Township of South Strabane, PA Chapter 76 Buildings, Dangerous

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of South Strabane 4-26-1973 by Ord. No. 3-1973. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Numbering of buildings — See Ch. 80.

Construction activities — See Ch. 91.

Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 95.

Subdivision and land development — See Ch. 206.

Zoning — See Ch. 245.

§ 76-1 Report and investigation.

Whenever it shall come to the attention of any Township official or police officer that any structure, completed or in process of construction, or any portion thereof, is in a dangerous condition, such person having knowledge thereof shall report same to the Board of Supervisors, and the Board shall immediately cause an investigation and examination to be made of such structure. If such investigation or examination indicates such structure to be dangerous in any respect, a written report of such investigation shall be submitted to the Board, specifying the exact condition of such structure and setting forth in what respect the structure is to be considered dangerous and whether such structure is capable of being properly repaired or whether it should be removed as a dangerous structure.

§ 76-2 Notice to repair or remove.

If any structure is deemed to be in a dangerous condition, as provided by § 76-1 of this chapter, the Board shall forthwith cause written notice to be served upon the owner of such structure. Such notice shall require the owner of such structure to commence the repair or removal of such building within 10 days of such notice and to complete such repair or removal within 30 days thereof, provided that, in any case where the notice prescribed the repair of any structure, the owner thereof shall have the option to remove such structure in lieu of making the repairs thereto, within the above time limit.

§ 76-3 Service of notice.

The notice required by § 76-2 of this chapter shall be served personally upon the owner of a structure, if the owner resides in the Township, or personally upon his agent, if such resides within the Township. If personal service as required herein cannot be obtained, such notice shall be sent to the owner of such structure by certified mail, at the last known address thereof.

§ 76-4 Violations and penalties. [1]

If the owner of any dangerous structure to whom notice has been given pursuant to this chapter fails to commence or to complete such repair or removal within the time limit prescribed by such notice, he shall be guilty of a violation of this chapter and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to the penalties provided in § 1-2, Summary proceedings, of the Code of the Township of South Strabane.

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

§ 76-5 Repair or removal by Township; costs.

If the owner of any dangerous structure to whom notice has been given pursuant to this chapter fails to commence or to complete such repair or removal within the time limit prescribed by such notice, the Board shall be empowered to cause such work of repair or removal to be commenced and/or completed by the Township, 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 the recovery of such cost and expense, together with the penalty, may be in addition to the penalty imposed as provided in § 76-4 of this chapter.

§ 76-6 Additional remedies.

In addition to the remedies above provided, the Board of Supervisors may institute, in the name of the Township, proceedings in a court of equity to enforce the provisions of this chapter.