Yes. We periodically encounter residents who
"replace" items on their property and think that a permit
is not required. Please be advised that zoning and building requirements
change over time. In addition, it is possible that original items (i.e.
sheds, fences, etc.) did not receive approval when they were initially
constructed and do not meet requirements. As a result, permits are required
for replacements.
The Township Zoning ordinance provides criteria for
individuals wishing to operate a home occupation. A zoning permit is
required for all home occupations and a business license maybe required.
The Code Enforcement Department maintains a file on each tax parcel (lot) within Horsham Township. Records within the tax
parcel file may contain detail such as building permits, plot plans,
and correspondence. These files are public record and may be reviewed
during regular business hours. Property deed records can be obtained
at the Montgomery County Assessment office. Specific property tax records
and tax maps can be obtained at the Montgomery County website for property
records at
www.montcopa.org
Zoning appeals are made by submitting an application with corresponding fee which you can obtain by clicking on Zoning Appeal Application. They must be submitted about a month prior to the date of the scheduled hearing in order to legally advertise it.
There is no guarantee that your appeal will be heard on the date of the next scheduled meeting of the Zoning Hearing Board because there is always the possibility of case overload; the unexpected absences of members, or bad weather. We do our best, however.
Submit all pertinent information along with your appeal application, and be advised you will not get back any exhibits you may present as supporting evidence for your case. Fees for an appeal are listed on the application form.
Please be assured that your identity is protected by the Government Code and is never released to anyone outside of staff. Our files are not readily available to the general public. Code Enforcement must have your name and phone number to provide the best follow-up action possible for every complaint. Many times we need to contact you to confirm either continuing problems or that the violation has been eliminated to your satisfaction. It is also important to be able to contact you in the event we find that the “problem” is not a violation enforceable by our Division or, maybe, not even a violation at all. If you are anonymous and we’re unable to let you know these circumstances, you will be left with the negative impression that we have ignored your complaint.
Yes. You can file an appeal with our Zoning Hearing Board if you feel the Township made an incorrect interpretation of the Zoning Ordinance, or if you feel the zoning regulation that caused the denial of your permit is unfair in your particular circumstances.
This is a commonly asked question because the problem occurs in nearly every residential neighborhood where aging landscape conditions exist. Code Enforcement does not have the authority to require a property owner to trim or remove any of their vegetation unless it overhangs into a public right-of-way - impeding either pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or unless the vegetation is dead and presents a potential fire hazard.
Instead, this particular question is a good example of a civil matter between property owners. Code Enforcement does recommend callers attempt to work this out amicably with their neighbor; however, if both parties are unable to resolve the problem satisfactorily then they have the option of working through the court system, with or without an attorney. Code Enforcement also suggests that any offending branches/vegetation may be trimmed back to the caller’s property line, as long as the trimming does not impact the future life of the plant.
If you have a property with a building that does not conform to our zoning regulations (perhaps in terms of its setback from the property line, or its height), or you have a business that is not expressly permitted for a given zone district – and that building or business existed prior to the zoning regulation that otherwise prohibits it – you may have a “non-conforming” building or business. It may therefore be “grandfathered” and allowed to continue – and to some extent potentially expanded. In such a case you shall or must provide good, compelling evidence of when the non-conforming entity came into existence. This might include: business records, pictures, affidavits, etc.
Code Enforcement works with both property owners and their tenants when enforcing responsible property maintenance standards. The property owner is usually contacted by mail regarding sub-standard conditions that occur at the property and tenants are contacted on site about violations that require their attention. The property owner is ultimately held jointly responsible for any continuing problems that result from the tenant’s lack of compliance.
Of the specific problems at the property, the repair of any damaged or deteriorated house paint would be the responsibility of the property owner. Any structural or safety issue that would require a substantial financial investment to correct is usually the property owner’s responsibility, such as a leaking roof, dilapidated fencing, a cracked and broken driveway, etc. Tenants have legal custody and control of the property so they are required to correct the violations that are of their making. They would be held accountable for either repairing the inoperable vehicles or removing them from public view and will be the ones cited if any parking upon unpaved surfaces reoccurs. They would also be held accountable for providing a continuing program of landscape maintenance to ensure attractive and thriving vegetation and the removal of any trash, discards, or litter accumulations about the property, keeping trash containers screened from public view, etc.
The Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance:
Plan Drawing and Submission Requirements Required Public Improvements to be Constructed Required Agreements Construction Standards for Improvements.
The Zoning Ordinance: Setbacks, use, driveway separation distance, clear sight triangle, setbacks for parking lots and buildings, property size, screening and buffer, parking lot design and size, signs.
Engineering: Stormwater Management, wetlands preservation, impervious surface, traffic impact, property survey, right-of-way dedication, erosion and sedimentation controls, availability of water and sewer and recreation.
Legal Deeds, Improvements Agreements, financial security
Offsite Impact Comments from the neighboring public.
The ultimate goal is to have an approved plan recorded at the Montgomery County Courthouse so the new deeds can be prepared. The applicant is to file the appropriate Subdivision Review Application together with fees and plans drawn in accordance with the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
The plans are then distributed to the various reviewing personnel and agencies for their review and comment in time for the Planning Commission’s consideration. All zoning issues must be resolved before the plan can advance beyond the Planning Commission. Therefore, it is recommended that the applicant meet with the Community Development staff to identify possible zoning and planning issues prior to submitting the plans. Should the Planning Commission find the plan to be substantially compliant, a favorable recommendation is forwarded to Township Council.
The plans are usually revised to address any remaining comments prior to Township Council reviewing them. Once the plans are “clean” for final approval by Township Council, staff will prepare a resolution for Council to consider.
Once the plan is approved, the applicant has 90 days to address any conditions of approval and record the plan. The timeframe to go through process depends on the complexity of the plan. However, minor residential subdivision (5 lots or less) and generally take 3 to 6 months on average. Major subdivisions generally take longer. No building permits can be issued until the plan is recorded.
Code Enforcement attempts to solicit voluntary compliance with the property maintenance, health & safety, and other quality of life violations that come to their attention. Failure to gain compliance within a reasonable period of time may result in criminal prosecution or civil abatement.
If you own the property where
the business is located, you are subject to Township property tax.
Our office hours are from 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
Literally, a mill means one
thousandth. For tax purposes, each mill generates $1 of taxes for every
$1,000 of assessed value of property.
For the 2019 tax year, the Township real estate tax will be 1.2 mills.
Real Estate tax bills are mailed
no later than March 1st. School District taxes are mailed
separately by the school district in July of the same year.
The principal source of revenue is from local enabling taxes.
No. There are several companies listed in the yellow pages that fill fire extinguishers.
Call the Fire Department business number at: (215) 675-9859 ext. 0
No. Open burning of leaves, wood, trash, and construction materials are banned.
No, that is considered "open burning" which is against local and State ordinance.
Yes, this type of fire is classified as a "recreational fire".
Call Fire Marshal at (215) 643-3131.
Recreational fires are not banned by this ordinance or code. A recreational fire is an outdoor fire, burning materials other than rubbish where the fuel being burned is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, barbeque grill or barbeque pit and has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height, for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth, or similar purposes.
Open burning is defined as the burning of materials wherein products of combustion are emitted directly into the ambient air without passing through a stack or chimney from an enclosed chamber (International Fire Code 2009).
Contact the Public Works Department Monday-Friday between the hours of 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM. If you are calling after hours, please notify the Police Department at 215.643.8284 or complete the online
Report a Concern form.
No. The Township is not responsible for leaf pickup in the fall. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain and dispose of their leaf collection.
The Township does offer leaf & branch drop the third Saturday or each month from 8 AM - 12 PM at the Public Works Facility, 1005 Horsham Road. Leaf waste includes leaves, garden residue, shrubbery, and tree trimmings but does not include grass. Please no stumps, tree trunks or logs. All leaf waste must be placed in biodegradable bags.
This service is available to residential property owners only and we will not accept waste from landscapers or non-residential properties.
Horsham Township does not perform curbside trash or recycling pick up. You must contract a trash hauler to collect your trash. Please go to
Trash and Recycling section of the website to view the trash haulers currently working in Horsham Township.
Deer and other wildlife can exhibit unpredictable behaviors and unexpected actions. Motorists should be cautious and alert for animals on the roadway and the potential for deer to dart in front of moving vehicles.
- If a deer is on a state road Horsham Road, Welsh Road (Route 63), Blair Mill Road, County Line Road, Norristown Road, Limekiln Pike (Route 152), Easton Road (Route 611) & Route 309), please contact PennDOT at 1-800-FIX ROAD.
