Title 8, BOROUGHS AND INCORPORATED TOWNS

The provisions of this part are severable. If any provision of this part or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this part which can be given effect without the invalid provision or appl…

If reference is made in this part to any act, the reference shall apply to and include any codification in which the provisions of the act referred to are substantially reenacted.

(a) General.--This part shall apply to all boroughs. (b) Prior acts.--This part shall not annul or repeal any local or special act or part of a local or special act in force on January 1, 1966. (c) Local law.--The following shall apply: (1) The provisions of this part similar to …

(a) Petition.--The following shall apply: (1) A borough incorporated or acting under any local or special act may surrender the provisions of its special and local acts in their entirety or as they are inconsistent with this part and be governed by this part by presenting a petit…

(a) Partial acceptance.--The following shall apply: (1) An incorporated town incorporated or acting under a local or special act may, by ordinance, elect to be governed by the provisions of this part and shall surrender any provisions of its special and local acts that are incons…

(a) Newspaper of general circulation.--If, in this part, notice is required to be given in one newspaper of general circulation, the notice shall be published in one of the following: (1) A newspaper of general circulation as defined in 45 Pa.C.S. § 101 (relating to definitions) …

This part shall not be construed as affecting or terminating the term of any officer of a borough holding office on January 1, 1966.

The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Committee." A borough advisory committee. "Freeholder." A person enjoying a continuous right of ownership and posses…

A court of common pleas may incorporate as a borough any contiguous area from one or more townships within the court's jurisdiction having a population of at least 500 residents. After having been incorporated as a borough, the area shall be a body corporate and politic and shall…

(a) Petition.--The following shall apply: (1) The application for incorporation shall be by a petition signed by a majority of the freeholders residing within the limits of the proposed borough and by the freeholders of a majority of the territory within the limits of the propose…

(a) Establishment.--The court shall establish a borough advisory committee when a petition is received by the court for the creation of a borough. The following shall apply to committee members: (1) Members shall be appointed by and shall serve at the pleasure of the court. (2) T…

(a) Process.--After receiving the findings of fact and the advice of the committee, the court shall conduct a hearing. If, after the hearing, the court deems further investigation necessary to determine the advisability of incorporation, it may issue an order to obtain the additi…

(a) Time.--When the petition and the final decree granting the petition have been recorded, the area shall become an incorporated borough and shall be entitled to the rights, privileges and immunities conferred under this part, except as provided under section 211 (relating to te…

If, in any petition for the incorporation of a borough, the boundaries fixed by the petitioners embrace lands exclusively used for the purposes of farming, the court may, if it deems the land does not properly belong to the proposed borough and at the request of any party aggriev…

The corporate name of a borough incorporated under this part shall be "The Borough of ."

(a) Decree.--When a borough is created, the clerk of courts in each county affected shall, within 30 days of the creation, certify to the Department of State, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Community and Economic Development and the county planning commission…

(a) Government.--The following shall apply: (1) A newly incorporated area under section 201 (relating to contiguous areas) shall continue to be governed as before the incorporation until the first Monday of January following the municipal election after the issuance of the final …

The boundaries of the borough shall, as soon as practicable after its incorporation, be appropriately marked. Prior to marking the boundaries, notice shall be provided, as directed by the court, to the governing bodies of adjoining municipal corporations.

(a) Property.--The following shall apply: (1) After the election of a council under section 211 (relating to temporary preservation, organization and election of officers) when a borough is newly incorporated, the council and the governing body of the township from which the boro…

(a) Petition.--If the governing bodies of the township and the borough cannot make an amicable adjustment and apportionment of the property and indebtedness within six months after the government of the newly incorporated borough is established, the supervisors or commissioners o…

(a) Notice.--The commissioners shall give the township and the borough at least five days' notice of the filing of the report under section 214(c) (relating to judicial adjustment). (b) Exceptions.--Unless exceptions are filed to the report within 30 days after the date of the fi…

If exceptions are filed to the report under section 214(c) (relating to judicial adjustment), the court shall dispose of the exceptions and shall enter its decree confirming or modifying the award.

