[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
Building permits shall be required before any new construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of any building or structure or any development of any real estate is undertaken in the Township.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
1. 
The Zoning Officer shall issue a building permit only after it has been determined that the proposed work will be in conformity with the requirements of this and all other applicable Township ordinances.
2. 
No building permit shall be issued until all other necessary government permits required by state and federal laws have been obtained, such as those required by the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.; the Pennsylvania Dam Safety and Encroachments, 32 P.S. § 693.1 et seq.; the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Act, 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq.; and the U.S. Clean Water Act, § 404, 33 U.S.C. § 1344. No permit shall be issued until this determination has been made.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
1. 
A building permit application can be obtained at Lower Macungie Township offices. Such application shall contain at least the following:
A. 
Name and address of applicant.
B. 
Name and address of owner of the land on which the proposed construction is to occur.
C. 
Name and address of contractor (s) for proposed work.
D. 
Site location.
E. 
Brief description of proposed work and estimated cost.
F. 
A plan of the site, showing the exact size and location of the proposed construction, as well as any existing buildings or structures and the location of any existing or proposed subdivision and land development.
G. 
Proposed lowest floor and basement elevations based upon National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929.
H. 
Sufficient information (for example, plans, including elevations and contours, if requested by the Zoning Officer) to enable the Zoning Officer to make a determination of whether the proposed activity is or is not located within the restricted floodplain area or the regulated floodplain area. (The building permit office may require such reasonable additional information as is necessary to make such determination).
I. 
If the Zoning Officer determines that any proposed new construction, reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, relocation is located within the prohibited floodplain area or within the regulated floodplain area:
(1) 
A plan which accurately locates the construction or development proposed with respect to the flood prone area boundaries, stream channel and existing flood prone developments including all plans for proposed subdivisions or land developments, that assures:
(a) 
No proposed construction or development is located within the prohibited floodplain area.
(b) 
All construction or development within the regulated floodplain area is consistent with the need to minimize flood damage and in compliance with all provisions of these flood hazard area regulations (Appendix 27A) and of this chapter and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22A] of Lower Macungie Township.
(c) 
All public utilities, roads and other facilities (except sewer facilities and public stream crossings, see § 27A-403) are located, elevated and constructed outside of the prohibited floodplain areas, in compliance with all provisions of these flood hazard area regulations (Appendix 27A) and of this chapter and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22A] of Lower Macungie Township, and consistent with the need to minimize or eliminate flood damage.
(d) 
Adequate drainage is provided to reduce exposure to flood hazards.
(2) 
Such plan shall include existing and proposed contours at intervals of two feet, information and spot elevations concerning flood elevations, velocities, and other applicable information such as pressures, impact and uplift forces associated with the one-hundred-year and five-hundred-year floods; locations and elevations of existing and proposed streets, driveways or other accessways, parking areas and other paved pavement types; location of existing and proposed utilities such as water supply and sanitary sewer facilities, railroad tracks; location of any existing bodies of water, streams or watercourses; identified floodplain areas, and, if available, information pertaining to the floodway, and the flow of water including direction and velocities and other natural or man-made features affecting or affected by the proposed activity as it relates to flooding; soil types; all property and lot lines including dimensions and size of the entire site in acres; and any other information which the Township determines is necessary for adequate review of the application with respect to these flood hazard regulations (Appendix 27A).
(3) 
A document certified by a registered professional engineer or architect, which states that the proposed construction has been adequately designed to withstand the one-hundred-year and five-hundred-year flood elevations, pressures, velocities, impact and uplift forces and other hydrostatic, hydromatic and buoyancy factors associated with the one-hundred-year and five-hundred-year floods, detailed information concerning any proposed floodproofing measures including a description of the type and extent of the flood proofing measures which have been incorporated into the design of the construction.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
A copy of all applications and plans for new construction in any flood prone area to be considered for approval shall be submitted by the applicant to the County Conservation District Office for review and comment prior to the issuance of a building permit. The recommendations of the Conservation District Office shall be considered by the Zoning Officer for possible incorporation into the proposed plan of construction or development.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
A copy of all plans and applications for new construction in any flood prone area to be considered for approval may be submitted by the Zoning Officer to any appropriate Township agencies and/or individuals (such as the Township Planning Commission or Township Engineers) for review and comment.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
After issuance of a building permit by the Zoning Officer, no changes of any kind shall be made to the application, permit or any of the plans, specifications or other documents submitted with the application, without the written consent or approval of the Zoning Officer.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
In addition to the building permits, the Zoning Officer shall issue a placard, which shall be displayed on the premises during the time construction is in progress. This placard shall show the number of the building permit, the date of its issuance, and shall be signed by the Zoning Officer.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
Work on the proposed construction shall begin within six months after the date of issuance of the building permit, or the permit shall expire unless a time extension is granted, in writing, by the Zoning Officer. Construction shall be considered to have started with the first placement of permanent construction on the site, such as the pouring of slabs or footings or any work beyond the stage of excavation. For a structure without a basement or poured footings, the start of construction includes the first permanent framing or assembly of the structure or any part thereof on its pilings or foundation, or the affixing of any prefabricated structure or manufactured home to its permanent site. Permanent construction does not include land preparation, land clearing, grading, filling excavation for basement, footings, piers or foundations, erection of temporary forms, the installation of piling under proposed sub-surface footings or the installation of sewer, gas and water pipes, or electrical or other service lines from the street.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002]
During the construction period, the Zoning Officer, or other authorized official, may inspect the premises to determine the work is progressing in compliance with the information provided on the permit application and with all applicable Lower Macungie Township laws or ordinances, or that there has been a misrepresentation or false statement by an applicant, the Zoning Officer shall revoke the building permit and report such fact to the Lower Macungie Township Zoning Hearing Board for whatever action it considers necessary.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord. 2002-2, 1/3/2002; and by Ord. 2011-12, 10/6/2011]
1. 
Applications for a building permit shall be accompanied by a fee, payable to the Township of Lower Macungie, based upon the estimated cost of the proposed construction as determined by the Zoning Officer as per fee schedule established from time to time by the Board of Commissioners.
2. 
Any person aggrieved by the Zoning Officer's estimate of the cost of the proposed construction may appeal to the Lower Macungie Township Zoning Hearing Board. Such appeal must be filed, in writing, within 30 days after the determination by the Zoning Officer.