Township of West Whiteland, PA Article II Building Construction

[Adopted 3-30-2011 by Ord. No. 378[1]]

[1] Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Art. II, Building Construction, adopted 4-27-2007 by Ord. No. 345, as amended.

§ 129-8 Short title.

This article shall be known as the "West Whiteland Township Building Code."

§ 129-9 Adoption of Standards.

[Amended 8-26-2015 by Ord. No. 425]

Except as amended and modified by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code contained in 34 Pennsylvania Code Chapters 401 through 405, the International Building Code, including Appendix Chapters E and F, as published by the International Code Council, Inc., is hereby adopted as the Building Code of West Whiteland Township for the control of buildings and structures as herein provided, with additions, insertions, deletions, and changes prescribed in § 129-16 of this article.

§ 129-10 through § 129-11. (Reserved) [1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 129-10, Enforcement agency, and § 129-11, Insurance, were repealed 8-26-2015 by Ord. No. 425.

§ 129-12 Underground/aboveground storage tanks.

Demolition Permit

Click this link for form

2013-05-07

[Amended 8-26-2015 by Ord. No. 425]

Underground/aboveground storage tanks: building permit required for installation and demolition permit required for removal.

A. Underground/aboveground storage tanks. A permit is required to install, remove, repair, or alter a tank used for the storage of flammable or combustible liquids or other liquids or to modify or replace any line or dispensing device connected thereto. This includes noncombustible or nonflammable liquid storage tank repairs and/or removal.

B. All tank installations shall comply with all federal, state, and local requirements. Complete documentation relating to the removal/installation/modification/repair is required and shall include but not be limited to the following items: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources installer's certification, letters of notification to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania State Fire Marshal's Office for tank removal/installation, contractor's insurance certificates and excavation sample test reports when required by the Fire Marshal or Code Administration Officer.

§ 129-13 Change in ownership, use or occupancy.

Any change in ownership, occupant, or tenant, use group change or any other type of change in the way any building is being used shall require a new use and occupancy permit and an inspection prior to occupancy. No change or reoccupancy shall take place before the issuance of a new use and occupancy permit. Transfer of ownership: within 10 days of transfer of ownership, an application and an inspection are required. This applies to all use groups except one- and two-family dwellings.

§ 129-14 through § 129-15. (Reserved) [1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former § 129-14, Board of Appeals, and § 129-15, Non-owner-occupied premises, were repealed 8-26-2015 by Ord. No. 425.

§ 129-16 Modification of standards.

[Amended 8-26-2015 by Ord. No. 425]

The following sections of the International Building Code are amended as follows. To the extent any of the following amendments exceed the requirements of the Uniform Construction Code, the changes were adopted by West Whiteland Township by ordinances duly enacted on or before July 1, 1999.

A. Add a new Section 709.1.2 to read as follows:

709.1.2 Use Groups - A, B, E, F, H, I, M, R, S, and U: Structures having more than one tenant and/or owner/occupier shall provide tenant separation walls between each such tenant and/or owner/occupier. Said walls shall be a minimum of one hour' UL (Underwriters Laboratory) fire-rated assembly, unless other sections of this code require a higher rating. All fire tenant separation walls shall be constructed of material consistent with the type construction of the building.

B. Sections 903.2.1.1 (Group A-1), 903.2.1.3 (Group A-3), and 903.2.1.4 (Group A-4), Condition Number 1, shall be deleted, and a new section shall be inserted to read as follows:

1.

The fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet in area (465m2).

C. Section 903.2.3 shall be deleted, and a new section shall be inserted to read as follows:

903.2.3 Group E: Where a Use Group E fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet or is located either above or below the level of exit discharge of exits that serve the Use Group E fire area, an automatic fire-suppression system shall be provided.

D. Section 903.2.4 shall be deleted, and a new section shall be inserted to read as follows:

903.2.4 Groups F-1 and F-2: An automatic fire-suppression system shall be provided where any building or structure of Use Groups F-1 and F-2 fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet.

E. Section 903.2.7 shall be deleted, and a new section shall be inserted to read as follows:

903.2.7 Group M and Group B: An automatic fire-suppression system shall be provided where any building or structure of Use Group M or Use Group B fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet.

