Article 1
Uniform Construction Code

§4-101 Title.

This Article shall be known and may be cited as the “Borough of Cornwall Construction Code Ordinance,” and may be referred to herein as the “code.”

(Ord. 2004-2, 6/28/2004, §1)

§4-102 Intent.

The purpose of this Article is to promote the general health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Borough of Cornwall, to conform to the requirements of the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Act, to comply with the regulations issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry within the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC), including all standards, codes and other information incorporated herein and to adopt administrative and enforcement regulations.

(Ord. 2004-2, 6/28/2004, §2)

§4-103 Adoption of Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.

Borough of Cornwall (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Municipality) hereby adopts and incorporates by reference the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, as contained in 34 Pa.Code, Chapters 401-405, and amendments thereto, and declares this to be the Borough of Cornwall Construction Code Ordinance, referred to herein as the “code.”

(Ord. 2004-2, 6/28/2004, §3)

§4-104 Scope.

The code and regulations shall control all matters concerning the construction, alteration, addition, repair, removal, demolition, location, occupancy and maintenance of all buildings and structures and shall apply to existing or proposed structures, unless exempted by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC). All other Ordinances of the Municipality which are more stringent shall apply. It shall be the joint responsibility of the owner, lessee, if any, and the contractor to obtain the required Code permit before performing any work.

(Ord. 2004-2, 6/28/2004, §4)

§4-105 Administration and Enforcement.

In accordance with and in addition to the administrative provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act 45 of 1999, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC) and the Pennsylvania Department. of Labor and Industry regulations, the following administrative and enforcement requirements shall be part of the code:

A.    Administration.

(1)    The administration and enforcement of the code and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry regulations shall be performed by the Building Code Official. Borough Council may appoint a person or a third-party agency to serve as the Building Code Official to fulfill all of the duties set forth in this Article and the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The Building Code Official shall have such certifications as required by the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to review plans and perform inspections.

(2)    The Building Code Official shall have all the powers and duties set forth in the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC), this Article, the contract with the County of Lebanon and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry regulations. Specifically, in addition to such other powers and duties provided, the Building Code Official shall be authorized to receive code permit applications; issue or deny code permits; collect fees for permits, plan reviews and inspections; make inspections and require such work to be performed as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of the code; issue certificates of occupancy; and enter buildings and premises within normal business hours or at other times with permission of the owner or contractor. Additionally, the Building Code Official may perform code enforcement activities including, but not limited to, issuance of notices of violation, stop work orders, vacate orders or other legal action necessary to enforce, restrain, abate or correct violations of the code.

(3)    The application for a code permit shall be on forms provided by the Building Code Official. At the time of code permit application and prior to issuance of a code permit, the applicant shall submit to the Building Code Official two sets of construction documents with plans and specifications, all required fees, and a copy of any required zoning permit. No code permit application shall be deemed complete without the required construction plans, fees, zoning permit copy and other required approvals. Additionally, the applicant shall pay all outstanding permit and inspection fees required during the course of construction prior to the issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy.

(4)    The application, plan review, permit and inspection fees shall be paid by each applicant in accordance with the fee schedule established by resolution of this Municipality and maintained by the Building Code Official.

(5)    The joint Lebanon County Code Appeals Board is hereby created as the board of appeals for the code of this Municipality. Membership, operation and decision making of the appeals board shall be in accordance with the applicable municipal resolutions, agreements and contracts and shall be in conformity with the applicable law. Appeals shall be filed in writing, within 20 days of the determination by the Building Code Official that is being appealed. If a hearing is not requested within the 20 days, the decision shall be made by the appeals board based upon the evidence, plans and information presented.

B.    Violations and Penalties.

(1)    It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, alter, extend, repair, remove, demolish, use or occupy any building, structure or equipment regulated by this code, or to permit or cause same to be done, in conflict with or in violation of this code, and in violation of the regulations adopted hereunder.

(2)    The Building Code Official may serve and enforce a notice of violation, stop-work order, vacate order or other lawful enforcement notice on any person responsible for the erection, construction, alteration, extension, repair, removal, demolition, use or occupancy of a building, structure or equipment in violation of the provisions of this code or any permit issued under the provisions of this code.

(3)    If the Building Code Official has served a notice of violation and the notice of violation is not complied with by the deadline prescribed, summary enforcement proceedings may be initiated by the Building Code Official against the violator. Additionally, appropriate proceedings at law or in equity may be instituted by this municipality and/or the Building Code Official to restrain, correct or abate a violation, to prevent unlawful construction or to prevent illegal occupancy of a building, structure or premises.

(4)    Any person who shall violate a provision of this code or the regulations adopted hereunder or who shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall erect, construct, alter, extend, repair, remove, demolish, use or occupy, or permit the use or occupancy of, any building, structure or equipment regulated by this code in violation of the provisions of this code or of an approved plan or of a directive of the Building Code Official or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this code or who shall permit the use, occupancy, erection, construction, alteration, extension, removal, demolition or repair of the building, structure or equipment in violation thereof, shall, upon being found guilty in a summary enforcement proceeding, pay a penalty of not less than $400 and not more than $1,000 for each violation, plus all costs of prosecution, which fines or penalties may be collected as provided by law, including the Borough’s reasonable attorneys’ fees. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense, and each section of the code which is violated shall be deemed a separate offense.

(Ord. 2004-2, 6/28/2004, §5; as amended by Ord. 2022-4, 12/12/022, §§1, 2)