Horsham Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXXV
Administration
§ 230-223 Zoning Officer designated as enforcing officer.
The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by a Zoning Officer with the aid of the Police Department and other municipal agencies.
§ 230-224 Duties and powers of Zoning Officer.
It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officer and he shall have the power to:
A.
Keep a permanent record of all plans and applications for permits, and all permits issued with notations as to special conditions attached thereto. All records shall be open for public inspection and shall be the property of the Township.
B.
Review applications for zoning permits for erections or alterations of structures or changes of use, determine whether such construction or use is in accordance with the general requirements of this chapter, all other applicable ordinances and with the laws and regulations of the commonwealth.
C.
Conduct inspections and surveys to determine compliance or noncompliance with the terms of this chapter. In carrying out such surveys, the Zoning Officer or his representative may enter upon any land or buildings except that if the building is occupied he needs a warrant.
D.
Make written orders requiring compliance with the provisions of this chapter to be served personally or by registered mail.
E.
Institute proceedings in courts of proper jurisdiction for the enforcement of provisions of this chapter.
F.
Maintain a map showing the current zoning classification of all land.
G.
Maintain a map and register showing the registration, identity, location, and type of all nonconforming uses.
H.
Participate in all proceedings before the Zoning Hearing Board, present facts and information to assist the Board in reaching a decision, resist and oppose any deviations from the standard provisions of this chapter and have decisions of Board reviewed in a court of proper jurisdiction when, in the judgment of the Zoning Officer, such review is desirable.
§ 230-225 Issuance of permits.
The Zoning Officer shall have authority to issue zoning permits only for construction and uses which are in accordance with the general requirements of this chapter. Zoning permits for construction and uses which are a special exception to such general requirements shall be issued by the Zoning Officer only upon order of the Zoning Hearing Board. The Zoning Officer shall issue no permits for the construction or use of any land or building unless it also conforms to the requirements of all other ordinances of Horsham Township and with the laws of the commonwealth.
§ 230-226 Permits required.
[Amended 9-16-1998 by Ord. No. 1147; 8-8-2001 by Ord. No. 452; 2-12-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-01]
No building shall be constructed or altered in the Township, or the use of any building changed, nor the use of land commenced or changed, nor any environmental resource disturbed nor structure demolished until a zoning permit has been secured from the Zoning Officer; except that no zoning permit shall be required for the erection of farm buildings to be placed more than 150 feet from the legal right-of-way of any road, and except for the removal of environmental resources identified in § 230-49, no zoning permit shall be required for activities exempted by Act 133 of 1982 (Right to Farm).[1] Upon completion of the work authorized by any permit, the applicant for the permit shall notify the Zoning Officer of such completion. No permit shall be considered as complete or as permanently effective until the Zoning Officer has noted on the permit that the work has been inspected and approved as being in conformity with the provisions of this chapter. No zoning permit shall be issued to an owner or property which is the subject of an unresolved zoning violation notice. No zoning permit shall be issued for properties where there is a conservation easement, deed restriction, covenant, and/or easement recorded against the property that prohibits the use and/or structure applied for.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 3 P.S. § 951 et seq.
§ 230-227 Application for permits.
All applications for zoning permits shall be made in writing by the owner or tenants or authorized agent, and shall be filed with the Zoning Officer. The application shall:
A.
Include a statement as to the proposed use of the building.
B.
Be accompanied by the working plans drawn to scale, showing the location of the building in relation to property and road lines.
C.
Include a statement that the side lines of all roads shown on the plan have been located and staked on the premises by a surveyor or other person competent to give such location.
D.
Give the name and address of the person who has so located and staked the road lines.
E.
When deemed appropriate by the Zoning Officer, submit a plan delineating any woodlands, wetlands, floodplains, lakes, ponds, steep slopes and/or watercourses which exist on the property, and any wetlands, lakes, ponds, and/or watercourses located within 75 feet of the property.
[Added 9-16-1998 by Ord. No. 1147]
§ 230-228 Special exceptions.
An appeal or an application for a special exception or variance from the terms of this chapter may be filed with the Zoning Officer and shall set forth the following facts:
A.
Name and address of the applicant.
B.
Name and address of the owner of the real estate to be affected by the proposed exception or variance.
C.
A brief description and location of the real estate to be affected by such proposed change.
D.
Present zoning classification of the real estate in question, the improvements thereon, and its present use.
E.
Section of this article under which the variance or exception requested may be allowed and reasons for which it should be granted.
F.
A reasonably accurate description of the improvements and the additions intended to be made under this application, indicating the size of such proposed improvements, material and general construction thereof, and attached thereto shall be a plot plan of the real estate to be affected, prepared by a registered engineer, indicating the location and size of the lot and the size of the improvements now erected and proposed to be erected thereon.
§ 230-229 Appeals.
An appeal from the decision of the Zoning Officer should be taken within 30 days.
§ 230-230 Fees.
The applicant for a permit, appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board, or conditional use shall at the time of making the application pay to the Zoning Officer for the use of the Township a fee in accordance with a fee schedule adopted by resolution of the Township Council upon the enactment of this chapter, or as shall be determined from time to time by the Township Council.
§ 230-231 Conditional use procedures.
Whenever a conditional use is authorized pursuant to the terms of this chapter as amended, the procedures for application and review of requested conditional uses shall be as follows:
A.
Written request. The landowner shall make a written request to the Township Council that it hold a hearing on his or her application. The request shall contain a statement reasonably informing the Township Council of the matters that are in issue.
B.
Plans and accompanying documents. The application shall be accompanied by plans and other materials in accordance with § 230-228. If the application shall involve a subdivision or land development, then plans prepared in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 198, Subdivision and Land Development, shall be filed for review as well.
C.
Hearing on conditional use request. The Township Council shall hold a hearing upon the request and shall give public notice as defined herein. The hearing shall be held within 60 days after the date the request is filed, unless the applicant requests or consents in writing to an extension of time.
D.
Decision on conditional use request. In allowing a conditional use, the Township Council may attach reasonable conditions and safeguards as may be deemed necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter and ensure the protection of adjacent uses from adverse impacts that may be determined from credible testimony.