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West Reading Borough
West Reading Borough
West Reading Borough
West Reading Borough
Borough Department

Code Enforcement

Keep It Safe. Keep It Beautiful. The Borough of West Reading Code Enforcement Department is responsible for administering the International Residential and Commercial code, minimum housing standards, as well as zoning laws and local property maintenance ordinances on private property throughout the Borough.

Property Guideline

Mission Statement

It shall be the mission of the Borough of West Reading’s Code Enforcement Department to fairly, reasonably, and with impartiality enforce the Building Codes, Municipal Codes, and Zoning Ordinances of the Borough of West Reading. Our goal is to ensure compliance for safe living and business operations, thereby protecting property and the quality of life for all Borough of West Reading residents.

Contacts

Name
 Title
 Phone
Chad Moyer
 Code Department Manager / Zoning Officer
 610-374-8273 Ext. 223
Elba Beltran del-Rio
 Code Department Administrator & Key Contact
 610-374-8273 Ext. 238
Andrew Weber
 Code Enforcement Officer
 610-374-8273 Ext. 239
Ryan Wessner
 Code Enforcement Officer
 610-374-8273 Ext. 238

Building permits are required to enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish an existing building, construct a new building or structure or change the occupancy of a building. A permit is also required to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace an electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system.

Blight and nuisances can devalue, detract and degrade the quality of any neighborhood. The Borough has adopted codes that govern the use and maintenance of private property in order to enhance and protect the quality of life for all who work, live and play in the Borough of West Reading. The Code Enforcement Department is responsible for the enforcement of codes, relating to neighborhood nuisances, health and safety, substandard housing, vehicle abatement, zoning/land use, illegal signs, weed abatement, business licenses and graffiti restitution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is my property line?

Absent physically apparent monuments or property corner pins, the Borough cannot independently verify property lines on behalf of private property owners. Property owners are encouraged to engage a Professional Land Surveyor to prepare a site plan and physically set corner markers. This information is useful for locating potential property improvements such as fences and garages, laying out additions to the primary structure, and to satisfy property line disputes, if necessary.

Why does the Borough need to inspect the home I'm selling?

Anyone selling a property in the Borough is responsible to certify that there are no uncorrected violations of any housing, building, zoning, and safety or fire codes. The Borough performs an inspection and records any apparent violations. It is required that all violations be corrected prior to settlement, or the responsibility to correct said violations may be transferred to the buyer, who will have time to complete the work following the sale of the property.

Am I responsible for maintaining the alley behind my house?

Yes. Typically, the property owners on each side of an alley are responsible to maintain to the center of the alley for the width of each respective property. This includes grass, weeds, trash, etc., that may be found in the alley, regardless of how it ended up there. Weeds on the other side of your fence along the alley are still part of your property, and therefore your responsibility to trim and/or spray.

Do I need a permit for...?

Any work beyond a basic repair or a non-structural alteration may require a building permit issued by the Borough’s Building Code Official for both residential and commercial properties. The best course of action is to contact the Code Department at 610-374-8273 extension 238 and ask if a permit is required for your project. Be prepared to provide a detailed scope of work for the project and identify the property as residential or commercial. Change in use may require zoning approval.

I want to plant a tree on my property, are there any restrictions?
Trees and shrubs are not permitted to be located within the road right-of-way of any public street. The setback distance from the edge of the road varies between 8 and 15 feet depending on what road your property fronts. Trees and shrubs are not permitted within sight triangles of road intersections. Trees and large shrubs are also not permitted within sanitary sewer, storm sewer and some other utility easements. It is important to keep trees trimmed along public streets. Borough Ordinance requires trees to have a minimum clearance of 8 feet above sidewalks and 16 feet above the paved portion of the street. It is also not a good idea to plant trees near the sewer lateral to your home because the roots could work their way down into the lateral and cause a sewer backup.

Prior to digging a PA One Call must be placed to allow the underground utilities to be marked.

I'm going to replace the windows on my house, do I need a permit for that?
If you are simply taking out the old windows and replacing them with windows of the same exact size and location, than no, a permit is not required. If you plan on taking out a 3 foot wide window and replacing that with a 6 foot wide double window, then yes a permit would be required because you are making structural changes. The new wider opening has to be properly framed out with the correct size header in order to support the loads of the larger opening. Please complete a Building Permit application describing in detail the work to be done, including window and header dimensions.
Do I need a permit for a paver patio?
Yes, a Zoning Permit is required to be submitted prior to the start of your project. In order to calculate the amount of impervious coverage for your property a drawing of a bird’s eye view is needed with measurements of everything that exists (i.e. house, sidewalk, driveway, patio, deck, grass/flower beds, etc.). Also, side and rear yard setbacks must be maintained, which vary by Zoning District.
Do I need a permit for a shed?

Yes, a Zoning Application is required to be submitted prior to the start of your project. In order to calculate the amount of impervious coverage for your property a drawing of a bird’s eye view is needed with measurements of everything that exists (i.e. house, sidewalk, driveway, patio, deck, grass/flower beds, etc.). Also, side and rear yard setbacks must be maintained, which vary by Zoning District.

Can I report a sidewalk that has not been cleared of snow?
Yes, but please keep in mind that businesses have 24 hours to clear their sidewalk and, residents have 36 hours to clear their sidewalk after the storm ends. Click here for further information.
How do I report a broken/uneven/cracked sidewalk?
Homeowners are responsible to fix and repair the sidewalk on their property. To file a complaint with the Code Department please submit a Property Maintenance Complaint form.
My kids want a pool, what do I need to know before I buy one?

Pools with the ability to hold more than 24 inches of water require Building and Zoning approval. Please visit § 455-118 Swimming pools for further information regarding placement, fencing requirements, filtering requirements, etc.

My neighbor's grass is 2' tall, what can be done?
We ask that you fill out a written Property Maintenance Complaint Form listing the property in question. The Borough enforces grass and weeds on a property that shall not exceed 10 inches in height. Upon receipt of the complaint form and verification of the violation, the Borough will issue a Notice of Violation requesting the violation to be corrected within 3 days of receiving the notice. After the 3rd day if the grass/weeds have not been cut, the Borough will contract for the work to be completed. The cost for these services will be billed to the owner of the propety. Failure to pay for these services would result in a lien being placed against the real-estate.
I need to replace my curb and/or sidewalk, what do I need to do?
A Building Application is required, describe in detail the work to be performed including sidewalk and curb dimensions. For specifications please see Attachment 1 – Sidewalk curb and driveway drawings.
I want to finish my basement, what do I need to do?
A Building Application and basement layout plan is required. Please be advised that basements now require a form of emergency egress that communicates directly to the outdoors. If the basement is not equipped with a walkout door, a bilco door, or a window well, an egress will have to be installed.
Do I need a permit for a fence?
Yes, a Zoning Application is required to be submitted prior to starting your project. Please visit the section of the Code of Ordinances pertaining to Buffer Strips for futher information.
What if a tree caused damage to the sidewalk?

Because of the value placed on larger trees, damage to sidewalks and curbs should be repaired in lieu of removing established trees. Sidewalk grinding or ramping can remove a trip hazard. For severe lifting, the sidewalk must be removed and relaid, preferably curving around large roots. Root pruning before repouring can minimize changes of a reoccurrence. Most concrete contractors are not root pruning experts and can make a tree unsafe. Contact the Code Enforcement Department to make arrangements for the Public Works Department to safely trim roots, at no charge to the home owner.