[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Franconia 3-8-1999 by Ord. No. 270. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Planning Commission — See Ch. 26.
Franconia Township shall join with the Municipalities of Telford and Souderton Boroughs and Salford, Upper Salford and Lower Salford Townships to create the Indian Valley Regional Planning Commission as per the guidelines set forth under Section 1102 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247 of July 31, 1968, as reenacted and amended.[1] Each participating municipality shall appoint two members. The term of each member shall be two years; however, initially each municipality shall appoint one member for a one-year term and a second member for a two-year term so that the term of membership of the members appointed by the individual municipalities shall be on a staggered basis. Qualification of members, the removal of members, the conduct of business, etc., shall be governed by Article II and Article XI of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[2]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 11102.
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10201 et seq. and 53 P.S. § 11101 et seq.
A. 
The six municipalities of the Indian Valley have come to recognize that the issues associated with growth and development, such as, but not limited to, traffic congestion, air and water pollution and loss of open space, are too large for any one municipality to deal with. They further recognize that current growth and anticipated growth, if not properly managed, will lead to the diminution of the region's quality of life. They are concerned that current zoning requirements which call for each and every municipality to provide for a full range of uses, regardless of historic development patterns, is inefficient and potentially destructive to the region's economic and social structure.
B. 
To this end, the six municipalities of the Indian Valley hereby embark on a course of action to implement regional planning. That only through regional planning can growth and development be rationally and fairly managed. Therefore, Franconia Township empowers the Indian Valley Regional Planning Commission to undertake the development of a Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan that shall encompass the six municipalities of the Indian Valley. Upon the successful completion of the Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan, and its adoption by all the participating municipalities, the participating municipalities may so instruct the Regional Planning Commission to undertake the development of a Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map.
The Indian Valley Regional Planning Commission shall have the responsibility to prepare a Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan. To this end, the powers and duties of the Commission are as follows:
A. 
To prepare a Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan pursuant to Article III and Article XI of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10301 et seq. and 53 P.S. § 11101 et seq.
B. 
In the preparation of the Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan, the members of the Commission shall represent the interests of their respective municipalities and shall cast one vote per municipality on all matters that require action.
C. 
Any vote taken by Commission members pertaining to regional planning and regional zoning must be unanimous for it to pass. All other non-planning-and-zoning-related matters may be approved by simple majority.
D. 
Upon completion of the Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan by the Commission, and its adoption by all the participating municipalities, the Commission may be instructed by the participating municipalities to prepare a Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map which shall be presented to the participating municipalities for their consideration and adoption.
E. 
If so directed by the participating municipalities to develop a Regional Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map, the Regional Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map shall be prepared pursuant to Article VI and Article VIII-A of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10601 et seq. and 53 P.S. § 10801-A et seq.
F. 
Should joint municipal zoning be formally adopted by the participating municipalities, the Regional Planning Commission shall review all proposed changes to the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map and shall make a formal recommendation to the participating municipalities regarding said change. The recommendation of the Commission shall be advisory only.
Each municipality shall retain its own municipal Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board. The participating municipalities agree that for all matters relating to lot line changes, subdivisions, land developments, variances, special exceptions and conditional uses, or any other matter of a planning or zoning nature in which jurisdiction resides within the governing body of a municipality, shall not be a joint planning or joint zoning activity.
[Amended 7-18-2005 by Ord. No. 334]
That certain agreement entitled “Indian Valley Intergovernmental Cooperative Implementation Agreement,” prepared for the municipalities of Souderton Borough, Telford Borough, Franconia Township, Lower Salford Township, Salford Township and Upper Salford Township, draft dated May 17, 2005, is hereby adopted by the Franconia Township Board of Supervisors as the Implementation Agreement for the Indian Valley Regional Planning Commission and the Indian Valley Regional Comprehensive Plan. Any amendments to the Indian Valley Intergovernmental Cooperative Implementation Agreement shall be by unanimous consent of all member municipalities.
This chapter shall be effective upon its enactment by all the participating municipalities.