[Adopted 9-9-1977 by Ord. No. 1203 (Ch. 16, Part 2, of the
1986 Code of Ordinances)]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Bassettown
Square Ordinance" for and of the City of Washington, Washington County,
Pennsylvania.
The Bassettown Square shall be defined and apply to all the
properties within the confines of the following: the area between
the northerly boundary line of Walnut Street and North Main Street;
the southerly boundary line of Maiden Street; the westerly boundary
of Franklin Street and Maiden Street; and the easterly boundary of
College Street, Maiden Street and Walnut Street.
All persons using the Bassettown Square shall be subject to
all rules and regulations established by the Mayor and the City Council
of the City of Washington in addition to those herein set forth.
A.
The City Clerk, as authorized by the Mayor, will review, schedule
and grant final approval to all scheduled activities on the Bassettown
Square.
B.
The scheduled activities which can be conducted upon the Square are
those which would not interfere with the health, safety and/or welfare
of the community, and which would not be aesthetically or physically
detrimental to the Bassettown Square, and which would promote education,
community spirit, and bring interest to the districts of the City
surrounding the Bassettown Square or stimulate any other worthwhile
community enterprise.
C.
All users involved with the scheduled activities on the Bassettown
Square shall be responsible for the cleaning and repairing of the
Square to assure that the Square will be returned to its prior condition
previous to its use. Failure to comply with this provision shall result
in the City taking such action as is necessary to clean and repair
the Square and restore it to its prior condition. In such case, the
City shall bill the user for its costs of such repairing or cleaning.
This shall not preclude the City from performing normal routine cleaning
and maintenance activities.
D.
The City of Washington is not responsible for damages, accidents
or incidents which occur with activities on the Bassettown Square.
[Amended 4-24-1978 by Ord. No. 1224]
A.
All bicycles must be ridden in the street. They are not allowed to
be ridden on the sidewalk at any time. They may, however, be walked
on the sidewalk area.
B.
All bicycles must be parked in bicycle racks, if said racks are provided.
C.
All bicycles will abide by all laws of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle
Code concerning pedalcycles.
No person shall wade, swim or place any liquids or solid objects
in any fountain located on Bassettown Square.
A.
No permanent installation of any type shall be permitted on the Bassettown
Square. All tables, chairs or other furniture must be removed within
one hour of the closing of stores unless otherwise permitted.
B.
Tables, chairs or other furniture shall not be placed on the Bassettown
Square prior to 9:00 a.m. to allow for cleaning unless otherwise permitted.
C.
Tables or other furniture shall be manned at all times (i.e., no
unmanned tables for distribution of literature).
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, in person
or by its agent, employee or servant, to cast, throw, sweep, sift
or deposit in any manner in or upon any public way or other public
place in Bassettown Square any kind of dirt, rubbish, waste article,
thing or substance whatsoever, whether liquid or solid, except in
receptacles provided for that purpose.
B.
It shall be unlawful to cast, throw or deposit any glass, tacks or
nails or other similar articles on any street, alley or sidewalk or
other place located in Bassettown Square.
It shall be unlawful to expectorate on any public street, alley
or sidewalk or in any public place or in any public vehicle or any
store, assembly hall, corridor or other place open to and used by
the public and located on or in the Bassettown Square.
It shall be unlawful to obstruct or permit the obstruction of
any stairway, aisle, corridor, entrance or exit in any office building,
store, theater or any other public establishment in such manner that
it interferes with the free use of such stairways, aisle, corridor
entrance or exit located on the Bassettown Square.
No person shall mar, injure, lean, destroy, deface or aid in
injuring, destroying or defacing in said Bassettown Square any public
or private property, or cause to be posted or stuck any handbill or
placard upon any public or private building located in the Square
without the permission from the owner or occupant first obtained,
or mar, injure, destroy or deface or cause to be marred, destroyed,
injured or defaced any tree, street sign, awning, lamp post, electric
light post, planter or apparatus or any other property not belonging
to the person so offending, whether public or private, and located
within the Bassettown Square.
It shall be unlawful to make or cause to be made any noise or
sounds of such volume or of such a nature as to cause annoyance to
the general public while in the Bassettown Square.
It shall be unlawful for anyone to engage in any of the following
activities upon the Bassettown Square unless said activity has been
specifically authorized by the Mayor.
No person shall roller skate, ride on a skateboard, or operate
any device having metal wheels on the Bassettown Square except by
permission of the Mayor.
