A. 
The Board of Supervisors may from time to time amend this chapter, including the Zoning Map.
B. 
Proposals for amendment, supplement, change, or modification or repeal may be initiated by the Board of Supervisors on its own motion, the Township Planning Commission, or by petition by one or more owners of property to be affected by the proposed amendment. Any proposed amendment favorably acted upon shall be specifically found to be in accordance with the spirit and intent of the community development objectives of the Township Comprehensive Plan.
A. 
Before voting on the enactment of any amendment, the Board of Supervisors shall hold a public hearing pursuant to public notice. Public notice shall be a notice published once for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in Hilltown Township. Such notice shall state the time and place of hearing, the particular nature of the matter to be considered at the hearing and the full text of the amendment or a brief summary setting forth the general provisions in reasonable detail. The first publication shall be no more than 30 days and the second publication not less than seven days from the date of the hearing. Procedures relating to the publication, advertisement, and availability of proposed amendments shall be in accordance with § 10610 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, 53 P.S. § 10610, as amended. If the proposed amendment involves a Zoning Map change, notice of said public hearing shall be conspicuously posted by the Township at points deemed sufficient to the Township along the perimeter of the tract to notify potentially interested citizens. The affected tract or area shall be posted at least one week prior to the date of the hearing.
B. 
If, after any public hearing held upon an amendment, the proposed amendment is changed substantially or is revised to include land previously not affected by it, the Board of Supervisors shall hold another public hearing pursuant to public notice before proceeding to vote on the amendment. In the event substantial amendments are made in the proposed ordinance or amendment, before voting upon enactment, the Board of Supervisors shall at least 10 days prior to enactment readvertise, in one newspaper of general circulation in the Township, a brief summary setting forth all the provisions in reasonable detail together with a summary of the amendments.
Every application for amendment of this chapter shall first be presented to the Township Secretary and shall contain the following:
A. 
The applicant’s name and address and his representative and the interest of every person represented in the application.
B. 
A plan showing the extent of the area to be rezoned, streets bounding and intersecting the area, land use and zoning classification of abutting districts, and photographs of the area to be rezoned and abutting areas.
C. 
A statement of the circumstances in the proposed district and the abutting districts and any other factors in which the applicant relies as reasons for supporting the proposed rezoning.
D. 
The approximate time schedule for the beginning and completion of development in the area.
E. 
A site plan to scale indicating the location of structures, uses, areas for off-street parking and loading.
F. 
Information about the market area to be served by the proposed development, if a commercial use, including population, effective demand for proposed business facilities, and any other information describing the relationship of the proposed development to the needs of the market area as the Zoning Officer, Planning Commission, or Board of Supervisors may prescribe.
G. 
Impact statement. A change of zoning generally means a deviation from the previously planned growth pattern. Such changes invariably have an impact on the community, on the environment, on taxes and on Hilltown Township. A detailed statement of these impacts shall be submitted by the applicant for any change in zoning classification pursuant to this article. Such statement shall contain the following:
(1) 
Hilltown Township Comprehensive Plan. Analysis of the consistency of the proposed zoning change request with the Comprehensive Plan shall be presented. The analysis shall include, but not be limited to, the impact on the statement of community development goals and objectives, the land use plan, community services and facilities, population and housing projections.
(2) 
Environmental impact. What is the predicted impact on stormwater runoff, aquifer recharge, erosion, sedimentation, wildlife habitats, scenic areas, the general amenity of the community? The environmental or natural features listed in § 160-28, Environmental performance standards, shall be identified and mapped. The ability of the proposed use to comply with the requirements of § 160-28 shall be shown. The site capacity calculations of § 160-25 shall be completed for the subject tract.
(3) 
Transportation impact. A traffic impact study prepared in accordance with the guidelines found in Chapter 140, Subdivision and Land Development.
(4) 
Services impact. Define demand for public services, sewer, water, police, schools. Where standards of use are set by other agencies such as the Department of Environmental Protection, these shall be used.
(5) 
Regional impact. Regional housing needs shall be examined and Township performance with respect to these identified. Demand created for additional shopping and private commercial stores and impact on established local shopping conditions.
(6) 
Implementation.
(a) 
Prior to hearing and acting on the zoning change request, the petition and impact statement shall be reviewed by the Township Planning Commission and the Bucks County Planning Commission. The Township may also retain, at the petitioner's expense, consultants to review issues addressed in the impact statement.
[Amended 10-24-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-002]
(b) 
Before voting on the zoning change request, the governing body shall review the petition, the impact statement, the review comments of the Township Planning Commission and the Bucks County Planning Commission, any consultants hired by the Township and notes of testimony of the hearing. If the governing body determines the change creates major problems or adverse impacts, then the governing body shall:
[1] 
Reject the proposing zoning change; or
[2] 
Amend the zoning change to require specific on or off-site improvements as a condition of approval.
(7) 
The petitioner filing a private amendment shall, at the time of filing, pay to the Zoning Officer, for the use of the Township, a fee in accordance with a fee schedule adopted by resolution of the governing body upon enactment of this chapter or as such schedule may be amended from time to time.
A. 
In case of an amendment other than one prepared by the Township Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors shall submit each such amendment to the Township Planning Commission at least 30 days prior to the hearing in order to provide the Planning Commission an opportunity to submit recommendations. At least 30 days prior to the hearing on the proposed amendment the Township Planning Commission shall submit the proposed amendment to the Bucks County Planning Commission for recommendations.
B. 
Within 30 days after enactment, a copy of the amendment to this chapter shall be forwarded to the County Planning Commission.
A. 
A landowner who desires to challenge on substantive grounds the validity of a zoning ordinance or map or any provisions thereof, which prohibits or restricts the use or development of land in which he has an interest, may submit a curative amendment to the Board of Supervisors with a written request that his challenge and proposed amendment be heard and decided as provided in § 10916.1 of the Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, 53 P.S. § 10916.1, as amended. The Board of Supervisors shall commence a hearing thereon within 60 days of the request as provided in § 10916.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended. The curative amendment and challenge shall be referred to the Township Planning Commission and notice of the hearing thereon shall be given as provided by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended.
B. 
Procedures for the public hearing as set forth in § 10609.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended, shall be followed.
If the Township determines that this chapter or any portion thereof is substantially invalid, it shall follow the procedures as set forth in § 10609.2 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, 53 P.S. § 10609.2, as amended.
The procedures set forth in Article X-A of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, 53 P.S. § 11001-A et seq., as amended, shall constitute the exclusive mode for securing review of any decision rendered pursuant to this chapter or deemed to have been made under this chapter.