[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of New Garden 2-14-1994 by Ord. No. 104. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
This chapter applies to all principal buildings
within New Garden Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, and each
tract, lot or parcel of land. Its purpose is to assign a number to
every tract, lot or parcel of land and to require the display of a
number on or near the main building, or, in case of multiple owners
or tenants, to display a number on or near each building or unit.
This chapter is intended to conform with the
Chester County 911 Emergency Locating System in case of emergency
and for the use of the U.S. Postal System, the Township of New Garden,
and the general public.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A subordinate building, the use of which is customarily incidental
to that of the principal building and is used for an accessory use
and is located on the same lot.
Any natural person, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
sole proprietorship, firm, association, and any other entity of whatever
type.
[Added 10-5-1998 by Ord. No. 128]
Any building or structure erected on a tract, lot or parcel
of land on which any use is carried out, including a dwelling, place
of business, or industry, or any other use requiring a location identity.
A.
Street or road address numbers shall be assigned to
each building, tract, lot or parcel of land, placed on file in the
Township office and assigned to the owners or occupants of such buildings,
tract, lot or parcel of land by the Township Secretary or by such
other person as may be designated by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
Numbers will be assigned, starting at the lowest number at the southern
terminus of a north/south road, street, lane or right-of-way and starting
at the west terminus of an east/west road, street, lane or right-of-way.
This format shall be followed when feasible and may be altered at
the discretion of the Township in order to conform and be consistent
with the numbering in adjoining municipalities. For roads and streets
that do not generally run north/south or east/west, numbers will be
assigned so as to conform as nearly as possible with the numbers in
the general area. Numbers will be assigned to approximately every
100 feet of road frontage or according to the zoning requirements
of the area as the Township, in its discretion, may determine. Once
assigned, all such property shall be designated for all purposes by
the number assigned and, thereafter, all persons shall take due notice
thereof and comply with the provisions of this chapter, when applicable.
B.
The Township Secretary or the Township representative
shall have the power and duty to correct any errors with respect to
assignment of numbers as and when such errors are discovered. The
Board of Supervisors may alter, change or modify the numbers assigned
to any property whenever it may deem such a change necessary and desirable
and require the owner and occupant thereof to comply with the provisions
of this chapter with respect to such change.
The owner or occupant of each tract, lot or
parcel of land to which no street address number has previously been
assigned shall, upon purchase, acquisition or occupancy thereof or
within seven days of discovery that no such number has been assigned,
make application to the Township Secretary or his/her designated agent,
for assignment of such number, and thereon the Township Secretary
shall assign a correct street address number to the property.
A.
The Township Secretary shall be responsible for assigning
proper street address number sequences to each lot which is created
as a result of a subdivision or resubdivision; said numbers shall
be in proper municipal sequence in relation to the number assigned
to other lots fronting on the same street and shall be properly recorded
on the subdivision plan and the Township file.
B.
When the assignments required under Subsection A hereof have been completed and signed by the Township Secretary, they will be appended to the final subdivision plan and thereby incorporated therein by reference. No subdivider shall sell or convey any lot or dwelling unit or other building or structure upon said lot or lease or otherwise permit the use and occupancy thereof without first complying with all the terms of this chapter.
C.
The requirements for application for street address
number and display thereof shall be a condition precedent to the submission
of any applications for a certificate of occupancy.
A.
In order to comply with this chapter, street/road
address numbers shall be Arabic in design, shall have a height of
five inches and shall be mounted in a secure fashion by one or more
of the approved manners. The numbers shall be sufficiently legible
as to contrasting background, arrangement, spacing, size and uniformity
of numerals so that the numbers may be read with ease during daylight
hours by a person possessing normal vision, if he views the numbers
from the center line of the facing street. The numbers shall be so
placed that trees, shrubs and other obstructions do not block the
line of sight of the numbers from the center of the street to any
appreciable degree. Auxiliary numbers shall be mounted at a height
between four feet and 10 feet upon the adjacent grade or exterior
landing beneath. The numbers shall consist of a weather-resistant
and reflective material to make it suitable for nighttime viewing.
B.
Approved manners.
(1)
Occupancies with mailboxes at the end of driveways
shall display numbers on both sides of the mailbox or support post.
When mailboxes are placed on the opposite side of the facing street
from the occupancy, auxiliary numbers shall be provided in addition
to the mailbox numbers. When two or more mailboxes are placed side
by side together in a row, then numbers shall be placed on the fronts
of the mailboxes.
(2)
Occupancies without mailboxes at the end of driveways
shall place numbers in the general vicinity of the main entrance or
path of travel which leads to the main entrance and shall be visible
from the center line of the facing street.
(3)
Those occupancies with no mailboxes which are built
down long driveways or occupancies not visible from the street shall
have a marker or post of noticeable size placed at the driveway entrance.
If more than one occupancy shares the driveway, then each occupancy
shall be so numbered. Occupancies with shared driveways shall also
display auxiliary numbers at or near the main entrance of the structure
according to specifications herein.
C.
In connection with private lanes or roads within the
Township serving more than two residences, owners/occupants shall
also be required to display all auxiliary numbers at or immediately
adjacent to the public road at the main entrance of the private lane
or road.
D.
No later than March 1 of each year, all landlords
within the Township shall notify the Township Secretary of all tenants
or occupants in buildings or apartments and shall similarly notify
all tenants and occupants as to their new address. It shall be the
landlord's responsibility to comply with this chapter insofar as the
affixing of signs for such tenant occupancies.
Property owners/occupants will be notified of
their new numbers by the Township by mail and such property owners/occupants
shall affix the numbering and otherwise comply with the terms of this
chapter within 30 days next following such notice. The Township will
forward to county emergency services and the post office a copy of
all assigned numbers.
An owner or occupant of any lot, parcel or tract
of land having a principal building situate thereon shall display
the assigned number(s) in accordance with the terms and conditions
of this chapter.
A.
The absence of street numbers, or the insecure fastening
or absence of any numeral thereof, or the use of any street address
number not assigned by the Township Secretary, or the failure of a
street address number to meet the elevation requirements or the visibility
requirements shall be a violation of this chapter. Upon discovery
of such violation, a notice of violation shall be sent by certified
mail to the property or occupant, or shall be posted in a prominent
place upon the property by the Township Secretary or his/her agent,
or shall be personally served on the property owner or occupant or
his/her agent. Such notice shall specify the specific provisions of
the chapter violated and shall require compliance with the provisions
of this chapter within 15 days from service or posting of the notice
of violation.
B.
Any person who shall violate any provision of this
chapter shall, upon being found liable thereof in any civil enforcement
proceeding, pay a fine of not more than $600, plus court costs and
reasonable attorneys' fees, for each and every violation. Each twenty-four-hour
period during which failure to comply continues shall constitute a
separate violation. This remedy shall be in addition to any other
lawful remedies available to the Township.
[Amended 10-5-1998 by Ord. No. 128]
C.
Every violator of the provisions of this chapter shall
be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day such
violation shall continue and shall be subject to the penalty imposed
by this section for each and every such offense.
D.
After the issuance by the Township Secretary of a
notice of violation of the provisions of this chapter and the posting
of such notice of violation on the premises, each day such violation
shall continue shall be deemed a separate offense subject to a like
fine and penalty.
