[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
Building permits shall be required before any new construction,
reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, or relocation of any building
or structure or any development of any real estate is undertaken in
the Township.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
1.
The Zoning Officer shall issue a building permit only after it has
been determined that the proposed work will be in conformity with
the requirements of this and all other applicable Township ordinances.
2.
No building permit shall be issued until all other necessary government
permits required by state and federal laws have been obtained, such
as those required by the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, 35 P.S.
§ 750.1 et seq.; the Pennsylvania Dam Safety and Encroachments,
32 P.S. § 693.1 et seq.; the Pennsylvania Clean Streams
Act, 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq.; and the U.S. Clean Water Act,
§ 404, 33 U.S.C. § 1344. No permit shall be issued
until this determination has been made.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
1.
A building permit application can be obtained at Lower Macungie Township
offices. Such application shall contain at least the following:
A.
Name and address of applicant.
B.
Name and address of owner of the land on which the proposed construction
is to occur.
C.
Name and address of contractor (s) for proposed work.
D.
Site location.
E.
Brief description of proposed work and estimated cost.
F.
A plan of the site, showing the exact size and location of the proposed
construction, as well as any existing buildings or structures and
the location of any existing or proposed subdivision and land development.
G.
Proposed lowest floor and basement elevations based upon National
Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929.
H.
Sufficient information (for example, plans, including elevations
and contours, if requested by the Zoning Officer) to enable the Zoning
Officer to make a determination of whether the proposed activity is
or is not located within the restricted floodplain area or the regulated
floodplain area. (The building permit office may require such reasonable
additional information as is necessary to make such determination).
I.
If the Zoning Officer determines that any proposed new construction,
reconstruction, enlargement, alteration, relocation is located within
the prohibited floodplain area or within the regulated floodplain
area:
(1)
A plan which accurately locates the construction or development
proposed with respect to the flood prone area boundaries, stream channel
and existing flood prone developments including all plans for proposed
subdivisions or land developments, that assures:
(a)
No proposed construction or development is located within the
prohibited floodplain area.
(b)
All construction or development within the regulated floodplain area is consistent with the need to minimize flood damage and in compliance with all provisions of these flood hazard area regulations (Appendix 27A) and of this chapter and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22A] of Lower Macungie Township.
(c)
All public utilities, roads and other facilities (except sewer facilities and public stream crossings, see § 27A-403) are located, elevated and constructed outside of the prohibited floodplain areas, in compliance with all provisions of these flood hazard area regulations (Appendix 27A) and of this chapter and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22A] of Lower Macungie Township, and consistent with the need to minimize or eliminate flood damage.
(d)
Adequate drainage is provided to reduce exposure to flood hazards.
(2)
Such plan shall include existing and proposed contours at intervals
of two feet, information and spot elevations concerning flood elevations,
velocities, and other applicable information such as pressures, impact
and uplift forces associated with the one-hundred-year and five-hundred-year
floods; locations and elevations of existing and proposed streets,
driveways or other accessways, parking areas and other paved pavement
types; location of existing and proposed utilities such as water supply
and sanitary sewer facilities, railroad tracks; location of any existing
bodies of water, streams or watercourses; identified floodplain areas,
and, if available, information pertaining to the floodway, and the
flow of water including direction and velocities and other natural
or man-made features affecting or affected by the proposed activity
as it relates to flooding; soil types; all property and lot lines
including dimensions and size of the entire site in acres; and any
other information which the Township determines is necessary for adequate
review of the application with respect to these flood hazard regulations
(Appendix 27A).
(3)
A document certified by a registered professional engineer or
architect, which states that the proposed construction has been adequately
designed to withstand the one-hundred-year and five-hundred-year flood
elevations, pressures, velocities, impact and uplift forces and other
hydrostatic, hydromatic and buoyancy factors associated with the one-hundred-year
and five-hundred-year floods, detailed information concerning any
proposed floodproofing measures including a description of the type
and extent of the flood proofing measures which have been incorporated
into the design of the construction.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
A copy of all applications and plans for new construction in
any flood prone area to be considered for approval shall be submitted
by the applicant to the County Conservation District Office for review
and comment prior to the issuance of a building permit. The recommendations
of the Conservation District Office shall be considered by the Zoning
Officer for possible incorporation into the proposed plan of construction
or development.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
A copy of all plans and applications for new construction in
any flood prone area to be considered for approval may be submitted
by the Zoning Officer to any appropriate Township agencies and/or
individuals (such as the Township Planning Commission or Township
Engineers) for review and comment.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
After issuance of a building permit by the Zoning Officer, no
changes of any kind shall be made to the application, permit or any
of the plans, specifications or other documents submitted with the
application, without the written consent or approval of the Zoning
Officer.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
In addition to the building permits, the Zoning Officer shall
issue a placard, which shall be displayed on the premises during the
time construction is in progress. This placard shall show the number
of the building permit, the date of its issuance, and shall be signed
by the Zoning Officer.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
Work on the proposed construction shall begin within six months
after the date of issuance of the building permit, or the permit shall
expire unless a time extension is granted, in writing, by the Zoning
Officer. Construction shall be considered to have started with the
first placement of permanent construction on the site, such as the
pouring of slabs or footings or any work beyond the stage of excavation.
For a structure without a basement or poured footings, the start of
construction includes the first permanent framing or assembly of the
structure or any part thereof on its pilings or foundation, or the
affixing of any prefabricated structure or manufactured home to its
permanent site. Permanent construction does not include land preparation,
land clearing, grading, filling excavation for basement, footings,
piers or foundations, erection of temporary forms, the installation
of piling under proposed sub-surface footings or the installation
of sewer, gas and water pipes, or electrical or other service lines
from the street.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
During the construction period, the Zoning Officer, or other
authorized official, may inspect the premises to determine the work
is progressing in compliance with the information provided on the
permit application and with all applicable Lower Macungie Township
laws or ordinances, or that there has been a misrepresentation or
false statement by an applicant, the Zoning Officer shall revoke the
building permit and report such fact to the Lower Macungie Township
Zoning Hearing Board for whatever action it considers necessary.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002; and by Ord. 2011-12, 10/6/2011]
1.
Applications for a building permit shall be accompanied by a fee,
payable to the Township of Lower Macungie, based upon the estimated
cost of the proposed construction as determined by the Zoning Officer
as per fee schedule established from time to time by the Board of
Commissioners.
2.
Any person aggrieved by the Zoning Officer's estimate of the cost
of the proposed construction may appeal to the Lower Macungie Township
Zoning Hearing Board. Such appeal must be filed, in writing, within
30 days after the determination by the Zoning Officer.
[Ord. 1998-11, 12/17/1998, § I; as amended by Ord.
2002-2, 1/3/2002]
Notices, hearings, orders and appeals shall follow procedures as set forth in Part 26 of this chapter.
