[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of West Reading 10-18-2011 by Ord. No. 1001; amended 3-20-2018 by Ord. No. 1080; 8-18-2020 by Ord. No. 1125. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOROUGH
West Reading Borough, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
CERTIFICATE OF USE AND OCCUPANCY
A certificate issued by the Borough stipulating that the property meets all ordinances and codes and may be used or occupied as intended.
DATE OF PURCHASE
The date on which title and right to possess the property transfers to the purchaser or, in cases where the property is sold pursuant to the Act of May 16, 1923 (P.L. 207, No. 153), referred to as the "Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Law," the first day following the right of redemption period authorized under the Municipal Claims and Tax Liens Law.[1]
PERSON
Any person, partnership, co-partner, corporation, joint stock holder company, syndicate, tenant, property owner, occupant, lessor or agent in control of a building.
SUBSTANTIAL VIOLATION
A violation of an adopted building, housing, property maintenance or fire code or maintenance, health or safety nuisance ordinance that makes a building, structure or any part thereof unfit for human habitation and is discovered during the course of Borough inspection of a property and disclosed to the record owner or prospective purchaser of the property through issuance of a Borough report.
TEMPORARY ACCESS CERTIFICATE
A certificate issued by the Borough as a result of the inspection of the property by the Borough incident to the resale of the property that identifies at least one substantial violation, and the purpose of the certificate is to authorize the purchaser to access the property for the purpose of correcting substantial violations pursuant to all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations of the Borough of West Reading and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the Property Maintenance Code. No person may occupy a property during the term of a temporary access certificate, but the owner shall be permitted to store personalty that is related to the proposed use or occupancy of the property or is needed to repair the substantial violations during the time of the temporary access certificate.
TEMPORARY USE AND OCCUPANCY CERTIFICATE
A certificate issued by the Borough as a result of the Borough inspection of a property incident to the resale of the property that reveals a violation but no substantial violation, and the purpose of the certificate is to authorize the purchaser to fully utilize or reside in the property while correcting violations pursuant to all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations of the Borough of West Reading and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the International Property Maintenance Code.
UCC
Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (34 Pa. Code Chapter 401 et seq.).
UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION
A condition which renders a building or structure, or any part thereof, dangerous or injurious to the health, safety or physical welfare of an occupant or the occupants of neighboring dwellings. The condition may include substantial violations of a property that show evidence of: a significant increase to the hazards of fire or accident; inadequate sanitary facilities; vermin infestation; or a condition of disrepair, dilapidation, or structural defects, such that the cost of rehabilitation and repair would exceed 1/2 of the agreed-upon purchase price of the property.
UNIT
Each separate area of a building, designed or intended to be used for one family dwelling, one commercial user, or one industrial user.
VIOLATION
A violation of an adopted building, housing, property maintenance, or fire code, or health or safety nuisance ordinance that does not rise to the level of a substantial violation and is discovered during the course of a Borough inspection of a property and disclosed to the record owner or prospective purchaser of the property through issuance of a Borough report.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq.
From and after the effective date of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to change the occupancy of any residential dwelling or commercial or industrial building within the Borough, or permit such a change, without first obtaining a certificate of use and occupancy or temporary use and occupancy certificate.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to occupy any residential dwelling or commercial or industrial building within the Borough when a certificate of use and occupancy or temporary use and occupancy certificate is required by this chapter without first obtaining such a certificate or to continue to occupy any such unit or building with an expired certificate.
B. 
The owner of the property subject to the sale shall notify the Borough at least 10 days prior to the date of purchase and shall make the property available to the Borough for inspection.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to sell any residential dwelling or commercial or industrial building within the Borough without first obtaining a certificate of use and occupancy, temporary use and occupancy certificate, or temporary access certificate, regardless of whether or not there is a change in occupancy at the time of such sale. This requirement shall not apply to real estate transfers to any bank, savings association, credit union, mortgage lender, or any similar financial institution or subsidiary thereof, which takes title to the property for the purpose of holding the property for sale to offset losses incurred on a loan or other obligation in default secured by a mortgage, deed of trust or other lien on the property.