- If a deer is on a Township road, calls should be directed to the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) at (610) 926-3136.
Callers should try to be as specific as possible in describing the location of an animal carcass. Helpful information includes the Route and section number (found on small, white signs along roadways), the direction of travel (such as eastbound or westbound lane), and any other useful location information.
Primary Township Roads are cleared First. Residential Streets are cleared next.
Salt is used when conditions warrant its use. If the temperature is too low, salt is ineffective. If it is blowing, salt will only aid in grabbing the snow and keeping it on the roadway.
The Public Works Department is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM.
Typically this is from the center of the roadway to the utility poles. This area should be free of plantings and structures.
Streets are swept daily throughout the duration of the year.
Horsham Township property owners are reminded that the maintenance of all sidewalks and curbing situated on their property is the responsibility of the property owner. Contractors or property owners performing the work are required to obtain a Road Opening Permit from Code Enforcement prior to the beginning of any repair.
It is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain the driveway surface.
The Public Works Department is responsible for replacing or repairing street signs and traffic lights. Please call 215.672.6913 to report a missing or damaged sign or complete the online
Report a Concern form.
Please call the Public Works Department at 215.672.6913 to discuss the matter.
If trees obscure the view of traffic flow they must be cut back to clear the roadway.
No one well serves any specific property. The water distributed throughout the system may include water from every source as the entire distribution system is interconnected. Various factors affect the movement of water, including user demand, the level of water in the tanks and wells being temporarily taken out of service for routine or other maintenance. Again, the water from each of the wells currently in use is significantly below the new EPA Lifetime Health Advisory.
Fresh water cycles through the system on a daily basis. There is no current evidence that PFCs adhere to the inside of tanks or pipes. PFCs stick to very few substances, with one exception, being organic carbon.
Yes. HWSA and Horsham Township made a formal request to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the EPA to come to Horsham Township to answer resident questions. We expect that this request will be honored in the near term, and will inform residents of the meeting date and location. We realize that many residents weren’t able to ask all of the questions that they had at the meetings organized by the United States Navy on May 24 and May 25, so HWSA and Horsham Township leadership remain committed to holding a town hall for residents. This is a top priority.
Government standards are currently being developed to test and certify home filters. However, there are currently no home filters that have been approved by the EPA or the Pennsylvania DEP.
While we have been approached by a number of organizations that claim to have effective home filtration products, we would never recommend them without certification of their efficacy from the EPA or Pennsylvania DEP. We encourage residents to reach out to the EPA or the Pennsylvania DEP to formally request a credentialed recommendation on home filters.
If you want to have your water tested, the EPA suggests you use a lab which is approved to use the EPA 537 method, a specialized method for the detection of PFCs.
Here is the EPA link to suggested laboratories.
https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/list-laboratories-approved-epa-third-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule-ucmr-3 EPA representatives have recommended the following local company who can facilitate the testing with one of these labs, including taking the sample from your home.
Analytical Laboratories, Inc.
4208 Bethlehem Pike
Telford, PA 18969
215-723-6466
Additionally, the HWSA and Horsham Township are exploring a water testing program in an assortment of neighborhoods throughout the township. While it will not be possible to sample every tap, we intend to sample several taps in each neighborhood.
If you are a customer of HWSA with public water, you may use your water as you are accustomed to doing, as it meets all revised EPA Lifetime Health Advisory levels.
If you have a private well and the United States Navy is supplying you with bottled water, do not ingest your well water. With this exception for human consumption, the EPA has cleared private well water for all other uses, such as gardening, filling pools or bathing.
The cost varies, not only depending on the location of the well, but also on the amount of water pumped from the well daily. HWSA estimates that a GAC filtration system installation will cost $1 million per well. The United States Navy has committed to paying for the costs of remediating all wells over the EPA Lifetime Health Advisory levels.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please feel free to call the Horsham Township Water Hotline at 215-907-0034 or email
[email protected]
We understand, and most importantly, respect this concern. However, no one from the HWSA or the Township is a licensed medical professional who can accurately answer this question. We encourage residents to contact the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at 215-814-3149 or 215-814-3141 for individual medical guidance as it relates to PFC exposure and health risks.
The water supplied by the Horsham Water & Sewer Authority (HWSA) does meet all standards set by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act guided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (
https://www.epa.gov/sdwa), including the more rigorous standards introduced by the EPA on May 19, 2016 as it relates to PFC levels.