No person shall use the Bassettown Square as a stand from which
to sell or expose for sale, goods or other things without permission
of the Mayor. The City of Washington may impose fees, insurances and
other requirements as it deems reasonable and necessary to protect
the public health, safety and general welfare.
No person shall solicit funds or seek contributions for any
purpose whatsoever upon the Bassettown Square except when the activity
has been specifically authorized.
No person shall use any sound amplification other than those
of a personal nature to engage in the playing of musical instruments
upon the Square, unless said use has been specifically authorized.
The term "sound amplification equipment" shall include radios, tape
recorders, phonographs and similar electronic devices.
No storage of items, stock, etc., will be allowed anywhere on
or in the Bassettown Square sidewalks, laybys, etc.
A.
The sweeping and maintenance of the streets and alleys will be responsibility
of the City. The sweeping, cleaning and maintenance of the sidewalks
located in the Bassettown Square will be done by the owner or occupant.
B.
Recessed store entrances, foyers or other areas within the building
lines shall at all times remain the responsibility of the owner and/or
tenants, who shall maintain them in a clean and orderly fashion.
C.
Only sand can be used for ice and snow control anywhere in Bassettown
Square where bomanite is or shall be installed.
The Mayor or his designee shall have the authority to discontinue
traffic on the Bassettown Square to accommodate special activities,
events or other purposes.
[Amended 11-12-1987 by Ord. No. 1382]
B.
Owners of vacant property are encouraged to decorate windows in an
attractive manner or make them available for display purposes to the
City, for promotion of the Bassettown Square for nonprofit organizations
and activities, or for manufacturing display.
C.
Any major facade change must first be approved by the Planning Commission
prior to inception.
No vending machines or coin-operated amusement devices shall
be placed upon the Square without special permission.
All movies, slide shows or any other visual demonstration, except
for designated areas or by special permission, must have all equipment
off the sidewalk and within the building lines.
It shall be unlawful to permit or store any combustible refuse
in such a way as to create a fire hazard or to store or throw away
any refuse of any kind in an alley, street or public way in Bassettown
Square.
It shall be unlawful to burn any garbage or other organic refuse
outside of any building at any time in Bassettown Square.
It shall be unlawful to deposit or leave any refuse or material
in such a place or condition that it can be blown by the wind so as
to be scattered or cause clouds of dust or particles; and it shall
be unlawful to permit the escape of soot, ashes or other solid products
or results of combustion so as to be windblown or scattered.
It shall be unlawful to advertise any unlawful business or article
in the City and it shall be unlawful to injure or deface any lawful
advertisement or notice.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to
post any bills or advertisements on any public property without the
authority of the City; and it shall be unlawful to post any bill or
advertisement on any property without the written consent of the owner
thereof.
The terms "by permission" or "approved" or "approved by" allow
the Mayor or his designee to make exceptions to the restrictions of
some of the rules and regulations when appropriate. In all cases,
the exceptions will be controlled by a permit procedure established
by the City Clerk.
All applicable City ordinances now in effect apply to the Bassettown
Square unless said ordinance is superseded by one of the aforementioned
rules and regulations or laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
[Amended 12-7-2006 by Ord. No. 1766]
A.
Any individual, person, firm, corporation or other entity who shall
violate any provision of this article shall, upon being held liable
in any civil proceeding or upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to
pay a penalty, fine or charge of no less than $100 nor more than the
maximum amount permitted by law, but not to exceed $1,000, and in
default of payment or any failure to pay any fine or penalty, upon
a summary or other criminal conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment
for a period not to exceed 30 days, or both.
B.
Each day that a violation of this article shall continue shall constitute
a separate offense, subject to the fines, costs, penalties and charges
set forth above for each offense.
C.
Nothing herein shall limit, prevent or preclude the City of Washington
from taking any and all legal action or exercising any other remedy
available to the City by law, including but not limited to the initiation
of civil or criminal proceedings or injunctive relief, in order to
enforce or ensure compliance with this article. As an additional remedy,
the City of Washington may abate any nuisance, dangerous or hazardous
condition by any means permitted by law, which shall include but not
be limited to an action in the Court of Common Pleas of Washington
County, Pennsylvania, for injunctive relief; the use of any City of
Washington personnel, equipment and materials or that of an authorized
agent or contractor hired by the City to remove or abate any nuisance,
dangerous or hazardous condition, and with all costs thereof or related
thereto to be charged against the property owner(s) and/or person
or entity who has violated the article or portion thereof; said costs
shall include all actual costs and expenses, including all costs of
collection and reasonable administrative costs of the City, incurred
in enforcing the provisions of the article.
