[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
As used in this Part 10, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings set forth below:
ASSESSED VALUATION
The assessment placed on real property by the Adams County Assessment Office upon which all real estate tax shall be calculated.
BOROUGH
The Borough of Gettysburg.
BOROUGH COUNCIL
The Borough Council of the Borough of Gettysburg.
COUNTY
The County of Adams.
COUNTY ASSESSMENT OFFICE
The Assessment Division of the Adams County Tax Services Department.
DETERIORATED PROPERTY
Any industrial, commercial or other business property owned by an individual, association or corporation, and located in a deteriorating area, as determined by the Borough Council of the Borough of Gettysburg and as provided for herein, or any such property which has been the subject of an order by a government agency requiring the property or unit to be vacated, condemned or demolished by reason of noncompliance with laws, ordinances or regulations.
GASD
The Gettysburg Area School District.
IMPROVEMENT or IMPROVEMENTS
Repair, construction or reconstruction, including alterations and additions, having the effect of rehabilitating a deteriorated property so that it becomes habitable or attains higher standards of safety, health, economic use or amenity; or is brought into compliance with laws, ordinances or regulations governing such standards. Ordinary upkeep and maintenance shall not be deemed an improvement.
LOCAL TAXING AUTHORITY
The Borough of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg Area School District, the County of Adams or any other governmental entity having the authority to levy real property taxes within the Borough of Gettysburg.
NONRESIDENTIAL USE
The use, as permitted by the applicable provisions of the Gettysburg Borough Zoning Ordinance, of a building or structure for commercial, industrial, or manufacturing purposes, or any other activity that is done to further either the development, manufacturing, or distribution of goods and services, including, but not limited to, administration of business activities, research and development, warehousing, shipping, transport, remanufacturing, stockpiling of raw materials, storage, and repair and maintenance of commercial machinery and equipment. This term shall not include schools, nursing homes, or other residential-style facilities or recreational areas.
OCCUPIABLE BUILDING SQUARE FOOTAGE
The unit of measurement of an enclosed space which is designed for occupancy of either the residential or nonresidential use and available for use by an occupant. This term shall not include parking areas, outdoor common areas, interior common areas such as lobbies, hallways, shared restrooms that are available for nonresidential and residential uses. Nor shall it include space in the building which is devoted to its operations and maintenance, including gear rooms, storage rooms, and equipment rooms. Occupiable building square footage is generally measured from "paint to paint" inside the permanent walls and to the middle of partitions separating one user's space from that of other users on the same floor.
RESIDENTIAL USE
The use, as permitted by the applicable provisions of the Gettysburg Borough Zoning Ordinance, of a building or structure for one or more separate dwelling units within a mixed-use building or development, and in which each such unit is used or occupied, or intended to be used or occupied, in whole or in part, as the home or residence of one or more persons.
TAX DELINQUENCY
Any Borough of Gettysburg, County of Adams or Gettysburg Area School District taxes, and interest and penalties thereon, which are delinquent as defined in the Real Estate Tax Sale Law (72 P.S. § 5860.101 et seq.), i.e., taxes, interest and penalties thereon which remain unpaid in full by December 31 of any calendar year in which the tax is levied against the deteriorated property for which an exemption is claimed, or after an exemption is granted, during the terms of the exemption.
TAXPAYER
Any natural person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, limited liability company, company, or any other organization of any kind paying property taxes on real estate and improvements thereto located in the eligible area as designated by Resolution No. 091117-2, adopted by the Borough Council on September 11, 2017, and as identified in § 24-1002 of this Part.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
1. 
By Resolution No. 091117-2, adopted on September 11, 2017, the Borough Council determined and affixed the boundaries of the deteriorated area as those real properties designated and identified in the ROR - Residential Office Redevelopment District, as established and shown on the Official Zoning Map of the Borough of Gettysburg adopted as part of the Gettysburg Borough Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 1352-08, which was enacted by the Borough Council on May 5, 2008.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 27, Zoning.
2. 
Deteriorated Area.
A. 
The six real properties that comprise the deteriorated area are identified and designated as follows:
(1) 
Adams County Tax Parcel ID No. 16007-0109 — 000 (103 Carlisle Street);
(2) 
Adams County Tax Parcel ID No. 16007-0125A — 000 (102 North Stratton Street);
(3) 
Adams County Tax Parcel ID No. 16007-0125 — 000 (108 North Stratton Street);
(4) 
Adams County Tax Parcel ID No. 16007-0126 — 000 (North Stratton Street);
(5) 
Adams County Tax Parcel ID No. 16007-0141 — 000 (151 North Stratton Street); and
(6) 
Adams County Tax Parcel ID No. 16007-0140 — 000 (153 North Stratton Street).
B. 
The boundaries of the herein designated deteriorated area and the location of each parcel of deteriorated real property are identified and shown on Exhibit A which is attached hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is on file in the Borough offices.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
1. 
The amount to be exempt from Borough real estate taxes shall be limited to that portion of the additional assessment valuation attributable to the actual cost of new construction or improvements to the deteriorated property in accordance with the exemption schedule established by this Part.
2. 
The exemption from Borough real estate taxes shall be limited to that improvement for which an exemption has been requested in the manner as set forth in this Part and for which a separate assessment has been made by the County Assessment Office or the Adams County Board of Assessment Appeals.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
1. 
The percentage of the assessed valuation of the eligible improvements to be exempted where the approved land development plan provides for a minimum of 50% of the total occupiable building square footage to be developed or redeveloped as nonresidential use and a minimum of 25% of the total occupiable building square footage to be developed or redeveloped as residential use where the construction costs of the making of the improvements exceeds $1,000,000 shall be in accordance with the following schedule:
Year
Percentage
1
100%
2
100%
3
90%
4
90%
5
80%
6
80%
7
70%
8
70%
9
60%
10
60%
2. 
