
building, including any apartment building, boarding home or condominium
development, that is designed or used as a place of residence for
one person or family and which contains a facility for cooking.
The legal owner of real estate, including the owner as reflected
in deed or document recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds
of Allegheny County or any other county office.
Any natural person, firm, partnership, association or corporation.
No dwelling unit or commercial premises which has not been previously
occupied or which has been vacated may be occupied until the owner
has secured an occupancy permit from the Borough Secretary. A separate
permit must be issued for each dwelling unit or commercial premises.
Responsibility for compliance with this section shall be with the
owner.
Any change in the occupancy of any dwelling unit or commercial
premises shall be reported by the owner to the Borough Secretary and
have the property inspected. It is intended by this section that an
owner report the names, addresses and occupations of any person or
new lessee who rents or occupies a dwelling unit or commercial premises
from the owner.
The Borough Secretary and/or code officers may prepare a form
for purposes of reporting the status of occupancy, which may require
the information set forth in the previous sections and any other pertinent
information that the Borough deems necessary. The failure to prepare
or issue such report forms, however, shall not excuse any owner from
the obligation to provide information required by this article or
to otherwise comply with this article. An owner may provide information
by providing to the Borough Secretary a copy of any lease agreement
which may be in effect, provided that such agreement provides the
information required by this article.
No occupancy permit shall be issued until such time as the dwelling
unit or commercial premises has been inspected by the Borough's building
inspector or any other person designated by the Borough and has been
deemed to be in a safe, livable and habitable condition and in compliance
with all applicable safety, fire and health regulations. The cost
for each such scheduled inspection shall be an amount as established
from time to time by resolution of Borough Council. Where an inspection
is scheduled and the inspection officer attempts to make an inspection
and is unable to make such inspection at the agreed upon time and
place due to the failure of the applicant to appear or cooperate,
the charge will be collectable against the applicant before any occupancy
permit shall be issued. Each such inspection shall be subject to an
individual charge per inspection.
The Borough of Crafton designates the Building Inspector, or
the Building Inspector's designee ("designated official"), as the
official who shall inspect all commercial, industrial, institutional
and multifamily residential facilities/buildings according to an established
schedule. Pertaining to the violations and repairs of properties within
the scope of the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code, 2015
International Fire Code and 2015 International Building Code, as amended,
and all later versions adopted by the Borough of Crafton:
A.
Educational
uses, child day cares, assembly uses with a fifty-person occupancy
load or higher, institutional uses, factories, multifamily units,
mercantile, and high-hazard uses shall be inspected annually (the
"annual fire inspection").
B.
In buildings
or structures containing more than one business, a separate inspection
shall be required for each business or commercial area. Any areas
under the control of the owner shall also require an inspection.
The owner shall submit an application for each occupancy permit,
which shall disclose the following information:
A.
Name, address,
phone number, and email address of the owner.
B.
Address
of the dwelling unit or commercial premises.
C.
Name and
occupation of the occupant.
D.
Each application
for inspections shall be accompanied by a fee in an amount established
from time to time by resolution of Borough Council in order to defray
the cost of administering this article. No occupancy permit shall
be issued until the application fees and inspection fees have been
paid.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this article, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay
a fine of not more than $500 plus costs and, in default of payment
of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30
days. Each day that a violation of this article continues shall constitute
a separate offense.
All owners of a business property or multifamily residence shall register by February 1 of each year with the Borough on a registration form supplied by the Borough Manager or his or her designee. The registration shall be accompanied by the registration fee set by the Borough Council. Registration may be carried out by a tenant or other occupant of the property if authorized by the property owner. Vacant properties, as defined in Chapter 167 of the Borough Code of Ordinances, Property, Vacant, are not subject to the provisions of this article and shall comply with the requirements of that chapter.
A.
A board of appeals shall be established by resolution of the governing body of this Borough in conformity with the requirements of the relevant provisions of the Code, as amended from time to time, and for the purposes set forth therein. If at any time enforcement and administration is undertaken jointly with one or more other municipalities, said board of appeals shall be established by joint action of the participating municipalities; provided, however, that any appeals filed with respect to Article XV of the Allegheny County Health Department Rules and Regulations, which incorporate the International Plumbing Code and Chapters 25 through 32 of the International Residential Code, shall be conducted by the Allegheny County Health Department in accordance with Article XI of the Allegheny County Health Department Rules and Regulations.
B.
Any person
aggrieved by a determination of the official may appeal such determination
by filing a written request for a Local Agency Law[1] appeal with the Borough Manager within 30 days after the
date of issuance of the determination appealed from. Such appeal shall
be accompanied by an appeal fee of $150, or such other amount as is
set by resolution of the Borough Council, and shall state the grounds
for the appeal. The appellant shall also be responsible to reimburse
the Borough for any costs of a court report or advertising relating
to such hearing.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 2 Pa.C.S.A. § 551 et seq.
