Township of Abington, PA Chapter 98 Housing Standards

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Abington 4-13-2023 by Ord. No. 2205.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]

[1] Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 98, Housing Standards, adopted 4-11-1996 by Ord. No. 1760, as amended.

§ 98-1 Adoption of standards.

The Board of Commissioners of the Township of Abington does hereby enact and ordain by adoption the International Property Maintenance Code of 2021, or the latest version thereof as approved and released by the International Code Council, and the whole thereof, except such portions as are deleted, modified, amended or added by this chapter. The same is hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length herein, and from the date on which this chapter takes effect, the provisions thereof shall be controlling within the limits of the Township of Abington.

§ 98-2 Amendments to standards.

The International Property Maintenance Code of 2021 is amended as set forth herein. Such amendments shall be incorporated into any subsequent version of the International Property Maintenance Code as approved and released by the International Code Council without further action by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Abington.

A. Section 101.1 shall be amended to reference the "Township of Abington."

B. Section 103.1 shall be amended to reference the "Code Enforcement Division of the Township of Abington."

C. Section 110.4 shall be amended to read as follows:

110.4 Failure to comply. Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop-work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be liable to a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000.

D. Section 302.4 shall be amended to include a maximum height of 10 inches.

E. Section 302.4.1 shall be added and shall read as follows:

302.4.1 Prohibited Use of Defoliants and Herbicides: The use of defoliants, herbicides or similar chemicals to completely or substantially defoliate a parcel, property or lot, whether to avoid having to maintain that parcel, property or lot by mowing, pulling of weeds, etc., or for any other reason, is prohibited. For the purposes of this section, the term "substantially" shall mean 20% or more of any parcel, property or lot, except any greater area as may be approved by the Abington Township Code Enforcement Department. Any such approval shall be in writing, and shall be granted prior to the application of the defoliant, herbicide, or similar chemical.

F. Section 302.8 shall be amended read as follows:

302.8 Motor vehicles. Except as provided for in other regulations, inoperative, unlicensed or uninsured motor vehicles shall not be parked, kept or stored on any premises, and vehicles shall not at any time be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled. Painting of vehicles is prohibited unless conducted inside an approved spray booth. Storage, parking, abandonment or keeping of any licensed or unlicensed motor vehicle, vehicle, watercraft, trailer, or any parts thereof shall not be permitted on any lawn or grass area.

Exception: A vehicle of any type is permitted to undergo major overhaul, including body work, provided that such work is performed inside a structure or similarly enclosed area designed and approved for such purposes.

G. Section 302.8.1 shall be added, and shall read as follows:

302.8.1 Residential property: No residential property is permitted to keep or store any truck more than 18 feet in length, 80 inches in width or more than 8,200 pounds in gross vehicle weight (GVWR) or motor-driven trucks and truck tractors designed to carry personal property or vehicle-servicing equipment, including but not limited to hoists, ladders or towing mechanisms. On streets of residential zoning, no commercial vehicles may be parked, kept or stored if more than 80 inches in width and/or more than 11,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight (GVWR). Exception: If making a legitimate delivery to a residential property and the truck is properly and safely parked, the delivery may be completed.

Exception: Vehicles may be repaired in certain districts where repairs are permitted by district regulations.

H. Section 304.14 shall be amended to read as follows:

304.14 Insect screens. During the period from May 15 to October 15, every door, window and other outside opening required for ventilation of habitable rooms, food preparation areas, food service areas or any areas where products to be included or utilized in food for human consumption are processed, manufactured, packaged or stored shall be supplied with approved tightly fitting screens of minimum 16 mesh per inch (16 mesh per 25 mm), and every screen door used for insect control shall have a self-closing device in good working condition.

Exception: Screens shall not be required where other approved means, such as air curtains or insect repellent fans, are employed.

I. Section 602.3 shall be amended to read as follows:

602.3 Heat supply. Every owner and operator of any building who rents, leases or lets one or more dwelling units or sleeping units on terms, either expressed or implied, to furnish heat to the occupants thereof shall supply heat during the period from October 15 to May 15 to maintain a minimum temperature of 68° F. (20° C.) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms.

Exceptions:
1.	When the outdoor temperature is below the winter outdoor design temperature for the locality, maintenance of the minimum room temperature shall not be required provided that the heating system is operating at its full design capacity. The winter outdoor design temperature for the locality shall be as indicated in Appendix D of the International Plumbing Code.
2.	In areas where the average monthly temperature is above 30° F. (-1° C.), a minimum temperature of 65° F. (18° C.) shall be maintained.

J. Section 602.4 shall be amended to read as follows:

602.4 Occupiable work spaces. Indoor occupiable work spaces shall be supplied with heat during the period from October 15 to May 15 to maintain a minimum temperature of 65° F. (18° C.) during the period the spaces are occupied.

Exceptions:
1.	Processing, storage and operation areas that require cooling or special temperature conditions.
2.	Areas in which persons are primarily engaged in vigorous physical activities.

K. Section 606.2 shall read as follows:

606.2 Elevators. In buildings equipped with passenger elevators, not less than 1/2 of the total number of elevators, rounded up to the next whole number of total elevators, shall be maintained in operation at all times when the building is occupied.

Exception: Buildings equipped with only one elevator shall be permitted to have the elevator temporarily out of service for testing or servicing.

L. Sections 704.8 and 704.9 shall be added and shall read as follows:

704.8 Fire extinguishers in living units. A portable fire extinguisher having a minimum rating of 1-A:10-B:C shall be installed within each dwelling unit. For multifamily dwelling units, compliance with this section shall be as follows: 25% of all living units on or before December 31, 2023; 50% of all living units on or before December 31, 2024; 75% of all living units on or before December 31, 2025; 100% of all living units on or before December 2026.

704.9 Smoke alarms in rental units. Smoke alarms shall be installed and maintained in accordance with 704.6.1.1 through 704.7 in all living units used for rental purposes.

M. Section 705.1.1 shall be added and shall read as follows:

705.1.1 Carbon monoxide alarms in rental units. Carbon monoxide alarms and carbon monoxide detection systems shall be installed and maintained in all living units used for rental purposes.