Chapter 289 Demolition or Partial Demolition of Buildings and Other Structures

All buildings and/or structures shall be completely razed, concrete basement floors broken up or drilled so to not become an impediment to the surface water leaching toward becoming groundwater, all foundation walls shall be backfilled, compacted and combined with sound fill, and all sites graded and vegetation established as specified. Razing includes, but is not limited to, all items located on the property, such as posts, piers, fences, walls (including basement and foundation walls) garages, sheds, steps, thresholds, nonpublic walkways, driveways and concrete pads, except such items as specified to remain in place.

No method of demolition may be used unless all phases of such demolition are strictly confined to the limits of the demolition area and do not constitute a hazard to adjacent properties or to the public.

Damage done to adjacent buildings or property, including the sidewalk, curb and other public improvements, shall be repaired or restored to original condition by the permit holder, contractor or property owner at their expense.

As it accumulates, remove and satisfactorily dispose of material taken from within the project limits as well as debris and rubbish, except material permitted and required for backfilling.

Pre-demolition requirements; permits and notifications. The property owner, permit holder or contractor is required to identify and secure all relative permits prior to demolition activity.

A demolition permit must be secured from the City of Altoona Department of Codes and Inspections. A permit shall be valid for a period of six months from the date of issuance. If the permittee has not completed all authorized work within said six-month period, the permit shall expire and a new application, permit, and all associated fees shall be required. The permittee shall notify the Department of Codes and Inspections 24 hours before starting demolition, 24 hours before beginning to backfill, and to conduct a final inspection.

A sewer cap permit must be secured from the City of Altoona Engineering Department. Permittee shall provide a twenty-four-hour notice to the Engineering Department to inspect disconnection and capping of the sewer line upon completion of same.

Permittee shall notify the Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc. at 1-800-242-1776 prior to any type of excavation in order to locate all utility lines.

Permittee shall notify the Altoona Water Authority, Natural Gas, Electrical, Telephone and Cable utilities prior to any type of excavation in order to locate all utility lines.

Permittee shall consult with the City of Altoona Police Department to determine the need to establish a traffic control plan and the ensuing permits.

In areas constituting more than five acres, an erosion sedimentation and control plan must be prepared and approved by the Blair County Conservation District Office.

Environmental and safety requirements.

Method of demolition. No method of demolition may be used unless all phases of such demolition are strictly confined to the limits of the demolition area and do not constitute a hazard to adjacent properties or to the public.

Traffic control. Permittee shall furnish, erect, and maintain barricades, steady bum lights, flashing warning lights, and warning and "Keep Out" signs where the placing of such protective devices is warranted, or as directed by the Engineer or the local safety officials. Permittee shall use PennDOT-approved traffic control devices and check traffic control devices daily, prior to the start of construction and at the end of the workday. Permittee shall correct deficiencies in placement and working order.

Pedestrian safety. Permittee shall provide, erect, light, and maintain suitable temporary footway shelter platforms, as required by law or as directed. Suitable barriers and warning devices, approved by the Code and Inspections Department and/or the City Police Department, shall be erected and maintained by the contractor around all operations and openings in the ground that constitute a hazard or dangerous condition.

Debris control. Permittee shall keep public rights-of-way clear of demolition debris at all times. No material shall be dropped by gravity or thrown outside the exterior walls of a building during demolition or erection. Wood or metal chutes shall be used to direct the flow of debris.

Dust control. Permittee shall satisfactorily prevent or control dust resulting from the demolition. The property owner, permit holder or contractor shall have provisions for water on site to wet the debris to control dust. In the event it is necessary to use City fire hydrants for water supply, the authorization, metering and payment arrangements must be made with the Altoona Water Authority prior to the beginning of the demolition process.

Asbestos. Only Pennsylvania-certified asbestos inspectors, contractors, workers, and supervisors may engage in the removal of asbestos.

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Burning debris. Burning of debris or structures is not permitted under any circumstances.

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Abandoned wells, septic tanks and cesspools must be taken out of service through appropriate capping, filling or removal as directed by the City Engineering Department.

Total demolition specifications.

Capping sewer lines. Before commencing with demolition, and unless otherwise directed, the property owner, permit holder or contractor must excavate to expose the sewer lateral line between the property line and the foundation wall. The sewer lateral line must be broken and capped and then blocked with cement. The property owner, permit holder or contractor must notify the City Engineering Department 24 hours before proceeding to cap a sewer line so that an inspection can be performed on the capping. The property owner, permit holder or contractor is responsible for maintaining the unbroken integrity of the capped sewer line throughout the demolition process.

Common or shared sewer or water lines. The property owner, permit holder or contractor will be responsible for determining if this situation exists during the demolition process and will cease work if this condition is observed. City Engineering Department must be contacted to design the repair and prepare the necessary change order for the additional work needed to continue uninterrupted water and sewer service to those houses not being demolished.

Asbestos removal. The demolition of (a) any institutional, commercial or industrial facility; (b) any apartment building containing more than four units; (c) any group of buildings or structures located at a single demolition site; and (d) any group of residential structures demolished as part of a larger project (for instance, highway construction) will require conformance with the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants regulations as amended (40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M). Among other requirements, these regulations require filing an asbestos abatement and demolition/renovation notification form with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry a minimum of 10 days prior to the start of the project.

Structural demolition procedures. Wood frame residential structures not exceeding three stories in height and designed to hold one family will be demolished so that adjacent properties, streets and the general public are protected and safe from damage during construction. No blasting permitted.

