Posted: | March 19, 2019 03:57 PM |
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From: | Representative Clint Owlett |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Campground Cabin Construction |
What could be more relaxing than staying at one of our amazing campgrounds here in the Commonwealth after a stressful week of session? There is just nothing like a smore cooked over a fire and watching for a shooting star on a cool summer night in PA. For those who want to enjoy the great outdoors of PA, but don’t have a camper or a tent, the cabin is the way to go. However, our privately-owned campgrounds follow different regulations than our state-owned campgrounds. In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that will exclude pre-engineered, manufactured cabins, that arrive already assembled from the requirements of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (Act 45 of 1999). Under current law, both manufactured housing and recreational cabins are exempt from the requirements of Act 45. My legislation will provide campgrounds who are seeking to provide recreational experiences for those visiting the Commonwealth and our in-state residents the ability to do so without having to comply with the cumbersome construction code requirements for these types of structures under current law, while still making sure they are safe. Currently, cabins located in campgrounds across the Commonwealth must follow the Uniform Construction Code (UCC). However, since 2012, cabins and cottages located in State Parks have been permitted to file the Recreational Cabin Affidavit, which excludes them from the requirements of the UCC, when constructing these types of cabins. This legislation simply allows our private owned campgrounds to follow the same regulations as the state. With hundreds of campgrounds in Pennsylvania, this legislation would be good first step in eliminating unnecessary red tape for our privately-owned campgrounds and get more people out into all our districts spending time with family and friends around a campfire. Something we could all use a little more of. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation and supporting our campgrounds! |
Introduced as HB1501