To guide the form, location and timing of growth in order to achieve a sustainable level and rate of growth and to protect the natural environment, maintain visual quality, enhance the man-made environment, and provide services and facilities necessary for the community's citizens and workers.

To protect clean air, pure water and the other natural resources of our environment and to guarantee a quality environment for present and future residents.

To protect agricultural areas in the Township to encourage the continuation of farming activities, the availability of fresh produce, and the beneficial effect on the natural and human environment provide by agricultural practices; and to preserve prime agricultural land.

To promote safe, sound housing and stable neighborhoods for present and future residents of the Township.

To accommodate nonresidential developments that are compatible with the residential character of the Township and that do not degrade the highway network and community services.

To provide active and passive recreation facilities for Township residents of all ages.

To coordinate land use policies with policies for providing water supply and wastewater disposal in an environmentally sound manner that protects the quality and quantity of groundwater.

To protect and maintain the capacity of the Township's roadways by taking into account the transportation impacts of land use changes and by accommodating public transportation and pedestrian/bicycle travel.

To promote, protect, and facilitate the public health, safety and general welfare; coordinated and practical community development; the proper density of population; emergency management preparedness and operations; the provisions of adequate light and air, police protection, vehicle parking and loading space, transportation, water, sewerage, schools, recreational facilities, and public grounds; the provision of a safe, reliable and adequate water supply for domestic, commercial, agricultural or industrial uses; as well as the preservation of the natural, scenic and historic values of the environment and the preservation of forests, wetlands, aquifers and floodplains.

To prevent overcrowding of land; blight; danger and congestion in travel and transportation; loss of health, life or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers in accordance with an overall program that considers the character of the Township; the character of its various parts; and the suitability of these various parts for particular uses and structures.

To provide standards to control the amount of open space and impervious surfaces within a development and to control the intensity of development in areas of sensitive natural resources or natural features in order to reduce or eliminate adverse environmental impacts, including flooding.

To provide methods to implement Article I, Section 27, of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which decrees that the people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic, and aesthetic values of the environment and to protect natural resources which are a part of the ecological system to which we are all bound, and therefore are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come, and must be protected to insure the health, safety and welfare of all the people.

To provide for the use of land for commerce, industry, institutions and residential housing of various dwelling types and to provide for reasonable overall community growth.

To regulate the growth of the Township, concentrating development in areas where adequate facilities, roads and schools can be provided and limiting development in areas where these facilities are not provided.

To lessen the danger and congestion of traffic on the roads and highways and to reduce excessive numbers of roads.

To protect the Township's historic buildings, historic villages, historic areas, and historic resources.

Where there are conflicts or differences between this chapter and any other Township ordinance or statute, the ordinance or provision requiring a greater or more restrictive standard shall apply.

This chapter does not repeal, abrogate, annul or in any way impair or interfere with existing provisions of other laws or ordinances, except those specifically or impliedly repealed by this chapter, or any private restrictions placed upon property by covenant, deed or other private agreement unless repugnant hereto.

If a court of competent jurisdiction declares any provisions of this chapter to be invalid or ineffective in whole or in part, the effect of such decision shall be limited to those provisions which are expressly stated in the decision to be invalid or ineffective, and all other provisions of this chapter shall continue to be separately and fully effective.

If a court of competent jurisdiction finds the application of any provision or provisions of this chapter to any lot, building or other structure, or tract of land, to be invalid or ineffective in whole or in part, the effect of such decision shall be limited to the person, property or situation immediately involved in the controversy and the application of any such provision to other persons, property, or situations shall not be affected.

Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately coinciding with the center lines of streets, highways, railroad lines or streams, such center lines shall be construed to be such boundaries.

Where district boundaries are so indicated that they approximately coincide with lot lines, such lot lines shall be construed to be said boundaries, or where district boundaries are extensions of lot lines or connect the intersections of lot lines, such lines shall be said district boundaries.

Where district boundaries are so indicated that they are approximately parallel to center lines of streets or highways, such district boundaries shall be construed as being parallel thereto and at such distance therefrom as indicated on the Zoning Map.

Where a district boundary is not fixed by dimensions and where it approximately follows lot lines, and where it does not scale more than 10 feet therefrom, such lot lines shall be constructed to be such boundaries unless specifically shown otherwise.

Where a district boundary divides a lot, the location of such boundary, unless the same is indicated by dimensions, shall be determined by the use of the scale appearing on the map.