[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of West Hanover as indicated in article histories.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Taxation — See Ch. 178.
[Adopted 12-16-1996 by Ord. No. 1996-15]
[Amended 5-17-2004 by Ord. No. 2004-7]
There is hereby established the West Hanover
Township Fire Protection District No. 1, such district being that
area of land located in West Hanover Township, bounded on the south
by South Hanover Township, on the east by East Hanover Township, on
the north by Middle Paxton Township and on the west by Lower Paxton
Township and Middle Paxton Township.
[Amended 5-3-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-10]
For the purpose of providing for the payment
of the costs and expenses associated with the placing, replacing,
operating, maintaining and repairing of public fire hydrants, as well
as the costs and expenses associated with the continued provision
of an adequate supply of water to the public fire hydrants, there
is hereby imposed upon the benefitted properties located within Fire
Protection District No. 1 an annual assessment.
[Amended 5-3-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-10]
The benefitted properties to which the annual
assessment shall apply shall be those properties which abut any street
or portion of streets in Fire Protection District No. 1 within which
there is located a public fire hydrant, and which are located within
780 feet of any such public fire hydrant, as well as any properties,
not abutting a street wherein is located a public fire hydrant, which
are located within 780 feet of any public fire hydrant.
The assessment levied hereunder shall be based
upon that assessed value established by Dauphin County for tax assessment
purposes upon each benefited property, which assessed value shall
then be multiplied by an equal and uniformly applied rate of millage
established by resolution of the West Hanover Township Board of Supervisors.
For calendar year 1997, the rate of millage shall be 0.32 mills ($0.32
upon each $1,000 of assessed value). The rate of .32 mills shall continue
in effect for each year hereafter, unless changed by an annual resolution
of the West Hanover Township Board of Supervisors.
The annual assessment shall be collected by,
and delinquent assessments treated by, the West Hanover Township Tax
Collector in the same manner as real estate taxes, and the assessments
collected, after deduction for commissions, shall be remitted by the
Tax Collector to the West Hanover Township Treasurer. The Township
Treasurer shall deposit all receipts for fire protection services
into a separate account, shall make payments therefrom only upon a
signed order of the Chairman of the West Hanover Township Board of
Supervisors, attested by the Township Secretary, and shall make an
annual report of the separate account to the auditors of West Hanover
Township.
[Amended 5-3-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-10]
No assessment within Fire Protection District
No. 1 shall, however, be levied against any farm land or aviation
field located therein, nor against any property not located within
780 feet of any public fire hydrant, nor against any property located
within 780 feet of any fire hydrant for which West Hanover Township
does not bear responsibility for the costs of maintenance, otherwise
known as "private fire hydrants."
[Added 5-3-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-10]
For the purpose of providing proper operation, maintenance and
repair of private fire hydrants, the owner of the hydrant shall annually,
by September 1 of each year, perform maintenance inspections and flow
testing as required by the current version of the International Fire
Code Section 507, Fire Protection Water Supplies.
A.
Private fire hydrants (all types) shall be inspected by a contractor
qualified and approved by the Pennsylvania American Water Company
(PAWC) on an annual basis which will include a single hydrant flow
test, operational check, and maintenance. The contractor is required
to contact PAWC prior to testing to utilize a hydrant meter and notify
of the date of flow testing.
B.
A written report on a form provided by West Hanover Township of the
annual inspection and testing shall be filed with West Hanover Township,
West Hanover Fire Company, and PAWC within 15 days of said inspection
and testing.
C.
Any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this
article, including failure to complete the annual inspection, testing,
and reporting shall, upon conviction therefor, be sentenced to pay
a fine of $100 per day per hydrant and costs of prosecution until
the report is received by the Township.
D.
Failure to meet water flows specified in the current NFPA Standards
1231 and 291, as detailed on the written inspection report, will require
the owner to take corrective action immediately and reinspect and
retest within 10 days, or any extension thereof granted by the Township.
A follow-up written inspection report must be filed with West Hanover
Township, West Hanover Fire Company, and PAWC within 15 days of said
inspection and testing.
E.
If the owner of any private fire hydrant fails to remedy any deficiencies
within 10 days, or any extension thereof granted by the Township,
the Township, or its agent, may enter upon the property and remedy
the deficiencies. Costs of this remedial action shall be borne by
the owner.
