The Board of Commissioners hereby finds that nuisance properties
place a substantial and unacceptable threat and burden on the common
health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Township. To this
end, the Board of Commissioners directs the Code Enforcement Officer,
as provided in the following sections, to charge the cost of abatement
of nuisance properties to the property owner in an effort to deter
repeated violations of state and local laws and to ensure restoration
of the common health, safety and welfare of Township residents.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
That official of the Township charged with the duty of enforcing
the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance of the Township.
COST OF ABATEMENT
The reasonable cost of abatement of an enumerated infraction
as calculated by the Code Enforcement Officer, including but not limited
to the costs of Police Department and/or the costs of the Code Enforcement
Officer response associated with abating an enumerated infraction.
COST SCHEDULE
The complete list of costs associated with abating each enumerated
infraction.
NUISANCE PROPERTY
Any property being used as a residence within the Township
with five or fewer units that causes to be issued three citations
and/or legal complaints from the police and/or the Code Enforcement
Officer for any enumerated infraction on three separate occasions
within any 120-day period, or any property being used as a residence
with more than five units that causes to be issued at least three
citations and/or filings of legal complaints from one unit or five
citations and/or filings of legal complaints from the entire building
from the police and/or Code Enforcement Officer for any enumerated
infraction on separate occasions within any 120-day period.
PROPERTY OWNER
Any person or business entity, profit or not for profit,
owning an interest in any property within the boundaries of the Township.
An enumerated infraction is any of the following activities,
behavior, or conduct, whenever engaged in by the owner(s), operator(s),
tenant(s), occupant(s) or their invitee(s) occurring within the boundary
lines of the property, or 100 feet or less outside the boundary lines
of the property, including but not limited to:
A. Any violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania constituting
a summary offense, misdemeanor, or felony according to the Pennsylvania
Crimes Code;
B. Any violation of the Code of Ordinances of the Township of Shaler,
as amended from time to time.
Appeal of the determination of the Code Enforcement Officer
shall be submitted to the Board of Commissioners within 10 days of
service of the notice of enumerated infraction.
All ordinances, or parts of ordinances, in conflict with the
provisions of this chapter, are hereby repealed.
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the Township of
Shaler that the several provisions of this chapter are separable.
If any Court of competent jurisdiction shall declare any words, sections,
sentences or provisions of this chapter to be invalid, such ruling
shall not affect any other words, sections, sentences or provisions
of this chapter not specifically intended in said ruling.