The Borough of Verona hereby elects to adopt, administer and
enforce the provisions contained in the Pennsylvania Construction
Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, specifically those pertaining to uncertified
buildings, 35 P.S. § 7210.902(b), and the regulations made
pursuant thereto.
An "uncertified building" is defined as an existing building
which, prior to April 9, 2004, was not approved for use and occupancy
by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The term does
not include a residential building.
Uncertified buildings shall meet the following requirements:
A. Maximum story height, minimum allowable construction type based on
floor area, vertical opening and shaft protection requirements, means
of egress requirements pertaining to minimum number of exits, maximum
travel distances to exits, means of egress illumination, minimum egress
widths and heights for exit doors, exit stairs, exit ramps and exit
corridors requirements under the International Building Code.
B. Firesafety requirements in the International Building Code for the
fire alarms, fire extinguishers, heat and smoke detectors, automatic
sprinkler systems, and occupancy and incidental use separations. The
following also applies:
(1) If construction began on a building before May 19, 1984, the installation
of automatic sprinkler systems is not required.
(2) If construction began on a building after May 19, 1984, automatic
sprinklers are only required if the building is classified in use
groups E (educational), H (high-hazard), I (institutional), or R-1
or R-2 (residential) or if the building has occupied floors more than
75 feet above the lowest level of fire department access. However,
buildings in use groups R-1 and R-2 which do not have occupied floors
more than 75 feet above lowest level of fire department access may,
instead of installing automatic sprinkler systems, install hard-wired
interconnected heat and smoke detectors in all rooms and spaces, whether
they are occupied or unoccupied.
(3) If construction of a building began after May 18, 1984, automatic
sprinkler installation shall be completed within five years of December
22, 2005, or any certificate of occupancy issued shall be invalid.
C. Accessibility requirements are applicable as follows:
(1) If construction of an uncertified building began before September
1, 1965, no accessibility requirements shall be imposed by the Borough.
(2) If construction of a building began after August 31, 1965 and before
February 18, 1989, and if the building is a state-owned building,
a restaurant or a retail commercial establishment, the building shall
have at least one accessible main entrance, an accessible route from
the accessible entrance to any public spaces on the same level as
the accessible entrance and, if toilet rooms are provided, the building
shall have at least one toilet room for each sex, or a unisex toilet
room complying with the accessibility requirements of the International
Building Code shall be met.
(3) If construction of the building began after February 17, 1989, all
accessibility requirements of the International Building Code shall
be met.
D. Structural requirements shall not be imposed unless the Borough determines
that the building has defects that are defined as dangerous in Section
202 of the International Building Code. If the building is dangerous,
the Borough may impose only those requirements minimally necessary
to remove danger to the building's occupants.