Sec. 300. For the purpose of this Ordinance, the Township of Bedford is hereby divided into the following districts:

(Ord. No. 44A-216, 10-1-02; Ord. No. 44A-340, § 1, 11-17-20)

Sec. 301. The areas comprising the above-referenced zoning districts, and the boundaries of said zoning districts, were established on the Official Zoning Map of the Township of Bedford, which was a separate drawn map that existed as of the time of the adoption of this Township of Bedford Zoning Ordinance, (Bedford Township Ordinance No. 44), as adopted and made effective on May 5, 1977. Said Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township was adopted by reference, and made a part thereof, when the Township of Bedford Zoning Ordinance was adopted on May 5, 1977. That Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, then, became adopted as part of this Township of Bedford Zoning Ordinance (Bedford Township Ordinance No. 44), and it became the Official Zoning Map for the Township of Bedford, showing the official zoning for all the land in the Township of Bedford, at that time and for thereafter until it would be revised or replaced, or until individual parcels were later rezoned.

The zoning of a parcel or parcels may be changed from that as established in the original Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, as adopted as part of this Township of Bedford Zoning Ordinance (Bedford Township Ordinance No. 44), on May 5, 1977, at any time in accordance with State law and Article XXV of this Zoning Ordinance. From time to time, the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township may be revised and updated to reflect zoning amendments that have occurred since the time that the last zoning map was brought current, or to correct mistakes, drafting errors, or other errors or omissions. The Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township may be administratively modified from time to time without legislative action, such as the action required to change this Zoning Ordinance or the official zoning district classifications. The Township Board of the Township of Bedford, or the Township Planning Commission of the Township of Bedford, may, from time to time, authorize the revising of the then current edition of the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, so as to correct any mistakes, drafting errors, or any other errors or omissions, or to bring it into conformity with the zoning amendments that have been adopted since the date of the latest revision of the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, without notice, hearing or other legislative process. The administrative action to revise the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township from time to time, may also be accomplished by the Planning and Zoning Coordinator, Zoning Administrator, or similar type department head of the Planning Department of the Township of Bedford. A revision date and the name of the revising body or official shall be noted on the revised Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township. When administrative revisions to the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township are created, copies of the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township shall be made available to the public, and copies shall be provided to all the members of the Planning Commission of Bedford Township and the Township Board of the Township of Bedford. The administrative action of revising the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township shall not be construed as a legislative act of amending the Township of Bedford Zoning Ordinance, (Bedford Township Ordinance No. 44). The actual amendments to the Township of Bedford Zoning Ordinance to change zoning classifications for particular parcels of property shall always control in the event of a conflict between the rezoning ordinance amendment and the administrative revision to the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township. There shall not be construed by this provision any requirement that the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, as administratively revised, should reflect the actual zoning for every parcel within the Township of Bedford. Efforts shall be made to keep the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township administratively up to date as much as possible to correspond to the actual zoning as created by rezoning ordinance amendments, but in all cases, the zoning ordinance amendments shall control over the latest administrative revision of the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township. Where there has been no administrative revision of a particular parcel of property since May 5, 1977 and no rezoning of that particular parcel of property, the zoning for that particular parcel of property shall be controlled as stated in the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, as it was adopted on May 5, 1977, which is the original Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township.

Although not required, it is permissible that the Township Board of the Township of Bedford, after public hearing and action taken by the Planning Commission of the Township of Bedford, and after recommendation from the County Planning Commission, or after such other procedures as shall be provided by law for the amendment of any zoning ordinance affecting lands within Bedford Township, may adopt by legislative action a new Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, which shall become the new Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, thus superseding and replacing the original Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, and all revisions thereto. That new replacement Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township, as legislatively adopted, shall then show the zoning for all the land in the Township of Bedford, at that time and for thereafter until it would be revised or replaced, except previous actual rezoning amendments for particular parcels of property, in the event of conflict, shall control. Only if an entire new zoning ordinance were adopted, along with a new zoning map, would that zoning map then conclusively show (at that time), the official zoning for all the lands in Bedford Township.

Unless actual rezoning of land is being attempted, no notification to individual parcel owners shall be required in order to administratively or legislatively revise or replace the Official Zoning Map of Bedford Township.

(Ord. No. 44A-254, § 1, 4-17-07)

Sec. 302. Where uncertainty exists with respect to the boundaries of the various districts as shown on the Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:

1.

Boundaries indicated as approximately following the center lines of streets, highways, or alleys, shall be construed to follow such center lines.

2.

Boundaries indicated as approximately following platted lot lines shall be construed as following such lot lines.

3.

Boundaries indicated as approximately following municipal limits shall be construed as following municipal limits.

4.

Boundaries indicated as following railroad lines shall be construed to be the midway between the main tracks.

5.

Boundaries indicated as following shorelines shall be construed to follow such shorelines, and in the event of change in the shoreline shall be construed as moving with the actual shoreline; boundaries indicated as approximately following the center line of streams, rivers, canals, lakes, or other bodies of water shall be construed to follow such center lines.

6.

Boundaries indicated as parallel to or extensions of features indicated in subsections 1 through 5 above shall be so construed. Distances not specifically indicated on the official Zoning Map shall be determined by the scale of the map.

7.

Where physical or natural features existing on the ground are at variance with those shown on the official Zoning Map, or in other circumstances not covered by subsections 1 through 6 above, the Board of Appeals shall interpret the district boundaries.

8.

Insofar as some or all of the various districts may be indicated on the Zoning Map by patterns which, for the sake of map clarity, do not cover public rights-of-way, it is intended that such district boundaries to extend to the center of any public right-of-way.

Sec. 303. Whenever any street, alley, or other public way, within the Township of Bedford shall be vacated, such street, alley, or other public way or portion thereof, shall automatically be classified in the same Zone District as the property to which it attaches.

Sec. 304. All buildings and uses in any District shall be subject to the provisions of Article XIX, General Provisions and Article XX, General Exceptions.