The vehicular passage between a street and parking spaces that abuts the parking spaces on one or both sides for part or all of the lane's length.

A structure or building detached from a principal building located on the same lot and customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal building or use.

An activity or use that is incidental and subordinate to, but customarily found in connection with, the principal use on the lot.

The lands and buildings owned by Adams Township for the public use and protection of the residents and property owners, including any authority or department with jurisdiction, but not including the underground and overhead distribution and collection systems providing water, gas, electric, telephone, and cable TV service or sanitary sewage drainage.

A land use policy which recognizes the reuse of existing structures meeting standards established by this chapter.

An establishment consisting of, including, or having the characteristics of any or all of the following:

A condition that creates, imposes, aggravates, or leads to inadequate, impractical, unsafe, or unhealthy conditions on a site proposed for development or on off-site property or facilities.

A service roadway providing a secondary means of public access to abutting property and not intended for general traffic circulation.

Any change or rearrangement in the supporting members of an existing building, such as bearing walls, columns, beams, girders, or interior partitions, as well as any change in doors, windows, means of ingress or egress, or any enlargement to or diminution of a building or structure, whether horizontally or vertically, or the moving of a building or structure from one location to another.

Any addition, deletion or revision of the chapter text or map officially adopted by the Board of Supervisors after public hearings.

A device used to transmit and/or receive radio or electromagnetic signals, attached to a building or freestanding, not to include communications and cellular towers.

A suite of rooms in a building containing at least two other such dwellings, each intended to be used as an independent housekeeping unit for one family, with separate cooking, food storage, bathing, and toilet facilities and with access directly or by common hallway and/or stairs to the outside.

A single apartment building on a single lot containing no more than eight units per building, with substantial landscaped open space adjacent to the building.

A landowner or developer, as hereinafter defined, who has filed an application for development, including his heirs, successors and assigns.

Every application, whether preliminary, tentative or final, required to be filed and approved prior to start of construction or development, including, but not limited to, an application for a building permit, for the approval of a subdivision plat or plan or for the approval of a development plan.

See "studios."

The measurement of sound approximating the auditory sensitivity of the human ear and used to measure the relative noisiness or annoyance of common sounds.

A body politic and corporate created pursuant to the Municipality Authorities Act, 53 Pa.C.S.A. § 5601 et seq., specifically the Breakneck Creek Regional Authority and the Adams Township Water Authority.

A mechanized consumer banking device operated by a financial institution for the convenience of its customers, whether outside or in an access-controlled facility.

The use of any building, land area, or other premises for the display and sale of new or used automobiles generally, but may include light trucks or vans, trailers, or recreational vehicles, and including any vehicle preparation or repair work conducted as an accessory use.

Any building, land area, or portion thereof, used for the retail dispensing or sale of vehicular fuels; servicing and minor repair of automobiles; and including as an accessory use the sale, application, or installation of lubricants, tires, batteries, and similar vehicle accessories.

Establishments primarily engaged in furnishing automotive repair, rental, leasing, or parking services to the general public.

Average weekday daily traffic volumes on a street or road.

A platform projecting from a building facade.

Establishments engaged in deposit banking. Typical uses include commercial banks, savings institutions, and credit unions.

A sign composed of a logo, words, or design on a lightweight material either enclosed or not enclosed in a rigid frame and secured or mounted to allow movement caused by the atmosphere.

State-licensed premises used primarily for the sale or dispensing of liquor by the drink for on-site consumption and where food may be available for consumption on the premises as accessory to the principal use.

A dwelling unit, or portion thereof, in which short-term lodging rooms, with or without the service of a morning meal only, are provided for compensation and where the operator lives on the premises, or in adjacent premises.

A private room planned and intended for sleeping, separated from other rooms by a door, and accessible to a bathroom without entering another bedroom.

A business that engages in the sale of malt or brewed beverages, not for consumption on the premises where sold, and in quantities of not less than a case or original containers containing 128 ounces or more which may be sold separately as prepared for the market by the manufacturer at the place of manufacture.

Either of the following:

The duly elected governing body of Adams Township with certain powers relative to this chapter.

A dwelling unit or part thereof in which, for compensation, lodging and/or meals are provided, and where the owner or operator lives on the premises.

Open spaces, landscaped areas, fences, walls, berms, or any combination thereof used to physically separate or screen one use or property from another so as to visually shield or block noise, lights, or other nuisances.

A man-made structure attached to or into the ground enclosing or covering a volume of space, and intended to shelter or contain people, animals, businesses and activities associated with any of them.

That construction connecting a principal structure with an accessory structure, including but not limited to a breezeway or carport.

The percentage of the total area of a lot that may be covered by buildings (see also "impermeable coverage").

A building whose walls, extending from grade to roof, are permanent.

A contiguous area of land in one ownership upon which a building or structure may be erected in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.

An establishment engaged in the sale of lumber, tools, construction materials, and garden supplies.

A document attesting that a proposal for construction, repair, alteration, or addition to a structure has been reviewed and approved in accordance with the requirements of this chapter and the current building code.

Establishments primarily engaged in rendering services to business establishments on a fee or contract basis, such as advertising and mailing; building maintenance; employment services; management and consulting services; protective services; equipment rental and leasing; commercial research; development and testing; photo finishing; photocopying and printer services; and personal supply services.

A small, roofed structure, usually having three walls, located near a street and designed primarily for the protection and convenience of bus passengers.

Where used in reference to any street, the maximum traffic volume for which such street can provide an adequate level of service.

The portion of a street, drive, or rear service lane that is designed and intended for the use of vehicular traffic.

