This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Lancaster
Township Zoning Ordinance."
The Zoning Regulations are enacted for the following purposes:
A.
To promote, protect and facilitate any or all of the following: the
public health, safety, morals, and general welfare; coordinated and
practical community development and proper density of population;
emergency management preparedness and operations, airports and national
defense facilities, the provisions of adequate light and air (clean,
efficient and renewable energy), police protection, vehicle parking
and loading space, transportation, water, sewerage, schools, recreational
facilities, public grounds, the provision of a safe, reliable and
adequate water supply for domestic, commercial, agricultural or industrial
use, and other public requirements; as well as preservation of the
natural, scenic and historic values in the environment and preservation
of forests, wetlands, aquifers and floodplains.
B.
To prevent one or more of the following: overcrowding of land, blight,
danger and congestion in travel and transportation, and/or loss of
health, life or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers.
C.
To preserve prime agriculture and farmland considering topography,
soil type and classification, and present use.
D.
To provide for the use of land within the municipality for residential
housing of various dwelling types encompassing all basic forms of
housing, including single-family and two-family dwellings and a reasonable
range of multifamily dwellings in various arrangements, mobile/manufactured
homes and mobile/manufactured home parks.
E.
To accommodate reasonable overall community growth, including population
and employment growth, and opportunities for development of a variety
of residential dwelling types and nonresidential uses.
F.
This chapter is made in accordance with the Township's goals and
strategies as set forth in the most-recent version of the Lancaster
Township Comprehensive Plan, as amended, and with consideration for
the character of the municipality, its various parts and the suitability
of the various parts for particular uses and structures.
In interpreting and applying this chapter, the Township holds
these provisions to be the minimum requirements for promotion of the
health, safety, morals and general welfare of the Township. Any use
permitted subject to the regulations prescribed by the provisions
of this chapter shall conform with all regulations for the zoning
district in which it is located and with all other pertinent regulations
of this chapter. This chapter is not intended to interfere with, abrogate,
annul, supersede or cancel any easements, covenants, restrictions
or reservations contained in deeds, or other agreements; but if this
chapter imposes more-stringent restrictions upon the use of buildings
and land than are contained in the deeds or agreements, the provisions
of this chapter shall control.
The provisions, regulations, limitations, and restrictions of
this chapter shall apply to all structures, buildings, uses, signs,
fences, walls, parking compounds, loading facilities, driveways, access
drives, and land and their accessory structures, buildings, uses and
signs. Nothing in this chapter shall require any change in plans or
construction of a building for which a building permit has been issued
by the Township prior to the effective date of this chapter and which
is completed within the time limits of the permit or applicable extensions
thereof.
