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HomeMy WebLinkAbout00-01455 v. : IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF : CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYL VANIA : NO. t?6 - /tf~S H TOWNSHIP OF HAMPDEN, Plaintiff JOSIAH J. REAGAN and EVELYN J. REAGAN, Defendants CIVIL ACTION - EQUITY NOTICE You have been sued in court. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the following pages, you must take action within twenty (20) days after this Complaint and Notice are served, by entering a written appearance personally or by attorney and filing in writing with a court your defenses or objections to the claims set forth against you. You are warned that if you fail to do so the case may proceed without you and a judgment may be entered against you by the Court without further notice for any money claimed in the Complaint or for any other claim or relief requested by the Plaintiff. You may lose money or property or other rights important to you. YOU SHOULD TAKE TmS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT HA VB A LAWYER OR CANNOT AFFORD ONE, GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET FORTH BELOW TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN GET LEGAL HELP. Cumberland County Bar Association 2 Liberty Avenue Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013 (717) 249-3166 SNELBAKER, BRENNEMAN & SPARE, P. C. By )l/hfl~ Attorneys for Plaintiff LAW OFFICES SNELBAKER, BRENNEMAN 8: SPARE: LAW OFFICES SNSLBAKER, BRENNEMAN & SPARE ;:,ql!lll." n I' I I . -,--- ! TOWNSHIP OF HAMPDEN, Plaintiff IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA NO. 0-0- NS~ ~ !.v- v. JOSIAH J. REAGAN and EVELYN J. REAGAN, Defendants CIVIL ACTION - EQUITY COMPLAINT Plaintiff Township of Hampden by its Solicitor, Snelbaker, Brenneman & Spare, P. C., files this Complaint and in support thereof states the following: 1. Plaintiff is the Township of Hampden, a First Class Township under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with a principal office located at 230 South Sporting Hill Road, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 17055. 2. Defendants Josiah J. Reagan and Evelyn J. Reagan are adult individuals with a last known address of 808 South Roan Street, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601. 3. Defendants are the owners of a certain tract or parcel of land improved with a residential dwelling commonly known and numbered as 300 St. Johns Drive, Camp Hill, Hampden Township, Pennsylvania (hereinafter the "Premises") having acquired said Premises by a deed dated May 15, 1984 and recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in and for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in Deed Book "R", Volume 30, Page 600. A true and correct copy of the aforementioned Deed is attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein as "Exhibit A". 4. Defendants as the current owners of the Premises have been and remain responsible at all times for the maintenance and repair of the Premises. 5. Defendants' Premises has remained vacant since 1997. ~ I I I ! 1'1 II 6. Beginning in 1997, Defendants have failed and refused to maintain the Premises in the '\ ! following particulars: a. By causing, allowing and/or permitting the overgrowth of weeds, grass and shrubbery; b. By failing to secure the Premises and to repair or replace broken windows and screens; and c. By causing, allowing and/or permitting the collection and accumulation of trash, refuse, debris and rubbish on the porch, in the garage and in a shed located on the Premises. 7. By reason of Defendants' failure to maintain the Premises as more fully described in Paragraph 6, above, Defendants' Premises has given and continues to afford food, harborage and/or breeding areas for rats, flies and other vectors. 8. By reason of Defendants' failure to maintain the Premises as more fully described in Paragraph 6, above, Defendants' Premises constitutes a public health threat. 