Borough of Columbia, PA General Provisions

Pursuant to Section 1008(b) of the Borough Code [53 P.S. § 46008(b)],[1] the codification of a complete body of legislation for the Borough of Columbia, County of Lancaster, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as revised, codified and consolidated into chapters, articles and sections by General Code Publishers Corp., and consisting of Chapters 1 through 220, together with an Appendix, are hereby approved, adopted, ordained and enacted as a single ordinance of the Borough of Columbia, which shall be known and is hereby designated as the "Code of the Borough of Columbia," hereinafter referred to as the "Code."

[1]

Editor's Note: See now 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 3301.5.

§ 1-2 Effect of Code on previous provisions.

The provisions of this Code, insofar as they are substantively the same as those of ordinances and resolutions in force immediately prior to the enactment of this ordinance, are intended as a continuation of such ordinances and resolutions and not as new enactments, and the effectiveness of such provisions shall date from the date of adoption of the prior ordinance or resolution. All such provisions are hereby continued in full force and effect and are hereby reaffirmed as to their adoption by the Borough Council of the Borough of Columbia, and it is the intention of said Borough Council that each such provision contained within the Code is hereby reenacted and reaffirmed as it appears in said Code. Only such provisions of former ordinances as are omitted from this Code shall be deemed repealed or abrogated by the provisions of § 1-3 below, and only changed provisions, as described in § 1-6 below, shall be deemed to be enacted from the effective date of this Code, as provided in § 1-15 below.

§ 1-3 Repeal of ordinances not contained in Code.

All ordinances or parts of ordinances of a general and permanent nature adopted by the Borough of Columbia and in force on the date of the adoption of this Code and not contained in the Code are hereby repealed as of the effective date given in § 1-15 below, except as hereinafter provided.

§ 1-4 Ordinances saved from repeal; matters not affected by repeal.

The adoption of this Code and the repeal of ordinances provided for in § 1-3 of this ordinance shall not affect the following ordinances, rights and obligations, which are hereby expressly saved from repeal; provided, however, that the repeal of ordinances pursuant to § 1-3 or the saving from repeal of ordinances pursuant to this section shall not be construed so as to revive any ordinance previously repealed, superseded or no longer of any effect:

Any ordinance adopted subsequent to 7-14-2003.

Any right or liability established, accrued or incurred under any legislative provision of the Borough prior to the effective date of this ordinance or any action or proceeding brought for the enforcement of such right or liability or any cause of action acquired or existing.

Any offense or act committed or done before the effective date of this ordinance in violation of any legislative provision of the Borough or any penalty, punishment or forfeiture which may result therefrom.

Any prosecution, indictment, action, suit or other proceeding pending or any judgment rendered prior to the effective date of this ordinance, brought pursuant to any legislative provision of the Borough.

Any franchise, license, right, easement or privilege heretofore granted or conferred by the Borough or any lawful contract, obligation or agreement.

Any ordinance appropriating money or transferring funds, promising or guaranteeing the payment of money or authorizing the issuance and delivery of any bond of the Borough or other instruments or evidence of the Borough's indebtedness.

Any ordinance adopting an annual budget or establishing an annual tax rate.

Any ordinance providing for the levy, imposition or collection of special taxes, assessments or charges.

Any ordinance authorizing the purchase, sale, lease or transfer of property or acquiring property by acceptance of deed, condemnation or exercise of eminent domain.

Any ordinance annexing land to the Borough.

Any ordinance providing for or requiring the construction or reconstruction or opening of sidewalks, curbs and gutters.

Any ordinance or part of an ordinance providing for laying out, opening, altering, widening, relocating, straightening, establishing grade, changing name, improvement, acceptance or vacation of any right-of-way, easement, street, road, highway, sidewalk, park or other public place or property or designating various streets as public highways.

Any ordinance establishing water, sewer or other special purpose districts and designating the boundaries thereof; providing for a system of sewers or water supply lines; or providing for the construction, extension, dedication, acceptance or abandonment of any part of a system of sewers or water supply lines.

Any ordinance providing for the making of public improvements.

Any ordinance providing for the salaries and compensation of officers and employees of the Borough or setting the bond of any officer or employee.

Any ordinance concerning changes and amendments to the Zoning Map.

