Bristol, PA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- International Property Maintenance Code, 2003
- Code penalty
- Up to $1,000, minimum $100, or up to 90 days
- Daily offense
- Each day after due notice is a separate offense
- Cure period
- 10 days under § 10-404 notice
- Borough abatement charge
- Cost plus 10% of all costs, by municipal lien
- Hearing request
- Written petition to Borough Council within 10 days
Summary
Bristol Borough adopted the International Property Maintenance Code, 2003, as its Property Maintenance Code for the control of buildings and structures. Section 5-202 sets the penalty at a fine of not more than $1,000, or not less than $100, or imprisonment up to 90 days. Chapter 10 adds nuisance and health-hazard rules with 10-day cure notices.
That a certain document, three copies of which are on file in the office of the Borough Inspector of the Borough of Bristol, being marked and designated as International Property Maintenance Code, 2003, as published by the International Code Council, Inc., be and is hereby adopted as the Property Maintenance Code of the Borough of Bristol, in the State of Pennsylvania; for the control of buildings and structures as herein provided; and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of said International Property Maintenance Code, 2003, are hereby referred to, adopted, and made a part hereof, as if fully set out of this Part, with the additions, insertions, deletions and changes, if any, prescribed in § 5-202 of this Part.
Full Breakdown
Section 5-201 of the Bristol Borough Code adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, 2003, published by the International Code Council, as the Property Maintenance Code of the Borough of Bristol, for the control of buildings and structures. Three copies are on file in the office of the Borough Inspector, and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of that code are made part of the Borough Code. Section 5-202 then amends it locally: fees for Department services are set by resolution of the Bristol Borough Council, and every violation carries the penalty described below. Other local changes include insect screens of not less than 16 mesh per inch from June 1 to September 15, and carbon monoxide detectors in dwelling units that use fossil fuel, placed within 15 feet of each bedroom in one- and two-family dwellings.
Section 5-203 bars interior-type furniture, such as upholstered couches and chairs, from yards, porches, patios and decks. When the Code Enforcement Officer finds it, the owner is notified, and the Borough of Bristol can remove it and bill the cost, with a lien available if the cost goes unpaid.
Nuisance abatement for property conditions sits in Chapter 10, Part 4. Section 10-402 makes it unlawful to create or maintain any condition on property that directly or indirectly causes a nuisance or health hazard, including unsheltered storage of unusable machinery, equipment or materials with sharp or protruding edges, openings that harbor vermin, or hazardous liquids. The Building Inspector inspects and serves written notice by registered or certified mail or by posting, requiring correction within 10 days. If the owner does not comply, the Borough can correct the condition and collect the cost plus 10% of all costs by filing a municipal lien. An aggrieved owner petitions the Borough Council for a hearing within 10 days. Section 1-1203 separately gives the Vacant Property Review Committee the power to designate blighted properties under the Urban Redevelopment Law.
Violations & Fines
Property Maintenance Code violations carry a fine of not more than $1,000, or not less than $100, or imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days, or both, at the discretion of the court, and each day a violation continues after due notice has been served is a separate offense (§ 5-202). Nuisance and health-hazard violations under Chapter 10, Part 4 carry a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default, imprisonment not to exceed 90 days (§ 10-407).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which property maintenance code does Bristol Borough enforce?
What is the penalty for a property maintenance violation in Bristol Borough?
What happens if a property in Bristol Borough is a health hazard?
Can Bristol Borough declare a property blighted?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bristol
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