[Adopted 1-19-1977 by Ord. No. 713; amended in its entirety 6-23-2004 by Ord. No. 942]
A certain document, three copies of which are on file in the office of the Secretary of the Borough of Morrisville, being marked and designated as the "International Building Code, 2003 Edition," excepting IBC Chapter One Administration and including IBC Appendix E and Appendix H, is hereby adopted as the Building Code of the Borough of Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, for regulation and governing the conditions and maintenance of all property, buildings and structures; by providing the standards for supplied utilities and facilities and other physical things and conditions essential to ensure that structures are safe, sanitary and fit for occupation and use; and the condemnation of buildings and structures unfit for human occupancy and use and the demolition of such structures as herein provided; providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor; and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of the said Building Code on file in the office of the Borough of Morrisville are hereby referred to, adopted and made a part hereof, as if fully set out in this Article II.
A. 
Fees assessable by the Borough for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this article and the code shall be established by the governing body by resolution from time to time.
B. 
At the time of filing an application for any building the applicant shall pay to the Borough, for the use of the Borough, for each and every building within the Borough to be constructed, altered, repaired, or improved, or moved, replaced, enlarged, removed, or demolished, or which condition or maintenance is otherwise regulated and governed by the code or the Borough, a fee.
A. 
All permits shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance and may be renewed for an additional year without additional fee. A new building permit shall be required for work not completed within two years and shall require a fee in accordance with the established Fee Schedule.
B. 
When there are outstanding permits for work not completed after two years, the Building Code Official shall be authorized to deny the issuance of any additional building permits for unrelated construction, repair or renovation, unless said construction, repair or renovation is required to correct Construction Code violations.
C. 
A permit becomes invalid unless the authorized construction work begins within 180 days after the permit's issuance or if the authorized construction work permit is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after the work has commenced. A permit holder may submit a written request for an extension of time to commence construction for just cause. The Building Code Official may grant extensions of time to commence construction in writing.
D. 
The Borough shall exempt and not require an owner or authorized agent to obtain a permit to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a commercial or residential building, structure or facility or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system that is identified in Chapter 403.42 (c) or Chapter 403.62 (c) of the Construction Code except that the Borough shall not exempt and shall require a permit for the following:
(1) 
Carports, detached private garages, greenhouses, and sheds with area less than 500 square feet, except that the Borough will exempt sheds with area of no more than 100 square feet that are movable.
(2) 
Commercial (Chapter § 403.42) building construction.
(a) 
All fences regardless of height.
(b) 
All retaining walls.
(c) 
Sidewalks and driveways.
(d) 
Window replacement.
(e) 
Steam hot or chilled water piping within any heating or cooling equipment governed under the code.
(f) 
Stopping leaks in a drain and a water, soil, waste or vent pipe, if open or non-concealed trap, drainpipe, water, soil, waste or vent pipe becomes defective and is removed and replaced with a new material.
(3) 
Residential (Chapter § 403.62) building construction, replacement or repairs:
(a) 
Fences of any height.
(b) 
Retaining walls over two feet.
(c) 
Sidewalks and driveways.
(d) 
Window replacement that does not alter the structure, or existing dimension.
(e) 
Installation and replacement of a garage door.
(f) 
Replacement of existing siding.
(g) 
Installation of an uncovered deck of any dimension or height above grade.
(h) 
Steam, or chilled water piping within any heating or cooling equipment governed under the code.
A. 
In addition to those inspections or certifications required or regulated under the code, the Borough shall require an inspection and certification whenever construction, repair, renovation, replacement or change of occupancy occurs for the following:
(1) 
Chimney or vent as part of a fireplace, woodstove or oil flue. Inspection shall include:
(a) 
Level of cleanliness of venting system.
(b) 
Condition of appliance; condition of chimney or vent and its connector for general stability for appliance, type, material and condition, clearance, joint security, support and stability, offset, rise or slope, and accessories.
(c) 
Chimney liner properly supported, appropriate for appliance.
(d) 
Visible defects.
(e) 
Flue cleanouts.
(f) 
Chimney cap.
(g) 
Spark arrestor.
(h) 
Top mount damper.
(i) 
Wall pass-thru.
(j) 
Connector.
(k) 
Hearth and hearth extension.
(l) 
Fire chamber, smoke chamber and fire chamber lining.
(m) 
Clearance to combustible trim and mantles.
(n) 
Damper assembly operation and closure.
(o) 
Smoke chamber condition, accessibility, and transition to flue.
(p) 
Air circulation grilles.
(q) 
Metal parts in factory-built fireplaces and chimneys and mechanical draft systems free from rust or corrosion.
B. 
The Borough shall provide a form to be used for inspections indicated in Subsection A above, identifying and describing the components to be inspected, the conditions thereof to be listed and a determination as to the results of the inspection including all required actions for items not in good condition. Said forms may be modified from time to time as required.
C. 
No certification shall be issued unless and until all required items inspected are in good working condition.
D. 
Only those companies/proprietors registered as contractors within the Borough shall be authorized to conduct inspections and issue certifications.