Land used or intended to be used for the burial of human remains and dedicated for cemetery purposes.

Any use that substantially differs from the previous use of a building or land, and is formally recognized as such.

A building or structure, or groups of buildings or structures, that by design and construction are primarily intended for conducting organized religious services and associated accessory uses.

Any intentional or negligent act to cut down, remove all or a substantial part of trees or other vegetation that will cause the tree or other vegetation to decline and/or die. Such acts include, but are not limited to, damage inflicted upon the root system of the vegetation by the application of toxic substances, by the operation of equipment and vehicles, by storage of materials, by the change of natural grade due to unapproved excavation or filling, or by the unapproved alteration of natural physical conditions.

An establishment where patients are admitted for examination and treatment on an outpatient basis by one or more physicians, dentists, other medical personnel, psychologists, or social workers, and where patients are not usually lodged overnight.

A person retained by and responsible to the Board of Supervisors to enforce the regulations of this chapter with power to issue zoning permits for minor developments, to issue building and occupancy permits, to halt illegal construction, and to interpret literally the meaning of the various sections of this chapter, subject to appeal before the Zoning Hearing Board.

Land within or related to a development, not individually owned or dedicated for public use, designed and intended for the common use or enjoyment of the residents and their guests of the development.

An off-street parking lot, designed and intended to provide for the storage, for limited periods of time, of operable passenger automobiles to the public for compensation, or as accommodation to clients and customers.

A structure designed to support equipment capable of transmitting and/or receiving telecommunications, radio or electromagnetic signals.

A statement linking this chapter to the Municipal Comprehensive Plan with reference to land use, density or population, housing, location and function of streets, utilities and community facilities.

The document based on an analysis of past trends and current conditions in the Township, projecting growth and change in population, economic conditions and land use, and setting forth policies, goals, and objectives to guide future growth and development in the community.

A use permitted in a particular zoning district pursuant to the provisions in Article VI of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended,[3] or an authorized use that may be granted only by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to ordinance standards and criteria after recommendation by the Planning Commission and a public hearing held in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.

A retail establishment offering for sale food products and beverages for off-site consumption, household items, newspapers and magazines, and other general merchandise. The retail dispensing or sale of vehicular fuels as an accessory use to a convenience store is permitted only as a conditional use.

A structure, whether residential or nonresidential, converted to a multifamily dwelling with a maximum of three single-family dwelling units.

A lot that abuts two or more streets that intersect at one or more corners of the lot, with the minimum front yard setback applying along each street relative to construction on the lot.

An amendment proposed by a property owner challenging the validity of zoning regulations as they apply to property in which he has an interest and requiring municipal action on his petition or a municipal curative amendment, in which the Board of Supervisors declares a moratorium on specific parts of this chapter in order to cure alleged defects.

A stone, concrete, or other improved boundary usually demarcating the edge of a roadway, parking lot, or other paved area.

An opening requiring a local or commonwealth permit along the curbline at which point vehicles may enter or leave the roadway.

The excavating of earth from the ground surface during the process of land development.

An establishment that provides care, protection, and supervision for individuals on a regular basis away from their primary residence for less than 24 hours a day.

Final adjudication of any board or other body granted jurisdiction under any land use ordinance or this act to do so, either by reason of the grant of exclusive jurisdiction or by reason of appeals from determinations. All decisions shall be appealable to the court of common pleas of the county and judicial district wherein the municipality lies.

The measure of the number of dwelling units permitted per net acre of land area. (See "net acreage.")

Any landowner, agent of such landowner, or tenant with the permission of such landowner, who makes or causes to be made a subdivision of land or a land development.

The area of a site that may be disturbed by earth movement (grading), or cleared of vegetation, including disturbance or clearance to provide space for construction of principal and accessory uses and structures, and parking areas, but not including disturbance to provide space for construction of roads, drainage and stormwater management facilities, or utilities.

Any development not classified as a minor development.

Development that meets the requirements for a minor development set forth in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

A prototype for development containing parameters governing character and design, site layout, lot types, mix of lot types, and roads and streets. (See Appendix A.[5])

The provisions for development, including a planned residential development, a plat of subdivision, all covenants relating to use, location and bulk of buildings and other structures, intensity of use or density of development, streets, ways and parking facilities, open space and public facilities. The phrase "provisions of the development plan" when used in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended, shall mean the written and graphic materials referred to in this definition.

Tree trunk diameter measured in inches at a height of 4.5 feet from the ground.

A small network of antennas that are connected to a common source that provides coverage in a building or a small geographic area.

Zoning district or zoning overlay district.

Surface water runoff or the removal of surface water or groundwater from land by drains, grading, or other means, which includes runoff controls to minimize erosion and sedimentation during and after construction or development.

An establishment that by the design of physical facilities, accessory to the principal permitted use, by service, or by packaging procedures encourages or permits customers to receive services, obtain goods, or be entertained while remaining in their motor vehicles.

An establishment whose primary business is serving food to the public for consumption on the premises by order from and service to vehicular passengers outside the structure, where revenues from the sale of food equal at least 40% of the gross revenue.

A private roadway providing access to a street or highway.

A single driveway serving two or more adjoining lots.

A second dwelling unit either in or added to an existing single-family detached dwelling, or in a separate accessory structure on the same lot as the main dwelling, for use as a complete, independent living facility with provision within the accessory dwelling for cooking, eating, sanitation, and sleeping.

A one-family dwelling unit attached to one or more one-family dwelling units by common vertical fire-resistant walls.

A building containing one dwelling unit that is not attached to any other dwelling by any means and that is surrounded by open space or yards.

