(A) Generally. Any person violating any provision of this chapter, for which no other penalty is provided, shall be subject to the penalty provisions of § 10.99.
(B) Code enforcement.
(1) Procedure in case of violations. Whenever the Code Enforcement Officer determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there has been a violation of any provision of §§ 31.20 through 31.23 or of the other applicable codes and ordinances, or of any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, he or she shall proceed as follows:
(a) Serve notice in writing of the alleged violation which shall be signed by the Code Enforcement Officer or his or her authorized representative. Said notice shall be served personally on the responsible owner, occupant, operator or other person in charge, or served by registered mail with a return receipt requested, or, where such responsible person in charge cannot be found, service may be made by posting a notice in or about the structure or premises or by publishing such notice in a newspaper of general circulation for a period of three consecutive days, or served by any other method authorized under the laws of the commonwealth;
(b) Said notice shall include a statement of the reasons why the notice is being issued, the sections of the code and/or ordinances which have been violated and the remedial actions required;
(c) Said notice shall allow a reasonable time not to exceed 60 days, for the initiation and correction of the violation alleged or of the remedial actions required, except where emergency conditions exist which require immediate corrective action;
(d) Said notice shall contain a statement indicating that the notice will become an order if no request and approval for an extension of time is made to the Code Enforcement Officer; and
(e) The Code Enforcement Officer may grant a request for a reasonable extension of time where he or she has evidence to believe that the responsible person is attempting to remove the alleged violation; however, no such extension of time may exceed a period of 90 days.
(2) Penalties.
(a) Any person who fails to correct a violation or institute a remedial action, as ordered by the Code Enforcement Officer, or who violates a provision or fails to comply with any requirements of §§ 31.20 through 31.23, or of any other applicable codes or ordinances, shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by the township before a District Justice, pay a fine of not more than $600, plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred by the township in the enforcement of §§ 31.20 through 31.23. The minimum fine shall be one-half the maximum specified. No judgment shall be imposed until the date of the determination of the violation by the District Justice. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the township may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable Rules of Civil Procedure. Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense. Further, the appropriate officers or agents of the township are hereby authorized to seek equitable relief, including injunction, to enforce compliance herewith. The Code Enforcement Officer is specifically authorized to initiate action for violations by filing citations with the local District Justice.
(2003 Code, § 78-4) (Ord. 1-91, passed 4-2-1991)