[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Oakdale 4-6-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-1. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Council of the Borough of Oakdale had determined that the health, welfare and safety of the citizens of the Borough are promoted by requiring certain structures to have a key lock box (i.e., Knox-Box® or other approved substitute) installed on the exterior of the structure to aid the Oakdale Volunteer Fire Department and other approved first responders in gaining access to or within a structure when responding to calls for an emergency or other services and to aid access into or within a building that is secured or is unduly difficult to gain entry due to being either unoccupied or the occupants are unable to respond.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CODE OFFICIAL
The official appointed by the Borough to administer and enforce the Borough and other codes.
FIRE CHIEF
The Fire Chief of the Oakdale Fire Department.
FIRE CODE OFFICIAL
The designated official charged with the administration and enforcement of the fire codes.
KNOX-BOX® OR APPROVED SUBSTITUTE
A small wall-mounted safe that holds building keys for fire departments, emergency medical services and sometimes police to retrieve in emergency situations. The Fire Department can hold master keys to all boxes within the Borough so that they can quickly enter buildings without having to force entry or find individual keys.
LOCAL AGENT
A person who is designated by the owner to serve as the owner's agent. The local agent shall meet the definition and obligations as listed in Chapter 258 of the Oakdale Borough Code.
OWNER
Any person or entity which owns, leases, manages, and/or is in control of a structure, building, facility or property.
STRUCTURE
Any building, facility or man-made object.
Required installation.
A. 
The following new structures shall be equipped with an operating key lock box, such as the Knox-Box® or approved substitute, at or near the main entrance or such other location as required by the Fire Chief or Code Official:
(1) 
All commercial, mercantile, business, mixed use or industrial structures equipped with a fire alarm or suppression system or such structures that are secured in a manner that restricts access during an emergency.
(2) 
Multifamily residential structures that have restricted access through locked doors but have a common corridor for access to the living units.
(3) 
Schools.
(4) 
Commercial, industrial, and governmental structures and/or properties where access to or within a structure or area is restricted because of secured openings or where immediate access is necessary for lifesaving or firefighting purposes.
(5) 
Any property where hazardous materials of a reportable quantity are stored.
B. 
All structures in existence on the effective date of this chapter and equivalent to those subject to Subsection A of this section shall not be required to install a key lock box in accordance with other sections of this chapter; however, if any permits are requested for building improvements to said structures, said structures shall install a key lock box in accordance with this chapter.
C. 
The following structures are exempt from the mandate to install a Knox-Box® system:
(1) 
Detached residential one-family and two-family dwellings and one-family townhouses that are not more than three stories in height and their accessory structures.
(2) 
Any structure or property having twenty-four-hour on-site security personnel who have full access to the entire structure or property may be exempt from the requirements of this chapter at the discretion of the Borough Fire Chief or Fire Code Enforcement Officer.
(3) 
Rental storage facilities where there is a single lock on the separate storage pods that are renter supplied; provided, however, the entry security gate(s) will require a key lock box, such as a Knox-Box® or other approved substitute, if electronically controlled or locked with a master key issued by the landlord to all tenants.
A. 
The owner is responsible for ordering and installing the key lock box.
B. 
The type of key lock boxes to be implemented within the Borough shall be a Knox-Box® brand system or such other rapid entry system of comparable quality which has been specifically authorized in writing by the Fire Chief and/or the Code Official as being an acceptable substitution for the Knox-Box® brand system.
C. 
The owner of any structure or property required to have a Knox-Box® or approved key lock box shall ensure that the Fire Department has a completely unobstructed access to the lock box at all times.
D. 
All Knox-Boxes®, or their approved substitute, shall be installed at the main business doors unless a prior approved location has been designated by the Fire Chief.
E. 
All Knox-Boxes®, or their approved substitute, shall be flush mounted 60 inches from the ground to the center of the entry, if possible. The final mounting location can be determined by the Fire Chief.
F. 
In the event that the Knox-Box® system cannot be installed at the aforesaid location and/or height, the Fire Chief or Code Official may designate, in writing, a different location and installation specifications.
G. 
While it is not required, it is recommended that all Knox-Boxes®, or their approved substitute, have a tamper switch installed if the building has an instruction/burglar alarm.
H. 
All realty and/or property with an electronic security gate shall have the Knox-Box®, or its approved substitute, installed outside of the gate.
I. 
The Fire Chief or Code Official must approve any changes in the installation.
A. 
The owner of any structure or property required to have a key lock box shall ensure that the keys contained within the lock box are up to date and provide access to all required areas within the structure or property. Whenever a lock is changed or new doors, gates, or panels are installed within a structure or property, the owner shall immediately notify the Fire Chief to coordinate the placement of items within the lock box.
B. 
The owner of any structure or property required to have a key lock box shall provide the Fire Department and/or Borough Code Official with up-to-date contact information that includes the owner's name; addresses; and email, telephone, mobile phone, and pager numbers. Any change in this information must be provided in writing to the Fire Chief and Code Official at least 48 hours in advance of the change occurring, along with the date such change will take place.
The contents of the lock box are as follows:
A. 
The lock box shall contain the key(s) for all exterior doors and gates, the keys for all interior doors and gates within the building, and the keys to all doors or panels which control access to shared systems, including but not limited to the following:
(1) 
Mechanical rooms.
(2) 
Electrical rooms.
(3) 
Elevators and elevator control rooms.
(4) 
Fire alarm panels.
(5) 
Special reset pull stations or other fire protection devices.
(6) 
All other keys as requested by the Fire Chief.
B. 
Each key shall be clearly labeled and easily identifiable.
A. 
No Fire Department personnel shall carry a Knox-Box® key.
B. 
All Knox-Box® access keys shall be installed in a Knox-Box®, or approved substitute, secure key type system installed in the fire apparatus. Each member that has access shall have a unique identifier code they must enter to unlock the key.
C. 
If access keys are granted to other agencies, the access key shall be kept in a Knox-Box®, or approved substitute, secure key type system with a unique identifier code assigned to anyone access is granted to. The Chief of the Oakdale Fire Department shall be notified of all outside agencies' personnel that will be given access.
A. 
The Borough of Oakdale is hereby authorized to implement rules and regulations for the use of the key lock box system, and those rules and regulations can be amended from time to time.
B. 
The Fire Chief and/or Code Enforcement Officer shall be authorized to implement rules and regulations for the use of the key lock box system, which rules and regulations shall be posted by the Borough.
Any person, entity or corporation who has violated any provisions of this chapter or who has failed to comply with any order issued by the Code Official or Fire Code Official pursuant to any section thereof shall, upon conviction before the proper judicial authority, be punished by a fine of not more than $300. Each day a violation continues shall be considered a separate offense.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.
If any sentence, clause, section or part of this chapter is, for any reason, found to be unconstitutional, illegal or invalid, such unconstitutionality, illegality or invalidity shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, sentences, clauses, sections or parts of this chapter. It is hereby declared as the intent of the Borough Council that this chapter would have been adopted had such unconstitutional, illegal or invalid sentence, clause, section or part thereof not been included herein.
The Borough incorporates the immunity and regulations set forth in the Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act, 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 8541 et seq.
This chapter shall become effective on the date of its enactment.