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Township of Upper Frederick, PA
Montgomery County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
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[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Upper Frederick 1-7-2002 by Ord. No. 02-1. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Upper Frederick Township Contractor Licensing Ordinance."
The following words and phrases, as used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning. The masculine includes the feminine, the singular includes the plural, and the plural includes the singular.
CONTRACT
An agreement, whether oral or written, and whether contained in one or more documents, between a contractor and an owner or another contractor for the performance of work, including all labor, services and materials to be furnished and performed thereunder.
CONTRACTOR
Any person, other than a bona fide employee of the owner, who undertakes or offers to perform construction, alterations, repairs, site improvements, sign installation and any other residential or nonresidential construction, or demolition or blasting work in the Township, whether as a general contractor, subcontractor, specialty contractor or home improvement contractor with respect to the owner.
DIRECTOR
The Director of the Office of Code Enforcement of the Township of Upper Frederick.
LICENSE YEAR
The twelve-month period beginning the first day of January of each year.
OWNER
Any property owner, tenant or other person who orders, contracts for or purchases the services of a contractor, or any person entitled to the work of a contractor pursuant to a contract, gift or otherwise.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, limited partnership, association, corporation, trust or other legally recognizable entity.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Upper Frederick.
The Director, or his authorized representatives, shall administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter.
No person shall act as a contractor in the Township, except in compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Any person, including an owner, who willfully aids a contractor or participates with a contractor in violating any provisions of this chapter is in violation of this chapter. The provisions of this chapter may not be waived by agreement.
A license issued pursuant to this chapter shall not be construed to authorize the licensee to perform any particular type of work or type of business which is reserved to qualified licensees under other provisions of state or local law.
A. 
For the license year beginning January 1, 2002, and each license year thereafter, it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in the business of constructing, altering, repairing, roofing, remodeling, siding, demolishing or removing the whole or any part of a building or structure; or to install, resurface or improve driveways or sidewalks; or to engage in the construction or installation of swimming pools, satellite-receiving antennas, tennis courts, fences, garages, carports or storage sheds; or to engage in installation or replacement of heating/ventilating/air conditioning or sprinkler systems, tanks and gasoline pumps; or to engage in site improvement, including grading, paving, curbing or stormwater drainage installation; or to engage in the business of erecting or altering signs; or to engage in the hauling and spreading of sludge; or engage in the sale and installation of automatic protection devices; or conducting electrical inspections, without first obtaining a license therefor, as required by this chapter.
[Amended 2-17-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-01]
B. 
Such license shall be secured by the filing of an application, prepared and furnished by the Director, and the payment of a license fee as hereinafter set forth in this chapter.
C. 
Each application shall be signed by the applicant, if a natural person, and, in the case of an association, firm, partnership or corporation, by a member, officer or agent of said association, firm, partnership or corporation. For each association, firm, partnership or corporation, any license will be issued in the name of the association, firm, partnership or corporation and the individual officer or agent of the association, firm, partnership or corporation who applies for the license shall be the custodian of the license. If the individual custodian of the license ceases to be an associate, member or agent of the association, firm, partnership or corporation, the association, firm, partnership or corporation shall promptly inform the Township of the name, title, position and address of the new custodian of the license.
D. 
Each successful applicant shall be issued a license, which shall be in the form of a wallet-sized card. Each licensed contractor shall carry the license card on their person and, upon demand, shall display the license card to the Director, or his representative.
E. 
All contractors' licenses shall expire at 12:00 midnight on December 31 of each license year, unless the license is revoked or suspended prior thereto under the terms of this chapter. A person with an unexpired license, which has not been revoked or suspended during the current license year, who makes application for a license for the following license year, need not complete an application form, but must submit the required license fee and, if the person qualifies for licensing and renewal under the terms of this chapter, the license shall be renewed for the following license year and a new license card and bumper sticker will be issued for the current licensing year.
F. 
Any person carrying on the business of contracting in the Township of Upper Frederick must secure a license under the terms of this chapter for each license year during which he carries on such business.
A. 
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the official transactions of any authorized representative of the government of the United States, any state or commonwealth of the United States, any political subdivision of any state or commonwealth or any agency or instrumentality of the foregoing governments.
B. 
No contractor's license shall be required of any person when acting in a particular capacity or particular type of transaction, as follows:
(1) 
A person who performs labor or services for a contractor for wage or salary.
(2) 
An individual who is required by other state or local law to attain standards of competency or experience, and who must obtain licensing under such other state or local law, as a prerequisite to engage in a craft or profession, and who is acting exclusively within the scope of such craft or profession for which he is currently licensed pursuant to such other law.
No contractor's license shall be issued unless the applicant files a certificate of insurance with the Director at the time of license application. The certificate of insurance shall contain a provision that coverage's afforded under the policy will not be cancelled until at least 15 days prior written notice of such cancellation has been given to the Township of Upper Frederick. The certificate of insurance must evidence policies of insurance, maintained at the expense of the applicant, for public liability, property damage, products liability and completed operations, each of which must have a single occurrence limit of at least $300,000 for all contractors and must name the Township of Upper Frederick as an additional insured. Blasting and demolition insurance shall also be required for blasting and demolition contractors; blasting and demolition insurance coverage must be in the amount of $1,500,000, and must name the Township of Upper Frederick as an additional insured for the time period involved for the blasting or demolition permit. All types and limits of insurance for which certificates are presented at the time of application, and based upon which a license is issued, shall be maintained throughout the license year, or the license will be suspended or revoked as hereinafter set forth in this chapter. The Director must approve the responsibility of a new insurance carrier prior to a change in a carrier during a license year.
