The provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced
by the Zoning Officer. It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officer
to:
A.
Receive and examine all applications for zoning permits and notification
by any citizen of conditions in violation of this chapter.
B.
Review all applications for completeness and if, in his or her opinion,
the application is not complete, immediately return the application
to the applicant, indicating the deficiencies.
C.
Issue permits only where the application is complete and where there
is compliance with the provisions of this chapter and with other Township
ordinances and with the laws of the commonwealth. Permits for construction
or uses requiring a special exception or variance shall be issued
only after an affirmative decision of the Zoning Hearing Board. Permits
requiring approval of a conditional use by the Township Supervisors
shall be issued only after receipt of such approval. Permits requiring
a certificate of appropriateness under the Historical and Architectural
Ordinance shall be issued only after receipt of such certificate.
D.
Receive appeals and applications for interpretation, special exceptions
and variances and forward them to the Zoning Hearing Board.
E.
Conduct inspections and surveys to determine compliance or noncompliance
with the terms of this chapter.
F.
Issue stop and cease-and-desist orders, and order in writing correction
of all conditions found to be in violation of the provisions of this
chapter or any condition for approval imposed by the Board of Supervisors
or Zoning Hearing Board. Such written orders shall be posted upon
property or served personally and/or by certified mail upon persons,
firms or corporations deemed by the Zoning Officer to be violating
the terms of this chapter.
G.
With the approval of the Township Supervisors or when directed by
them, institute in the name of the Township any appropriate action
or proceedings to prevent the unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction,
alteration, repair, conversion, demolition, maintenance or use of
any building or structure; to restrain, correct or abate such violation
so as to prevent the occupancy or use of any building, structure or
land; or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business or use in or
about such premises.
H.
Revoke by order a zoning permit issued under a mistake of fact or
contrary to the law, to the provisions of this chapter or to any condition
for approval imposed by the Board of Supervisors or Zoning Hearing
Board.
J.
Maintain a map or maps showing the current zoning classification
of all land in the Township.
K.
Maintain a register of nonconforming uses as directed by the Board
of Supervisors.
L.
Upon the request of the Township Supervisors, the Planning Commission
or the Zoning Hearing Board, present facts, records or reports which
they may request to assist them in making decisions.
For the administration of this chapter, a Zoning Officer, who
may not hold any elective office in the municipality, shall be appointed.
The Zoning Officer shall administer this chapter in accordance with
its literal terms and shall not have the power to permit any construction
or any use or change of use which does not conform to this chapter.
A.
Obtaining permits; issuance.
(1)
No use may be established or changed; no building or structure may
be erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, razed, enlarged or
removed; and no building used or occupied, changed in use or changed
in nonresidential occupancy until all necessary permits required by
this chapter, including a zoning permit, building permit and certificate
of occupancy, have been obtained.
(2)
No zoning permits shall be issued until the Zoning Officer has certified
that the proposed use of land or existing or proposed building or
structure complies with the provisions of the applicable district
and other provisions of this chapter and all other applicable regulations.
No zoning permit for a use shall be issued until the necessary improvements
to the lot, including construction of buildings, parking areas, driveways
and all other required improvements, have been completed or guaranteed
as part of the land development process, if applicable.
B.
All structures for which permits have been obtained, and the construction
of which or a portion of which has been begun or for which a contract
or contracts have been let pursuant to a permit issued prior to the
passage of this chapter, may be completed and used in accordance with
the plans on which said permits were granted. Zoning permits shall
not be required for general maintenance work, painting, tilling the
soil, or landscaping, except in buffer yards or where otherwise required
in this chapter or other ordinances of the Township.
C.
The Zoning Officer shall have the authority to issue permits only
for construction and uses which are in accordance with the requirements
of this chapter. Construction and uses which require special exception
or variance shall be issued zoning permits only upon order of the
Zoning Hearing Board. Construction and uses which require conditional
use approval or land development approval shall be issued zoning permits
only upon final approval by the Board of Supervisors and, in the case
of land development, recording of the land development plan.
A.
All applications for zoning permits shall be made by the owner, tenant,
purchaser under contract of sale or authorized agent, on a form supplied
by the Township, and shall be filed with the Zoning Officer. The application
shall consist of two parts:
(1)
A written statement including:
(a)
An identification of the proposed use of the building or land.
(b)
A description of any proposed operations in sufficient detail
to indicate effects of those operations in producing noise, heat,
vibration, glare, air pollution, water pollution, fire hazards, traffic
congestion or other safety hazards.
(c)
A certification of methods to be employed in controlling any
excess noise, air pollution, smoke, fumes, water pollution, fire hazards
or other safety hazards, or a certification by a qualified person
that methods conform to the state and federal standards.
