[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005,
§ 200; as amended by Ord. No. 11-11-2014, 11/11/2014]
1. For the purpose of implementing the objectives of this chapter, Hemlock
Township is hereby divided into the following zoning districts:
A. RR Rural Residential District.
B. SR Suburban Residential District.
C. UR Urban Residential and UR-1 Urban Residential 1 Districts.
D. C General Commercial District.
E. IC Interchange Commercial District.
H. FF and FP Flood Fringe and General Floodplain District (Overlay District).
I. FW Floodway District (Overlying District).
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005,
§ 201; as amended by Ord. No. 11-11-2014, 11/11/2014]
1. RR Rural Residential District. It is the intent of this district
to set aside areas of the Township where new, low density residential
uses can be accommodated. Included in this district are areas south
and west of the I-80 Interchange; areas northwest of the Village of
Buckhorn, along Pennsylvania Route 44 and Dahl Road; and the Green
Horizons Development. Public sewer and municipal water services are
generally not available in this zone. Minimum lot size requirements
are therefore based upon the need to safeguard the health of the residents
and to preserve the peaceful, rural character of these areas of the
Township. Multifamily or higher density residential uses are not permitted
in this zoning district, nor are other potentially incompatible nonresidential
uses.
2. SR Suburban Residential District. This district is designed to provide
an area within the Township where moderate density, single-family
residential development can be situated and a safe, family home environment
can be promoted. Areas set aside for this zone include sections of
the municipality where this type of development already exists (i.e.,
Foxtail, Windsor Heights, and Hunter's Chase Developments) and areas
where further development of this nature could be located without
creating conflicts with incompatible land uses. Most of these areas
presently have access to public sewer, but no municipal or public
water services. Compatible public and semipublic uses are permitted
in this zone, while commercial activities or other uses which would
interfere with the district's primary residential purpose are discouraged.
3. UR Urban Residential and UR-1 Urban Residential 1 Districts. The
purpose of these zones is to identify areas of the Township where
moderate to high density residential development can be situated,
along with compatible institutional and recreational uses. These districts
include the Villages of Buckhorn and Fernville and areas adjacent
to those communities. Regulations for these zones seek to protect
and enhance, to the greatest extent possible, the past residential
and nonresidential investments that have occurred in this area, Public
sewer is currently available in Buckhorn, while both public sewer
and water supplies are being utilized in most of Fernville.
4. C General Commercial District. This district is established to accommodate
retail and wholesale business activities serving both Township residents
and a broader regional market Areas set aside for this zone include
portions of the Township along Pennsylvania Route 42, both north and
south of the development occurring at the I-80 Interchange. The regulations
governing this district permit the development of a wide range of
shopping, service and other commercial activities, but require adequate
off- street parking and loading areas, and, appropriate buffer yards
or screen plantings to be provided. Regulations also require that
developers make all necessary arrangements with PennDOT to safely
accommodate the anticipated volumes of traffic entering and exiting
their sites, thereby helping to assure the efficient movement of people
and goods to, from and through the Township. High-density residential
development is permitted, as a conditional use, so long as it does
not interfere with the district's primary commercial purpose.
[Amended by Ord. No. 12-12-2017, 12/12/2017]
5. IC Interchange Commercial District. The intent of this district is
to provide an area of the Township for the development of large-scale
commercial activities and businesses oriented to the traveling public
in the vicinity of the Buckhom Interchange of Interstate 80. Businesses
located in this zone generally cater to large volumes of traffic and
can attract customers from sizeable distance. Provisions are included
to ensure that adequate arrangements are made to accommodate anticipated
volumes of traffic entering, exiting, and parking on sites in this
zone. It is not the intent of this district to encourage "strip" commercial
areas, but rather to provide space for the development of concentrated
retail activities as safely as possible. High-density residential
development is permitted, as a conditional use, so long as it does
not interfere with the district's primary commercial purpose.
[Amended by Ord. No. 12-12-2017, 12/12/2017]
6. I Industrial District. It is the purpose of this zone to encourage
the continuity and expansion of existing industrial operations and
promote new industrial investment in the Township. The majority of
the acreage for these uses has been provided in close proximity to
Interstate 80 in order to maximize accessibility for the distribution
or receiving of goods or materials, and to avoid locating industrial
operations in or near residential neighborhoods. Reasonable standards
are included to minimize air pollution, noise, odors, glare, heat
and potential fire and safety hazards. And, still other requirements
insure that adequate buffer yards, planting strips and/or screenings
are provided between the uses in this zone and other adjoining zoning
districts.
