Hellertown officials say renters responsible for most crime and their cars are causing parking problems in some neighborhoods, so they would prefer that renters live downtown. That’s the reasoning behind Hellertown’s latest proposal to ban apartment conversions in its residential neighborhood zones. Hellertown’s Planning Commission two months ago approved a measure that would ban all apartment conversions in residential zones. It would effectively make about 80 percent of the borough off-limits to rental conversions and limit new ones to the commercial corridor along Main Street.

Source: The Morning Call, 9.5.08

Hellertown Borough has recently begun to aggressively enforce their Sidewalk Inspection Ordinance (Ordinance No. 683), which was adopted in 2005. The Ordinance requires that sellers contact the Borough so the Code Officer can inspect the sidewalk for compliance. According to the Ordinance, it is the responsibility of the current property owners (seller) to bring the sidewalk into compliance prior to sale. If there is no existing sidewalk, the current owner is required to install one at their expense.