[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of
Marple 6-29-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-7. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
Marple Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions
of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from
time to time, and its regulations.
The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405,
as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by
reference as the municipal building code of Marple Township.
Administration and enforcement of the Code within Marple Township shall
be undertaken in any of the following ways as determined by the governing
body of Marple Township from time to time by resolution:
A.
By the designation of an employee of the Township to
serve as the municipal code official to act on behalf of the Township.
B.
By the retention of one or more construction code officials
or third-party agencies to act on behalf of the Township.
C.
By agreement with one or more other municipalities for
the joint administration and enforcement of this Act through an intermunicipal
agreement.
D.
By entering into a contract with another municipality
for the administration and enforcement of this Act on behalf of the Township.
E.
By entering into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department
of Labor and Industry for plan review, inspections and enforcement of structures
other than one-family or two-family dwelling units and utility and miscellaneous
use structures.
A Board of Appeals shall be established by resolution of the governing
body of Marple Township in conformity with the requirements of the relevant
provisions of the Code, as amended from time to time, and for the purposes
set forth therein. If at any time enforcement and administration is undertaken
jointly one or more other municipalities, said Board of Appeals shall be established
by joint action of the participating municipalities.
A.
All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances
which were adopted by Marple Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which
equal or exceed the requirements of the Code, shall continue in full force
and effect until such time as such provisions fail to equal or exceed the
minimum requirements of the Code, as amended from time to time.
B.
All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances
which are in effect as of the effective date of this chapter and whose requirements
are less than the minimum requirements of the Code are hereby amended to conform
with the comparable provisions of the Code.
C.
All relevant ordinances, regulations and policies of
Marple Township not governed by the Code shall remain in full force and effect.
Fees assessable by Marple Township for the administration and enforcement
undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the Code shall be established by the
governing body by resolution from time to time.
In addition to the Uniform Construction Code, the following appendixes
contained within the Uniform Construction Code are hereby adopted and incorporated
herein by reference and included as part of the Building Code of the Township
of Marple:
An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter,
repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a commercial building, structure
and facility or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert
or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system regulated by
the Uniform Construction Code shall first apply to the Code Enforcement Officer
and obtain the required permit. Permits shall be required for the following:
A.
Fences.
B.
Oil derricks.
C.
Retaining walls.
D.
Water tanks.
E.
Sidewalks and driveways.
F.
Cabinets, countertops and similar finishing work.
G.
Temporary motion picture, television and theater stage
sets and scenery.
H.
Shade-cloth structures constructed for nursery or agricultural
purposes that do not include service systems.
I.
Movable cases, counters and partitions.
J.
Window replacement without structural change.
K.
Steam, hot or chilled water piping within any heating
or cooling equipment governed under the Uniform Construction Code.
L.
Cutting away a wall, partition or portion of a wall.
M.
The removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing
support.
N.
The removal or change of any required means of egress,
or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the egress requirements.
O.
The addition to, alteration of, replacement or relocation
of any standpipe, water supply, sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil,
waste, vent or similar piping, electric wiring or mechanical.
An owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter,
repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a residential building or
erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical,
gas, mechanical or plumbing system regulated by the Uniform Construction Code
shall first apply to the Code Enforcement Officer and obtain the required
permit. The following shall require a permit:
A.
Fences.
B.
Retaining walls.
C.
Sidewalks and driveways.
D.
Cabinets, countertops and similar finishing work.
E.
Installation and replacement of a window, door, garage
door, storm window and storm door in the same opening if the dimensions or
framing of the original opening are not altered. The installation of means
of egress and emergency escape windows may be made in the same opening, without
altering the dimensions or framing of the original opening if the required
height, width or net clear opening of the previous window or door assembly
is not reduced.
F.
Replacement of existing roof material that does not exceed
25% of the total roof area performed within any twelve-month period.
G.
Replacement of existing siding.
H.
Repair or replacement of any part of a porch or stoop
which does not structurally support a roof located above the porch or stoop.
I.
Replacement of exterior rainwater gutters and leaders.
J.
Installation of an uncovered deck.
K.
Steam, hot or chilled water piping within any heating
or cooling equipment governed under the Uniform Construction Code.
L.
Replacement of traps.
M.
Replacement of a water closet, lavatory or kitchen sink.
N.
Dishwashers.
O.
Replacement of heating, supply and return piping and
radiation elements which do not require rearrangement of the piping system.
P.
Replacement of ductwork.
Q.
Replacement of air conditioning equipment and systems.
R.
Replacement of kitchen range hoods.
S.
Cutting away a wall, partition or portion of a wall.
T.
The removal or cutting of any structural beam or load-bearing
support.
U.
The removal or change of any required means of egress,
or rearrangement of parts of a structure affecting the egress requirements.
V.
The addition to, alteration of, replacement or relocation
of any standpipe, water supply, sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil,
waste, vent or similar piping, electric wiring or mechanical.
