Hatfield City Zoning Code
PART 1
TITLE, PURPOSE AND JURISDICTION; ESTABLISHMENT OF DISTRICTS
§ 27-101 Short Title and Effective Date.
[Ord. No. 353, 6/19/1991, § 100; as amended by Ord. No. 430, 7/17/2002, § I.A]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Hatfield Borough Zoning Ordinance of 1991," and shall become effective upon enactment.[1]
[1]
Informational Note: The first Hatfield Borough Zoning Ordinance was adopted in 1968.
§ 27-102 Declaration of Legislative Intent.
[Ord. No. 353, 6/19/1991, § 101]
This chapter is enacted for the purpose of promoting the health, safety, and the general welfare of the Borough. This chapter is in accordance with a comprehensive plan, and is designed to lessen congestion on the roads and highways, to secure safety from fire, panic, and other danger, to provide adequate light and air, to prevent the overcrowding of land, to avoid undue congestion of population, to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks, and other public requirements, to conserve the value of buildings, and to encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the Borough.
§ 27-103 Statement of Community Development Objectives.
[Ord. No. 353, 6/19/1991, § 102; as amended by Ord. No. 430, 7/17/2002, § XIII.B]
1.
The Borough of Hatfield, which has an adopted Comprehensive Plan dated December, 1970, to guide the orderly growth and development of the Borough, intends this chapter to implement the following statement of community development objectives, in accordance with Act 247, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
A.
Growth. Hatfield Borough is a developed community with an established character that should be preserved; no drastic changes in the present development pattern should occur.
(1)
All future growth, whether by infilling of remaining vacant land or by redevelopment of existing developed parcels, should occur in an orderly and controlled manner that is consistent with the scale and character of the Borough.
(2)
The Borough's population should remain relatively stable in the future, increasing only slightly from its present level of approximately 2,600 persons. Sharp increases or decreases in population are not expected or encouraged.
B.
Land Use. Hatfield Borough should remain a primarily residential community, which also functions as an employment and service center for surrounding less developed areas.
(1)
The integrity of established residential neighborhoods in the Borough should be protected; nonresidential development should be located in a manner which complements, rather than downgrades, residential areas.
(2)
The Borough's existing mix of small-scale commercial and residential uses helps to give it a distinctive character; continued mixing of uses should be fostered as long as it does not detract from the character of established neighborhoods.
C.
Housing. Adequate housing opportunities should be available in the Borough for people of all ages and incomes.
(1)
A variety of housing types should be provided within the Borough, and efforts to preserve and enhance the quality of the housing stock should be encouraged.
(2)
Design of new "infill" residential development should be consistent with that of surrounding neighborhoods, and should not overburden these neighborhoods with traffic, parking, or stormwater runoff.
(3)
New multifamily development should provide adequate areas for off-street parking, recreation and open space.
D.
Commerce. Future commercial development in the Borough should be limited to those types of establishments which will create minimal adverse impact on adjacent residential neighborhoods and on vehicular movement throughout the Borough.
(1)
Low intensity business and professional office uses should be permitted in residential areas along the frontage of Lincoln, Broad, Market and South Main Streets, where such development constitutes an appropriate alternative use for converted dwellings, while maintaining the residential character of these neighborhood.
(2)
In the Borough's Commercial District, development of small scale and convenience commercial uses to meet the needs of Borough residents, rather than a wider market, is encouraged. Highway-oriented, high-traffic commercial uses are not encouraged.
(3)
To encourage the adaptive reuse of older buildings, to create a pedestrian friendly environment and to discourage blight, the Borough has added new design and zoning requirements to the regulations involving its Core Commercial District.
E.
Industry. The retention of existing industry should be encouraged as a means of maintaining the Borough's economic base.
F.
Transportation. A mutually beneficial relationship between traffic circulation and land use should be established.
(1)
Vehicular circulation should be designed to separate regional traffic from local residential traffic whenever possible.
(2)
Effects of regional traffic through the Borough should be mitigated by limiting the number of driveway accesses and traffic generating uses on arterial streets.
(3)
Adequate off-street parking and loading areas should be required for all new development in the Borough:
(4)
Efforts should be made to address regional traffic problems through cooperation with surrounding municipalities.
G.
Community Facilities and Services. Continued improvements in the level and quality of community facilities and services should be fostered.
H.
Environment. Borough regulations should encourage the maintenance of a high standard of air and water quality and the protection of the Borough's natural resources, including woodlands and floodplains. Historical and cultural resources should be identified and preserved, and the overall esthetic qualities of the Borough environment should be improved through sign regulations, landscaping requirements, and similar controls.
I.
Intergovernmental Cooperation. Cooperation with surrounding communities in dealing with social and physical problems which transcend municipal boundaries is encouraged.
§ 27-104 Establishment of Districts and Zoning Map.
[Ord. No. 353, 6/19/1991, § 103; as amended by Ord. No. 430, 7/17/2002, XIII.A]
2.
Location and boundaries of such districts shall be shown on the Zoning Map, which is made a part of this chapter. The said map and all notations, references, and other things shown thereon shall be as much a part of this chapter as if the matter and things shown by said map were all fully described herein.
§ 27-105 District Boundaries.
[Ord. No. 353, 6/19/1991, § 104; as amended by Ord. No. 430, 7/17/2002, § I.C]
1.
Where uncertainty exists with respect to the boundaries of the districts as indicated on the Zoning Map the following rules shall apply:
A.
Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately coinciding with the center lines of streets, highways, railroad lines or streams, such center lines shall be construed to be such boundaries.
B.
Where district boundaries are so indicated that they approximately coincide with lot lines, such lot lines shall be construed to be said boundaries; or where district boundaries are extensions of lot lines or connect the intersection of lot lines, such lines shall be said district boundaries.
C.
Where a district boundary divides a lot, the location of such boundary shall be specified by figures on the Zoning Map, or where no figures exist, by use of the scale appearing on the map.
D.
Where figures are shown on the Zoning Map between a street and a district boundary, they shall indicate that the boundary runs parallel to the center line of the street or highway, at a distance therefrom equal to the number of feet so indicated.
E.
In case any further uncertainty exists, the Zoning Hearing Board shall interpret the map as to the location of district boundaries.
§ 27-106 Conflict.
[Ord. No. 353, 6/19/1991, § 105]
It is not intended by this chapter to repeal, abrogate, annul, or interfere with any existing ordinances or enactment, or with any rule, regulation, or permit adopted or issued thereunder, except insofar as the same may be inconsistent or in conflict with any of the provisions of this chapter; provided, that where this chapter imposes greater restrictions upon the use of buildings or land, or upon the height and bulk of buildings, or prescribes larger open spaces than are required by the provisions of such ordinance, enactment, rule, regulation or permit, then the provisions of this chapter shall control.