CHAPTER 9-600. SERVICE BUSINESSES
§9-617. Fences Around Transportation Installations. [572]
(1) Definitions. In this Section the following definitions
shall apply:
(a) Transportation installation. Any station,
terminal, or other location within the City, excluding bus or trolley stops,
where train tracks are located or where trains, trolleys or buses receive and/or
discharge passengers.
(b) Residential area. Any district within
the City which is zoned residential pursuant to Chapter 14-200 of this
Code.
(c) Department. The Department of Licenses and
Inspections.
(2) Construction and Repair of
Fences:
(a) All owners or operators of transportation installations
within the City of Philadelphia shall construct and keep in good repair fences
at that portion of any transportation installation located in a residential area
of the City where people can reasonably be expected to congregate in order to
make use of a transportation installation or attempt to cross train tracks,
thereby creating a potentially dangerous situation and threat of
accident.
(b) The Department is empowered to inspect all transportation
installations within residential areas in the City of Philadelphia to make
determinations whether conditions exist creating potentially dangerous
situations and threat of accident as provided in § 9-616(2)(a) hereof. In
the event that the department determines that a potentially dangerous situation
and threat of accident exists, it may order the owner or operator of a
transportation installation to comply with the regulations of this Section in
accordance with § 9-616(3).
(c) All fences must be approved by the
Department as concerns design and location.
(.1) Fences shall be of
durable material, at least four (4) feet in height, and shall be placed at
transportation installations as provided by § 9-616(2)(a), in such a manner
as to not seriously hamper the operation of the affected transportation
service.
(d) Owners or operators of transportation installations and
the Department shall make their determinations of where fences are to be erected
in order to protect the public from potentially dangerous situations and threat
of accident based upon consideration such as, but not limited to, the
following:
(.1) the proximity of the train or bus installation to the
homes of nearby residents; and
(.2) the degree to which people,
especially children, frequent the area of the train or bus installation;
and
(.3) the number of injuries which have occurred at the particular
train or bus installation; and
(.4) complaints received relating to
the presence of people, especially children, on or about train
tracks.
(3) Administrative Provisions:
(a) Where the
Department determines that any owner or operator of a transportation
installation shall be required to erect or repair any fence around said
installation, a written notice of that determination shall be given, together
with an appropriate order to comply, to the owner or
operator.
(.1) The order to erect a fence shall provide that be
completed within sixty (60) days.
(.2) The order to repair a fence
shall provide that repairs be completed within thirty (30)
days.
(b) Any person aggrieved by a decision or any action of the
Department may appeal to the Board of Licenses and Inspections Review for a
review of the determination in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the
Board. If this appeal is filed within ten (10) days after giving of notice of
the determination and action of the Department, compliance with an order to
erect or repair shall not be required when the appeal is pending before the
Board or before the Court, except, as provided in §
9-616(3)(c).
(c) Whenever the Department finds that a condition exists
at any train or bus installation which creates an emergency requiring immediate
corrective action to protect the safety of the public, it may issue an order to
erect or repair fences reciting the existence of the emergency and requiring
necessary action to be taken immediately. Any person to whom such order is
directed shall comply immediately even though an appeal is taken to the Board.
Any person aggrieved by such an order may appeal to the Board, as provided in
§ 9-616(3)(b).
(4) Abatement. When an order of the
Department to erect or repair a fence has not been complied with in the time
prescribed therein and there is no appeal pending, except as provided in §
9-616(3)(c), the Department may itself, or by contract, erect or repair the
fence; charge the cost thereof to the owner or operator; and with the approval
of the Law Department collect the cost of the work by lien or as otherwise may
be authorized by law.