If you have a private well, it is highly recommended that you have your water tested for PFCs. Residents with private wells that have not yet been tested, should contact the Eduardo Rivera at the EPA at 215-514-6887 immediately. Test results can be expected in approximately three weeks after testing and will indicate whether or not there is an elevated level of PFCs in the well. Additionally, a number of private wells are being connected to the public water systems. The HWSA is in the process of extending water mains to those homes where there were no distribution lines. The majority of private well owners affected are located close to the public systems and the HWSA is working swiftly to arrange those connections.
Up until May 19, 2016, all public drinking water met the EPA’s Provisional Health Advisory Level (PHAL) for PFOA and PFOS. Upon the release of the EPA’s Lifetime Health Advisory (LHA) for PFOA and PFOS, the HWSA had to shut down additional wells to ensure compliance and safety. Currently, all wells in use to supply public drinking water in Horsham Township meet the guidelines set forth in the EPA’s 2016 Lifetime Health Advisory for PFOA and PFOS.
The HWSA shut down two of the township’s 14 public water supply wells in July 2014 when the wells tested for PFOA and PFOS levels above the 2009 EPA guidance.
When the EPA released its 2016 Lifetime Health Advisory in late May, the HWSA and the Township responded immediately to the changes in guidelines and standards. The HWSA, with the support of Horsham Township and the Horsham Township Council, immediately shut down three additional wells. One of these three wells was shut down to comply with the EPA’s new health advisory. The other two wells, which tested below the most recent Lifetime Health Advisory, were still shut down out of an abundance of caution on the part of HWSA and the Township. The other nine wells that now supply public drinking water across the township have tested significantly below the revised EPA Lifetime Health Advisory levels.
In addition to the five total public wells that HWSA shut down, the United States Navy and the EPA identified approximately 40 additional private wells in Horsham that are at or above the EPA guidance of 70 parts per trillion (ppt). These private well owners are receiving bottled water from the U.S. Navy.
Since the discovery of these emerging contaminants in the local groundwater resources, HWSA and Horsham Township have maintained ongoing communication with EPA, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the United States Navy and the Pennsylvania National Guard Bureau. We will continue to work in lockstep to ensure our public drinking water is safe.
PFCs, or perfluorochemicals, are a group of human-made chemicals used in the manufacturing of many everyday products. PFCs ensure that products resist heat, stains, grease, water and oil and have been used widely for items such as nonstick pans, stain-resistant carpet, food packaging (such as fast food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags), etc. As a result of their prevalent use, there is widespread wildlife and human exposure across the globe to several PFCs, most commonly PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate). Both PFOA and PFOS were present in firefighting foam used by the United States Navy in firefighting activities on the Naval Air Base in Willow Grove, PA.
On May 19, 2016, the EPA issued a Lifetime Health Advisory (LHA) level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt), or 0.07 parts per billion (ppb), as the combined concentration of PFOS and PFOA permissible in drinking water. For reference, the last guidance the EPA provided on PFOS and PFOA was in 2009, when it issued a Provisional Health Advisory Level (PHAL) of .4 parts per billion (ppb) for PFOA and .2 parts per billion (ppb) for PFOS. The EPA calculated the permissable levels for its Lifetime Health Advisory with the most vulnerable humans (infants and fetuses) in mind.
HWSA is currently working to install GAC (granular activated carbon) filtration systems onto the wells that have been shut down due to elevated PFC levels. These GAC filters have proven extremely effective in removing PFCs from the water that passes through them, as PFCs adhere to organic carbon. The process of installing these filtration systems is lengthy, as it requires careful, custom engineering and design work, regulatory approval, installation, testing and ongoing maintenance. HWSA is actively working to have these filtration systems installed as expeditiously as possible. HWSA has set a goal to have the first filtration systems installed by the end of 2016. Wells that have been shut down will receive first priority for GAC filtration system installations, but HWSA will evaluate the possibility of installing GAC filtration systems on all 14 public wells in Horsham.
The PFC levels in the wells that were shut down were not significantly above the EPA Lifetime Health Advisory guidelines. All levels are available at
www.horshamwater-sewer.com
To protect resident safety and security, we do not disclose the locations of our public wells.
The HWSA and Horsham Township have worked together to ensure that the township website contains updated, factual information which the local real estate community can share with new, prospective township residents. Anyone interested in selling a property in Horsham Township can confidently tell a prospective buyer that the public drinking water meets current EPA guidelines.
