Borough of Baldwin, PA Chapter 77 Buildings and Structures, Dangerous

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Baldwin 3-16-1959 by Ord. No. 175. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Building construction — See Ch. 74.

§ 77-1 Examination and report by Building Inspector.

Whenever it shall be reported to the Building Inspector that any structure completed or in the process of construction or any portion thereof is in a dangerous condition, the Building Inspector shall immediately cause an investigation and examination to be made of such structure. If such investigation or examination indicates that such structure is dangerous in any respect, the Building Inspector shall report in writing to the Mayor and to the Council, specifying the exact condition of such structure, setting forth in such report whether and in what respect he considers such structure to be dangerous and, if so, whether such structure is, in his opinion, capable of being properly repaired or whether it should be removed as a dangerous structure.

§ 77-2 Notice to owner.

A. If any structure is reported by the Building Inspector, as provided in the first section of this chapter, to be in a dangerous condition, the Mayor shall forthwith cause written notice to be served upon the owner of the structure. Such notice shall require the owner of such structure to commence the repair and removal of such building within 10 days of such notice and to complete such repair or removal within 30 days thereof; provided, however, that in any case where the notice prescribed the repair of any structure, the owner thereof shall have the option to remove such structure instead of making the repairs thereto within the said time limit.

B. The notice required by the second section of this chapter shall be served personally upon the owner of a structure, if such owner resides in the Borough, or upon the agent of such owner, if such agent has a residence or place of business within the Borough. If neither the owner nor the agent thereof can be served within the Borough as hereby provided, such notice shall be sent to the owner of such structure by registered mail, at the last known address thereof, and a copy of said notice shall be posted on a prominent part of the structure.

§ 77-3 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 3-19-1984 by Ord. No. 543; 12-19-1985 by Ord. No. 566]

Any owner of any dangerous structure to whom a notice to repair or to remove such structure shall be sent under the provisions of this chapter and who fails to complete such repair or removal within the time limit prescribed by such notice shall be guilty of a violation of this chapter and, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $300 and costs of prosecution or to imprisonment for up to 30 days. Each day that such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense of this chapter.

§ 77-4 Repair or removal by Borough.

If the owner of any dangerous structure to whom a notice to repair or to remove such structure shall be sent under the provisions of this chapter fails to commence or to complete such repair or removal within the time limit prescribed by such notice, the Mayor shall be empowered to cause such work of repair or removal to be commenced and/or completed by the Borough, and the cost and expense thereof, with a penalty of 10%, shall be collected from the owner of such structure in the manner provided by law, provided that the recovery of such cost and expense, together with the penalty, may be in addition to the penalty imposed as provided in § 77-3 of this chapter.