Any ordinance relating to or establishing a pension plan or pension fund for municipal employees.

Any ordinance or portion of an ordinance establishing a specific fee amount for any license, permit or service obtained from the Borough.

All legislation regarding creation of a Civil Service Commission or establishment of rules and regulations therefor, and any amendments thereto.

Any and all amendments to the Existing Structures, Property Maintenance and Fire Prevention Chapter (now Chapter 112) enacted by Ord. No. 722, which was adopted after the 2003 republication of the Borough of Columbia Code but prior to enactment of this Code Adoption Ordinance. It is intended that the amendments to specific sections enacted by Ord. No. 722 supersede and control over any amendments to those same sections listed under "Chapter 112" of Schedule A, attached to this ordinance.[1]

[1]

Editor’s Note: In accordance with §§ 1-4T and 1-16B, the chapters, parts and sections which were added, amended, adopted or deleted by this ordinance are indicated throughout the Code by a footnote referring to Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article I. During routine supplementation, footnotes indicating amendments, additions or deletions will be replaced with the following history: "Amended (added, deleted) 12-16-2003 by Ord. No. 726." Schedule A, which contains a complete description of all changes, is on file in the Township offices.

§ 1-5 Inclusion of new legislation prior to adoption of Code.

All ordinances of a general and permanent nature adopted subsequent to the date given in § 1-4A and/or prior to the date of adoption of this ordinance are hereby deemed to be a part of the Code and shall, upon being printed, be included therein. Attested copies of all such ordinances shall be temporarily placed in the Code until printed supplements are included.

§ 1-6 Changes and revisions in previously adopted ordinances.

Nonsubstantive grammatical changes. In compiling and preparing the ordinances and resolutions of the Borough for adoption and revision as part of the Code, certain nonsubstantive grammatical and style changes were made in one or more of said ordinances. It is the intention of the Borough Council that all such changes be adopted as part of the Code as if the ordinances and resolutions so changed had been previously formally amended to read as such.

Substantive changes and revisions. In addition to the changes and revisions described above, changes and revisions of a substantive nature, as set forth in Schedule A attached hereto and made a part hereof, are hereby made to various ordinances and resolutions included in the Code. These changes are enacted to bring provisions into conformity with the desired policies of the Borough Council, and it is the intent of the Borough Council that all such changes be adopted as part of the Code as if the ordinances and resolutions so changed have been previously formally amended to read as such. All such changes and revisions shall be deemed to be in effect as of the effective date of the Code specified in § 1-15.[1]

[1]

Nomenclature.

(1)

Throughout the Code, the following references are updated as indicated:

(a)

Justice of the Peace or District Magistrate (or District Judge, as appropriate) to District Justice.

(b)

Department of Environmental Resources (or DER) to Department of Environmental Protection (or DEP).

(c)

Department of Community Affairs to Department of Community and Economic Development.

(d)

Borough Secretary or Borough Treasurer to Borough Secretary/Treasurer.

(e)

Generally, Burgess to Mayor (unless revision of "Chief Burgess" to "District Justice" was appropriate).

(2)

Throughout Chapter 74, Alarms, all references simply to "the Chief" are revised to read "the Chief of Police."

Fees. In the following sections, specific fees and/or charges are removed and replaced with the provision that said fees and/or charges shall be as set from time to time by resolution of Borough Council: §§ 74-5A(2); 74-7B(2); 74-8A(2); 74-9A(2)(a); 74-10A; 82-7; 82-8; 86-4; 86-8; 112-6E and F; 138-3B and C; 149-7C; 173-3B; 173-4B; 173-5E(1); 173-30; 173-55B(1); 181-21A; 186-3; 186-10A and B; 186-12B; 186-27; 198-7; 207-33; and 207-74.

Penalties.

(1)

In the following sections, provisions are generally standardized to provide for a fine of not more than $600, plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days: §§ 77-4; 82-4; 82-14A; 82-17A; 126-13A and B; 126-25; 138-7; 173-6; 173-11; 173-22; 173-70A; 173-71; 186-5; 186-21; 186-22B; 186-28; 186-29; 186-30; 186-32; 186-34B; 186-47; 186-48; 186-50 194-41; 202-14; and 207-83.

(2)

In the following sections, provisions are generally standardized to provide for a fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days: §§ 27-4B; 90-6; 149-9A; and 198-12A.

