Jul 1, 2016 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – In an effort to address issues ranging from unsafe buildings to unmowed lawns, Carmichaels Borough Council voted at a special meeting Thursday to adopt the International Property Maintenance Code.

Council unanimously approved the adoption of the model set of codes that establishes minimum standards for the maintenance of properties and buildings in the borough.

Council has been wrestling with the issue for some time. “All our codes and ordinance are so dated,” Councilman Charles Walker said Friday. “We needed to update them to meet the current standards.”

The borough was faced with reviewing and updating each of its property maintenance ordinances, many of which were very old. “We’re hoping this will cover it all,” Walker said.

Council earlier hired a code enforcement officer to work five hours, one day a week, to enforce borough ordinances.

Mark Gordon, who also works as a part-time code enforcement officer in nine other municipalities, including Greensboro and Rices Landing boroughs and Dunkard Township, was hired in May at a wage of $17 an hour.

After discussing code enforcement with council, Gordon said he reviewed the borough’s existing ordinances, some of which were “antiquated” and he suggested council consider the international code, a “blanket ordinance” covering many issues.

Some of the borough’s existing codes did not provide enough detail, which made them hard to enforce, or were so old they included fines for violations of only $10, he said.

The international code “basic” and “is pretty consistent with what a lot of other townships and boroughs have,” Gordon said. They also are complete, coving issues from junk cars to building and property maintenance.

Adopting one property maintenance code, in addition, saved the borough the time and expense of updating each of the borough’s existing ordinances, he said.

Gordon will work in the borough each Thursday. Walker said council hopes he will “work with residents” to address any problems. The code, itself, gives residents time to address any violations, he said.

Gordon, who has worked in code enforcement for 13 years and was a state constable for 20 years, said the code includes a “reasonable” set of standards for property maintenance.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time we can work (any issues) out with the resident,” he said.

The ordinance gives a property owner time to address any problems, and extensions can be granted depending on the need and the circumstances, he said. “It’s just getting people to do the right thing,” he said.