The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by a Zoning
Officer with the aid of pointed contracted officials. The Zoning Officer
shall be appointed at the first meeting of the Borough Council following
the adoption of this chapter to serve until the first day of January
next following and shall thereafter be appointed annually to serve
a term of one year and/or until his successor is appointed. The Zoning
Officer may succeed himself or herself. They shall receive such compensation
as the Borough Council by resolution shall provide.
A.
It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officer and he or she shall have
power to:
1.
Keep a record of all plans and applications for permits and all permits
issued with notations as to special conditions attached thereto. All
records shall be open for public inspection.
2.
Review applications for zoning permits for erections or alterations
of structures or changes of use; determine whether such construction
or use is in accordance with the general requirements of the chapter,
all other applicable ordinances and with the laws and regulations
of the commonwealth. The Zoning Officer shall issue no permit unless
it conforms with all applicable ordinances, statutes and regulations.
3.
Conduct inspections and surveys to determine compliance or noncompliance
with the terms of this chapter. In carrying out such surveys, the
Zoning Officer or his representative may enter upon any land or buildings.
4.
Make written orders requiring compliance with the provisions of this
chapter to be served personally or by registered mail.
5.
Institute proceedings in courts of proper jurisdiction for the enforcement
of provisions of this chapter.
6.
Maintain a map showing the current zoning classification of all land.
7.
Maintain a map and register showing the registration, identity, location,
and type of all nonconforming uses.
8.
Participate in all proceedings before the Zoning Hearing Board, present
facts and information to assist the Board in reaching a decision which
shall be compatible with this chapter; and have decisions of Board
reviewed in a court of proper jurisdiction when, in the judgement
of the Zoning Officer, such review is desirable or indicated.
B.
The Zoning Officer shall administer the Zoning Chapter in accordance
with its literal terms and shall not permit any construction or any
use or change of use which does not conform to the Zoning Chapter.
The Zoning Officer shall have all the powers and responsibilities
ascribed to him or her and be limited as provided in Act No. 247 approved
July 31, 1968, and all amendments or supplements thereto which may
be hereafter enacted.
C.
The Zoning Officer shall issue no permit for the construction or
use of any land or building unless it also conforms to the requirements
of all other ordinances of Schwenksville Borough and the laws of the
Commonwealth.
A.
No building shall be constructed or altered in the Borough or the
use of any building changed, nor vacant land occupied until a zoning
permit is secured from the Zoning Officer.
B.
Upon completion of the work authorized by any permit the applicant
or owner shall notify the Zoning Officer of said completion. No permit
shall be considered as complete or permanently effective until the
Zoning Officer shall have inspected the premises after completion
of such work and has noted on the permit that the work has been inspected
and approved as being in conformity with the provisions of the chapter.
A.
All applications for zoning permits shall be made in writing by the
owner or tenants or authorized agent and shall be filed with the Zoning
Officer on forms prescribed by the Borough. The application shall
include the following information when applicable or required by the
Zoning Officer:
1.
A statement as to the proposed use of the building.
2.
A plan, drawn to scale, showing the location of the building in relation
to property and right-of-way lines and required setbacks.
3.
A statement that the side lines of all right-of-ways shown on the
plan have been located and staked on the premises by a surveyor or
other person competent to give such location.
4.
The name and address of the person who has so located and staked
the right-of-way lines. Such plan shall show the location of existing
water and sewer lines and all other public utilities, together with
the proposed location of all access and connections thereto.
5.
The location, dimensions and arrangements of all open space, yards
and buffer yards, including methods to be employed for screening.
6.
The location, size, arrangement and capacity of all areas to be used
for motor vehicle access, off-street parking, off-street loading and
unloading and provisions to be made for lighting such areas.
7.
The dimensions, location and methods of illumination for signs, if
applicable.
8.
The location and dimensions of sidewalks and all other areas to be
devoted to pedestrian use.
9.
Provisions to be made for treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial
wastes, water supply and storm drainage.
10.
The capacity and arrangement of all buildings used or intended
to be used for dwelling purposes, including the proposed density in
terms of number of dwelling units per acre of land.
11.
A description of any proposed industrial or commercial operations
in sufficient detail to indicate effects of those operations in producing
noise, glare, air pollution, water pollution, fire hazards, traffic
congestion or other safety hazards.
12.
Description of methods to be employed in controlling any excess
noise, air pollution, smoke, fumes, water pollution, fire hazards
or other safety hazards.
13.
Any other data deemed necessary by the Zoning Officer to enable
him to determine the compliance of the proposed development with the
terms of this article.
B.
If the applicant desires the Zoning Hearing Board to grant a special
exception; then, in addition, the application shall set forth the
nature of the special exception and shall state briefly the reasons
why such special exception should be granted and any other information
the Zoning Hearing Board may require.
Any erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration or moving
of a building or other structure, including a sign authorized by a
zoning permit, shall be commenced, and any change in use of a building
or land authorized by a zoning permit shall be undertaken, within
one year after the date of issuance of the permit. If not, the permit
shall be considered null and void. However, in case of erection or
construction of a building, the right to proceed with construction
may be extended annually without additional fees for an aggregate
period of not more than three years, provided that the construction
pursuant to said permit has commenced within the first one-year period.
A.
Hereafter, no structure erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered,
extended or moved, and no land or building changed in use, ownership
or tenancy under a zoning permit, shall be occupied or used in whole
or in part for any use whatsoever, until the owner and authorized
agent has been issued a certificate of occupancy by the Zoning Officer,
indicating that the building or use complies with the terms of zoning
as provided in this chapter.
B.
No certificate shall be issued until the premises in question has
been inspected and found by the Zoning Officer to be in compliance
with the Zoning Chapter.
C.
The issuance of a certificate of occupancy in no way absolves the
owner or authorized agent from compliance with the intent of this
chapter.
An appeal from the decision of the Zoning Officer shall be taken
within 30 days.
The applicant for a permit shall, at the time of making the
application, pay to the Zoning Officer for the use of the Borough,
a fee in accordance with a fee schedule adopted by resolution of the
Borough Council upon the enactment of this chapter, or as such schedule
may be amended by resolution of the Borough Council.