A.   The Board of Supervisors may from time to time amend, supplement or repeal any of the regulations and provisions of this chapter. The procedure for the preparation of a proposed zoning ordinance as set forth in Section 607 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10607, is hereby declared optional.

   B.   Before voting on the enactment of an amendment, the Board of Supervisors shall hold a public hearing thereon, pursuant to public notice. In addition, if the proposed amendment involves a Zoning Map change, notice of said public hearing shall be conspicuously posted by the Township at points deemed sufficient by the Township along the perimeter of the tract to notify potentially interested citizens. The affected tract or area shall be posted at least one week prior to the date of the hearing.

   C.   In the case of an amendment other than that prepared by the Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors shall submit each such amendment to the Planning Commission at least thirty (30) days prior to the hearing on such proposed amendment to provide the Planning Commission an opportunity to submit recommendations.

   D.   If after any public hearing held upon an amendment the proposed amendment is changed substantially or is revised to include land previously not affected by it, the Board of Supervisors shall hold another public hearing, pursuant to public notice, before proceeding to vote on the amendment.

   E.   At least thirty (30) days prior to the public hearing on the amendment by the Board of Supervisors, the Township shall submit the proposed amendment to the county planning agency for recommendations.

   F.   Within thirty (30) days after enactment, a copy of the amendment to this chapter shall be forwarded to the county planning agency.

   A.   If the Township determines that this chapter, or any portion hereof, is substantially invalid, it shall take the following actions:

      (1)   The Township shall declare by formal action this chapter or portions hereof substantially invalid and propose to prepare a curative amendment to overcome such invalidity. Within thirty (30) days of such declaration and proposal, the Board of Supervisors shall:

         (a)   By resolution make specific findings setting forth the declared invalidity of this chapter, which may include:

            [1]   References to specific uses which are either not permitted or not permitted in sufficient quantity.

            [2]   Reference to a class of use or uses which requires revisions.

            [3]   Reference to this entire chapter which requires revisions.

         (b)   Begin to prepare and consider a curative amendment to this chapter to correct the declared invalidity.

   B.   Within one-hundred-eighty (180) days from the date of the declaration and proposal, the Township shall enact a curative amendment to validate or reaffirm the validity of this chapter pursuant to the provisions of Section 609 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (hereinafter MPC ), 53 P.S. § 10609, in order to cure the declared invalidity of this chapter.

   C.   Upon the initiation of the procedures as set forth in Subsection (A), the Board of Supervisors shall not be required to entertain or consider any landowner s curative amendment filed under Section 609.1 of the MPC, 53 P.S. 10609.1, nor shall the Zoning Hearing Board be required to give a report requested under Section 909.1 or 916.1 of the MPC, 53 P.S. 10909.1 or 10916.1, subsequent to the declaration and proposal based upon the grounds identical or substantially similar to those specified by the resolution required by Subsection (A)(1). Upon completion of the procedures set forth in Subsections (A) and (B), no rights to a cure pursuant to the provisions of Sections 609.1 and 916.1 of the MPC, 53 P.S. §§ 10609.1 and 10916.1, shall, from the date of the declaration and proposal, accrue to any landowner on the basis of the substantive validity of this chapter for which there has been a curative amendment pursuant to this section.

   D.   The Township having utilized the procedures set forth in this section may not again utilize said procedure for a period of thirty-six (36) months following the date of enactment of a curative amendment, or reaffirmation of the validity of this chapter; provided, however, that if after the date of declaration and proposal there is a substantially new duty imposed upon the Township by virtue of a change in statute or by virtue of a Pennsylvania Appellate Court decision, the Township may utilize the provisions of this section to propose a curative amendment to this chapter to fulfill said duty or obligation.

   A.   A landowner who desires to challenge on substantive grounds the validity of this chapter or the Zoning Map or any provisions thereof which prohibit or restrict the use or development of land in which he or she has an interest may submit a curative amendment to the Board of Supervisors with a written request that his or her challenge and proposed amendment be heard and decided as provided in Section 916.1 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (hereinafter MPC ), 53 P.S. § 10916.1. The curative amendment and challenge shall be referred to the Planning Commission and the County Planning Agency as provided in Section 609 and notice of the hearing thereon shall be given as provided in Section 610 and Section 916.1 of the MPC, 53 P.S. §§ 10609, 10610 and 10916.1.

   B.   The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Section 908 of the Municipalities Planning Code and all references therein to the Zoning Hearing Board shall, for purposes of this section be references to the Board of Supervisors. If the Township does not accept a landowner s curative amendment brought in accordance with this subsection and a court subsequently rules that the challenge has merit, the court s decision shall not result in a declaration of invalidity for this entire chapter and Zoning Map but only for those provisions which specifically relate to the landowner s curative amendment and challenge.

   C.   The Board of Supervisors, if it determines that a validity challenge has merit, may accept a landowner s curative amendment, with or without revision, or may adopt an alternate amendment which will cure the challenged defects. The Board of Supervisors shall consider the curative amendments, plans and explanatory material submitted by the landowner and shall also consider:

      (1)   The impact of the proposal upon roads, sewer facilities, water supplies, schools, and other public service facilities.

      (2)   If the proposal is for a residential use, the impact of the proposal upon regional housing needs and the effectiveness of the proposal in providing housing units of a type actually available to and affordable by classes of persons otherwise unlawfully excluded by the challenged provisions of this chapter or Zoning Map.

      (3)   The suitability of the site for the intensity of use proposed by the site s soils, slopes, woodlands, wetlands, floodplains, aquifers, natural resources and other natural features.

      (4)   The impact of the proposed use on the site s soils, slopes, woodlands, wetlands, floodplains, natural resources and natural features, the degree to which these are protected or destroyed, the tolerance of the resources to development and any adverse environmental impacts.

      (5)   The impact of the proposal on the preservation of agriculture and other land uses which are essential to public health and welfare.