Section 51-1 - Building Permit Procedures.

All Building Permits issued by the Township for construction of new buildings shall be subject to the following plan requirements:

A. Plot Plan. Applicant shall submit for approval by the Township Engineer, a proposed survey and on-lot grading plan for each lot or building, certified for accuracy in compliance with the property deed and legal description. After approval, Applicant shall grade each lot or building in compliance with the said Survey and Grading Plan as approved by the Township Engineer. Each Plot Plan shall be submitted to the Township and/or engineer at least ten (10) business days prior to the expected foundation pouring to allow for review and issuance of Zoning/Building Permits.

B. Foundation As-Built Plan. Applicant shall submit to Township or engineer a certified As-Built Plan no later than seven (7) business days after the foundation has been poured and prior to framing of the structure. This plan shall show the foundation elevations plus the location of the foundation as depicted on the Plot Plan and as the foundation relates to all lot lines.

C. Final As-Built Plan. An "As-Built" Survey Plan for each lot or building shall be provided to the Township and certified for accuracy in compliance with the approved Plot Plan prior to the issuance of a Use and Occupancy Permit for each lot or building. A Use and Occupancy Permit shall not be issued until Township determines that construction and on-lot grading has been performed in compliance with the approved Plot Plan and all applicable ordinances, regulations, permits, resolutions and codes of Township, and of any other governmental agencies having jurisdiction thereover.

D. Temporary Use and Occupancy Permits. In situations where all exterior on-lot work cannot be completed because of adverse weather conditions or other compelling circumstances, Temporary Use and Occupancy Permits may be issued for a lot at the sole discretion of Township subject to the following:

(1) The Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit must be jointly requested by the Developer and the new homeowner.

(2) The house or structure must be one hundred percent (100%) completed.

(3) The public street or roadway must be completed at least to base course and must be mud-free and completely passable in a safe manner.

(4) Curbs must be completed to provide access to the lot.

(5) All stormwater management structures or facilities associated in any way with drainage expected from the lot must be complete.

(6) Rough grading of the lot must have been completed and must provide positive drainage away from the structure.

(7) A Final As-Built Plan showing rough grading and building location must be submitted and approved by Township.

(8) The driveway serving said house or structure, as applicable, must be completed to the stone base.

(9) Applicant shall provide Township with a cash escrow or letter of credit, in a form approved by the Township Solicitor, issued by a lending or financial institution chartered by and authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, subject to the prior approval of Township, in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or other amount as determined by the Township Engineer which shall guarantee the completion of the work and any associated legal and engineering fees required to obtain a final Use and Occupancy Permit for the lot in question. This escrow shall be irrevocable and shall remain valid until all of the aforesaid work shall be completed to the satisfaction of the Township and the final U & O is issued.

(10) Applicant shall execute the Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit acknowledging and certifying that the incomplete work is its responsibility and not that of the lot owner/purchaser.

(11) All incomplete work required to obtain a final Use and Occupancy Permit must be completed within the time stipulated on the Temporary Use and Occupancy Permit. In the event the work is not completed within the time stipulated, then, in that event, Applicant shall be deemed in breach and default of this Agreement and Township may, on five (5) days' written notice to Applicant, transmitted by facsimile or other similar electronics means, recognized overnight delivery service, hand delivery or certified mail at Township's option, utilize any of the remedies set forth herein, including revocation of all building and any other permits previously issued and refusal to issue any future building or any other permits until the work required to obtain a final Use and Occupancy Permit is completed to Township's satisfaction.

(12) Additionally, Township may, at its discretion, apply the cash escrow or letter of credit posted by Applicant for guarantee of completion of the work to complete the work itself with its own personnel or employ other persons and pay the cost incurred by Township including any professional or consultant fees. Application and reduction of monies by Township are not deemed an exclusive remedy and do not constitute a waiver of any other available remedies. Any extension of time to complete the work requested may be granted by the Township Board of Supervisors at their sole discretion. The Township shall not be responsible for any work done by or at the direction of Township which work shall remain the responsibility of Applicant.

**Webmasters Note: Chapter 51 added by Ordinance No. 2006-210, effective June 21, 2006.

Worcester Township hereby elects to administer and enforce the provisions of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, Act 45 of 1999, 35 PS, §§7210.101-7210.1103, as amended from time to time, and its regulations.

The Uniform Construction Code, contained in 34 Pa. Code, Chapters 401-405, as amended from time to fine, is hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference as the building code of Worcester Township.

Administration and enforcement of the UCC within Worcester Township shall be undertaken in any of the following ways as determined by the Board of Supervisors of Worcester Township from time to time by resolution:

A. By the designation of an employee of the Township to serve as the Township code official to act on behalf of the Township;

B. By the retention of one or more construction code officials or third party agencies to act on behalf of the Township;

C. By agreement with one or more other municipalities for the joint administration and enforcement of this Act through an intermunicipal agreement;

D. By entering into a contract with another municipality for the administration and enforcement of this Act on behalf of the Township;

E. By entering into an agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for plan review, inspections and enforcement of structures other than one family or two family dwelling units and utility and, miscellaneous use structures.

