Pennsylvania § 5106 - Applicability of local ordinances, regulations and building codes.

§ 5106. Applicability of local ordinances, regulations and building codes.

(a) General rule.--A zoning, subdivision, building code or other real estate use law, ordinance or regulation may not prohibit a planned community form of ownership or impose any requirement upon any structure in a planned community which it would not impose upon a physically identical structure under a different form of ownership.

(b) Current law unaffected.--Except as provided in subsection (a), no provision of this subpart invalidates or modifies any provision of any zoning, subdivision, building code or other real estate law, ordinance or regulation.

(c) Status.--

(1) The creation of a planned community under section 5201 (relating to creation of planned community) out of an entire lot, parcel or tract of real estate which has previously received approval for land development or subdivision, as those terms are defined in section 107 of the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, or the conveyance of units in the planned community, shall not, in and of itself, constitute a subdivision or land development for the purpose of subdivision, land development or other laws, ordinances and regulations.

(2) The use of the planned community shall comply with zoning regulations applicable to the parcel of land or tract of real estate on which the planned community is created.

(3) Any person creating a planned community out of a vacant parcel or tract of real estate which has not been subject to subdivision or land development approval shall submit a copy of the planned community declaration and planned community plan to all municipalities in which the parcel or tract of real estate is located, unless the creation of the planned community is for an estate planning purpose of conveying units to family members or an entity controlled by family members so that the conveyance would not be subject to realty transfer taxes pursuant to Article XI-C of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971.

(4) Construction of any structure or building on any unit or common facility shall be subject to the provisions of any zoning, subdivision, land development, building code or other real estate law, ordinance or regulation.

(d) Building code.--An association shall be preempted by any federally, State or locally imposed building code, standard or regulation applicable to a building in a planned community from imposing any building construction standards or building codes for buildings to be constructed, renovated, altered or modified in a planned community. In the absence of a federally, State or locally imposed building code, standard or regulation applicable to a building in a planned community, an association shall not have the power to impose any building construction standards or building codes for buildings to be constructed, renovated, altered or modified in a planned community except:

(1) the BOCA National Building Code, 1996 edition (excluding Chapter 13, Energy Conservation) (the "BOCA Code"), for other than for one-family or two-family residential dwellings, together with the most recently published version of the National Fuel Gas Code (NFPA 54/ANSI Z223.1), as such may be updated periodically, for the installation of fuel gas piping systems, fuel gas utilization equipment and related accessories, and the most recently published version of the National Electric Code (NFPA 70), an ANSI accredited document, as such may be updated periodically, for the construction and subsequent inspection of electrical facilities and equipment; or

(2) with respect to one-family or two-family residential dwellings, unless the declarant or a successor declarant elects to comply with the BOCA Code, the Council of American Building Officials (CABO) One and Two Family Dwelling Code, 1992 edition (excluding Part VII-Energy Conservation and Chapter 25 of Part V-Sewers and Private or Individual Sewage Disposal Systems), together with the most recently published version of the National Fuel Gas Code (NFPA 54/ANSI Z223.1), as such may be updated periodically, for the installation of fuel gas piping systems, fuel gas utilization equipment and related accessories, and the most recently published version of the National Electric Code (NFPA 70), an ANSI accredited document, as such may be updated periodically, for the construction and subsequent inspection of electrical facilities and equipment.

The applicable building code shall constitute the maximum and the only acceptable standard governing building structures. However, nothing in this section shall preclude an association, if and to the extent authorized by the declaration or association bylaws, rules and regulations, from providing for architectural review of units, landscaping, building exteriors and aesthetics or from implementing requirements that may be imposed from time to time by underwriters of insurance actually maintained on portions of the planned community.

(July 10, 2015, P.L.167, No.37, eff. 60 days)

2015 Amendment. Act 37 amended subsec. (c).

Cross References. Section 5106 is referred to in sections 5102, 5105 of this title.