The boundaries of the zoning districts shall be shown on the Zoning Map of the Township.[1] The Zoning Map and all notations, references and data shown thereon are hereby incorporated by reference into this chapter.

The official copy of the Zoning Map shall be so located and identified by the signature of the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, attested by the Secretary of the Board, and bear the seal of the Township under the following words:

If the Official Zoning Map is amended, an entry indicating the change and the date of the change shall be made on the map and the entry shall include the signatures of the Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Supervisors.

In the event that the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret by reason of the nature and number of changes and additions made thereon, the Board of Supervisors may, by resolution, adopt a new Official Zoning Map which shall supersede such prior map. The new Official Zoning Map may correct drafting or other errors or omissions in the prior Zoning Map, but no such correction shall have the effect of amending the original Official Zoning Map or any subsequent amendment thereof. The new Official Zoning Map shall be identified by the signature of the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, attested by the Secretary of the Board, and bear the seal of the Township under the following words:

Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately coinciding with the center lines of streets, highways, lanes, alleys, railroad tracks, rivers or creeks, such center lines shall be construed to be such boundaries.

Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately coinciding with property lines or municipal boundary lines, such lines shall be construed to be such boundaries.

Where district boundaries are indicated as being approximately parallel to the center or right-of-way lines of streets or highways, lanes, alleys, railroad tracks, rivers or creeks, such district boundaries shall be construed as being parallel to the center or right-of-way lines at such distance as is indicated on the Official Zoning Map. Distances not specifically indicated on the Official Zoning Map shall be determined by the scale of the map.

Where district boundaries are indicated as being approximately perpendicular to the right-of-way lines of streets or highways, such district boundaries shall be construed as being perpendicular to the right-of-way lines.

Boundaries indicated as approximately following Township limits shall be construed as following such limits.

Boundaries indicated as extensions of features indicated in Subsections A through E above shall be so construed.

Where physical or cultural features existing on the ground are at variance with those shown on the Official Zoning Map or in other circumstances not covered by Subsection A through F above, the Zoning Officer shall interpret the district boundaries.

Where a district boundary line divides a property which was in single ownership at the effective date of this chapter, at the election of the Township Zoning Officer, the regulations of either Zoning District may be extended a distance of not more than 100 feet beyond the district boundary line into the remaining portion of the lot.

No building, structure or land shall be used and no building, structure or part thereof shall be erected, constructed, assembled, moved, enlarged, reconstructed, removed or structurally altered without the issuance of a zoning and/or building permit by the Zoning Officer. No building, structure or land shall be occupied without the issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy by the Zoning Officer.

No part of a yard, other open area or off-street parking or loading space required in connection with one structure, building or use of the land shall be included as part of a yard, open area or off-street parking or loading space similarly required for any other structure, building or use of the land, except as permitted or required by this chapter or other Township ordinance or regulations.

No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this chapter which meets the requirements of this chapter shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth in this chapter. A yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this chapter shall not be further reduced below the minimum requirements of this chapter.

Where district regulations specify a minimum lot width at the street line, the minimum lot width shall be provided contiguous along the street line of one street. It is prohibited, when calculating the width of a lot, to add widths along the street lines of two or more streets. In the case of a corner lot, the minimum lot width must be provided along the street line of one street, but does not have to be provided along the street line of each street on which the lot fronts.

Where district regulations specify a minimum lot width at the building setback line, the minimum lot width shall be provided contiguous along the building setback line established from two or more streets. In the case of a corner lot, the minimum lot width must be provided along the building setback line established from one street, but does not have to be provided along the building setback line established from each street on which the lot fronts.

In the case of a lot of irregular shape in which a portion of the lot abuts a street and a portion not abutting a street abuts the rear yards of lots which have frontage on the same street as does the irregularly shaped lot, on the irregularly shaped lot a building setback line shall be established from the abutting rear yards. As a minimum, the building setback requirement of the applicable zoning district shall be used in establishing such building setback line.