RESIDENTIAL RESALES NOW REQUIRE USE AND OCCUPANCY PERMITS
After several months of input from residents, Borough Council adopted Ordinance 1135 at a public hearing on September 5th implementing a Use and Occupancy inspection and permit that will begin on NOVEMBER 6, 2023.
The Borough Council had spent multiple meetings discussing the ordinance and why they felt it was important and what the Borough should be looking at during the inspections. The concern of Council was health, safety, and welfare of the Borough and its residents, so it was decided to keep the inspection list relatively simple and while also delaying the sewer lateral inspection requirement which will become effective date of September 1, 2024.
This will provide the Borough with time to explore Act 44 to provide possible assistance for property owners to perform this inspection. The current ordinance will be requiring the below items:
- Curb / Sidewalk Inspection – if a home has a curb and sidewalk that needs repair or replacement it would be required to do so prior to the issuance of a full use and occupancy OR a temporary use and occupancy would be issued with a twelve-month timeline to complete the work for a clean use and occupancy. Borough inspectors would mark the required areas for repair with white spray paint. Please note that enforcement of the existing curb and sidewalk is presently done on a complaint basis and is currently a requirement for safety.
- Backflow preventer verification – this is a check valve located on the house side of the meter to prevent water from flowing in the opposite direction out of the home in the event of an emergency. Verification of the existing water service line that may be constructed of lead. Whether the service line is categorized as “Lead”, “Non-lead”, or ”Lead Status Unknown”. This is a requirement of the Ambler Borough Water Company not because of restrictions of the Borough of Ambler. The Borough owns the water company that is why this is a Back flow preventors have been required as per the Pennsylvania Code Chapter 109 and the Safe Drinking Water of 1974. If your property has been bought since the 1980s or constructed after that year, chances are your property has a backflow preventor already installed on the property or the previous homeowner or agent may have failed to disclose this. In addition to the backflow preventor requirement the US EPA as of August 2022 is requiring Water Distribution Companies to provide an inventory of all customers lead and copper service lines by October 2024.
- Smoke and Carbon monoxide detectors – seller is required to sign a pre-closing affidavit on a form provided by the Borough which confirms the presence of working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on each floor of the home, including the basement, along with any other details as recommended from time to time by the Fire This is already a requirement for resale of property in the Borough. Given the older housing stock in the Borough many attached homes were built without required fire walls in the Borough and this requirement benefits existing attached homeowners and new homeowners. While smoke detectors don’t prevent fires, detecting them early helps prevent spread to neighboring properties.
- House numbers, a minimum of 3 inches in height, have been installed and are easily seen from the This is done for the benefit of homeowners, Wissahickon Volunteer Fire Company, Ambler Police Department, and local Ambulance Companies in the event of emergencies.
The residential resale use and occupancy permit can be found on the Borough website under documents and forms as well as on the announcement page. Please note there is NO FEE FOR THIS CERTIFICATE. If you are thinking of selling your home in the near future feel free to contact the Borough Code Department to walk you through the inspection process. The Borough understands all real estate transactions are not the same and will work with all in order to make this a smooth process. Feel free to contact the Code Department with any questions. This Ordinance was done in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all residents.
