[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Sayre as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 55.
Electrical standards — See Ch. 65.
Energy conservation — See Ch. 68.
Fire Prevention — See Ch. 85.
Fuel gas — See Ch. 91.
Mechanical standards — See Ch. 104.
Plumbing — See Ch. 133.
[Adopted 3-22-2004 by Ord. No. 828]
This municipality hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time, and its regulations.
The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 to 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of this municipality.
Administration and enforcement of the Code within this municipality shall be undertaken in any of the following ways as determined by the governing body of this municipality from time to time by resolution:
A. 
By the designation of an employee of the municipality to serve as the municipal code official to act on behalf of the municipality.
B. 
By the retention of one or more construction code officials or third party agencies to act on behalf of the municipality.
C. 
By agreement with one or more other municipalities for the joint administration and enforcement of this Act through an intermunicipal agreement.
D. 
By entering into a contract with another municipality for the administration and enforcement of this Act on behalf of this municipality.
E. 
By entering into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for plan review, inspections and enforcement of structures other than one-family or two-family dwelling units and utility and miscellaneous use structures.
[Amended 12-21-2016 by Ord. No. 932; 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 962]
The review board shall be the Sayre Code Review Board appointed by the Sayre Borough Council which will hear all appeals of the Code Enforcement Officer’s decision to enforce the ordinance. All appeals shall be filed within 30 days of notice of the violation. Said Appeals Board shall consist of three members appointed by Council for initial terms of one year, two years, and three years. Thereafter each Board member shall, upon the approval by Council, serve a term of five years. The qualifications for the Board will be determined based on the recommendation by the Borough Council who are qualified by experience and training to pass on matters pertaining to the ordinance. The Code Review Board fee shall be $750 plus costs and may be amended from time to time by the municipality for the administration and appeals undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the Code shall be established by the governing body by resolution.
A. 
All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by this municipality on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the Code shall continue in full force and effect until such time as such provisions fail to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the Code, as amended from time to time.
B. 
All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which are in effect as of the effective date of this chapter and whose requirements are less than the minimum requirements of the Code are hereby amended to conform with the comparable provisions of the Code.
C. 
All relevant ordinances, regulations and policies of this municipality not governed by the Code shall remain in full force and effect.
[Amended 4-24-2014 by Ord. No. 907; 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 962; 5-27-2020 by Ord. No. 963]
Fees assessable by the municipality for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the Code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time. This will include all fees for building permits and building code activities.
This chapter shall be effective on April 9, 2004.
[Adopted 3-27-2008 by Ord. No. 856]
A. 
Intent. The intent of this article is to inform the Borough property owners on construction of structures that do not require permits under the Pennsylvania UCC for construction purposes. Furthermore, the Borough requires a building permit for the construction activities set forth in this article to ensure compliance with the zoning requirements for lot coverage and setbacks as well as the safety of the structure being constructed.
B. 
Applicability. It shall be unlawful for any person, partnership or business or corporation to undertake, or cause to be undertaken, the construction, renovation or repair of any agricultural building, manufactured housing, recreational cabin, accessory or miscellaneous-use structure less than 1,000 square feet which is nonhabitable anywhere within the Borough unless an approved building permit has been obtained from the Borough.
C. 
Abrogation and greater restrictions. This article supersedes any provisions currently in effect. However, any underlying ordinance shall remain in full force and effect to the extent that those provisions are more restrictive.
D. 
Municipal liability. This article shall not create liability on the part of the Borough or any officer or employee thereof for any damages that result from reliance on this article or any administrative decision lawfully made hereunder.
A. 
Application procedures. Application for such a building permit shall be made in writing to Sayre Borough or its designated Building Official, the Athens-Sayre Joint Code Enforcement Agency, on forms provided by Athens-Sayre Joint Code Enforcement Agency. Such application shall contain at least the following:
(1) 
Name, address and phone number of the applicant.
(2) 
Name, address and phone number of the owner of land on which proposed construction is to occur.
(3) 
Name, address and phone number of contractor.
(4) 
Site location.
(5) 
Brief description of proposed work and estimated cost.
(6) 
A plan of the site showing the size and location of the proposed construction as well as any existing buildings or structures, with setback dimensions as well as all measurements of the improvements.
(7) 
Project start date.
(8) 
Total cost or value of project.
(9) 
If a driveway request, must obtain either Borough or PennDot approval.
B. 
Issuance of building permit.
(1) 
Sayre Borough or its designated Building Official, the Athens-Sayre Joint Code Enforcement Agency, shall issue a building permit only after it has been determined that the proposed work to be undertaken will be in conformance with the requirements of this and all other applicable codes or ordinances.
(2) 
After the issuance of a building permit, no changes of any kind shall be made to the application, building permit, or any of the plans, specifications or other documents submitted with the application without the written consent or approval of the municipality.
C. 
Start of construction. Work on the proposed construction shall begin within six months from the date of issuance of the building permit. The proposed construction shall be completed within 18 months after the date of issuance of the Building Permit. Construction shall be considered to have started with the first placement of permanent construction to the site, such as the pouring of slabs or footings or any work beyond the stage of excavation. For a structure without a basement or poured footings, the start of construction includes the first permanent framing or assembly of the structure or any part thereof on its pilings or foundation or the affixing of any prefabricated structure to its permanent site. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, land clearing, grading, filling, excavation for basement, footings, piers or foundations, erection of temporary forms, or installation of piling under proposed subsurface footings.
D. 
Fees. A project permit fee schedule has been established by resolution by the Borough Council.
Any person who fails to comply with any or all of the requirements or provisions of this article or who fails or refuses to comply with any notice, order, or direction of the Building Official or any other authorized employee of the Borough shall be guilty of an offense and, upon conviction, shall pay a fine to the Borough of not less than $25 nor more than $600, plus costs of prosecution. In addition to the above penalties, all other actions are hereby reserved, including an action in equity for the proper enforcement of this article. The imposition of a fine or penalty for any violation of, or noncompliance with, this article shall not excuse the violation or noncompliance or permit it to continue, and all such persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violations and noncompliances within a reasonable time.
Unless specifically defined below, words and phrases used in this article shall be interpreted so as to give this article its most reasonable application.
A. 
Specific definitions.
AGRICULTURAL BUILDING
A structure utilized to store farm implements, hay, feed, grain or other agricultural or horticultural products or to house poultry, livestock or other farm animals. The term shall not include habitable space or spaces in which agricultural products are processed, treated or packaged and shall not be construed to mean a place of occupancy by the general public.
CONSTRUCTION
The construction or relocation of a building or structure.
MANUFACTURED HOUSING
Under Section 901(a) of the act [35 P.S. § 7210.901(a)], housing which bears a label as required by and referenced in the Manufactured Housing Act (35 P.S. §§ 1656.1 to 1656.9), certifying that it conforms to federal construction and safety standards adopted under the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C.A §§ 5401 to 5426).
STRUCTURE
Anything constructed or erected on the ground or attached to the ground, including, but not limited to, buildings, sheds and other similar items.
B. 
Recreational cabins.
(1) 
Must be equipped with at least one smoke detector, one fire extinguisher and one carbon monoxide detector in both the kitchen and sleeping quarters. In addition to the state requirement, the Borough requires compliance with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Fire Alarm Code 72.
(2) 
The cabin owner files with Sayre Borough or its designated Building Official, the Athens-Sayre Joint Code Enforcement Agency, either:
(a) 
An affidavit on a form prescribed by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry attesting to the fact that the cabin meets the definition of a "recreational cabin" in Section 103 of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code; or
(b) 
A valid proof of insurance for the recreational cabin, written and issued by an insurer authorized to do business in this commonwealth, stating that the structure meets the definition of a "recreational cabin" in Section 103 of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.
(3) 
If a recreational cabin is subject to exclusion under Subsection B(7),[1] upon transfer of ownership of the recreational cabin, written notice must be provided in the sales agreement and deed that the recreational cabin is:
(a) 
Exempt from the UCC Act.
(b) 
May not be in conformance with the UCC.
(c) 
Is not subject to municipal regulation.
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original.
(4) 
Failure to comply with the notice requirement shall render the sale voidable at the option of the purchaser.
[Amended 4-24-2014 by Ord. No. 907]
Building permits shall be required for construction and follow the project permit fee schedule established by resolution by the Borough Council for any of the following activities for informational purposes only.
A. 
One- and two-family dwellings and recreational cabins that meet the provisions set by Senate Bill 1139.
B. 
New dwellings or a change in the footprint of an existing one- or two-family dwelling.
C. 
Detached one- and two-family dwelling accessory structures — carports, private garages, greenhouses, toolshed, storage sheds, and pool house shed, gazebos, workshops, and similar use buildings — regardless of size as determined by the Code Officer.
D. 
Agricultural building, a structure utilized to store farm implements, hay, feed, grain or other agricultural or horticultural products or to house poultry, livestock or other farm animals. The term shall not include habitable space or spaces in which agricultural products are processed, treated or packaged and shall not be construed to mean a place of occupancy by the general public, including poll barns.
E. 
Premanufactured or industrialized housing which bears a label indicating compliance to the Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act: footings/foundation, utility/site connections and any attached structures that have not been inspected during the dwelling manufacturing process (i.e., attached garage built on site).
F. 
All fences.
G. 
All retaining walls four feet or over in height.
H. 
Installation of all decks, porches, steps, and stoops.
I. 
Sidewalks and driveways.
J. 
Prefabricated swimming pool, accessory to residential occupancy, that is more than 18 inches deep regardless of size and regardless of material, including plastic, vinyl, inflatable, or any other material.
K. 
Remodeling and repairs to existing residential building:
(1) 
Only if they enlarge, move, demolish, or change the use of the occupancy.
(2) 
Cutting away a structural wall, structural partition or portion of a structure wall.
(3) 
The removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing support.
(4) 
The removal or change of any required means of egress, or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the egress requirements (stairways, ramps, exterior exit balconies, hallways, required egress windows and doors).
(5) 
Including but not limited to the replacement of a roof and the required construction for said replacement.
(6) 
Including but not limited to the replacement of siding and the required construction for said replacement.
L. 
Window awnings: window awnings on commercial buildings that are over 48 inches in width.
M. 
Replacement windows when more than five windows are being replaced at one time or the total cost of the replacement is greater than $1,000 regardless of the number.
N. 
Residential alteration creating a habitable basement where it was only used for storage or mechanical purposes before, including improvements that do not change an existing means of egress or that is not a structural alteration.
O. 
Demolitions (with and without foundations).
P. 
Chimney (new construction and inspection of existing chimney).
Q. 
Solar panels.
R. 
Parking lots.
S. 
Hot tubs.