Township of Lower Gwynedd, PA Chapter 1444 Plumbing Code

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Lower Gwynedd 3-24-2009 by Ord. No. 463.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Fees — See Ch. 208.

Sewers — See Ch. 1060.

Adoption of Uniform Construction Code standards — See Ch. 1440.

[1] Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 1444, Plumbing and drainage code, adopted 11-14-1995 by Ord. No. 318, as amended.

§ 1444.01 Administration and enforcement.

Lower Gwynedd Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, 35 P.S. §§ 7210.101 through 7210.1103, as amended from time to time, and its regulations.

§ 1444.02 Adoption of standards.

The International Plumbing Code (IPC) contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the official Plumbing Code of Lower Gwynedd Township.

§ 1444.03 Process for administration and enforcement.

Administration and enforcement of the IPC within Lower Gwynedd Township shall be undertaken in any of the following ways as determined by the Board of Supervisors of Lower Gwynedd Township from time to time by resolution:

(a) By the designation of an employee of the Township to serve as the Township Plumbing Inspector to act on behalf of the Township.

(b) By the retention of one or more third party inspectors to act on behalf of the Township.

(c) By agreement with one or more other municipalities for the joint administration and enforcement of this Act through an intermunicipal agreement.

(d) By entering into a contract with another municipality for the administration and enforcement of this Act on behalf of the Township.

(e) By entering into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for plan review, inspections and enforcement of structures other than one-family or two-family dwelling units and utility and miscellaneous use structures.

§ 1444.04 Board of Appeals.

A Board of Appeals shall be established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors of Lower Gwynedd Township in conformity with the requirements of the relevant provisions of the UCC, as amended from time to time, and for the purposes set forth therein. If at any time enforcement and administration is undertaken jointly with one or more other municipalities, said Board of Appeals shall be established by joint action of the participating municipalities.

§ 1444.05 Effect on other ordinances, regulations and policies.

(a) All building, housing and plumbing code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by Lower Gwynedd Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the IPC shall continue in full force and effect until such time as such provisions fail to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the IPC, as amended from time to time.

(b) All building, housing and plumbing code ordinances or portions of ordinances which are in effect as of the effective date of this chapter and whose requirements are less than the minimum requirements of the IPC are hereby declared null and void and are deemed immediately replaced by the comparable provisions of the IPC.

(c) All relevant ordinances, regulations and policies of Lower Gwynedd Township not governed by the IPC shall remain in full force and effect.

§ 1444.06 Continuation of provisions.

The following provisions were duly adopted by Lower Gwynedd Township on or before July 1, 1999, and are specifically identified as equaling or exceeding the requirements of the IPC and shall continue in full force and effect until such time as the provisions fail to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the IPC, as amended from time to time. The following provisions are not intended as an exhaustive list of provisions adopted by the Township before July 1, 1999, which equal or exceed the requirements of the IPC, and the Township reserves the right to enforce, without limitation, all other building code provisions not specifically listed below which were adopted on or before July 1, 1999, which equal or exceed the requirements of the IPC, as amended from time to time.

(a) Modification of the Administrative Regulations or Chapter 403.

(1) In Section 106.6.2, add "Fees for plumbing permits shall be in accordance with a schedule adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors."

(b) Technical Modifications of the International Plumbing Code, 2006.

(1) IPC Tables 605.3, 605.4 and 605.5. Copper, "Pex," ductile iron, or galvanized steel pipe shall be used for water services. Only brass, copper, "Pex" or galvanized steel pipe shall be used for water distribution.

(2) (Reserved)[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Former Subsection (b)(2), which provided that only cast-iron or K copper pipe shall be used underground within a building, was repealed 8-23-2016 by Ord. No. 508.

(3) Delete IPC Section 1003.3.1 in its entirety and replace as follows:

1003.3.1

Any food handling establishment where cooking is done on the premises, a one-thousand-gallon grease trap shall be installed under the supervision of the Lower Gwynedd Township Sewer Authority and pursuant to the requirements of the Authority.

§ 1444.07 Establishment of fees.

Fees assessable by Lower Gwynedd Township for any administration and/or enforcement undertaken pursuant to this chapter and the IPC shall be established by the Board of Supervisors by resolution from time to time.

§ 1444.08 Violations and penalties.

Any individual, firm or corporation which violates any provision of the IPC commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 and costs. Each day that a violation of the IPC continues shall be considered a separate violation.