[Adopted 1-30-1995 by Ord. No. O-2-95]
A building permit shall be required for all construction and development, including any alterations or repairs to existing buildings or structures.
A. 
The Building Permit Officer shall issue a building permit only after it has been determined that the proposed work to be undertaken will be in conformance with the requirements of this article and all other applicable codes and ordinances of the Township of Unity.
B. 
Prior to the issuance of any building permit, the Building Permit Officer shall review the application for permit to determine if all other necessary governmental permits required by state and federal laws have been obtained. [e.g., Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act (Act No. 537 of 1966), as amended, 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.]. No permit shall be issued until this determination has been made.
C. 
No encroachment, alteration or improvement of any kind shall be made to any watercourse until all adjacent municipalities which may be affected by such action have been notified by the Township of Unity and until all required permits or approvals have been first obtained from the Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Dams and Waterway Management.
D. 
After the issuance of a building permit by the Building Permit Officer, no changes of any kind shall be made to the application, permit or any of the plans, specifications or other documents submitted with the application without the written consent or approval of the Building Permit Officer. Requests for any such change shall be in writing, and shall be submitted by the applicant to the Building Permit Officer for consideration.
[Added 9-14-2000 by Ord. No. O-3-00]
E. 
In addition to the building permit, the Building Permit Officer shall issue a placard which shall be displayed on the premises during the time construction is in progress. This placard shall show the number of the building permit, the date of its issuance and be signed by the Building Permit Officer.
[Added 9-14-2000 by Ord. No. O-3-00]
F. 
Time for completion; extensions.
[Added 9-14-2000 by Ord. No. O-3-00]
(1) 
Work on the proposed construction and/or development shall begin within six months and shall be completed within 12 months after the date of issuance of the building permit, or the permit shall expire unless a time extension is granted, in writing, by the Building Permit Officer. Construction and/or development shall be considered to have started with the preparation of land, land clearing, grading, filling, excavation for basement, footings, piers, or foundations, erection of temporary forms, the installation of piling under proposed subsurface footings, or the installation of sewer, gas and water pipes, or electrical or other service lines from the street.
(2) 
Time extensions shall be granted only if a written request is submitted by the applicant, which sets forth sufficient and reasonable cause for the Building Permit Officer to approve such a request.
G. 
Inspections.
[Added 9-14-2000 by Ord. No. O-3-00]
(1) 
During the construction period, the Building Permit Officer or other authorized official shall inspect the premises to determine that the work is progressing in compliance with the information provided on the permit application and with all applicable Unity Township laws and ordinances. He shall make as many inspections during and upon completion of the work as are necessary.
(2) 
In the discharge of his duties, the Building Permit Officer shall have the authority to enter any building, structure, premises or development in the identified floodplain area, upon presentation of proper credentials, at any reasonable hour to enforce the provisions of this ordinance.
(3) 
In the event that the Building Permit Officer discovers that the work does not comply with the permit application or any applicable laws and ordinances, or that there has been a false statement or misrepresentation by any applicant, the Building Permit Officer shall revoke the building permit and report such fact to the Board of Supervisors for whatever action it considers necessary.
(4) 
A record of all such inspections and violations of this article shall be maintained.
Applicants shall file the following minimum information plus any other pertinent information as may be required by the Building Permit Officer to make the above determination:
A. 
A completed building permit application form, along with payment of the fees for building permits, as established by resolution of the Township Supervisors.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Art. II, Building Permit Fees, of this chapter.
B. 
A determination or a certification as to whether the planned construction is within a flood-prone area.
C. 
A certification of the square footage of proposed construction.
D. 
A certification as to whether the construction is for agricultural purposes.
E. 
A sketch or plan of the proposed construction.
F. 
If required by the Township Ordinance Officer, a copy of the application and plans for the proposed construction or development shall be submitted to the County Conservation District for review and comment prior to the issuance of the building permit. The recommendations of the Conservation District shall be considered by the Building Permit Officer for possible incorporation into the proposed plan and building permit. If the plan is within a flood-prone area, a copy of all plans and the application for any proposed construction or development shall be submitted by the Building Permit Officer to the Township Engineer for review and comment.
[Added 10-12-2000 by Ord. No. O-6-00]
A. 
If any work authorized by any permit issued by this chapter shall not have been commenced within six months after the issuance of such permit, the permit holder shall be required to relinquish such unused permit, which shall thereupon become invalid. Under such conditions, neither the permit fee nor any part thereof shall be returned to such permit holder, and if at any future time such permit holder shall make application for another permit for the same work, such application shall follow the same procedure and require the same fees as if no previous permit had been issued.
B. 
If any work authorized by any permit issued under this chapter shall not have been completed within 18 months after the issuance of such permit, the permit holder shall make application for the renewal of such permit. Any such renewal shall be for a fixed term of six months.
C. 
Any request for the renewal of a building permit shall be accompanied by a fee in the amount of $25 for each renewal request.
[Amended 9-14-2000 by Ord. No. O-3-00]
Any person or corporation who or which shall violate or permits the violation of any of the provisions of this article shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by the Township, pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus all court costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Township.