Pursuant to Section 501 of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, 35 P.S. § 7210.501, as amended, the Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, 35 P.S. § 7210.101, as amended. For the purposes described in Section 102 of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, 35 P.S. § 7210.102, as amended, the Township hereby adopts the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), 34 Pa. Code, Article XIV, as amended, and the standardized codes adopted thereunder as presently promulgated or as they shall be amended hereafter, except Chapter 1 of the International Building Code, UCC Chapter 405 - Elevators and Other Lifting Devices and except as hereafter set forth.
A. 
Section 403.42a(a). Permit application subsection (a) is amended by adding the following phrase to the end of the first sentence:
On a form obtained from the Department of Code Compliance with the applicable permit fee.
B. 
Sections 403.42a. Permit application subsections (b) and (c) are deleted and replaced with the following:
(b) The application for a permit shall be accompanied by not less than two sets of construction documents as described by the UCC. The Building Code Official may waive the requirement for filing construction documents when the scope of the work is of a minor nature. When the quality of materials is essential for conformity to the UCC, the International codes, or this Ordinance, specific information shall be submitted to establish such quality. Citation to the UCC or use of the term "legal" or its equivalent shall not be used as a substitute for specific information.
The construction documents for new construction, alteration, repairs, expansion, addition or modification for buildings or structures shall be prepared by a registered design professional. All construction documents required for a building permit application shall be prepared by a registered design professional consistent with the professional registration laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The construction documents shall include the name and address of the registered design professional and shall be signed, sealed and dated by a registered design professional registered in accordance with the professional registration laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Building Code Official may waive the requirements for having documents prepared by a licensed design professional when the scope of work is of a minor nature.
Fire protection system designs shall be by one of the following: PA licensed professional engineer or an individual who is certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering and Technology (Level III and Level IV only).
At the time of filing an application for permit, the applicant shall present to the Building Code Official adequate evidence that he has obtained from all governmental authorities having jurisdiction all permits, licenses, approvals and/or variances required in connection with the proposed use, occupancy construction, enlargement, alteration or demolition.
C. 
Section 403.43.(g). Grant, denial and effect of permits is hereby deleted in its entirety and replace as follows:
(g) A permit becomes invalid unless the authorized construction work begins within 180 days after the permit's issuance or if the authorized construction work permit is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after the work has commenced. A permit holder may submit a written request for an extension of time to commence construction for just cause. The Code Official may grant extensions of time to commence construction in writing.
The work shall be completed within the time period stated on the building permit but not longer than one year from the date of the permit issuance, the work shall be completed within six months from the date of permit issuance for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, roofing and fire alarm permits. A permit holder, permit applicant, property owner or authorized agent may submit a written request for an extension of time to complete the work for just cause. A request for an extension shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee. The Code Official may grant extensions of time to complete construction in writing.
D. 
Section 403.44. Alternative construction materials and methods is hereby amended to by addition of subparagraph (d) as follows:
(d) Determinations by the Building Code Official shall be made in one of two written forms of communication.
(i) An Administrative Order which will provide guidance as to policy decisions. Administrative Orders shall be issued by the Building Code Official to clarify code questions and to establish departmental policy where no other criteria exists, or where administrative guidance is needed to establish a methodology to resolve recurring problems; or
(ii) A Standard Design Bulletin which will be issued where code criteria leave a specific aspect of construction to the judgment of the Building Code Official or the authority having jurisdiction. Specific design criteria will be set by the by appropriate authority as necessary.
E. 
Section 403.45. Inspections is hereby amended by the addition of subparagraphs (g) as follows:
(g) Reinspections: When a structure or equipment or mechanical, electrical or plumbing or other system subject to inspection under this or any other code shall fail two or more inspections or when the Department of Code Compliance is contacted to perform a test or inspection but the structure, equipment or system is not ready for testing or inspection when the Code Official arrives, the contractor or other person or business responsible for performing the work shall pay a fee for each such failure, as prescribed from time to time by resolution.
F. 
Section 403.62. Permit requirements and exemptions is hereby amended to include the following new subsection:
(f) A building permit shall be required for the erection, construction or placement of detached utility and miscellaneous use structures, such as private garages, carports, greenhouses, gazebos and sheds accessory to single-family, two-family and townhouse dwellings if greater than 400 square feet in area.
Where detached utility and miscellaneous use structures, such as private garages, carports, greenhouses, gazebos and sheds accessory to single family, two-family and townhouse dwellings, of 400 square feet or less in building area are connected to a utility, an appropriate permit for the utility connection is required. A utility is electric, natural gas, water, or sewer service.
A building permit shall be required for residential alterations or repairs as set forth in Section 403.62 of the Uniform Construction Code.
G. 
Sections 430.62a. Permit application is amended by deleting subsections (b) and (c) and adding new subsections as follows:
The application for a permit shall be accompanied by not less than two sets of construction documents as described by the UCC. The Building Code Official may waive the requirement for filing construction documents when the scope of the work is of a minor nature. When the quality of materials is essential for conformity to the UCC, the International codes, or this Ordinance, specific information shall be submitted to establish such quality. Citation to the UCC or use of the term "legal" or its equivalent shall not be used as a substitute for specific information.
The construction documents for new construction, alteration, repairs, expansion, addition or modification for buildings or structures shall be prepared by a registered design professional when the proposed design is outside the scope of the prescriptive building code. When construction documents required for a building permit application are prepared by a registered design professional they shall be consistent with the professional registration laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The construction documents shall include the name and address of the registered design professional and shall be signed, sealed and dated by a registered design professional registered in accordance with the professional registration laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Fire protection system designs shall be by one of the following: PA licensed professional engineer or an individual who is certified by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering and Technology (Level III and Level IV only).
At the time of filing an application for permit, the applicant shall present to the Building Code Official adequate evidence that he has obtained from all governmental authorities having jurisdiction all permits, licenses, approvals and/or variances required in connection with the proposed use, occupancy construction, enlargement, alteration or demolition.
H. 
Section 403.63. Grant, denial and effect of permits is hereby amended by deleting subsection (g) and replacing it in its entirety as follows:
(g) A permit becomes invalid unless the authorized construction work begins within 180 days after the permit's issuance or if the authorized construction work permit is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after the work has commenced. A permit holder may submit a written request for an extension of time to commence construction for just cause. The Code Official may grant extensions of time to commence construction in writing.
The work shall be completed within the time period stated on the building permit but not longer than one year from the date of the permit. The work shall be completed within six months from the date of permit issuance for electrical, plumbing, mechanical and residential fire alarm permits. A permit holder, permit applicant, property owner or authorized agent may submit a written request for an extension of time to complete the work for just cause. A request for an extension shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee. The Code Official may grant extensions of time to complete construction in writing.
I. 
Section 403.64. Inspections is hereby amended by adding new subsection (h) as follows:
(h) Reinspections: When a structure or equipment or mechanical, electrical or plumbing or other system subject to inspection under this or any other code shall fail two or more inspections or when the Department of Code Compliance is contacted to perform a test or inspection but the structure, equipment or system is not ready for testing or inspection when the Code Official arrives, the contractor or other person or business responsible for performing the work shall pay a fee for each such failure, as prescribed from time to time by resolution.