These regulations shall be known as the "Borough of Canonsburg
Fire Inspection and Fire Safety Ordinance."
This chapter is intended to serve the following purposes and
intent:
A. To assist the Borough of Canonsburg in protecting and promoting the
public health, safety and welfare of its citizens; and
B. To ensure that owners, managers and occupants share responsibilities
to comply with codes; and
C. To mitigate the hazard of fire and explosion arising from the storage,
handling or use of structures, materials, or devices; and
D. To mitigate the risk of conditions hazardous to life, property, or
public welfare in the occupancy of structures or premises; and
E. To mitigate the risks of fire hazards in the structure or on the
premises from occupancy or operation; and
F. To regulate matters related to the construction, extension, repair,
alteration and removal of fire suppression or alarm systems; and
G. To provide for a system of inspections and for issuance of certificates
of compliance and to establish penalties for violations; and
H. To establish the minimum requirements consistent with nationally
recognized good practice for providing a reasonable level of life
safety and property protection from the hazards of fire, explosion
or dangerous conditions in new and existing commercial buildings,
inclusive of residential buildings containing two or more units, structures
and premises and to provide safety to firefighters and emergency responders
during emergency operations.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
BOROUGH
The Borough of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
CODE
Any code or ordinance adopted, enacted and/or in effect in
and for the Borough of Canonsburg concerning fitness for habitation
or the construction, maintenance, operation, occupancy, use, vermin
or rodent control, or public health matters of any premises or dwelling
unit. This shall include, but not be limited to, the Borough's
property maintenance code, solid waste and water ordinances, public
health ordinances, noise control ordinances, and other applicable
codes and standards.
CODE OFFICER
The duly appointed Code Enforcement Officer(s), Code Compliance
Officers(s), or Code Inspector(s), inclusive of the Fire Code Official,
having the duty to enforce this chapter, and other Borough property
maintenance codes, and similar codes of the Borough of Canonsburg
and any assistants or deputies thereof.
COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE
Any building or facility, either open or enclosed, used and
maintained for commercial purposes. Commercial structures include,
but are not limited to, office buildings, community centers, personal
service businesses, industrial property, Residential Group R-1, R-2,
and R-3 occupancies as defined in the International Building Code,
financial institutions, schools and educational facilities, cultural
facilities, medical centers, hotels/motels, malls, retail stores,
theaters, restaurants, taverns, shopping centers, places of worship,
farmland, utility buildings, warehouses, and garages. Residential
structures containing three or more units shall be considered a commercial
structure for purposes of this chapter.
OCCUPANT
Any individual or business entity living in or using a premises
or property as tenant, owner or someone who has occupancy of a premises
or property.
OPERATIONAL PERMIT
A document issued by the Borough Department of Code Enforcement
or Department of Fire Inspection certifying that a building, structure,
unit or portion thereof is in compliance with the applicable regulations
as indicated in this chapter.
OWNER
One or more persons, jointly or severally, in whom is vested
all or part of the legal title to the premises, or all or part of
the beneficial ownership and a right to present use and enjoyment
of the premises.
PERSON
A natural person, partnership, corporation, unincorporated
association, limited partnership, trust or any other entity.
PREMISES
Any parcel of real property located in the Borough of Canonsburg,
including the land and all buildings and structures, on which one
or more regulated rental unit is located.
The 2018 International Fire Code, as published by the International
Code Council, Inc., as amended, revised, and/or reprinted from time
to time, and successor editions as adopted by the Pennsylvania Department
of Labor and Industry, is hereby adopted as the Fire Code of the Borough
of Canonsburg. Each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties,
conditions and terms of said International Fire Code and hereby referred
to, adopted, and made a part of hereof, as if fully set out in this
chapter, with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes as
prescribed below in this chapter.
As part of this chapter, and as provided by the current International
Fire Code, a Fire Code Official shall be appointed by Council for
the Borough of Canonsburg, as recommended by the Fire Chief of the
Borough. This Fire Code Official shall not be removed from office
except for cause and after full opportunity to be heard on specific
and relevant charges by and before the appointing authority.
Each commercial structure or premises shall post its fire inspection
certificate of compliance in plain view, and each fire inspection
certificate of compliance will be updated upon the completion of the
fire inspection.
No permit shall be issued under this chapter until the proper
fees are paid to the Borough or the Borough's designated agent,
with the required application. The permit fee shall be set by Borough
Council from time to time by resolution.
The provisions of this chapter, so far as they are the same
as those of ordinances and/or codes in force immediately prior to
the enactment of this chapter, are intended as a continuation of such
ordinances and codes and not as new enactments. The provisions of
this chapter shall not affect any act done or liability incurred,
nor shall they affect any suit or prosecution pending or to be instituted
to enforce any right or penalty or to punish any offense under the
authority of any of the repealed ordinances.
The regulations and requirements of this chapter amendment shall
not permit any administrative or enforcement functions which are part
of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Act as currently adopted
by the Borough of Canonsburg.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this
chapter is, for any reason, held to be unconstitutional, such decision
shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this chapter.
The Borough of Canonsburg hereby declares that it would have passed
this chapter, and each section, subsection, clause or phrase thereof,
irrespective of that fact that any one or more sections, subsections,
sentences, clauses and phrases be declared unconstitutional.
Chapter 295 of the Borough of Canonsburg Code of Ordinances
and Ordinances 1323, 1328, 1333, and 1339 are hereby repealed and
replaced by this chapter. All ordinances or parts of ordinances which
are inconsistent herewith, except to the extent otherwise provided
herein, are hereby repealed.