West Brandywine Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE I
Preamble
§ 200-1 Short title.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The West Brandywine Township Zoning Ordinance of 1984, as amended."
§ 200-2 Purpose.
This chapter has been enacted to promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the inhabitants of West Brandywine Township. This chapter is designed to coordinate community development by:
A.
Encouraging the most appropriate use of land;
B.
Preventing the overcrowding of land;
C.
Conserving the value of land and buildings;
D.
Lessening the congestion of traffic on the roads and highways;
E.
Avoiding undue congestion of population;
F.
Providing for adequate light and air;
G.
Securing safety from fire, panic, flood, and other dangers;
H.
Facilitating the adequate provision of transportation, water and sever facilities, school, and other public facilities;
I.
Giving reasonable consideration among other things, to the character of the district and its peculiar suitability for particular uses; and
§ 200-3 Community development objectives.
The following community development objectives have served as the basis for the provisions of this chapter:
A.
Guide future development of the Township in an orderly fashion in accordance with the West Brandywine Township Comprehensive Plan by regulating the type, location and density of development having regard for the suitability of land to support land uses.
B.
Maintain a significant amount of open space to preserve the rural character of the Township.
C.
Conserve natural resources by maintaining environmental stability through the control of development in environmentally sensitive areas of the Township.
D.
Regulate land use so as to minimize conflicts and to bring the most beneficial relationship between land use and the road network within the Township.
§ 200-4 Establishment of controls.
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, as amended,[1] grants local municipalities the power to enact, amend and repeal zoning ordinances. West Brandywine Township has enacted this chapter in accordance with the provisions of Act 247, establishing the following controls:
A.
Uniform regulations. The regulations established by this chapter within each district shall apply uniformly to each class or type of structure or land.
B.
New uses and structures. In all districts, following 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 regulations specified for each district.
C.
Existing uses and structures. In all districts, following the effective date of this chapter, any existing use or structure which is not in conformity with the regulations for the district in which it is located shall be deemed nonconforming and subject to the regulations of Article XVIII, Nonconformance. Any use or structure not in conformance with the Zoning Ordinance of 1968 and/or not lawfully nonconforming as defined therein, shall not become lawfully conforming by the terms of this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
§ 200-5 Interpretation.
§ 200-6 Conflict with other provisions.
It is not intended by this chapter to repeal, abrogate, annul or interfere with any existing ordinance, or any rule, regulation or permit adopted or issued, provided the same is not in conflict with any of the provisions of this chapter. Where this chapter imposes greater restrictions on the use of land or structures, the provisions of this chapter shall control.