9. By reason of Defendants' failure to maintain the Premises as more fully described in Paragraph 6, above, Defendants have caused, allowed and/or permitted the dangerous or hazardous condition of the Premises to exist with the accumulation of rubbish, trash, waste, paper and other combustible materials. 10. By reason of Defendants' failure to maintain the Premises as more fully described in Paragraph 6, above, the improvements on the Premises constitute a fire hazard and otherwise are dangerous to human life and/or the public welfare. 11. By reason of Defendants' failure to maintain the Premises as more fully described in Paragraph 6, above, the condition of Defendants' Premises constitutes a nuisance and is LAW OFFICES SNEL8AKER. BRENNEMAN &. SPARE prejudicial to public health and safety. -2- '~"~~ LAW OFFICES SNELBAKI~R. BRENNEMAN 8: SPARE II i 12. Defendants, by and through the condition of the Premises as more fully described in Paragraph 6, and their failure and refusal to maintain the Premises and remove all accumulated trash, refuse, rubbish, debris and paper, are in violation of Hampden Township Code of Ordinances, Chapter 10, Part 1, Section 102.B" the BOCA National Fire Protection Code (1996 Edition) Section F-llO.1.6 as adopted by Hampden Township Code of Ordinances, Chapter 5, Part 4, Section 401 and BOCA National Building Code (1996 Edition) Section 119.1, as adopted by Hampden Township Code of Ordinances Chapter 5, Part 1, Section 102. 13. Defendants have been given repeated direction, notices and opportunities by Plaintiff to maintain the Premises in accordance with applicable provisions of Hampden Township Code of Ordinances and have failed and refused to do so. 14. Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at all to enforce the provisions of the Hampden Township Code of Ordinances with respect to the Premises due to Defendants' persistent and continuing violations thereof 15. Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law to abate the nuisance, health hazard and dangerous condition existing upon Defendants' Premises. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff requests this Court to: A. Order and compel Defendants to remove any and all trash, refuse, debris, rubbish and paper collected, accumulated and existing on the Premises; B. Order and compel Defendants to secure, repair and maintain the improvements of the Premises; C. Order and compel Defendants to mow and trim the weeds, grass and shrubbery onthe Premises so as not to allow an overgrowth thereof; -3- LAW OFFICES SNELBAKER. BRENNEMAN & SPARE rill ,J ,_._ Ii i\ I :i ,I II I D, In default of Defendants taking action compelled by the Court through Paragraphs a, b. and c" above, permit Plaintiff to enter on and upon the Premises and cause the same to be done and collect the cost thereof together with penalties in accordance with applicable law; E. Order Defendants to pay and reimburse Plaintiff for its costs, expenses and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in this action; and F. Order and grant such additional and further relief as may be just and appropriate under the circumstances. SNELBAKER, BRENNEMAN & SPARE, P. C. BY:~~~~-' Keith O. Brenneman, Esquire 44 W. Main Street Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 (717) 697-8528 Solicitor for Plaintiff Township of Hampden Date: March 7, 2000 -4- LAW OFFICES SNELBAKE:R, BRENNEMAN & SPARE '--:lIJ[~, VERIFICATION COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA) SS. COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND ) John E. Bradley, Jr., being duly sworn according to law, deposes and says: that he is the duly appointed Secretary and Township Manager in and for the Township of Hampden; that said Township of Hampden is the Plaintiff in the within action; that he is authorized to make this affidavit and verification on behalf of said Plaintiff; that the facts set forth in the foregoing Complaint within his personal knowledge are true and correct; and that as to those facts not within his personal knowledge, he believes them to be true and correct based upon the information supplied by others. L T anager Sworn to and subscribed before me this 7-n; day of /7) 1+ /z. Clj ,2000. NOTAfiiAL SEAL Sharon K. 8roW~9. Notary Public Hampden Townshl;:. Cumberland County My commission 5xl"""8 Saptember 9. 