A.
The Code Enforcement Officer shall enforce and administer
all of the provisions of this chapter and of those other applicable
codes and ordinances for which the Office of Code Enforcement is the
official administration and enforcement agency.
B.
Specific duties. The duties of the Code Enforcement
Officer shall include:
(1)
The receipt of applications.
(2)
The issuance of permits, notices, certificates and
orders.
(3)
The making of inspections to determine conformance
with applicable codes and ordinances.
(4)
The undertaking of systematic inspection programs.
(5)
The undertaking of research and investigation.
(6)
The recommendation of appropriate administrative rules
for review and adoption by the Code Hearing Board.
(7)
The keeping of records.
(8)
The issuance of written annual reports.
(9)
Such other activities as may be required.
(10)
The enforcement of the various codes by appropriate
legal action.
A.
In the discharge of his duties, the Code Enforcement
Officer or his authorized representative, upon showing proper identification
where requested, is hereby authorized to enter and inspect, at any
reasonable hour, any structure or premises in the Borough to enforce
the provisions of this chapter and of those other applicable codes
and ordinances.
B.
The Code Enforcement Office and the owner, operator
or occupant or other person in charge of any structure or premises
subject to the provisions of this chapter may agree to an inspection
by appointment at a mutually convenient time.
C.
The owner, operator or occupant or other person in
charge of any structure or premises shall give the Code Enforcement
Officer entry and free access thereto and to every part of the structure
or to the premises surrounding the structure.
D.
If any owner, operator or occupant or other person
in charge fails or refuses to permit entry and free access to the
structure or premises under his control, or any part thereof, with
respect to any authorized inspection, the Code Enforcement Officer
may, upon a showing that probable cause exists for the inspection,
file a complaint and petition for and obtain an order from a court
of competent jurisdiction directing compliance with the inspection
requirements of this chapter. Any person who refuses to comply with
such an order issued pursuant to this section shall be subject to
such penalties as may be authorized by law for violation of a court
order.
Structures which contain dwellings which are
unfit for human habitation or structures which are dangerous or unsafe
and structures which contain dangerous conditions or materials, as
defined by the applicable codes and ordinances of the municipality,
are hereby declared to be public nuisances.
A.
General procedure. The Code Enforcement Officer shall
order the responsible owner, operator, occupant or person in charge
of the structure or premises which is dangerous, unsafe or unfit for
human habitation to vacate, repair and/or demolish said structures
and to remove the public nuisance as provided for in this chapter
and in the applicable codes and ordinances of the municipality, in
accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B.
Failure to comply. Whenever an order to vacate, repair
and/or demolish a structure which is a public nuisance because it
is unsafe, dangerous or unfit for human habitation has not been complied
with, the Code Enforcement Officer may, in accordance with the laws
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, proceed to cause the structure
to be vacated, repaired and/or demolished or take such other action
as is necessary to abate the nuisance.
C.
Recovery of expense. The expenses incurred pursuant to § 122-7 and the other applicable codes and ordinances shall be paid by the responsible owner, operator or occupant or by the person who caused or maintained such a public nuisance. The Code Enforcement Officer shall file on his records an affidavit stating with fairness and accuracy the items and date of the expenses incurred. The Council of the municipality may institute a suit to recover such expenses, including a fifteen-percent administrative fee, to be charged against the property as a lien.
