[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018[1]]
As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOROUGH
The Borough of Rankin, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
BOROUGH SECRETARY
The person duly appointed from time to time by Council to perform general administrative and regulatory services for the Borough as set forth in the Pennsylvania Borough Code, 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 1111. "Borough Secretary" also means the authorized representative or delegate of the Secretary.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
Any building or portion of any building that is designed or used for business, storage or any other purpose other than as a dwelling unit for a person or a family.
COUNCIL
The Council of the Borough of Rankin, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
DWELLING UNIT
Any house, building, premises, apartment, boarding home or condominium which is designed or used as a place of residence for one or more natural persons or a family.
LANDLORD
Any person who is the owner of a house, building, premises, apartment building or facility within the Borough and who leases or rents a dwelling unit or commercial property to a tenant. The definition includes the landlord's rental or property agent or manager.
OWNER
The person with legal title to a dwelling unit or commercial property located in the Borough of Rankin.
PERSON
Any natural person, entity, firm, partnership, association or corporation.
TENANT
Any person or persons who leases or rents a dwelling unit or commercial property within the Borough from a landlord. "Tenant" also means any person or persons whom the owner or landlord has granted permission to use the owner's dwelling unit or commercial property without the payment of rent.
TRANSFEREE
Any person or persons to whom an owner intends to transfer legal title to a dwelling unit or a commercial property by a deed or instrument to be recorded in the Office of Property Records (formerly the Office of the Recorder of Deeds) of Allegheny County.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinancerepealed former Part 2, Occupancy Permits, adopted 11/9/1972 by Ord. No. 192.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
1. 
A dwelling unit or commercial property which has not been previously occupied or which has been vacated may not be occupied until an occupancy permit has been secured from the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representative or delegate. A separate occupancy permit must be applied for and issued for each dwelling unit or commercial property. The responsibility for compliance with this requirement shall rest with the owner.
2. 
A landlord shall not permit a tenant to occupy a dwelling unit or commercial property until the landlord has first applied for and secured an occupancy permit from the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representative.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
1. 
The owner or landlord shall submit a written application for each occupancy permit to the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representative or delegate.
2. 
The written application shall consist of a form prepared and approved by the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representative or delegate. The application form shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
A. 
Name, mailing address and telephone number of the owner and, if different, the landlord;
B. 
Address of the dwelling unit or commercial property;
C. 
Number of rooms and bathroom facilities in the dwelling unit or square footage of the commercial property;
D. 
General description of the dwelling unit or commercial property and a description of the specific, intended use thereof to be made by the occupying owner(s) or tenant(s);
E. 
The full name, address, telephone number, occupation, and employment status (i.e., employed within the Borough of Rankin, or outside of the Borough or unemployed), of the transferee(s) or tenant(s) and any adult person(s) living in, inhabiting or occupying a dwelling unit with the permission or consent of the transferee(s) or tenant(s);
F. 
Date that the dwelling unit or commercial property was last inspected by the Borough;
G. 
Date of proposed occupancy by the transferee(s) or tenant(s) and any adult person(s) living in, inhabiting or occupying a dwelling unit with the permission or consent of the transferee.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
Each application for an occupancy permit submitted by an owner or landlord to the Borough Secretary shall be accompanied by a fee in an amount established from time to time by resolution of Council. The amount of the fee shall be established to defray the costs of inspection and the cost of administering this chapter and part of the Borough of Rankin Code. No application for an occupancy permit shall be processed until the application fee has been paid.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
1. 
An occupancy permit shall not be issued by the Borough Secretary until such time as the Borough's Code Enforcement Officer or such other person designated by Council has inspected the dwelling unit or commercial property and determined that the dwelling unit or commercial property is in a safe, livable and habitable condition and in compliance with all applicable fire, safety, health and other regulations and has so notified the Borough Secretary.
2. 
If Code Enforcement Officer or such other person designated by Council has inspected the dwelling unit or commercial property and determined that the dwelling unit or commercial property is not in a safe, livable and habitable condition or is not in compliance with all applicable fire, safety, health and other regulations, then the Code Enforcement Officer or such other person designated by Council shall issue a written report to the owner setting forth the reasons why an occupancy permit for the dwelling unit or commercial property has been denied and what corrective measures must be undertaken in order to receive an occupancy permit. Upon the completion of the corrective measures listed by the Code Enforcement Officer or such other person designated by the Borough, the owner shall request a new inspection of the dwelling unit or commercial property. Each new inspection shall be subject to an individual charge per inspection.
3. 
If an inspection of a dwelling unit or a commercial property has been scheduled, but the Code Enforcement Officer or such other person designated by the Borough is unable to conduct the inspection at the agreed upon time and place due to the failure of the owner or his authorized agent to appear or cooperate, then the owner shall forfeit the application fee and shall pay a new application for the inspection.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
1. 
An owner or landlord, when tenants occupy an owner's dwelling unit, shall report any change in the number of person or persons living in, inhabiting or occupying a dwelling unit even when there has not been a transfer of the dwelling unit by the owner. It is the intent of this section that an owner and landlord shall have an ongoing duty to report any changes in the names, addresses, employment status (i.e., employed within the Borough of Rankin, or outside of the Borough or unemployed), and occupations of any person or person who lives, inhabits or occupies a dwelling unit in the Borough.
2. 
Any change in the occupancy of any dwelling unit or commercial property shall be reported in writing to the Borough Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representative or delegate within 10 days after the change in occupancy by completing the occupancy report form required to be filed by owners and/or landlords under the Borough of Rankin's Occupancy Reporting Ordinance, or such other successor ordinance enacted by Council.
[Ord. No. 522, 3/13/2018]
Any person who shall violate any requirement in this Part shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 for each offense, together with the costs of the proceedings against the person or shall be liable for imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues shall constitute a separate offense.