A building designed and built to contain two dwelling units, whether side by side or one above the other, but each an independent dwelling relative to utilities, facilities, and access.

A building containing three or more dwelling units, including units that are located one over the other and/or side by side.

A building containing one dwelling unit (may be detached from or attached to other dwelling units).

A one-family dwelling unit in a row of at least two such units.

One or more rooms, designed, occupied, or intended for occupancy as a separate living quarter, with cooking, sleeping, and sanitary facilities provided within the dwelling unit for the exclusive use of a single household.

A grant of one or more of the property rights (e.g., access) by the owner to, or for the use by, the public, a corporation, or another person or entity.

Any service to citizens for injury or life-threatening events, including but not limited to ambulance, paramedic, or fire and rescue services provided by a public agency or entity.

Removal or recovery by any means whatsoever of soil, rock, minerals, mineral substances, or organic substances, other than vegetation, from water or land, on or beneath the surface thereof, whether exposed or submerged.

A shopping center which includes a variety of retail stores and ancillary uses. The individual retail stores are operated primarily by the companies that either directly manufacture or control the production of the merchandise being sold.

A group of individuals not necessarily related by blood, marriage, adoption, or guardianship, living together in a dwelling unit as a single household, under a common housekeeping arrangement based on an intentionally structured relationship that provides organization and stability. (See "household.")

An occasional, seasonal, or periodic market held in an open area or in a structure where individual sellers display and sell farm products.

An artificially constructed barrier of any material or combination of materials erected to enclose, screen, or separate areas.

Sand, gravel, earth, or other materials of any composition whatsoever excavated from elsewhere and deposited to build up the ground surface in the process of grading.

Acknowledgment by the Board of Supervisors that all plan reviews required prior to acceptance of a subdivision, land development or planned residential development proposal have been successfully completed, and that building permits may be issued.

Any facility, public, private, or commercial, that is used for target practice, test firing, or any other lawful use of firearms, bows or compound bows, or any other ranged weapons. Specifically excluded from the definition of "firing range" is the purely recreational use of firearms at a person's residence or property and then only in such circumstances as not to endanger persons or property and subject to all state and federal laws. Also, specifically excluded from the definition of "firing range" are any traditional hunting activities carried out in conformance with Pennsylvania Game Commission regulations.

A lot not meeting minimum frontage requirements and where access to a public road is by a narrow private right-of-way or driveway (see Ch. 167, Subdivision and Land Development).

The area of inundation which functions as a storage or holding area for floodwater to a width required to contain a base flood of which there is a one-percent chance of occurring in any given year. The floodplain also contains both the floodway and flood fringe. The "floodway" is the channel of a watercourse and the adjoining land area which are required to carry and discharge the base flood. The "flood fringe" is the adjoining area which may be covered by water of the base flood.

The sum of the gross area of all floors enclosed within the exterior walls of any building.

The total of all floor areas of a building, excluding storage, hallways, equipment rooms, interior vehicular parking or loading; and all floors below the first or ground floor, except when used or intended to be used for human habitation.

The gross floor area of all buildings and structures on a building lot divided by the total lot area.

Land, a minimum of 1/2 acre in area with 20 or more trees at least 12 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH).

The management of forests and timberlands when practiced in accordance with accepted silvicultural principles, through developing, cultivating, harvesting, transporting and selling trees for commercial purposes, which does not involve any land development.

The distance across the front of a lot between side lot lines, normally the width of the lot abutting the street to which the lot has access.

A line extending across a lot between side lot lines, and set back from the front lot line the minimum distance required for the front yard depth in the zone district containing the lot.

An accessory building for the private use of the owner or occupant of a principal building situated on the same lot as the principal building intended for the storage of motor vehicles and equipment with no facilities for mechanical service or repair of a commercial or public nature.

With the exception of feedlots and cattle and hog processing, the production, keeping, or maintenance, for sale, lease, or personal use, of plants and animals useful to man, including but not limited to forages and sod crops; grains and seed crops; dairy animals and dairy products; poultry and poultry products; livestock, including beef cattle, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, mules, or goats or any mutations or hybrids thereof, including the breeding and grazing of any or all of such animals; bees and apiary products; fur animals; trees and forest products; fruits of all kinds, including grapes, nuts, and berries; vegetables; nursery, floral, ornamental, and greenhouse products; or lands devoted to a soil conservation or forestry management program.

Establishments that sell or rent commonly used goods and merchandise for personal or household use.

Lands and buildings owned or operated by a governmental entity and providing services for the public, but not including the underground and overhead distribution and collection systems providing water, gas, electric, telephone, and cable TV service or sanitary sewage drainage.

The vertical alignment of a land surface, as it exists or as modified by cut and/or fill activities.

The final elevation of the ground level after topsoil has been applied to graded slopes.

Rearrangement of the earth's surface by stripping, cutting, filling, or stockpiling of earth or land, including the land in its cut or filled condition, to create new contours or grades.

The total square footage of the interior of a building that is used in connection with a business.

Any substance or material that as determined by the appropriate federal or state agencies, by reason of its toxic, caustic, corrosive, abrasive, or otherwise injurious properties; may be detrimental or deleterious to the health of any person handling or otherwise coming into contact with such material or substance.

A linear arrangement of conifer plants so that they grow together to present, when viewed in elevation, a surface at least 50% opaque from the ground to the top of the hedge.

The location for lighting of a sign or other object on a property, so that the lighting source is not visible from anywhere outside the property.

