Borough of Oakmont, PA Article XVI Certificates and Permits

§ 205-1601 Building permits.

A. Requirements. A building permit shall be required prior to the razing, erection, enlargement and structural alteration of any building, structure or portion thereof (including added porches, carports and decks) and prior to the moving of a building into the Borough or from one place in the Borough to another. A building permit is not necessary for exterior painting or the removal and replacement of lights or roofing shingles, siding, windows, doors, chimneys or entrances.

B. Application for building permit. Applications for building permits shall be made in writing to the Zoning Officer on such forms as may be furnished by the Borough. Such application shall include, when deemed necessary, building and plot plans of a satisfactory nature and shall contain all information necessary for said officer to ascertain whether the proposed erection, alteration, use or change in use complies with the provisions of this chapter. Application for a permit shall be made by the owner or lessee of the building or structure or agent of either or by the licensed engineer or architect employed in connection with the proposed work. If the application is made by a person other than the owner in fee, it shall be accompanied by an affidavit of the owner or the qualified applicant or a signed statement of the qualified applicant witnessed by the Zoning Officer or his designee to the effect that the proposed work is authorized by the owner in fee and that the applicant is authorized to make such application. The full names and addresses of the owner, lessee, applicant and of the responsible officers, if the owner or lessee is a corporate body, shall be stated in the application.

C. Requisites. All applicants for building permits shall be required to furnish with their applications and plans, as otherwise required in this section, the following specific data:

(1) For new structures:

(a) The elevation of the proposed foundation and of the first floor with reference to the nearest abutting street level; in case of a corner lot, the elevation should be given as to both the front and side street, alley or highway abutting thereon.

(b) The nearest available sanitary and drainage sewers and the elevation of the basement and first floor above both the sanitary and drainage sewers with which connection is to be made for service of the property.

(c) The information required shall be furnished by profile plans or other data of a satisfactory nature sufficient to satisfy the above requirements. Failure to furnish such information and satisfactory proof that suitable sewerage and drainage facilities will be available shall constitute grounds for denial of a building permit.

(2) For additions, alterations and decks, porches and landscape structures:

(a) The nature, location, dimension and kinds of materials shall be furnished as part of the building permit application for all additions and alterations including decks, porches and landscape structures. All such structures shall conform to lot and yard requirements (see Article III).

(b) Adequate information, plans and other data shall be required to provide for privacy and quiet of adjacent landowners by the use of solid screen fences, buffers of landscaping or changes in elevation.

D. Industry approval. Any application for a permit for a building the construction or alteration of which requires the approval of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry shall be accompanied by satisfactory evidence that said Department has approved the plans for said building.

E. Public record. All applications, with accompanying plans and documents, shall be a public record.

§ 205-1602 Expiration of building permits.

No permit for the erection, razing, change, alteration or removal of a building or for the construction of decks, porches or landscape structures shall be valid or effective after six months from the date of issuance thereof and shall thereafter be void, unless the work authorized by the permit shall have been substantially commenced within six months from the date of issuance and carried on with due diligence. If, however, the applicant has been delayed in proceeding with the work for which the permit was granted by reason of any reasonable cause not due to his own negligence, the permit may be renewed without additional cost to the applicant.

§ 205-1603 Certificate of occupancy.

A. Requirements.

(1) No building or part thereof hereafter erected, altered, enlarged or changed in use shall be occupied or used without a certificate of occupancy issued by the Zoning Officer, certifying that the work has been inspected and approved as being in conformity with the building permit, the provisions of this chapter and other applicable ordinances.

(2) A new certificate of occupancy shall be required for all change of occupancy through sale of property or for continued occupancy of any structure determined uninhabitable by the Building Inspector until the same is brought up to acceptable standards.

B. Application.

(1) Upon completion of any erection, movement, alteration or razing of a building and prior to the use or occupancy of the property, the holder of the building permit shall notify the Zoning Officer of said completion and shall request issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

(2) The owner or occupant of a parcel of land or an existing structure who desires to change the use of said land or structure without alterations requiring a building permit shall apply for a certificate of occupancy on such forms as the Borough may provide, setting forth the existing and proposed uses of said land or structure. In accordance with the requirements in Subsection A above, the owner or occupant of any nonconforming use shall apply for a certificate of occupancy within six months after the effective date of this chapter. Such application shall constitute registration of the nonconforming use. It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officer to notify owners or occupants of nonconforming uses of the provisions of this section.

§ 205-1604 Zoning permits.

No structure or building shall be erected, added to or otherwise have any structure alterations made to it and no use listed in this chapter may be established or changed until a zoning permit has been issued by the Borough. No zoning permit shall be issued for any structure or building where said construction, addition, structural alteration or use thereof would be in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter. Any zoning permit issued in conflict with the provisions of this chapter shall be null and void. A zoning permit need not precede subdivision or land development applications.

A. Application requirements. All applications for zoning permits shall be made in writing by the owner, tenant, vendee under contract of sale or authorized agent on a form supplied by the Borough and shall be filed with the Zoning Officer. The application shall include four copies of the following information:

(1) A statement as to the proposed use of the building or land.

(2) A site layout drawn to scale showing the location, dimensions and height of proposed buildings, structures or uses and any existing buildings in relation to property and street lines. If the application relates to property scheduled to be developed in successive stages, such plans shall show the relationship of the portion scheduled for initial developments to the proposed layout of the entire property.

(3) The location, dimensions and arrangements of all open spaces and yards, including methods to be employed for screening.

(4) The location, size, arrangement and capacity of all areas to be used for motor vehicle access, off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading and provisions to be made for lighting such areas.

(5) The dimensions, location and methods of illumination for signs, if applicable.

(6) The location and dimensions of sidewalks and all other areas to be devoted to pedestrian use.

(7) Provisions to be made for treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial wastes, water supply and storm drainage.

(8) The capacity and arrangement of all buildings used or intended to be used for dwelling purposes, including the proposed density in terms of number of dwelling units per acre of land.

(9) A description of any proposed industrial or commercial operations in sufficient detail to indicate effects of those operations in producing noise, glare, air pollution, water pollution, fire hazards, traffic congestion or other safety hazards.

(10) Description of methods to be employed in controlling any excess noise, air pollution, smoke, fumes, water pollution, fire hazards or other safety hazards as determined from review of operations.

(11) Any other data deemed necessary by the Zoning Officer to enable him to determine the compliance of the proposed development with the terms of this chapter.

B. A decision either approving or disapproving an application for a zoning permit shall be rendered within 90 days after the application is filed. Any disapproval of the application shall contain a brief explanation setting forth the reasons for the disapproval and the manner in which the application can be corrected and/or modified to obtain the required approval. If no decision is rendered on the application within 90 days, the application shall be deemed to have been granted immediately, unless the application has agreed, in writing, to an extension of time.

§ 205-1605 Fees.

Fees for permits shall be paid in accordance with a fee schedule to be adopted by resolution of Council, and all such fees shall be paid to the Borough of Oakmont for deposit into the Borough Treasury. Each applicant for an appeal, special exception, variance or other procedures requiring a fee shall, at the time of making application, pay a fee, in accordance with the aforementioned fee schedule, for the cost of advertising and mailing notices as required by this chapter.