Select an Article Article 1 Preliminary Provisions Article 2 Classification, Creation, Reestablishment and Change of Name of Townships Article 3 TOWNSHIP LINES AND BOUNDARIES Article 4 Election of Officers; Vacancies in Office Article 5 Township Officers Generally Article 6 Township Supervisors Article 7 Township Treasurer Article 8 Township Secretary Article 9 Auditors; Accountants Article 10 Tax Collector; Assessor Article 11 Township Solicitor Article 12 Township Engineer Article 13 Township Manager Article 14 County and State Associations of Townships Article 15 Corporate Powers Article 16 Ordinances Article 17 Public Buildings Article 18 Fire Prevention and Protection Article 19 Township Police Article 20 Street Lights Article 21 Solid Waste Collection and Disposition Article 22 Parks, Recreation Centers and Forests Article 23 Roads, Streets, Bridges and Highways Article 24 Sidewalks, Footpaths and Curbs Article 25 Sanitary Sewers Article 26 Water Supply Article 27 Storm Water Management Plans and Facilities Article 28 Manufacture and Sale of Electricity Article 29 Shade Tree Commission Article 30 Board of Health Article 31 Contracts Article 32 Taxation and Finance Article 33 Collection of Assessments Article 34 Eminent Domain; Assessment OF Damages and Benefits Article 35 Violation of Act Generally Article 36 Actions by Townships Article 37 Repeals

ARTICLE II CLASSIFICATION, CREATION,
REESTABLISHMENT AND CHANGE OF NAME OF TOWNSHIPS

Section 201. Classification of Townships.-The townships now in existence and those to be created after this act takes effect are divided into two classes, townships of the first class and townships of the second class. Townships of the first class are those having a population of at least three hundred inhabitants to the square mile, which are now established as townships of the first class, or which may be created townships of the first class under laws relating to townships of the first class. All townships that are not townships of the first class or home rule townships are townships of the second class. A change from one class to the other shall be made only under this act or the laws relating to townships of the first class.

Section 202. Reestablishment of Townships.-A township of the first class may, irrespective of population, be reestablished a township of the second class in the following manner:
(1) The board of commissioners of the township of the first class on its own initiative may, or within fifteen days after the receipt of a petition signed by at least five percent of the electors of the township of the first class shall, pass a resolution and record it on its minutes, submitting the question of whether the township of the first class shall be reestablished as a township of the second class to the electors of the township of the first class.
(2) At the next primary, general or municipal election occurring at least ninety days after the passage of the resolution, the question, whether the township of the first class shall be reestablished as a township of the second class, shall be submitted to the voters of the township; and the county board of elections shall place the question of reestablishment as a township of the second class on the ballot under the election laws of this Commonwealth.
(3) The election officers shall compute the votes cast at the election and certify them to the county board of elections, which shall compute them and certify the result to the county commissioners and the board of commissioners of the township of the first class and to the clerk of the court of common pleas. If a majority of the votes cast at the election are in favor of the reestablishment of the township of the first class as a township of the second class, the government of the township of the second class shall be organized and become effective on the first Monday of January after the election, when the terms of the officers of the township of the first class shall cease, and the officers appointed by the court for the township under section 205 shall take office. If a majority of the votes cast at the election are in favor of remaining a township of the first class, no further proceedings shall be initiated for a period of two years from the date of the election.

Section 203. Creation of Townships by Annulment of Charter of Borough. - Townships of the second class may be created by the annulment of a charter of a borough under laws governing boroughs.

Section 204. Classification of New Townships.-When a new township is created either by consolidation of two or more townships or reestablishment of a township of the first class as a township or by annulment of a charter of a borough, the new township shall be classified as a township of the second class.

Section 205. Appointment and Election of Officers of New Townships.- When a new township results from the consolidation of townships or is created as a result of the annulment of a charter of a borough or when a township of the first class is reestablished as a township of the second class, the court of common pleas shall appoint the elective officers for the new township and determine the polling place or places in the new township. The appointed officers shall hold their offices until the first Monday of January after the next municipal election which occurs at least ninety days after the appointments. At the municipal election, a tax collector shall be elected for a regular four-year term if the election occurs in the year when such officer is elected for a regular term, and, if not, he shall be elected for a term of two years and his successor shall be elected for a four-year term. At the first municipal election, one supervisor and one auditor shall be elected for terms of six years each, one supervisor and one auditor for terms of four years each, and one supervisor and one auditor for terms of two years each. All officers shall take office on the first Monday of January after their election.
(205 Amended by Act 166 of 2006)

Section 206. Certificates of Clerk of Court; Fee; Penalty.--(a) When a township of the second class results from the consolidation of two or more townships or is created or reestablished, the clerk of the court of common pleas within thirty days shall certify the action to the Department of Community Affairs and the Department of Transportation. The clerk may charge a fee of three dollars and fifty cents ($3.50) to be paid as part of the costs of the proceedings.
(b) A clerk who fails to furnish the certifications, or either of them, shall, upon conviction thereof, in a summary proceeding, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50) and, in default of the payment of the fine and costs, undergo imprisonment of not more than ten days.

Section 207. Change of Name of Township.-(a) Upon petition to the court of common pleas of at least ten percent of the electors of a township or upon passage of a resolution by the board of supervisors seeking a change of the name of the township, the court shall order a referendum on the question.
(b) If the court determines that the petition or resolution for change of name of the township is in proper form and properly executed, the original petition or resolution shall be filed with the clerk of the court. A copy of the petition or resolution and order of the court shall be filed with the county board of elections, which shall frame the question to be submitted to the electors at the next general or municipal election which occurs at least sixty days after the court order.
(c) The election officers shall compute the votes cast on the question and certify them to the clerk of the court of common pleas, who shall tabulate them and certify the result. If a majority of the votes cast at the election are in favor of the change of township name, the court shall so order and shall order the record of the proceedings to be permanently recorded. If a majority of the votes are against the change, there shall be no further proceedings on the petition or resolution.

Select an Article Article 1 Preliminary Provisions Article 2 Classification, Creation, Reestablishment and Change of Name of Townships Article 3 TOWNSHIP LINES AND BOUNDARIES Article 4 Election of Officers; Vacancies in Office Article 5 Township Officers Generally Article 6 Township Supervisors Article 7 Township Treasurer Article 8 Township Secretary Article 9 Auditors; Accountants Article 10 Tax Collector; Assessor Article 11 Township Solicitor Article 12 Township Engineer Article 13 Township Manager Article 14 County and State Associations of Townships Article 15 Corporate Powers Article 16 Ordinances Article 17 Public Buildings Article 18 Fire Prevention and Protection Article 19 Township Police Article 20 Street Lights Article 21 Solid Waste Collection and Disposition Article 22 Parks, Recreation Centers and Forests Article 23 Roads, Streets, Bridges and Highways Article 24 Sidewalks, Footpaths and Curbs Article 25 Sanitary Sewers Article 26 Water Supply Article 27 Storm Water Management Plans and Facilities Article 28 Manufacture and Sale of Electricity Article 29 Shade Tree Commission Article 30 Board of Health Article 31 Contracts Article 32 Taxation and Finance Article 33 Collection of Assessments Article 34 Eminent Domain; Assessment OF Damages and Benefits Article 35 Violation of Act Generally Article 36 Actions by Townships Article 37 Repeals