Title 73, TOWNSHIPS

(a) Authority.--The board of commissioners shall have the power to authorize the township treasurer or other township official to collect assessments. (b) Procedure.--The following shall apply to the collection of assessments: (1) A township may collect an assessment that remains…

(a) Contracting allowed.--Townships may contract with an adjoining municipal corporation owning a water system or with a municipal authority or a private company for a supply of water for public and private uses to be delivered into the lines of the township at, near or within th…

Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to repeal or to supersede any of the provisions of 66 Pa.C.S. (relating to public utilities).

(a) Rates fixed.--For water supplied by the township, the board of commissioners shall fix the rates charged to users of water or to owners whose properties are connected to the water system. The board of commissioners shall provide for the collection of the water rates. The rate…

A township entering into a contract for the supply of water may, by ordinance, provide, regulate and protect a system of water distribution after filing a certified copy of the plans and surveys for the system, with a description of the sources from which it is proposed to derive…

(a) Authority.--Except as provided in subsection (b), in providing for, regulating, protecting and extending a township's system of distribution of water, a township may occupy streets, roads or highways, and may take, injure or destroy private property as provided in this chapte…

If the compensation and damages arising from the taking, injury or destruction of private property cannot be agreed upon, the township shall proceed under 26 Pa.C.S. (relating to eminent domain).

The board of commissioners may designate, define and create one or more water districts within the township and the board of commissioners shall determine the proportion of the cost of the water system which shall be equitably charged on each district and declare and establish th…

(a) Property owners.--The board of commissioners may, by ordinance, require that a property owner connect with and use a water system of the township or municipal authority or a joint water system in either of the following cases: (1) Except as provided in subsection (b), if the …

The cost of construction of connections shall be payable immediately at the office designated by the board of commissioners, or if authorized by the board of commissioners, in monthly installments, with interest from the date of completion of the construction of the connection.…

For defaults in the payment of any installment and interest for a period of 60 days after the payment is due, the entire cost of construction of the connection and accrued interest shall become due and the township may collect the unpaid cost of construction of the connection and…

A township may join with one or more municipal corporations in the construction or acquisition and maintenance of a water system.

The construction of a water system may be commenced only after plans for the water system have been filed with the Department of Environmental Protection and, if required by law, other Federal or State entities and permits issued in accordance with law.

(a) Appointment.--The municipal corporations joining in the construction or acquisition and maintenance of a water system may, by ordinance, provide for the appointment of a joint commission of a water system in order to facilitate the construction, operation and maintenance of t…

A township may manufacture electricity by means of a hydroelectric generating facility owned or operated by the township for the use of the inhabitants of the township. A township owning or operating a hydroelectric generating facility may make contracts for the sale of electrici…

A township furnishing electricity under this chapter may regulate the use of electricity in dwellings, business places and other places in the township and the rate to be charged for the electricity.

A township may sell, by ordinance, all or part of its hydroelectric generating facilities to a purchaser for the sale price as the parties may agree upon.

A township may construct or purchase facilities to manufacture electricity by hydroelectric generation. A township may purchase a hydroelectric generating facility at the price agreed upon by the township and the person, partnership or a majority of the stockholders of a corporat…

Before a township constructs or purchases a hydroelectric generating facility, the question of the increase of the debt of the township shall first be submitted to the qualified voters of the township in the manner provided by law for the increase of indebtedness of municipal cor…

A township which constructs or purchases a hydroelectric generating facility may not incur any indebtedness for the construction or enlargement of a new or existing dam or impoundment structure but may incur indebtedness for repairs or reconstruction of an existing dam or impound…

The board of commissioners may procure by purchase, gift, exchange or the exercise of eminent domain a lot of ground located within the township and erect or use buildings for township purposes.

The board of commissioners may purchase or lease land inside or outside the limits of the township and erect garages, warehouses or other buildings as may be necessary for handling and storing equipment, materials and supplies.

(a) Use.--Except as provided under subsection (b), townships may enter upon and appropriate private property and land previously granted or dedicated to public or other use within the limits of the township, and which is no longer used for the purpose for which the appropriation …

When the board of commissioners desires to acquire, enter upon, take, use and appropriate private property or lands for public buildings, the board shall declare the board's intention by ordinance.

The provisions of 26 Pa.C.S. (relating to eminent domain) prevail relating to the compensation and damages arising from taking, using and appropriating private or public property for township purposes.

