[Ord. 866, 9/8/2003 as amended by Ord. No. 1044, 10/9/2023]
1. 
All dwelling units (as defined in § 11-101, Part 1 of Chapter 11 of the Code of the Town of Bloomsburg) in all structures in the Town of Bloomsburg containing at least one dwelling unit that is subject to the Regulated Rental Unit Occupancy Ordinance of the Town of Bloomsburg shall be equipped with interconnected smoke detectors installed in accordance with the standards of the International Property Maintenance Code of 2018, as the same may be amended from time to time, or the provisions of this Ordinance, whichever is more stringent.
2. 
All such structures shall have smoke detectors installed no later than 30 days from the date of enactment of this Part.
[Ord. 866, 9/8/2003; as amended by Ord. No. 1044, 10/9/2023]
1. 
All structures in the Town of Bloomsburg containing dwelling units (as defined in Section 11-202, Part 2 of the Code of the Town of Bloomsburg) with the exception of those structures and dwelling units listed in subsection (2), below, shall be equipped with interconnected smoke detectors in accordance with the International Property Maintenance Code of 2018, as the same may be amended from time to time, or the provisions of this Ordinance, whichever is more stringent.
2. 
Structures and dwelling units exempted from installing interconnected smoke detectors are as follows:
A. 
A single family, owner-occupied structure unless the same is required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
B. 
Multiple-family structures containing only two dwelling units located side by side in which at least one dwelling unit is occupied by the owner.
3. 
Structures requiring interconnection within each dwelling unit as required by the International Property Maintenance Code of 2018, as amended from time to time, or the provisions of this Ordinance, but not subject to interconnection between dwelling units under § 7-303(6) when no significant common area exits, are:
A. 
Multiple-family structures containing only two dwelling units located side by side, provided there is a two-hour fire wall fully separating the two dwelling units.
B. 
Multiple-family structures containing only two dwelling units in which one dwelling unit is located above the lower-level dwelling unit, provided there is a two-hour fire wall fully separating the two dwelling units.
C. 
Multiple-family structures containing only two dwelling units where each unit has a separate owner.
4. 
All such structures not subject to the Regulated Rental Unit Occupancy Ordinance and those not exempted in subsections 2 and 3 above, shall have interconnected smoke detectors installed as listed in subsection I, in accordance with the International Property Maintenance Code of 2018, as amended from time to time, or the provisions of this Ordinance, whichever is more stringent.
5. 
All such structures shall have smoke detectors installed no later than 30 days from the date of enactment of this Part.
6. 
The owner of all such units that are required to install interconnected smoke detectors under this Part shall notify the Code Enforcement Office of the Town of Bloomsburg of a change in ownership or tenancy that would affect the need for such interconnected smoke alarms within 30 days of the ownership or tenancy change.
1. 
The term "interconnection" refers to either hard-wired systems or wireless systems listed by Underwriters Laboratories that utilize this technology for smoke detectors such that the activation of one alarm will result in the activation of all other alarms in the system.
2. 
Installation of hard-wired smoke alarms is not required in structures on the effective date of this Ordinance amendment which are not undergoing alterations, repairs or construction of any kind. Notwithstanding the foregoing, installation of hard-wired smoke alarms is however required in accordance with all applicable building codes when such structures are undergoing alterations, repairs or construction of any kind which will allow or require for the installation of such hard-wired systems.
3. 
Wireless installation of interconnected smoke alarms is required for all structures subject to this Ordinance even though such structures are not undergoing alterations, renovations or repairs. Exceptions to this would be structures currently having hard-wired systems at the time of adoption of this Ordinance, or are subsequently required to have hard-wired system installed as stated in the Part, or the owner voluntarily opts to upgrade to a hard-wired system without being otherwise required.
4. 
All structures containing common areas customarily available for use by occupants of individual dwelling units and their guests, including, but not limited to, hallways, laundry rooms, lobbies, stairways, lower floor businesses, offices, fitness facilities, recreation areas, etc., shall have, at a minimum, interconnected smoke alarms so that the actuation of one alarm in a common area will actuate all of the alarms in all other common areas, including lower-level businesses.
5. 
Interconnection of smoke alarms in other common areas of a structure may be required if, in the opinion of the Code Enforcement Officer, interconnection of smoke alarms is necessary for the health, safety and welfare of occupants of the structure.
6. 
All such smoke detectors required by this Part shall be interconnected in such a manner that the actuation of one alarm within a dwelling unit will actuate all of the alarms within that dwelling unit. Where a structure includes more than one dwelling unit and no significant common area exists, all such smoke detectors required by this Part shall be interconnected in such a manner that the actuation of one alarm will actuate all of the alarms in the structure.
The power source for all hard-wired smoke detectors required by this Part shall be an AC primary power source with a battery backup. Both hard-wired and wireless interconnected smoke detectors that are battery operated, must emit an audible warning of a low battery. All wiring shall be permanent and without a disconnecting switch other than as required for overcurrent protection.
The owner and tenants of dwelling units which are required to be equipped with smoke detectors as required by this Part shall keep the smoke detectors maintained in good and working order.
1. It shall be unlawful for the owner or tenants of a structure or dwelling unit which is required to be equipped with smoke detectors as required by this Part to occupy, lease, rent or to permit the occupancy of the dwelling unit by any person if the dwelling unit is not equipped with smoke detectors as required by this Part.
Any person violating this Part shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding, be sentenced to pay a fine between $100 to $300 for the first offense, between $300 to $500 for the second offense, and $500 to $1,000 for the third offense and all offenses thereafter.
In the event that any provision of this Part is declared unconstitutional, unlawful or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such declaration shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Part or of this Part as a whole, but such shall continue in full force and effect as though the unconstitutional, unlawful or unenforceable provision had never been a part hereof.
If any ordinance or part hereof is inconsistent with this Part, it is deemed to be repealed.