2002 -.....~. /1; .'. '1'/ ?c: "-<..V)<Ji..-.. ,,"" J/I-L'<.-L,r". ,.- (. Notary Public r , r\C' ..--.- _._~".- :";- L:::. I..... ",;".:L::.; (.Lt..::-;,.',, i..r:'" WARRANTY DlleD NO. eUI 'B~ NAY 10 Fil 3 30 wl1ia Ilttb1 llIoll. I~. IS'" d4y 0' """1 in the y.... 0' OUT Lord OM thou.n"J "ine 111",drrd mltl eighty-four(1984) iI,lm,," ELIZABE'lll J. SOlllRK, of Calq> Hill, Culilerland Comty, Pemsylvania, Party of the First Part, GRANl'OR T o JOOIAH J. REAGIN and EVELYN J. REAGAN, !WI wife, Parties of the Second Part, ~ .itl1tflnrl~. t1ud the .aid part Y ollhe fir.t part, for and in cOMidert1tton of the lIMn 01 Ninety Thousand ($90,000.00) Ibllars Dollar., /awful m01l.y of th. Unit.d St.t.. unto her "",U and truly paid by the .aid pdrt ies 0/ the ,ecoM part. the receipt 'lDhereof u haehy acknO'rDledged. doeshereby grant. bargain, tell. allen enfeoff. ,dcolt, tontle!1 nnd confirm ."to the ,nid parties of thl' ,c('onn part, their heirs and AHig,... "1l1l!AT CERTAIN piece or parcel of land situate in the Township of !lanpden. fuunty of Clmberland, and State of Pennsylvania, mre particularly bounded and described as follows: I! I! I i ! BEGINNING at a point on the nort),y,Jestern line of Reeser I s Road at the inter- section of the eastern line of Lot No. 5 I Block F on the hereinafter lOOntioned Plan of Lots and the nbtthwestem line. of Reeser's Road; thence along the northwestem line of Reeser's Road north 52 degrees 24 minutes east sixty-four and twenty-four one-hundredths (64.24) feet to a point; thence along the western line of St. John's Drive north 16 degrees 44 minutes west one hundred ten and seventeen one-hundredths (110.17) feet to a pn:ii1.t; thence cotltinuing along St. John's Drive on a curve to the tight having a radius of 312.9 feet, an arc distance of fifty-two and tw'enty-seven one-hmdredths (52.27) feet to a point; thence along lands now or late of Stailey south 52 degrees 24 minutes west I one hundred twenty-six and seven one-hmdredths (126.07) feet to a point; thence along the eastem~line of Lot No.5, Block F on the hereinafter lOOntioned Plan of Lots south 37 degrees' 36 minutes east one hmdred fifty (150) feet to the place of BEGINNING. BEmG parts of wts 3 and 4, Block F as sha;..n On the Plan of St. John's Place, Wich is recorded in the Curberland County Recorder's Office in Plan Book 5. Page 36. HAVING thereon erected a brick and aluninun m:xlified two story dwelling. BEING the sane premlses ..,ich Keeley Realty, Ine.. by Deed dated Novenber 16, 1964 and recorded Novenber 17, 1964 in the Recorder's Office of D.mberland County in Deed Book ''l{''. Volure 21, Page 777. granted and conveyed unto Robert B. Schork and Elizabeth J. Schork, his wife. Robert B. Schork died testate 00. Noverrber 11, 1983 and his interest passed by operation of law to his wife, Elizabeth J. Schork, Grantor herein. . IOUf<. 30 ~.\:E 600 EXHIBIT A o I o I"~ \ , II I: , I I' ii Ii II I I I I' II II Ii I I' Ii I' Ii I! I €.oDllltUnmallll or lI.nRlulD.ull (lDunty pf ctnERI..AND Onlhu,lhe 15j~ }a day 01. May A. D. lU 84ut'/ore tlU' tire ""dcrngntd ot/iur. pl'rlo"ull!l appeared ELIZAl!E'llI J. SQI)~ A..nown. to file or (,ali'!ttc:lorilJ/ proven) to be the perlon :chale name is lUb.cribed to the within inltrumt'nt,"afJ!~ acknowledged that s he el1:ecuted tl,e lafne for the purpo,e, thernn containr-d. . . . .\' '" In !lIit~'.. JU~"'nr. I ""Clmlo Itt my hond ond official Ital'~. ". ~ " . '._ . . ~o ,~ ~IJ'MARn ~-'Pu~ nil. 01 ~iV'lt:p. o,u;tln eo.. PI. My Conunio>Jco Ex.... Soot. 4.1986 J .tnh~' rril(y: 'hat the prt'ci.c rt,.;de,lC( a/IAe Granttt ~OO ~. O~Rd. \'/ II' elL(/(() 1>IdP, l:1. /701/ ~=4-- .oJ..~ .411....'11 'nr~_.____.___ ~ ~ ;'=t (::.0 (::.0 i }J ;.., ~ m i I JIl!!. ~. .1 "'I II l 1 1 . % . . i .-t~- i -~I-.- f' . .I,~. ~. ~', 'l~,,::_'~ "J( ,<". ---1/- ~ 81 ~ ~, ~ I ~III lB, ..:. "., ;:; :: r- .; ~ ~j ~ . j . . alDmmDnmr.lt~ of 'tdRsylDaaUI fliounty ot ctnERI..AND Reeorded on lhU 11~ day of ;W.,.