Council shall exercise the following powers and duties only
by ordinance:
A.
Establish a rule or regulation, a violation of which may result in
a penalty;
B.
Establish, levy and collect taxes;
C.
Grant, renew, extend or revoke a franchise;
D.
Establish a utility or other service not prohibited by general law;
E.
Establish, alter or abolish rates or charges for a utility or service
supplied by the Township;
F.
Authorize the borrowing of money except for revenue anticipation
loans, or as otherwise provided by general law or this Charter;
G.
Exercise the power of eminent domain;
H.
Purchase, convey, lease, accept or reject, or authorize the purchase,
conveyance, lease, acceptance or rejection of, any real property;
I.
Amend or repeal any ordinance previously adopted;
J.
Establish, alter or amend any zoning ordinance, subdivision procedure,
land development, land use or building regulation;
K.
Call for a referendum;
L.
Any other power or duty required by law or this Charter to be exercised
by ordinance.
[Amended 11-5-1996]
An ordinance shall contain no more than one subject, with the
exception of codification. Any ordinance which repeals or amends an
existing ordinance shall clearly indicate the matter to be omitted,
added or amended.
An ordinance shall be introduced by a member of Council at any
regular or special public meeting. Except where specifically provided
otherwise in the Charter, an ordinance shall be processed in the following
manner:
A.
The proposed ordinance shall be placed on the agenda of the Council
for introduction and initial consideration at the next meeting.
B.
If the proposed ordinance is approved initially by the Council, a
concise summary of the proposed ordinance shall be advertised at least
seven days, but not more than fourteen days, before the meeting at
which the ordinance will receive further action by the Council. The
summary shall contain sufficient information to identify the nature
of the ordinance as it would affect any resident, property owner or
geographical area in the Township. The summary shall also specify
the date on which the Council proposes to act on the ordinance.
C.
Copies of the proposed ordinance shall be available at cost at the
Township Building.
D.
After the preceding procedures have been followed and interested
persons have had an opportunity to be heard or to present their views
in writing, the Council may adopt the proposed ordinance at the advertised
meeting or it may postpone action until a later meeting, the date
of which shall be stated at the advertised meeting. The Council may
amend a proposed ordinance before final adoption, but, if any amendment
makes any substantive change from the ordinance originally advertised,
no final action may be taken until the amended ordinance has been
advertised as required for the original ordinance.
E.
A concise summary of an ordinance finally adopted by the Council
shall be advertised within seven days of the adoption of the ordinance.
Copies of the ordinance as finally adopted by the Council shall be
available at cost at the Township building.
F.
Every ordinance adopted by the Council, with exceptions noted hereinafter,
shall become effective not less than five days after the date of adoption.
Exceptions to this requirement are emergencies or as otherwise provided
in this Charter.
[Amended 11-5-1996]
A.
The Council may, in the event of a substantial public emergency affecting
the life, health, property or peace of the citizens of the Township,
adopt emergency ordinances. Such ordinances shall not levy taxes or
authorize the borrowing of money except as provided in this Charter.
B.
An emergency ordinance shall clearly state the nature of the emergency
in specific terms and shall be designated as an emergency ordinance.
C.
The Council or any of its members may adopt an emergency ordinance
without legal formalities. No prior advertising of an emergency ordinance
is required.
D.
An emergency ordinance shall become effective immediately but shall
automatically be repealed as of the thirty-first (31st) day following
the date of its adoption. It may be re-enacted as provided herein
if the emergency still exists. An emergency ordinance shall be advertised
as soon as possible after the date on which it is enacted.
E.
An emergency ordinance may also be repealed by resolution of the
Council.
The Council may adopt any standard code or technical regulation
by ordinance, incorporating said code or regulation by reference.
The details of such standard codes and technical regulations need
not be advertised, but at least one copy of each such code or regulation
shall be available at the office of the Township for public inspection.
The Township shall make available for purchase at cost copies of such
codes or regulations.
A.
Recording. The full text of an ordinance with proof of publication
shall be recorded in a permanent record within thirty-one (31) days
of its effective date. The permanent record shall be open and available
for public inspection throughout normal business hours.
B.
Compilation. The Council shall provide for the preparation of a general
compilation and indexing of all existing Township ordinances. The
compilation shall be published promptly together with this Charter
and any other codes required by this Charter. Copies shall be furnished
to Township officers, and placed in the Township office and available
for public inspection throughout normal office hours. Copies shall
be distributed to or made available for purchase by the public at
cost.
C.
Amendments. All amendments to Township ordinances and new ordinances
shall be integrated into said compilation and distributed as aforesaid.
An interested party may, by petition to the Court of Common
Pleas, duly filed as prescribed by said Court, appeal the enactment
of an ordinance by the Council by perfecting said appeal within thirty
(30) days from the date of the enactment of the ordinance.
Council may, by resolution, provide for actions not requiring
the enactment of an ordinance.
