[Ord. 331, 11/17/1999, § 3.100]
1. The Zoning Map, which shows graphically the edges of all the zoning
districts and identifies each by name, is an integral part of this
chapter. Copies may not represent the current status of all zoning
boundaries or districts.
2. The Official Zoning Map shall be kept in the Township Office and
shall be updated by the Township Secretary immediately after any amendment
affecting zoning boundaries or districts has been adopted by vote
of the Board of Supervisors in accordance with the requirements of
this chapter. The Official Zoning Map shall supersede any copies of
the Zoning Map when disputes arise over boundaries or districts.
3. The Official Zoning Map shall bear the signatures of the Chairman
of the Board of Supervisors and Secretary of the Township, as well
as the date of adoption and ordinance number.
4. The Zoning Map shall only be amended by official action of the Board of Supervisors at an advertised meeting, after public hearing. Any revisions to the map not following Board action shall be a violation of this chapter and a civil offense (see §
27-1204).
5. The Zoning Map shows district boundaries as accurately as possible
considering the map's scale. Boundaries that appear to follow roads,
streams, railroads or property lines shall be construed to follow
the center lines of such features or be coterminous with a property
line. Where zone district boundaries are dimensioned by reference
to a road, stream, railroad or property line, they shall be construed
as dimensioned from the feature center line or property line.
6. Where disputes arise over the exact location of a zoning boundary,
the Zoning Officer shall make the initial determination, using the
rules outlined above and a field visit to the location in question.
If either or both parties to the dispute disagree with the Zoning
Officer's ruling, it may be appealed to the Zoning Hearing Board.
[Ord. 331, 11/17/1999, § 3.200]
1. The regulations governing development in a zone district shall apply
uniformly to every proposed development in that zone district.
2. No building, structure or land area shall, after the adoption of
this chapter, be erected, used or altered unless in conformance with
the regulations of the zone district containing the property to be
developed unless a variance has been granted by the Zoning Hearing
Board allowing specific modifications of the regulations for the proposed
development.
3. No yard or lot area shall be reduced in size or dimension so as to
be less than the minimums prescribed for the zone district where such
yard or lot is located. No yard or lot area or off-street parking
space required by one building, structure or land use shall be claimed
by another building, structure or land use.
4. Within each zone district, lands, buildings, and structures shall
be used, and buildings and structures shall be erected, altered or
enlarged only for any of the uses permitted by right in the particular
zone district in which such buildings, structures, and lands are located.
5. When a use that is not specifically listed in any zone district is
proposed for a particular location, the developer may either:
A. Allege that the use is covered within the definition of a permitted
conditional or special exception use already included for the zone
district where he/she hopes to build and ask the Zoning Officer for
a decision appealable to the Zoning Hearing Board.
B. Propose an amendment to this chapter for action by the Planning Commission
and Board of Supervisors that would add the use in question to those
that are permitted by right or by conditional or special exception
use in the zone district where the development is proposed.
6. Zoning of Land Annexed by the Township.
A. Any land annexed by the Township after the adoption of this chapter
shall be placed, from the date of annexation, in the R-1 Residential
Zone District.
B. Within a reasonable time after annexation, the Planning Commission
shall prepare and submit to the Board of Supervisors, a report of
its recommendations for the most appropriate zoning classification
of the annexed land.
C. The Board shall submit the report to the County Planning Commission
for review and comment and shall schedule a public hearing, following
the same procedures as for any other amendment of this chapter.
[Ord. 331, 11/17/1999, § 3.300]
1. Harmar Township is hereby divided into seven zone districts as follows:
A. R-1 Low Density Single-Family Residential District.
B. R-2 Medium Density Single-Family Residential District.
C. R-3 High Density Single-Family and Multifamily Residential District.
D. C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District.
E. C-2 Regional Commercial District.
F. C-3 Regional Commercial District.
G. I-1 General Industrial District.
H. R-T Residential
Transition District.
[Added by Ord. 420, 3/16/2017]
2. Description of Each Zone District.
A. R-1 Residential Zone. Within the R-1 Zone District lie most of the
steep slopes rising from the stream valleys in the rugged western
half of the Township. There are developable plateaus at the top of
these slopes, but access to them is difficult. The terrain and access
suggest low density and planned residential development. Certain uses
requiring large tracts, such as cemeteries and nursery plant raising,
are also appropriate in this district.
B. R-2 Residential Zone. The boundaries of the R-2 Zone District enclose
a large area in the northeast corner of the Township which is partly
developed within medium sized lots. The area has good road access
to the Route 28 Expressway and to Freeport Road via Little Deer Creek
Road, and public utilities are available. Quarter acre lots, some
institutions and planned residential developments are compatible in
this zone.
C. R-3 Residential Zone. The R-3 zone district comprises the three almost
fully developed and dense communities of Acmetonia, Chapel Downs and
Denny Camp. Lots are small (some less than 5,000 square feet), homes
are older (except for Chapel Downs, they predate World War II) and
there is a strong sense of community and containment. Community facilities
occur in this zone as well as a variety of housing types, but predominantly
single-family dwellings. All utilities are available throughout the
R-3 Zones which are close to major highways. Multifamily housing is
appropriate for available sites in this zone district.
D. C-1 Neighborhood Commercial Zone. The majority of C-1 Zone District
is characterized by businesses on small lots along the eastern and
western segments of Freeport Road, which is Harmar's Main street.
A wide range of small businesses serve and are handy to the neighborhood
shopping and service needs of Harmar residents. Another neighborhood
zone serves Harmar Heights and two others, largely undeveloped, are
located on the northern part of Route 910.
E. C-2 Regional Commercial Zone. The C-2 Zone District is the regional
business center of the lower Allegheny Valley, lying between the Turnpike,
the Route 28 Expressway and Freeport Road. Heavy traffic interchanging
these routes and going to and from the various major destinations
that front Freeport Road characterize the district. The properties
are large, with buildings set within parking areas that may account
for two-thirds of each property. A variety of retail, service, entertainment,
transportation and traveler facilities are found in the area, which
is well insulated by hillsides, railroads and major transportation
arteries from residential development.
F. C-3 Regional Commercial Zone. The C-3 Zone District is an adjunct
to the C-2 Zone that takes advantage of its proximity to the interchange
of the Route 28 Expressway and Route 910. The commercial and business
uses permitted in C-3 are nearly identical to those allowed in C-2.
Development within C-3, however, will require extensive earth movement
to create building sites because of the steep slopes prevalent in
the zone. Some properties might be developed as a group of sites at
different elevations to reduce grading and maximize land utilization.
Stormwater management and traffic circulation to and within the sites
are of critical importance.
G. I-1 General Industrial Use. The I-1 Zone is the largest in the Township
but includes substantial areas of wetlands in the Deer Creek Valley.
The industrial parks between Little Deer Creek Road and the Bessemer
and Lake Erie Railroad, the three large corporate research centers
and land between the Turnpike and Route 910 in the northern part of
the Township are all zoned I-1. Good rail and truck access are available
at the Little Deer Creek Road sites and good truck access at the other
locations.
H. The R-T
District is characterized by properties that were previously zoned
residential, but which border or are in close proximity to an Industrial
District and have been used for many years for nonresidential purposes.
These properties, as a contiguous district, are properly viewed, due
to their nonresidential history and the present existence of nonresidential
buildings thereon, as "transitional areas" where a mix of residential
and nonresidential uses, including some available in nonresidential
districts, may be accommodated. Nonresidential uses are limited in
number and operational impact to coexist more harmoniously with nearby
residential uses.
[Added by Ord. 420, 3/16/2017]