Three local municipalities are advertising ordinances designed to deal with the implementation of the state’s new Uniform Construction Code.
Tyrone Borough, Tyrone Township in Blair County and Warriors Mark Township in Huntingdon County are all represented by Attorney Larry Clapper. Public notices regarding upcoming meetings in the three municipalities for the purpose of public comment and possible action on the proposed ordinance have been published in The Daily Herald recently.
The new construction code was published for a 90-day review period by the state in January. The review period came to an end earlier this month leaving municipalities with the need to decide to ‘opt in’ or out of the code. Most municipalities have decided, or are leaning toward “opting in” and now are in a position of having to adopt an ordinance regarding the code by July 8, 2004.
Tom Lang, Tyrone’s code enforcement officer had previously explained the ordinance could become effective prior to that date or as late a month after it. The advertised ordinance lists a July 1 effective date for Tyrone Borough with the same date noted in the separate notices for Tyrone Township and Warriors Mark Township.
The public notices describe the ordinances as being designed to “authorize the administration and enforcement of the said Construction Code.” Other features of the ordinances include the authorization of an appeals board, the rescinding of any building regulation of the code and the authorization to adopt fees for the enforcement and administration of the code.
Nathan George, Tyrone’s borough manager, explained at least in his municipality, the adoption of the ordinance will give the council the right to pass by resolution the way it will enforce the code. Similar language is noted in the public notices for the other two municipalities.
“The ordinance would authorize council from time to time by resolution to chose the way the borough would enforce the code,” said George. “By consensus, the borough is leaning toward using Tom Lang and possibly some outside parties, the consensus of council was not to use a council of governments agreement.”
According to George, the Tyrone version of ordinance notes five different ways to enforce the code. He explained if the ordinance passed, the council would then at some point decide by resolution which option it would initially use. He noted although the council could change the way it enforces the code from time to time it would do so in a reasonable manner. Tyrone Borough isn’t immediately required to decide how to enforce the code since the ordinance if it is adopted won’t take effective until July 1.
The five options outlined in the Tyrone Borough version are as follows:
• through the use of an employee or employees such as current code enforcement officer, Tom Lang;
• by retaining a construction code official or third party to act on behalf of Tyrone;
• by agreement with one or more municipalities in an inter-municipal agreement;
• by entering into a contract with another municipality for it to enforce Tyrone’s code, and
• by entering into an agreement with the state Department of Labor and Industry to complete inspection work for buildings other than one or two-family dwellings, i.e., commercial construction.
The construction code ordinance will be presented at the May 10, 2004 meeting for Tyrone Borough; the May 12, 2004 for Tyrone Township and the May 4, 2004 meeting for Warriors Mark Township.