At the time of application for a new license or for the renewal of a current license, the applicant shall pay to the Director a license application fee, all payable to the Township of Upper Frederick, which fee shall be set by resolution of the Board of Supervisors of Upper Frederick Township. No fee, or portion thereof, shall be returned to a successful applicant. Except as provided in § 117-6C, as to custodians of licenses for organizations, no license shall be transferable.
A. 
When an application has been filed with the Director in proper form, the Director shall, within a period of 30 days from the date following the date the application is received, issue or refuse to issue the appropriate contractor's license to the applicant. If issuance of a license is denied, the Director shall mail to the unsuccessful applicant a written statement setting forth the reason or reasons for the denial within the aforesaid thirty-day period.
B. 
The application for a license shall be a printed form, provided to the applicant by the Director, and the application shall require a written answer to all questions contained thereon. Failure to answer all questions on the application form shall mean that the applicant is not entitled to consideration of his application until he has answered all questions. The application form shall be signed by the applicant under oath. The questions and information requested on the application form shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) 
The names of owners, partners, directors and officers of the applicant and the business address and trade names of the applicant.
(2) 
A statement as to whether or not any municipalities have refused to issue or have revoked any similar contractor's license to the applicant within two years previous to the date of the application. In the event there has been such a denial or revocation, the applicant must explain, in writing, the reasons for such denial or revocation.
(3) 
A listing of at least five previous contractors' jobs completed by the applicant within one year prior to the application, along with a statement of the location of the jobs, and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the party or parties who contracted with the applicant for such jobs.
(4) 
A listing of all convictions within two years prior to the date of the application for any crimes or offenses under any federal or state criminal statutes or common law criminal offenses, or for violation of any Township ordinance, so long as such convictions were for crimes or offenses related to the applicant's work or contracts as a contractor. The term "conviction" shall include guilty pleas and pleas of nolo contendere. If any such conviction exists, the applicant shall give, in writing, the caption, court and term number of the proceeding leading to the conviction. The applicant shall also explain, in writing, the nature of the conviction.
(5) 
A listing of all unsatisfied civil judgments in any jurisdiction against the applicant, if such civil judgments were entered in a lawsuit in which it was alleged that the applicant failed to complete a contract, as defined in this chapter, or improperly performed a contract, as defined in this chapter. The applicant shall give, in writing, the caption, court and term number of the civil action upon which any such judgments were entered, and shall explain, in writing, the nature of all such civil judgments.
Every contractor licensee shall, within 10 days after a change in ownership, directors, officers, management, address or trade name, notify the Director of such change.
No license shall be issued or renewed under the following circumstances:
A. 
If the applicant falsely answered any question or questions contained on the application form.
B. 
If the applicant has been refused a similar contractor's license, or has had a similar contractor's license revoked or suspended by another municipality within two years prior to the date of application for issuance or renewal; and if the refusal, revocation or suspension by the other municipality was due to failure to comply with that municipality's building codes.
C. 
If the applicant has been convicted, within two years prior to the date of the application, for any crimes or offenses under any federal or state criminal statute or common law criminal offense, or for violation of any Township ordinance, so long as such convictions were for crimes or offenses related to the applicant's work as a contractor. The term "conviction" shall include guilty pleas and pleas of nolo contendere.
D. 
If an unsatisfied civil judgment against the applicant exists in any court in any jurisdiction, and if the record of such court shows that such judgment was entered because of the applicant's failure to complete a contract, as defined in this chapter, or if such judgment was entered because of the applicant's failure to properly perform a contract, as defined in this chapter.
A. 
The Director shall revoke any license issued under the provisions of this chapter under the following circumstances:
(1) 
If the licensee falsely answered any question or questions contained on the application for licensing or renewal of licensing previously submitted to the Director.
(2) 
Failure of the licensee to maintain, during the license year, the policies of insurance required under the provisions of this chapter.
(3) 
If the licensee violates any of the terms or provisions of this chapter of the Upper Frederick Township Code , as amended, or any terms or provisions of this chapter.
(4) 
If the licensee violates any condition or requirement of a building permit, sewer construction permit or highway permit issued by the Township of Upper Frederick.
(5) 
If the licensee willfully deviates from or disregards any plans or specifications for any contracting job in any material respect without first obtaining the consent of the owner, in writing, to any such change and without first notifying the Director of any such change.
(6) 
If the licensee does any business through any person who is subject to the licensing requirements of this chapter and who is not licensed as required by this chapter.
(7) 
If the licensee conducts a contractor's business in the Township under any name other than that under which he is licensed.
(8) 
If the licensee fails to comply with an order, demand or requirement lawfully made by the Director under the authority of this chapter or any other Township ordinance.
B. 
Revocation of a license shall remain in effect for a period of one year, after which the licensee may reapply.
Appeals from any decisions of the Director shall be made within 30 days to the Board of Supervisors, who shall hold a hearing and thereafter render a decision.
In addition to all other acts prohibited by the terms of this chapter, those acts warranting revocation of a license under this chapter shall also be prohibited.
In addition to refusal or revocation of a license as provided under this chapter, any person, as defined in this chapter, or any officer, agent, servant or employee thereof who shall fail, neglect or refuse to comply with any of the terms or provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof before a District Justice, be sentenced to pay a fine or penalty not to exceed $1,000 and costs of prosecution for each offense, to be collected as like fines or penalties and costs are now by law collectible. The fine or penalty imposed by this section shall be in addition to any other penalty imposed by this chapter.