This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Doylestown Township Zoning Ordinance."
This chapter is enacted in accordance with Section 601
of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247) for the following purposes:
A. To promote the health, safety, morals and the general
welfare of the Township.
B. To promote, protect and facilitate coordinated community
development.
C. To lessen congestion in the roads and highways.
D. To secure safety from flood, fire, panic and other
danger.
E. To provide adequate light and air.
F. To prevent the overcrowding of land and to avoid undue
congestion of population.
G. To facilitate the adequate provision of transportation,
water supply, sewerage, schools, parks and other public requirements.
H. To conserve the value of buildings.
I. To encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout
the Township.
J. To provide for the protection and preservation of
natural resources within the Township.
K. To provide for the use of land for residential housing
of various dwelling types encompassing all basic forms of housing,
including single-family and two-family dwellings, and a reasonable
range of multifamily dwellings in various arrangements, manufactured
homes, and manufactured home communities.
[Added 9-19-1989 by Ord. No. 195; amended 2-16-2021 by Ord. No. 401]
L. To accommodate reasonable overall community growth,
including population and employment growth, and opportunities for
development of a variety of residential dwelling types and nonresidential
uses.
[Added 9-19-1989 by Ord. No. 195]
This chapter provides a legal basis and framework
for future community development and is based on the duly adopted
Comprehensive Plan of the Township.
In interpreting and applying the provisions
of this chapter, they shall be held to be the minimum requirements
for the promotion of health, safety, morals and general welfare of
the Township. Where the provisions of this chapter impose greater
restrictions than those of any statute, 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, other ordinance
or regulation shall be controlling.
It is not intended by this chapter to repeal,
abrogate, annul or interfere with any existing ordinance or enactment
or with any rule, regulation or permit previously adopted or issued
thereunder, except insofar as the same may be inconsistent or in conflict
with any of the provisions of this chapter, provided that where this
chapter imposes greater restrictions upon the use of buildings or
land or upon the height and bulk of buildings or prescribes larger
open spaces than are required by the provisions of such ordinance,
enactment, rule, regulation or permit, then the provisions of this
chapter shall control.
The provisions of this chapter, so far as they
are the same as those of ordinances in force immediately prior to
enactment of this chapter, are intended as a continuation of such
ordinances. The provisions of this chapter shall not affect any act
done or liability incurred nor shall they affect any suit or prosecution
pending or to be instituted to enforce any right or penalty or to
punish any offense under the authority of any ordinance replaced by
this chapter.
This chapter requires that within the Township
of Doylestown in the County of Bucks and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
no land, body of water or structure shall hereafter be used or occupied
and no structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed,
reconstructed, moved or structurally altered unless in conformity
with all the regulations and procedures herein specified for the district
in which such land, body of water or structure is located.