[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council
of the Borough of Catasauqua as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Uniform codes — See Ch. 130.
[Adopted 5-7-1962 by Ord.
No. 472 (Ch. IV, Part 2, of the 1962 Code)]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any structure used or intended to be used as a dwelling or
place of business or industry, but shall not include any public building
or any structure built as a place of worship, or any accessory building
located on a lot where there is also a main building.
A plan for the numbering of buildings upon all
the streets and alleys of the Borough of Catasauqua shall be prepared
by the Borough Engineer, and, when approved by the Borough Council,
shall comprise the building numbering plan for the Borough. Such plan
may be altered or added to from time to time, with approval of the
Borough Council, as necessitated to meet changing conditions.
It shall be the duty of the owner of every building
in the Borough to affix the number assigned to such building by the
official building numbering plan for the Borough of Catasauqua upon
such building or upon a permanent standard, base or support located
between the building and the street upon which the building faces.
Each digit of such number shall be of such size, material and color
as to be visible, plainly and distinctly, from the street, and every
such number shall at all times be maintained by the property owner
in complete and legible form. Provided, in case of buildings occupied
by other than the owner thereof, the occupant, rather than the owner,
shall be responsible for maintaining numbers upon such buildings as
hereby required. Provided further, failure to affix or thereafter
to maintain the correct and complete number upon or in front of any
building shall constitute a violation of this article.
The owner or occupant of any building located
in the Borough, or of any lot upon which a building may hereafter
be constructed, may obtain the correct number for such building, without
charge, upon application to the Borough Secretary therefor.
[Amended 4-1-2013 by Ord. No. 1288]
The owner or occupant of any property in the
Borough who shall violate any of the provisions of this article shall,
for each and every such violation, upon conviction thereof before
the Mayor or any District Justice of the Borough, be sentenced to
pay a fine of not more than $10 and costs of prosecution. Provided,
each week's continuance of a violation of any of the provisions of
this article, after conviction thereof, shall constitute a separate
violation. Any person found guilty of violating an ordinance shall
be assessed court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred
by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings.
[Adopted 5-2-2016 by Ord.
No. 1329[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also changed the title of this
chapter from "Numbering of Buildings" to "Buildings."
A.Â
The purpose of this article is to protect and promote health, safety,
and welfare of the residents of the Borough and particularly commercial
businesses.
B.Â
An ordinance is necessary to require certain commercial and residential
buildings to install Knox-Boxes®.
C.Â
The benefits of installing Knox-Boxes® include providing immediate
emergency access to firefighters leading to increasing Fire Department
efficiency; preventing costly forced entry damage and allowing undamaged
doors to be resecured after the emergency; and protecting property,
inventory, equipment and supplies as well as firefighters against
possible injury.
A.Â
Knox-Box® required for new commercial buildings. All new commercial
buildings shall have installed a Knox-Box®, of an Underwriters'
Laboratories (UL) type and size approved by the Borough Fire Chief,
in a location specified by the Borough Code Enforcement Office, prior
to issuance of the permit to occupy.
B.Â
Knox-Box® required for existing commercial buildings with improvements.
All existing commercial buildings constructing improvements that require
Planning Board approval shall have installed a Knox-Box®, of an
Underwriters' Laboratories (UL) type and size approved by the
Borough Fire Chief, in a location specified by the Borough Code Enforcement
Office, prior to the issuance of the construction permit.
C.Â
Knox-Box® required for existing commercial buildings. All existing
commercial buildings equipped with automatic fire-detection and/or
suppression systems shall have installed a Knox-Box®, of an Underwriters'
Laboratories (UL) type and size approved by the Borough Fire Chief,
in a location specified by the Borough Code Enforcement Office, within
six months of the effective date of this article.
D.Â
Knox-Box® required for multifamily residential structures. All
multifamily residential structures that have restricted access through
locked doors and have a common corridor for access to the living units
shall have installed a Knox-Box®, of an Underwriters' Laboratories
(UL) type and size approved by the Borough Fire Chief, in a location
specified by the Borough Code Enforcement Office, within six months
of the effective date of this article.
All Knox-Boxes® shall contain labeled keys, easily identified
in the field, to provide access into the property and/or building
and to any located areas within the said building as the Borough Fire
Chief may direct.
Any locked gates or driveways which allow access to a commercial
business are required to place a Fire Department access lock on the
said access point to allow immediate emergency access to the commercial
property. All locks are to be approved by the Borough Fire Chief.
Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of
this article, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a
fine of up to $1,000 for each offense and the cost of prosecution
and, in the event of default of payment of each fine and cost, shall
be subject to imprisonment for not more than 90 days. Each day that
a violation of this article continues shall constitute a separate
offense. Any person found guilty of violating this article shall be
assessed court costs and reasonable attorney fees incurred by the
Borough in the enforcement proceedings.