Source: https://www.ecode360.com/29835185
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 06:21:13+00:00

Document:
§ 133-4 Actions against owner(s) of property for serious code violations.
§ 133-5 Duty of out-of-state owners; service of process upon association and trusts.
§ 133-6 Municipal permit denials.
§ 133-7 Conflict with other law.
§ 133-8 Relief for inherited property.
This chapter shall be known as the "Collingdale Borough Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Ordinance."
The Collingdale Borough Council finds it to be in the best interest of the residents of the Borough of Collingdale to provide for certain protections and safeguards in order to address deteriorated properties, public nuisances and properties in serious violation of state law and/or municipal codes. Such protections and safeguards include denial of permits and actions at law and in equity to address deteriorated properties which impact upon crime, quality of life of residents and require expenditure of public funds to correct and/or abate nuisances, violations and delinquent municipal service accounts.
The Act of October 27, 2010 (P.L. 875, No. 90), 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 6101 et seq., known as the "Neighborhood Blight and Reclamation and Revitalization Act."
The Collingdale Borough Council, Zoning Hearing Board or other body granted jurisdiction to render decisions in accordance with the Municipalities Planning Code, the state Borough Code, the Code of the Borough of Collingdale, or any board authorized to act in a similar manner by law.
The Borough of Collingdale, County of Delaware, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
A residential, commercial or industrial building or structure and the land appurtenant to it.
A building, housing, property maintenance, fire, health or other public safety ordinance enacted by the Borough. The term does not include a subdivision and land development ordinance or a zoning ordinance enacted by a municipality.
The appropriate court of common pleas or Magisterial District Judge court.
A business association defined as a "banking institution" or "mortgage lender" under 7 Pa.C.S.A. Ch. 61 (relating to mortgage loan industry licensing and consumer protection) that is in possession of or holds title to real property pursuant to, in enforcement of or to protect rights arising under a mortgage, mortgage note, deed of trust or other transaction that created a security interest in the real property.
A city, borough, incorporated town, township or home rule, optional plan or optional charter municipality or municipal authority in this commonwealth and any entity formed pursuant to Subchapter A of Chapter 23 (relating to intergovernmental cooperation).
Privileges relating to real property granted by a municipality, including, but not limited to, building permits, exceptions to zoning ordinances and occupancy permits. The term includes approvals pursuant to land use ordinances other than decisions on the substantive validity of a zoning ordinance or map or the acceptance of a curative amendment.
Services provided at a cost by the Borough or other municipal entity, including water service, sanitary sewer service, refuse collection and parking allotments/facilities, which benefit individual properties and also serve to benefit the overall welfare, safety and health of all residents of the Borough.
A holder of the title to residential, commercial or industrial real estate, other than a mortgage lender, who possesses and controls the real estate; the term includes, but is not limited to, heirs, assigns, beneficiaries and lessees, provided this ownership interest is a matter of public record.
Property which, because of its physical condition or use, is regarded as a public nuisance at common law or has been declared by the appropriate official a public nuisance in accordance with a municipal code.
A plan for the correction of violations of state law or code that is part of an agreement between the owner and the municipality in which the real property containing the violations is located.
A violation of a state law or a code that poses an imminent threat to the health and safety of a dwelling occupant, occupants in surrounding structures or passersby.
A statute of the commonwealth or a regulation of an agency charged with the administration and enforcement of commonwealth law.
An affirmative action as determined by a property code official or officer of the court on the part of a property owner or managing agent to remedy a serious violation of a state law or municipal code, including, but not limited to, physical improvements or repairs to the property, which affirmative action is subject to appeal in accordance with applicable law.
Tax delinquent real property as defined under the Act of July 7,1947 (P.L. 1868, No. 542), known as the Real Estate Tax Sale Law; the act of May 16, 1923 (P.L. 207, No. 153), referred to as the Municipal Claim and Tax Lien Law; or the Act of October 11,1984 (P.L. 876, No. 171) known as the Second Class City Treasurer's Sale and Collection Act, located in any municipality in this commonwealth.
Editor's Note: See 72 P.S. § 5860.101 et seq., 53 P.S. § 7101 et seq., and 53 P.S. § 27101 et seq., respectively.
An in personam action may be initiated for a continuing violation for which the owner takes no substantial step to correct within six months following receipt of an order to correct the violation, unless the order is subject to a pending appeal before the administrative agency or court.
Notwithstanding any law limiting the form of action for the recovery of penalties by a municipality for the violation of a code, the Borough may recover, in a single action under this section, an amount equal to any penalties imposed against the owner and any costs of remediation lawfully incurred by or on behalf of the Borough to remedy any code violation.
A lien may be placed against the assets of an owner of real property that is in serious violation of a code or is regarded as a public nuisance after a judgment, decree or order is entered by a court of competent jurisdiction against the owner of the property for an adjudication under § 133-4A (relating to actions).
Limitations under the act. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize, in the case of an owner that is an association or trust, a lien on the individual assets of the general partner or trustee, except as otherwise allowed by law, limited partner, shareholder, member or beneficiary of the association or trust.
