The Township is hereby divided into the following districts:
Airport zones
Commercial zones:
[Amended 4-8-1991 by Ord. No. 1729]
C-1, Neighborhood Commercial
C-2A, Local Commercial
C-2, Regional/Community Commercial
Floodplain and stormwater management zones
Industrial zone:
[Amended 12-18-1989 by Ord. No. 1657]
I, Industrial
Office park zone
Open space zones:
OS-1, Open Space — Residential/Agricultural
OS-2, Open Space — Limited Industrial
Residential zones:
[Amended 12-18-1989 by Ord. No. 1657]
R-1 to R-6
The intended uses of the various zoning districts are described as follows and shall be relied upon for interpretation and administration of this chapter:
A. 
The airport zones are designed to insure and promote the health, safety and welfare of the general public and property in and about the Lehigh Valley International Airport, to protect the users, facilities and services of the airport, to prevent hazardous conditions to the users, facilities or services of the airport and to eliminate, remove, mitigate, mark or light any existing hazard which cannot be completely abated.
[Amended 8-8-2005 by Ord. No. 2578]
B. 
The commercial zones are intended to provide sufficient area in appropriate locations for various forms and types of business uses and development; to satisfy the needs of modern business development by providing off-street parking, loading and unloading areas, safe and efficient means of vehicle ingress and egress, and continuity and homogeneity of business development; to encourage the development of attractive, functional and economic forms of commercial buildings under proper standards; to encourage the enhancement and beautification of commercial areas and to minimize the effect of commercial areas on adjoining residential areas.
[Amended 12-18-1989 by Ord. No. 1657]
C. 
The floodplain and stormwater management zones are intended to prevent the loss of property and life, the creation of health and safety hazards, the disruption of commerce and governmental services, the extraordinary and unnecessary expenditure of public funds for floor protection and relief, and the impairment of the tax base by regulating uses, activities and development which, acting alone or in combination with other existing or future uses, activities and development, will cause increases in flood heights, velocities and frequencies; restricting or prohibiting certain uses, activities and development from locating within areas subject to flooding; requiring all those uses, activities and developments that do occur in flood prone areas to be protected and/or floodproofed against flooding and flood damage; and protecting individuals from buying lands and structures which are unsuited for intended purposes because of flood hazards.
D. 
The industrial zone is intended to provide suitable space for industrial and commercial types of business and development not ordinarily found nor desirable in neighborhood or regional/community commercial districts, to satisfy the needs for this type of development by providing for off-street parking and loading and unloading areas in the course of the development of attractive functional and economic forms of commercial and office uses as well as industrial development and to minimize the effect of industrial commercial areas on the adjoining residential areas, if any. The industrial zone is not intended to contain residences. In the event that there is an existing single-family detached or semidetached dwelling in an industrial zone, the expansion of said building or the establishment of accessory uses for said dwellings may be permitted provided the proposal is in compliance with the residential zone closest to the dwelling, or if remote from a residential zone, the minimum standards of an R-5 Residential District shall be followed.
[Amended 12-18-1989 by Ord. No. 1657]
E. 
The office park zone is designed to create a buffer district between residential neighborhoods and commercial or industrial zones in order to limit the adverse environmental effects nonresidential areas have upon residential neighborhoods in the Township. In addition, this zone is intended to alleviate intense traffic congestion which is experienced in areas of high commercial retail use. This zone is intended to provide sufficient area in appropriate locations for various forms and types of professional services, banks, businesses, clinics and other specified uses which would serve as a buffer to residential zones.
[Amended 12-18-1989 by Ord. No. 1657]
F. 
The open space zones are designed to secure, promote and provide suitable space and area for residential and industrial uses while limiting the intensity of development to maintain sufficient and adequate open space.
G. 
The residential zones are intended to provide sufficient area in appropriate locations for residential uses and development to meet the housing needs of the Township with due allowance for providing a choice of sites and types of housing without sacrificing desirable established residential patterns.
[Amended 12-18-1989 by Ord. No. 1657]