The commissioners under section 214(b) (relating to judicial adjustment) shall receive compensation and expenses for their services as provided by the court. The costs of the proceedings, including the compensation and expenses of the commissioners, shall be apportioned by the co…

If territory included within the limits of a newly incorporated borough is located in at least two counties, the court of common pleas of the county where the larger part of the territory of the borough is located shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the proceedings to adjust a…

In any proceeding to adjust and apportion indebtedness, the township or the borough shall have power to issue and deliver to the borough or township interest-bearing bonds in liquidation of the indebtedness ascertained, to be its proportionate share payable, if the bonds are acce…

(a) Petition.--The court of common pleas shall, upon petition of at least 10% of the registered electors of any city of the third class, order an election to be held at the next general, municipal or primary election occurring at least 90 days after the presentation of the petiti…

(a) Filing.--Upon presentation of a petition under section 231 (relating to procedure), the court shall determine whether the petition meets the requirements under section 231. If the requirements are met, the court shall: (1) Enter an appropriate order requiring an election. (2)…

(a) City.--When the record of the proceedings under section 232 (relating to filing, notice and return) is recorded, the city form of government shall continue in operation until the first Monday of January after the first municipal election occurring at least 90 days after the r…

(a) Property.--When the borough government is formed, the property and assets of the city shall become the property of the borough, and the change of government shall not do any of the following: (1) Affect any of the following: (i) Liabilities incurred. (ii) Rights accrued or ve…

(a) Petitioners.--Except as provided under subsection (b), the costs and expenses of proceedings to change the charter of a city to a borough, including all costs of advertising, shall be paid by the petitioners. (b) Exception.--If the vote of electors to change the charter of a …

A borough may be merged or consolidated into a new or existing municipal corporation in accordance with 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 Subch. C (relating to consolidation and merger).

(a) General rule.--The following shall apply: (1) If the corporate name of a borough differs from the name of the borough in general usage or from the post office designation due to minor discrepancies in spelling, capitalization or the manner of compounding the elements of the n…

2022 Repeal. Section 501 was repealed July 7, 2022, P.L.455, No.41, effective in 60 days.

2022 Repeal. Section 502 was repealed July 7, 2022, P.L.455, No.41, effective in 60 days.

2022 Repeal. Section 503 was repealed July 7, 2022, P.L.455, No.41, effective in 60 days.

2022 Repeal. Section 504 was repealed July 7, 2022, P.L.455, No.41, effective in 60 days.

2022 Repeal. Section 505 was repealed July 7, 2022, P.L.455, No.41, effective in 60 days.

2022 Repeal. Section 506 was repealed July 7, 2022, P.L.455, No.41, effective in 60 days.

(a) Council.--In addition to reapportionment initiated in accordance with 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 9 (relating to municipal reapportionment) and section 11 of Article IX of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, a council may, by ordinance, do any of the following: (1) Divide boroughs into ward…

(a) Council.--At least 5% of registered electors of the borough or, for a proposal affecting only a portion of the borough, at least 5% of the registered electors of the ward which would be affected by the proposal may petition council to initiate proceedings under section 601 (r…

(a) Requirement.--Notice of an ordinance enacted in accordance with section 601 (relating to creation and alteration) shall be given by publication once in a newspaper of general circulation. (b) County board of elections.--A copy of the ordinance, along with a plot showing the b…

(a) Appointment.--Except as provided under subsection (b), if council divides a borough into wards, it shall request the court of common pleas to appoint for each ward a judge and two inspectors of election to hold elections until the officers of the ward may be elected. (b) Expi…

Nothing under this chapter shall be construed as affecting any of the following: (1) The powers and duties of the court of common pleas or the county board of elections. (2) Restrictions on alteration of election districts as provided under Article V of the act of June 3, 1937 (P…

(a) Organization.--The boroughs of the Commonwealth may organize a State Association of Boroughs for the purpose of advancing the interests of the boroughs. A borough may join the State Association of Boroughs by motion of council and payment of the annual dues. Each borough, aft…

(a) Delegates.--Council may, by motion, designate one or more delegates from the elected or appointed officers of the borough to attend the annual meeting of the State Association of Boroughs, which shall be held in this Commonwealth in accordance with the procedure adopted by th…

(a) Employees.--Council may authorize borough employees, including the mayor and members of council if they are employees of the borough, to be compensated at their regular employee rates during their attendance at the annual meeting or a conference, educational training or commi…