This ordinance shall be known as and may be cited as the "Springfield
Township Zoning Ordinance of 2010, as amended."
No building, sign or other structure or land shall be used or
occupied and no building, sign or other structure or part thereof
shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, moved, enlarged or structurally
altered unless in conformity with the regulations of this ordinance.
However, this ordinance shall not require any change to any building,
sign, other structure or use legally existing at the effective date
of this ordinance, or any amendment thereto, or to any building, sign,
other structure or use duly approved and/or under construction in
compliance with laws which existed prior to the effective date of
this ordinance, provided that the construction or use of a building,
sign, structure or land has not been discontinued, suspended or otherwise
ceased for any reason for a period exceeding twelve consecutive months
after the approval date. In such case, the owner, developer or other
acting agent shall comply with the current enacted Zoning Ordinance
or amendment thereto.
The zoning regulations and districts set forth in this ordinance
are designed to advance the following purposes of the Township of
Springfield:
A.
To promote, protect and facilitate one or more of the following:
the public health, safety, morals, general welfare, coordinated and
practical community development, proper density of population, emergency
management preparedness and operations, provision of adequate light
and air and public requirements such as vehicle parking and loading
space, transportation, sewage, water, recreational facilities and
public grounds; the provisions 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, riparian buffers and floodplains.
B.
To prevent one or more of the following: overcrowding of land, blight,
danger and congestion in travel and transportation, loss of health,
life or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers.
C.
To provide environmental protection and the preservation of natural
resources.
D.
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.
A.
It is intended that the provisions of this ordinance be held to be
the minimum requirements adopted for the promotion of the public health,
safety, morals, comfort, convenience and general welfare of the Township.
It is not intended hereby to repeal, abrogate, annul or in any way
impair or interfere with any existing provisions of law or other Township
ordinances or any rules, regulations or permits previously adopted
or issued thereunder; nor is it intended by this ordinance to abrogate,
annul or modify, directly or by implication, any covenants in deeds,
easements or other agreements affecting real estate; provided, however,
that where this ordinance imposes a greater restriction upon the use,
height, size, setback, location or availability, for private or business
purposes, of buildings or premises or requires larger yards, courts
or other open spaces than are imposed or required by such existing
provisions of law or ordinances and/or rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder or by such covenants, deeds, easements or other agreements
affecting real estate, the provisions of this ordinance shall control.
B.
Where the provisions of any statute, other ordinance or regulation
impose greater restrictions than this ordinance, the provisions of
such statute, ordinance or regulation shall be controlling.
C.
To implement the purposes set forth in § 143-3, the Comprehensive Plan has been formulated. In accordance with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, the interpretation of ordinance provisions should be made with a view toward the following:
(1)
Maintain the Township as an attractive suburban community with all
conveniences and attributes essential to it.
(2)
Promote a rational relationship among land uses to instill a compatibility
with existing neighborhoods.
(3)
Control and improve the character of commercial and limited light
industrial development through such measures as setbacks; buffer areas;
controlled access; sign controls; ample and well planned and designed
off-street parking, loading and unloading facilities; landscaping
and screening; and effective environmental controls.
(4)
Provide for efficient movement of people and goods within and through
the Township to help ensure the compatibility of highway, street,
driveway and parking systems with existing and planned land uses.
(5)
Provide diversified community facilities utilizing and improving
the existing infrastructure and services.
(6)
Protect environmentally sensitive areas, such as floodplains, steep
and very steep slopes, riparian buffers, and woodlands.
(7)
Preserve historic structures and sites to maintain and promote a
sense of community.
D.
The Summary of Zoning District Regulations Springfield Township[1] included herein is intended for the purpose of quick reference
and convenience of some of the Code requirements. It shall be updated
from time to time as amendments to the Code may affect its tabulation.
If at any time it should appear or could be interpreted to be at variance
with the printed word, the printed word shall prevail.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Summary of Zoning District Regulations is included at the end of this chapter.
If any article, section, subsection, paragraph, clause or provision
of this ordinance or map incorporated by reference into this ordinance
shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
such decision shall not affect the validity of this ordinance as a
whole or of any other part.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith
and all of Ord. No. 55, adopted May 6, 1930, as amended, except such
parts as are herein specifically reenacted, are hereby repealed.
This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption.