A business or commercial activity administered or conducted as an accessory use which is clearly secondary to the use as a residential dwelling and which involves no customer, client or patient traffic, whether vehicular or pedestrian, pickup, delivery or removal functions to or from the premises, in excess of those normally associated with residential use. The business or commercial activity must satisfy the following requirements:

An activity carried out for monetary gain by a resident conducted as a customarily incidental and accessory use in the resident’s dwelling unit, excluding instruction in any form of exotic, erotic or aerobic dancing.

An organization formed to manage the open space and common facilities within a development that are not to be publicly maintained; membership in and financial support of such organization is mandatory for all owners of property in the development.

An institution providing primary health services and medical or surgical care to persons, primarily inpatients, and including, as an integral part of the institution, related facilities, such as laboratories, outpatient facilities, training facilities, medical offices, and staff residences.

A facility offering transient lodging accommodations at a daily rate to the general public and which may provide additional services, such as restaurants, meeting rooms, entertainment, and recreational facilities.

A family living together in a single dwelling unit.

A charge or fee imposed by a municipality against new development in order to generate revenue for funding the costs of transportation capital improvements necessitated by and attributable to new development.

That portion of a lot that is covered by principal and accessory buildings or structures, and by surfaces that prevent the passage or absorption of stormwater such as paving and driveways.

Subordinate and minor in significance and bearing a reasonable relationship with the primary use.

A tract of land that is planned, developed, and operated as an integrated facility for a number of individual industrial or commercial office uses, with consideration given to overall on-site vehicular circulation, parking, utility needs, building design and orientation, and open space.

A use engaged in the basic processing and/or manufacturing of materials or products predominantly from extracted or raw materials, or a use engaged in storage of, or manufacturing processes using flammable or explosive materials, or storage or manufacturing processes that potentially involve hazardous conditions.

A use engaged in the manufacture, predominantly from previously prepared materials, of finished products or parts, including processing, fabrication, assembly, treatment, packaging, incidental storage, sales, and distribution of such products, but excluding basic industrial processing.

A nonprofit, religious or public use, such as a church, library, museum, public or private school, hospital, or government-owned or -operated building, structure, or land used for public purpose.

Any scrap, waste, reclaimable material, or debris, whether or not stored, for sale or in the process of being dismantled, destroyed, processed, salvaged, stored, baled, disposed, or other use or disposition, including but not limited to unregistered, inoperable vehicles, tires, vehicle parts, equipment, paper, rags, metal, glass, building materials.

Any area, lot, land, parcel, building, or structure, or part thereof, used for the storage, collection, processing, purchase, sale, salvage, or disposal of junk.

A facility designed to provide enclosed shelter and care for domestic pets on a permanent or temporary basis as a business, or as a noncommercial accessory use on a residential lot.

Any establishment available to the general public where a dog or dogs are housed for compensation by the day, week or a specified or unspecified time. The term shall not include a kennel where the practice of veterinary medicine is performed if the kennel is covered by the provisions of the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act.[6] The term shall include any boarding facility operated by a licensed doctor of veterinary medicine whether or not this facility is on the same premises as a building or structure subject to the provisions of the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act. The term shall include any establishment available to the general public that, for consideration, takes control of a dog from the owner for a portion of a day for the purposes of exercise, day care or entertainment of the dog. For the purpose of this term, each time a dog enters the kennel it shall be counted as one dog. This term does not include an establishment engaged only in dog grooming or dog training.

Any of the following activities:

A disposal site in which refuse and earth, or other suitable cover material, are deposited and compacted in alternative layers of specified depth in accordance with an approved plan.

The man-made combination of lawns, trees, plants, and other natural materials, such as rock and wood chips, and decorative features, including sculpture, patterned walks, fountains, and pools.

The activity or activities for which a lot or property and the buildings or structures on it are devoted.

The total floor area for which the tenant pays rent and that is designed for the tenant's occupancy and exclusive use.

A qualitative measure describing operational conditions within a traffic stream; generally described in terms of such factors as speed, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience, and safety. LOS is expressed in terms of six levels, designated A through F, with A (free flow of traffic with minimum intersection delay) being the best, and F (forced flow, jammed intersections, long delays) being the worst.

"Pennsylvania liquor stores" which sell liquor and alcohol under the authorization of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

An off-street area of a lot where goods are received and/or from which they are shipped, and where adequate space is available to permit maneuvering of vehicles entirely on the lot.

An area of contiguous land surface that abuts the street, whose ownership and legal description are of record in the office of the County Recorder of Deeds, and that is to be separately owned, used, developed, or built upon. A lot implies one of a number of similarly sized properties in a plan, but may include any property, tract or parcel of land regardless of size or configuration for the purposes of this chapter.

The area of the total surface of a lot expressed in acres or square feet, based on deed description or registered surveyor's survey, excluding any street rights-of-way. One acre equals 43,560 square feet.

That portion of a lot, tract, or parcel covered by buildings.

The horizontal distance between the mid-point of the front and of the rear lot lines.

Any of the lines describing the perimeter of a lot.

The lot line describing the edge of the lot abutting the street to which the lot has access and is oriented for purposes of development.

A lot or property duly recorded in the office of the Butler County Recorder of Deeds.

The distance across a lot measured along the front building line between the side lot lines.

Factory-built, single-family structures that meet the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act (42 U.S.C. § 5401), also known as the "US Department of Housing and Urban Development Code."

Facilities designed and intended to accommodate mass transit, including passenger stations, garages, and repair facilities.

A pole structure used to elevate equipment, usually communications equipment. Masts may be freestanding or attached to a building. They do not have a tripod shape and are not made up of a number of steel parts.

