The Borough of Steelton has determined through
its records and other sources of information that owners and occupants
of residential rental, commercial, industrial and institutional properties
are failing to maintain such properties in violation of the Borough's
Housing, Building, Safety, Dwelling, Electrical, Property Maintenance,
and Fire Prevention Codes and Ordinances. The purpose of this chapter
is to implement the policy of the Borough of Steelton to protect and
promote the public health, safety, and welfare of its citizens, by
requiring annual inspections by the Borough Code Enforcement Office
of residential rental, commercial, industrial and institutional properties,
the issuance of licenses for said properties and requiring said properties
to meet the applicable codes and ordinances.
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following
terms shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the meanings indicated
as follows:
BOROUGH
The Borough of Steelton, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
The Code Enforcement Officer of the Borough of Steelton,
who is charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter.
COMMERCIAL
Those properties used primarily for commercial or industrial
purposes.
DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT
Any act by an occupant of a residential rental unit, a commercial property or an institutional property involving public drunkenness, consumption of an alcoholic beverage in public (unless on premises licensed for same), public urination or defecation, unlawful deposit of trash or litter on public or private property, damage to or destruction of public or private property, the obstruction of public roads, streets, highways or sidewalks, interference with emergency or police services, unreasonable noise as defined by Chapter
75 hereof, indecent exposure or any other act defined as disorderly conduct in the Pennsylvania Crimes Code or any act prohibited by the Code of the Borough of Steelton,
Pennsylvania, or which otherwise injures the health, safety or welfare
of the residents of the Borough residing in a neighborhood or vicinity
of the premises. It is not necessary that such conduct, action, incident
or behavior constitute a criminal offense, nor that criminal charges
be filed against any person in order for said person to have perpetrated,
caused or permitted the commission of disruptive conduct, as defined
herein; provided, however, that no disruptive conduct will be deemed
to have occurred unless a Code Enforcement Officer or a police officer
shall investigate and make a determination that such did occur, and
keep written records, including a disruptive conduct report, of such
occurrences. The occupant and the owner and, if applicable, the manager
shall be notified of any such occurrences, in writing.
[Amended 7-5-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-7;
approved 7-5-2005]
DWELLING UNIT
Any room or group of rooms located within a building and
forming a single habitable unit with facilities which are used or
intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and eating by one
family. This definition includes a mobile home.
FAMILY
One or more persons related by blood, genetics, adoption
or marriage living and cooking together as a single housekeeping unit,
or a number of persons living and cooking together as a single housekeeping
unit though not related by blood, adoption, genetics or marriage.
[Amended 7-5-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-7;
approved 7-5-2005]
INSTITUTIONAL PROPERTY
Any property utilized as an establishment to house or serve
groups of people, such as day-care centers, hospitals, nursing homes,
orphanages, schools and universities.
OCCUPANCY
The purpose for which a building or portion thereof is utilized
or occupied.
OCCUPANT
Any individual living or sleeping in a building, or having
possession of a space within a building.
OWNER
Any person, agent, operator, firm or corporation having a
legal or equitable interest in the property; or recorded in the official
records of the state, county or municipality as holding title to the
property; or otherwise having control of the property, including the
guardian of the estate of any such person, and the executor or administrator
of the estate of such person if authorized by law to take possession
of real property or if ordered to take possession of real property
by a court.
PERSON
An individual, corporation, partnership or any other group
acting as a unit.
PROPERTY, PREMISES
A lot, plot or parcel of real property including any structures
thereon.
It shall be the duty of every occupant of residential
rental, commercial, and institutional properties to:
A. Maintain the cleanliness and sanitary conditions of
the property; properly dispose of trash; to care for and clean after
household pets.
[Amended 7-5-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-7;
approved 7-5-2005]
B. Conduct themselves and require the persons, including
but not limited to, guests, invitees, or licensees, on the premises
and within their property with their consent to conduct themselves
in an manner that will not disturb the peaceful enjoyment of adjacent
or nearby properties by people occupying the same.
C. Not engage in, nor tolerate, nor permit others on
the premises, or within their dwelling units to cause damage to public
property or private property (without permission of the owner of said
private property), or to engage in disruptive conduct, or violate
the Pennsylvania Criminal Code or other laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or the
codes or ordinances of the Borough of Steelton.
[Amended 7-5-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-7;
approved 7-5-2005]
D. Not to allow dwelling units to be occupied by more
than one family without the permission of the owner and registration
with the Borough, nor allow guests or invitees to stay in the dwelling
unit for more than 30 days without permission of the owner and registration
with the Borough.
[Amended 7-5-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-7;
approved 7-5-2005]
E. Comply with all applicable Borough codes and ordinances, including but not limited to, Chapters
58, Fire Prevention, Chapter
82, Property Maintenance, and Chapter
120, Zoning, hereof and with all applicable laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
F. Use the trash and recyclable collection services provided
by the Borough's contracted hauler, to the extent applicable.
[Amended 7-5-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-7;
approved 7-5-2005]
Each owner shall pay an annual fee to the Borough
of Steelton upon the filing of the information required in this chapter
for the proper administration of these provisions. The fee schedule
is as follows:
A. Residential rental units.
(2) Each additional unit: $20.
(3) Reinspection necessitated by noncode compliance in
inspection: $25.
(4) One free reinspection (not necessitated by failure
in previous inspection) in each current calendar year; any additional
reinspection in each current calendar year shall be $30 per reinspection.
In the event an owner does not appear for the scheduled reinspection,
the owner will be charged an additional $30; if the reinspection for
which the owner does not appear is the initial free reinspection,
any reinspection thereafter will be at the reinspection charge of
$30.
[Amended 5-15-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-3, approved 5-15-2006]
B. Commercial, industrial and institutional units.
(1) Each building or portion thereof: $70.
(2) Reinspection necessitated by noncode compliance in
inspection: $25.
(3) Commercial, industrial, or institutional establishments
which have multiple business: a fee of $100 for each separate business
over two.
An appeal from any decision of the Code Enforcement Officer shall be taken to the Borough Code Hearing Board. Such appeal shall be made in writing within 10 working days after such decision has been made and provided to owner or occupant in writing. The appeal shall be verified by an affidavit, shall state the grounds therefor, and shall be filed with the Borough Secretary. The appeals shall be held in accordance with the provisions of Chapter
2, Code Enforcement, §
2-15D(1) and
E. The appeal shall be accompanied by the appeal fee which shall be established from time to time by this chapter or resolution of Borough Council.