West Homestead, PA Zoning Ordinance

To maintain, enhance and upgrade the Borough's established residential areas.

To provide for a diversity of housing types meeting the needs of various age and income groups while assuring that each type of housing develops in appropriate locations consistent with existing neighborhood character and site suitability.

To prevent the intrusion of incompatible land uses into residential areas.

To promote the use of previously used but currently vacant residential in-fill sites, as follows:

(a)

To encourage the reuse and/or redevelopment of these sites for the development and/or expansion of compatible land uses, buildings and/or structures.

(b)

To develop strategies for promoting the reuse of these sites in a manner that is consistent with the Borough's Comprehensive Plan and land use planning objectives.

(c)

To establish performance standards which include provisions for adequate traffic access, parking, utility connection and usage, landscaping, buffer areas and signage, and which regulate traffic, noise and similar negative environmental effects.

Commercial Objectives.

To support and encourage the continued development of the avenue business district while recognizing the importance of maintaining the mixed use (residential, office, personal services, and retail commercial) character of the district.

To encourage the establishment of a limited number of suitable locations on arterial streets bordering residential areas for convenience commercial uses to serve nearby residential neighborhoods.

To ensure the provision of adequate off-street parking and loading facilities for all new commercial development.

To promote the expansion of existing off-street parking and loading facilities where needed for existing commercial development.

Riverfront Redevelopment Objectives.

To support and encourage expansion of the Borough's economic base through the quality redevelopment of the former USX site on the Monongahela River by encouraging the development and expansion of well-planned mixed (industrial, commercial and/or residential) land uses in the area.

To develop strategies to promote the use, reuse, development and redevelopment of vacant industrial sites and buildings in a manner that is consistent with the Borough's overall land use objectives.

To establishment development and performance standards for industrial uses which include provisions for adequate traffic access, off-street parking and loading, buffer areas, landscaping, and signing, as well as standards to prevent air, noise, and water pollution and similar negative environment effects.

Waterfront Development Objectives.

To support and encourage expansion of the Borough's economic base by encouraging the development and expansion of well planned mixed land uses in the WDD.

To develop strategies for promoting the development of the WDD in a manner consistent with the Borough's overall land use objectives.

To establish development and performance standards for the WDD, including off-street parking, landscaping, and signage, as well as standards to prevent air, noise and water pollution and similar negative environmental effects.

Community Facilities and Services Objectives.

To assure that all areas of the Borough have reasonable access to public utility services (water, sewage, gas, electric, etc.) and that the future use, reuse, development and/or redevelopment in the Borough includes provisions for the proper extension and/or upgrading of these services, as needed.

To maintain and upgrade Borough streets and to plan for the orderly extension of streets to serve areas scheduled for development.

To ensure that all areas of the Borough are well-served by police, fire, emergency medical and other municipal services.

Environmental Resources Objectives.

To recognize the Monongahela River as an important resource for the Borough.

To develop standards which limit the use and development of sensitive environmental areas in the Borough, such as floodplains, steep slopes (over 15% grade), landslide prone areas, and other undeveloped areas which have unique environmental barriers to development.

To develop standards which minimize potential hazards from inadequately controlled stormwater run-off and excessive soil erosion and/or sedimentation resulting from the alteration of the land associated with development related activities.

§ 27-302 General Provisions.

[Ord. 560, 6/11/1996, Art. III, § 2; as amended by Ord. 568, 11/10/1997]

Application of the Regulations.

Uniformity of Regulations and Exceptions. The regulations established by this chapter shall be considered to be the minimum regulations and shall apply uniformly to each class or kind of structure or land, except that supplemental regulations may be established by Council within any district for the purposes of:

Making transitional provisions at or near the boundaries of districts.

Regulating non-conforming uses and/or structures.

Regulating, restricting or prohibiting uses and/or structures at or near major thoroughfares, their intersections and interchanges, or bodies (natural or artificial) of water.

Places of relatively steep slope (over 15% grade).

(5)

Public buildings or grounds.

(6)

Places recognized by Borough Council as having a unique historical or patriotic value or interest.

(7)

Floodplain areas and/or other places having a special character or use affecting or affected by their surroundings.

Note: Among several classes of zoning districts, the provisions for permitted uses may be mutually exclusive in whole or in part.

Compliance. No building, structure or land shall hereafter be used or occupied, and no building or structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved or structurally altered, except in conformity with all applicable provisions of this chapter. No changes shall be made in the contour of the land; no grading, excavation, removal or destruction of topsoil, trees or other vegetative cover of land shall be commenced until the zoning certificate has been issued in compliance with the terms of this chapter.

Preservation of Other Regulations. Regardless of any other provision of this chapter, no land shall be used and no structure erected, demolished or maintained in violation of any federal, state or county law or regulation.

Pending Building Permits. Nothing in this chapter shall require any change in construction or use of any structure for which a building permit has been lawfully issued prior to the effective date of this chapter, or any amendment thereto, provided that the construction has begun or a contract has been let pursuant to the issuance of said permit. However, any building permit which has been issued, subsequent to the first public hearing on this chapter but prior to the effective date of this chapter, shall be declared to be void at the time of adoption of this chapter, if the structure or use does not conform to the provisions of this chapter and if no substantial construction has begun or contract let.

Interpretation.

Wherever the regulations within this chapter are at variance with other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, deed restrictions or covenants, that regulation, rule, ordinance, deed restriction or covenant which imposes the more restrictive requirement(s) shall prevail and govern. In the event of any conflict between the regulations contained in an article related to a specific zoning district and any other provisions of this chapter, the regulations set forth in the article related to the specific zoning district shall prevail.

