Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 17 - Streets
Section 1721.2 - Laying out streets and procedure

(a) Streets deemed to be laid out.--A street identified in a plan of streets, an official map adopted in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code or a recorded subdivision or land development plan is deemed to be laid out for purposes of this part.
(b) Future street opening.--A borough has the authority, by ordinance, to lay out an area for future opening as a public street. The proposed ordinance laying out the street must be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation once a week for two successive weeks. On or before the publication of the first advertisement, personal notice must be provided to the owners of a property abutting the proposed street or through which the proposed street is to be laid out, and, if the proposed street will lead into an adjacent municipality, a copy of the proposed ordinance must be sent to the adjacent municipality. The proposed ordinance must have appended to the ordinance or referenced a map sufficient to apprise the public of the proposed location, profile and dimensions of the street and must list the names of the owners of a property through which the proposed street has been laid out.
(c) Hearing, notice and enactment.--Within ten days after the second publication of the notice required under subsection (b), an interested party may petition council for a hearing, which council shall hold within 60 days after the date of the petition. Council shall give at least 15 days' notice of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation and by personal notice to persons entitled to the notice under subsection (b). Council may enact the ordinance no later than 30 days following the date of the hearing or, where no timely petition has been filed, within 30 days of the second publication of the notice required by subsection (b). The enactment of the ordinance constitutes public notice of the borough's intent to recognize the street within the system of borough streets and the borough's rights in the street. Within 30 days of the enactment of the ordinance, a party aggrieved by council's action may appeal to the court of common pleas.
(d) Filing of ordinance.--If, at the time of the enactment of an ordinance in accordance with subsection (c), the lines of the laid out street include property not subject to use as a public passageway, the ordinance must be filed with the recorder of deeds of the county where the borough is located. The recorder of deeds shall index the ordinance by name of borough, name of the property owner and, if applicable, parcel number of the property through which the proposed street is laid out.
(e) Landowners.--If a street has been laid out by ordinance as provided in this section, the owner or subsequent owner has no right to damages for buildings or improvements placed on streets after the date of enactment, and the buildings or improvements must be removed at the expense of the landowner after the opening of the street in accordance with this part.
(f) Laying out without opening.--The laying out of a street, without opening the street, creates no right to public use of the street and does not constitute the taking or acceptance of a property or obligate the borough to improve or maintain the street or the property on which the street has been laid out.
(g) Previously laid out streets.--Nothing in this section may affect the validity or legal effect of a street laid out in accordance with law prior to July 16, 2012.

Cross References. Section 1721.2 is referred to in sections 1712, 1724 of this title.

Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes