This chapter shall be known as and may be cited as the "Sayre Borough Zoning Ordinance."
This chapter is enacted and ordained under the grant of powers by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Act 247, The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, July 31, 1968, as amended.
This chapter is enacted for the following purposes:
A. 
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 and the provision of adequate light and air, vehicle parking and loading space, sewerage, schools, public grounds and other requirements.
B. 
To prevent one or more of the following: overcrowding of land, blight, danger and congestion in travel and transportation and loss of health, life or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers. This chapter is made in accordance with an overall program, and with consideration for the character of the Borough, its various parts, and the suitability of the various parts for particular uses and structures.
This chapter is adopted to implement the following goals:
A. 
Protect to the fullest extent possible, the general health, welfare and morals of the citizens of Sayre Borough.
B. 
Allow the citizens of Sayre Borough to achieve their fullest individual potential in accordance with principals of land usage identified in this chapter.
C. 
Ensure, to the fullest extent possible, that land usage conforms to all the provisions set forth in this chapter and the Zoning Map, which was prepared in view of existing land use, land use mixture patterns and future development potential.
D. 
Ensure, to the limits of this chapter, to the citizens of Sayre Borough the maximum possible decent housing, clean air and water, good community services and protection from noncompatible land uses.
E. 
Foster, through the use of this chapter, a strong and stable economy by establishing a medical campus zoning district, maintaining the existing industrial zoning district and increasing the commercial districts based on growth patterns throughout the Borough on Keystone Avenue, Lehigh Avenue and Spring Street.
F. 
It is also a community objective of Sayre Borough that the Sayre Borough Council through the enactment of this chapter, guide growth and community change so that both the present and future population will benefit. Future growth should be orderly and controlled; necessary municipal services should be provided where needed and in locations that would serve present densities and encourage additional sound development. New development should be encouraged in areas compatible with existing and proposed municipal facilities. Disorganized and haphazard development should be discouraged.
G. 
A citizen should have reasonable access to the greatest variety of goods, services and facilities. They become accessible only if they are logically grouped in the most convenient locations. Incompatible land uses and the mixing of certain activities may not only deteriorate residential neighborhoods and lower property values, but may prevent the concentration of goods and services which are beneficial to all. Improperly located industries, businesses and residences may obstruct each other's accessibility and operations, becoming liabilities to the community rather than assets. Zoning of community activities is an important goal to achieve compatibility of land uses.
H. 
The major goal of the revision to this chapter is to secure four residential neighborhoods to preserve the residential character of the residential district in the Borough by zoning areas to remain as single-family residences, other areas for single-family and two-family residences and to allow for the development of multifamily residences, especially for the elderly.
I. 
The preservation of key areas for future park, recreation and open-space development in order to maintain the attractive character of the Borough and to improve leisure opportunities for its citizens should be encouraged. In the past, open-space and recreational areas have been sacrificed for what has been perceived as more desirable development. Such actions should be resisted. Open-space buffer strips between various land uses within the Borough should be encouraged.
J. 
The Borough should strive to cooperate with the efforts of the Economic Development Task Force and its successor, organization, the Valley Economic Development Association. The community should actively support desirable expansion of existing enterprises and the attractions of both new and diverse industries to the valley, to bolster the economy and provide new job opportunities. A planned and protected industrial district on the east side (formerly Lehigh Valley Shop) is an attractive area for new industry, as well as a benefit to the community. Paramount is the realization that the Guthrie Medical Center/Robert Packer Hospital is a major employer within the Borough and that the preservation of its present location as a regional medical center is a prime ingredient to achieve economic stability within the community. It should also be recognized that tourism is indeed an industry of substantial potential to the Borough and should be developed to its maximum potential. The Sayre Lingerie Light Industrial Complex should be preserved and developed into incubator industries in order to continue employment in the Borough.
K. 
Complementing the scenic and recreational opportunities within the Borough are historically significant structures and sites. The tangible remains of the past - landmark buildings, neighborhoods, open spaces such as Guthrie Square, as well as the layout of streets and roads - are not only evidence of past ways of life, but also contribute to the character and individuality of communities by forming visually interesting, diverse improvements and by providing a sense of identity and a sense of place. Special attention should be given to the preservation of such landmarks as Guthrie Park, the Railroad Stations and City Hall and the development of the GreenWay Project as part of the river ways parks and recreation project, as well as the development of the RiverFront Park as an athletic and community recreational facility area for the Borough.
L. 
To minimize future damage by flooding through the regulation and control of development within the one-hundred-year floodplain.