West Homestead City Zoning Code
PART 2
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT
§ 27-201 Statement of Purpose.
[Ord. 560, 6/11/1996, Art. II, § 1]
1.
The purpose of this chapter is:
A.
To promote the 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 for 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 for adequate off-street parking for vehicles and for 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. 560, 6/11/1996, Art. II, § 2]
1.
This chapter pledges the intention of the Borough, its officers, Boards and commissions:
§ 27-203 Findings.
[Ord. 560, 6/11/1996; as added by Ord. 631, 3/13/2007, § 1]
WHEREAS, Council conducted a tour of the older sections of the Borough of West Homestead (hereinafter "Borough") on May __, 2006 for its members and other officials of the Borough, during which the tour participants observed numerous instances of blighted and abandoned buildings and properties; and,
WHEREAS, the West Homestead Planning Commission (hereinafter "Commission") has convened a Town Planning Task Force ("hereinafter "Task Force") for the purpose of studying conditions in the older sections of the Borough with the goal of devising plans for improvements in these areas; and,
WHEREAS, the Commission and the Task Force met to consider matters affecting the older sections of the Borough, which meetings were held on September 26, 2006, October 24, 2006 and November 28, 2008; and.
WHEREAS, said meetings were open to any and all interested persons; and.
WHEREAS, at the direction of Council, the Commission held a public hearing on November 26, 2008, to solicit comments and opinions on potential amendments to this Code, Chapter 27; and,
WHEREAS, the Commission adopted a Resolution at its regular meeting of December 20, 2006, which resolution recommended revisions to this Code, Chapter 27.
Now, therefore, on the basis of the foregoing record, Council finds as follows:
1.
Significant blight, decay and deterioration has developed and now exists in the older residential sections of the Borough which are along and to the south of Seventh and Eighth Avenues and which areas are currently in Zoning Districts R-1, R-1T and R-M; and which areas specifically do not include those areas known as the Calhoun Manor, Calhoun Village and New Homestead areas of the Borough of West Homestead.
2.
Unchecked, past division of smaller, single-family homes into multiple units has resulted in overcrowding, excess parking demand and alterations of buildings inconsistent with the historic character of the area.
3.
A proliferation of vacant residential buildings owned by nonresident persons has contributed end continues to contribute to blight, decay and deterioration.
4.
Deleterious conditions existing in the aforesaid areas include: violations of established property maintenance codes; existence of asbestos and mold and other health-threatening environmental conditions.
5.
A number of abandoned properties, both vacant lots and with unoccupied buildings is a public nuisance that degrades the aforementioned residential areas of the Borough.
6.
Numerous public nuisances in the nature of substandard buildings now exist [in] the aforementioned areas.
7.
Owner-occupied single-family dwellings are a desirable and essential ingredient in a stable and sustainable.
8.
Review and approval of the division of existing single-family dwellings into multiple units, as well as the construction of new multiple unit residential structures is necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare.