City of Butler, PA Article V General Regulations

[Adopted 2-19-1987 as Part 17, Art. 1703, of the 1987 Codified Ordinances]

§ 232-23 Temporary barricades; permit.

A. In a business district or where a building extends to the actual property line, the City Engineer may issue, in addition to the usual permit, an additional permit for the erection of a temporary barricade or false front which may be built on the street or sidewalk and equipped with approved danger signals or red lights at the projecting corners, for a period not to exceed 30 consecutive days. If a longer period is required, such additional time may be granted by the Mayor and Council.

B. Such barricade or false front may occupy 1/3 of the walk width or the distance between the curb and property line, not to exceed four feet six inches. In a narrow street or alleyway where a walk width does not exist, the barricade or false front shall not extend into the same a greater distance than three feet.

§ 232-24 Projections into streets.

A. No porch, bay window, step or projection from any building shall extend over the street line into any street. No basement stairway shall be constructed in the cartway or portion of the street used for vehicular travel, but areaways or lightways not extending more than two feet into the cartway may be constructed when enclosed with a wall not less than 12 inches thick and covered with an approved grating set flush with the surface of the street. Basement stairways or areaways, when constructed in the sidewalk, shall be covered flush with and in all ways conform to the surface and be adequate to support public travel.

B. All porches, bay windows, steps or projections extending over the street line into any street from the first story of any building, and all uncovered basement stairways or areaways heretofore constructed within the lines of any street, with or without the consent of the City authorities, except in residence districts, where owing to grade, terraces, supporting walls and steps, have been permitted by Council to be constructed within the sidewalk area but not encroaching on the actual sidewalk, are hereby declared to be obstructions to public travel and shall be removed at the earliest practical date, taking into consideration the character of the building, the width of the roadway and sidewalk and the extent of public travel thereon. The second story of a building will be construed as being at the level of the support for the second floor of the building, which in any event must be at least 10 feet above the sidewalk grade.

§ 232-25 Awnings.

No permanent awning, shade or covering shall be constructed and maintained from any building and extend into or over any part of the public street or alley except awnings, the major part of which are composed of cloth or some similar material, constructed on a movable frame and geared to the building in such manner that it can be raised or lowered. Such awnings may be constructed over the sidewalk or that portion of the street between the pavement curbing and the property line, but shall not extend farther into the same than five feet and shall have a clearance at the lowest point thereof at least six feet, six inches above the sidewalk. No streamer, placard or other advertising shall be attached thereto, but a proper advertisement may be painted thereon.

§ 232-26 Marquees and porte-cocheres.

Marquees or porte-cocheres may be constructed and maintained from the first story of commercial buildings and extend over the street lines when constructed and maintained in the following manner:

A. They shall be supported by iron or steel beams extending from, attached to and forming an integral part of the building and shall also have, from the upper part of the marquee or porte-cochere to the building, chains or rods and turnbuckles as supports or for the purpose of ornamentation.

B. Such marquee or porte-cochere at its lowest point shall be at least 10 feet above the level of the sidewalk and shall extend no farther over the sidewalk than three feet from the sidewalk curb.

C. The roof of a marquee or porte-cochere shall be constructed of wire reinforced glass on a substantial metal frame.

D. The marquee or porte-cochere shall be properly drained so that the water falling on the roof thereof shall be carried back to the building and shall be carried through the building or under the sidewalk to the street gutter.

E. The marquee or porte-cochere may be constructed over the entire display windows or glass front, but shall in no case extend nearer than 12 inches to the outside or partition wall.

F. The outer edges or sides of each marquee or porte-cochere shall be illuminated from dusk until 11:00 p.m. of each business day with one 16 candle power electric light or its equivalent for each lineal foot of border or edge. If the border is opaque, lights shall be placed on the outside. If the border is transparent, lights may be placed on the inside.

G. Ornamental or supporting brackets may be used from the buildings, but shall extend out on the marquee from the building no greater distance than four feet at the top and slope back to the building. The lowest part of the support at the building shall be at least eight feet above the sidewalk.

§ 232-27 Violations and penalties.

[Amended 2-20-1997 by Ord. No. 1430]

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this Article shall, upon conviction thereof before a District Justice, be subject to a fine of up to $300 and costs of prosecution and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, shall be subject to imprisonment in the county jail for up to 90 days.