This chapter shall be known and referred to as the "West Manchester
Township Dangerous Buildings Ordinance."
Unless the context specifically and clearly indicates otherwise,
the meaning of terms used in this chapter shall be as follows:
BOARD
The Board of Supervisors of the Township of West Manchester,
York County, Pennsylvania.
DANGEROUS BUILDINGS
All buildings or structures which have any or all of the
following defects and all such buildings or structures shall be deemed
to be "dangerous buildings":
A.
Those which have been damaged by fire, wind or other causes
so as to have become dangerous to the life, safety, morals or the
general health and welfare of the occupants or the people of the Township.
B.
Those which have become or are so dilapidated, decayed, unsafe,
unsanitary or which so utterly fail to provide the amenities essential
to decent living that they are unfit for human habitation or are likely
to cause accidents, sickness or disease so as to work injury to the
health, morals, safety or general welfare of those living therein
or other citizens of the Township.
C.
Those which have parts thereof which are so attached that they
might fall and injure members of the public or the adjoining property.
D.
Those which, because of their general conditions, are unsafe,
unsanitary or dangerous to the health, morals, safety or general welfare
of the people of the Township.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of West Manchester, York County, Pennsylvania.
All dangerous buildings, within the terms of §
59-2 of this chapter, are hereby declared to be public nuisances and shall be repaired, vacated or demolished as hereinbefore and hereinafter provided.
Whenever it shall be reported to or come to the attention of
any Township official or police officer that any building or structure,
completed or in the process of construction, or any portion thereof,
is in a dangerous condition, such person having knowledge thereof
shall report the same to the Board, and the Board shall immediately
cause an investigation and examination to be made of such building
or structure. If such investigation or examination indicates such
building or structure to be dangerous in accordance with the standards
of § 59- 2, definition of "dangerous buildings," of this
chapter, a written report of such investigation shall be submitted
to the Board, specifying the exact condition of such building or structure
and setting forth whether or in what respect the structure is dangerous
and whether the structure is capable of being properly repaired or
whether it shall be removed as a dangerous building.
The Board of Supervisors of the Township shall:
A. Upon receipt of a report in accordance with §
59-4 of this chapter, give written notice to the owner or owners of said dangerous building as determined by the records of the office of the Recorder of Deeds of York County, Pennsylvania or, failing to find any owner or owners, then to such occupant, mortgagee, lessee, agent or any other person having an interest in said dangerous building to appear before the Board on the date specified in the notice to show cause why the building or structure reported to be a dangerous building should not be repaired, vacated or demolished in accordance with the statement of particulars set forth in the notice provided for herein in §
59-7C.
B. Hold a hearing and hear such testimony as the owner, occupant, mortgagee,
lessee, neighbors or other person having an interest in said building
shall offer relative to the dangerous building.
C. Make written findings of fact from the testimony offered pursuant to Subsection
B as to whether or not the building in question is a dangerous building within the terms of §
59-2, definition of "dangerous buildings," hereof.
D. Issue an order based upon findings of fact made pursuant to Subsection
C of this section demanding the owner, occupant, mortgagee, lessee or any other person having an interest in said building to repair, vacate or demolish any building found to be a dangerous building within the terms of this chapter.
The following standards shall be followed in substance by the
Board in ordering repair, vacation or demolition of dangerous buildings:
A. If the dangerous building can be repaired as determined by a committee
composed of the Zoning Officer and at least one member of the Board
so that it will no longer exist in violation of the terms of this
chapter, it shall be ordered repaired.
B. If the dangerous building is in such condition as to make it dangerous
to the health, morals, safety or general welfare of its occupants,
it shall be ordered to be vacated.
C. In any case where a dangerous building cannot be reasonably repaired as determined by a committee as provided for in Subsection
A of this section, it shall be demolished. In cases where a dangerous building is a fire hazard existing or erected in violation of the terms of this chapter or any statute of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, it shall be demolished.
In cases wherein it reasonably appears that there exists an immediate danger to the life or safety of any person caused or created by a dangerous building as defined herein, the Board shall cause the immediate repair, vacation or demolition of such dangerous building. The costs of such emergency repair, vacation or demolition of such dangerous building shall be collected in the same manner as provided for in §
59-8C.