§ 1-7 Interpretation of provisions.

In interpreting and applying the provisions of the Code, they shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, comfort, convenience and general welfare. Where the provisions of the Code impose greater restrictions or requirements than those of any statute, other ordinance, resolution or regulation, the provisions of the Code shall control. Where the provisions of any statute, other ordinance, resolution or regulation impose greater restrictions or requirements, the provisions of such statute, other ordinance, resolution or regulation shall control.

§ 1-8 Titles and headings; editor's notes.

Chapter and article titles, headings and titles of sections and other divisions in the Code or in supplements made to the Code are inserted in the Code and may be inserted in supplements to the Code for the convenience of persons using the Code and are not part of the legislation.

Editor's notes indicating sources of sections, giving other information or referring to the statutes or to other parts of the Code are inserted in the Code and may be inserted in supplements to the Code for the convenience of persons using the Code and are not part of the legislation.

§ 1-9 Filing of copies of Code.

Three copies of the Code in a post-bound volume shall be filed with the Ordinance Book in the office of the Borough Secretary and shall remain there for use and examination by the public. Upon adoption, such copies shall be certified to by the Borough Secretary, as provided by law, and such certified copies shall remain on file in the office of the Borough Secretary, available to persons desiring to examine the same during all times while said Code is in effect.

§ 1-10 Amendments to Code.

Any and all additions, deletions, amendments or supplements to the Code, when passed and adopted in such form as to indicate the intention of the Borough Council to be a part thereof, shall be deemed to be incorporated into such Code so that reference to the Code shall be understood and intended to include such changes. Whenever such additions, deletions, amendments or supplements to the Code shall be adopted, they shall thereafter be printed and, as provided hereunder, inserted in the post-bound book containing said Code as amendments and supplements thereto.

§ 1-11 Code books to be kept up-to-date.

It shall be the duty of the Borough Secretary or someone authorized and directed by him or her to keep up-to-date the certified copies of the book containing the Code required to be filed in the office of the Borough Secretary for the use of the public. All changes in said Code and all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Borough Council subsequent to the effective date of this codification which the Borough Council shall adopt specifically as part of the Code shall, when finally adopted, be included therein by reference until such changes or new ordinances or resolutions are printed as supplements to said Code books, at which time such supplements shall be inserted therein.

§ 1-12 Publication of notices.

The Borough Secretary, pursuant to law, shall cause to be published in the manner required a notice of the introduction and of the adoption of the Code in a newspaper of general circulation in the Borough. The enactment and application of this ordinance, coupled with the publication of the notices of introduction and adoption, as required by law, and the availability of copies of the Code for inspection by the public, shall be deemed, held and considered to be due and legal publication of all provisions of the Code for all purposes.

§ 1-13 Altering or tampering with Code; penalties for violation.

It shall be unlawful for anyone to improperly change or amend, by additions or deletions, or to alter or tamper with the Code or any part or portion thereof, in any manner whatsoever, which will cause the law of the Borough to be misrepresented thereby. Anyone violating this section of this ordinance shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $600, plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment thereof, by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days.

§ 1-14 Severability.

The provisions of this ordinance and of the Code adopted hereby are severable, and if any clause, sentence, subsection, section, article, chapter or part thereof shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, invalid or unconstitutional, such judgment or decision shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof but shall be confined in its operation and application to the clause, sentence, subsection, section, article, chapter or part thereof rendered illegal, invalid or unconstitutional. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Borough Council that this ordinance and the Code would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid or unconstitutional clause, sentence, subsection, section, article, chapter or part thereof had not been included therein.

§ 1-15 Effective date.

All provisions of this ordinance and of the Code shall be in force and effect on and after January 1, 2004.

Article II Enforcement of Certain Ordinances

[Adopted 7-28-2014 by Ord. No. 855]

§ 1-16 Authorization of Manager.

The Borough Manager is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement and supplement the provisions of this article. The Borough Manager shall make the rules and regulations available for inspection during regular business hours.

§ 1-17 Violations of certain provisions.

Violations of the following Borough of Columbia Code sections or provisions shall be subject to the provisions of this article.