No structure or use which was not lawfully existing at the time of the adoption of this chapter shall become or be made lawful solely by reason of the adoption of this chapter; and, further, to the extent that said unlawful structure or use is in conflict with the requirements of this chapter, said structure or use shall remain unlawful hereunder.

Repeal of Conflicting Ordinances. All existing ordinances or parts of ordinances which are contrary to or conflict with the provisions of this chapter are hereby repealed, to the extent necessary to give this chapter full force and effect.

Validity. Should any section or provision of this chapter be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of this chapter as a whole or any part thereof. And the Parts or sections remaining shall remain in full force and effect, as if the Part or section declared unconstitutional had never been a part thereof.

Effective Date. This chapter shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the West Homestead Borough Council.

West Homestead City Zoning Code

PART 3

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL REGULATIONS

§ 27-301 Community Development Objectives.

[Ord. 560, 6/11/1996, Art. III, § 1; as amended by Ord. 568, 11/10/1997]

Residential Objectives.

To maintain, enhance and upgrade the Borough's established residential areas.

To prevent the intrusion of incompatible land uses into residential areas.

To promote the use of previously used but currently vacant residential in-fill sites, as follows:

(a)

To encourage the reuse and/or redevelopment of these sites for the development and/or expansion of compatible land uses, buildings and/or structures.

(b)

To develop strategies for promoting the reuse of these sites in a manner that is consistent with the Borough's Comprehensive Plan and land use planning objectives.

(c)

Commercial Objectives.

To encourage the establishment of a limited number of suitable locations on arterial streets bordering residential areas for convenience commercial uses to serve nearby residential neighborhoods.

To ensure the provision of adequate off-street parking and loading facilities for all new commercial development.

To promote the expansion of existing off-street parking and loading facilities where needed for existing commercial development.

Riverfront Redevelopment Objectives.

To develop strategies to promote the use, reuse, development and redevelopment of vacant industrial sites and buildings in a manner that is consistent with the Borough's overall land use objectives.

Waterfront Development Objectives.

To support and encourage expansion of the Borough's economic base by encouraging the development and expansion of well planned mixed land uses in the WDD.

To develop strategies for promoting the development of the WDD in a manner consistent with the Borough's overall land use objectives.

Community Facilities and Services Objectives.

To maintain and upgrade Borough streets and to plan for the orderly extension of streets to serve areas scheduled for development.

To ensure that all areas of the Borough are well-served by police, fire, emergency medical and other municipal services.

Environmental Resources Objectives.

To recognize the Monongahela River as an important resource for the Borough.

§ 27-302 General Provisions.

[Ord. 560, 6/11/1996, Art. III, § 2; as amended by Ord. 568, 11/10/1997]

Application of the Regulations.

Making transitional provisions at or near the boundaries of districts.

Regulating non-conforming uses and/or structures.

Regulating, restricting or prohibiting uses and/or structures at or near major thoroughfares, their intersections and interchanges, or bodies (natural or artificial) of water.

Places of relatively steep slope (over 15% grade).

(5)

Public buildings or grounds.

(6)

Places recognized by Borough Council as having a unique historical or patriotic value or interest.

(7)

Floodplain areas and/or other places having a special character or use affecting or affected by their surroundings.

Note: Among several classes of zoning districts, the provisions for permitted uses may be mutually exclusive in whole or in part.

Interpretation.

Effective Date. This chapter shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the West Homestead Borough Council.

West Homestead City Zoning Code

PART 3

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND GENERAL REGULATIONS

§ 27-301 Community Development Objectives.

[Ord. 560, 6/11/1996, Art. III, § 1; as amended by Ord. 568, 11/10/1997]

Residential Objectives.

To maintain, enhance and upgrade the Borough's established residential areas.

To prevent the intrusion of incompatible land uses into residential areas.

To promote the use of previously used but currently vacant residential in-fill sites, as follows:

(a)

To encourage the reuse and/or redevelopment of these sites for the development and/or expansion of compatible land uses, buildings and/or structures.

(b)

To develop strategies for promoting the reuse of these sites in a manner that is consistent with the Borough's Comprehensive Plan and land use planning objectives.

(c)

Commercial Objectives.

To encourage the establishment of a limited number of suitable locations on arterial streets bordering residential areas for convenience commercial uses to serve nearby residential neighborhoods.

To ensure the provision of adequate off-street parking and loading facilities for all new commercial development.

To promote the expansion of existing off-street parking and loading facilities where needed for existing commercial development.

Riverfront Redevelopment Objectives.

To develop strategies to promote the use, reuse, development and redevelopment of vacant industrial sites and buildings in a manner that is consistent with the Borough's overall land use objectives.

Waterfront Development Objectives.

To support and encourage expansion of the Borough's economic base by encouraging the development and expansion of well planned mixed land uses in the WDD.

To develop strategies for promoting the development of the WDD in a manner consistent with the Borough's overall land use objectives.

Community Facilities and Services Objectives.

To maintain and upgrade Borough streets and to plan for the orderly extension of streets to serve areas scheduled for development.

To ensure that all areas of the Borough are well-served by police, fire, emergency medical and other municipal services.

Environmental Resources Objectives.

To recognize the Monongahela River as an important resource for the Borough.

§ 27-302 General Provisions.

[Ord. 560, 6/11/1996, Art. III, § 2; as amended by Ord. 568, 11/10/1997]

Application of the Regulations.

Making transitional provisions at or near the boundaries of districts.

Regulating non-conforming uses and/or structures.

Regulating, restricting or prohibiting uses and/or structures at or near major thoroughfares, their intersections and interchanges, or bodies (natural or artificial) of water.