[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
BOROUGH
The Borough of Rankin, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
BOROUGH SECRETARY
The person duly appointed from time to time by Council to
perform general administrative and regulatory services for the Borough
as set forth in the Pennsylvania Borough Code, 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 1111.
"Borough Secretary" also means the authorized representative or delegate
of the Secretary.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
Any building or portion of any building that is designed
or used for business, storage or any other purpose other than as a
dwelling unit for a person or a family.
COUNCIL
The Council of the Borough of Rankin, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
DWELLING UNIT
Any house, building, premises, apartment, boarding home or
condominium which is designed or used as a place of residence for
one or more natural persons or a family.
LANDLORD
Any person who is the owner of a house, building, premises,
apartment building or facility within the Borough and who leases or
rents a dwelling unit or commercial property to a tenant. The definition
includes the landlord's rental or property agent or manager.
OWNER
The person with legal title to a dwelling unit or commercial
property located in the Borough of Rankin.
PERSON
Any natural person, entity, firm, partnership, association
or corporation.
TENANT
Any person or persons who leases or rents a dwelling unit
or commercial property within the Borough from a landlord. "Tenant"
also means any person or persons whom the owner or landlord has granted
permission to use the owner's dwelling unit or commercial property
without the payment of rent.
TRANSFEREE
Any person or persons to whom an owner intends to transfer
legal title to a dwelling unit or a commercial property by a deed
or instrument to be recorded in the Office of Property Records (formerly
the Office of the Recorder of Deeds) of Allegheny County.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
1. A dwelling unit or commercial property which has not been previously
occupied or which has been vacated may not be occupied until an occupancy
permit has been secured from the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's
authorized representative or delegate. A separate occupancy permit
must be applied for and issued for each dwelling unit or commercial
property. The responsibility for compliance with this requirement
shall rest with the owner.
2. A landlord shall not permit a tenant to occupy a dwelling unit or
commercial property until the landlord has first applied for and secured
an occupancy permit from the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's
authorized representative.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
1. The owner or landlord shall submit a written application for each
occupancy permit to the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's
authorized representative or delegate.
2. The written application shall consist of a form prepared and approved
by the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representative
or delegate. The application form shall include, but not be limited
to, the following information:
A. Name, mailing address and telephone number of the owner and, if different,
the landlord;
B. Address of the dwelling unit or commercial property;
C. Number of rooms and bathroom facilities in the dwelling unit or square
footage of the commercial property;
D. General description of the dwelling unit or commercial property and
a description of the specific, intended use thereof to be made by
the occupying owner(s) or tenant(s);
E. The full name, address, telephone number, occupation, and employment
status (i.e., employed within the Borough of Rankin, or outside of
the Borough or unemployed), of the transferee(s) or tenant(s) and
any adult person(s) living in, inhabiting or occupying a dwelling
unit with the permission or consent of the transferee(s) or tenant(s);
F. Date that the dwelling unit or commercial property was last inspected
by the Borough;
G. Date of proposed occupancy by the transferee(s) or tenant(s) and
any adult person(s) living in, inhabiting or occupying a dwelling
unit with the permission or consent of the transferee.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
Each application for an occupancy permit submitted by an owner
or landlord to the Borough Secretary shall be accompanied by a fee
in an amount established from time to time by resolution of Council.
The amount of the fee shall be established to defray the costs of
inspection and the cost of administering this chapter and part of
the Borough of Rankin Code. No application for an occupancy permit
shall be processed until the application fee has been paid.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
1. An occupancy permit shall not be issued by the Borough Secretary
until such time as the Borough's Code Enforcement Officer or
such other person designated by Council has inspected the dwelling
unit or commercial property and determined that the dwelling unit
or commercial property is in a safe, livable and habitable condition
and in compliance with all applicable fire, safety, health and other
regulations and has so notified the Borough Secretary.
2. If Code Enforcement Officer or such other person designated by Council
has inspected the dwelling unit or commercial property and determined
that the dwelling unit or commercial property is not in a safe, livable
and habitable condition or is not in compliance with all applicable
fire, safety, health and other regulations, then the Code Enforcement
Officer or such other person designated by Council shall issue a written
report to the owner setting forth the reasons why an occupancy permit
for the dwelling unit or commercial property has been denied and what
corrective measures must be undertaken in order to receive an occupancy
permit. Upon the completion of the corrective measures listed by the
Code Enforcement Officer or such other person designated by the Borough,
the owner shall request a new inspection of the dwelling unit or commercial
property. Each new inspection shall be subject to an individual charge
per inspection.
3. If an inspection of a dwelling unit or a commercial property has
been scheduled, but the Code Enforcement Officer or such other person
designated by the Borough is unable to conduct the inspection at the
agreed upon time and place due to the failure of the owner or his
authorized agent to appear or cooperate, then the owner shall forfeit
the application fee and shall pay a new application for the inspection.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
1. An owner or landlord, when tenants occupy an owner's dwelling
unit, shall report any change in the number of person or persons living
in, inhabiting or occupying a dwelling unit even when there has not
been a transfer of the dwelling unit by the owner. It is the intent
of this section that an owner and landlord shall have an ongoing duty
to report any changes in the names, addresses, employment status (i.e.,
employed within the Borough of Rankin, or outside of the Borough or
unemployed), and occupations of any person or person who lives, inhabits
or occupies a dwelling unit in the Borough.
2. Any change in the occupancy of any dwelling unit or commercial property
shall be reported in writing to the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's
authorized representative or delegate within 10 days after the change
in occupancy by completing the occupancy report form required to be
filed by owners and/or landlords under the Borough of Rankin's
Occupancy Reporting Ordinance, or such other successor ordinance enacted
by Council.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
Any person who shall violate any requirement in this Part shall,
upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than
$100 nor more than $1,000 for each offense, together with the costs
of the proceedings against the person or shall be liable for imprisonment
not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues
shall constitute a separate offense.