Township of Lower Frederick, PA Article I General Provisions

§ 170-1 Short title; when effective.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Lower Frederick Township Zoning Ordinance of 1999" and shall become effective upon enactment.

§ 170-2 Declaration of legislative intent.

A. This chapter is enacted in accord with Article VI of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code[1] and is intended to implement the policies and recommendations of the Lower Frederick Township Comprehensive Plan, as well as the Lower Frederick Township Open Space Preservation Plan, and to serve the following purposes:

(1) To promote, protect, and facilitate the following in compliance with applicable law:

(a) Public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the Township.

(b) Coordinated and practical community development and proper density of population.

(c) Provision of adequate light and air, and safe, reliable, and adequate water supply and sewage disposal for residential, commercial, institutional, recreational, agricultural, and industrial uses.

(d) Provision of adequate transportation facilities, vehicle parking and loading space, and access to emergency services.

(e) Provision of schools, parks and recreational facilities, public grounds, and other public facilities.

(f) Preservation of forests, wetlands, aquifers, floodplains, steep slopes, and natural, scenic, and historic values in the environment.

(2) To prevent overcrowding of land, blight, danger and congestion in travel and transportation, loss of health, life or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers.

(3) To preserve prime agriculture and farmland, considering topography, soil type and classification, and present use.

(4) To provide for land within the Township 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, mobile homes, and mobile home parks.

(5) 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, based on the Township's Comprehensive Plan.

(6) To ensure the opportunity to exercise private property rights in a lawful and uniform manner.

(7) To conserve the value of land and buildings.

[1] Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10601 et seq.

B. It is not the intention of this chapter in any way to condemn or unlawfully take private property. Rather, this chapter intends to regulate property in a reasonable and uniform manner, allowing for adjustments to occur through the zoning hearing procedure or by zoning amendment, or otherwise.

§ 170-3 Statement of community development objectives.

In applying the provisions of this chapter, they shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the health, safety, morals, and the general welfare of the Township. The Comprehensive Plan, in accordance with which this chapter is enacted and which is reflected in the provisions of this chapter, has been formulated to implement the purpose set forth in § 170-2, in the respects therein stated and more particularly with a view toward, inter alia, the following statement of community development objectives:

A. Guide and encourage the future development of the Township in accordance with comprehensive planning of land use and population density that represents the most appropriate, beneficial, and convenient relationships among the residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational areas within the Township.

(1) Future growth should be directed towards the villages of Spring Mount and Zieglerville which form the core area of Lower Frederick. These areas can best accommodate future growth because they have better roads and public sewer and water systems.

(2) The outlying areas of the Township, particularly land along the Perkiomen Creek, and land south of the Swamp Creek, should be preserved as much as possible for low intensity uses such as open space, agriculture, or low-density residential development.

B. Have regard for the suitability of the various uses appropriate to each of the areas of the Township and their potential for such uses as indicated by topography and soil conditions, natural features, existing man-made conditions, trends in population, the direction and manner of use of land, building development, and economic activity.

C. Consider such conditions and trends both within the Township and with respect to the relationships of the Township to surrounding areas.

D. Protect the character and the social and economic stability of each such area and encourage their orderly and beneficial growth where appropriate.

E. To protect and conserve the integrity of significant natural features, such as watercourses, floodplains, steep slopes, scenic vistas, underground aquifers, and wetlands.

F. To preserve woodlands and other vegetation to moderate the effects of storms, absorb pollutants and noise, shelter wildlife, and provide a diverse natural environment.

G. To provide standards for development that respect the natural capacity of land and which help maintain the desirable benefits of natural resources protection.

H. Protect and conserve the value of land and buildings throughout the Township, depending upon necessity or circumstances as appropriate to the various zoning districts established herein.

I. Bring about through proper timing the gradual conformity of land use to the Comprehensive Plan, and minimize conflicts among the uses of land and buildings.

J. Aid in bringing about the most beneficial relationship between land use and the circulation of traffic throughout the Township, having particular regard to traffic to and from the major roads, and to the avoidance of congestion on the roads and the provision of safe and convenient access appropriate to the various land uses.

K. Aid in providing a guide for public policy and action in the efficient provision of public facilities and services, in the provision of safe and proper sanitary sewage disposal, and for private enterprise in building development, investment, and other economic activity relating to land use.

§ 170-4 Interpretation.

To the extent that such objectives are consistent with the purposes set forth in § 170-2 and with the minimum requirements therefor, the provisions of this chapter shall be interpreted, administered and applied in such manner as will facilitate attainment of the said objectives, and all others permitted by law.

§ 170-5 Conflict with other provisions.

It is not intended by this chapter to repeal, abrogate, annul, or interfere with any existing ordinances or enactment, or with any rule, regulation, or permit 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.

§ 170-6 Federal, state, county or Township owned property.

Whenever federal, state, or county owned property is included in one or more zoning districts, it shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter only insofar as is permitted by the Constitution and Laws of the United States of America and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In the case of Township owned land, the provisions of this chapter shall not apply.