{"data":{"id":"us-pa/53-pa.c.s.-712","jurisdiction":"us-pa","citation":"53 Pa.C.S. § 712","heading":"Definitions.","body":"The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:\n\"Abutting municipal corporations.\" Municipal corporations that share contiguous territory.\n\"Boundary ascertainment.\" Establishment of a municipal boundary between abutting municipal corporations by judicial decree.\n\"Boundary change\" or \"change of boundary.\" Any change in the municipal boundary between abutting municipalities, other than as a result of a merger or consolidation under Subchapter C (relating to consolidation and merger), including any transfer of territory, boundary clarification or boundary ascertainment.\n\"Boundary clarification.\" Establishment of a municipal boundary by agreement under this subchapter between municipal corporations in a territorial area with a previously unclear boundary.\n\"Contiguous territory.\" Territory of which a portion abuts the boundary of another municipal corporation, including territory separated from the exact boundary of another municipal corporation by a street, road, railroad or highway or by a river or other natural or artificial stream of water.\n\"Governing body.\" The council in a city, borough or incorporated town, the board of commissioners in a county or township of the first class, the board of supervisors in a township of the second class or the legislative policymaking body in a home rule municipality.\n\"Impacted property.\" A parcel of real property that is divided by a municipal boundary prior to, or will be divided incident to, a proposed boundary change.\n\"Impacted territory.\" Territory which is subject to a boundary change.\n\"Municipal corporation.\" A city, borough, incorporated town, township or home rule municipality that is not a county.\n\"Municipality.\" A county, city, borough, incorporated town or township.\n\"Unclear boundary.\" Contiguous territory between two municipal corporations in which the exact boundary between the municipal corporations is in dispute or cannot be readily discerned as a result of conflicting or missing records.","path":["Title 53 - MUNICIPALITIES GENERALLY","PART II CREATION, TERRITORY, ALTERATION AND DISSOLUTION","CHAPTER 7 ALTERATION OF TERRITORY OR CORPORATE ENTITY AND DISSOLUTION","SUBCHAPTER B MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY CHANGE"],"source_url":"https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM\u0026ttl=53\u0026div=0\u0026chpt=7\u0026sctn=12\u0026subsctn=0","current_through":"2026-08-24 (Statute Update stamp, 53 Pa.C.S.)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-02T16:34:08Z","sha256":"8ec9a0a5460076b78704c2862bf612398bee9283d0817db995de339cdd6780f6","source_id":"us-pa","stale":false,"prev":"us-pa/53-pa.c.s.-711","next":"us-pa/53-pa.c.s.-713"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}