Source: https://www.ecode360.com/32178609
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 23:21:37+00:00

Document:
§ 62-3 Inspection of dwellings or buildings for sale.
§ 62-4 Building inspection report.
§ 62-5 Issuance or denial of certificate of occupancy.
§ 62-6 Review prior to sale or purchase.
§ 62-7 Option of review by purchaser.
§ 62-8 Procedure after purchase; duties of parties.
§ 62-9 Period of notice.
§ 62-10 Remediation of property denied an occupancy permit when inspected.
§ 62-14 Filing of appeal.
Building construction — See Ch. 60.
This article shall be known and may be cited as "The Municipality of Kingston Conveyancing Inspection Ordinance."
The intent of this article is to provide purchasers the opportunity to review the data and information contained within a building inspection report prior to entering into an agreement of sale and/or consummating a purchase. This article is furthermore intended to require compliance with the version of the International Property Maintenance Code in effect as provided by Chapter 135 of the Municipal Code and the Zoning Code of the Municipality of Kingston as a prerequisite to obtaining an occupancy permit prior to and following a conveyance subject to this article.
Editor's Note: See Ch. 181, Zoning.
It shall be the obligation of every owner and/or agent of the owner of a dwelling or building to notify the Municipal Code Enforcement Officer and/or his/her designee upon listing, advertising or offering a dwelling or building for sale. At that time an inspection request shall be completed by the requester on a form supplied by the Municipality. This form shall include the following notation: The inspection required by the Municipality of Kingston Conveyancing Inspection Ordinance is not intended to take the place of due diligence inspections by a prospective purchaser for wood-boring insects, radon and structural issues or any other inspections that may be advisable in the purchase of a dwelling or building.
The Municipal Code Enforcement Officer and/or his/her designee shall thereupon provide an inspection report for the dwelling or building based upon physical inspection of the dwelling or building.
Should the owner and/or agent of the owner fail to comply with the obligation to obtain an inspection, this obligation shall become the obligation of the purchaser/grantee.
Should the purchaser/grantee fail to comply with obtaining a Kingston inspection, said purchaser/grantee or partners if the grantee is a partnership or the corporate officers if the grantee is a corporation or the managing member(s) if the grantee is a limited liability company shall be subject to the penalties set forth in Municipal Code § 60-15.
No occupancy permit will be issued for a property subject to this article until and unless the inspection requirement and the remediation of inspection deficiencies has been accomplished.
The Municipal Code Enforcement Officer and/or his/her designee shall review the information contained within the inspection report within the parameters of this article to determine the issuance or denial of a certificate of occupancy, as provided in § 62-6.
A statement concerning whether the dwelling or building is single, double or multiunit at the time of inspection prior to the conveyance.
A statement of Property Maintenance Code violations, if any, existing at the time of inspection.
Editor's Note: See Ch. 135, Property Maintenance.
A statement of Zoning Code violations, if any, existing at the time of inspection.
The Municipal Code Enforcement Officer and/or his/her designee shall review the information contained within the inspection report. Based upon such review the Municipal Code Enforcement Officer and/or his/her designee may issue a certificate of occupancy, and deliver such certificate of occupancy to the owner and/or agent who lists, advertises or offers a dwelling or building for sale.
The certificate of occupancy shall be transferred and delivered by the owner and/or agent to the purchaser of the dwelling or building upon consummation of purchase or sale.
The Municipal Code Enforcement Officer and/or his/her designee shall provide and deliver to the owner and/or agent written notice and explanation for the denial of a certificate of occupancy for any dwelling or building listed, advertised or offered for sale.
It shall be the obligation of every owner and/or agent to allow the purchaser to review the certificate of occupancy or written notice denying the certificate of occupancy as provided in § 62-5C prior to the execution of agreement of sale and/or purchase of the dwelling or building, prior to the transfer of the dwelling or building, and prior to the exchange of any monetary sum relative to the purchase of the dwelling or building should an agreement of sale not be utilized.
