The provisions of this article shall govern the minimum conditions of property and buildings. Every building or structure occupied by humans, except as exempted by § 367-8, and the premises on which it stands shall comply with the conditions herein prescribed as they may apply thereto.
No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy any structure or premises which does not comply with the following requirements. The enforcement official of the municipality shall cause periodic inspections to be made of all premises to secure compliance with these requirements.
A. 
Sanitation. All exterior property areas shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.
B. 
Grading and drainage. All premises shall be graded and maintained so as to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water thereon or within any building or structure located thereon.
C. 
Noxious weeds. All exterior property areas shall be kept free from species of weeds or plant growth which are noxious or detrimental to the public health.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
D. 
Insect and rodent harborage. Every owner of a structure or property shall be responsible for the extermination of insects, rodents, vermin or other pests in all exterior areas of the premises, except that the occupant shall be responsible for such extermination in the exterior areas of the premises of a single-family dwelling. Whenever infestation exists in the shared or public parts of the premises of other than a single-family dwelling, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner.
E. 
Accessory structures. All accessory structures, including detached garages, shall be maintained structurally sound and in good repair.
F. 
Abandoned vehicles. No person shall keep, store, abandon or leave upon the exterior property areas of any lot or parcel of private property within the Borough any of the following:[2]
(1) 
A motor vehicle having an expired registration for more than three months, and not currently used for transportation.
(2) 
Unused machinery or equipment.
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
G. 
Grass and lawn areas. All exterior grass and lawn areas of residential premises shall be maintained at a cut height of no more than six inches, or any height which results in the germination of any grass, weed, or plant seed or seed pods, whichever is less.
[Added 10-16-2000 by Ord. No. 1,252, effective 11-5-2000]
No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy any structure to portion thereof which does not comply with the following requirements:
A. 
Foundations, walls and roof. Every foundation, exterior wall, roof and all other exterior surfaces shall be maintained in a workmanlike state of maintenance and repair and shall be kept in such condition as to exclude rodents.
(1) 
Foundation. The foundation elements shall adequately support the building at all points.
(2) 
Exterior walls. Every exterior wall shall be free of holes, breaks, loose or rotting boards or timbers and any other conditions which might admit rain or dampness to the interior portions of the walls or to the occupied spaces of the building. All exposed surfaces thereof shall be maintained to eliminate conditions reflective of deterioration or inadequate maintenance, such as loose shingles or blistered or peeling paint, to the end that the property itself may be preserved, safety hazards eliminated and adjoining properties and the neighborhood protected from blighting influences. All exposed surfaces thereof shall be protected against weathering or deterioration by a suitable protective coating appropriate for the particular material involved.
(3) 
Roofs. The roof shall be structurally sound, tight and have no defects which might admit rain, and roof drainage shall be adequate to prevent rainwater from causing dampness in the walls or interior portion of the building. All leaders, gutters and downspouts shall be maintained in a state of good repair and adequate to carry off water from the building.
(4) 
Stairs, porches and railings. Stairs and other exit facilities shall be adequate for safety, as provided in the Uniform Construction Code, and shall comply with the following:
(a) 
Structural safety. Every outside stair, every porch and every appurtenance attached thereto shall be so constructed as to be safe to use and capable of supporting the loads to which it is subjected as required by the Uniform Construction Code and shall be kept in sound condition and good repair.
(b) 
Handrails. For safety, every flight of stairs which is more than three risers high shall have handrails which shall be located as required by the Uniform Construction Code, and every porch which is more than three risers high shall have handrails so located and of such design as required by the Uniform Construction Code. Every handrail and balustrade shall be firmly fastened and shall be maintained in good condition.
B. 
Windows, doors and hatchways. Every window, exterior door and basement hatchway shall be substantially tight and shall be kept in sound condition and repair.
(1) 
Windows to be glazed. Every window sash shall be fully supplied with glass window panes or an approved substitute which are without open cracks or holes.
(2) 
Windows to be tight. Every window sash shall be in good condition and fit reasonably tight within its frame.
