Borough of Norristown, PA Article I Authorization and Purpose

§ 31-1 Legal authorization; title.

[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]

A. Pursuant to authority contained in the Pennsylvania Legislation Act of June 13, 1961, Public Law 282, No. 167, as amended, there are hereby created two Municipal Historic Districts, coincident with the two National Register Historic Districts, namely the Central Norristown National Register Historic District and the West Norristown National Register Historic District, established in 1984, and two HARB Zones, an A-Zone and a B-Zone, within the Central Norristown and the West Norristown National Register Historic Districts in the Municipality of Norristown.

B. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Municipality of Norristown HARB Ordinance."

§ 31-2 Purposes.

These Districts and Zones are created for the following purposes:

A. Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution which states that: "The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustees of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people."

B. Now therefore it is the purpose and intent of the Municipality of Norristown to promote, protect, enhance, perpetuate and preserve historic districts for the educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of the public through the preservation, protection and regulation of buildings, structures and areas of historic interest or importance within the Municipality of Norristown; to safeguard the heritage of the Municipality of Norristown by preserving and regulating historic districts which reflect elements of its cultural, social, economic, political and architectural history; to preserve and enhance the environmental quality of neighborhoods; to strengthen the Municipality's economic base by the stimulation of the tourist industry; to establish and improve property values; to foster economic development; to foster civic pride in the beauty and accomplishments of the Municipality of Norristown past; and to preserve and protect the cultural, historical and architectural assets of the Municipality of Norristown for which the Municipality of Norristown has been determined to be of local, state or national, historical and/or architectural significance.

[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]