Lawrence Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE I
General Provisions
§ 125-1 Title.
The official title of this chapter shall be the "Zoning Ordinance of the Township of Lawrence."
§ 125-2 Statutory authority; purpose.
A.
This chapter is adopted by virtue of the authority granted to the Township under Article VI of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247 of 1968, as amended by Act 170 of 1988 and as further amended. Also, this chapter is adopted under the provisions of Act 164 of 1984, known as the "Aviation Code," codified at 74 Pa. C.S.A. § 5101 et seq., as well as to meet the requirements of Section 560.3(d) of the National Flood Insurance Program and the Pennsylvania Flood Management Act, Act 166 of 1978 Section 101 et seq.
B.
The provisions of this Zoning Ordinance are designed:
(1)
To promote, protect and facilitate one or more of the following: the public health, safety, morals, general welfare; coordinated and practical community development and proper density of population; emergency preparedness and operations, airports, and national defense facilities, the provisions of adequate light and air, access to incident solar energy, police protection, vehicle parking and loading space, transportation, water, sewage, schools, recreational facilities, public grounds, the provision of a safe, reliable and adequate water supply for domestic, commercial, agricultural or industrial use, and other public requirements, as well as preservation of the natural, scenic and historic values in the environment and preservation of forests, wetlands, aquifers and floodplains.
(2)
To prevent one or more of the following: overcrowding of land, blight, danger and congestion in travel and transportation, loss of health, life or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers.
(3)
To preserve prime agriculture and farmland considering topography, soil type and classification, and present use.
(4)
To provide for the use of land within the municipality for residential housing of various dwelling types encompassing all basic forms of housing, including single-family and two-family dwellings, and a reasonable range of multifamily dwellings in various arrangements, mobile homes and mobile home parks.
(5)
To accommodate reasonable overall community growth, including population and employment growth, and opportunities for development of a variety of residential dwelling types and nonresidential uses.
§ 125-3 Community development objectives.
A.
The zoning regulations and districts set forth in this chapter are made in accordance with a comprehensive plan for the general welfare of the Township and are intended for the following purposes:
(1)
Achievement of the highest and best use of land.
(2)
Protection of transportation corridors.
(3)
The establishment of a realistic population density control.
(4)
To effectuate a logical road and street pattern designed to adequately serve business, industry, and residence and insofar as possible, maintain a land use separation necessary to protect the neighborhood environment.
(5)
To guide development with a view to providing adequate and economical community facilities and utilities.
(6)
To achieve adequate public protection.
(7)
To permit economical installation of sanitary sewers and treatment facilities.
(8)
To effectuate a future land use plan including the preservation of natural amenities and resources.
(9)
To ensure capability of development with the Clearfield-Lawrence Airport.
(10)
To ensure development meets minimum standards and provisions relative to areas which are subject to flooding.
B.
These are made with reasonable consideration of, among other things, the existing character of the various areas within the Township and their respective suitability for particular uses.
§ 125-4 Compliance required.
No structure shall be located, erected, demolished, constructed, moved, altered externally, converted, or enlarged, nor shall any structure or land be used or be designed to be used, except in full compliance with all the provisions of this chapter, and after the lawful issuance of all permits and certifications required by this chapter; except that the Township of Lawrence will be exempt from the provisions of this chapter in the exercise of its municipal functions.