The provisions of this Ordinance shall be administered and enforced by the Zoning Officer who shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors. It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officer, and he is hereby given the power and authority, to:

      A.   Receive all applications for zoning permits and issue permits when there is compliance with provisions of this Ordinance, other Township ordinances and with the laws of the Commonwealth.

      B.   Enforce the provisions of this Ordinance by the issuance of enforcement orders or by other means. Such written orders shall be served personally or by registered mail upon the persons, firms, or corporations deemed by the Zoning Officers to be violating the terms of this Ordinance in accordance with the terms of this Ordinance.

      C.   Receive applications for special exceptions and variances and forward these applications to the Zoning Hearing Board.

      D.   Conduct investigations to determine compliance with the terms of this Ordinance.

      E.   The Zoning Officer is authorized to institute civil enforcement proceedings as a means of enforcement when acting within the scope of his/her employment.

      F.   Keep a permanent record of all plans and applications for permits and all permits issued with the notation as to special conditions attached thereto.

      G.   Maintain a map or maps showing the current zoning classifications of all land in the Township.

      H.   Present such facts, records, and any similar information to the Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board, or Board of Supervisors upon their request.

(Ord. passed 10-2-2007, § 1200)

   1.   A permit shall be required prior to the erection, construction, reconstruction, extension, moving, razing, or alteration of any building, structure, or portion thereof, and prior to the use or change in use of a building or land and prior to the change or extension of a nonconforming use.

   2.   Any erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, or moving of a building or other structure including a sign authorized by zoning permit shall be commenced and any change in use of a building or land authorized by a zoning permit shall be undertaken within 1 year after the date of issuance of the permit. However, in case of erection or construction of a building, the right to proceed with construction may be extended annually without payment of additional fees for an aggregate period of not more than 3 years, provided that the construction pursuant to said permit has commenced within the first 1-year period.

(Ord. passed 10-2-2007, § 1201)

   1.   Applications for permits shall be made to the Zoning Officer on such forms as may be furnished by the Township. Each application shall contain all information necessary for such official to ascertain whether the proposed erection, alteration, use or change of use complies with the provisions of this Ordinance. The Zoning Officer may require any of the following information to be provided:

      A.   Statement as to the proposed use of the building or land.

      B.   A site layout showing the location, dimensions, and height of proposed buildings or uses and any existing buildings in relation to property and street lines.

      C.   The location, size, arrangement, and capacity of all areas to be used for motor vehicles access, off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading, and provisions to be made for lighting such areas.

      D.   The location, dimensions, and arrangements of all open spaces, yards and buffer yards, including methods to be employed for any required screening.

      E.   Provisions to be made for treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial wastes, water supply, and storm drainage.

      F.   The capacity and arrangement of all buildings used or intended to be used for dwelling purposes, including the proposed density in terms of dwelling units per acre.

      G.   A description of methods to be employed in controlling any excess noise, air pollution, smoke, fumes, water pollution, fire hazards, and other safety hazards.

      H.   Wherever the topography and vegetation are to be disturbed, a plan for the control of erosion and sediment and grading is required. It shall be unlawful to pave, fill, strip or change the existing grade of any land; and it shall be unlawful to disturb, modify, divert, block, or affect the natural overland or subsurface flow of stormwater within the Township without first securing a zoning permit. No permits shall be required for normal agricultural operations or where the area to be stripped does not exceed 1,000 square feet and where the grade change does not exceed 6 inches in any one area and all bare earth is properly seeded, sodded or otherwise protected from erosion. The following data shall be provided:

         (1)   An area plan describing existing and proposed features of the area surrounding the site of work, including topography, existing vegetation, water courses, man-made features, the affected watersheds and other pertinent natural features. This may be in the form of a recent USGS map with the property and required features located thereon.

         (2)   A topographic survey of the site as a suitable scale of no less than 1 inch equals 50 feet and contour intervals of no more than 2 feet, prepared by a registered surveyor or registered engineer, including also a boundary line survey, the location and description of vegetative cover, including trees over 6 inches in diameter measured 4.5 feet above the ground, soil types, and any other pertinent existing natural or manmade features.

         (3)   An improvements plan of the same size and scale as that provided in subparagraph (2) showing and describing all changes to the site including cuts, fills, structures, paving, waste disposal systems, well, descriptions of all trees to be removed, and utilities. The natural resource protection standards contained in Article 5 shall be adhered to by all proposed development or improvements.

         (4)   A written description of all soil erosion and sediment control measures in accordance with Chapter 102, Title 25, Rules and Regulations, Part I, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Subpart C, Protection of Natural Resources, Article II, Water Resources, Chapter 102, Erosion Control, which shall be in conformance with the standards and specifications of the Bucks County Conservation District, and Township ordinances.

