[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. XX]
In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this
chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements, adopted for the
promotion of the public health, safety, morals, or general welfare.
Wherever the requirements of this chapter are at variance with the
requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, ordinances,
deed restrictions, or covenants, the most restrictive or that imposing
the higher standards shall govern.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. XXI]
Whenever a violation of this chapter occurs, or is alleged to
have occurred, any person may file a written complaint. Such complaint
stating fully the causes and basis thereof shall be filed with the
administrative official. He shall record properly such complaint,
immediately investigate, and take action thereon as provided by this
chapter.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976; as added by Ord. 454, 9/2/2008]
1. If it appears to the Township that a violation of this chapter has
occurred, the Township shall initiate enforcement proceedings by sending
an enforcement notice as provided in this section.
2. The enforcement notice shall be sent to the owner of record of the
parcel on which the violation has occurred, to any person who has
filed a written request to receive enforcement notices regarding that
parcel and to any other person requested in writing by the owner of
record.
3. An enforcement notice shall state at least the following:
A. The name of the owner of record and any other person against whom
the Township intends to take action.
B. The location of the property in violation.
C. The specific violation with a description of the requirements which
have not been met, citing in each instance the applicable provisions
of this chapter.
D. The date before which the steps for compliance must be commenced
and the date before which the steps must be completed.
E. That the recipient of the notice has the right to appeal to the Zoning
Hearing Board within a period of 10 days.
F. That failure to comply with the notice within the time specified,
unless extended by appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board, constitutes
a violation, with possible sanctions clearly described.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976; as added by Ord. 454, 9/2/2008]
In case any building, structure, landscaping or land is, or
is proposed to be, erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, converted,
maintained or used in violation of this chapter, the Board of Commissioners
or, with the approval of the Board of Commissioners, an officer of
the Township, or any aggrieved owner or tenant of real property who
shows that his property or person will be substantially affected by
the alleged violation, in addition to other remedies, may institute
any appropriate action or proceeding to prevent, restrain, correct
or abate such building, structure, landscaping or land, or to prevent,
in or about such premises, any act, conduct, business or use constituting
a violation. When any such action is instituted by a landowner or
tenant, notice of that action shall be served upon the Township at
least 30 days prior to the time the action is begun by serving a copy
of the complaint on the Board of Commissioners. No such action may
be maintained until such notice has been given.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976; as added by Ord. 454, 9/2/2008]
1. Any person, partnership or corporation who or which has violated
or permitted the violation of the provisions of this chapter shall,
upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding
commenced by the Township, pay a judgment of not more than $500 plus
all court costs, including reasonable attorney fees incurred by the
Township as a result thereof. No judgment shall commence or be imposed,
levied or payable until the date of the determination of a violation
by the magisterial district judge. If the defendant neither pays nor
timely appeals the judgment, the Township may enforce the judgment
pursuant to the applicable rules of civil procedure. Each day that
a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation, unless
the magisterial district judge determining that there has been a violation
further determines that there was a good faith basis for the person,
partnership or corporation violating this chapter to have believed
that there was no such violation, in which event there shall be deemed
to have been only one such violation until the fifth day following
the date of the determination of a violation by the magisterial district
judge and thereafter each day that a violation continues shall constitute
a separate violation.
2. The court of common pleas, upon petition, may grant an order of stay,
upon cause shown, tolling the per diem fine pending a final adjudication
of the violation and judgment.
3. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed or interpreted
to grant to any person or entity other than the Township the right
to commence any action for enforcement pursuant to this section.
4. Magisterial district judges shall have initial jurisdiction over
proceedings brought under this section.