A central treatment system would require a significant amount of infrastructure to move the untreated water from the various well locations to a central point and then back to the distribution system. HWSA anticipates that this approach would disrupt most of Horsham Township for an extended period of time. Individual GAC filtration systems can be installed much sooner than it would take to engineer and construct a central plant. Additionally, individual well filters are extremely efficient for the inevitable long-term maintenance needs of a water system. If one well requires maintenance, only that well would have to be taken offline with no disruption or inconvenience to residents.
No, there is no such thing as a ticket quota. It
does not measure an officer's work effort and it is illegal.
Horsham Township prohibits any person or organization from conducting solicitations and canvassing of residences without a permit or an official Township Identification Badge issued by the police department. Parties engaging in door to door solicitation must carry their permit and prominently place the identification badge on the outside of their clothing and are only permitted to solicit between the hours of 10:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday (no soliciting on Holidays or Sundays). Residents should CALL 911 immediately to report any person or persons canvassing homes without proper permitting and identification.
If you would like to obtain a Soliciting Permit from the police department you must fill out the Soliciting Permit Application and provide a Pennsylvania Criminal History Check obtained through the Pennsylvania State Police website at:
www.psp.state.pa.us. Submit these forms to the police department during business hours.
Fee structure is:
- One Day - $ 25.00
- One Month - $100.00
- One Year - $200.00
These fees cover the first person on the permit, each additional person is $10.00, and each additional person must fill out a separate application. Approval of applications will take from 3 to 5 business days. When submitting applications, two passport style photos must be supplied with each application submitted. A background check of all applicants will be done for our community's safety. As always, Horsham Township reserves the right to deny or revoke a license at any time for just cause.
Personnel from the Horsham Township Police Department are available to do non-criminal fingerprinting for residents and non-residents. The service of fingerprinting is usually needed for purposes such as employment and securities applications.
Persons must provide their own fingerprint cards.
The fingerprint cards must be FBI FD-258. If the entity requiring fingerprinting will not provide the card they can be purchased on Amazon
Non-criminal fingerprinting is done during the below times:
- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
- Hours: 1:30PM to 2:15PM by appointment only.
- Please call 215-643-8284 to make an appointment.
- No fingerprinting is done during national holidays.
There is a $15 fee for the service of fingerprinting ($5.00 each additional card).
The Horsham Police Department no longer installs car seats.
The Montgomery County Health Department has certified car seat technicians who inspect child safety seats. Participants are educated on the proper way to install a car seat in their car, and to ensure their child is properly restrained in the car seat. Car seat checks are by appointment only. This service is free of charge and open to all residents of Montgomery County.
To schedule an appointment, call 610-278-5119, leave a message on the voice mail or email and you will be contacted to arrange an appointment time. Please include your name, phone number and the number of seats to be checked.
LOCATIONS:
Battalion 1 Fire Station
325 Stump Road
Montgomeryville, PA 18936
Appointments 4th Thursday of every month
Limerick Fire Station
390 West Ridge Pike
Limerick, PA 19468
Appointments 3rd Friday of every month
Montgomery Hose Fire Station
201 West Freedley Street
Norristown, PA 19401
Appointments 2nd Wednesday of every month
Most of the arrest information is kept confidential.
If the arrest has not gone completely through the court system we cannot
release anything more than what you may have seen in the papers.
After market tinting is legal as long at the light transmitted to the inside is at least 70% of the outside light. The Horsham Police do have tint meters and it is a primary offense, which means you can be stopped for the tinting only.
PA State law requires that dogs three months and older have an up-to-date dog license. Dog owners can renew their pet’s license the following three ways:
- In Person - Visit the Montgomery County Treasurer’s Office at: One Montgomery Plaza - 6th Floor – Norristown, PA 19404 (across Swede Street from the county courthouse in Norristown). The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. weekdays.
- By Mail - Go to the Montgomery County Treasurer’s Web page on the county’s website at www.montcopa.org and download the application, fill it out and, with a check, mail it off to the Montgomery County Treasurer’s Office–Licensing, P.O. Box 311, Norristown, PA 19404-311. The license renewal tag will be mailed to you.
- On-line - Dog owners can go to the treasurer’s Web page to link with www.PaDogLicense.com, where they can apply and pay for the license by credit card or online check. An additional fee will be charged to those paying over the Internet. The dog tag will be mailed within three days of the receipt of the completed application and online payment.
