Borough of Vandergrift, PA Article I Preliminary Provisions

§ 500-1 Short title.

This chapter shall be known and cited as the "Borough of Vandergrift Zoning Ordinance of 1986."

§ 500-2 Conflict, continuity and interpretation.

A. Conflict. Where conflicts exist between this chapter and other ordinances or regulations of the Borough or of a higher level of government or legal restrictive covenants applied by landowners to their property, the ordinance, regulation or covenant establishing the higher standard for the protection of the public health, safety and welfare shall prevail. All ordinances or parts thereof in conflict with this chapter, inconsistent with its provisions or less restrictive are hereby repealed to the extent necessary to give this chapter full force and effect.

B. Interpretation. In the interpretation and the application of the provisions of this chapter, these requirements shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety and general welfare. It is not intended to interfere with or abrogate or annul other rules, regulations or ordinances, provided that, where this chapter imposes greater restrictions upon the use of buildings or premises or upon the height or bulk of a building or requires larger open spaces, the provisions of this chapter shall prevail.

C. Continuity. The provisions of this chapter, so far as they are common to those of zoning regulations in force immediately prior to the enactment of this chapter, are intended as a continuation of such prior regulations and not as new enactments. Such parts of the prior regulations that are smitten from this chapter shall be deemed as abrogated and only the new or changed provisions included in this chapter shall be deemed to be the law from the effective date of this chapter. The adoption of this chapter does not make legitimate development activity in the Borough illegal under provisions of the prior regulations, nor does it annul any litigation currently being pursued or that may be pursued in the future against such illegal activity.

§ 500-3 Purposes.

A. The chapter is deemed necessary to:

(1) Promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare;

(2) Encourage practical and coordinated community development;

(3) Establish proper density of population in the various districts and provide adequate light, air and amenities therein;

(4) Facilitate the economical provision of public highways and streets, vehicle parking, public transportation, water supply, sewage disposal, public schools, parks and open spaces and other public requirements;

(5) Prevent the overcrowding or improper or incompatible development or use of land, to prevent blighting conditions and congestion or hazard in travel and transportation;

(6) Secure safety of health, life and property from fire, flood, panic, excess noise, noxious fumes, explosion and other dangers;

(7) Conserve and stabilize property values through encouragement of the most appropriate uses of land in relation to one another;

(8) Preserve floodplains, steep hillsides and recreation lands from conflict with development and from erosion; and

(9) Facilitate, generally, orderly and compatible growth and expansion within the Borough and the programming of public improvements.

B. It is the purpose of this chapter to regulate the location of drug and alcohol treatment centers and methadone treatment facilities in Vandergrift Borough for the purpose of promoting the public health, safety and the general welfare of the citizens of the Borough and to establish reasonable and uniform regulations to prevent the deleterious location and concentration of methadone treatment facilities and/or drug and alcohol treatment centers in a location which is prohibited pursuant to terms of the Municipalities Planning Code[1] and to regulate the same in accordance with this chapter and in accord with the general purposes of this chapter as specifically identified in §§ 500-3A and 500-4, as amended.

[Added 7-2-2007 by Ord. No. 7-2007]

[1] Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.

§ 500-4 Community development objectives.

In addition to the purposes listed in § 500-3, the following specific community development objectives are considered the basis upon which the zone districts and regulations of this chapter are established. These objectives have been expressed in the Borough Comprehensive Plan. The objectives are concerned with land use patterns, density of population, and the location and function of streets and other community facilities and utilities.

A. The existing municipal tax base should be preserved and enhanced.

B. The spread of blight should be halted and older housing upgraded.

C. Vacant or underutilized structures should be recycled for new uses or more fully used.

D. Existing desirable commercial and industrial land uses should be encouraged to remain, improve and expand, and new business should be invited to establish in the Borough in appropriate locations.

E. Areas susceptible to flooding and steep slope land should be left undeveloped except for recreational or open space uses.

F. The private and public renewal of the Borough in the future should result in an inviting and compatible residential, commercial and industrial environment.

G. Streets should function to move present and expected traffic volumes as safely and smoothly as possible, and new development should not interfere with this objective.