B. 
Exception. A financial institution not subject to this chapter may be required by the Borough to correct a substantial violation.
Applications for certificates of use and occupancy shall be made to the Borough on forms provided for that purpose.
Upon receipt of a properly completed application for a certificate of use and occupancy and payment of the required fee, the Borough shall promptly inspect the residential dwelling or commercial or industrial building which is the subject of the application to determine if the building conforms to all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations of the Borough, including the International Property Maintenance Code.
If, upon inspection, the Borough shall determine that the residential dwelling or commercial or industrial building is in compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations, the Borough shall forthwith issue a certificate of use and occupancy to the applicant.
A. 
If, upon inspection, the Borough shall determine that the residential dwelling or commercial or industrial building is not in compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations of the Borough, including the International Property Maintenance Code, then the Borough shall refuse to issue a certificate of use and occupancy and shall promptly notify the applicant, in writing, of the refusal and the specific reasons therefor, with references of the specific sections and subsections of the laws, ordinances, and regulations being violated. Upon notification by the applicant that the residential dwelling or commercial or industrial building has been brought into compliance, the Borough shall conduct a reinspection and, upon a determination that the unit or building is in compliance, shall issue a certificate of use and occupancy to the applicant.
B. 
If Borough inspection of a property incident to the resale of the property reveals a violation but no substantial violation(s), the Borough shall refuse to issue a certificate of use and occupancy and instead shall issue a temporary use and occupancy certificate and shall promptly notify the applicant, in writing, of the refusal and the specific reasons therefor, with references of the specific sections and subsections of the laws, ordinances, and regulations being violated.
C. 
If Borough inspection of a property incident to the resale of the property reveals at least one substantial violation, the Borough shall issue a temporary access certificate and shall promptly notify the applicant, in writing, of the refusal and the specific reasons therefor, with references of the specific sections and subsections of the laws, ordinances and regulations being violated.
A. 
Any purchaser of property with a known violation of any applicable laws, ordinances, and regulations must either bring the property into compliance or demolish the building or structure in accordance with the law within 12 months of the date of purchase. At the request of the property owner, the Borough may, at its discretion, negotiate for a longer period of time for maintenance and repair of the structure under a temporary certificate, but the time periods stated in this subsection may not be shortened.
B. 
At the expiration of the twelve-month period set forth in the above Subsection A, or before that time if requested by the property owner, the Borough shall reinspect the property for the purpose of determining compliance with the cited violations. If a temporary access certificate has been issued and reinspection indicates that the noted substantial violations have been corrected but other cited violations remain, the Borough shall issue a temporary use and occupancy certificate to be valid for the time remaining on the original temporary access certificate. If reinspection indicates that all noted violations have been corrected, the Borough shall issue a certificate of use and occupancy.
The Council of the Borough shall, from time to time, establish by resolution such fee as it deems reasonable and proper to be charged for the issuance of an occupancy certificate, temporary use and occupancy certificate and temporary access certificate pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
A. 
Failure to comply with this chapter shall result in:
(1) 
Revocation of the temporary access or temporary use certificate;
(2) 
The purchaser being subject to any municipal ordinances or codes and regulations relating to the occupation of the property without a certificate of use and occupancy;
(3) 
The purchaser being personally liable for the costs of maintenance, repairs or demolition sufficient to correct the cited violations, and a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Borough in the enforcement proceedings. If the penalty is not paid, the Borough may initiate a civil action for collection in accordance with the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure. Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense. In addition to or in lieu of enforcement under this section, the Borough may enforce this article in equity in the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County.
B. 
This section shall not apply for the violation of a municipal code or ordinance for which a fine, other penalty or a judgment to abate or correct was imposed by a Magisterial District Judge or municipal court, or a judgment at law or in equity was imposed by a court of common pleas prior to purchase, or where the Borough denies the certificate pursuant to 53 Pa.C.S.A. Chapter 61 (relating to neighborhood blight reclamation and revitalization).