Pennsylvania Act 1988-1 — UNIFORM PARCEL IDENTIFIER LAW

Act text

UNIFORM PARCEL IDENTIFIER LAW
                   Act of Jan. 15, 1988, P.L. 1, No. 1                Cl. 68
                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing a county, with the written recommendation of its
        recorder of deeds or commissioner of records, by ordinance of
        its governing body, to establish a uniform parcel identifier
        system by providing for a depository agency of the county's
        tax maps, including additions, deletions and revisions to
        such maps, and by providing for the assignment by such
        depository agency of uniform parcel identifiers for each
        parcel on the map in order to facilitate conveyancing and its
        tax assessment and to establish a modern land record system.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

     Section 1.  Short title.
        This act shall be known and may be cited as the Uniform
     Parcel Identifier Law.
     Section 2.  Definitions.
        The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
     have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
     context clearly indicates otherwise:
        "County tax map."  A map describing real estate in a county,
     maintained for its tax assessment purposes as otherwise provided
     by law.
        "Governing body."  The county commissioners of the county,
     except in those counties which have adopted an optional charter
     or home rule form of government where it shall mean that body
     vested with the legislative authority of the county.
        "Municipality."  Any city of the first, second, second class
     A or third class, borough, incorporated town, township of the
     first or second class or any similar general purpose unit of
     government which shall hereafter be created by the General
     Assembly. The term shall include those general purpose units of
     government smaller than a county which exercise self-government
     under a home rule charter or optional plan.
        "Uniform parcel identifier."  A finite, punctuated sequence
     of numbers indicating the land parcel or other interest in real
     estate as shown on the recorded county tax map, which sequence
     may be the existing county tax parcel number.
            (1)  In the case of a "unit" within the meaning of the
        act of July 3, 1963 (P.L.196, No.117), known as the Unit
        Property Act, a designator for the number of the "unit" as
        indicated on the recorded "declaration plan" shall be
        included in the sequence of numbers forming the uniform
        parcel identifier for such "unit."
            (2)  In the case of a "unit" within the meaning of 68
        Pa.C.S. Part II Subpart B (relating to condominiums), a
        designator for the number of the "unit" as indicated on the
        recorded declaration shall be included in the sequence of
        numbers forming the uniform parcel identifier for such
        "unit."
            (3)  In the case of an interest in real estate less than
        fee simple, an additional designator may be included in the
        sequence of numbers forming the uniform parcel identifier for
        such interest in order to distinguish such interest from the
        fee simple parcel of which such interest is a part.
     Section 3.  Ordinance requiring permanency of county maps.
        A county, with the written recommendation of its recorder of
     deeds or commissioner of records, may, by ordinance of its
     governing body, require the implementation of a uniform parcel
     identifier system. The system shall provide for a permanent
     record of all county tax maps with the parcel identifier clearly
     visible.
     Section 4.  Assigning uniform parcel identifiers.
        (a)  Requirements of county tax maps.--The governing body
     shall provide for a single agency which shall be the permanent
     depository of all county tax maps. The agency shall assign to
     each parcel a uniform parcel identifier which shall correspond
     with the county tax maps.
        (b)  Assignment of uniform parcel identifier.--At the request
     of an owner subdividing or amalgamating or otherwise affecting
     for future transfer, mortgage, release or other purpose any
     parcel or parcels already designated on a county tax map, the
     agency having custody of the county tax map shall assign a
     uniform parcel identifier to each parcel included in the
     proposed transfer, mortgage, release or other purpose. If the
     conveyance in the proposed transfer represents a change of size
     and a description of the real estate, the owner shall provide
     the officials with either a metes and bounds description based
     on a precise survey or a lot number and references to a recorded
     subdivision plan, which plan on its face shows metes and bounds,
     prepared by a professional land surveyor as required by the act
     of May 23, 1945 (P.L.913, No.367), known as the Professional
     Engineers Registration Law. Any subdivision plan which was
     prepared prior to the effective date of the aforesaid act and
     which contains metes and bounds shall be acceptable for
     compliance with these provisions. This assignment of uniform
     parcel identifiers shall take place within one day of the
     presentation of the request for such assignment when accompanied
     by the survey or such subdivision plan. No metes and bounds
     description by survey or subdivision plan shall be required for
     any transfer, mortgage, release or other purpose involving a
     right-of-way, surface or subsurface easement, oil, gas or
     mineral lease or other interest, or any subsurface estate.
     Section 5.  Recording procedures.
        (a)  Generally.--The provisions of this section shall govern
     all recordings of county tax maps pursuant to a resolution
     adopted under section 3.
        (b)  Initial recording.--Immediately upon the adoption of an
     ordinance under section 3, or at such later time provided in the
     ordinance, the appropriate agency designated to have custody of
     the county tax maps shall provide for their permanency.
        (c)  Filing in stages by municipality.--The initial filing of
     county tax maps shall be accomplished by filing successively all
     the county tax maps relating to a municipality at one time. It
     is intended at the initial filing that no county tax map for a
     municipality be placed on record until all the county tax maps
     relating to a municipality are so recorded.
        (d)  Additions, revisions and changes to county tax maps.--
     Changes in municipal or county boundaries, resulting from
     annexation or otherwise, subdivisions, resubdivisions and
     additions shall be indicated on the county tax maps otherwise
     provided by law, and such revised or new county tax maps or that
     part thereof which is revised or new shall be filed within ten
     days of their revision or addition, or, in lieu thereof, the
     revised or new subdivision plan with the uniform parcel
     identifiers affixed shall be recorded.
        (e)  Filing certified copies of county tax maps.--A copy of
     any county tax map certified by any official having custody
     thereof may be placed in the depository in lieu of an original
     map.
        (f)  Maintenance of tax maps.--County tax maps may be
     maintained in the depository in a microfilmed, bound or
     otherwise permanent form for reference as provided in the
     ordinance adopted under section 3.
     Section 6.  Fees.
        Officials providing services in accordance with an ordinance
     enacted under section 3 shall receive their customary fees if
     otherwise provided by law.
     Section 7.  Home rule charter and optional plan counties.
        A county exercising self-government under a home rule charter
     or optional plan that adopts an ordinance under section 3 shall
     be subject to the provisions of this act in the same manner as
     any other county so electing.
     Section 8.  Effective date.
        This act shall take effect in 60 days.