(1) A zoning permit shall be required prior to a change in use of land or structure or the erection, construction, improvement or alteration of any structure or portion thereof or the alteration or development of any improved or unimproved real estate, including, but not limited to, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations or the erection or alteration of any signs specified in Article 7 of this chapter. Zoning permits shall also be required for the construction or installation of animal waste impoundments, lakes, ponds, dams or other water retention basins. No zoning permit shall be required for repairs or maintenance of any structure or land, provided that such repairs do not change the use or the exterior dimensions of the structure or otherwise violate the provisions of this chapter.
(2) Application for zoning permits shall be made in writing to the Zoning Officer.
(3) Such zoning permits shall be granted or refused within 90 days from date of application.
(4) No zoning permit shall be issued, except in conformity with the regulations of this chapter, except after written order from the ZHB or the courts.
(5) In all instances in which the Zoning Officer expresses a reasonable doubt as to the ability of a proposed use to meet all the requirements of this chapter, it will be incumbent upon the applicant to furnish adequate evidence in support of his application. If such evidence is not presented, the zoning permit will be denied.
(6) Application for a permit shall be made by the owner or lessee of any building or structure or the agent of either; provided, however, that if the application is made by a person other than the owner or lessee it shall be accompanied by a written authorization of the owner or the qualified person making an application that the proposed work is authorized by this owner. The full names and addresses of the owner, lessee, applicant and of the responsible officers, if the owner or lessee is a corporate body, shall be stated in the application.
(7) The Zoning Officer may call upon other Township staff and/or Township-appointed consultants in the review of submitted materials for applications. A copy of all plans and applications for proposed construction or other improvements within the floodplain zone[1] to be considered for approval may be submitted by the Zoning Officer to any other appropriate agencies and/or individuals for review and comment.
(8) The Zoning Officer may revoke a permit or approval issued under the provisions of this chapter in case of any false statement or misrepresentation of fact in the application or on the plans on which the permit or approval was based or for any other cause set forth in this chapter.
(9) No permit shall be issued until the fees prescribed by the ZHB of Township Supervisors pursuant to a resolution shall be paid to the Zoning Officer. The payment of fees under this section shall not relieve the applicant or holder of said permit from payment of other fees that may be required by this chapter or by any other ordinance or law.
(10) Issuance of permits: Upon receiving the application, the Zoning Officer shall examine the same within a reasonable time after filing. If the application or plans do not conform to the provisions of all pertinent local laws, he shall reject such application in writing, stating the reasons therefor. He shall inform the applicant of his right to appeal to the ZHB in the event such application is rejected. If satisfied that the proposed work and/or use conforms to the provisions of this chapter and all laws and ordinances applicable thereto, and that the certificate of use and occupancy as required herein has been applied for, he shall issue a permit therefor as soon as practical, but not later than 90 days from receipt of the application.
(11) Reconsideration of application: An applicant whose request for a permit has been denied by the Zoning Officer may make a later application for a permit, provided all deficiencies which were the basis for the prior denial of the permit have been eliminated. The Zoning Officer shall not be required to make a new inspection of the application if this condition is not met.
(12) Expiration of permit: The permit shall expire after one year from the date of issuance; provided, however, that the same may be extended every six months for a period not to exceed an additional one year.
(13) Compliance with this chapter: The permit shall be a license to proceed with the work and should not be construed as authority to violate, cancel or set aside any of the provisions of this chapter, except as stipulated by the ZHB.
(14) Compliance with permit and plot plan: All work or uses shall conform to the approved application and plans for which the permit has been issued as well as the approved plot plan.
(15) Display of zoning permit: All approved zoning permits shall be prominently displayed on the subject property during construction, renovation, reconstruction, repair, remodeling or the conduct of other site improvements. Such permit displays shall occur within five days of permit issuance or prior to the commencement of actual work on the site, whichever occurs first. Such permit display shall be continuous until the site receives its certificate of use and occupancy.
(16) Temporary use permits: It is recognized that it may be in accordance with the purpose of this chapter to permit temporary activities for a limited period of time, which activities may be prohibited by other provisions of this chapter. If such uses are of such a nature and are so located that, at the time of application, they will:

(a) In no way exert a detrimental effect upon the uses of land and activities normally permitted in the zone.
(b) Contribute materially to the welfare of the Township, particularly in a state of emergency, under conditions peculiar to the time and place involved, then the ZHB may, subject to all regulations for the issuance of special exception elsewhere specified, direct the Zoning Officer to issue a permit for a period not to exceed six months. Such permits may be extended not more than once for an additional period of six months.

 

(1) Applications shall contain a general description of the proposed work, development, use or occupancy of all parts of the structure or land and shall be accompanied by plans in duplicate drawn to scale and showing the following:

(a) Actual dimensions and shape of lot to be developed.
(b) Exact location and dimensions of any structures to be erected, constructed and altered.
(c) Existing and proposed uses, including the number of occupied dwelling units, businesses, etc., all structures are designed to accommodate.
(d) Off-street parking and loading spaces.
(e) Utility systems affected and proposed.
(f) Alteration or development of any improved or unimproved real estate.
(g) The size of structures and the number of employees anticipated.
(h) Any other lawful information that may be required by the Zoning Officer to determine compliance with this chapter.

(2) If the proposed development, excavation or construction is located within a floodplain, the following information is specifically required to accompany all applications:

(a) The accurate location of the floodplain and floodway.
(b) The elevation, in relation to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD), of the lowest floor, including basements.
(c) The elevation, in relation to the NGVD, to which all structures and utilities will be floodproofed or elevated.
(d) Where floodproofing is proposed to be utilized for a particular structure, the zoning permit application shall be accompanied by a document certified by a registered professional engineer or a licensed professional architect registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, certifying that the floodproofing methods used meet the provisions of the Flood Plain Ordinance of East Hempfield Township and are adequate to withstand the flood depths, pressures, velocities, impact and uplift forces and other factors associated with the one-hundred-year flood, as defined herein, and indicating the specific elevation (in relation to mean sea level) to which such structure is floodproofed.

C. Application for zoning permits for nonresidential uses in all zones.

(1) A location plan showing the lot to be developed, zone boundaries, adjoining lots, significant natural features and streets for a distance of 200 feet from all lot boundaries.
(2) A plot plan of the lot showing the location of all existing and proposed buildings, driveways, parking lots showing access drives, circulation patterns, curb cut accesses, parking stalls access from streets, screening fences and walls, waste disposal fields or other methods of sewage disposal, other construction features on the lot and the location of all topographical features.
(3) A description of the operations proposed in sufficient detail to indicate the effects of those operations in producing traffic congestion, noise, glare, air pollution, water pollution, vibration, fire hazards, safety hazards or the emission of any potentially harmful or obnoxious matter or radiation.
(4) Engineering plans for treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial waste, tailings or unusable by-products.
(5) Engineering plans for the handling of traffic, noise, glare, air pollution, water pollution, vibration, fire hazards or safety hazards, smoke or emission of any potentially harmful or obnoxious matter or radiation.
(6) Designation of the manner by which sanitary sewage and stormwater shall be disposed and water supply obtained.
(7) The proposed number of shifts to be worked and the maximum number of employees on each shift.
(8) Where use by more than one firm is anticipated, a list of firms which are likely to be located in the center, their floor area and estimated number of employees.

See Forms and Applications for detailed information.