At the Borough Council’s regularly scheduled August 14, 2013 council meeting, the Council approved changes to the existing Residential Rental Ordinance. Listed below are the major changes to the ordinance:
- The Borough re-evaluated the rental districts and elected to change the districts as follows:
District I – East Sunbury Street from Seltzer, west along Sunbury Street, odd and even numbered addresses to Sixth Street. This includes the Schuylkill County Housing Authority units on North, Carbon, 600 Block of Lewis, and Sunbury Streets; and Minersville High Rise, located at 300 Lewis Street
District II – North Side of Sunbury Street, not including Sunbury Street addresses to township lines of Cass & Norwegian. South Side of Sunbury Street, not including Sunbury Street addresses to Branch Township line.
- The rental inspection will no longer be done on a three year basis. The Borough has elected to change the inspection period to a two year basis.
- The following changes to the fee charges are as follows:
|
New Fee |
Old Fee |
|
| Inspection Fee |
$50.00 |
$35.00 |
|
Additional Units within the Premises |
$20.00 |
$15.00 |
| Follow–up Compliance Re-Inspection: first follow up inspection |
No Charge |
No Charge |
|
Additional follow-up compliance inspection |
$30.00 |
$15.00 |
| Occupant Change Re-Inspection Fee |
$30.00 |
$15.00 |
| Annual License Fee |
$10.00 |
$5.00 |
|
Additional fee per unit per year for non-payment |
$5.00 |
n/a |
| Occupant Permit per person (except over age 65) |
$10.00 |
$10.00 |
| Failure to Cancel or Reschedule Inspection Fee (within 24 hrs) |
$25.00 |
$20.00 |
| License Reinstatement Fee |
$100.00 |
n/a |
- The following minimum standards and conditions shall be met in order to hold a Residential Rental Unit License. Failure to comply with any of these standards and conditions shall be adequate grounds for denial, refusal to renew, revocation, or suspension of a Residential Rental Unit License.
- The owner or agent shall have paid the required license fee.
- No Residential Rental Unit shall be over occupied or illegally occupied in violation of the Property Maintenance Code.
- The Residential Rental Unit shall not have been used or converted to units in violation of the zoning code.
- The owner or agent shall not suffer or allow weeds, vegetation, junk, debris, or rubbish to accumulate repeatedly on the exterior of the premises so as to create a nuisance condition. If the Borough is required to abate such nuisance conditions or collect, gather up or haul solid waste under this section more than three (3) times under either or both sections during a period of twelve (12) months or less, it shall be sufficient grounds to deny, revoke, suspend or refuse to renew a license.
- The Residential Rental Unit shall not be in substandard condition as defined in the Property Maintenance Code.
- The owner or agent shall have paid the required inspection fees.
- The owner or agent shall allow the inspector, and his or her designated representative, to perform the rental inspection(s).
- The owner or agent shall verify all occupants are registered as per section 11E of this ordinance.
- There shall be no delinquent property taxes or assessments on the Residential Rental Unit.
- Any owner or agent who has an interest in two (2) or more licenses revoked pursuant to this section shall be ineligible to hold a Residential Rental Unit License for a period of five (5) years.