HARMONY — A proposal for the borough to adopt the International Property Maintenance Code sparked a heated discussion over concerns that it would put borough residents at odds with the law.

The code seeks to provide a maintenance standard for property owners and gives code enforcement officers greater ability to ensure borough properties are keeping up on safety and regulatory standards.

Councilman Jason Sarver proposed the adoption at the recommendation of Alan Bayer, borough code enforcement officer.

“Its pretty much standard in communities that they have a property maintenance code,” Sarver said. “It would allow our code enforcement to do a better job, it keeps maintenance of property upkeep going.”

Neighboring Zelienople and Cranberry Township recently adopted the code.

Councilman Don Sims, however, vehemently opposed the proposed code and raised concerns that adoption would put borough residents in violation.

“The code enforcement officer even told you when he was sitting here last time that if you follow it then you would pretty much have people in the streets very upset,” Sims said. “You don’t need this. You have enough borough ordinances. Just enforce what you have.”

“I thought Alan said that he couldn’t enforce them,” said Mayor Cathy Rape.

Sarver confirmed Bayer was the one who recommended the code be adopted.

“And I can understand it from Alan’s perspective, but the perspective of it is this council here is for the betterment of the businesses and the residents,” Sims said. “This is not going to help them. This is going to hinder them.”

Sarver disagreed, saying that the code is standard across many municipalities and as someone who works with code enforcement for a living, he sees nothing wrong with it.

“You see it as someone who makes a living going around enforcing code,” Sims said. “I’m looking at it as people are sitting there and it’s telling you what kind of ventilation to have in your bathrooms.”

Josh Meeder, owner of Center of Harmony through his company Great Things LLC, agreed with Sims.

“We have a great community with people who care about their buildings,” he said. “Putting in something like this creates a whole host of violations. We already have enough problems with people in town reporting everyone. You now give them ammunition.”

Council President Greg Such suggested they table the discussion so council could consult with Bayer and figure out what would best fit the borough’s needs.

“We’re going to table it for now,” he said. “And we’re going to hear from Al, what the issues are and where the gaps are.”