Property Maintenance

What is Property Maintenance?

Homes and properties must be well maintained both inside and outside according to the 2000 International Property Maintenance Code.

To keep neighborhoods safe, healthy and vibrant, there are also local municipality rules about everything from broken windows in homes to uncut grass and junk in the yard. The Code Department is continually in the process of performing exterior inspections of properties within the Borough.

These inspections include commercial as well as residential buildings. We are looking for exterior property violations such as:

• Unprotected wood framework of building(s), missing or defective rain gutters and downspouts.
• Broken windows or other structural defects to chimneys/decks/porches, etc.
• Porch supports are to be maintained in a safe and sound condition and in good repair.
• Sidewalks are to be maintained free from hazardous conditions.
• Homes should have address numbers displayed on the front and rear of the property.
• Accessory structures shall be maintained and in good repair, etc.

The International Property Maintenance Code is a model code that regulates the minimum maintenance requirements for existing buildings and exterior property areas. The responsibility for maintenance and upkeep falls on the owners, operators, and occupants of the property. The Property Maintenance Code provides requirements that are intended to maintain a minimum level of safety and sanitation for both the general public and the occupants of a structure, and to maintain a building’s structural and weather-resistance performance.

Grass & Weeds

• Grass and Weeds shall not exceed a height of eight inches.

• Maintaining weeds in the sidewalk is your responsibility. You must pull the weeds in your sidewalk.

Snow and Ice

• Snow must be removed within 24 hours after snowfall ends.
• Snow is NOT allowed to be thrown into the streets/highways/alleys.
• Chairs, Buckets, Ladders or other items are NOT permitted in front of properties to reserve parking spaces after snowstorms. The Borough has the authority to remove these items.

Trash Cans

• All properties are required to have trash service.
• All trash must be placed for pick up in cans provided by Harrisburg City. Each can must be secured and covered.
• All trash containers cannot be placed for pickup prior to 12pm (noon) the day prior to pickup.
• All trash containers shall be removed from curbside or location adjacent to street or alley and returned to their storage area within the property line within 12 hours of the actual collection.

Animal Waste

• All exterior Property and premises shall be maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary condition.
• No owner or custodian of any domestic animal shall permit that animal or fowl to create unsanitary conditions on the owner’s property, including the yard areas, which are a menace to the health, comfort or safety of the public.

Rubbish Accumulation

• All exterior property and premises, and the interior of every structure, shall be free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.

Appliances/Furniture

• Outside placement of indoor appliances/furniture, unless placed out for bulk item pickup and removed on next scheduled trash service pickup.
• Includes Indoor furniture, refrigerators, kitchen stoves, bed mattresses, washers and dryers, ect.

Quick Tickets Fines

Quick ticket citations for code violations regarding high or noxious weeds and grass, garbage and rubbish accumulation, solid waste spillage, outside placement of indoor appliances/furniture, snow and ice removal from sidewalks, insect or vermin infestation, and animal waste.

Property owners and occupants shall receive only one 10-day public safety notice of violations of the above-referenced provision.

Quick ticket citations may be issued daily for failure to remedy the cited situation. The fine for the above-referenced violations shall be payable within 15 calendar days. Failure to pay the citation within 15 days will result in a summary citation being filed with and issued through the local Magisterial District Judge office.

Offense’s and Penalties