This chapter shall be known as and may be cited as the "Forks
Township Dangerous Structure Ordinance."
This chapter shall apply uniformly to all persons, business
organizations, nonprofit organizations, and all other legal entities;
and it shall apply uniformly to all property and all property owners
within the Township.
Whenever it shall be reported or come to the attention of any
Township official that any structure, completed or in the process
of construction, or any portion thereof, is in a dangerous condition,
such person shall report same to the Board in person at a regularly
scheduled Township meeting or by written letter, signed by the complainant,
identifying the property in question, naming the property owner, and
briefly explaining the nature of the dangerous structure. The Board
shall immediately instruct the Zoning Officer to make an investigation
and examination of such structure. If such investigation or examination
indicates such structure to be a dangerous structure, a written report
of such investigation shall be sent to the Board, specifying the exact
condition of such structure and setting forth whether or in what respect
the structure is dangerous and whether the structure is capable of
being properly repaired or whether it shall be removed as a dangerous
structure.
The following standards shall be followed by the Board in ordering
the repair, vacation, or demolition of a dangerous structure:
A. If the dangerous structure can be repaired as determined by the Board
so that it will no longer exist in violation of the terms of this
chapter, it shall be ordered to be repaired.
B. If the dangerous structure is in such condition as to make it dangerous
to the health, morals, safety, or general welfare of its occupants,
it shall be ordered to be vacated.
C. If the dangerous structure cannot be reasonably repaired as determined
by the Board, or if its potential to harm the life and safety, morals,
or the general health and welfare of the occupants or other people
of the Township cannot be mitigated by repair, it shall be demolished
and the debris from such demolition shall be properly disposed of
in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
D. If the dangerous structure is a fire hazard or is existing or erected
in violation of the terms of this chapter, any other ordinance of
the Township, or any statute of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
it shall be demolished and the debris from such demolition shall be
properly disposed of in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
In all cases where it reasonably appears that the continued existence of a dangerous structure in its then-present form presents an immediate danger to the life or safety of any person or group of persons in the Township unless such dangerous structure is immediately repaired, vacated or demolished, the Zoning Officer, inspecting the dangerous structure, shall report such facts to the Township and the Township, upon petition to and authorization from the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas, shall cause the dangerous structure to be repaired, vacated or demolished. The costs of such emergency repair, vacation or demolition shall be collected in the same manner as provided in §
171-8 hereof.