A.Board of Appeals shall be established by elution of the Board of Supervisors of Worcester Township in conformity with the requirements of the relevant provisions of the UCC, as amended from tame to time, and for the purposes set forth therein. If at any time enforcement and administration is undertaken jointly with one or more other municipalities, said Board of Appeals shall be established by joint action of the participating municipalities.

A. All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which were adopted by Worcester Township on or before July 1, 1999, and which equal or exceed the requirements of the UCC shall continue in full force and effect until such time as such provisions fail to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the UCC, as amended from time to time.

B. All building code ordinances or portions of ordinances which are in effect as of the effective date of this ordinance and whose requirements are less than the minimum requirements of the UCC are hereby amended to conform with the comparable provisions of the UCC.

C. All relevant ordinances, regulations and policies of Worcester Township not governed by the UCC shall remain in full force and effect.

The following provisions were duly adopted by Worcester Township on or before July 1, 1999 and arc Specifically identified as equaling or exceeding the requirements of the UCC and shall continue in full force and effect until such time as the provisions fall to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the UCC, as amended from time to time. The following provisions are not intended as an exhaustive list of provisions adopted by the Township before July 1, 1999 which equal or exceed the requirements of the UCC and the Township reserves the right to enforce, without limitation, all other building code provisions not specifically listed below which were adopted on or before July 1, 1999 which equal or exceed the requirements of the UCC, as amended from time to time.

A. The 2003 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC), which has been adopted by reference by the UCC, is hereby revised as follows:

(i) Section 101.1 of the IBC is hereby revised to provide as follows:

101.1, Title: These regulations shall be known as the "Building Ordinance of Worcester Township", hereinafter referred to as "this code."

(ii) Section 101.2 of the IBC is hereby revised and supplemented to provide as follows:

101.2 Scope: These regulations shall control all matters concerning the construction, alteration, addition, repair, removal, demolition, use, location, occupancy and maintenance of all buildings and structures and shall apply to existing or proposed buildings and structures; and, further, these regulations shall include and require compliance with the provisions of Chapter 150, Zoning, regulating the use of land and structures within the boundaries of designated floodplain districts which are part of the Official Zoning Map of Worcester Township,

(iii.) Section 3303.7 of the IBC is hereby revised to add the following:

"Prior to the issuance of a demolition permit the applicant shall furnish to the township a certificate from a, reputable rodent exterminator which states that the building or structure to be demolished has been inspected and found to be free of rodents or that the building or structure to be demolished has been properly treated for the eradication of all rodents in and about the premises."

(iv) Section 108 of the IBC is hereby revised to provide as follows:

108 Fee schedule: Applicants for permits under this code shall pay at the time of application to the township the fees set forth on the then current fee schedule which shall have been adopted by resolution by the Board of Supervisors. When a permit fee is based on cost of construction, the valuation of the subject work shall be the fair market value of all of the construction work. The Building Official shall be satisfied as to the accuracy of the estimate both initially and at final completion should changes occur as the work progresses.

(v) Section 108.7 of the MC is hereby revised to provide as follows:

108.7 Accounting. All fees collected shall be received and accounted for by the Township Secretary; and such fees shall be deposited in the jurisdiction treasury or otherwise handled as required by law.

(vi) Sections 113.1 through 113.4 of the IBC are hereby replaced with the following:

113.1. Violation penalties: Any person who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with the requirements thereof or who shall erect, construct, alter or repair a building or structure in violation of an approved plan or directive of the building official or of a permit: or certificate issued tinder the provisions of Ibis code or shall continue any work in or about a building after having been served with a stop order, upon conviction thereof by summary proceedings brought in the name of Worcester Township before a District Justice having jurisdiction, shall be sentenced as provided in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.

(vii) Section 114.3 of the 1130 is hereby deleted in its entirety.

(viii) Section, 705 of the MC is hereby revised to provide as follows:

705 Multifamily dwellings: Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter or code, the requirements for lire separations in multifamily dwellings shall be as follows: dwelling units located adjacent to other dwelling units shall be completely separated from the adjacent dwelling unit by an eight inch thick masonry wall extending from the foundation to at least sixteen (16) inches above the highest adjacent roof deck. Dwelling units located above other dwelling traits shall be completely separated from the other dwelling unit by floor/ceiling assemblies of not less than two hour fire resistance rated construction.

(ix) Section 903.2 of the IBC is hereby revised to provide as follows:

903.2 Where required: Fire suppression systems shall be installed and maintained in full operating condition, as specified in this code, in the locations indicated in Sections 903.2.1 through 903.2.13; all buildings with a gross floor area of more than two thousand (2,000) square feet, other than single family detached residences, shall be provided with a fully automatic fire suppression system.

(x) Sections 903.2.1 through 903.2.13 are hereby revised by deleting therefrom all references that arc inconsistent with the requirements of Section 903.2 as hereby revised.

(xi) Section 330'7.1 is hereby supplemented by adding the words "three (3) feet."

Fees assessable by Worcester Township for the administration and enforcement undertaken pursuant to this ordinance and the UCC shall be established by the Board of Supervisors by resolution from time to time.

Any individual, firm or corporation that violates any provision of the UCC commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 and casts. Each day that a violation of the UCC continues shall be considered a separate violation.

**Webmasters Note: The previous Chapter has been added as per Ordinance No. 2004-199.