Old Lycoming Township
City Zoning Code

R-A Residential Agriculture District. The purpose of this district is to preserve and protect the semi-rural open space and farming characteristics of the Township and to promote land cultivation and agricultural production as viable economic activities. The value of conserving land as a natural resource is recognized, as well as the problems that can be created by over utilization or development of such areas. The intent of such designation is to permit those lands best suited for agriculture to be utilized for that purpose and to discourage the development of environmentally sensitive areas, such as steep slopes, floodplains, wetlands.

R-R Residential Rural District. This district is designed to provide a logical transition between the urbanized or urbanizing areas of the Township and the agricultural and natural areas. Public facilities and utilities are available in limited portions of this zone, primarily along the urban fringes, although further extensions are not planned for the future in order to maintain the semi-rural character of this area. Multi-family or high density residential development should therefore not be encouraged in these areas, but clusters of low density, single-family homes could be permitted where facilities are adequate.

R-S Residential Suburban District. It is the intent of this district to provide an area of the Township, adjacent to the urbanized areas, where moderate density residential development and associated institutional, recreational and compatible nonresidential uses can be located. The extension of existing public facilities and utilities into major portions of this zone is feasible and is projected in the foreseeable future. Multi-family development may be permitted where adequate facilities exist or can be extended.

R-U Residential Urban District. This district is designed to include the urban or developed areas of the Township and a portion of the immediately adjacent areas. The intent of the zone is to protect and enhance, as much as possible, the residential and nonresidential investment of the past and to provide an area where higher density development could be located without creating conflicts with noncompatible uses. Public facilities and utilities are already available or may be extended with little difficulty.

C Commercial District. This district was created to accommodate retail and wholesale business activities serving both Township residents and a broader regional market, including the traveling public on U.S. Route 15. The regulations governing this zone permit the development of a wide range of shopping, service and other commercial activities, but require adequate off-street parking and loading areas to be provided. In new developments, the Township must anticipate and assure sufficient arrangements are made to safely accommodate the anticipated volumes of traffic entering and exiting each site and to ensure the efficient movement of people and goods to and from the Township.

Interchange Commercial District. The intent of this district is to provide space within the Township for the development of large-scale commercial activities and businesses oriented to the traveling public in the vicinity of the Foy Avenue and Hepburnville Interchanges of U.S. Route 15. Businesses located in this zone generally cater to large volumes of traffic and can attract customers from sizeable distances. Provisions are included to ensure that adequate arrangements are made to accommodate anticipated volumes of traffic entering, exiting and parking on sites in this zone.

I Industrial District. It is the intent of this district to encourage the continuity and expansion of existing industrial operations and to promote new industrial development in the Township. Acreage for this use has been provided in close proximity to U.S. Route 15 in order to maximize accessibility for the distribution or receiving of goods or materials. In reviewing plans for such development, adequate parking and loading areas must be provided as well as buffer yards, plantings or screening between this and adjacent zoning districts.

AE (without FW) and A Floodplain District (Overlying District). The purpose of this district is to prevent the loss of property and life; the creation of health and safety hazards; the disruption of commercial and government services; and the extraordinary and unnecessary expenditure of public funds for flood protection and relief. To achieve this end, permitted uses must be floodproofed against flood damage. (See Part 6.) In these districts, development and/or the use of land shall be permitted in accordance with the regulations of the underlying district, provided that all such uses, activities, and/or development shall be undertaken in strict compliance with the floodproofing and related requirements of this and all other codes and ordinances.

FW Floodway District (Overlying District). The purpose of this district is to prevent the loss of property and life; the creation of health and safety hazards; the disruption of commercial and government services; and the extraordinary and unnecessary expenditure of public funds for flood protection and relief. To achieve this end, only those uses which will not cause an increase in flood heights, velocities, or frequencies will be permitted. (See Part 6.) In addition, in the Floodway District, no development shall be permitted except where the effects of such development on flood heights is fully offset by accompanying stream improvements which have been approved by all appropriate local and/or State agencies and notification of such has been given to FEMA and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.

The locations and boundaries of the zoning districts are hereby established as shown on the Official Zoning Map, which is made a part of this chapter together with all future notations, references and amendments.

No change of any nature shall be made to the Official Zoning Map, except in conformance with the procedures set forth in § 27-1001 of this chapter. The final authority as to the current status of zoning districts shall be the Official Zoning Map. Any changes made to the zoning districts shall be made on the Official Zoning Map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the Township Board of Supervisors, and shall bear the date of the amendment and the signatures of the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and the Township Secretary.

Designation of District Boundaries. The district boundary lines, except for the floodplain districts, are intended to generally follow the center lines of streets; highways, railroad rights-of-way, existing lot lines, municipal boundary lines, or streams or may be designated as shown on the Official Zoning Map by a specific dimension from a road center line or other boundary.

Determination of District Boundary Locations. Where uncertainty exists with respect to the actual location of a district boundary line in a particular instance, the Zoning Officer shall request the Zoning Hearing Board to render its interpretation with respect thereto. Provided, however, no boundary shall be changed by the Zoning Hearing Board. If the true location of the boundary cannot be determined by interpretation of the Zoning Hearing Board, a request for corrective action shall be filed with the Township.

Severed Lots. Where a district boundary line divides a lot which was in single ownership at the time of passage of this chapter or amendment thereto, the Zoning Hearing Board may permit the extension of the regulations for either zone into the remaining portion of the lot for a distance not to exceed 50 feet beyond the district line, where they find that such extension is consistent with the purposes of this chapter.