Borough of Tarentum, PA Article II Building Code

[Adopted 9-8-1980 by Ord. No. 80-28; amended in its entirety at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]

§ 95-5 Adoption of Building Code.

A. A certain document, one copy of which is on file in the Borough of Tarentum offices, being marked and designated as the "BOCA National Building Code, Fourteenth Edition, 1999," as published by the Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc., be and is hereby adopted as the Building Code of the Borough of Tarentum, County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for the control of buildings and structures as herein provided, and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of said BOCA National Building Code are hereby referred to, adopted and made a part hereof as if fully set out in this article, with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes, if any, prescribed in § 95-6 of this article.

B. Building official. The Code Enforcement Officer shall perform the duties enumerated and shall have charge of all matters pertaining to the strength and safety of buildings and building materials.

§ 95-6 Additions, insertions and changes.

The BOCA National Building Code 1999 is amended and revised as follows:

A. In Section 101.1, the words "Borough of Tarentum" shall be inserted where the words "[Name of Jurisdiction]" appear.

B. Section 105.7 shall be revised to read as follows:

105.7 Official records. An official record shall be kept of all business and activities of the Office of the Code Enforcement Officer and all such records shall be open to the public for inspection (during business hours), except that no individual, owner, operator, occupant or other person shall be subject to the unwarranted invasion of privacy and except that all evidence of information obtained in the course of any inspection shall be considered privileged information and shall be kept confidential. Such evidence or information shall not be disclosed except as may be necessary in the judgment of the Code Enforcement Officer for the proper and effective administration and enforcement of the provisions of this article and shall not otherwise be made public without the consent of the owner, occupant, operator or other person in charge of the unit, structure or premises inspected.

C. Section 108.1 shall be revised to read as follows:

108.1 Action on application. The Code Enforcement Officer shall examine or cause to be examined all applications for permits and amendments thereto. If the application or the plans do not conform to the requirements of all pertinent laws, he shall reject such application in writing, stating the reason therefor. If he is satisfied that the proposed work conforms to the requirements of this code and all laws and ordinances applicable thereto, he shall issue a permit therefor as soon as practicable. Such action regarding the issuance or rejection of the permit, however, shall be taken within 90 days in accordance with Act 170 of 1976.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 4104.

D. Section 112.3.1 shall be revised to read as follows:

112.3.1 Fee schedule. A fee for each plan examination, building permit and inspection shall be paid in accordance with the schedule of fees adopted from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council.

E. Section 116.4 shall be revised to read as follows:

116.4 Violations and penalties. Any person who shall violate any provision of this code or who shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall erect, construct, alter or repair a building or structure in violation of an approved plan or directive of the Office of Code Enforcement or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this code shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000, plus costs, and in default of payment of such fine and costs to imprisonment not to exceed 30 days.

F. Section 117.2 shall be revised to read as follows:

117.2 Unlawful continuance. Any person who shall continue any work in or about the structure 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 conditions, shall be liable to the penalties set forth in Section 116.4 of this code.

G. The first paragraph of Section 3408.2, Applicability, shall be revised to read as follows:

Structures existing prior to the effective date of this article, in which there is work involving additions, alterations or changes of occupancy, shall be made to conform to the requirements of this section or the provisions of Sections 3403.0 through 3407.0.