Any aggregate or mass of mineral matter, whether or not coherent. The term includes, but is not limited to, limestone and dolomite, sand and gravel, rock and stone, earth, fill, slag, iron ore, zinc ore, vermiculite and clay, anthracite and bituminous coal, coal refuse, peat, but not including crude oil and natural gas.

A building designed for general or specialty retail, or office use, on the first floor, residential or office use on the second floor, and residential use only above.

A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent occupancy, contained in one unit, or in two or more units designed to be joined into one integral unit capable of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations, and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation.

A parcel of land in a mobile home park, improved with the necessary utility connections and other appurtenances necessary for the erection thereon of a single mobile home.

A property or group of contiguous properties under one ownership which has been developed for at least two mobile home lots, each intended for lease and the placement of one mobile home for nontransient use thereon.

A set of standards and criteria that, taken together, create conditions that will strongly encourage the desired character for a development in terms of density, open space, circulation and physical appearance.

A facility offering transient lodging accommodations at a daily rate to the general public and which may provide additional services, such as restaurants, meeting rooms, entertainment, and recreational facilities.

A structure with a maximum of four attached dwelling units, side to side or horizontally and on one floor or several floors.

A building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.

A facility that receives natural gas and associated hydrocarbons from a gathering line system serving one or more well sites that compresses, condenses, pressurizes or otherwise treats natural gas and which removes or separates materials such as ethane, propane, butane and other constituents or similar substances from natural gas to allow such natural gas to be of such quality as is required or appropriate for transmission or distribution to commercial markets, including, but not limited to: cooling facilities, storage tanks and related equipment and facilities.

Commercial and retail uses located within and intended to primarily serve the consumer demands of adjacent residential neighborhoods, including, but not limited to, stores selling food, drugs, hardware, clothing, and sundries; video rentals; personal services; small professional offices, and uses similar in scale and purpose.

Area of a lot excluding areas planned, used or dedicated for roads, streets, or public utility easements that are not accessible for the use and enjoyment of residents or the public, and excluding access or right-of-way easements.

See "density."

The total floor area within a building that would be leased or, if owned, is used in the conduct of the business, not including stairs, elevators, rest rooms, utility and storage rooms.

A lot, the area or dimension of which was lawful prior to the adoption or amendment of a zoning ordinance, but which fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning district in which it is located by reasons of such adoption or amendment.

Any sign lawfully existing prior to the adoption, revision, or amendment of the zoning ordinance, but that fails, by reason of such adoption, revision, or amendment, to conform to all the present requirements of the zoning district.

A structure or part of a structure manifestly not designed to comply with the applicable use or extent of use provisions in a zoning ordinance or amendment heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such structure lawfully existed prior to the enactment of such ordinance or amendment or prior to the application of such ordinance or amendment to its location by reason of annexation. Such nonconforming structures include, but are not limited to, nonconforming signs.

A use, whether of land or of structure, which does not comply with the applicable use provisions in a zoning ordinance or amendment heretofore or hereafter enacted, where such use was lawfully in existence prior to the enactment of such ordinance or amendment, or prior to the application of such ordinance or amendment to its location by reason of annexation.

A pattern of development that does not conform to the specific design elements of one of the preferred development models for the district in which the development is proposed.

An establishment primarily engaged in the sale and/or cultivation for sale of perennial flowers, shrubs and trees intended for landscaping purposes, but not including any sales building exceeding 500 square feet of floor area, or the sale of products primarily available in a florist shop, which shall be considered an establishment selling cut flowers, potted plants and decorating accessories, with nearly all plant stock cultivated off the premises.

A certificate issued by the Code Enforcement Officer attesting to the fact that the proposed use or reuse of premises is in accordance with the requirements of this chapter or with a previously issued zoning or building permit and may be legally occupied.

An establishment providing executive, management, administrative or professional services, including medical or dental services, but not involving the sale of merchandise, except as incidental to a permitted use.

The map adopted by ordinance pursuant to the provisions of Article IV of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended,[8] identifying land in which the Township has declared a public interest.

Those public capital improvements which are not on-site improvements and that serve the needs of more than one development.

Area set aside on a lot for parking of at least five vehicles entirely outside of a street right-of-way.

A demarcated area within a parking lot abutting an access lane and of such dimensions, as specified by this chapter, to accommodate one vehicle.

Nonmetallic, nonrenewable substances, including liquids such as petroleum and gases such as natural gases, occurring in their natural state on or below the surface of the earth and having commercial value.

A device used alone or in series to raise the pressure of oil and natural gas and/or by-products to create a pressure differential to move or to compress a liquid, vapor or gas.

A facility designed and constructed to compress natural gas that originates from an oil and gas well or collection of such wells and to operate as an upstream or midstream facility for delivery of oil and gas to a transmission pipeline, distribution pipeline, natural gas processing or treatment facility or underground storage field.

All improvements constructed on the applicant’s property, or the improvements constructed on the property abutting the applicant’s property necessary for the ingress or egress to the applicant’s property and required to be constructed by the applicant pursuant to any municipal ordinance, including, but not limited to, the Municipal Building Code, Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, PRD regulations and Zoning Ordinance.

Any parcel or area of land or an area of water designed and intended for recreation, resource protection, amenity, and/or buffers. Open space shall not include areas set aside for public facilities, driveways or parking lots.

Any business that engages in commerce, is not industrial and is not otherwise defined within this section.

A building or structure containing or supporting an accessory use.

The keeping, in an unenclosed or unfenced area, of any goods, junk, material, merchandise, or vehicles in the same place for more than 24 hours.

A building or group of buildings occupied by medical practitioners and related service for the purpose of providing health services to persons on an outpatient basis, but not including mental health institutions and/or drug treatment facilities.