(3) 
Windows to be openable. Every window, other than a fixed window, shall be capable of being easily opened and shall be held in position by window hardware.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
(4) 
Doors to fit in frame. Every exterior door, when closed, shall fit reasonably well within its frame.
(5) 
Window and door frames to fit in wall. Every window, door and frame shall be constructed and maintained in such relation to the adjacent wall construction so as to exclude rain as completely as possible and to substantially exclude wind from entering the dwelling or structure.
(6) 
Basement hatchways. Every basement hatchway shall be so constructed and maintained as to prevent the entrance of rodents, rain and surface drainage water into the dwelling or structure.
(7) 
Exit doors. Every door available as an exit shall be capable of being opened from the inside easily and free from obstructions and blockages.
C. 
Screening. Guards and screens shall be supplied for protection against rodents.
No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy any structure or portion thereof which does not comply with the following requirements:
A. 
Free from dampness. In every building, cellars, basements and crawl spaces shall be maintained reasonably free from dampness to prevent conditions conducive to decay or deterioration of the structure as required by the Uniform Construction Code.
B. 
Structural members. The supporting structural members of every building shall be maintained structurally sound, showing no evidence of deterioration which would render them incapable of carrying the imposed loads in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Construction Code.
C. 
Interior stairs and railings. Stairs shall be provided in every structure as required by the Uniform Construction Code.
(1) 
Maintained in good repair. All interior stairs of every structure shall be maintained in sound condition and good repair by replacing treads and risers that evidence excessive wear or are broken, warped or loose. Every inside stair shall be so constructed and maintained as to be safe to use and capable of supporting a load as required by the provisions of the Uniform Construction Code.
(2) 
Handrails. Every stairwell and every flight of stairs which is more than three risers high shall have handrails or railings located in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Construction Code. Every handrail or railing shall be firmly fastened and must be maintained in good condition. Properly balustraded railings, capable of bearing normally imposed loads as required by the Uniform Construction Code, shall be placed on the open portions of stairs, balconies, landings and stairwells.
D. 
Bathroom and kitchen floors. Every toilet, bathroom and kitchen floor surface shall be constructed and maintained so as to be substantially impervious to water and so as to permit such floor to be easily kept in a clean and sanitary condition.
E. 
Sanitation. The interior of every dwelling and structure shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
F. 
Insect and rodent harborage. Buildings shall be kept free from insect and rodent infestation, and where insects or rodents are found, they shall be promptly exterminated by acceptable processes which will not be injurious to human health. After extermination, proper precautions shall be taken to prevent reinfestation.
(1) 
Extermination from buildings. Every owner of a dwelling or multifamily dwelling shall be responsible for the extermination of insects, rodents, vermin or other pests whenever infestation exists in two or more of the dwelling units or in the shared or public parts of the structure.
(2) 
Extermination from single dwelling units. The occupant of a dwelling unit in a dwelling or multifamily dwelling shall be responsible for such extermination within the unit occupied by him whenever his dwelling unit is the only unit in the building that is infested.
(3) 
Responsibility of owner. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, whenever infestation of rodents is caused by failure of the owner to maintain any dwelling or multifamily dwelling in a rodent-proof condition, extermination of such rodents shall be the responsibility of the owner.
G. 
Interior walls, ceilings and floors. All interior walls, ceilings and floors shall be structurally sound, in good repair, free from defects, clean and painted.
H. 
Doors to fit in frame. Every exterior door, when closed, shall fit reasonably well within its frame.
[Added 11-19-2001 by Ord. No. 1,275, effective 12-9-2001]
All persons owning or occupying residential property which has located thereon or abutting thereto any public or private sidewalks, which are used by and/or are open to the general public, shall be required to maintain, construct, replace and repair the same in a workmanlike state of maintenance and repair. All holes, cracks, excavations, subsidence, or uneven pavement in sidewalks shall be maintained, filled, repaired or replaced as necessary, walks and steps repaired and other conditions removed where necessary to eliminate ground surface hazards or unsanitary conditions with reasonable dispatch upon their discovery. It shall be the responsibility of the owners and occupants of residential property to take reasonable steps to discover any such ground surface hazards or unsanitary conditions which may exist on sidewalks on their premises or abutting thereto.