This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Cheswick Zoning Ordinance," and the Zoning District Map shall be known and may be cited the "Official Cheswick Zoning Map."
The fundamental purpose of this chapter is to promote the safety, health, convenience and general welfare; to encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the Borough; to conserve and stabilize the value of property; to prevent overcrowding of land and buildings; to avoid undue concentration of population; to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers; to provide adequate open spaces for light and air; to facilitate adequate provision of streets and highways, water, sewerage, drainage and other public facilities; to conserve life, property and natural resources; and to conserve the expenditure of funds earmarked for public improvements.
This chapter is to render a legal basis and framework to the future land use and development plan and to the following statement of community development objectives:
A. 
Residential objectives shall be to:
(1) 
Preserve and enhance the established quality and character of the Borough's residential neighborhoods.
(2) 
Provide for a variety of housing types to meet the needs of all age and income groups. Assure that each type of housing develops in appropriate locations within the Borough and according to suitable development standards that promote their integration into the community.
(3) 
Utilize zoning, building and other development controls to support and promote property maintenance and improvement.
B. 
Commercial objectives shall be to:
(1) 
Develop a compact and cohesive Freeport Road (Pittsburgh Street) business district with a compatible mixture of uses.
(2) 
Support and encourage improvements to the commercial area that will enhance its visual appearance and appeal.
(3) 
Ensure adequate provision for off-street parking and loading areas for existing and future uses.
C. 
Industrial objectives shall be to:
(1) 
Provide for limited industrial uses which are consistent with the predominantly single-family residential land use of Cheswick.
(2) 
Establish development and performance standards for industrial uses which include provisions for adequate traffic access, parking and loading, buffer areas, landscaping and attractive signing, as well as standards to prevent air, noise and water pollution and similar negative environmental effects.
D. 
Community facilities and services objectives shall be to:
(1) 
Assure that all locations have reasonable access to public utility services (water supply, sewage disposal, gas, electric) and that future development provides for the extension and/or upgrading of these services as necessary.
(2) 
Improve accessibility to a variety of leisure-time activities based on population needs. Cooperate with other Allegheny Valley communities to increase recreational alternatives and share program costs.
(3) 
Assure a continued high level of maintenance to the Borough street system and the orderly extension of streets to provide safe, convenient access for new development.
E. 
Environmental objectives shall be to:
(1) 
Develop standards which limit the use and development of sensitive environmental areas, such as floodplains, areas of steep slope (over 15% slope), landslide-prone soils and unique natural habitats.
(2) 
Implement regulations to minimize the potential hazards from inadequately controlled stormwater runoff or excessive soil erosion and sedimentation resulting from land alteration activities.
(3) 
Recognize the Allegheny River as one of the major amenities of the Borough; and work with the other Allegheny Valley communities to increase the public access to and enjoyment of the river.
A. 
Uniformity of regulations and exceptions.
(1) 
The regulations established by this chapter shall be minimum regulations and shall apply uniformly to each class or kind of structure or land, except that additional classifications may be made within any district for the purposes of:
(a) 
Making transitional provisions at or near the boundaries of districts.
(b) 
Regulating nonconforming uses and structures.
(c) 
Regulating, restricting or prohibiting uses and structures at or near major thoroughfares, their intersections and interchanges; natural or artificial bodies of water; places of relatively steep slope or grade; public buildings and grounds; places having unique historical or patriotic value or interest; floodplain areas and other places having a special character or use affecting or affected by their surroundings.
(2) 
Among several classes of zoning districts, the provisions for permitted uses may be mutually exclusive, in whole or in part.
B. 
Compliance. No building, structure or land shall hereafter be used or occupied; and no building or structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or structurally altered unless in conformity with all the applicable provisions of this chapter.
C. 
Future annexations. All territory which may hereafter be annexed to the Borough of Cheswick shall be considered to be in the R-1 Residential District until otherwise classified.
D. 
Reclassification of public facility if use ceases. In the case that any public building, facility or land area, such as a school, recreation area, community center or municipal building, shall cease to be used according to its intended function, the Borough Planning Commission shall study the existing zoning classification of the property on which said use is located and shall make recommendations to the Borough Council on any necessary zoning changes to ensure a suitable reuse of the parcel. This study and recommendation shall be made by the Planning Commission within 90 days of the notification by the appropriate public entity of the intent to terminate the existing use of the property.
E. 
Preservation of other regulations. Regardless of any other provision of this chapter, no land shall be used and no structure erected or maintained in violation of any federal, state or county law or regulation.
A. 
Wherever the regulations within this chapter are at variance with other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, ordinances, deed restrictions or covenants, those which impose the most restrictive requirements shall govern.
B. 
No structure or use which was not lawfully existing at the time of the adoption of this chapter shall become or be made lawful solely by reason of the adoption of this chapter, and to the extent that said unlawful structure or use is in conflict with the requirements of this chapter, said structure remains unlawful hereunder.