[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Lower Saucon 5-20-1998 by Ord. No. 98-17.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The elimination of rodents or insects and other pest life
from any structure, building, lot, parcel or premises through the
use of methods of extermination approved by the Board of Health and
subject to applicable laws relating to poisonous substances and fumigants.
Any condition which provides shelter or protection for rodents,
insects or other pest life.
The owner or part owner of a building, lot or premises, whether
an individual, partnership or corporation, the agent or occupant of
a building, lot or premises or any person who has the use, custody
or control of the same or any part thereof, whether an individual,
partnership or corporation.
The treatment or sheltering, with material impervious to
rodent-gnawing, of all actual or potential openings in the exterior
and interior walls, ground or fist floors, roofs, foundations, basements,
sidewalk gratings and other places that may be reached by rodents
from the ground or by climbing or burrowing.
A.Â
All structures, buildings, lots, parcels or premises
within Lower Saucon Township shall be kept free from a condition conducive
to rodent, insect and other pest life. The person in control shall
not allow the accumulation of vehicles without current license plates
or a current inspection sticker, garbage, refuse or any material which
may afford harborage or provide food for rodents, insects or other
pest life.
B.Â
Whenever conditions inside or under unoccupied buildings
or structures provide extensive harborage for rats, the Police Department
is empowered and may, if said conditions are not corrected in a period
of 60 days after written notification to the owner, request that the
Township institute condemnation and demolition proceedings. The cost,
including attorney's fees, of such proceedings is to be borne by the
owner.
A.Â
No person shall place food in the open for feeding
any animal which would create a condition conducive to rodent, insect
or other pest life. Unconsumed food shall not be allowed to remain
where it is accessible to rodents, insects or other pest life.
B.Â
Garbage and waste material shall be placed in nonleaking
containers with tight-fitting lids and stored in such a manner as
not to create an attraction or harborage for rodents, insects or other
pest life.
C.Â
When the Police Department notifies the person in
control of a building or structure, in writing, that there is evidence
of rat infestation on the premises, the person in control shall immediately
institute rat-eradication measures and shall continuously maintain
such measures in a satisfactory manner until the premises is declared
by the Police Department to be free of rat infestation. Unless said
measures are undertaken within five days after receipt of notice,
it shall be construed as a violation of the provisions of this chapter,
and the person in control shall be held responsible therefor.
A.Â
When any building, structure, lot, parcel or premises
is subject to infestation by rodents, insects or other pest life,
the person in control shall apply continuous or repeated eradication
measures, as required by the Police Department, until there is no
evidence of infestation remaining.
B.Â
No building or structure shall be demolished until
the Police Department or its officer certifies to the owner and to
the Township Council that the building or structure and premises are
free from the infestation or rodents, insects or other pest life.
A.Â
Whenever conditions inside, outside or under a building
or structure or on any lot, parcel or premises provide harborage for
rodents, the Police Department may require any one or more buildings
or structures to be rodent-proofed.
B.Â
The person in control of a building or structure or
premises required to be rodent-proofed shall maintain the rodent-proofing
in good repair. No person shall injure the rodent-proofing. When the
rodent-proofing is injured in making alterations, installations, additions
or repairs to the building or structure, the person in control shall
restore the rodent-proofing in good condition.
[Amended 3-3-2021 by Ord.
No. 2021-01]
This chapter shall be enforced by action brought
before a Magisterial District Judge in the same manner provided for
the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of
Criminal Procedure. Any person who violates or permits the violation
of this chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding, be
punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for
a term not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such
violation continues, or is permitted to continue, shall constitute
a separate offense. Each section of this chapter that is violated
shall also constitute a separate offense.