Offense		Code Sections
Fire Prevention:
	Smoke detectors	IFC 907.2.11.2
	Illegal burning	IFC 307.1
Property Maintenance:
	Grass and weeds	IPMC 302.4
	Accumulation of trash	IPMC 308.1
	Abandoned hazardous vehicle	IPMC 302.8
	Infestation of rodents	IPMC 302.5 and Borough Code § 126-29
	Sewage in basement/exterior premises	IPMC 302.1 and 305.1 and Borough Code § 173-8A
Waste Management:
	Trash storage and collection procedure	Borough Code §§ 181-12 and 181-17
Streets and Sidewalks:
	Failure to remove snow from sidewalk	Borough Code § 186-49

Note: "IPMC" means "International Property Maintenance Code" and "IFC" means "International Fire Code," both as adopted by ordinance of the Borough of Columbia incorporated in § 112-1D of the Code of the Borough of Columbia. "Borough Code" means Code of the Borough of Columbia, signifying the codified ordinances of the Borough of Columbia.

§ 1-18 Citations, tickets and notices of violation.

A violation of any of the above code and/or Borough Code sections may be cause for a citation, violation ticket and/or a notice of violation in addition to any other remedy or fine that the Borough may be entitled to under its ordinances or other applicable law.

§ 1-19 Issuance and serving of tickets.

[Amended 11-24-2020 by Ord. No. 922]

Upon finding a violation of any of the above code and/or Borough Code sections, any Borough of Columbia Code Enforcement Officer, police officer, fire official, or similar officer hired by or appointed by Borough Council or the Borough Manager, or any other public officer authorized to enforce the ordinances of the Borough of Columbia, may issue violation tickets to the owner and/or occupant of the property at issue or to the individual known to have violated the code and/or Borough Code section. Violation tickets shall be issued in the amount published in the Borough of Columbia Fee Schedule and shall be served by mail. The Borough may, however, serve the violation tickets by handing it to an adult member of the household or other person in charge of the residence at the residence of the person to be served, by leaving or affixing the violation tickets to the property where the violation exists, or by handing it at any office or usual place of business of the violator, to his/her agent or to the person for the time being in charge thereof. Any person who receives a violation for a violation of this article may, within 30 days, admit the violation, waive a hearing and pay the fine in full satisfaction of the amount, as indicated on the violation ticket, or file an appeal as outlined in § 1-20G.

§ 1-20 Penalty for nonpayment; abatement and charges; appeals.

[Amended 7-27-2015 by Res. No. 15-14; 11-24-2020 by Ord. No. 922]

The Borough may, with its violation ticket, direct a person to abate the violation noticed on such ticket ("Notice of Violation"), or if the Borough determines that the immediate abatement of the same by the Borough is necessary, the Borough may take the necessary action to abate the violation at the violator's expense.

In the instance that such person does not comply with the Notice of Violation, the Borough may, itself, take the action set forth in the Notice of Violation at the violator's expense (which expenses are set forth below).[1]

[1]

Editor’s Note: Said expenses are set forth in the Fee Schedule, on file in the Borough offices.

If the Borough corrected the violation set forth in the Notice of Violation, the cost thereof may be charged to the owner of the property, tenant or offending party. The cost shall be as set forth in Subsection D below, as supplemented or modified by the rules and regulations adopted by the Borough Manager, in order that the Borough shall be compensated for both direct and indirect costs and expenses incurred.

In all instances where the Borough abates the violation, in addition to the fine set forth in the violation ticket, the Borough is authorized to recover from the offending party, the owner of the property, or tenant the abatement charges set forth in the adopted fee schedule and which may be amended from time to time by resolution of Borough Council.

In the instance where the Borough has abated the violation and the charged party fails to pay the abatement costs set forth in a written notice thereof from the Borough to such individual, the Borough may include such costs in any citation it issues.

A separate offense under this article shall occur for each and every day such violation continues and shall be subject to the penalty imposed by this section.

In every instance where the recipient of a violation ticket has requested in writing an appeal within 30 days as set forth above and has made the payments for appeal set forth in the adopted fee schedule, a hearing date shall be set and the recipient shall appear before the Code Compliance Appeals Board, which shall consist of the Borough Manager and two members of Borough Council. This board may uphold the appeal, deny the appeal, or may modify the violation ticket and/or any associated cost, fines or penalty amounts.