The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health,
safety and welfare of residents and occupants of and visitors to rental
units within the Township by providing for annual licenses to be issued
after annual inspections by the Department of License and Inspections,
and to establish the obligations of both owners and tenants of rental
units within the municipality to maintain the quality of rental units
by compliance with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable
ordinances and/or regulations of the Township of Springfield.
As used in this chapter, the following words or phrases shall
have the meaning ascribed to them in this section except where the
context clearly indicates a different meaning:
APARTMENT
A building containing two or more dwelling units such as
a duplex, quadraplex or multiplex, whether having independent or common
means of egress, including common areas.
APPEAL
A written notice addressed to the Springfield Township Uniform
Construction Code Board of Appeals to be filed at the Township Offices
within 20 days of any action or decision by the Springfield Township
Code Enforcement Officer.
APPROVED
In accordance with all laws and ordinances of the Springfield
Township and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
BASEMENT
A portion of any dwelling located partially underground but
having less than 1/2 of its clear floor-to-ceiling height below the
average grade of the adjoining ground.
BUILDING
Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering
any use or occupancy.
BUSINESS (UNIT)
A room or group of rooms used for offices or a retail use
offering sales to the general public.
CELLAR
A portion of any building having 1/2 or more than 1/2 of
its clear floor-to-ceiling height below the average grade of the adjoining
ground.
CERTIFICATE OF USE
A statement signed by the License and Inspections Officer
setting forth that the use of a building, structure or lot legally
complies with the applicable codes and regulations and that the same
may be used for the purposes stated therein.
CODE
Any code, ordinance and/or regulation adopted or enacted
by the Township. Included herein shall be the International Property
Maintenance Code, 2018 Edition, and other reference standards excluding
the International Zoning Code.
DUPLEX
Consists of two dwelling units rented, leased or let out.
DWELLING
A building or structure which is wholly or partly used or
intended to be used for living or sleeping by human occupants.
DWELLING UNIT
A single unit providing complete independent living facilities
for one or more persons functioning as a family, including a permanent
provision for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation. A
single-family dwelling and a condominium unit shall be considered
a "dwelling unit."
EQUIPMENT
Any man-made object, not of a stationary nature, and not
a structure, located on any premises.
EXTERMINATION
The control and elimination of insects, rodents or other
pests by eliminating their harborage places; by removing or making
inaccessible materials that may serve as their food; by spraying,
poisoning, fumigating or trapping; or by any other recognized and
legally approved pest elimination methods approved by the Public Safety
Officer.
FAMILY
Two or more persons living together as a single nonprofit
housekeeping unit and doing their cooking on the premises; excluding,
however, occupants of a club, fraternity house, lodge, dormitory,
rooming house or nursing home which is not owned by the individuals.
GARBAGE
Includes all vegetable and animal food wastes from preparation,
cooking and serving of food; market wastes; and wastes from the handling,
storage and sale of produce.
HABITABLE ROOM
A room used or intended to be used for living, sleeping,
eating or cooking, excluding bathrooms, water closet compartments,
laundries, foyers, pantries, communicating corridors, stairways, closets,
basement recreation rooms and storage spaces.
INDUSTRIAL (UNIT)
A room, group of rooms or building used for assembling, disassembling,
fabricating, finishing, manufacturing, packaging, repair or processing
operations.
INFESTATION
The presence in or swarming or overrunning of a dwelling
or a part thereof, inside or outside, by insects or pests or the presence
of rodents or vermin in or outside the dwelling or any part thereof.
LICENSE AND INSPECTION OFFICER
The Director of License and Inspections and/or a duly authorized
agent of the Department of License and Inspections or other duly authorized
representative of the Township.
MULTIUNIT
Consists of five or more dwelling units rented, leased or
let out.
MUNICIPALITY
The Township of Springfield located within the County of
Delaware, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
OCCUPANT
Any person, including an owner or operator, living or sleeping
in a dwelling or rooming unit, or working in a commercial, business
or office unit.
OFFICE (UNIT)
A room or group of rooms used for conducting the affairs
of a business, profession, service, industry or government.
OPENABLE AREA
The part of a window which is available for unobstructed
ventilation and which opens directly to the outdoors.
OPERATOR
Any person having charge, care, management or control of
any building or part of it in which dwelling units or commercial,
business or office units are let. For the purpose of this definition,
a real estate agent collecting the rent shall be presumed to be an
operator. Such presumption shall be overcome if said rental agent,
within five days receipt of notice of alleged violation, advises the
License and Inspections Officer, in writing, that he has no authority
to spend money to alter, improve, manage or repair the premises involved
and gives the correct name and address of his principal.
OWNER
Any person who alone, jointly or severally with others, holds
legal or equitable title to any building, equipment or premises as
defined in this section. Beneficiaries under any trust or estate shall
not be deemed to hold legal or equitable title to any premises.
PERSON
Any individual, firm, corporation, association or partnership
or any other legal entity.