The agreement entered into by an owner or applicant for land development approval for property in a State Route 228 Overlay Zoning District and guaranteeing dedication of right-of-way and participation in the funding of signalized intersections, among other items.

A zoning district that encompasses parts or all of one or more underlying zones and that imposes additional or alternative requirements to that required by the underlying zone.

An off-street parking lot designed for drivers to leave their automobiles and use mass transit facilities beginning, terminating, or stopping at the lot.

Joint use of a parking lot or area for more than one use.

A surfaced outdoor area level with the surrounding land surface no more than three feet above or below the surface at any point, and without a permanent roof or similar covering.

Legislation adopted by the State in 1968 as Act 247, and amended on several occasions since,[9] that provides a uniform procedure enabling municipalities to implement regulations, such as this chapter, to control the development and use of land.

Any use allowed by right in a zoning district and subject to the restrictions applicable to that zoning district.

A nonprofit or for-profit boarding home for the sheltered care of persons with special needs, which, in addition to providing food and shelter, may also provide some combination of personal care, social or counseling services, and transportation.

Any legal enterprise conducted for gain which offers services directly to the public at the site of the business, and which includes but is not limited to shore repair, watch repair, barber shops, beauty parlors, photography studios and massage parlors, but specifically excluding tattoo and/or body piercing businesses and the like.

Any variety of domesticated creature, such as birds, cats, dogs, and hamsters, normally kept within a dwelling or residential yard area, but not including exotic or wild animals, reptiles, insects, or snakes.

An area of land, controlled by a landowner, to be developed as a single entity for a number of dwelling units, or combination of residential and nonresidential uses, the development plan for which does not correspond in lot size, bulk, type of dwelling, or use, density, or intensity, lot coverage and required open space to the regulations established in any one district created, from time to time, under the provisions of this chapter.

The body duly appointed by the Board of Supervisors from residents of Adams Township with specific duties in connection with this chapter.

An attachment to a building covered by a permanent roof but without side walls floor to ceiling, and considered part of the building for purposes of setback from lot lines.

The placement of a public notice upon a signboard or upon a building or structure on a property calling public attention to proposed changes in the zoning status of the property, or to a request for a variance, and indicating the date, time, and place of the hearing at which the matter will be heard.

The building or structure containing the principal permitted use on the lot, such use possibly occurring in more than one building or structure.

The primary or predominant use of any lot or parcel to which all other uses on lot are accessory.

Persons who provide expert or professional advice, including, but not limited to, architects, attorneys, certified public accountants, engineers, geologists, land surveyors, landscape architects or planners.

An individual duly registered to practice engineering in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

See "lot."

See "lot line."

A formal meeting held pursuant to public notice by the Board of Supervisors or Planning Commission, intended to inform and obtain public comment, prior to taking action in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.

A forum held pursuant to public notice under 65 Pa.C.S.A. § 701 et seq., known as the "Sunshine Act."

Notice published once each week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in Adams Township. Such notice shall state the time and place of the hearing and the particular nature of the matter to be considered at the hearing. The first publication shall not be more than 30 days and the second publication shall not be less than seven days from the date of the hearing; also the posting of a notice upon an affected property with the same information.

A system providing distribution of water, gas, electric, telephone or cable TV services, or the collection and disposal of wastewater, such system operating as a municipal authority and/or under the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

Leisure-time activities, usually of a formal nature and often performed with others, requiring equipment, nonmotorized or otherwise, and taking place at prescribed places, sites, or fields. Activities include, but are not limited to, swimming, tennis and other court games, baseball and other field sports, track, and playground activities.

A privately owned, for-profit recreation facility open to the public at large for a fee.

A permanently enclosed recreational facility.

A recreational facility for the exclusive use of the residents of a development or the members of the organization owning the land or parcel, but not open to the general public.

Leisure-time activities that involve relatively inactive or less energetic activities, including, but not limited to, walking, sitting, picnicking, card games, chess, checkers, and similar table games, and not typically requiring prescribed places, sites, courts, or fields.

An establishment primarily engaged in the provision of repair services to individuals, households, or other businesses, but excluding automotive or other vehicle repair and farm machinery and tractor repair.

The minimum number of parking spaces required to be provided in connection with the particular use of a lot as specified by this chapter.

An establishment or other facility engaged in investigation in the natural, physical, or social sciences, but which may include engineering and product development.

An establishment where the principal business is the sale of food and beverages in a ready-to-consume state, where there is no service to a customer in an automobile, and where the design or principal method of operation consists of one or more of the following:

An establishment where the principal business is the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages in a ready-to-consume state, and where the design or principal method of operation is that of a fast-food or drive-in-style restaurant offering quick food service, where orders are generally not taken at the customer's table, where food is generally served in disposable wrapping or containers, and where food and beverages may be served directly to the customer in an automobile.

An agreement between a developer and purchasers of lots in his plan restricting the use of the lots, such restrictions applying uniformly to all lots, recorded with the plan, effective for a specified time period, capable of being modified only upon approval of the agreement signers, and not enforceable by the Township.

A retail establishment, or any combination of retail establishments in a single building, occupying more than 25,000 square feet.

The highest elevation of a mountain chain or line of hills.

A strip of land which has been dedicated for public use and provides access to private property abutting it, connecting with other rights-of-way to form a vehicular and pedestrian circulation network in the Township; also an easement across private property.

The list of charges adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, and not a part of this chapter, to cover the costs of administering the review, decision and/or appeal processes required by a development proposal, such costs to be borne by the developer, paid in advance, and subject to periodic revision by the Board.

