Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 42 - Creation, Alteration and Termination of Cooperatives
Section 4205 - Contents of declaration


(a) General rule.--The declaration for a cooperative must contain:
(1) The name of the cooperative, which must include the word "cooperative" or be followed by the words "a cooperative" and the name of the association.
(2) The name of every county in which any part of the cooperative is situated.
(3) A legally sufficient description of the real estate included in the cooperative.
(4) A statement of the maximum number of units which the declarant reserves the right to create.
(5) A description of each unit created by the declaration, either by reference to plats and plans that are included in or attached to the declaration or by a verbal description which shall include each unit's identifying number, its size or number of rooms and its location within a building if it is within a building containing more than one unit.
(6) A description of any limited common elements, other than those specified in section 4202(2) and (4) (relating to unit boundaries).
(7) A description of any real estate, except real estate subject to development rights, which may be allocated subsequently as limited common elements, other than limited common elements specified in section 4202(2) and (4), together with a statement that they may be so allocated and a description of the method by which the allocations are to be made.
(8) A description of any development rights (section 4103) and other special declarant rights (section 4103) reserved by the declarant.
(9) An allocation to each cooperative interest of the allocated interests in the manner described in section 4207 (relating to allocation of ownership interests, votes and common expense liabilities).
(10) Any restrictions on:
(i) Use and occupancy of the units.
(ii) Alienation or encumbering of the cooperative interests.
(iii) The amount for which a cooperative interest may be sold or the amount that may be received by a proprietary lessee upon sale, condemnation or casualty loss to the unit or the cooperative or termination of the cooperative.
(11) The recording data for recorded encumbrances, easements and licenses appurtenant to or included in the cooperative or to which any portion of the cooperative is or may become subject.
(12) If all or any of the units are or may be owned in time-share estates, which units may be owned in time-share estates and the maximum number of time-share estates that may be created in the cooperative, it being intended that time-share estates shall not be permitted except if and to the extent expressly authorized by the declaration.
(13) All matters required by sections 4206 (relating to leasehold cooperatives), 4207 (relating to allocation of ownership interests, votes and common expense liabilities), 4208 (relating to limited common elements), 4214 (relating to declarant's office, models and signs) and 4303(d) (relating to executive board members and officers).
(14) Any items required to be included in all proprietary leases for the cooperative.
(15) If the declaration provides that the association or a unit owner is or shall be responsible for operation and maintenance of storm water management facilities, a statement that upon approval of the permittee's notice of termination by the Department of Environmental Protection or by an authorized county conservation district, it shall be deemed that the association or unit owner, as applicable, agree to and shall become responsible for compliance with the storm water management facilities' permit terms and conditions, including long-term operation and maintenance of postconstruction storm water best management practices in accordance with applicable requirements. The declarant shall remain responsible for compliance with other obligations with respect to storm water management facilities as may be required by the approved subdivision and land development plans, the declaration or this subpart until such time as the obligations of the declarant may cease.
(16) Any fees or charges to be paid by proprietary lessees, currently or in the future, for the use of the common elements, limited common elements and any other facilities related to the cooperative.
(b) Reservation of development rights.--The declaration for a cooperative wherein development rights (section 4103) are reserved by the declarant must also contain:
(1) A statement of the time limit, not exceeding seven years after the recording of the declaration, when all development rights will lapse, together with a statement of any circumstances that will terminate the development rights before the expiration of the time limit.
(2) A statement of any limitations on any development rights, other than limitations created by or imposed pursuant to law, or else a statement that there are no such limitations.
(3) A statement of the extent to which the allocated interests may be increased or decreased by the exercise of development rights, including the formulas to be used for those reallocations.
(4) Legally sufficient descriptions of the real estate to which each of the development rights applies.
(5) If development rights may be exercised with respect to different portions of any real estate subject to development rights at different times, a statement to that effect together with:
(i) either a statement fixing the boundaries of those portions and regulating the order in which they may be subjected to the exercise of such development rights or a statement that no assurances are made in those regards; and
(ii) a statement as to whether, if development rights are exercised with respect to any portion of real estate, any development rights with respect to all or any particular portion of that or any other real estate must be exercised.
(6) A statement of:
(i) the maximum number of units that may be created within any real estate subject to development rights or within any portion of such real estate, the boundaries of which are fixed pursuant to paragraph (5);
(ii) how many of those units will be restricted exclusively to residential use; and
(iii) the maximum number of units per acre or per specified volume of space that may be created within any portions the boundaries of which are not fixed pursuant to paragraph (5).
(7) If any of the units that may be built within any real estate subject to development rights are not to be restricted exclusively to residential use, a statement, with respect to each portion of such real estate, of the maximum percentage of the real estate areas or volumes of space and the maximum percentage of the floor areas or volumes of space of all units that may be created therein that are not restricted exclusively to residential use.
(8) A statement of the extent to which any buildings and units that may be erected upon each portion of the real estate subject to development rights will be compatible with the other buildings and units in the cooperative in terms of architectural style, quality of construction, principal materials employed in construction and size or a statement that no assurances are made in those regards.
(9) A statement that all restrictions in the declaration as described in subsection (a)(10) will apply to units created within any real estate subject to development rights or a statement of any differentiations that may be made as to those units.
(10) General descriptions of all other improvements and limited common elements that may be made or created upon or within each portion of the real estate subject to development rights or a statement that no assurances are made in that regard.
(11) A statement of any limitations as to the locations of any buildings or other improvements that may be made within real estate subject to development rights or a statement that no assurances are made in that regard.
(12) A statement that any limited common elements created within any real estate subject to development rights will be of the same general types and sizes as those limited common elements within other parts of the cooperative or a statement of any other assurances in that regard or a statement that no assurances are made in that regard.
(13) A statement that the proportion of limited common elements to units created within real estate subject to development rights will be approximately equal to the proportion existing within other parts of the cooperative or a statement of any other assurances in that regard or a statement that no assurances are made in that regard.
(14) A statement of the extent to which any assurances made in the declaration regarding real estate subject to development rights pursuant to paragraphs (5) through (13) apply in the event any development rights are not exercised.
(15) A statement of any other conditions upon or limitations under which the development rights reserved by the declarant may be exercised or will lapse.
(c) Additional matters permitted.--The declaration may contain any other matters the declarant deems appropriate.
(Oct. 19, 2018, P.L.551, No.84, eff. 60 days; Mar. 27, 2020, P.L.35, No.11, eff. 60 days)

2020 Amendment. Act 11 added subsec. (a)(16).
2018 Amendment. Act 84 added subsec. (a)(15).
Cross References. Section 4205 is referred to in sections 4201, 4206, 4208, 4209, 4217, 4219, 4220, 4409, 4418 of this title.