[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of Chartiers as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-24-1981 by Ord. No. 114; amended
in its entirety 4-12-2016 by Ord. No. 358]
This article is enacted to provide for the uniform and equitable
distribution of tax levies within the Township of Chartiers and upon
the inhabitants thereof, as well as to promote the health, safety
and general welfare of the citizens of the Township of Chartiers and
to provide for an efficient notification, location and communication
within the public safety departments of the Township of Chartiers
as to occupancy of dwellings and the location of said citizens of
Chartiers Township.
As used herein, the following terms shall have the following
meanings indicated unless a different meaning clearly appears the
context:
A parcel of real estate with or without improvements located
thereon utilized by any person or persons for any commercial activity
or purpose.
One or more rooms used for living and sleeping purposes arranged
for occupancy by one family or by one or more persons.
A lessor, or person who acts as an agent for the lessor or
any parcel of real estate located in the Township of Chartiers or
a lessor, or person who acts as an agent for the lessor, of any improvements
on real estate or any building located in the Township.
Any individual, partnership, association, firm, corporation,
or other legal entity.
A person who has the use, either by himself/herself or with
others, of a dwelling unit or a business unit owned by a person other
than himself/herself for period exceeding 30 days.
Within 30 days of the effective date of this Amendment, each
landlord shall submit to the Township Manager, a report on a form
to be supplied by the Township Manager which includes the following
information:
A.
List of the dwelling units and business units owned by the landlord,
located within Township limits, whether occupied or not occupied.
B.
The address of each dwelling unit and business unit.
C.
A brief description of each dwelling or business unit.
D.
Whether said dwelling unit or business unit is inhabited or utilized
by tenants.
E.
Names of the tenant or tenants' utilizing the aforementioned
dwelling unit or business unit, if any.
After the effective date of this article, each and every landlord
of property within the Township shall report to the Township Manager
on a form to be supplied by the Township Manager any change in the
use or occupancy of any dwelling unit or business unit owned by such
landlord. A landlord of a hotel, boarding house, campground and the
like shall not be required to report a person as a "tenant" until
that person has resided in such landlord's establishment for
a period of exceeding 30 days. All reports required by this section
shall be made within 10 days after the landlord has knowledge that
such a unit has a change in occupancy or has become vacant.
The Township Manager shall:
A.
Maintain on file at the Township offices, the names of the landlords
owning dwelling units and business units in the Township. Said list
will include the current names of the current tenants of said dwelling
units and business units and will maintain the form as provided to
a landlord when completed and provided to the Township Manager.
B.
Maintain a supply of forms for landlords to use in making reports
to the Township.
C.
Notify the Chief of Police, the Fire Chief, and the Tax Collector
of the address, description of the dwelling unit that is vacant, unoccupied
and not in use, as well as those occupied or in use.
Landlord, with the filing fee of the rental occupancy report,
shall pay a yearly administrative fee of $10 per unit, to assist in
the administration and recording of the information provided in said
report.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this article
shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding
commenced by the Township before a Magisterial District Judge, pay
a fine of not more than $600, plus all court costs, including reasonable
attorney's fees, incurred by the Township in the enforcement
of this article. No judgement shall be imposed until the date of the
determination of the violation by the Magisterial District Judge.
If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgement, the
Township may enforce the judgement pursuant to the applicable Rules
of Civil Procedure. Each day a violation exists shall constitute a
separate offense. Further, the appropriate officers or agents of the
Township are hereby authorized to seek equitable relief, including
injunction, to enforce compliance herewith.
