Review of permits. Receive and examine all applications for zoning permits and to refer applications to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation when deemed advisable.

Issuance of permits. Issue permits only when there is compliance with the provisions of this chapter and with other Township ordinances provided, however, the issuance of a zoning permit shall not be deemed a waiver of the requirements of any Township ordinance.

Applications for special exception. Receive applications for special exceptions and forward these applications to the Zoning Hearing Board for action thereon.

Applications for appeals. Following refusal of a permit, to receive applications for appeals from alleged error of the Zoning Officer and variances and forward these applications to the Zoning Hearing Board for action thereon.

Inspections and surveys. Conduct inspections and surveys to determine compliance or noncompliance with the terms of this chapter.

Issuance of orders. Issue stop, cease, and desist orders and order in writing correction of all conditions found to be in violation of the provisions of this chapter. Such written orders shall be served personally or by certified mail upon persons, firms, or corporations deemed by the Zoning Officer to be violating the terms of this chapter. It shall be unlawful for any person to violate any such order lawfully issued by the Zoning Officer, and any person violating any such order shall be guilty of a violation of this chapter.

Halting of activities. With the approval of the Board of Supervisors, or when directed by them, institute in the name of the Township any appropriate action or proceedings to prevent the unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, conversion, maintenance or use; to restrain, correct, or abate such violation, so as to prevent the occupancy of or use of any building, structure or land, or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business, or use in or about such premises.

Revocation of orders. Revoke by order, a zoning permit issued under a mistake of fact or contrary to the law or the provisions of this chapter.

Official Zoning Map. Maintain the Official Zoning Map showing the current zoning classification of all land.[1]

Presentation of facts. Upon the request of the Board of Supervisors, the Planning Commission or the Zoning Hearing Board, present to such bodies facts, records, or reports which they may request to assist them in making decisions.

The application shall:

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

Use and occupancy of a new building or structure, or an existing building or structure, if such existing building or structure has been reconstructed, structurally altered or moved in a manner which would require the issuance of a permit as provided in § 200-157.

Change in the principal use of any existing building, structure, or tract of land, excluding agriculture and accessory agricultural operations.

Change in the use or extension of a nonconforming use.[1]

Include the existing and proposed use of the building, structure or lot.

Include the date when work was completed for any new construction or enlargement of all existing buildings and structures.

Proposals originated by the Board of Supervisors.

Proposals originated by the Township Planning Commission. The Township Planning Commission may at any time transmit to the Board of Supervisors any proposal for the amendment, supplement, change, modification, or repeal of this chapter.

Proposals originated by citizen's petition. Each petition by one or more owners of property to be affected by a proposal for amendment, supplement, change, or modification shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Board of Supervisors in accordance with a fee schedule adopted in resolution by the Township Supervisors. A fee shall be paid at the same time to cover costs, and no part of such fee shall be refundable to a petitioner. Upon receipt of said petition, the Board of Supervisors shall transmit a copy of the petition to the Township Planning Commission and the County Planning Commission. Within 30 days of its submission to the two Commissions, the Commissions shall submit to the Board of Supervisors a report containing the Commissions' recommendation including any additions or modifications of the original proposal.

Notwithstanding any time limitations stated in § 200-166A, B or C, at least 30 days prior to the public hearing on the amendment, the Township shall submit the proposed amendment to the Chester County Planning Commission for recommendations.

The Board of Supervisors shall hold a public hearing for any proposal for amendment, supplement, change, modification, or repeal submitted in accordance with the provision of § 200-166 unless the said proposal is withdrawn by the Planning Commission or the petitioner, whichever is applicable. The required public hearing shall be held within 60 days from the date of the submission of the said proposal to the Board of Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors shall take no action on any proposed amendment, supplement, change modification, or repeal until such time as the Township Planning Commission and the County Planning Commission shall submit their reports to the Supervisors or until the expiration of 30 days from the time the proposal was submitted by the Supervisors to both Planning Commissions, whichever shall occur first.

Proposed zoning ordinances and amendments shall not be enacted unless notice of proposed enactment is given in the manner set forth in this section, and shall include the time and place of the meeting at which passage will be considered, a reference to a place within the Township where copies of the proposed ordinance or amendment may be examined without charge or obtained for a charge not greater than the cost thereof. The Board of Supervisors shall publish the proposed ordinance or amendment once in one newspaper of general circulation in the Township not more than 60 days nor less than seven days prior to passage. Publication of the proposed ordinance or amendment shall include either the full text thereof or the title and a brief summary, prepared by the Township Solicitor and setting forth all the provisions in reasonable detail. If the full text is not included:

If it appears to the Township that a violation of any provisions of this chapter has occurred, the Township shall initiate enforcement proceedings by sending an enforcement notice as provided in this section.

The enforcement notice shall be sent to the owner of record of the parcel on which the violation has occurred, to any person who has filed a written request to receive enforcement notices regarding that parcel, and to any other person requested in writing by the owner of the record.

An enforcement notice shall state at least the following:

Any person, partnership or corporation who or which has violated or permitted the violation of any provisions of this chapter shall, upon being found liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by a Township, pay a judgment of not more than $1,000 plus all court costs, including reasonable attorney fees incurred by a Township as a result thereof. No judgment shall commence or be imposed, levied or payable until the date of the determination of a violation by the District Justice. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the Township may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable rules of civil procedure. Each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation, unless the District Justice determining that there has been a violation further determines that there was a good faith basis for the person, partnership or corporation violating this chapter to have believed that there was no such violation, in which event there shall be deemed to have been only one such violation until the fifth day following the date of the determination of a violation by the District Justice and thereafter each day that a violation continues shall constitute a separate violation. All judgments, costs and reasonable attorney fees collected for the violation of zoning ordinances shall be paid over to the Township whose ordinance has been violated.

The Court of Common Pleas, upon petition, may grant an order of stay, upon cause shown, tolling the per diem fine pending a final adjudication of the violation and judgment.

Nothing contained in this section shall be construed or interpreted to grant to any person or entity other than the Township the right to commence any action for enforcement pursuant to this section.