Board votes to oppose state bill

UPPER GWYNEDD >> A bill being discussed by the state legislature has caught the eye of Upper Gwynedd’s officials.

The township commissioners voted unanimously Monday to voice their opposition to House Bill 349, a piece of state legislation they say would negatively impact the township’s code department.

“Presently, under current law, the township can either have an in-house code inspector, or can hire a third-party code inspector,” said Solicitor Dave Onorato.

“What the township does, and

most municipalities do these days, is hire a thirdparty agency, a third-party company, to be their code inspector,” he said.

Upper Gwynedd’s current zoning officer is E. Van Rieker, a longtime township resident who is owner and president of his own consulting firm specializing in community planning, and fills the same role for several other communities around the region. Rieker works multiple days a week in the township handling plan reviews and complaints, and was hired by the board in 2013 after the departure of Bill Lawrence, who had been the township’s in-house

code inspector and assistant manager, according to MediaNews Group archives.

“What this bill would do is require at least two companies to be that code inspector. So that, essentially, if a property owner is unhappy with a decision made by the township’s code inspector, they can pick the other code inspector, and have them inspect the property and give an opinion,” Onorato said.

The proposed House Bill 349 would amend the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act of 1999 to require at least two or more thirdparty agencies be under contract for municipalities that use the services of an those companies, and lets municipalities that do so sign cooperation agreements do share those resources.

“We’re recommending opposition to this, because I think it would make a real uneasy situation, and a confusing situation,” Onorato said.

“Right now, the code enforcement officer that you have, the building inspector is here on a regular basis, he’s familiar with the township, he’s familiar with the buildings and the code. If you have two or three more such companies, it would be an unknown, and an uneasy situation,” he said.

The bill is currently referred for discussion at the state house’s labor and industry committee, according to state records. Commissioner Jim Santi said it’s not the first time he has seen something similar proposed.

“This bill has been attempted, to be passed, over the last several years. They keep trying, and it’s for issues that they have out in the western part of the state,” Santi said.

“And for that, they’re trying to get the entire state to fall under this. I think we’re doing the right thing in opposing it,” he said.

Commissioners President Ken Kroberger said “I agree with you, totally,” and the board then voted unanimously to pass a resolution voicing their formal opposition to the house bill.

Upper Gwynedd’s commissioners next meet at 7 p.m. on July 16 at the township administration building, 1 Parkside Place.