When the board of commissioners desires to take any public lands previously granted or dedicated for a use or purpose for which the lands are no longer used, the board of commissioners shall pass an ordinance declaring the board's intention, and shall petition the court of common…

(a) Regulation.--A township may, by ordinance, regulate and license transient retail merchants engaged in any transient retail business within the township. The ordinance may prohibit the commencement or transaction of any transient retail business until or unless the license req…

(a) Prohibition.--A township may not impose, levy or collect a license fee or mercantile tax upon a person that takes, by sample, from a dealer or merchant an order for merchandise on behalf of an individual or company that pays a license fee or mercantile tax at the individual's…

A township may not impose or collect a license fee upon an insurance company, insurance agent or insurance broker authorized to transact business under the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921.

A township may not pass an ordinance imposing a license fee upon a manufacturer, including an agent, representative and employee, that is a resident of this Commonwealth for soliciting orders for or selling personal property manufactured within this Commonwealth if the township c…

(a) Authorization.--For the purpose of making, enlarging and maintaining public parks, recreation areas and facilities, a township may, subject to subsection (b): (1) separately or jointly with another political subdivision, by ordinance dedicate and set apart land not dedicated …

A board of commissioners has the following powers related to recreation: (1) Equip, operate, maintain and regulate public parks, recreation areas and facilities. (2) Conduct recreation programs. (3) Appoint officers and hire employees. (4) By ordinance, vest authority under parag…

(a) Members.--If a board of commissioners establishes a park or recreation board under section 7302(4)(ii) (relating to creation of recreation board), the board of commissioners shall appoint five or seven individuals. Each individual must be a resident of, or own property in, th…

(a) Officers.--The members of a park board or recreation board shall elect, for a one-year term, a chairperson, a secretary and other necessary officers. (b) Employees.--If specified in the vesting ordinance under section 7302(4)(ii) (relating to creation of recreation board), th…

(a) Payment.-- (1) Expenses incurred in the maintenance and operation of parks, recreation areas and facilities under this chapter shall be payable from the treasury of the township or from the treasury of the applicable political subdivisions pursuant to an intergovernmental coo…

(a) Authority.--A township may join or establish, with other municipalities, a joint recreation board under 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 23 Subch. A (relating to intergovernmental cooperation). The joint recreation board may acquire property for and operate and maintain parks, public recreatio…

A township may incur indebtedness and may issue general obligation bonds for the purpose of acquiring land, buildings and equipment for parks and recreation areas under 53 Pa.C.S. Pt. VII Subpt. B (relating to indebtedness and borrowing).

(a) Ordinance.--A township may, by ordinance, establish a shade tree commission. (b) No ordinance.--If there is no ordinance under subsection (a), the board of commissioners shall have the powers and duties of a shade tree commission under this chapter. Cross References. Section …

(a) Scope.--This section applies to a shade tree commission established under section 7311(a) (relating to right of establishment). (b) Composition.--The board of commissioners shall appoint three or five shade tree commissioners. Each shade tree commissioner must be a resident o…

If a township has a commission for the care of public parks, the board of commissioners may, by ordinance, confer on that commission the powers and duties of the shade tree commission.

Except as provided in section 5524 (relating to trees and shrubbery within right-of-way), the shade tree commission: (1) has exclusive custody and control of the shade trees in the township; and (2) may plant, remove, maintain and protect shade trees on the public streets and hig…

(a) Employees.--The shade tree commission may, with the approval of the board of commissioners, select, employ and discharge and pay individuals to perform the functions of the shade tree commission. (b) Regulations.-- (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the commission may promulgate a…

(a) Requirement.--The shade tree commission shall annually report to the board of commissioners the shade tree commission's transactions and expenses for the preceding fiscal year of the township. (b) Incorporation.--The park commission may incorporate the transactions and expens…

(a) Requirement.--If a shade tree commission proposes to plant, transplant or remove shade trees on a street or highway, notice of the time and place of the meeting at which the work is to be considered must be given once in one newspaper of general circulation immediately preced…

(a) Payment--The owner of the real estate abutting the location of the planting, transplanting or removal of a shade tree shall pay the cost of: (1) the work; (2) necessary and suitable guards, curbing or grading for protection of the shade trees; and (3) replacing pavement or si…

(a) Owners.--The shade tree commission may, by regulation and upon notice required by an ordinance, order a property owner to cut and remove trees afflicted with a disease which threatens to injure or destroy shade trees in the township. (b) Commission.--If an owner does not comp…