F. Add a new Section 903.2.8.1 to read as follows:

	903.2.8.1 Group R: Built in accordance with the 2009 International Building Code and all dwellings and structures built in accordance with the 2009 International One- and Two-Family Residential Code (this applies to all detached, attached, or any other configuration of dwelling units): An automatic fire-suppression system shall be provided throughout all buildings and structures, or partitions thereof, of Use Group R, in accordance with Section 903.3.1.3; this includes any Use Group R buildings built under the 2009 IRC for One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code.
	Automatic fire-suppression systems shall be installed, in accordance with NFPA 13D (2007 Edition), with the following additions:
	1.	Drawings: Full shop drawings and hydraulic calculations shall be submitted to the Code Administration Officer for approval. The Code Administration Officer can waive the requirement for complete drawings and calculations if it is deemed unnecessary.
	2.	Flow Switch and separate fire alarm device (bell or horn) shall be provided.
	3.	Static Test. Systems shall be hydrostatic-tested for 200-PSI water test for two hours. A representative of West Whiteland Township shall be present.
	4.	Actual Flow Test Required. All NFPA 13D sprinkler systems shall be tested and approved prior to occupancy. The test shall consist of an actual sprinkler head flow test. The system shall meet or exceed sprinkler head manufacturer's flow requirements for the design and area protected by the heads installed. The test shall be performed at the most hydraulically remote area of the system. The systems shall meet both the one- and two-head design criteria. The test shall be performed with a representative of the West Whiteland Township Code Administration's office present. NFPA 13R systems are required to be flow-tested and shall meet the design requirements listed above, except a four-head flow test shall be performed.

G. Section 903.2.9 shall be deleted, and a new section shall be inserted to read as follows:

903.2.9 Group S-1: An automatic fire-suppression system shall be provided where any building or structure of Use Group S-1 fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet.

H. Section 903.2.9.1 shall be deleted, and a new section shall be inserted to read as follows:

903.2.9.1 Repair Garages: An automatic fire-suppression system shall be provided throughout all buildings used as repair garages in accordance with Section 406, as shown, where the S-1 fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet.

I. Add new Section 903.2.9.2 to read as follows:

903.2.9.2 Group S-2: An automatic fire-suppression system shall be provided where any building or structure of Use Group S-2 fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet.

J. Add new Section 903.3.1.4 to read as follows:

903.3.1.4 NFPA 13 Light-Hazard Systems: All NFPA 13 light-hazard systems shall be designed to have maximum of 168 square feet (or less) of head spacing. This is the maximum that heads shall be spaced in any occupancy permitted to be designed under a light-hazard type classification per NFPA 13.

K. Add new Section 903.3.1.5 to read as follows:

903.3.1.5 Safety Factor: All NFPA 13, 13R, and 13D fire-suppression systems shall be designed as to provide a 10 PSI safety factor, as defined in NFPA 13.

L. Add new Section 1011.6 to read as follows:

1011.6 Additional Locations/Low-Level Exit Signs: In all A-1, A-2, A-3, B, E, R, I-1, and I-2 occupancies that are required to have more than one exit or exit access, it shall be supplemented by additional low-level exit signs reading "EXIT." Additional exits signs shall be located on the latch side of the door frame wall within six inches to eight inches of the floor, in addition to the one above or egress access areas. Self-illuminated or luminous exit signs shall be UL-listed for this purpose and approved by the Fire Marshal or Building Official.

M. Add a new Section 1211.0 to read as follows:

1211.0 Radon: At the time of application for a building permit, plans must depict reasonable measures to be constructed below grade level for future radon mitigation. Designs should accommodate the addition of a venting system for removal of radon gas from the premises in the future if such gas becomes present in levels of concentration exceeding safe levels as defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. A minimum four-inch perforated pipe shall be installed below the basement slab around the interior perimeter of the foundation and shall terminate into a sump pit.

N. Add a new Section 1808.1.1 to read as follows:

1808.1.1 Frost Line: For footing purposes, the frost line in West Whiteland Township shall be a minimum of 36 inches below grade. This shall be considered a minimum depth to the bottom of footings.

O. Add a new Section 3303.7 to read as follows:

3303.7 Extermination Required: The applicant shall show proof that the building or structure has been exterminated for rodents, vermin, and other pests two weeks prior to the demolition.

P. Add a new Section 116.6 to read as follows:

116.6 Required Demolition: If the code official determines that more than 50% of any structure has been damaged by a natural disaster, structural collapse, fire, or other disaster, the code official shall require the structure to be demolished. Every building damaged in the disaster shall be inspected, and a determination shall be made on a case-by-case basis. The cost of demolition shall be the owner's responsibility.

§ 129-17 Repealer.

Ordinance No. 345, dated April 27, 2007, as amended, of West Whiteland Township is hereby repealed.

§ 129-18 Municipal liability.

The granting of any permit, the performance of any review or inspection, or any other action under this article by the Township or any of its designated officials shall not constitute a representation, guaranty, or warranty of any kind by the Township or any of its officials or employees as to the proper manner of construction or repairs and shall create no liability upon or a cause of action against the Township, its officials or employees for any damages or injury that may result pursuant thereto.

§ 129-19 Effect on existing suits, proceedings and remedies.

Nothing in this article or in the International Building Code hereby adopted shall be construed to affect any suit or proceeding pending in court, or any rights acquired, or liability incurred, or any cause or causes of action acquired or existing under any act or ordinance hereby repealed cited in § 129-17 of this article, nor shall any preexisting legal right or remedy of any character be lost, impaired, or affected by this article.