[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of
Springfield 11-9-1999 by Ord. No. 1358. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building Code — See Ch. 20.
Zoning — See Ch. 143.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Ch. 41, Explosives, adopted 7-14-1953 by Ord.
No. 477, as amended, was repealed 8-11-1998 by Ord. No. 1343.
As used in this ordinance, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
A lot or parcel of land abutting upon two or more streets, including
shared driveways, or upon two parts of the same street, including shared driveways,
forming an interior angle of less than 135º. On such a lot, both street
lines shall be deemed the front lot line.
An enclosure or an enclosing barrier, as a structure of wood, stone
or metal, intended to prevent straying from within or intrusion; a wall as
well as a structure of posts and boards, palings, rails or wire.
The area of the lot lying between the street right-of-way and the
building extending across the full width of the lot and, in case of a corner
lot, extending the full depth of the lot.
A wall for sustaining a bank of earth liable to a landslide.
It shall be unlawful to erect or maintain a fence or wall in the front
yard area of any lot, tract or parcel of land in the township. Fences or walls
shall not extend into the street right-of-way. No fence shall be erected so
that traffic will be obscured from view from intersecting streets, driveways
or alleys.
A.
All fences and walls to be erected shall be erected immediately
to the rear of the front yard setback line.
B.
Fences or walls may not exceed a height of six feet.
C.
No fence or wall shall be constructed or maintained that
contains barbwire, metal spikes or dangerous protrusions.
D.
Retaining walls used in support of earth shall not exceed
the height of the earth intended to be supported.
E.
No fence or wall shall be constructed or maintained that
incorporates above the surface of the earth an electrical current or charge,
by any method, intended as a deterrent to prevent straying from within or
intrusion.
A.
The Building Regulations and Zoning Committee of the
Board of Commissioners, when in its judgment deems special circumstances exist
whereby complete compliance with the provisions of this ordinance is impractical,
may permit an exception from the provisions of this ordinance. All such requests
must be in writing and shall include appropriate surveyor's plans of the property,
drawn in such manner as to clearly delineate the problem. A public hearing
will then be scheduled by the Committee.
B.
Hearing fees. The Board of Commissioners shall, by resolution,
determine the hearing fee to provide funds toward the cost of preparation,
mailing and advertising of the required public notice of the hearing and to
meet other administrative or meeting room costs engendered by the hearing,
said fee to be payable with the filing of the request for exception.
[Amended 7-11-2000 by Ord.
No. 1365]
A building permit shall be required to erect, install, alter or relocate
any fence or retaining wall, as provided in Chapter 20 of the Township Code,
(Part 2, BOCA National Building Code, latest edition, where it is considered
a structure). All applications for a building permit for a fence, wall or
retaining wall shall be accompanied by certification on a form provided by
the township and completed by the property owner, stating the location of
the proposed fence or wall is completely within or on the applicant's property
lines. In the event that it is later determined that the information and/or
certification provided in the property owner' s certification is in error,
the applicant/property owner shall be responsible for the reasonable expenses
of the party challenging the location of the fence or wall, i.e., survey costs,
attorneys fees and all fees involved with relocation of the fence or wall.
Notwithstanding the aforesaid, any and all property owners abutting township-owned
property shall submit a survey prepared by a professional land surveyor along
with their application.
Any person who shall violate or fail to comply with any provision herein shall be liable on conviction thereof to a fine or penalty not exceeding $600 for each and every offense. Such fine or penalty shall be collected as prescribed by law and as is provided in Chapter 1, entitled "General Provisions."