Anyone with questions about dog licenses can contact the Treasurer’s Office at 610-278-3066.
We have received several questions about what appear to be Urban Legends. There are a couple Urban Legends web sites (
www.snopes.com
and
www.ulrc.com.au) that do a great job in researching the stories
and deciding if they are fact or fiction, and the stories behind the
stories.
There are two options for Horsham Residents to get rid of their unwanted/unused prescription medication.
Option 1: The Horsham Police Department has a drop box to collect unused and out-of-date medications and prescriptions for proper disposal. The collection box is accessible 24 hours a day and allows our residents to drop off their unwanted medications.
Many teens abusing medicines get them from the bathroom cabinet, a friend or a family member, often without their knowledge. Unwanted medicines left in the home endanger our children, seniors, and pets. Young children and seniors are at risk of accidental poisoning. Flushing drugs send them into our water supplies while throwing them in the trash pollute our environment and can find their way into unwanted hands.
Residents can anonymously place the medications in the disposal site added to the lobby of the Horsham Township Police Station. All forms of medication, including tablets, capsules, pills, liquids and ointments, whether purchased by prescription or over-the-counter, will be accepted. However, sharpies and syringes cannot be accepted due to the potential hazards posed by blood-borne pathogens.
*NO NEEDLES*
Location of Drop Box: Horsham Police Department Location: 1025 Horsham Road, Horsham, PA 19044
Option 2: Horsham Township Police Department offers the Drug Take Back Event twice a year. Visit www.dea.org for exact dates of each event.
This program is absolutely anonymous and all efforts should be made to protect the anonymity of individuals disposing of medications. No questions or requests for identification will be made by law enforcement personnel present. Participants will remove any personal information from bottles or packages that contain pills/capsules and liquids and place the bottles or packages into the disposal box. The following items are acceptable for disposal in the Drop Box and at the Drug Take Back Days: - Prescription medications, including controlled substances
- All over-the counter medications
- Medication samples
- Pet medications
- Vitamins and supplements
- Medicated ointments, lotions, creams, and oils
- Liquid medication in leak-proof containers
- Homeopathic remedies
The following items are not acceptable for disposal in the Drop Box and at the Drug Take Back Days: - Needles/sharps
- Syringes with needles
- Thermometers
- IV bags
- Bloody or infectious waste
- Personal care products
- Empty containers
- Hydrogen Peroxide
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To send us a complaint, please use
Report a Concern, our online form. If your complaint requires an officer’s response
to your location, please call 215-643-3600. As always, in the case of
a true emergency, dial 911.
Reports are normally available Monday through Friday, from 7:00AM to 6:00PM, unless the township is closed for a holiday. After 3:00PM exact cash is required. Call the station at 215-643-8284 first to make sure the report is ready. Accident reports cost $15.00 each. All other reports are $0.25 per page ($0.50 per page if information must be redacted from the record). If mailing is requested, the cost of postage will be charged. Fax copies will be available at cost of $0.50 per page faxed. Specialized documents, blue prints, color copies, non-standard sized documents, CD, Disk and any other media will be actual cost. If a Certification of Record is requested, a charge of $1.00 will be added. The Township will require prepayment if the total fees are estimated to exceed $100.00.
The Township will make a good faith effort to provide the requested public records as promptly as feasible. As soon as possible, but no later than five business days after receiving a written request to access public records, the Right-To-Know Officer shall respond to all such requests in a manner consistent with Act 3 of 2008, the Right to Know Law.
The Horsham Township Police Department is not able to perform criminal history/background checks for private citizens. They may be obtained through an application process with the Pennsylvania State Police using the below link.
No. What you heard is wrong. The PA Motor Vehicle Code, Section 1503, subsection (c), paragraph (2) outlines the permitted reasons for driving after 11pm. The permission you referred to is an affidavit from your employer, fire chief or supervisor. You can read it from here:
www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs
Plead Not Guilty and follow the instructions on the
back of the citation to request a hearing from the District Justice.
The correct court to contact will be indicated on the front of the citation
at the very top.