PLUMBING CODE
The Plumbing Code of the Township of Springfield and all
rules and regulations adopted thereunder.
PLUMBING OR PLUMBING FIXTURES
Water-heating facilities, water pipes, garbage disposal units,
waste pipes, water closets, sinks, installed dishwashers, lavatories,
bathtubs, shower baths, installed clothes-washing machines, catch
basins, drains, pumps, vents and other similar supplied fixtures,
together with all connections to water or sewer lines.
PROPERTY
Shall consist of land, buildings, structures, yards and other
improvements for the use of operating a rental unit(s).
QUADRAPLEX
Consists of four dwelling units rented, leased or let out.
RENTAL UNIT(S)
Consists of any type of unit or units rented, leased or let
out, including but not limited to business unit(s), commercial unit(s),
dwelling unit(s), hotel(s), office unit(s), motel(s), multifamily
dwelling(s), rooming house, rooming unit(s), single-family dwelling(s)
and storage unit(s) as defined herein.
ROOMING HOUSE
Any dwelling or part thereof containing more than one rooming
unit in which space is let to one or more persons.
ROOMING UNIT
Any room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit
used or intended to be used for living and sleeping but not for cooking
or eating purposes.
RUBBISH
Includes all solid wastes having combustibles and noncombustibles,
such as cans and bottles, exclusive of garbage.
STORAGE (UNIT)
A building, structure, or portion thereof used for storage.
SUPPLIED
Installed, furnished or provided by the owner or operator
at his expense.
UNFIT UNIT
Any unit not in accordance with the minimum standards of
this Code.
UNSAFE
Structurally unsafe or unsound, unstable, unsanitary, inadequately
provided with exit facilities, constituting a fire or health hazard,
unsuitable or improper for use or occupancy, constituting a hazard
to health or safety or public morals because of inadequate maintenance,
dilapidation, obsolescence or abandonment or otherwise dangerous to
life or property.
YARD
All grounds, lawns, courts, walks, driveways or other open
space constituting part of the same premises as a dwelling, and is
includable in the definition of "property."
At reasonable times, every occupant of a rented, leased or let
out rental unit shall grant to the landlord, or his agents/employees,
free access for the purpose of making repairs or alterations to comply
with Township ordinances.
All information required to be procured and kept pursuant to
this chapter shall be provided to any federal, state or local sworn
law enforcement officer having the lawful power to arrest, upon demand
of the officer and a representation by said officer, that a reasonable
suspicion exists that such information is relevant to a then-pending
inquiry or investigation. Nothing in this requirement shall be construed
as giving any such officer any greater right or license to enter a
rental unit or invade privacy than the officer shall otherwise possess
as a matter of common law, probable cause, constitutional law, statutory
right or warrant.
All appeals under this chapter shall be to the Springfield Township
Uniform Construction Code Board of Appeals (UCC Board of Appeals),
in accordance with the provisions and procedures as contained in the
UCC. Any person directly affected by notice or order issued under
this chapter shall have the right to appeal to the UCC Board of Appeals,
provided that a written application for appeal is filed within 20
days after the day the decision, notice or order was served. An application
for appeal shall be based on a claim that the true intent of this
chapter or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly
interpreted, the provisions of this chapter do not fully apply, or
the requirements of this chapter are inadequately satisfied by other
means.
In addition to all other remedies and penalties provided by
this chapter and other ordinances, the Township Solicitor shall bring
suit in a court of competent jurisdiction to seek an injunction or
other appropriate relief to halt any violation of this chapter. Such
action may include seeing a temporary restraining order to temporary
injunction and other appropriate temporary relief. Nothing in this
chapter shall be deemed to restrict a suit for damages on behalf of
the Township or on behalf of any other person or entity.
In any case where a provision of this chapter is found to be
in conflict with a provision of any zoning, building, fire, safety
or health ordinance or other provision of the Code of Springfield
Township existing on the effective date of this chapter, the provision
which establishes the more restrictive standard for the promotion
and protection of the health and safety of the occupants shall prevail.
In any case where a provision of this chapter is found to be in conflict
with a provision of any other ordinance or the Code of Springfield
Township existing on the effective date of this chapter which establishes
a lower restrictive standard for the promotion and protection of the
health and safety of the citizens, the provisions of this chapter
shall be deemed to prevail, and such other ordinances or codes are
hereby declared to be repealed to the extent that they may be found
in conflict with this chapter.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this
chapter is, for any reason, held to be unconstitutional or illegal,
such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions
of this chapter. The Board of Commissioners of Springfield Township
hereby declares that it would have passed this chapter, and each section,
subsection, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that
any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases
be declared unconstitutional.
This chapter and the rules, regulations, provisions, requirements
and matters established and adopted hereunder shall take effect and
be in full force and effect immediately from and after the date of
its final passage and adoption by the Board of Commissioner of Springfield
Township.