[Amended 8-24-1989 by Ord. No. 89-09]
[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. 04-08, adopted 6-24-2004, adopted the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (see Ch. 136, Uniform Building Code). This ordinance provided in part for the following:
"The West Manchester Township Building Permit Ordinance (§ 150-363 et seq. of the Code of the Township of West Manchester), together with any amendments thereto, is hereby repealed for all buildings for which permits are issued after the effective date of this ordinance. It shall remain in full force and effect for any permits for which complete applications were filed before the effective date of this ordinance."
A.
A building 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 permanent signs and/or temporary signs classified as T-1, T-3, T-4, T-5, T-8, T-9 and T-10 in Article XXVII of this chapter. Building permits shall also be required for the construction or installation of animal waste impoundments, lakes, ponds, dams or other water retention basins. No building permit shall be required for repairs or maintenance of any structure or land, provided that such repairs do not change the use the exterior dimensions of the structure or otherwise violate the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 11-14-1991 by Ord. No. 91-09]
B.
Application for building permits shall be made in writing to the
Zoning Officer.
C.
Such building permits shall be granted or refused within 30 days
from date of application.
D.
No building permit shall be issued except in conformity with the
regulations of this chapter, except after written order from the Zoning
Hearing Board or the courts.
E.
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 building permit will be denied.
F.
The parcel or parcels shall be in a single and full ownership, or
proof of option shall be furnished at the time of application. The
full names and addresses of the landowner or developer and of the
responsible officers, if the landowner or developer is a corporate
body, shall be stated in the application.
G.
The Zoning Officer may call upon other Township staff and/or Township-appointed
consultants in the review of submitted materials for applications.
H.
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.
I.
No permit shall be issued until the fees prescribed by the Board
of Township Supervisors pursuant to 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 ordinances or
law.
Applications shall contain a general description of the proposed
work, development and 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.
The actual dimensions and shape of the lot to be developed.
B.
The exact location and dimensions of any structures to be erected,
constructed and altered.
C.
Existing and proposed uses, including the number of occupied units,
businesses, etc., that 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.
[Added 10-27-1988 by Ord. No. 88-11]
A.
For all new multifamily or nonresidential development or for any
expansion of any existing multifamily or nonresidential development
in excess of 20% of the existing building and/or impervious square
footage, a site development plan prepared in accordance with the Township's
Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[1] must be approved by the Township's Board of Supervisors
prior to a building permit being granted by the Township.
B.
All requirements and time frames specified by the Subdivision and
Land Development Ordinance apply and must be met prior to the review
of the plan by the Township Board of Supervisors.
C.
For any development requiring approval by any other state or federal
or local agency, evidence of the required approval must be presented
with the other information required on the building permit application.
Applications for building permits for uses in all commercial
and industrial zones shall include the following:
A.
A location plan showing the tract to be developed, zone boundaries,
adjoining tracts, significant natural features and streets for a distance
of 200 feet from all tract boundaries.
B.
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.
C.
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.
D.
Engineering plans for the treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial
waste, tailings or unusable by-products.
E.
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.
F.
Designation of the manner by which sanitary sewage and stormwater
shall be disposed and water supply obtained.
G.
The proposed number of shifts to be worked and the maximum number
of employees on each shift.
H.
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 the estimated
number of employees.
A.
If the work described in any building permit has not begun within
90 days from the issuance thereof, said permit shall expire; it shall
be canceled by the Zoning Officer, and written notice thereof shall
be given to the persons affected.
B.
If the work described in any building permit has not been substantially
completed within one year of the date of the issuance thereof, said
permit shall expire and be canceled by the Zoning Officer, and written
notice shall be given to the persons affected that further work as
described in the canceled permit shall not proceed unless and until
a new building permit has been obtained.
[Amended 6-28-2001 by Ord. No. 01-03]
All approved building 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.
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 petition of special exception, they will in no
way exert a detrimental effect upon the uses of land and activities
normally permitted in the zone; or 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 Zoning Hearing Board
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.
A.
Upon completion of the erection or alteration of any building, structure
or land or portion thereof authorized by any building permit and prior
to occupancy or use, the holder of such building permit shall notify
the Zoning Officer of such completion. No zoning permit shall be considered
complete or permanently effective, nor shall any building be occupied
or lot used, until said official has issued a certificate of use and
occupancy attesting that the work has been inspected and approved
as being in conformity with the building permit and the provisions
of this chapter and other applicable ordinances.
B.
In commercial and industrial zones in which operation standards are
imposed, no certificate of use and occupancy shall become permanent
until 30 days after the facility is fully operational when, upon a
reinspection by the Zoning Officer, it is determined that the facility
is in compliance with all operation standards.
C.
Certificate of use and occupancy shall be granted or denied within
30 days from the date of application.
D.
If the Zoning Officer finds that the work has not been performed
in accordance with the approved application, he/she shall refuse to
issue the certificate of use and occupancy and, in writing, give the
reasons therefor and inform the permit holder of his right of appeal
to the Zoning Hearing Board.
E.
Before the issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy, the property
owner of record shall be required to adequately post the numeric address
on the street side of the structure near the main entrance or on the
mailbox so that it is visible from the public cartway.
[Added 6-28-2001 by Ord. No. 01-03]
