Promote, protect and facilitate any or all of the following: the public health, safety and general welfare; coordinated and practical community development and growth and proper population density; guidance, protection and improvement of amenity, convenience, future governmental, economic, social and cultural facilities as well as governmental processes and functions; guidance of uses of land and structures, types and location of streets, roadways, public grounds and facilities; promotion of energy conservation through planning practices and promotion of the effective utilization of renewable energy sources; the provision of adequate light, water and air, access to incident solar energy, police and fire protection, transportation, sewerage and schools; and preservation of the natural, scenic and historic values in the environment as well as the preservation of forests, wetlands, aquifers and floodplains.

Prevent one or more of the following: overcrowding of land; blight; danger and congestion in travel and transportation; or loss of health, life or property from fire, flood, panic or other danger.

Provide for the use of land within the municipality for residential housing of various dwelling types encompassing all basic forms of housing, including single-family and two-family dwellings and a reasonable range of multifamily dwellings in various arrangements, mobile homes and mobile home parks.

Accommodate reasonable overall community growth, including population and employment growth, and opportunities for development of a variety of residential dwelling types and on residential uses.

R-1 Low Density Residential District.

R-2 Medium Density Residential District.

R-3 High Density Residential District.

TH Townhouse Residence District.

APT Apartment District.

MH Mobile Home District.

C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District.

C-2 Highway Commercial District.

I-C Industrial Commercial District.

I Industrial District.

PRD Planned Residential Development District.

PRC Planned Retirement Community District.

TLC Township Line Commerical District.

Minimum and uniform regulations. Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the regulations set forth in this chapter shall be minimum regulations and shall apply uniformly to each class or kind of structures or land.

Proposed uses and structures. In all zoning districts, after the effective date of this chapter, any new building, or other structure or any tract of land shall be constructed, developed, and used only in accordance with the regulations specified herein, except where a variance has been authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with Article XXV.

Existing uses and structures. In all districts, after the effective date of this chapter, any unlawful, existing building or other structure or any tract of land which is not in conformity with the regulation of the district in which it is located shall be deemed to be nonconforming and subject to Article XXVI.

The zoning district locations and boundaries are those that exist on the legally adopted Official Zoning Map, a copy of which is attached hereto and made a part of this chapter.[1] The original Zoning Map shall be kept on file in the Township Municipal Building. Whenever changes are made in the boundaries or other matters included on said Zoning Map, such changes in the map shall be made by the Township Engineer within five days after the amendment has been approved by the Township Board of Commissioners.

Where possible, the boundaries between districts shall follow natural or man-made boundaries, center line of a street, alley, or highway; railroad rights-of-way; streams or other natural or man-made features which can form logical lines. Unless otherwise indicated, boundaries shall be the center line or extension of the boundaries to districts.

Where a district boundary line divides a lot held in single and separate ownership at the effective date of this chapter, the regulations of the less-restricted district shall extend over the portion of the lot in the more-restricted district a distance of not more than 50 feet from the district.

Boundaries indicated as appearing to follow platted lot lines shall be construed as following such lot lines. Distances not specifically indicated on the Official Zoning Map shall be determined by the scale of the map. In any other circumstances not covered above or in the event of any uncertainty as to the boundary of any district, the Zoning Hearing Board shall interpret the district boundaries.