For the purpose of this ordinance, the Township of Palmer is hereby divided into the following zoning districts and overlays, which shall be of the number, size, shape, and location shown on the Official Zoning Map:
A. 
Zoning districts.
1. 
RA Rural Agricultural District.
2. 
LDR Low-Density Residential District.
3. 
MDR Medium-Density Residential District.
4. 
HDR High-Density Residential District.
5. 
NC Neighborhood Commercial District.
6. 
GC General Commercial District.
7. 
PO/B Planned Office/Business District.
8. 
MSC Main Street Commercial District.
9. 
LI/MU Light Industrial/Mixed Use District.
10. 
IOC Industrial/Office/Commercial District.
11. 
NEB North End Business District.
B. 
Zoning overlays.
1. 
R-248 Route 248 Overlay District.
2. 
WPH William Penn Highway Overlay District.
3. 
FAO Freemansburg Avenue Overlay District.
4. 
EGO Eastern Gateway Overlay District.
5. 
RBO Riparian Buffer Overlay District.
6. 
PRO Parks, Recreation and Open Space Overlay District.
7. 
AHO Airport Hazard Overlay District.
8. 
HPO Historic Preservation Overlay District.
9. 
GIO Government/Institutional Overlay District.
A. 
Unless otherwise provided by law or specifically in this ordinance, no land or building or structure shall be used or occupied except for a use permitted in the zoning district within which the land or building or structure is located.
B. 
The regulations set by this ordinance shall apply uniformly to each class or kind of structure or land, except as provided for in this ordinance.
C. 
No building, structure or land shall hereafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or structurally altered and no building or structure or part thereof shall hereafter be used or occupied unless it is in conformity with the regulations herein specified for the use and district in which it is located.
D. 
No part of a yard, or other open space, or off-street parking or loading space required about or in connection with any building for the purpose of complying with this ordinance, shall be included as part of a yard, open space or off-street parking or loading space similarly required for any other building.
E. 
No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this ordinance shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this ordinance shall meet at least the minimum requirements established by this ordinance.
F. 
Any territory which may hereafter be annexed to the Township shall be classified as the zoning district of the Township most similar to the zoning of such territory before annexation (as determined by the Board of Supervisors) until otherwise classified.
G. 
No more than one principal use and no more than one user shall be permitted on a lot, unless specifically permitted by this ordinance.
H. 
Whenever a use is not specifically permitted under the provisions of this ordinance, the Zoning Officer shall refer the matter to the Zoning Hearing Board to hear and decide such use as a special exception request. The party seeking the use determination is required to file a special exception request with the Board. The Board shall have the authority to permit the use or deny the use in accordance with the standards governing special exception applications. The use may be permitted if it is similar to and compatible with the permitted uses in the zoning district, and in no way is in conflict with the general purposes of this ordinance, and is not in conflict Article IX. The burden of proof shall be upon the applicant to demonstrate that the proposed use would not be detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare of the neighborhood. No zoning permit shall be issued by the Zoning Officer for any such unspecified use until this determination has been made by the Zoning Hearing Board.
A. 
A map entitled "Zoning Map for the Township of Palmer" accompanies this ordinance and is declared a part of this ordinance.
B. 
The Official Zoning Map shall be identified by the signature of the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, attested by the Township Manager, and shall bear the adoption date of this ordinance and the seal of the Township.
C. 
Changes of any nature to the Official Zoning Map shall be made in conformity with the amendment procedures set forth in this ordinance. All changes shall be noted by date with a brief description of the nature of the change.
D. 
Regardless of the existence of purported copies of the Official Zoning Map which may from time to time be made or published, the Official Zoning Map shall be located in the Township Office and shall be the final authority on boundaries and districts. The Zoning Officer shall have a certified copy of the Official Zoning Map for official use.
E. 
New map.
1. 
If the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret because of changes and additions, the Board of Supervisors may, by resolution, adopt a new Official Zoning Map which shall supersede the prior Official Zoning Map.
2. 
The new Official Zoning Map may correct drafting or other errors or omissions in the prior Official Zoning Map, but no such correction shall include an amendment thereof.
3. 
Unless the prior Official Zoning Map has been lost or has been totally destroyed, the prior map or any part or parts thereof remaining shall be preserved together with all available records pertaining to its adoption or amendment.
F. 
The documents and mapping referenced by the floodplain regulations of this ordinance are hereby incorporated by reference into this ordinance as if they were fully described within.
Where uncertainty exists as to boundaries of any district as shown on said map, the following rules shall apply:
A. 
District boundary lines are intended to follow or be parallel to the center line of existing street rights-of-way, streams and railroads and lot or property lines as they exist on a recorded deed or plan of record in the County Recorder of Deeds' office at the time of the adoption of this ordinance, unless such district boundary lines are fixed by dimensions as shown on the Zoning Map.
B. 
Where a district boundary is not fixed by dimensions and where it approximately follows lot lines, and where it does not scale more than 10 feet therefrom, such lot lines shall be construed to be such boundaries unless specifically shown otherwise.
C. 
In unsubdivided land or where a district boundary divides a lot, the location of such boundary, unless the same is indicated by dimensions, shall be determined by the use of the scale appearing on the maps.
D. 
The Official Township Property Line Maps are hereby specifically referenced to be used to interpret any zoning district boundary uncertainty.
In case of any uncertainty, the Zoning Hearing Board shall determine the location of district boundaries as required for any application for which the Zoning Hearing Board has jurisdiction under the Municipalities Planning Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
A. 
Purpose: to continue the objective of compatible land uses across municipal boundaries.
B. 
This ordinance requires additional setbacks and the provision of buffer yards when a use would abut an existing dwelling or a residential zoning district. Refer to § 190-804, Special lot and yard requirements, sight distance, and buffer yards.
C. 
Setback and buffer yard provisions shall be provided for uses located within Palmer Township if abutting an existing residence or principally residential zoning district whether in Palmer Township or another Municipality.