(e)
Any other data required by this chapter or deemed necessary
by the Zoning Officer, Planning Commission or Township Supervisors
to enable them to determine the compliance of the proposed development
with the terms of this chapter.
(2)
A site plan drawn to scale in conformance with the provisions of
the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1] For other than a single-family detached dwelling, a site
plan drawn to scale shall show property lines, street rights-of-way,
location of principal and accessory buildings, fences, swimming pools
and other proposed uses, all yards and dimensions.
B.
After an action by the Board of Supervisors to advertise an ordinance
which proposes a change in regulations, district boundaries or classifications
of property, the Zoning Officer shall not accept applications for
permits except where said applications conform fully to the provisions
of the proposed ordinance, and no permit shall be issued until after
adoption of the ordinance, unless it conforms to the proposed ordinance
and this chapter.
C.
No building permit for any new use or construction which will involve
the on-site disposal of sewage or waste, and no zoning permit for
a change in use or an alteration which will result in an increased
volume of sewage or waste to be disposed of on the site shall be issued
until a certificate of approval has been issued by the Bucks County
Department of Health and/or Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection.
Zoning permits shall be granted or refused within 10 business
days after the date of application. No permit shall be issued until
the Zoning Officer has certified that the proposed application is
in full conformance with this chapter. In the event of refusal, the
applicant shall be informed of his right to appeal to the Zoning Hearing
Board or to the Board of Supervisors in the event of a conditional
use requirement. Upon completion of the erection or alteration of
any building or portion thereof authorized by any permit obtained
in compliance with this chapter and prior to occupancy or use, the
holder of such permit shall notify the Zoning Officer of such completion.
Occupancy shall not be authorized until the Zoning Officer has certified
that the work has been inspected and approved as being in conformity
with the permit and the provisions of this chapter and other applicable
ordinances, and has issued a certificate of occupancy where required
as provided below. All applications with accompanying plans and documents
shall be a public record, unless exempt in accordance with the Pennsylvania
Right to Know Law.
No structure erected, reconstructed, extended or moved and no
land or building changed in use shall be occupied or used in whole
or in part for any use whatsoever until the owner or authorized agent
has been issued a certificate of occupancy by the Zoning Officer,
indicating that the building and use comply with the terms of this
chapter and Building Code.
A.
A certificate of occupancy shall be required for any of the following:
(1)
Occupancy and use of any building or portion thereof hereafter erected
or altered.
(2)
Change in use of an existing building to a use of a different classification.
(3)
Occupancy and use of vacant land, or change in the use of land to
a use of a different classification.
(4)
Any change in use or extension of a nonconforming use.
(5)
Home occupations.
B.
This certificate shall indicate that the proposed use of such building
or land is in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
A certificate of occupancy shall be granted or refused within
10 days after the Zoning Officer has been notified of the completion
of the authorized construction or alteration, or, where no construction
or alteration is involved, within 10 days after receipt of written
application therefor. Upon request from the owner, the Zoning Officer
shall issue a certificate of occupancy for any building or land existing
at the time of enactment of this chapter, certifying, after inspection,
the extent and kind of use or disposition of the buildings or land
and whether such use or disposition conforms to the provisions of
this chapter. Pending completion of a building or of alterations thereto,
a temporary certificate of occupancy may be issued by the Zoning Officer
for the use of a part or all of the building, provided that such temporary
occupancy or use would not tend in any way to jeopardize life or property
and subject to proof of adequate insurance and execution of an agreement
to hold the Township harmless. A record of all certificates of occupancy
shall be kept on file in an office of the Township, and a copy of
any such certificate shall be furnished upon request to any person
having a proprietary or tenancy interest in the building premises.
If activity occurs contrary to the terms of this chapter, the Zoning
Officer may revoke the certificate of occupancy previously issued.
Fees for permits shall be paid in accordance with the provisions
of a fee schedule to be adopted by the Township Supervisors. Each
applicant for site plan approval, zoning change, Zoning Hearing Board
appeal, special exception, variance, district boundary location, signs,
permits, conditional use or curative amendment shall, at the time
of making application, pay a fee in accordance with a fee schedule
to be adopted by resolution of the Township Supervisors. The amount
of the fee shall be predicated upon the average cost to the Township
of the application or appeal, as nearly as it can reasonably be determined,
including advertising, mailing, reproduction, stenographic, legal
and similar expenses. The amount by which the fee exceeds the actual
costs of the proceeding shall be returned to the applicant or appellant
following the filing of the decision of the Zoning Hearing Board.
Payment of all costs must be made in full before any approval is granted
and also before a building permit will be issued.
