A map entitled "Borough of New Stanton Official Zoning Map," dated November 13, 1974, revised July 5, 1985, and April 25, 2007, is hereby adopted as part of this chapter. The Official Zoning Map shall be kept on file and copies as necessary shall be made available upon request.

Amendments to the Official Zoning Map shall be kept on file available for examination at the Borough Municipal Building in the office of the Zoning and Codes Officer.

The Official Zoning Map and the Zoning Map amendments shall each be dated and identified by the signature of the Mayor and the Council Secretary and the map shall bear the seal of the Borough under the following words: "This is to certify that this is the Official Zoning Map referred to in § 27-201 of this chapter, of the Borough of New Stanton, County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania."

When in accordance with the amendment provisions of this chapter, changes are made in district boundaries or other matters portrayed on the Official Zoning Map, then the same shall, promptly after having been approved by the Borough Council, be entered on the Zoning Map. Each entry shall include the date and a brief description of the nature of the change. Each such entry shall also be signed by the Zoning and Codes Officer and attested by the Council Secretary. No amendment to this chapter which involves matters portrayed on the Official District Map shall be dependent upon the change and entry being on said map.

No changes of any nature shall be made to the Official Zoning Map or matter shown thereon except in conformity with the procedures set forth in this chapter. Any unauthorized change of by any person or persons shall be considered a violation of this chapter.

Regardless of the existence of purported copies of the Official Zoning Map which may, from time to time, be made, the Official Zoning Map on file shall be the final authority as to the current zoning status of properties and the location of zoning boundary lines in the Borough.

The various floodplain districts shall include areas subject to inundation by waters of a 100-year flood. The basis for the delineation of these district boundaries shall be the Flood Insurance Study for the Borough of New Stanton, prepared by the Federal Insurance Administration, dated June 15, 1981, last revised August 5, 1997.

The boundaries of the floodplain districts are established as part of the Official Zoning Map of the Borough, which is declared to be part of this chapter and, which shall be kept on file at the New Stanton Borough Offices.

District boundaries shown within the lines of streets, streams and transportation rights-of-way shall be deemed to follow their center lines. The vacation of streets shall not affect the location of such district boundaries. When the Zoning and Codes Officer cannot definitely determine the location of a district boundary by such center lines, by the scale or dimensions stated on the Zoning Map, or by the fact that it clearly coincides with a property line shown on the Zoning Map, he/she shall interpret the location of the district boundary with reference to the scale of the Zoning Map and the intentions and purposes set forth in all relevant provisions of this chapter.

Floodplain District Boundaries. The delineation of any of the floodplain districts may be revised, amended or modified by the Borough Council when natural or man-made changes have occurred and/or changes are indicated by studies, conducted or undertaken, by a qualified agency or individual, which documents the necessity for such change. However, prior to any such change, approval must be obtained from the Federal Insurance Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The permitted, accessory, conditional uses and uses by special exception are listed by district in the specific section for each district and in the Land Use Chart, Table 1, of § 27-311. Minimum required yards and maximum structure heights are listed by district in the Minimum Required Yards Chart, Table 2 of § 27-311 and in § 27-210. Also, some uses and structures have additional dimensional provisions found elsewhere in this chapter.

The floodplain area delineated on the Official Zoning Map shall serve as a supplement to the zoning district provisions. Where there is a conflict between the provisions or requirements of any of the floodplain areas and those of any zoning district, the more restrictive provisions and/or those pertaining to development in the floodplain areas shall apply. In the event any provision relating to development in a floodplain area is declared unenforceable as a result of any legislative or judicial decision, the remaining provisions shall remain applicable.

Permitted uses are specified in each zoning district. These uses require application for and receipt of a zoning/building permit from the Zoning and Codes Officer. The Zoning and Codes Officer shall require construction plans, plot plans or other data before the permit can be issued in order to ensure that the proposed use meets the requirements of this chapter.

Permitted uses in the floodplain district are specified in § 27-507 of this chapter.

Yard requirements are specified for uses in each district in § 27-311, Subsection 2 (Table 2). Yard requirements and development and use are also subject to the provisions contained in § 27-513 (Landscaping and Buffer Yards) and the following:

All uses, activities and development occurring within any floodplain district shall be undertaken in strict compliance with the provisions of this chapter and with all applicable local, county, state and federal regulations.

Under no circumstances shall any use, activity and/or development adversely affect the capacity of the channels or floodways of any watercourse, drainage ditch or any other drainage facility.

Prior to any proposed alteration or relocation of any stream or watercourse within the Borough, a permit shall be obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Dams and Waterways. Further, notification of the proposal to alter or relocate a watercourse shall be given to all affected adjacent municipalities by the applicant. Copies of such notifications shall be forwarded to both the Federal Insurance Administration.

The degree of flood protection sought by the floodplain provisions of this chapter is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on acceptable engineering methods. Floods may occur and flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural causes, such as ice jams and bridge openings restricted by debris. This chapter does not imply that areas outside the floodplain districts or that land uses permitted within such districts will be free from flooding or flood damages.

This chapter shall not create liability on the part of the Borough, or any officer or employee thereof, for any flood damages that result from reliance on this chapter, or any administrative decision lawfully made thereunder.