Be it ordained and enacted by the Richland Township Supervisors assembled, and it is hereby ordained and enacted by the authority of the same, that from and after the passage and approval of this chapter the several classes of districts specified herein shall be established and the following regulations shall be in full force and effect.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Richland Township Zoning Ordinance," and the official map referred to herein and made a part of this chapter shall be known as the "Richland Township Zoning District Map."
The effective date of this chapter shall be five days after the date of its signature of approval by the Supervisors.
In the interpretation and application of the provisions of this chapter, said provisions shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion and protection of the public health, welfare and safety. Where the provisions of this chapter impose greater restrictions then those of any other ordinance or regulation, the provisions of this chapter shall be controlling. Where the provisions of any statute, other ordinance or regulation impose greater restrictions than this chapter, the provisions of such statute, ordinance or regulation shall be controlling.
If any article, section, subsection, paragraph, clause or provision of this chapter shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of this chapter as a whole or of any other part.
A. 
This chapter is enacted under and pursuant to the Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247 of 1968,[1] as amended, for the following purposes:
(1) 
To promote, protect and facilitate one or more of the following: the public health, safety, morals, general welfare, coordinated and practical community development, proper density of population, civil defense,disaster evacuation, airports and national defense facilities, the provisions of adequate light and air,police protection, vehicle parking and loading spaces, transportation, water, sewerage, schools, public grounds and other public requirements.
(2) 
To prevent one or more of the following: overcrowding of land, blight, danger and congestion in travel and transportation, loss of health, life or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers. Zoning ordinances shall be made in accordance with an overall program and with consideration for the character of the municipality, its various parts and the suitability of the various parts for particular uses and structures.
(3) 
To preserve prime agriculture and farmland considering topography, soil type and classification, and present use;
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
B. 
The above is in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan for Richland Township which sets forth the community development objectives for Richland Township.
C. 
The regulations and districts contained herein represent reasonable consideration as to the character of the districts and their peculiar suitability for particular uses of land. These provisions have been drawn with a view to preserving the existing environment and assuring the development of a future environment that realizes the greatest possible use and enjoyment of land on individual properties, balanced against the necessary protection of the values of buildings and land and the use and enjoyment of land on adjacent properties, with the objective of promoting and protecting the public welfare through the regulation of land use and the process of land development.
This chapter, including the Zoning District Map, together with succeeding amendments thereto, shall be on file and may be viewed by any interested party in the township office.