7. A Agricultural District. The purpose of this district is to preserve
and protect the semi-rural open space and farming characteristics
of Hemlock Township and to promote land cultivation and agricultural
production as viable economic activities. The intent of such designation
is to permit those lands best suited for agriculture to be utilized
for that purpose and to discourage incompatible land uses from encroaching
into these areas. All types of agricultural activities, including
farm-related businesses, as well as woodland preservation and conservation
uses are provided for, as are limited or low density residential uses.
8. FF and FP Flood Fringe and General Floodplain District (Overlying
District). The intent of this district is to prevent the loss of property
and life; the creation of health and safety hazards; the disruption
of commercial and governmental services; and the extraordinary and
unnecessary expenditure of public funds for flood protection and relief.
To achieve this end, permitted uses must be floodproofed against flood
damage. (See Part 6.) In these floodplain areas, development and/or
the use of land shall be permitted in accordance with the regulations
of the underlying district; provided, that all such uses, activities,
and/or development shall be undertaken in strict compliance with the
flood-proofing and related requirements of this and all Township codes
and ordinances.
9. FW Floodway District (Overlying District). The intent of this district
is to prevent the loss of property and life; the creation of health
and safety hazards; the disruption of commercial and governmental
services; and the extraordinary and unnecessary expenditure of public
funds for flood protection and relief. To achieve this end, only those
uses which will not cause an increase in flood heights, velocities,
or frequencies will be permitted in this district. (See Part 6.) In
addition, in the Floodway District, no development shall be permitted
except where the effects of such development on flood heights is fully
offset by accompanying stream improvements which have been approved
by all appropriate local and/or state authorities and notification
of such has been given to the Federal Insurance Administration and
the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005,
§ 202]
1. The locations and boundaries of the zoning districts are hereby established
as shown on the Official Zoning Map, which is made a part of this
chapter together with all future notations, references and amendments.
2. No change of any nature shall be made to the Official Zoning Map, except in conformance with the procedures set forth in §
27-1101 of this chapter. The final authority as to the current status of zoning districts shall be the Official Zoning Map. Any changes made to the zoning districts shall be made on the Official Zoning Map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the Township Supervisors. All such changes shall be recorded on the Map's "Revision Block" and shall include the date of the amendment, a brief description of the change, and the initials of the individual making the change.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005,
§ 203]
1. Designation of District Boundaries. The district boundary lines,
except for the floodplain districts, are intended to generally follow
the center lines of streets, highways, railroad rights-of-way, existing
lot lines, municipal boundary lines, or streams or may be designated
on the Official Zoning Map by a specific dimension from a road center
line or other boundary as indicated.
2. Determination of District Boundary Locations. Where uncertainty exists
with respect to the actual location of a district boundary line in
a particular instance, the Zoning Officer shall request the Zoning
Hearing Board to render its interpretation with respect thereto; provided,
however, no boundary shall be changed by the Zoning Hearing Board.
(The Board may request recommendations from the Township Planning
Commission prior to making such decisions.) If the true location of
the boundary cannot be determined by interpretation of the Zoning
Hearing Board, a request for corrective action shall be filed with
the Township Supervisors.
3. Severed Lots. Where a district boundary line divides a lot which
was in single ownership at the time of adoption of this chapter or
amendment thereto, the Zoning Heating Board may permit the extension
of the regulations for either zone into the remaining portion of the
lot for a distance not to exceed 50 feet beyond the district line,
provided that they determine such extension is consistent with the
purposes of this chapter, including all floodplain management regulations.
[Ord. No. 8-9-2005, 8/9/2005,
§ 204]
The delineation of any boundary of the floodplain district may be revised by the Township Supervisors in accordance with the amendment procedure outlined in §
27-1101 of this chapter where natural or man-made changes have occurred and more detailed studies have been conducted by a qualified agency or individual, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. No change in any floodplain boundary shall be made unless the Township has sought and obtained approval for said change from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as per the National Flood Insurance Program regulations and has received a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) or Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) from FEMA for the proposed boundary change.