For someone under 21 years of age the blood alcohol
content (BAC) is lower than for someone over 21. If you are stopped
and your BAC is .02 or higher you can be charged with DUI. If you are
over 18 you will be required to complete an Alcohol Highway Safety course,
may face a license suspension of one year, up to 48 hours in jail, and
pay up to $5,000 in fines. You will also have to pay court costs and
higher insurance costs. If you are under 18 you will be processed through
the juvenile court system. Remember a DUI arrest stays on your record
and can affect future employment. For more information on alcohol and
the law visit the PA Liquor Control Enforcement web site.
Several things can happen, none of them pleasant. First your driving privilege will be suspended if you are convicted. 1st offense suspended for 90 days, 2nd for 1 year, 3rd and subsequent offenses for 2 years.
- You will be charged as a criminal and have a criminal record.
- You may be ordered to pay a fine up to $500.
- Your parents will be notified.
- You may be required to successfully complete an alcohol education, intervention or counseling program.
- You will have to pay a restoration fee before you get your driver's license back.
Like most other states, Pennsylvania has a "Megan's Law" statute. This law is designed to protect citizens from sexual predators by requiring that sex offender’s register with the Pennsylvania State Police. The State Police in turn notify local police departments which patrol communities in which offenders reside.
There are two classes of offenders as defined by Megan's Law.
A "sexual offender" is an individual who has been convicted of a sexually violent offense. Sexual offenders are required to register all current residences and intended residences with the Pennsylvania State Police. While the Horsham Township Police Department is aware of such individuals via State Police notification, we cannot, by law, make their information public.
A "sexually violent predator" is a sexual offender who is found to possess a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the individual likely to engage in predatory sexually violent offenses. Not all sexual offenders are considered to be sexually violent predators. A sexually violent predator is subject to both the registration and lifetime community notification requirements of Megan's Law.
In cases involving sexually violent predators, we will conduct a community notification process as permitted by state law, including a community notification flyer which contains the name of the predator, the predator's address, the offense for which the predator was convicted, a statement that the person has been designated to be a sexually violent predator, and a photograph of the sexually violent predator.
Under state law, notice is provided to the neighbors of the sexually violent predator, meaning those persons who live or work within 250 feet of the predator's residence or the 25 most immediate residences and places of employment in proximity to the predator's residence, whichever is greater.
Notice is also provided to the director of the county children and youth service agency of the county where the predator resides, the superintendent of each school district and the equivalent official for private and parochial schools enrolling students up through grade 12 in the municipality where the predator resides, the superintendent of each school district and the equivalent official for each private and parochial school located within a one-mile radius of where the sexually violent predator resides, the licensee of each certified day care center and licensed preschool program and owner/operator of each registered family day care home in the municipality where the sexually violent predator resides, and the president of each college, university and community college located within 1,000 feet of the predator's residence.
Please Click on the below site for further information:
Pennsylvania State Police Megan's Law Site
Basically the determination of the degree of the
crime is the severity and the sentence a person could receive for the
offense. The guidelines for this are found in PA Consolidates Statutes
Sentencing Code Title 42, sections 9701 through 9781. These guidelines
define a Misdemeanor 1 (M-1) as a crime punishable by a maximum prison
sentence of 5 years and a $10,000.00 fine. An M-2 as maximum of 2 years
and a $5,000.00 fine, and an M-3 as maximum 1 year and a $2,500.00 fine.
Each year, more than 10 million Americans have their personal information -- including name, social security number, bank account or credit card numbers stolen. Often times, thieves use this information to open phony credit card, bank or utility accounts. Identity theft can have a far reaching and disastrous impact on victims by destroying their personal credit, preventing them from purchasing a home or even getting a job. Those who fall prey often face an uphill battle to restore their good name.
If you believe you are a victim of Identity Theft, you must takes steps quickly to ensure that further damage is not done to your credit. You will need to file a report with the Horsham Township Police Department by coming to the police department during normal business hours and speak to an officer. The officer will take an initial report and you will be given an ID Theft Affidavit packet which you will need to complete.
You can download the ID Theft Packet including the Affidavit from the below link:
ID Theft Packet
Horsham Township is covered by two District Courts:
Magisterial District 38-1-22
903A Sheehy Drive (entrance on Babylon Road)
Horsham, PA 19044.
Magisterial District 38-1-14
414 S. York Road, Suite 200
Hatboro, PA 19040
If you receive a citation the correct court will be indicated at the top of the citation.
The Police Department is located in the Horsham Township
Municipal Complex at 1025 Horsham Road, Horsham, PA 19044.