[Adopted 12-18-1995 by Ord. No. 72]
A certain document, three copies of which are on file in the office of the Adams Township Code Enforcement Officer, 170 Hutchman Road, Mars, Pennsylvania 16046, being marked and designated as the "BOCA National Building Code, 12th Edition, 1993," as published by the Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc., be and is hereby adopted as the Building Code of Township of Adams in Butler County in the State of Pennsylvania, for the control of building 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 part hereof as if fully set out in this article with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes prescribed in § 74-9 of this article.
Any other provision of Adams Township currently in effect or to be put into effect in the future that is inconsistent with any of the provisions of the BOCA National Building Code, 12th Edition, 1993, shall be read together with those provisions, and each shall be given effect to the extent possible. In the event provisions of each ordinance cannot be reconciled, then the more stringent regulation shall be applied and the less stringent regulations shall be deemed to be repealed to the extent of the inconsistency.
The following sections of said BOCA National Building Code, 12th Edition, 1993, are hereby revised as follows:
A. 
Section 101.1 shall refer to "Adams Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania," as "Name of Jurisdiction."
B. 
New Section 111.5 is added as follows:
111.5  Site plan: The Code Enforcement Officer has the authority to require that an as-built survey be made on the ground by a registered surveyor or licensed engineer of the building or structure, authorized by a permit, at any time prior to or during construction as a condition to processing the permit application or continuing work. In the event that the holder of a permit is directed to secure and produce such survey and neglects or refuses to do so, such permit shall be revoked.
C. 
Section 112.3.1 shall refer to Adams Township Resolution No. 11-91 as revised by resolution from time to time.
D. 
There shall be added a new Section 113.6 as follows:
113.6  Utility inspections: Proof of inspections performed on new construction by utility services (electrical, sanitary, water, etc.) shall be submitted to the Code Enforcement Officer before the final occupancy inspection is conducted. A dwelling unit shall be totally completed and an occupancy permit issued before occupancy can take place.
E. 
Section 116.4 shall be superseded to read as follows:
116.4  Violation penalties: Any person who shall violate a provision of this code or shall to 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 Code Enforcement Officer, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this code, shall be deemed to be in violation hereof. Violators shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 per violation to be collected by the jurisdiction by suit. Such violation shall also constitute a summary offense which shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 per violation. In default of the payment of the fine or penalty imposed and the costs, such person may be sentenced and committed to the county jail for a period not exceeding 30 days; provided, however, that no civil penalty and fine shall be levied against a violator for the same offense; provided further, however, that nothing shall preclude the jurisdiction from proceeding first to collection of a civil penalty for a violation, and then, if said violation continues uncorrected, proceeding to summary conviction for later violations. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be deemed a separate offense.
F. 
Section 121.0 shall be amended and superseded to read as follows:
SECTION 121.0  BOARD OF APPEALS - BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
121.1  Application for appeal: The owner of a building or structure or any other person may appeal from a decision of the Code Enforcement Officer refusing to grant a modification to the provisions of this code covering the manner of construction or materials to be used in the erection, alteration or repair of a building or structure to the Board of Appeals. Application for appeal may be made when it is claimed that the true intent of this code or the rules legally adopted thereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this code do not fully apply or an equally good or better form of construction can be used.
121.2  Appeal procedure: The Board shall meet upon notice of the Chairman of the Supervisors within 30 days of the filing of an appeal. All hearings shall be public, and the appellant, his representative, the Code Enforcement Officer and any other person whose interests may be affected by the matter on appeal shall be given an opportunity to be heard. The Board shall affirm, modify or reverse the decision of the Code Enforcement Officer by a concurring vote of a majority of the members of the Board present at the hearing, provided that a quorum is present, a quorum being a majority of the Board of Supervisors.
121.3  Court review: Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Board of Appeals, whether or not a previous party to the decision, or any officer or official board of the jurisdiction, may apply to the appropriate court for a writ of certiorari to correct errors of laws in such decisions. Application for review shall be made to the proper court of jurisdiction within 30 days after the filing of the Board's decision in the office of the Code Enforcement Officer.
G. 
The following subsections shall be added to Chapter 7:
707.12  Fire separation walls: When multiple, single-family dwellings (side-by-side rowhouses, townhouses and quadplexes) are attached by a common wall, such wall shall be a nonbearing fire separation wall extending from the basement floor to the roof of the dwelling consisting of eight-inch masonry block, which shall be sealed tightly to the underside of the roof deck.
