a) APPOINTMENT, POWERS AND DUTIES - The provisions of this Zoning Ordinance shall be administered and enforced by the Zoning Officer who shall be appointed by the Mayor after meeting the qualifications established by the City for the Zoning Officer and successfully demonstrating a working knowledge of municipal zoning. The Zoning Officer shall not hold elective office in the City.
1) The Zoning Officer shall: receive all applications for zoning permits and issue permits when there is compliance with the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance, other City ordinances and laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania;
2) Inspect the lands and buildings built or altered under this Zoning Ordinance to insure that they comply with the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance, and upon satisfactory completion of inspection, issue an occupancy permit;
3) Receive applications for special exceptions and refer these applications to the Zoning Hearing Board for action thereon;
4) Following refusal of a zoning permit, receive any appeals from alleged errors of the Zoning Officer and any appeals for variances from the terms of this Zoning Ordinance and forward these to the Board for action thereon;
5) Conduct investigations to determine compliance or noncompliance with the terms of this Zoning Ordinance;
6) Order, in writing, correction of all conditions found to be in violation of the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance. Such written orders shall be served personally or by registered mail upon persons, firms or corporations deemed by the Zoning Officer to be violating the terms of this Zoning Ordinance;
7) Institute, in coordination with the Mayor, proceedings in courts of proper jurisdiction for the enforcement of this Zoning Ordinance;
8) Keep a permanent record of all plans and applications for permits and all permits issued, with a notation as to all conditions attached thereto;
9) Maintain a map or maps showing the current zoning classification of all land in the City;
10) Identify and register nonconforming structures, lots and uses together with the reasons why they were identified as nonconforming;
11) Upon the request of the Mayor, Council, Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board or City department heads, present to such body facts, records or any similar information to assist such individuals or bodies in reaching a decision;
12) In cases where local government action in the form of condemnation, urban renewal activities and other City directed physical changes (i.e., street changes) causes a special exception or variance request, the Zoning Officer shall have the right to waive zoning fees.
b) LIMITS OF AUTHORITY -The Zoning Officer shall have the authority to issue zoning permits only for construction and uses that are in accordance with the requirements of this Zoning Ordinance. Construction and uses that require special exception or variance shall be issued zoning permits only on order of the Zoning Hearing Board. The Zoning Officer is authorized to institute civil enforcement proceedings as a means of enforcement while acting within the scope of employment as a Zoning Officer.