(A) Not later than 60 days from the date of ordinance adoption, the Building Official or his or her designee shall give written notice by personal delivery or first class U. S. mail to all property owners located within the inspection districts of the requirement to notify the Building Official or his or her designee of any real property of the owner located in an inspection district that is a residential rental property as defined hereinabove. The mailing of the notice by the Building Official or his or her designee shall be deemed sufficient notice for purposes of this subchapter.
(B) Before adopting a rental inspection ordinance and establishing a rental inspection district or an amendment to either, the Northampton County Board of Supervisors shall hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance. Notice of the hearing shall be published once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper published or having general circulation in the locality.
(C) Upon adoption by the Northampton County Board of Supervisors of a rental inspection ordinance, the Building Official or his or her designee shall make reasonable efforts to notify owners of residential rental dwelling units in the designated rental inspection district, or their designated managing agents, and to any individual dwelling units subject to the rental inspection ordinance, not located in a rental inspection district, of the adoption of such ordinance, and provide information and an explanation of the rental inspection ordinance and the responsibilities of the owner thereunder.
(D) (1) The owner of any residential rental dwelling unit located within an inspection district shall notify the Building Official or his or her designee in writing no later than 60 days of the implementation date of this subchapter, that the property is a residential rental dwelling unit. Such notice and information shall be submitted on a form provided by the Building Official or his or her designee. The form shall require the following information:
(a) Address the residential rental dwelling unit;
(b) The name(s) of each owner of the residential rental dwelling unit and the street address(es) of the primary residence of each owner of the residential rental dwelling unit; and
(c) The name and street address of any responsible party or designee other than the owner.
(2) For purposes of this division, notice sent by regular first class mail to the last known address of the owner as shown on the current real estate tax assessment books or current real estate tax assessment records shall be deemed compliance with this requirement.
(E) Within 30 days of giving the notification required herein, the owner shall contact the Building Official or his or her designee, and arrange for an initial inspection of the residential rental dwelling unit by the Building Official or his or her designee.
(F) The owner of any residential rental unit located in an inspection district shall within 30 days of title transfer, notify the Building Official or his or her designee of any change of ownership of the residential rental dwelling unit.
(G) (1) Any owner who fails to timely give any notice as required by this section shall be in violation of this subchapter and shall be subject to such penalties and enforcement remedies as provided herein. However, failure to give timely notice in accordance with division (D) of this section shall not be deemed a violation if the Building Official or his or her designee has not complied with division (A) of this section.
(2) In any event, the sole penalty for the willful failure of an owner of a dwelling unit who is using the dwelling unit for residential rental purposes to comply with the written notification requirement shall be a civil penalty of up to $50.
(Ord. passed 12-8-2009)