[Ord. No. 130, 12/9/1991; as amended by Ord. No. 269, 12/15/2010; and by Ord. No. 283, 3/19/2014]
For the purpose of this chapter, the Township is hereby divided into classes of zoning districts which shall be designated as follows:
RC
Rural Conservation District
LDR
Low Density Residential District
MDR
Medium Density Residential District
MHP
Mobile Home Park District
HC
Highway Commercial District
SCC
Shopping Center Commercial District
LI/O
Light Industrial/Office District
PBOI
Planned Business/Office/Industrial District
RV
Rural Village - Amityville District
[Ord. No. 130, 12/9/1991; as amended by Ord. No. 246, 8/6/2008; Ord. No. 269, 12/15/2010; Ord. No. 283, 3/19/2014; and by Ord. No. 294, 6/15/2016]
(a) 
The boundaries of the zoning districts shall be as shown on the Zoning Map of Amity Township. The Zoning Map and all notations, references and data illustrated thereon are hereby incorporated by reference into this chapter. The official copy of the Zoning Map shall be labeled and identified by the signature of the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, attested by the Secretary of said Board, and bear the seal of the Township under the following words:
[Amended by Ord. No. 303, 11/21/2017]
"This is to certify that this is the Official Zoning Map of the Township of Amity adopted by the Amity Township Board of Supervisors on December 6, 2017, as part of the Amity Township Zoning Ordinance of 1991, as amended."
(b) 
If, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended, changes are made in district boundaries or other matters portrayed on the Official Zoning Map, such changes shall be entered on the Official Zoning Map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the Board of Supervisors. No changes of any nature shall be made in the Official Zoning Map, or matter thereon shown, except in conformity with the applicable procedures established in this chapter. All changes shall be noted by date with a brief description of the nature of the change.
(c) 
The Official Zoning Map shall be located in a place designated by the Board of Supervisors, and shall be the final authority as to the current zoning status of land and water area in the Township regardless of unofficial copies which may have been made or published from time to time.
(d) 
In the event that the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret because of the nature or number of changes and additions, the Board of Supervisors may, by resolution, adopt a new Official Zoning Map. The new Official Zoning Map may correct drafting or other errors or omissions in the prior official Zoning Map, but no such correction shall have the effect of amending the original Official Zoning Map or any subsequent amendment thereof. The new Official Zoning Map shall be identified by the signature of the Board of Supervisors, attested by the Secretary of said Board, and bear the seal of the Township under the following words:
"This is to certify that this Official Zoning Map of the Township of Amity supersedes and replaces the Official Zoning Map adopted as part of Ordinance No. ______ of Amity Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania."
(e) 
Unless the prior Official Zoning Map has been lost or has been totally destroyed, the prior map or any significant parts thereof remaining shall be preserved together with all applicable records pertaining to its adoption or amendment.
[Ord. No. 130, 12/9/1991]
Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of districts as indicated on the Official Zoning Map, the following rules provided within this section shall be applicable.
(a) 
Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately coinciding with the center lines of streets, highways, lanes, alleys, railroad tracks, rivers or creeks, such center line shall be construed to be such boundaries.
(b) 
Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately coinciding with lot lines or municipal boundary lines, such lines shall be construed to be such boundaries.
(c) 
Where district boundaries are indicated as being approximately parallel to the center or right-of-way lines of streets or highways, lanes, alleys, railroad tracks, rivers or creeks, such district boundaries shall be construed as being parallel to the center or right-of-way lines at such distance as is indicated on the Official Zoning Map. Distances not specifically indicated on the Official Zoning Map shall be determined by the scale of the map.
(d) 
Where district boundaries are indicated as being approximately perpendicular to the right-of-way lines of streets or highways, such district boundaries shall be construed as being perpendicular to the right-of-way lines.
(e) 
Where physical or cultural features existing on the ground are at a variance with those indicated on the Official Zoning Map, or in circumstances not covered within the context of this section, the Zoning Hearing Board shall interpret the district boundaries.
(f) 
Where a district boundary line divides a lot which was in single ownership at the effective date of this chapter, at the election of the property owner, the regulations of either zoning district may be extended a distance of not more than 50 feet beyond the district boundary line onto the remaining portion of the lot.
[Ord. No. 130, 12/9/1991]
The following standards indicated within this section shall be utilized for the generalized application of the district regulations in association with this chapter.
(a) 
No building, structure or land shall be used and no building, structure or part thereof shall be erected, constructed, assembled, moved, enlarged, reconstructed, removed or structurally altered without the issuance of a Zoning and/or Building Permit by the Zoning Officer. No building, structure or land shall be occupied without the issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy by the Zoning Officer.
(b) 
No part of a yard, common open space, other open space, or off-street parking or loading space required in connection with one structure, building or use of the land shall be included as part of a yard, common open space, open space, or off-street parking or loading space similarly required for any other structure, building or use of the land, except as permitted or required by this chapter or other Township ordinances or regulations.
(c) 
No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this chapter which meets the requirements of this chapter shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth in this chapter. A yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this chapter shall not be further reduced below the minimum requirements of this chapter.
(d) 
Where district regulations specify a minimum lot width at the street line, the minimum lot width shall be provided contiguous along the street line of one street. It is prohibited, when calculating the width of a lot, to add widths along the street lines of two or more streets. In the case of a corner lot, the minimum lot width must be provided along the street line of one street, but does not have to be provided along the street line of each street on which the lot fronts.
(e) 
Where district regulations specify a minimum lot width at the building setback line, the minimum lot width shall be provided contiguous along the building setback line established from one street. It is prohibited, when calculating the width of a lot, to add widths along the building setback lines established from two or more streets. In the case of a corner lot, the minimum lot width must be provided along the building setback line established from one street, but does not have to be provided along the building setback line established from each street on which the lot fronts.
(f) 
In the case of a lot of irregular shape in which a portion of the lot abuts a street and a portion not abutting a street abuts the rear yards of lots which have frontage on the same street as does the irregularly shaped lot, on the irregularly shaped lot a building setback line shall be established from the abutting rear yards. As a minimum, the building setback requirement of the applicable zoning district shall be used in establishing such building setback line.