The Township Supervisors may from time to time on their own motion, or on petition or on recommendation of the Planning Commission, amend, supplement or repeal the regulations and provisions of this chapter.
Before voting on the enactment of an amendment or change, the Township Supervisors shall submit each such amendment or change to the Planning Commission at least 30 days prior to the public hearing hereinafter provided for to allow the Commission an opportunity to submit its recommendations.
A. 
Before voting on the enactment of an amendment, Township Supervisors shall hold a public hearing thereon, pursuant to public notice, as provided for in this article. In addition, if the proposed amendment involves a Zoning Map change, notice of said public hearing shall be conspicuously posted by Adams Township at points deemed sufficient by the Township 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. 
In the case of an amendment other than that prepared by the Planning Commission, Township Supervisors shall submit each such amendment to the Planning Commission at least 30 days prior to the hearing on such proposed amendment to provide the Planning Commission an opportunity to submit recommendations. In addition, where a request for consideration of a rezoning application has been filed, all owners of property within 300 linear feet of the subject property or properties shall be notified by regular mail of the date of the first meeting or scheduled public hearing at which the application will be discussed. The applicant shall provide to the Township staff a list containing the names of the aforementioned property owners.
C. 
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, Township Supervisors shall hold another public hearing, pursuant to public notice, before proceeding to vote on the amendment.
D. 
At least 30 days prior to the public hearing on the amendment by the local governing body, the municipality shall submit the proposed amendment to the county planning agency for recommendations.
E. 
Adams Township may offer a mediation option as an aid in completing proceedings authorized by this section. In exercising such an option, Adams Township and mediating parties shall meet the stipulations and follow the procedures set forth in § 192-78 of this chapter.
F. 
Within 30 days after enactment, a copy of the amendment to this chapter shall be forwarded to the Butler County Planning Commission.
Nature of proposed amendments affecting a particular property shall be posted conspicuously on any property involved not less than seven days prior to date of hearing.
If, after any public hearing held upon an amendment, the amendment is revised or further revised to include land previously not affected by it, the Township Supervisors shall hold another public hearing, pursuant to public notice, before proceeding to vote on the amendment.
A. 
A landowner who desires to challenge on substantive grounds the validity of a Zoning Ordinance or Map or any provision thereof, which prohibits or restricts the use or development of land in which he has an interest, may submit a curative amendment to the Township Supervisors with a written request that his challenge and proposed amendment be heard and decided as provided in Section 916.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended. Township Supervisors shall commence a hearing thereon within 60 days of the request as provided for in this article. The curative amendment and challenge shall be referred to the Planning Commission or agencies as provided in Section 609 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended, and notice of the hearing thereon shall be given as provided in Sections 610 and 916.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended.
B. 
The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Section 908 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended, and all references therein to the Zoning Hearing Board shall, for purposes of this section, be references to Township Supervisors. If Adams Township does not accept a landowner's curative amendment brought in accordance with this subsection and a court subsequently rules that the challenge has merit, the court's decision shall not result in a declaration of invalidity for the entire Zoning Ordinance and Map, but only for those provisions which specifically relate to the landowner's curative amendment and challenge.
C. 
Where Adams Township has determined that a validity challenge has merit, it may accept a landowner's curative amendment, with or without revision, or it may adopt an alternative amendment which will cure the challenged defects. Township Supervisors shall consider the curative amendments, plans and explanatory material submitted by the landowner and shall also consider:
(1) 
The impact of the proposal upon roads, sewer facilities, water supplies, schools and other public service facilities;
(2) 
If the proposal is for a residential use, the impact of the proposal upon regional housing needs and the effectiveness of the proposal in providing housing units of a type actually available to and affordable by classes of persons otherwise unlawfully excluded by the challenged provision of the chapter or map;
(3) 
The suitability of the site for the intensity of use proposed by the site's soils, slopes, woodlands, wetlands, floodplains, aquifers, natural resources and other natural features;
(4) 
The impact of the proposed use on the site's soils, slopes, woodlands, wetlands, floodplains, aquifers, natural resources and other natural features, the degree to which these are protected or destroyed, the tolerance of the resources to development and any adverse environmental impacts; and
(5) 
The impact of the proposal on the preservation of agriculture and other land uses which are essential to public health and welfare.
If Adams Township determines that this chapter or any portion thereof is substantially invalid, it shall take the following actions:
A. 
Adams Township shall declare, by formal action, that this chapter or portions thereof are substantively invalid and propose to prepare a curative amendment to overcome such invalidity. Within 30 days following such declaration and proposal, Township shall:
(1) 
By resolution make specific findings setting forth the declared invalidity of this chapter which may include:
(a) 
Reference to specific uses which are either not permitted or not permitted in sufficient quantity;
(b) 
Reference to a class of use or uses which require revision; or
(c) 
Reference to the entire chapter which requires revisions.
(2) 
Begin to prepare and consider a curative amendment to this chapter to correct the declared invalidity.
B. 
Within 180 days from the date of the declaration and proposal, Adams Township shall enact a curative amendment to validate, or reaffirm the validity of, this chapter pursuant to the provisions required by Section 609 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended, in order to cure the declared invalidity of this chapter.
C. 
Upon the initiation of the procedures, as set forth in Subsection A, Township Supervisors shall not be required to entertain or consider any landowner's curative amendment filed under Section 609.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended, nor shall the Zoning Hearing Board be required to give a report requested under Section 909.1 or 916.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended, subsequent to the declaration and proposal based upon the grounds identical to or substantially similar to those specified in the resolution required by Subsection A(1). Upon completion of the procedures as set forth in Subsections A and B, no rights to a cure pursuant to the provisions of Sections 609.1 and 916.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended, shall, from the date of the declaration and proposal, accrue to any landowner on the basis of the substantive invalidity of the unamended Zoning Ordinance for which there has been a curative amendment pursuant to this section.
D. 
Adams Township, having utilized the procedures as set forth in Subsections A and B, may not again utilize said procedure for a thirty-six-month period following the date of the enactment of a curative amendment, or reaffirmation of the validity of this chapter, pursuant to Subsection B; provided, however, if after the date of the declaration and proposal there is a substantially new duty or obligation imposed upon Adams Township by virtue of a change in statute or by virtue of a Pennsylvania Appellate Court decision, Adams Township may utilize the provisions of this section to prepare a curative amendment to this chapter to fulfill said duty or obligation.