The purchaser shall have the right to review the information contained within the inspection report or to waive the right to review the inspection report prior to entering into an agreement of sale or consummating a purchase.
It shall be the obligation of every owner and/or agent to deliver the purchaser acknowledgement form to the purchaser prior to the transfer of the dwelling or building and prior to the exchange of any monetary sum relative to the purchase of the dwelling or building, should an agreement of sale not be utilized.
The purchaser of the dwelling shall complete the purchaser acknowledgement form and deliver it together with a copy of the recorded deed to the Municipal Code Enforcement Officer and/or his/her designee.
Six months from the date of inspection, if a dwelling has not been sold, the conclusiveness of the inspection report must be either endorsed, as described in Subsection B, or altered by a new inspection to indicate appropriate changes. The inspection report will only indicate violations and conditions as of the date of inspection. Such inspection report does not indicate violations or corrections of such occurring between the date of inspection and the date of agreement of sale of a dwelling, or transfer of dwelling when an agreement of sale is not utilized, and/or the exchange of a monetary sum relative to the sale of a dwelling.
However, upon the request of owner and/or agent, prior to the expiration of the six-month period referred to in Subsection A, the Municipal Code Enforcement Officer and/or his/her designee may issue endorsements to the inspection report, extending its conclusiveness for up to two additional three-month periods, showing any change to the information shown on the original inspection report. Each endorsement, however, shall extend the conclusiveness of the inspection report for only three months.
When a property is denied an occupancy permit as a result of a conveyancing inspection, no occupancy permit will be issued to a subsequent owner unless the property maintenance issues noted in the inspection are remediated in compliance with the Kingston Property Maintenance Code. Furthermore, no occupancy permit will be issued for any occupancy that does not comply with the Kingston Municipal Zoning Code.
When a property is denied an occupancy permit as a result of a conveyancing inspection, the current owner is nevertheless required to remediate any property maintenance issues found in such inspection in compliance with the Kingston Property Maintenance Code.
When a property is denied an occupancy permit as a result of a conveyancing inspection, the current owner is nevertheless required to remediate any zoning issues found in such inspection so as to bring the property in compliance with the Kingston Municipal Zoning Code.
Commercial structures/buildings under 6,000 square feet: $150.
Commercial structures/buildings over 6,000 square feet: $200.
Where such dwelling is new and has never been occupied as a dwelling and has been inspected and approved for occupancy by a Construction Code inspector of the Municipality of Kingston.
Notwithstanding any other law or ordinance, the provisions of this article may not be waived or disclaimed by an oral or written agreement executed by any owner, agent or purchaser excepting for such waiver exercised under § 62-7 hereof.
The inspection report shall be compiled from the records of the municipality and from an inspection of the dwelling or building. Neither the enforcement of this article nor the preparation and delivery of any inspection report required hereunder shall impose any liability upon the municipality, or officers or employees thereof, for any errors or omissions contained in such inspection report; nor shall the municipality bear any liability not otherwise imposed by law.
The inspection required under this article is not intended to take the place of due diligence inspections by a prospective purchaser for wood-boring insects, radon, structural issues or any other inspections that may be advisable in the purchase of a dwelling or building.
The Zoning Hearing Board, where the findings set forth in the building inspection report relate to matters concerning the classification and the use of property under the Zoning Ordinance.
Any party may appeal decisions of the Property Maintenance Board of Appeals or the Zoning Hearing Board to the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County.
Any person, partnership, corporation, or limited liability company who or which shall violate the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof in a summary proceeding, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $500. In default of payment of the fine, such person, the members of such partnership, the limited liability company and the managing members of such limited liability company or corporation and the officers of such corporation shall be liable to imprisonment for not more than 60 days. All fines collected for the violation of this article shall be paid over to the governing body.
The provisions of this article are declared to be severable, and if any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this article shall be held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections, sentences, clauses or phrases of this article, but the same shall remain in full force and effect, it being the intent that this article shall stand, notwithstanding the invalidity of any part thereof.
This article shall become effective in conformity with Kingston Charter Section 213.

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