Notice. Notice shall be given to the public, the applicant, the Zoning Officer, and to any person who has made timely request for same. Notice shall be given at such time and in such manner as shall be prescribed by the Zoning Hearing Board and shall consist of public notice in a local newspaper of general circulation in accordance with this chapter, and a posting of the affected property with a conspicuously posted sign indicating the date, time and place of the hearing, as well as a brief description of the purpose for the hearing.

Conduct of hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by the Zoning Hearing Board. The decision, or where no decision is called for, the findings shall be made by the Zoning Board, but the parties may waive decision or findings by the Zoning Hearing Board and accept the decision or findings of the hearing officer as final.

Decision. The Zoning Hearing Board shall render a written decision or, when no decision is called for, make written findings on the application within 45 days after the last hearing before the Zoning Hearing Board or hearing officer. Where the application is contested or denied, each decision shall be accompanied by findings of fact and conclusion based thereon together with the reasons therefor. Conclusions based on any provisions of this act or of any ordinance, rule or regulation shall contain a reference to the provisions relied on and the reasons why the conclusion is deemed appropriate in light of the facts found. If the hearing is conducted by a hearing officer, and there has been no stipulation that his decision or findings are final, the Zoning Hearing Board shall make his report and recommendations available to the parties and the parties shall be entitled to make written representations thereon to the Zoning Hearing Board prior to final decision or entry of findings, and the Board's decision shall be entered no later than 30 days after the decision of the hearing officer. Where the Zoning Hearing Board has power to render a decision and the Zoning Hearing Board or the hearing officer, as the case may be, fails to render the same within the period required by this clause, the decision shall be deemed to have been rendered in favor of the applicant. Unless the applicant has agreed in writing to an extension of time, nothing in this clause shall prejudice the right of any party opposing the application or urge that such decision is erroneous.

Appeals from the Zoning Officer. The Zoning Hearing Board shall hear and decide where it is alleged by the appellant that the Zoning Officer has failed to follow prescribed procedures or has misinterpreted or misapplied any provision of this chapter or any valid rule or regulation governing the action of the Zoning Officer. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to deny to the appellant the right to proceed directly in court, where appropriate, pursuant to Pennsylvania R.C.P., Section 1091 to 1098, relating to mandamus.

Challenge to the validity of this chapter or map. The Zoning Hearing Board shall hear challenges to the validity of this chapter or map, pursuant to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code (Act 247 of 1968), as amended. In all such challenges, the Zoning Hearing Board shall take evidence and make a record thereon as provided in § 360-133B(5) of this chapter. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board shall decide all contested questions of interpretation and shall make findings on all relevant issues of fact which shall become part of the record on appeal to the court.

Variances. The Zoning Hearing Board shall hear requests for variances where it is alleged that the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance inflict unnecessary hardship upon the applicant. The Zoning Hearing Board may grant a variance provided the following findings are made where relevant in a given case:

Special exceptions.

Unified appeals. Where the Zoning Hearing Board has jurisdiction over a zoning matter pursuant to this section, the Zoning Hearing Board shall also hear all appeals which an applicant may elect to bring before it with respect to any Township ordinance or requirement pertaining to the same development plan or development. In any such case, the Zoning Hearing Board shall have no power to pass upon the non-zoning issues, but shall take evidence and make a record thereon as provided in § 360-133. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Zoning Hearing Board shall make findings on all relevant issues of fact which shall become part of the record on appeal to the court.

Parties appellant before Zoning Hearing Board. Appeals and proceedings to challenge this chapter under § 360-134 may be filed with the Zoning Hearing Board in writing by any officer or agency of the Township, or any person aggrieved. Requests for a variance under § 360-134C and for special exception under § 360-134D may be filed with the Zoning Hearing Board by any landowner or any tenant with the permission of such landowner.

No person shall be allowed to file any proceeding with the Board later than 30 days after an application for development, preliminary or final, has been approved by an appropriate Township Officer, agency or body, if such proceeding is designed to secure reversal or to limit the approval in any manner, unless such person alleges and proves that he had no notice, knowledge or reason to believe that such approval had been given. If such person has succeeded to his after such approval, he shall be bound by the knowledge of his predecessor in interest. The failure of anyone other than the landowner to appeal from an adverse decision on a tentative or preliminary plan, or from an adverse decision by a zoning officer on a challenge to the validity of this chapter or map shall preclude an appeal from a final approval except in the case where the final submission substantially deviates from the approved, tentative or preliminary approval. All appeals from determinations adverse to the landowner shall be filed by the landowner within 30 days after notice of the determination is issued.