Chimneys. Chimneys shared with properties not being demolished are not to be disturbed other than to give them support as necessary for continued stability.

Removal of basement debris. Before the removal or breaking up of the masonry materials located in the basement, all debris must be removed from the basement area, including partitions, furnaces, heating apparatus, piping, gasoline or oil tanks, miscellaneous fixtures, and stairways. The Codes and Inspection Department must be notified to conduct an inspection before the backfilling of the basement can proceed.

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Basement slab. It is necessary that the basement concrete slab does not stop water from leaching down from the surface to the groundwater table; therefore, the basement slab should be crushed into sizes not to exceed one foot in diameter. If it was not possible to cap the sewer line outside the basement wall, and the sewer line has been capped on the basement floor, the basement slab must be drilled with two-inch holes on two-foot centers. Care should be taken to not penetrate the capped sewer line while drilling the holes.

Partial structural demolition specifications.

Bracing the remaining structure. Where a portion of a building is to be demolished, permittee shall adequately shore, brace, and support the remaining part to satisfactorily maintain the integrity of all remaining walls, floors, and roofs and their supporting members.

Shared cellar walls. Where demolition involves severance through a cellar or other subsurface opening, permittee shall provide a wall extending from 18 inches below the existing cellar floor to the elevation of the top of adjacent cellar walls. Permittee shall satisfactorily and integrally connect the new wall to the existing adjacent walls.

Utility service. When only a portion of an occupied building is to be demolished, permittee shall conduct demolition and related operations without interrupting utility service to the remaining portion of the building. Where it is necessary to reconnect facilities to the undemolished portion of the building, permittee shall make permanent reconnections.

Refinishing party walls. Permittee shall cap party walls and restore by insulating and plastering to an acceptable finish.

Party wall foundations. Permittee shall clean party wall foundations against which backfill material is to be placed, point brick or block walls with mortar, and waterproof with two coats of emulsified asphalt.

§ 289-3 Backfilling.

Backfilling the basement. All foundation walls, footers, masonry or stone columns and their footings can be removed to at least two feet below grade and used as backfill. The Codes and Inspections Department must observe the backfilling operation while it is in process.

Additional material. Permittee shall furnish additional embankment material for backfilling subsurface areas.

Permittee shall provide select granular material (#2 RC) for backfilling subsurface areas.

Minimizing subsidence. Permittee shall minimize subsidence in backfilled areas by filling all voids around the allowable clean foundation fill (rock, broken concrete, etc.) with loose fill consistently less than one inch in diameter.

Permittee shall backfill and provide final grading so that standing water is eliminated and all stormwater is directed to drain positively to swales, stormwater drains or natural streams. All final grading shall direct water away from the foundations of adjacent properties.

§ 289-4 Treatment of disturbed areas.

Top cover and final grading for all sites shall be top soil. Top soil is defined as soil that has a proven ability to grow crops and is otherwise suitable for supporting vegetation.

After backfilling has been completed and inspected, the property owner, permit holder or contractor shall loosen the subsoil then apply top soil.

All top soil shall be applied to a depth of four inches over the location of the former structure, and not less than 1 1/2 inches over the area disturbed by excavation work.

Apply seed mixture uniformly on the prepared areas. The property owner, permit holder or contractor must apply a sediment holder such as hay or straw.

§ 289-5 Disposal of waste.

Disposal locations.

Construction and demolition waste. The contractor will dispose of all construction and demolition waste, as defined by the Pennsylvania Code, Title 25, Chapter 271, at a disposal facility licensed and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP).

Clean fill. Uncontaminated soil, rock, stone, gravel, unused brick and block and concrete and waste from land clearing, grubbing and excavation, including trees, brush, stumps and vegetative material that are considered clean fill under Title 25, and ensuing regulations, can be disposed in clean fill locations that are revealed to the owner. Clean fill cannot be used to backfill foundations. Any remediation of the clean fill area required by the PaDEP will be the sole responsibility of the property owner, permit holder or contractor.

Paint contaminated masonry. Painted block, brick, or foundation stones that were generated on that particular site may be used as backfill but only on that site. Painted block, brick, or foundation stones can only be used for clean fill at another location with the permission of the Pennsylvania DEP.

Paint contaminated wood. Painted wood cannot be sold as firewood, nor burned other than in a PaDEP-approved municipal waste incinerator.

Burning as disposal. Burning of debris or structures is not allowed under any circumstances.

§ 289-6 Enforcement and rectification of improper work; violations and penalties; responsible department.

Residual or hazardous waste.: Any residual or hazardous waste must be disposed in accordance with the relevant state and federal regulations.

If the owner fails to rectify improper work or a defect which presents an immediate or imminent safety or health problem within 48 hours' notice by the City, or any other improper work and/or defect within 30 days after written notice from the City, the City or its agents may do the work and, in addition to any penalty that may be assessed under this chapter, the violator shall be liable for any costs incurred by the City to bring the project into compliance plus 15%, the same to be assessed upon that person as a property lien in accordance with applicable statutes, which may be recovered by an action in the Court of Common Pleas of Blair County.

In addition to any other penalty provided for herein, any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $1,000 plus the cost of prosecution and/or be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days.

Each day's violation of this chapter shall be considered a separate offense under this chapter.

The City may also enforce this chapter through an action in equity brought in the Court of Common Pleas of Blair County.

All fines and penalties collected for the violation of this chapter shall be paid to the City of Altoona.