Permitted uses and accessory uses, lot, area and setback requirements
shall comply with the adjacent zoned district closest to the parcel.
A. Purpose. The purpose of these provisions is to prevent the loss of
property and life, the creation of health and safety hazards, the
disruption of commerce and governmental services, the extraordinary
and unnecessary expenditure of public and private funds for flood
and coastal erosion protection and relief, the impairment of the tax
base and provide for the reservation and preservation of recreation
lands by following these practices:
(1)
Regulating uses, activities and development which, acting alone
or in combination with other existing or future uses, activities and
development, will cause unacceptable increases in flood heights, velocities
and frequencies, and coastal erosion problems;
(2)
Prohibiting any use, activity and/or development that adversely
affects the capacity of the channels or floodways of any watercourse,
drainage ditch, or any other drainage facility or system;
(3)
Requiring that all those uses, activities and developments that
do occur in flood-prone and erosion-prone areas are to be protected
and/or floodproofed against flooding and erosion damages;
(4)
Protecting individuals from buying lands and structures which
are unsuited for their intended purposes because of flood and erosion
hazards and/or reserved for recreation purposes.
B. Warning and disclaimer of liability. The degree of protection sought
by the provisions of this chapter is considered reasonable for regulatory
purposes and is based on acceptable engineering methods of study and
delineation. Larger floods or greater amounts of erosion may occur.
Flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural causes, such
as ice jams and bridge openings restricted by debris. This chapter
does not imply that areas outside the floodplain and coastal hazard
areas, or that land uses permitted within such districts will be free
from flooding or erosion damages. Attention is directed to the Floodplain
Ordinance of Fairview Township, Ordinance 2014-1, and any amendments
and reenactments.
C. District provisions.
(1)
Coastal and Bluff Recession Hazard Area:
(a)
In the Coastal and Bluff Recession Hazard Area, the following
uses and activities may be permitted, provided: they are not prohibited
by any other ordinance; they do not require structures, fill or storage
of materials and equipment (except stream or lake bank stabilization
devices); they comply with the adjacent zoning district and they comply
with the Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management Act, as amended.
[1]
Parks, playgrounds and other publicly owned and/or operated,
and subdivision association owned and/or operated, recreational uses.
[2]
Educational, religious and philanthropic uses.
[3]
Private clubs, lodges and recreational uses.
[4]
Agricultural and related activities.
[5]
Accessory uses in all zoning districts.
[6]
Installation of stream or lake bank stabilization devices upon
approval by the Township Engineer.
(b)
The following uses and activities may be permitted as a special
exception by the Zoning Hearing Board, provided that they are not
prohibited by any other ordinance and they comply with the adjacent
zoning district:
[1]
Water-related uses and activities such as marinas, docks, wharves,
piers, etc., in the coastal area, but not in Coastal Bluff Recession
Hazard Area.
[2]
Structures or utility facilities are permitted only for: bluff
recession control devices designed to reduce bluff recession, water
withdrawals or discharge lines, power cables, natural gas or oil pipelines,
communication cables or other public service lines which require access
through the Coastal Bluff Recession Hazard Areas to Lake Erie.
[3]
To achieve adequate protection of the bluff, any construction
activities shall occur in a manner that minimizes potential short-
and long-term disruption of the Coastal Bluff Recession Hazard Area.
The activity shall be in conformity with the Erosion and Sedimentation
Control Provisions of the Erie County Conservation District, PADEP
Rules and Regulations, 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 102, and shall comply
with the requirements contained in the Fairview Township Stormwater
Management Ordinance.
[4]
To help ensure that all construction activities do not cause
increased sediment and turbidity levels on Lake Erie and its tributaries,
all activities shall comply with the erosion and sedimentation control
provisions of the Erie County Conservation District, and PADEP Rules
and Regulations, 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 102.
[5]
The area of the construction site shall be reestablished to
ensure that subsequent erosion will not damage the structure or harm
the environment or adjacent properties.
(c)
A special exception may be granted for a substantial improvement
of a structure on a parcel (for purposes of this subsection, these
terms being defined at 32 P.S. § 5203) so long as the structure
was established prior to September 27, 1980, and where the parcel
does not have adequate depth considering the minimum bluff setback
requirements to provide for any reasonable use of the land. The variance
shall be authorized when the following standards and criteria are
met:
[1]
The structure and all associated structures and utility facilities
shall be located on the property as far landward of the bluff line
as allowed by other municipal ordinances.
[2]
The improvement must be attached to the existing structure in
a manner so that it is as far landward of the bluff setback line as
possible.
[3]
The improvement must be a structure designed and constructed
to be movable. Second-floor additions are considered as an exception
to requirements for movable construction.
[4]
All roof drains and ground water drains associated with subject
property shall be directed to the bottom of the Lake Erie bluff.
[5]
Property owner must submit a plan for maintaining the Lake Erie
bluff. (This plan should follow recommended maintenance by the Coastal
Resources Program.)
(d)
Alteration or addition to existing structures in this area may
also be permitted, provided:
[1]
The value of the improvement to a structure shall not exceed
50% of the market value of the structure prior to the improvement.
[a] Value shall be established by filing an appraisal
performed by a licensed real estate appraiser familiar with Erie County
and Fairview Township values at the time of application. Said appraisal
shall limit future improvements to the structure for a five-year period
at such time a new appraisal and application may be filed.
(e)
Improvements to a structure to comply with existing minimum
state or local health, sanitary, or safety specifications which are
solely necessary to assure safe living conditions shall be exempt
from the 50% improvement maximum established above.
D. The minimum width of the A-3 Conservation District is as provided:
(1)
Flood area from the center of the stream (or the 100-year floodplain,
which is wider):
(2)
Coastal Bluff Recession Hazard Area from the edge of the Lake
Erie bluff: 100 feet in Fairview Township.
(3)
Recreational Area: as designated on the Fairview Township Zoning
Map.