[Adopted 12-2-1996 by Ord. No. 1459 (Ch. 83, Art. III, of the 1994 Code)]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Original Art. I, BOCA National Building Code, and Art. II, CABO One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, adopted 12-2-1996 by Ord. No. 1459, which immediately preceded this article, were superseded 5-3-2004 by Ord. No. 1529. See now Art. I, Uniform Construction Code, of this chapter.
Whenever a conflict shall occur between the provisions of this article and the codes adopted hereunder and the provisions of any other ordinance of the Borough of Dormont, particularly Chapter 183, Subdivision and Land Development, and Chapter 210, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Dormont, then such conflict shall be resolved by interpreting the ordinances so that the strictest interpretation of the conflicting ordinance shall be the one that prevails, and the administration or enforcement of the matter shall proceed under the provisions of the ordinance containing the strictest standard or interpretation.
A. 
The Building Inspector, Code Enforcement Officer and/or the Zoning Officer of the Borough of Dormont appointed under the provisions of the codes and ordinances of the Borough of Dormont or any inspector appointed by the Borough Manager, with the approval of the Council of the Borough of Dormont, shall be authorized, and are hereby directed, to be the officials responsible for the administration and enforcement of this article. The officials shall be charged with the responsibility of reviewing applications, plans, specifications and all other data submitted pursuant to the provisions of this article and shall inspect the construction, alteration, demolition or removal of all structures to ascertain that the same is conducted pursuant to the provisions of this article.
B. 
The code officials shall issue permits as the same are required, after first having obtained all necessary approvals, and shall condemn all unsafe structures and shall order the same to be razed or repaired and made safe and secure as the interest of the public safety may require; provided further, however, that in the event that a property owner or other persons having substantial property interest in the premises may feel aggrieved by such order, such property owner or aggrieved person may request a hearing before the Borough Council by requesting, in writing addressed to the Borough Manager, that a hearing be held to determine the propriety of the order issued by the code official appointed for these purposes. Such request for a hearing shall be submitted and filed with the Borough Manager within 30 days of the date of the order from which the property owner or aggrieved person seeks redress. A hearing shall then be held by the Borough Council to determine the propriety of the order, and, following the hearing, the Council shall, within 45 days of such date, render a decision in the matter. A signed copy of the written decision shall be forwarded to the property owner or aggrieved person within five days of the date of such decision.
C. 
The code officials shall have authority, after exhibiting proper identification and in the discharge of their official duties, to enter any building, structure or premises at any reasonable hour to enforce all laws relating to matters covered under the provisions of this article and shall be authorized to issue such citations or file such complaints before a Magisterial District Judge as may be required for the enforcement of this article.
No occupancy, use, change of use or change of ownership shall take place in a building, home or structure situate within the Borough of Dormont until a certificate of occupancy for the same shall have been issued by the code officials of the Borough of Dormont pursuant to the provisions of this article and Chapter 210, Zoning.
A. 
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article or of any codes incorporated herein and adopted hereby or any person who shall erect, construct, alter, repair, demolish or remove any building, structure or edifice covered hereunder or permit, suffer or cause the erection, alteration, repair, demolition or removal of any building or structure, or portion thereof, covered hereunder in violation of this article or any code incorporated herein shall be guilty of a violation of this article and shall, upon conviction thereof by a Magisterial District Judge, be punishable by a fine of not less than $300 nor more than $1,000, and costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine or costs, shall be imprisoned for not more than 10 days.
B. 
The owner of any building, structure, home or edifice or portion of the same or of the premises wherein a violation of the codes shall exist or who shall cause a violation of the same or any owner, tenant, contractor, agent or employee who may commit a violation of this article or assist in the commission of such a violation shall each be guilty of a separate offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $300 nor more than $1,000, and costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, shall be imprisoned for not more than 10 days; and provided further that each day that a violation of any of the provisions of this article continues shall be considered a separate offense.
C. 
The term "person," as used herein, shall mean any individual, member of a partnership or the officer of any corporation, which officer authorizes or participates in any action or omission to act which constitutes a violation of this article.
Nothing in this article or in the codes hereby adopted shall be construed to affect any suit or proceeding now pending in any court, or any rights acquired or liability incurred hereunder, nor any cause or causes of action accrued or existing under any act or ordinance repealed herein.