HARMONY — Harmony Fire District President Tim Sapienza implored Harmony council to pursue hiring a firm to inspect buildings in the borough, citing concerns about potential code violations and fire hazards.

He cited numerous issues with leaving buildings uninspected, especially in communities with historic structures that are close to schools.

“This is a very serious concern,” Sapienza said at the council meeting Tuesday night. “Guys, we’re talking lives here.”

Neighboring Jackson Township recently had Code Enforcement Associates (CEA) look at buildings for the first time in seven years, Sapienza said, and found numerous code violations at facilities throughout the township.

“The insurance companies aren’t doing any fire inspections,” Sapienza said. “In a lot of cases, these companies are happy to know there are problems. They didn’t know before.”

While Harmony has ordinances requiring commercial buildings to be inspected, the council has not yet chosen a firm to carry them out.

Sapienza recommended the council look at CEA.

“The borough has ordinances and the state calls for it,” he said. “They (CEA) can do historic, they can do anything.”

Sapienza also recommended the borough adopt a policy where businesses purchase lock boxes with a key to the structure that they can leave outside allowing firefighters to access the building without destroying locks or windows and saving the responders precious time.

The borough has its fire update meeting in two weeks and council President Greg Such said the council wants to hear more about inspections.

Council also has made progress in shaping its primitive structure ordinance.

Solicitor Matt Racunas proposed defining the structures as those without utilities, no taller than 15 feet and that are to be used to display handmade and historical artifacts. The height of the buildings may change in the ratification process.

Racunas said the difference between an accessory structure, like a shed, and a primitive structure is that a primitive structure is the primary structure on a property. A shed or garage would not fall under that category.

The ordinance must now go before the Harmony and county planning commission for approval.

Those who currently have legal structures that would not fit in the new ordinance will be grandfathered in and not be forced to change or remove their property.