[Adopted 5-11-2004 by Ord. No. 1120]
The Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, as amended from time to time,[1] and its regulations.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 7210.101 et seq.
The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code Chapters 401 through 405, as amended from time to time, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the municipal building code of the Township.
Administration and enforcement of the code within the Township shall be undertaken in any of the following ways, as determined by the Council of the Township from time to time by resolution:
A. 
By the designation of an employee of the Township to serve as the municipal code official to act on behalf of the Township;
B. 
By the retention of one or more construction code officials or third-party agencies to act on behalf of the Township;
C. 
By agreement with one or more other municipalities for the joint administration and enforcement of this Act[1] through an intermunicipal agreement;
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 7210.101 et seq.
D. 
By entering into a contract with another municipality for the administration and enforcement of this Act on behalf of the Township;
E. 
By entering into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for plan review, inspections and enforcement of structures other than one-family or two-family dwelling units and utility and miscellaneous use structures.
A Board of Appeals shall be established by resolution of Council in conformity with the requirements of the relevant provisions of the code, as amended from time to time, and for the purposes set forth therein. If at any time enforcement and administration is undertaken jointly with one or more other municipalities, said Board of Appeals shall be established by joint action of the participating municipalities.
A. 
All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by the Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the code shall continue in full force and effect until such time as such provisions fail to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the code, as amended from time to time.
B. 
All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which are in effect as of the effective date of this article and whose requirements are less than the minimum requirements of the code are hereby amended to conform with the comparable provisions of the code.
C. 
All relevant ordinances, regulations and policies of the Township not governed by the code shall remain in full force and effect.
Fees assessable by the Township for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this article and the code shall be established by Council by resolution from time to time.
[Added 12-12-2004 by Ord. No. 1123]
The following existing requirements, including those required under Township Ordinance No. 1008 (the "Prior Building Code"), continue to be valid and enforceable regulations pursuant to Section 303 of the code:[1]
A. 
Permits shall not be required for the following. Exemption from the permit requirements of this code shall not be deemed to grant authorization for any work to be done in any manner in violation of the provisions of this code or any other laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction.
(1) 
Building: One-story detached accessory structures, provided the floor area does not exceed 200 square feet (18.58 m2).
B. 
Any owner or authorized agent who intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be done, shall first make application to the Building Official and obtain the required permit.
C. 
Smoke alarms.
(1) 
When interior alterations, repairs or additions requiring a permit occur or when one or more sleeping rooms are added or created in existing dwellings, the individual dwelling unit shall be provided with smoke alarms located as required for new dwellings; the smoke alarms shall be interconnected and hardwired.
(2) 
Exceptions:
(a) 
Smoke alarms in existing areas shall not be required to be interconnected and hardwired where the alterations or repairs do not result in the removal of interior wall or ceiling finishes exposing the structure, unless there is an attic, crawl space, or basement available which could provide access for hardwiring and interconnection without the removal of interior finishes.
(b) 
Repairs to the exterior surfaces of dwellings are exempt from the requirements of this section.
D. 
Naturally cut trees shall be regulated by Section 804 of the 2003 International Fire Code.
E. 
The requirements relating to the necessity of having a registered architect's or engineer's seal on residential dwellings shall remain in effect.
F. 
All relevant ordinances, regulations and policies of the Township not governed by the code shall remain in full force and effect. Undefined terms in this article shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the Building Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 7210.303.