When multiple, two-family dwellings (side-by-side duplexes) are attached by a common wall, ceiling or floor, such wall shall be a nonbearing fire separation wall extending from the basement floor to the roof of the dwelling, consisting of eight-inch masonry block, which shall be sealed tightly to the underside of the roof deck. (Floor and ceiling assemblies shall be constructed of prefabricated or poured concrete for top/bottom duplexes only.)
In multifamily apartment buildings, all units on each floor utilizing a common hallway or corridor along with same above and/or below, and together comprising one section or wing (bottom floor through top floor), shall be separated from other sections or wings by a nonbearing eight-inch masonry block wall extending from the basement floor to the roof of the dwelling, which shall be sealed tightly to the underside of the roof deck.
716.5.5  Self-closing doors: Self-closing hinges or automatic closures shall be placed on all doors between the garage and living area of all dwelling units, including all single-family and multifamily dwelling units.
H. 
The following subsections shall be added to Chapter 9:
917.1.1  Audio visual devices: In order to indicate, upon the arrival of the Fire Department - emergency services, in which building an alarm is being activated, audio visual devices will be installed on the exterior of the building, in a location approved by the Code Enforcement Officer's office, in all occupancies, excluding single-family dwellings, that have an automatic fire detection/protection system and/or fire suppression system installed on the premises. Such device shall be installed so that it can be viewed by approaching fire apparatus.
917.1.2  Health care facilities: All health care facilities shall now be required to have annunciated patient room smoke detectors which shall be connected to a monitoring device located at a point on the premises that has personnel on duty 24 hours a day.
917.1.3  Automatic fire protection system placarding: Any building within the Township that is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system and/or standpipe system is required to have a twelve-inch-by-twelve-inch red background reflective sign placed at the Fire Department connection location describing the area that the connection serves and the type of system that it serves. All service utilities shall also be marked by the utility company with the type of utility.
I. 
Sections 919.3, 919.3.1, 919.3.2 and 919.3.3 are deleted. Section 919.3 shall be amended and superseded to read as follows:
919.3  Smoke detectors in single-family dwellings (Use Group R-4), duplex, row townhouse and quadraplex units: The owners of all newly constructed single-family dwellings (Use Group R-4), duplex, row townhouse and quadraplex units and remodeled rooms and/or additions to such existing dwellings shall install a minimum of one approved ionization-type smoke detector per level, including the attic area, and in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms, sensing visible and invisible particles of combustion. Detectors shall be installed in a manner and location approved by the Code Enforcement Officer. Such detectors shall work on an electric and battery power and have the capacity to be connected to both sources of power simultaneously. When activated, the detectors shall provide an alarm to suitably warn the occupants within the dwelling unit. All detectors shall be interconnected.
J. 
Section 1211.2 is amended and superseded to read as follows:
1211.2  Attic openings: In all single-family homes, two-family dwellings and multiple single-family dwellings such as townhouses, duplexes, etc., a readily accessible attic opening not less than 26 inches by 44 inches shall be provided to any attic area having over 24 inches from roofline to the ceiling joists. Such opening shall be located in the hallway.
In all apartment buildings, these attic openings shall be provided in the uppermost story of each commonly shared fire tower or hallway. Such openings shall be easily accessible by a maximum ten-foot ladder. No attic openings shall be located in the individual apartment units.
Where doors or other openings are installed in the draftstopping, such doors shall be self-closing and be of approved materials as specified in this section, and the construction shall be tightly fitted around all pipes, ducts or other assemblies piercing the draftstopping.
K. 
These shall be a new subsection added to Chapter 16:
1604.1.1  Support beams: All supporting beams shall have their post plates attached by bolts and/or welding.
L. 
There shall be a new subsection added to Chapter 18:
1810.7  Special footing: If a footing cannot be excavated to solid ground or rock, a caisson(s) shall be installed. Caisson(s) shall be drilled and completely rodded. Drawings for caisson(s) shall be prepared by an engineer and submitted before a building permit is issued. A spread footing, which includes reinforcing rods, may be accepted on a fill less than three feet in depth where the footing design is reviewed and sealed by an engineer.
M. 
The date referred to in Section 3408.2 shall be January 1, 1996.
Nothing in this article or in the Building Code hereby adopted shall be construed to affect any suit or proceeding impending in any court, or any rights acquired, or liability incurred, or any cause or causes of action acquired or existing, under any act or ordinance hereby revised as cited in § 74-8 of this article; nor shall any just or legal right or remedy of any character be lost, impaired or affected by this article.
The Adams Township Secretary shall certify to the adoption of this article and cause the same to be published as required by law; and this article shall take full force and effect January 1, 1996.