The Board of Supervisors may allow or deny conditional uses
pursuant to public notice and hearing and pursuant to express standards
and criteria set forth in this chapter. In allowing conditional uses,
the Board of Supervisors may attach such reasonable conditions and
safeguards, in addition to those expressed in the chapter, as it may
deem necessary to implement the purpose of this chapter.
This article sets forth the conditions and procedures which
must be met before a conditional use can receive approval by the Board
of Supervisors. Applicants for conditional uses shall submit a conditional
use permit application to the Zoning Officer for review and submission
to the Board of Supervisors.
When an application for a conditional use has been filed with
the Board of Supervisors, and the subject matter of such application
would ultimately constitute either a subdivision or land development
as defined by this chapter, no change or amendment to the zoning,
subdivision and land development, or other governing ordinance or
plans shall affect the decision on such application adversely to the
applicant, and the applicant shall be entitled to a decision in accordance
with the provisions of the governing ordinances or plans as they stood
at the time the application was duly filed. Provided further, should
such an application be approved by the Board of Supervisors, the applicant
shall be entitled to proceed with the submission of either land development
or subdivision plans within a period of six months or longer as may
be approved by the Board of Supervisors following the date of such
approval in accordance with the provisions of the governing ordinances
or plans as they stood at the time the application was duly filed
before the Board of Supervisors. If either a subdivision or land development
plan is so filed within said period, such plan shall be subject to
the provisions of the Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.
All applicants for a conditional use shall submit 15 sets of
site plans and all required additional information to include the
following to the Township Zoning Officer when making application for
a conditional use permit:
A. A written statement including a letter of intent specifying the intended
use and operation of the building or land. At a minimum, this statement
shall include the following elements:
(1)
That the proposed use complies with the declaration of legislative
intent of this chapter and for the district in which the use is proposed.
(2)
That the proposed use or activity is compatible in type, character
and intensity with surrounding land uses and the neighborhood in which
it is planned.
(3)
That essential public services are available and of adequate
capacity to service the intended use or activity. This services evaluation
shall include water, sewage disposal, utilities, police and fire protection,
schools (if applicable), park and recreation and transportation. The
transportation element shall indicate the existing and projected peak
traffic demands and the capacity of the road network to accommodate
said demands. This element shall also indicate methods to accommodate
any increase in service demands necessitated by the proposed use or
activity. All required services improvements necessitated by the proposed
use or activity shall be borne exclusively by the applicant at no
cost to the Township, unless otherwise determined appropriate by the
Board of Supervisors.
(4)
That the proposed use or activity complies with the land use
and design standards of this chapter including but not necessarily
limited to internal circulation, parking, lighting and landscaping.
B. A plot plan drawn to a scale of not less than one inch equals 50
feet showing the location, dimensions and height of all existing and
proposed buildings, structures, and uses including their relationship
to all property and street lines. If the application relates to property
which is scheduled to be developed in successive stages, such plans
shall show the relationship of the portion scheduled for initial development
to the proposed layout of the entire property.
C. The location, dimensions and arrangements of all open space, yards
and buffer yards including methods and materials to be employed for
screening.
D. The location, size, arrangement and capacity of all areas to be used
for motor vehicle access, off-street parking, off-street loading and
unloading, and provisions to be made for lighting such areas.
E. The dimensions, location, type and methods of illumination for signs,
if applicable.
F. The location and dimensions of all sidewalks and other areas to be
devoted to public or pedestrian use.
G. Provisions to be made for the treatment and disposal of sewage, water
supply and stormwater management.
H. The capacity and arrangement of all buildings used or intended to
be used for dwelling purposes, including the proposed density in terms
of number of dwelling units per acre.
I. A description of any proposed industrial or commercial operations
in sufficient detail to indicate the effects of those operations in
producing noise, glare, air pollution, water pollution, fire hazards,
traffic congestion, and other safety or nuisance type affects including
safeguards and methods to control and/or mitigate same.
J. The bounds of all easements either existing or proposed, either on
or directly affecting the subject property.
K. A site analysis map indicating all of the natural features located
on the site including but not necessarily limited to slopes, soils,
woodlands, wetlands, floodplains and waterways.
L. Any other data and information deemed necessary by the Zoning Officer
to enable him to determine the compliance of the proposed conditional
use with the terms of this chapter.