BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the governing bodies of Newtown Township, Upper Makefield Township, and Wrightstown Township, all of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, pursuant to the provisions of the "Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code," as follows:
[Readopted effective 6/23/2007 by JMZO Ord. 2007, adopted 6/18/2007.]
A Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance regulating the location, height, bulk, erection, construction, alteration, razing, removal, and size of structures; the percentage of lot which may be occupied; the size of yards, courts, and other open spaces; the density and distribution of population; the intensity of use of land or bodies of water for trade, industry, residence, recreation, public activities, or other purposes; and the uses of land for agriculture, water supply, conservation, or other purposes, in all portions of the Newtown Area Joint Municipal Planning Region, which comprises Newtown Township, Upper Makefield Township, and Wrightstown Township.
[Readopted effective 6/23/2007 by JMZO Ord. 2007, adopted 6/18/2007.]
This Ordinance shall be known as and may be cited as the "Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance for Newtown Township, Upper Makefield Township, and Wrightstown Township, 2006," as amended from time to time.
[Readopted effective 6/23/2007 by JMZO Ord. 2007, adopted 6/18/2007.]
The purpose of this Ordinance is the implementation of the Newtown Area Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan for Newtown Township, Upper Makefield Township, and Wrightstown Township and the promotion of health, safety, convenience, order, and welfare of present and future inhabitants of the participating municipalities by:
A. 
Promoting and protecting the health, safety, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the municipalities including Newtown Township, Upper Makefield Township, and Wrightstown Township; securing safety from fire, panic, and other dangers; providing adequate light and air; preventing the overcrowding of land; and avoiding undue concentration of population;
B. 
Promoting a regional land-use pattern which recognizes those historical, cultural, and natural features within each community which make it unique;
C. 
Relating future capacity for residential development to actual demand for regional growth, based upon projected increases in employment and population for the entire region;
D. 
Providing standards for all types of dwelling units so that all the people may have access to decent, sound, and sanitary housing;
E. 
Directing future development, including a wide range of housing types at varying densities into areas where appropriate community services and facilities can be most adequately provided;
F. 
Coordinating future development and highway improvements so as to minimize traffic congestion within the Newtown Area;
G. 
Coordinating the effective utilization and expansion of community services and facilities within the Newtown Area;
H. 
Providing for phased industrial and commercial development to meet the current and future needs of the Newtown Area;
I. 
Providing for the protection of critical natural resources, including wetlands, prime agricultural soils, steep slopes, aquifer recharge, and other areas of hazardous geologic and topographic features; and
J. 
Protecting historic features, including structures, sites, waterways, villages, and landscapes, which have a special character or use and which affect or are affected by their environment.
[Amended effective 11/25/2002 by JMZO Ord. 2002-13, § IV, adopted 11/20/2002. Readopted effective 6/23/2007 by JMZO Ord. 2007, adopted 6/18/2007.]
This interpretation and application of the provisions of this Ordinance shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, comfort, convenience, and general welfare.
A. 
Whenever any regulations made under authority of this Ordinance impose higher standards of compliance than are required under the provisions of any other statute, the provisions of the regulations made under authority of this Ordinance shall govern, except where preempted by Federal or State law.
B. 
Whenever the provisions of any other statute impose higher standards of compliance than are required under this Ordinance, the provisions of the other statute shall govern.
C. 
This Ordinance does not repeal, abrogate, annul, or in any way impair or interfere with existing provisions of other laws or ordinances, except those specifically or implied repealed by this Ordinance or any private restrictions placed upon property by covenant, deed, or other private agreement unless repugnant hereto.
D. 
Provisions in the subdivision and land development varying of design standards shall not be considered to be in conflict with the provisions of this Ordinance which shall take precedence.
E. 
Since it is impossible to provide standards for every conceivable use within this Ordinance, any use not listed within Article VIII, unless prohibited as stipulated herein, shall be permitted as a conditional use and shall be subject to the conditional use provisions of Article XIII herein and the following standards: Such other residential or institutional uses shall be permitted only in the Residential/High Density (R-2) District, such other commercial uses shall be permitted only in the Planned Commercial (PC) District, and such other industrial uses shall be permitted only in the Light Industrial (LI) District and the Rural Industrial (RI) District.
[Readopted effective 6/23/2007 by JMZO Ord. 2007, adopted 6/18/2007.]
It is hereby declared to be the intent of the governing bodies that:
A. 
If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provisions of this Ordinance to be invalid or ineffective in whole or in part, the effect of such decision shall be limited to those provisions which are expressly stated in the decision to be invalid or ineffective, and all other provisions of this Ordinance shall continue to be separately and fully effective.
B. 
If a court of competent jurisdiction finds the application of any provision or provisions of this Ordinance to any lot, building, tract of land, or other structure to be invalid or ineffective in whole or in part, the effect of such decision shall be limited to the person, property, or situation immediately involved in the controversy and the application of any such provision to other persons, property, or situations shall not be affected.