This Title Six of Part Twelve of these Codified Ordinances shall be known and may be cited as the Township of Lower Chichester Zoning Ordinance of 1968 and shall be referred to throughout this Title Six as "this Zoning Code."

(Ord. 404.  Passed 3-25-68.)

   (a)   Land Use - Residential.

      Goal - Accommodation of the anticipated and projected population growth.

         Objective 1 - Maintenance of the older housing stock so as to prevent physical deterioration of structures, prevent overcrowding of dwelling units and prevent overall neighborhood decline.

         Objective 2 - Provision of a variety of housing types in terms of prices, location, structure, type and tenure in suitable locations to meet the varying needs of all individuals and families.

         Objective 3 - Provision of adequate living space, especially in terms of open space.

         Objective 4 - Protection of living areas from smoke, noise, air pollution and other nuisances.

   (b)   Land Use - Commercial.

      Goal - Encouragement and strengthening of a viable amount of well-located, well-designed, commercial establishments with primary emphasis on safety, convenience and attractiveness.

         Objective l - Provision for growth in more clustered centers of high intensity use so as to reduce traffic hazards and enhance convenience.

         Objective 2 - Encouragement of the separation of commercial traffic from through traffic and residential traffic by controlling ingress and egress points and by requiring sufficient offstreet parking and loading facilities.

   (c)   Land Use - Industrial.

      Goal - Establishment of modern type industrial development in areas contiguous to present industrial development.

         Objective l - Protection of residential and commercial areas from smoke, noise, air pollution and other nuisances by development of modern type industry.

         Objective 2 - Encouragement of modern type industrial structures for industry consonant with comfortable living by residents in nearby areas.

   (d)   Municipal Services.

      Goal - Provision of adequate services at reasonable and predictable costs to the taxpayer through an efficient, economical system capable of providing expanded services as necessary.

         Objective 1 - Provision of adequate recreation facilities for all age groups and interests through cooperative efforts of the Township and the school system.

         Objective 2 - Provision of professional law enforcement within the financial capability of the Township.

         Objective 3 - Provision of adequate fire-fighting personnel and facilities so that all areas of the Township can be efficiently and effectively served.

         Objective 4 - Provision of efficient, economical refuse collection and

         street maintenance services.

   (e)   Transportation.

      Goal - Provision of safe, convenient and economical movement of goods among places of residence, shopping and recreation.

         Objective 1 - Elimination of existing hazardous traffic areas and traffic congestion by establishing priorities in street improvements and in signalization of intersections.

         Objective 2 - Encouragement of mass transit routes to serve high intensity development.

(Ord. 434.  Passed 12-29-71.)

   (a)   The Board of Commissioners may from time to time amend, supplement, change, modify or repeal this Zoning Code, including the Zoning Map.

   (b)   The Board of Commissioners shall, by Resolution adopted at a stated meeting, fix the time and place of a public hearing on the proposed amendment, and cause notice thereof to be given as follows:

      (1)   By publishing a notice thereof in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the Township once a week for two weeks at least ten days before such hearing.

      (2)   By mailing or delivering a notice thereof to every civic association or association of residents in the Township which shall have registered its name and address for this purpose with the Zoning Hearing Board.  The notice shall state the general nature of the proposed amendment.

   (c)   The Board of Commissioners, having held such hearing, may then at any stated meeting which follows such hearing by at least ten days, change, modify or repeal this Zoning Code as stated in the notices, by a majority vote of the Board of Commissioners.

   (d)   Whenever the owners of fifty percent or more of the frontage in any area wherein a change of zoning regulations is sought shall present to the Board of Commissioners a petition duly signed and acknowledged requesting an amendment, supplement, change, modification or repeal of the regulations prescribed for, or of the Zoning Map including such area, it shall be the duty of the Board of Commissioners to hold a public hearing thereon, and cause notice thereof to be given in the manner prescribed in subsection (b) hereof.

   (e)   In case of a protest against such change, signed by the owners of twenty percent or more, either of the area of the lots included in such proposed change, or of those immediately adjacent, in the rear thereof extending 100 feet therefrom, or of those directly opposite thereto extending 100 feet from the street frontage of such opposite lot, such amendment shall not become effective except by the favorable vote of three-fourths of the members of the Board of Commissioners.

(Ord. 404.  Passed 3-25-68.)

   If any section, paragraph, subsection, clause or provision of this Zoning Code shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of this Zoning Code as a whole or any other part thereof.

(Ord. 404.  Passed 3-25-68.)

   Unless otherwise stated herein, the words set forth in this section shall, for the purpose of this Zoning Code, have the meaning herein indicated.

   (a)   ACCESSORY BUILDING - Any building subordinate to the main building on a lot and used for purposes customarily incidental to the main building.

(Ord. 404.  Passed 3-25-68.)