A person who lives or has a principal place of residence outside this commonwealth, who owns property in this commonwealth against which code violations have been cited and the person is charged under 18 Pa.C.S.A. (relating to crimes and offenses), and who has been properly notified of the violations, may be extradited to this commonwealth to face criminal prosecution to the full extent allowed and in the manner authorized by 42 Pa.C.S.A. Ch. 91 (relating to detainers and extradition).
Where, after reasonable efforts, service of process for a notice or citation for any code violation for any real property owned by an association or trust cannot be accomplished by handing a copy of the notice or citation to an executive officer, partner or trustee of the association or trust or to the manager, trustee or clerk in charge of the property, the delivery of the notice or citation may occur by registered, certified or United States express mail, accompanied by a delivery confirmation, to the registered office of the association or trust. Where the association or trust does not have a registered office, notice may occur by registered, certified or United States express mail, to the mailing address used for real estate tax collection purposes, if accompanied by the posting of a conspicuous notice to the property and by handing a copy of the notice or citation to the person in charge of the property at that time.
A serious violation of state law or a code or municipal code and the owner has taken no substantial step to correct the serious violation within six months following notification of the violation, and for which fines or other penalties or a judgment to abate or correct were imposed by a Magisterial District Judge or municipal court, or a judgment at law or in equity was imposed by a court of common pleas. However, no denial shall be permitted on the basis of a property for which the judgment, order or decree is subject to a stay or supersedeas by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction or automatically allowed by statute or rule of court until the stay or supersedeas is lifted by the court or a higher court or the stay or supersedeas expires as otherwise provided by law. Where a stay or supersedeas is in effect, the property owner shall so advise the Borough or board seeking to deny a municipal permit. The Borough or board shall not deny a municipal permit to an applicant if the municipal permit is necessary to correct a violation of state law or a code.
The municipal permit denial shall not apply to an applicant's delinquency on taxes, water, sewer or refuse collection charges that are under appeal or otherwise contested through a court or administrative process.
In issuing a denial of a municipal permit based on an applicant's delinquency in real property taxes or municipal charges or for failure to abate a serious violation of state law or a code on real property that the applicant owns in this commonwealth, the Borough or board shall indicate the street address, municipal corporation and county in which the property is located and the court and docket number for each parcel cited as a basis for the denial. The denial shall also state that the applicant may request a letter of compliance from the appropriate state agency, municipality or school district, in a form specified by such entity as provided in this section.
Beginning the remediation plan within no fewer than 30 days following acceptance of the plan or sooner, if mutually agreeable to both the property owner and the municipality.
Completing the remediation plan within no fewer than 90 days following commencement of the plan or sooner, if mutually agreeable to both the property owner and municipality.
In the event that the appropriate state agency, municipality or school district fails to issue a letter indicating tax, water, sewer, refuse, state law or code compliance or noncompliance, as the case may be, within 45 days of the request, the property in question shall be deemed to be in compliance for the purpose of this section. The appropriate state agency, municipality or school district shall specify the form in which the request for a compliance letter shall be made. Letters required under this section shall be verified by the appropriate municipal officials before issuing to the applicant a municipal permit.
Boards, including the Borough Zoning Hearing Board, may deny approval of municipal permits – which includes special exception approval and variance relief – if warranted as set forth above to the extent that approval of such a municipal permit is within the jurisdiction of the board.
In any proceeding before a board other than the governing body of the Borough, the Borough may appear to present evidence that the applicant is subject to a denial by the Board in accordance with this section.
For purposes of this subsection, a municipal permit may only be denied to an applicant other than an owner if the applicant is acting under the direction or with the permission of an owner; and the owner owns real property that is subject to denial as set forth above.
A denial of a municipal permit shall be subject to the provisions of 2 Pa.C.S.A. Ch. 5 Subch. B (relating to practice and procedure of local agencies) and Ch. 7 Subch. B (relating to judicial review of local agency action) or the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, for denials subject to the act.
Editor's Note: Local Agency Law.
In the event of a conflict between the requirements of this chapter and federal requirements applicable to demolition, disposition or redevelopment of buildings, structures or land owned by or held in trust for the government of the United States and regulated pursuant to the United States Housing Act of 1937 (50 Stat. 888, 42 U.S.C. § 1437 et seq.) and the regulations promulgated thereunder, the federal requirements shall prevail.
Where property is inherited by will or intestacy, the devisee or heir shall be given the opportunity to make payments on reasonable terms to correct code violations or to enter into a remediation agreement under § 133-6D(3) (relating to municipal permit denial) with a municipality to avoid subjecting the devisee's or heir's other properties to asset attachment or denial of permits and approvals on other properties owned by the devisee or heir.
The Borough Manager, Administrative Officer and Borough Solicitor and any and all others employed or appointed by the Borough are authorized to take all action necessary to ensure implementation of and effect the purpose hereof.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to abridge or alter the remedies now existing at common law or by statute, but the provisions of this chapter are in addition to such remedies.

References: § 133

§ 133

§ 133

§ 133
 § 6101
 § 5860
 § 7101
 § 27101
 § 133
 § 1437
 § 133