         (5)   A grading plan showing and describing all changes to the site including cuts, fills, structures, paving, utilities, rights-of-way, easements, the exact location of on-site waste disposal systems, wells and reserve waste disposal system areas.

         (6)   Improvement Standards.

            (a)   All grading and improvements shall be made in accordance with the natural resource protection standards contained in Article 5 of this Ordinance.

            (b)   All drainage facilities shall be designed to retard the rate of stormwater runoff to the same rate or a lesser rate as that existing prior to construction.

            (c)   All drainage provisions shall be of such design as to efficiently carry waters to the nearest street, storm drain, or natural watercourse. If these facilities do no exist, then in that event, stormwater shall be evenly dispersed over the lot so as to best promote infiltration of stormwater into the ground within the boundaries of the subject lot.

   2.   No permit for any new use or construction which will involve the on-site disposal of sewage and waste and no permit for a change in use as an alteration which will result in an increased volume of sewage or waste to be disposed of on site shall be issued until a certificate of approval has been issued by the Bucks County Department of Health.

   3.   No permit for any new use or construction which will involve the on-site water supply and no permit for a change in use as an alteration which will result in an increased water usage shall be issued until the requirements of the Township subdivision and land development well requirements have been met.

   4.   No permit for any use or construction which will involve earth disturbance in excess of 1,000 square feet shall be issued until a letter of adequacy for the proposed erosion and sedimentation control measures has been issued by the Bucks County Conservation District. All construction activity shall be in compliance with the requirements of the approved erosion and sedimentation control plan and Chapter 102, Title 25, Rules and Regulations, Part 1, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Subpart C, Protection of Natural Resources, Article II, Water Resources, Chapter 102, “Erosion Control.”

(Ord. 149, passed 4-29-2008)

   5.   Mobile Home Park Permits. Applications for a mobile home park permit shall be made in writing by the owner, proprietor or operator of the mobile home park, signed by the applicant.

(Ord. passed 10-2-2007, § 1202; Ord. 149, passed 4-29-2008, Art. X)

   1.   Zoning permits shall be granted or refused after a complete written application has been filed with the Zoning Officer; provided, that nothing contained in this Ordinance shall be construed to require or empower the Zoning Officer to grant a permit approving construction on, or use of, land which has been subdivided into lots pursuant to a plan of subdivision, the plan and profile of which have not been approved by the Township Board of Supervisors, and duly recorded, as required by law.

   2.   Upon completion of the erection or alteration of any building or portion thereof authorized by a zoning permit, and prior to occupancy and/or use, the holder of such permit shall notify the Zoning Officer of such completion. No permit shall be considered complete or permanently effective until the Zoning Officer has certified that the work has been inspected and approved as being in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance and other applicable ordinances and regulations. All applications with accompanying plans and documents shall become and be preserved as a public record, subject to the disposition of the Board of Supervisors.

   3.   Certificate of Occupancy Requirements.

      A.   No structure, building or any part thereof, nor any dwelling unit, shall be occupied or used until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the Zoning Officer of the Township.

      B.   The certificate of occupancy shall state the use to which the structure, building, or dwelling unit is to be put. No change in the use or ownership of any structure, building, or dwelling unit shall be made until a certificate of occupancy has been issued. It shall be the duty of any person who shall sell or otherwise transfer ownership of any structure, building or dwelling unit to another person to apply for and obtain a certificate of occupancy required by this Ordinance prior to such transfer of ownership and any use or occupancy of such premises; provided, however, that the failure on the part of such seller or transferor to obtain such certificate shall not excuse the purchaser or transferee of such premises from the requirements of this Section.

      C.   Any certificates of occupancy issued hereunder may be revoked in the event that the structure, building, or dwelling unit is determined to be unsafe or uninhabitable or that a condition exists that is in violation of any ordinance of the Township or that the actual use is in violation of any ordinances of the Township. In the event that such certificate of occupancy is issued subject to conditions, such certificate may be revoked if such conditions remain unsatisfied within the time limit provided for at the time of issuance of such conditional certificate.

(Ord. passed 10-2-2007, § 1203)

   Fees for permits shall be paid in accordance with a fee schedule to be adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors and all such fees shall be paid into the Township Treasury. Each applicant for an appeal, special exception, variance, conditional use, or other requested relief shall, at the time of making application, pay a fee, in accordance with the aforementioned fee schedule, for the cost of advertising, mailing notices, and cost of stenographic services, and other expenses as authorized under State law, as required by this Ordinance and any applicable rules of the Zoning Hearing Board.

(Ord. passed 10-2-2007, § 1204)