PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1285 PRINTER'S NO. 2555
No. 1137 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY PETRONE, REINARD, PIPPY, DEMPSEY, MARSICO,
HENNESSEY, RAMOS, YOUNGBLOOD, CORRIGAN, ROSS, ARGALL,
L. I. COHEN, COSTA, STEVENSON, BUNT, WRIGHT, FICHTER,
READSHAW, FREEMAN, McILHINNEY, STEELMAN, MAHER, E. Z. TAYLOR,
MANDERINO AND BROWNE, MARCH 29, 1999
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 26, 1999
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 7, 1901 (P.L.20, No.14), entitled "An
2 act for the government of cities of the second class,"
3 limiting issuances of permits, licenses, variances and
4 approvals.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. Article I of the act of March 7, 1901 (P.L.20,
8 No.14), referred to as the Second Class City Law, is amended by
9 adding a section to read:
10 Section 1.1. (A) An officer or employe may deny issuing to <--
11 any applicant a building permit, zoning permit, zoning variance,
12 municipal license, municipal permit, or municipal approval for
13 contemplated action requiring such approval, if the applicant: <--
14 owns any real property in any municipality in Pennsylvania which <--
15 is tax delinquent or in violation of a State or municipal
16 housing, building, property maintenance, or fire safety code
17 requirements. All municipal variances, approvals, permits, or
1 licenses may be withheld until such time as the applicant
2 satisfactorily demonstrates that all real property owned by the
3 applicant in Pennsylvania is in code compliance and is not tax
4 delinquent.
5 (1) OWNS ANY REAL PROPERTY IN ANY MUNICIPALITY IN <--
6 PENNSYLVANIA WHICH IS TAX DELINQUENT; OR
7 (2) OWNS ANY PROPERTY IN PENNSYLVANIA THAT HAS BEEN
8 DETERMINED TO BE IN SERIOUS VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE STATE OR
9 MUNICIPAL HOUSING, BUILDING, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE OR FIRE SAFETY
10 CODE REQUIREMENTS, AND HAS NOT TAKEN SUBSTANTIAL STEPS TO BRING
11 THE PROPERTY INTO CODE COMPLIANCE.
12 ALL MUNICIPAL VARIANCES, APPROVALS, PERMITS OR LICENSES MAY BE
13 WITHHELD UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE APPLICANT SATISFACTORILY
14 DEMONSTRATES THAT ALL REAL PROPERTY OWNED BY THE APPLICANT IN
15 THE COMMONWEALTH IS NOT TAX DELINQUENT, IS IN CODE COMPLIANCE OR
16 SUBSTANTIAL STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO BRING THE PROPERTY INTO
17 CODE COMPLIANCE.
18 (B) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
19 "SERIOUS VIOLATIONS" SHALL MEAN HOUSING, BUILDING, PROPERTY
20 MAINTENANCE OR FIRE SAFETY CODE VIOLATIONS THAT POSE AN
21 IMMEDIATE THREAT TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF DWELLING OCCUPANTS
22 OR OCCUPANTS IN SURROUNDING STRUCTURES AND PASSERSBY.
23 "SUBSTANTIAL STEPS" SHALL MEAN AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ON THE
24 PART OF THE PROPERTY OWNER OR MANAGING AGENT AS DETERMINED BY
25 THE MUNICIPALITY TO REMEDY CODE VIOLATIONS, INVOLVING PHYSICAL
26 IMPROVEMENTS OR PREPARATIONS TO THE PROPERTY.
27 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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