Any building or part thereof used for instructional purposes, whether public or private, and licensed by the commonwealth to provide elementary or secondary education.

An enclosed storage facility of a commercial nature containing independent, fully enclosed bays which are leased to persons exclusively for storage of their household or office goods or personal property, and where lessees have individual, unlimited access to their storage areas.

The minimum or maximum distance a building or structure must be situated from an adjacent lot line, as required by this chapter in each of the established zoning districts.

An imaginary line within a lot describing the limits within which building construction can occur, or any part of such line, as established by the front, side and rear yard depths for each zoning district. Certain building projections and uses of the lot may extend over the line.

An individual certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and retained by the Township to evaluate the ability of a lot proposed for development, but lacking public sewer connections, to absorb sewage effluent, and to decide on the appropriate type of disposal system, given the slope and soil characteristics of the lot. The Sewage Enforcement Officer shall perform such other tasks as directed.

Commercial/retail establishments occupying less than 15,000 square feet.

A paved, surfaced, or leveled area, usually paralleling and separated from the street, used as a pedestrian walkway.

The minimum distance the driver of a vehicle can see unencumbered by intervening buildings, structures, land forms or vegetation, to safely negotiate an intersection of streets, usually measured between 3 1/2 feet and eight feet above the road surface.

Any object, device, display, or structure, or part thereof, which is used primarily to advertise, identify, display, direct, or attract attention to an object, person, institution, organization, business, product, service, event, or location by any means, including words, letters, figures, designs, symbols, fixtures, colors, motion, illumination, or projected images. This includes, but is not limited to, wall signs, freestanding signs, ground signs, window signs, canopy or awning signs, projecting signs, temporary signs, illuminated signs, changeable-copy signs, and any other type of sign defined herein, and any other attention-getting device, flag, or banner.

A sign that relies on flashing lights or movement of some element or all of the sign to reinforce its message.

All the surface of a sign face, or if no defined panel, all the contiguous area enclosed within the outer edges of the components of the message, including any framing, trim or molding, but not including the supports of the sign. In computing the area of a double-faced sign, only one side shall be considered if the message on both sides is identical. If a sign is comprised of two nonparallel sides or more than two sides, the area of each side shall be considered in calculating the sign area.

A permanent, on-premises freestanding sign, compatible in design and color with the principal structures, announcing the name of a development, including a logo or trademark, and providing space for major or anchor tenants.

Two sign faces of identical size and dimensions placed back-to-back and secured or attached to a single support structure. It shall not include signs comprised of two or more sign faces attached at an angle or not parallel.

The area or display surface used for the message.

A nonmovable sign not affixed to a building and completely supported on its own structure attached to the ground, including but not limited to pole signs, ground signs, and construction signs.

Any sign, other than a pole sign, in which the entire bottom is in contact with or close to the ground and is independent of any other structure.

A sign that identifies or communicates a commercial or noncommercial message related to an activity conducted, a service rendered, or a commodity sold at a location other than the premises or lot where the sign is located, or a belief held by a person or persons living at a location other than on the premises or lot where the sign is located.

A sign that identifies or communicates a commercial or noncommercial message related to an activity conducted, a service rendered, or a commodity sold on the premises or lot upon which the sign is located, or a belief held by a person living on the premises or lot upon which the sign is located.

A sign that is mounted on a freestanding pole or other support so that the bottom edge of the sign face is six feet or more above the ground.

A sign that is not permanently affixed to a building, structure, or the ground, or which is designed to be moved from place to place. This includes, but is not limited to, signs attached to wood or metal frames designed to be self-supporting and movable; paper, cardboard, or canvas signs wrapped around supporting poles; sandwich signs; trailer- or boat-mounted signs; and signs attached to vehicles not customarily and regularly used to transport persons or properties.

A sign attached to and projecting from the wall of a building and not in the same plane as the wall.

A sign intended to remain in place for a specific short period of time, at the end of which it must be removed by the person erecting it, including construction signs, garage sale signs, grand opening signs, celebration signs, political campaign signs, real estate ("for sale" or "for rent") signs, and signs advertising special sales or business promotions.

A sign which is affixed to or placed flat against the wall of a building or structure (but not painted on) and projecting therefrom not more than one foot.

A sign applied, painted, stenciled, or affixed to or in the window of a building. A window sign may be temporary or permanent.

A use that has the same characteristics, and is at the same scale, as the specifically cited uses in terms of the following: trip generation and type of traffic, parking and circulation, utility demands, environmental impacts, physical space needs, and clientele.

Any plot or parcel of land or a part thereof or combination of contiguous lots or parcels of land.

The total area of a lot, tract, or parcel or combination of lots, tracts or parcels.

The improvement of a site in accordance with an approved land development plan, zoning/building permit and site plan, including construction of buildings and structures and the rearrangement of the land surface.

The proposed layout of a lot showing all elements of the site development as well as utility and drainage lines and existing buildings and structures to remain as depicted.

A preliminary plan showing general layout of uses, access, and other development features on a site, for the purpose of informal review that carries no vested rights or obligations of any party.

Retail store catering to unique market segments and adapted to a theme of small-scale establishments (as opposed to "big box" structures) including antique shops, florists, card shops, hobby and craft shops, gift shops, wearing apparel shops, bookstores (excluding adult bookstores and other adult entertainment uses), camera shops, jewelry stores, boutique and craft shop, and similar specialty retail stores.

The minimum distance between structures, whether residential, commercial, or industrial and whether principal or accessory, as established by the building code currently in effect.

A transcription of testimony taken at a public hearing by a professional stenographer.