   (b)   ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES - Any business function in which there is no regular contact with the general public and no materials, products, goods or prepared foods are stored except for office consumption.

   (c)   ALTERATION - As applied to a building, any change or rearrangement in the structural parts, or any enlargement, whether by extending on any side, or by increasing in height or moving from one location or position to another.

   (d)   ARTIFICIAL FENCES - Any artificial structure, regardless of composition, that is erected for the purpose of enclosing a piece of land or dividing a piece of land into distinct portions.

   (e)   BUILDING - Any structure, edifice or object, including, but not limited to, a cement, macadamized, concrete base or pad upon which vehicles shall stop, park or stand for the purpose of receiving gasoline or oil at an automotive service station, erected or placed upon or attached to real estate, including all integral parts thereof, and all porches, eaves, bay windows, chimneys, fire escapes, steps, cellar doors, or other projecting parts thereof.

(Adopting Ordinance)

   (f)   BUILDING AREA - The aggregate of the maximum horizontal cross section area of the main building on a lot, excluding cornices, eaves, gutters, or chimneys projecting not more than eighteen inches, steps, one-story open porches, bay windows not extending through more than one story and not projecting more than three feet, balconies and terraces.

   (g)   CORNER LOT - A lot abutting on two intersecting streets.

   (h)   DWELLING.

      (1)   MULTIPLE OR APARTMENT DWELLINGS - A building, on a lot, designed and used exclusively as a residence for three or more families.

      (2)   ROW DWELLING - A building designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence for only one family and having two party walls in common with adjacent buildings.

      (3)   SEMI-DETACHED DWELLING - Two attached dwellings when separated from the ground up by a division wall and with no communicating openings, designed and occupied exclusively as a private home or residence for not more than one family in each.

      (4)   SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING - A building designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence for only one family and having no party wall in common with an adjacent building.

      (5)   TWO-FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING - A building accommodating altogether but two families, with one living over the other. Such building has no party wall or walls in common with an adjacent building or buildings.

   (i)   FAMILY - A family is any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit.

   (j)   FRONT STREET - The street upon which a lot abuts.  If the lot abuts on more than one street, it means the street designated as the front street in an application for a building permit, at the applicant's election.

   (k)   HEIGHT OF A BUILDING - The height of a building measured from the mean level of the ground surrounding the building to a point midway between the highest and lowest points of the main roof, provided that chimneys, spires, towers, elevator houses, tanks and similar projections shall not be included in the height.

   (l)   LIVING FENCE - Hedges, shrubs or other plantings that are used for the purpose of enclosing a piece of land or dividing a piece of land into distinct portions.

(Ord. 94-3.  Passed 9-19-94.)

   (m)   LOT - A parcel of land on which a principal building and its accessories are placed, together with the required open spaces.

   (n)   LOT AREA - The area of a lot computed in mathematical manner, exclusive of any portion occupied by any streets, roads, highways, lanes or alleys.

   (o)   PARKING SPACE - A space for parking of vehicles that is ten feet by twenty feet.  In determining the number of spaces to be provided, the total parking area shall be divided by 350 square feet.

   (p)   PRIVATE GARAGE - A garage designed to store, house or keep not more than three motor vehicles, except for a multiple family unit where not more than four motor vehicles may be stored. The sale of fuel and accessories and the repair of vehicles are prohibited as public businesses within such garage.

   (q)   SPECIAL EXCEPTION - The permission or approval granted by the Zoning Hearing Board in situations where provision therefor is made by the terms of this Zoning Code or the Acts of Assembly.

   (r)   STREET LINE - The dividing line between a lot and a public or plotted street, road or highway, or a private street, road or highway over which two or more dominant estates have a right of way.

   (s)   TELEPHONE CENTRAL OFFICE - A building and its equipment erected and used for the purpose of facilitating transmission and exchange of telephone or radio telephone messages between subscribers, and other business of the telephone Company, provided that in a residential district a telephone central office shall not include public business facilities, storage of materials, trucks or repair facilities, or housing of repair crews.

   (t)   YARDS.

      (1)   FRONT YARD - The required open space between the front line of a building and the established line of a street, road, lane, highway or alley on which it fronts.

      (2)   REAR YARD - The required open space between a rear lot line and the main building on the lot. Such rear yard must be located on the lot appurtenant to the building and extend the full width thereof, excepting any garage thereon or any permissible accessory outbuilding.

      (3)   SIDE YARD - The required open space extending along the side lot line throughout the whole depth of the lot, excepting any garage thereon or any permissible accessory outbuildings.

      (4)   STREETS - Streets, highways, lanes, alleys, roads or open spaces on adjoining lots will not be considered as included within a yard for the purpose of determining the minimum requirements thereof.

(Ord. 404.  Passed 3-25-68.)