Weisenberg Township
City Zoning Code

For the purposes of this chapter, the Township is hereby divided into the following districts:

In addition, there is hereby created an EP Environmental Protection District which shall overlay the above districts in the manner as is set forth in Article XI.

Zoning map. The boundaries of each district are established as shown on the Zoning Map of the Township which accompanies this chapter and is declared to be a part of this chapter. The Zoning Map is on file in the Administration Office of the Township. Said map and all notations, references, and data shown thereon are hereby incorporated by reference into this chapter and shall be as much a part of this chapter as if all were fully described herein.

Delineation of district boundaries. The district boundary lines are intended generally to follow the boundary lines of streets and similar rights-of-way or lot lines, or straight line projections of such lines, or Township boundary lines, all as shown on the Zoning Map, but where a district boundary line does not follow such a line, its position is shown on said Zoning Map by a specific dimension expressing its distance in feet from a line or another boundary line as indicated and determined by the scale of the Map.

Interpretation of district boundaries. In case of uncertainty as to the true location of a district boundary line in a particular instance, the determination thereof shall be made by the Zoning Officer. An appeal may be taken to the Board, as provided in § 500-86.

Commercial and industrial districts. Commercial districts are those areas selected to provide commercial development at appropriate locations where a nucleus of commercial uses exists. Light Industrial Districts are those areas selected to provide office uses and light industrial uses which, because of proximity to residential areas, must not have adverse impacts on surrounding uses. General Industrial Districts are those areas that provide a wider range of industrial uses than found in the Light Industrial areas because of location near transportation facilities and/or current or past land uses. These districts were created to provide for natural expansion of the Township as developed in the Northern Lehigh Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan.

Rural Village Districts. The Rural Village Districts are those areas that maintain a mixture of low-density residential and residences serving commercial and community facility uses in existing villages unlikely to be served by sewers in the foreseeable future. This district was created to provide the most logical, suitable and orderly development as documented in the Northern Lehigh Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan.

Rural and rural conservation districts. The Rural Districts are those areas that accommodate continued low-density residential development where such development has occurred, in a setting which may continue to contain some rural elements such as farmland, woodland and open space. The Rural Conservation Districts are those areas that maintain rural character in areas still rural in nature but starting to experience increased development pressure; maintain rural areas to buffer and reduce development pressure on agricultural preservation areas, environmental protection areas, and major public recreation and conservation lands. The low-density development of these areas is in accordance with the Northern Lehigh Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan.

Environmental protection districts. The Environmental Protection Districts are those areas where there are natural limitations upon development. This overlay district protects sensitive natural features by limiting, and in some cases prohibiting, development in areas with severe limitations to development because of steep slopes, floodplains, wetlands, and wet soils. Regulations in these districts have been established to prohibit all but extremely low-density development in conformance with the Northern Lehigh Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan.

Regional use overlay. The Regional Use Overlays are those areas determined as most logical and suitable for accommodating and configuring compatibilities of land uses as related to Weisenberg Township participation within the Northern Lehigh Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan.

The following tables specify the principal, accessory and special exception uses by district and use, and the lot area, width, cover and height requirements by district and use, where applicable.

Uses not specifically regulated. For any land use not otherwise identified as permitted by right, by condition, or by special exception on Table 304A of the Weisenberg Township Zoning Ordinance, an applicant shall reference and submit said use to another participating Northern Lehigh Multi-Municipal Plan municipality where said land use is identified as permissible in the Zoning Ordinance, as in effect, of the applicable municipality.