The process of controlling stormwater runoff from paved or covered surfaces to prevent the rapid release of large volumes of water at high velocity that would damage lower properties through flash flooding, erosion or sediment deposition.

An area or facility constructed to receive and hold stormwater for release at a controlled rate, including, but not limited to, graded depressions in the ground, parking lots with concave surfaces, roof tops, or buried tanks or pipes.

The area in a building between the floor and the floor next above or below, or if no floor is above, the ceiling above.

Includes street, avenue, boulevard, road, highway, freeway, parkway, lane, alley, viaduct and any other ways used or intended to be used by vehicular traffic or pedestrians whether public or private.

A street that collects traffic from local streets and connects with minor or major arterials.

A street with a single common ingress and egress and with a turnaround at the end.

The edge of a street right-of-way where it abuts private property.

A street designed to provide vehicular access to abutting property and to discourage through traffic.

A high-volume street with access control, channelized intersections, restricted parking, and significant regional traffic, primarily intersected by minor arterials and collectors.

A street used primarily for intratownship travel, with signals at important intersections and stop signs on the side streets; acts primarily as a connection between arterials and is intersected by collector roads.

A strip of land improved for passage of vehicles and/or pedestrians but not accepted for maintenance by Adams Township.

A right-of-way intended to be used for travel by the public, improved for such purpose and accepted by Adams Township or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for perpetual maintenance.

Any man-made object having an ascertainable stationary location on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to the land.

Facilities where works of art, including but not limited to photography, painting, sculpting, and computer graphic art are displayed or created, excluding adult material (see § 192-47B).

The division or redivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land, including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, partition by the court for distribution to heirs or devisees, transfer of ownership or building or lot development; provided, however, that the subdivision by lease of land or agricultural purposes into parcels of more than 10 acres, not involving any new street or easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be exempted.

A dwelling that may be permitted to be placed on a lot that already contains one dwelling, based on a family hardship encountered by the residents of the existing dwelling that can be cured during the extent of the hardship by the presence of the second dwelling.

Any structure that is used for the purpose of supporting one or more non-tower-based wireless communication facilities, including, but not limited to, self-supporting lattice towers, guy towers and monopoles, utility poles and light poles. Distributed antenna system hub facilities are considered to be tower-based wireless communication facilities.

See "dwelling, townhouse."

A report analyzing anticipated roadway conditions with and without an applicant's development.

A structure standing on wheels, towed or hauled by another vehicle, and used short-term as a temporary office or storage area at a construction work site.

Any dwelling unit owned or managed by a person which is rented or leased for a period of less than 30 days.

Those off-site road improvements that have a life expectancy of three or more years, not including costs for maintenance, operation or repair.

A geographically defined portion of the municipality not to exceed seven square miles of area which, pursuant to the Comprehensive Plan and applicable district zoning regulations, has an aggregation of sites with development potential creating the need for transportation improvements within such area to be funded by impact fees. No area may be included in more than one transportation service area.

Any self-supporting woody plant, usually having a single woody trunk, and a potential DBH of two inches or more.

Ground surface that has not been changed by cutting or filling for at least two years prior to development.

The purpose for which land or a building is arranged, designed, or intended, or for which either land or a building is or may be occupied or maintained.

A freestanding structure designed to carry utility lines or transmission lines.

Relief granted pursuant to the provisions of Articles VI and IX of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended,[12] and Article XII of this chapter.

All plant life; however, for purposes of this chapter, it shall be restricted to mean trees, shrubs, and vines.

An establishment providing medical care, treatment, grooming, or boarding services for animals.

A wall at least four feet high on its exposed side designed by an Engineer to contain the thrust of an earth embankment behind it.

An establishment, conducted within an enclosed building, that is engaged in the storage of materials, equipment, or products that will be distributed to wholesalers or retailers.

An area that is inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and under normal circumstances does support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.

Any device including, but not limited to, a wind charger, wind turbine or windmill that is designed to convert wind power into another form of energy such as electricity or heat.

The front, side, or rear area of a lot between the lot line and the setback line, the depth of which is specified for each type of yard within each zoning district by this chapter.

The shortest distance between a lot line and the adjacent parallel setback line on a lot.

The area of a lot between the front lot line and the front building line extending to the side lot lines, measured perpendicular to the building at the closest point to the front lot line.

The area extending the full width of the lot between the rear lot line and rear building line extending to the side lot lines, and measured perpendicular to the building at the closest point to the rear lot line.

The area of a lot between the side lot line and the side setback line, extending from the front yard to the rear yard, and measured perpendicular from the side lot line to the closest point of the principal building.

The controls imposed by this chapter that define the uses of land and buildings and the intensity of such uses that may occur within a zoning district, such controls to be applied uniformly throughout the district.

A contiguous area of land on all parts of which the same uniform opportunities for development and regulatory standards apply.

The perimeter line completely enclosing a zoning district.

A body appointed by the Board of Supervisors to examine and decide appeals for variances or from decisions of the Code Enforcement Officer, and to hear testimony regarding the validity of municipal regulations upon development.

The official plan of zoning districts in Adams Township, a part of this chapter, by reference, showing precisely the boundaries and title of each district. Said map shall be on file in the Township Municipal Building.

A body of legislation adopted by a municipality establishing districts throughout the municipality within each of which uniform land use regulations apply.

A document required by this chapter as a condition precedent to the commencement of a use, or the erection, construction, reconstruction, restoration, alteration, conversion, or installation of a structure or building, that acknowledges that such use, structure, or building complies with the provisions of this chapter, and any other relevant ordinance, or authorized variance therefrom.