Sanitary sewer easements may be located in and through property
that an individual has purchased or plans to purchase. It is the purchaser's
responsibility to determine the exact location of the sanitary sewer
easement from documents that are available in the Department of Real
Estate of Allegheny County or by conducting appropriate surveys of
the property.
Property owners are not permitted to construct anything over
or on top of a sanitary sewer easement, with the exception of a sidewalk
or a driveway. No buildings, sheds, porches, walls, etc. may be constructed
in or over the sanitary sewer easement.
Purchasers should verify that there is no encroachment into
the sanitary sewer easement of any property that may be purchased
within the Collier Township Municipal Authority ("Authority") service
area as the purchaser will then be responsible for the removal of
the encroachment. The property owner will be responsible for the removal
of the encroachment within the easement. The Authority reserves the
right to refuse to issue a municipal lien letter or the Authority
will issue a municipal lien letter showing the violation and noting
the unauthorized encroachment. This may restrict or delay a property
owner's ability to sell or transfer the property.
[Adopted 12-12-2013 by Res. No. 12-12-13-01]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ENCROACHMENT
An activity or condition, whether below grade, at grade or
above grade, which results in interference with the ability of the
Township or Authority to access, maintain, repair or replace their
sanitary sewer lines, stormwater lines, stormwater BMPs or related
equipment, facilities or appurtenances.
MUNICIPAL UTILITY
Sanitary sewer lines, stormwater lines, stormwater BMPs and
related facilities, equipment and appurtenances of the Township or
Authority.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to:
A. Cause
or permit an unauthorized encroachment on a Township or Authority
municipal utility easement; or
B. Cause
any municipal easement to not be readily accessible due to the conditions
on the premises or actions of the person, firm, or corporation, or
others, such as locked gates, fences, animals, shrubbery, construction,
structure additions or modifications, storage of materials or debris,
parking or storage of vehicles, boats, or trailers, deposit of soil
or fill or any other obstruction which shall in any way prevent or
deny access to such easement to the Township or Authority; or
C. After
demand, fail to abate or otherwise remove or discontinue any action
or condition which results in an unauthorized encroachment.
The Township or Authority, at its discretion, may authorize
an encroachment by way of a revocable license agreement upon application
for the same from the property owner. Such license shall only be issued
if it is determined that the encroachment can be removed in a timely
fashion as to allow the Township or Authority immediate access to
the easement. The revocable license shall be in the form of a recordable
license agreement.
This resolution is effective upon adoption by the Collier Township
Board of Commissioners of Ordinance 668, adopted November 11, 2013,
which also regulated encroachments on and over utility easements.