The exemption from real estate taxes shall terminate following the 10th year, and the eligible tax exemption shall not exceed a total of 10 years.
3. 
The exemption from real estate taxes granted under this Part shall be upon the real property exempted and shall not terminate upon the sale or exchange of the property.
4. 
The exemption shall not be granted, and if granted, the exemption shall be revoked, if at any time of application for exemption or during the exemption period there exists any tax delinquency with respect to the deteriorated property for which the exemption was granted.
5. 
In the event of reassessment by the county, the tax exemption shall be proportionally applied to any new assessment so long as the tax abatement period for the tax parcel of real estate in question has not expired. This application is to ensure that each deteriorated property that is granted a tax exemption receives the same percentage of tax benefits before and after any county-wide reassessment.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
If an eligible property is granted a tax exemption by meeting the total occupiable building square footage requirements pursuant to this Part and subsequently changes the status of the use or uses of the property to a lower occupiable square footage that no longer satisfies such requirements, the eligible property shall be subject to rollback taxes at 6% interest per year of the exempt assessed valuation. The rollback tax is the difference between the exempt assessed valuation under this Part versus the assessed valuation if the property had not been granted a tax exemption, plus 6% simple interest on that difference per year, dating back to the first tax year of the approved exemption. In addition, the property subject to the rollback shall no longer be eligible for a tax exemption.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
The following notice shall be placed on the Borough's application form for land use and building permits:
Notice to Taxpayer
Under the provisions of Borough Ordinance No. 1452-18, you may be entitled to a real estate tax exemption on your contemplated new construction or improvement. An application for exemption may be obtained from the Borough of Gettysburg, Office of Planning and Historic Preservation or the Adams County Assessment Office and must be filed with the Adams County Assessment Office at the time that the building permit is secured.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
1. 
At the time that a building permit is secured for the new construction or improvement for which an exemption is requested, the taxpayer shall apply to the County Assessment Office for the tax exemption provided in this Part and any corresponding tax exemption ordinance and resolution enacted by the county or the GASD. The request for the exemption must be in writing on a form provided by the County Assessment Office setting forth, at a minimum, the following information:
A. 
The name and address of the property owner;
B. 
The Adams County Tax Parcel Identification Number of the property;
C. 
The initial assessed valuation of the property;
D. 
The current year real estate taxes assessed on the property;
E. 
The date the building permit was issued for said new construction or improvement;
F. 
The type of new construction or improvement;
G. 
A summary of the plan of the new construction or improvement;
H. 
The anticipated date of completion of the new construction or improvement;
I. 
The cost of the new construction or improvement; and
J. 
Any or all such additional information that the Borough or the County Assessment Office may require.
2. 
Rules and Regulations. The County Assessment Office may adopt rules and regulations, as it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to establishing application requirements, compliance criteria, and other rules and regulations that are consistent with the purpose and intent of this Part.
3. 
Along with the taxpayer's request for exemption, the taxpayer must also sign an agreement, in a form established by the County Assessment Office, acknowledging and agreeing that the taxpayer applicant understands and agrees that at all times during the exemption period the taxpayer applicant must abide by the terms of this Part and the property shall conform to the requirements of the Part in order to maintain the exemption.
4. 
Upon completion of the new construction or improvement, the taxpayer applicant shall notify the County Assessment Office in writing so that the County Assessment Office may assess the new construction or improvement separately for the purpose of calculating the amounts of assessed valuation eligible for tax exemption in accordance with the limits established by this Part. Such notice must occur no later than 30 days following the issuance of all necessary occupancy permit(s) for the property. Failure to submit notice of completion within 30 days may result in the denial of the exemption for the initial tax year after completion of the improvement(s). The notice of completion shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
A. 
Name and address of the property owner;
B. 
The Adams County Tax Parcel Identification Number of the property for which the exemption is sought;
C. 
The date that the new construction or improvement was completed;
D. 
Any modification to the plan of construction or improvement as previously submitted; and
E. 
The final, adjusted actual costs of new construction or improvement.
5. 
The County Assessment Office will then establish the assessed valuation eligible for exemption and will notify the taxpayer applicant, the Borough, the county, and the GASD.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
Appeals from the reassessment and the determination of the amounts of assessed valuation eligible for exemption may be filed with the Adams County Board of Assessment Appeals.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
Unless otherwise repealed by the Borough Council, this Part shall expire and terminate on December 31, 2028. Nothing contained herein shall act to prohibit the Borough Council from enacting a similar ordinance, or extending this Part. Any property tax exemption granted under the provisions of this Part shall continue according to the exemption schedule set forth in this Part even if this Part expires, terminates, is amended or repealed by the Borough Council.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
The exemption from real estate taxes provided for herein shall be forfeited by the applicant or any subsequent owner of the property for the failure to pay any nonexempt real estate taxes by the last day of the time period to pay such taxes in the penalty period. Upon receipt of a notice of nonpayment of nonexempt real estate taxes, the exemption shall be discontinued.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
The provisions of this Part are severable, and if any section, clause, part or provision hereof shall be held to be illegal, invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision of the court shall not affect or impair the remaining sections, sentences, clauses, parts or provisions of this Part. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Borough Council that this Part would have been enacted if such illegal, invalid or unconstitutional section, sentence, clause, part or provision had not been included herein.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
This Part is contingent upon the enactment or adoption of a similar tax exemption ordinance or resolution by both the county and the GASD which applies to the subject matter of this Part.
[Ord. No. 1452-18, 10/9/2018]
This Part shall take effect after enactment and upon the satisfaction of the contingency and conditions set forth in § 24-1012 of this Part.