- .4\ 0; lP'84.';'iJ.,. Recorder', Office of the ,aid County in need Book I 1'01.....,\,&" P6t1~ (;,tIlJ Given. under my hand 12M tAe ,eal af the ,aid Ofljee. the date #e tDrlttefl. ~ J ! ... ~. \\ \~'L~::; ..........,--.~,~.w..~.~...~...::. '''. . ~ . .- " .'-- Nrcordn eCG!R 30 PleE 602 '," "'." ,~ \ H ~_. "~ .. rr- " .,,", \. C_' \.:~ i:!;'lf~t~tlJl:r witli all and .iuyullJr tile lu:u,iitamenl.r and appurtcnallce, IJu:reunto bcleJ1J.V', illg or in anywise ap]!crtajllillg and the ret:a~icm8 alld rcmflilldcrI, rent8, i,8uc8 alld pru/it. tlu:rc(JI,' arid all tlle cltale, "{1M, tille. intcreal, property. claim and demand whatsoever 01 the ,aid part o/.the./i"r1Ja:";~ ,!a,p" eguHY., or ~~h~i.e.C?f.;ff!. !ln4. to, ~"!. 8.a.~~ ,alllI ft'tflJ I'n,t t!:creaf.;,'", '. "'~'_ ,."~ .".' .;. .~~. , .', c '.. ,...... COMMONWEALTH OF peNNSYLVANIA :: rJEPAIHM~Nr OF I~E\lEN~IE: - ".'l" =0,~p~-'. ....J'i :~~NSW! kATl S'U ~9 9 0 O. 0 0 ~ PoB.llI". _:7: 0;0 iiuur illlb t11 l-lolu the abovt described premi'(I with the appurtcnarlCl'I fml., llu..aid pad iesof the ,rcond part their heirs and Anigns, foret'cr. TOInC":Jd~\'=~ C!.::..::..... C~.. ,::",1. ~ Real r/:'::::: Tt;~::~:3'" 'r''''~~~~ (,...mo,l. ItJial.Ca&.IrII.\. . C.~\~\.-,\ ~~ Sd101lI o;,t. C""'~.llI. Po. . ~ Rul ElOtoIo I_or!. .~~~~ Cwnb. eo. CIlI' CoI, All. '-nb file ,aid party. o/, t~e fir,t part, ~oeshereby. covenant and agree to and with tlu 'aid Imrl ies 01 the second part, that . the". 'aid part' y of the first part her E.recu-- ton (llIeZ Allmini31rators, Shall and TVill Warrant and Fore'Ver Defend the herein above de. .crilml premillea with the hereditament. and appurtenancCl, unto the ,aid parties of the second part.their heir-ad Aasiuns, against the ,aid petrt y of the fird part and, a!]ainl/t t!vcry atlur Wr,on latvfuUy claiming, or who ,hall hereafter claim, the lame or any part tht'rfof. lilt toUur'lI mttrrr[l(, the laid ]Jart y 01 the li"t part hiz 8 hrreunto let herhand alld ,fal the day and year first above written. ~igltt~ e;t.l.~ ttlt~ iltlttttrt~. :-.. Ii, l~~"prrstttr...ttf ....., ""-',','. I -".;; :." 1 .: '1~~~c.?z..~&~~ ...._..............~.'......M.._'--_..M............... ~~m"~:.e ._..M._N..M.._...~~.,;..~........M..:.~..."..._,_........:_..~,...:......~~~.:......~.:. e ......................,.......... ......................-.......".... .....~ ............_........._...._..__........._.M_..~......_.~__;..~...~.... ~ ~ B "R 30P1.\tEG01 P ~ ~ I I I \ \ I ! , , I , I i ,/ Ii " ~ ~ ~ ( ;:r ~ ~ ~ "() ~ '^. C1 \ . ~ ~~ ~ ~ \f (") ~ -c [~j rYlrn Z::-.u ~_' ~~ i~~ -<~. - ';S CJ t13 "7 :3 ~ ~"~_'., ~ "e_,_."_~__",,,,,,._,__,_,_,,_,_~!J!lA"'1'-,",'~!"'I!'!IlIl!'-- __'_'Y"_.,,~_ _. ._~.~!'!Il!"IllII~lillnuM""llllj%ii;g'~~~~!I!!lrIlIHIIIQ1iJ!!IlI - . o C) ~ :JI: ~ o -n ..-\ ;~~~ -"lm :;;:)9 ':JCl ,;~~ 7~-'::: rr1 -../ s;! :D -< r :p" -~ 'f.' ::> U\ --r.__:. '-'T'~ ".. "It I I " ! I i , , , , I i 'I ! t ~ ! I ! ! ! ~ II t \; " i if 1: " ~ I , ~ ~ I I I I I I I I I I I " i " I I:.. LAW OFFICES SNELBAKER. BRENNEMAN & SPARE , ;""'-" TOWNSHIP OF HAMPDEN, Plaintiff v. JOSIAH J. REAGAN and EVELYN J. REAGAN, Defendants TO THE PROTHONOTARY: IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY, PENNSYL VANIA : NO. 00-1455 EQUITY CIVIL ACTION - EQUITY PRAECIPE Please mark the above-captioned action discontinued and ended without prejudice upon your docket and indices. Date: March 23, 2000 SNELBAKER, BRENNEMAN & SPARE, P. C. BY:_~ Keith O. Brenneman, Esquire 44 W. Main Street Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 (717) 697-8528 Solicitor for Plaintiff Township of Hampden - ..... .. l.AW OFFICES SNELSAKER. BRENNEMAN & SPAHE L~. . "-",,,- CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I, KEITH O. BRENNEMAN, ESQUIRE, hereby certify that I have on the below date, caused a true and correct copy of the foregoing Praecipe to be served upon the person and in the manner indicated below: FIRST CLASS MAIL. POSTAGE PREP AID. ADDRESSED AS FOLLOWS: Josiah J. Reagan Evelyn J. Reagan 808 S. Roan Street Johnson City, TN 37601 Date: March 23, 2000 \~~~-~~ Keith O. Brenneman, Esquire SNELBAKER, BRENNEMAN & SPARE, P. 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