West Homestead City Zoning Code
PART 2
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT
§ 27-201 Statement of Purpose.
[Ord. No. 745, 1/13/2026]
1.
The purpose of this chapter is:
A.
To promote public health, safety, comfort, convenience, and welfare.
B.
To encourage the effective use, reuse, and development of land throughout the Borough of West Homestead.
C.
To enhance, conserve, and stabilize the value of property.
D.
To prevent the overcrowding of land and buildings.
E.
To encourage and facilitate the orderly growth, expansion, development, and redevelopment of the Borough.
F.
To protect the property rights of all individuals by assuring the compatibility of uses and practices within districts.
G.
To discourage congestion on public streets, roads, and highways.
H.
To provide protection against fire, panic, or other dangers.
I.
To provide adequate open space for light and air.
J.
To facilitate the provision of public utilities and public services.
K.
To provide for adequate privacy and convenience of access to property.
L.
To protect and conserve life, property, and natural resources.
M.
To conserve the expenditure of Borough funds for public improvements.
N.
To divide the Borough into zones and/or districts restricting and regulating herein the location, construction, reconstruction, alteration, and use of buildings, structures, and land for residential, commercial, industrial, and other uses.
O.
To regulate additions to, alterations to, or the remodeling of existing buildings or structures such as would not otherwise comply with the restrictions and limitations herein after imposed.
P.
To provide for the gradual elimination of those uses of land, buildings, and structures which do not conform with the standards of the district in which they are located.
Q.
To encourage the efficient circulation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in public rights-of-way by providing adequate off-street parking for vehicles and adequate off-street loading facilities for commercial vehicles.
R.
To define and limit the powers and duties of the administrative officers, boards, and commissions of the Borough.
S.
To provide for the administration and enforcement of this chapter, including the provision of penalties for its violation.
T.
For any other purpose provided in this chapter, the statutes of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or under common law rulings.
§ 27-202 Intent.
[Ord. No. 745, 1/13/2026]
1.
This chapter pledges the following intentions of the Borough including, but not limited to, its officers, boards, and commissions:
A.
To practice all reasonable care in the stewardship of the land.
B.
To carefully regulate the uses of the land and its resulting impacts.
C.
To apply the highest and best professional standards of land use practice.
D.
To administer this chapter in a uniform manner.
§ 27-203 Findings.
[Ord. No. 745, 1/13/2026]
WHEREAS, the joint Planning Commissions and Councils of West Homestead Borough, Homestead Borough, Munhall Borough engaged together to pursue a multi-municipal Comprehensive Plan to help guide the Boroughs in a path forward. The Plan not only involved members of a steering committee from all three Boroughs, but also the input of the residents from the respective Boroughs. There were many meetings and information sessions open to the public and stake holders to collect information and present the findings. The Plan identified several key issues and measures to help address them.
WHEREAS, the Commission recommended and the Borough adopted the plan on September 26, 2006, at the council meeting.
Now, therefore, the plan finds and recommends the following action steps as follows:
1.
Each borough should meet with Steel Rivers Council of Governments to establish a strategy for data collection and analysis and participation in the land bank. This begins a process to identify priority properties for the land bank to acquire.
2.
Get Intentional About Sidewalks. Review standards for sidewalk design and maintenance in each community's SALDO, ensure that standards are adequate. Enforce sidewalk maintenance standards. Review and consider more aggressive sidewalk improvement policies.
3.
Convene real estate agents working locally to discuss market demand/preferences and marketing the Steel Valley communities to would-be homebuyers and selling points.
4.
Add information on each borough website for current and potential owners of historic property: Benefits of district, rules for property maintenance, procedures for proposed change.
5.
Apply to extend the Pittsburgh Central Keystone Innovation Zone boundary to include Homestead Borough.
6.
Work with the Homestead Roundtable to create and distribute a brochure or map showing off 8th Avenue local businesses.
7.
Appoint a team of staff, representatives from community groups and other volunteers to pursue initiatives related to Steel Valley identity and branding, starting with input received during the Comprehensive Plan process.
8.
Build political consensus and support for the construction of a bridge to connect Waterfront Drive and PA Route 837.
9.
Establish a cooperative communication strategy — both internally, among the three communities, and externally between local government and the public to increase transparency and inform the community.
10.
Initiate the startup process for a Joint Parks and Recreation Board.
11.
Establish a platform for formal discussions with the Steel Valley School District: Begin holding liaison meetings among one or two volunteers from each elected body. These should be held semi-annually.
12.
Each Council should appoint an equal number of members to a Comprehensive Plan Implementation Task Force, which would serve as an advisory committee to meet at least annually. This group could also lead initiatives to strengthen public engagement, collect additional data and/or pursue grant funding.
