ORDINANCE NO. 183

 

AN ORDINANCE OF KENNETT TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PA. DEFINING AND PROHIBITING GRAFFITI AND PROVIDING FOR REMOVAL AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS.

 

NOW, THEREFORE the BOARD OF SUPERVISORS hereby  ENACTS AND ORDAINS  the   FOLLOWING:

 

Section I. Definition:

 

Graffiti: Any unlawful inscription, word, figure, painting or other defacement that is written, marked, scratched, drawn, painted or engraved on or otherwise affixed to any surface of public or private property by any graffiti instrument, to the extent that the graffiti was not authorized in advance by the owner or occupant of the property, or despite advance authorization is deemed a public nuisance.

 

Section II, Prohibited Acts:

 

Defacement:  It shall be unlawful for any person to apply graffiti to any natural or manmade surface of any public or private property.

 

Section III. Notification of Violation:

 

When ever it has been determined that graffiti exists on any building or structure within the township, public or private, the township or its agent shall notify the owner of the property and request its removal in a timely fashion. An enforcement notice may be issued in accordance with the Kennett Township  Zoning Ordinance, Article XXV, Section  2517.

 

Section IV. Penalties:

 

Any person violating any provision of this Ordinance shall be cited for an infraction and fined in accordance with the Kennett Township Zoning Ordinance, Article XXV,  Section 2518  Enforcement Remedies.

 

When apprehended, the violator will be responsible for the cost of restoring the property to the condition it was prior to the defacement.

 

Section V. Restitution:

 

In addition to any penalty or punishment specified herein, the court shall order  any violator to make restitution to the victim for damages or loss caused directly or indirectly by the violator’s offense in the amount or manner determined by the court.

 

Section VI. Severability.

 

Should any court of competent jurisdiction declare any section, clause or provision of this ordinance to be invalid, such decision shall only affect  such section, clause or provision so declared invalid, and shall not affect any other section, clause or provision of the ordinance.

 

ENACTED AND ORDAINED this 20th day of April, 2009. 

 

                                                                                                BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

                                                                                                KENNETT TOWNSHIP 

ATTEST:                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                ________________________

____________________                                                        Robert A. Hammaker, Chair

Lisa M. Moore-Secretary-Treasurer                                                                                  

 

                                                                                                __________________________

                                                                                                Allan F. Falcoff, Vice-Chair

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ____________________________

                                                                                                Michael E. Elling