[Adopted 4-2-1985 by Ord. No. 423; amended in its entirety 7-15-1986 by Ord. No. 425]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
LEASED AND/OR RENTED DWELLING UNIT
Any dwelling designed for permanent living quarters, including, but not limited to:
A. 
One-family dwellings.
B. 
Two-family dwellings.
C. 
One-family semidetached dwellings.
D. 
Row dwellings.
E. 
Multifamily dwellings.
OCCUPANT
Any person or persons living and/or sleeping in a dwelling unit or having possession of a space within a building.
OWNER
Person, persons, or entity which holds legal title to real estate in question, according to the records in the Schuylkill County Recorder of Deeds Office.
SMOKE DETECTOR
A device which emits an audible signal when activated by smoke or fire, or which emits a visual and audible signal for the hearing impaired. The smoke detector must meet or exceed the standards set forth by Factory Mutual Research Corporation or Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
The smoke detector shall always be installed on ceilings or walls per instructions of the manufacturer but never closer than 12 inches from corners of interior walls. Although final determination of proper location for placement and type of smoke detector within each dwelling unit shall be decided by the Borough Fire Chief or Code Enforcement Officer, the general area in which the smoke detectors should be installed are:
A. 
At the top of stairways;
B. 
At the doorways outside of sleeping areas;
C. 
Between sleeping areas and potential fire sources, i.e., kitchens.
A. 
It shall be the owner's responsibility and duty to:
(1) 
Install smoke detectors;
(2) 
Periodically inspect smoke detectors to ensure working condition;
B. 
It shall be the occupant's responsibility and duty to:
(1) 
Maintain the smoke detector in a proper working condition or inform the owner of the dwelling unit of any malfunctions of the smoke detector.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any owner or owners of a leased and/or rented dwelling unit or occupant of a dwelling unit who fails to comply with the provisions of this article or any person who violates or permits a violation of this article shall, upon being found liable therefor, pay a fine of not more than $600, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings. If the penalty is not paid, the Borough shall initiate a civil action for collection in accordance with the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure. Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this article that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense. In addition to or in lieu of enforcement under this section, the Borough may enforce this article in equity in the Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill County.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person convicted of tampering with a smoke detector so as to render said smoke detector inoperative shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings. Upon judgment against any person by summary conviction, or by proceedings by summons on default of the payment of the fine or penalty imposed and the costs, the defendant may be sentenced and committed to the Schuylkill County correctional facility for a period not exceeding 30 days. Each day that such violation exists shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense.
The Borough Council hereby authorizes the Borough Fire Chief and Code Enforcement Officer, upon notice of any violation of this article, to bring charges before the Magisterial District Judge in accordance with the penalties set forth in §§ 253-4 and 253-5 of this article.