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Township of Williams, PA
Northampton County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (20) Index
[Ord. No. 2020-01, 1/6/2020]
A. 
For the purpose of this chapter, the Township of Williams is hereby divided into the following types of zoning districts:
Part
4
Agricultural District (A)
5
Low Density Residential District (LDR)
6
Moderate and Higher Density Residential District (MDR)
7
Local Commercial District (LC)
8
Highway Commercial District (HC)
9
Planned Unit Commercial Development District (PUCD)
10
Light Industrial Business District (LI/B)
11
General Industrial District (GI)
12
Special Conservation District (SC)
18
Solid Waste Zoning District (SWZD)
19
Conservation Development (CD)
B. 
For the purposes of this chapter, the zoning districts named in § 27-301A shall be of the number, size, shape and location shown on the Williams Township Official Zoning Map.
C. 
Terms. Any use of the abbreviations listed in § 27-301A shall mean the district name that is listed beside the abbreviation.
D. 
Floodplain. The Floodplain Areas, as defined by the Township Floodplain Area regulations in Part 15, Environmental Protection, of this chapter and Williams Township Floodplain Ordinance 2001-1, as amended, shall serve as an "overlay district" to all of the underlying zoning districts.
[Ord. No. 2020-01, 1/6/2020]
A. 
No land, building, or structure shall be used or occupied by a use that is not specifically listed in this chapter as permitted in the zoning district within which the land, building, or structure is located, unless otherwise provided by law or specifically in this chapter (including § 27-105B).
B. 
The regulations established by this chapter shall apply uniformly to each class or kind of building, structure or land, except as provided for in this chapter.
C. 
No building, structure, or land shall hereafter be erected, used, constructed, reconstructed, moved, or structurally altered and no building or structure or part thereof shall hereafter be used or occupied unless it is in conformity with the regulations herein specified for the use and district in which it is located.
D. 
No yard or lot existing at the time of adoption of this chapter shall be reduced in dimension, area, or other ratio or characteristic below the minimum requirements and maximum limitations set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this chapter shall meet at least the minimum requirements and maximum limitations established by this chapter.
E. 
Any territory which may hereafter be annexed to the Township shall be classified as the zoning district of the Township most similar to the zoning of such territory before annexation as may be determined by the Zoning Hearing Board until otherwise classified by the Board of Supervisors.
F. 
Uses not Specifically Listed. All uses which are not specifically listed in this chapter as permitted either by right, accessory use, special exception or conditional use in one or more zoning districts shall be permitted in the GI (General Industrial) District as a special exception, subject to the following requirements:
(1) 
Compliance with all requirements in § 27-119, Special Exception Use Procedure, of this chapter:
(2) 
Compliance with all lot and setback regulations contained in § 27-1107 of this chapter; and
(3) 
A determination by the Zoning Hearing Board that the proposed use is not contrary to the public health, safety and general welfare of Township residents.
[Ord. No. 2020-01, 1/6/2020]
A. 
A map that depicts the zoning districts designated in § 27-301 hereof and entitled "Williams Township Official Zoning Map" accompanies this chapter and is declared a part of this chapter, and shall be known as and may be cited as the "Official Zoning Map."
B. 
The Official Zoning Map shall bear the adoption date of this chapter and the words "Official Zoning Map."
C. 
Changes of any nature to the Official Zoning Map shall be made only in conformity with the amendment procedures set forth in this chapter. All changes should be noted by date with a brief description of or reference to the nature of the change.
D. 
The Official Zoning Map shall be the Official Zoning Map that is kept and located in the Township Office shall be the final authority on boundaries and districts, regardless of the existence of purported copies of the Official Zoning Map.
(1) 
If the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost, or difficult to interpret because of changes and additions, the Board of Supervisors may, by resolution, adopt a duplicate Official Zoning Map that shall replace the prior Official Zoning Map.
(2) 
The duplicate Official Zoning Map may correct drafting or other ambiguities, errors, or omissions in the prior Official Zoning Map, but no such correction shall include an amendment thereof, unless the amendment has been duly advertised and adopted as a revision to the Official Zoning Map in accordance with the Municipalities Planning Code.
(3) 
The prior Official Zoning Map or any part or parts thereof remaining shall be preserved in the Township's records or archives together with all available records pertaining to its adoption or amendment, unless the prior Official Zoning Map has been lost or has been totally destroyed
[Ord. No. 2020-01, 1/6/2020]
Where uncertainty exists as to boundaries of any zoning district as shown on the Official Zoning Map, the following rules of construction and interpretation shall apply:
A. 
Zoning district boundary lines are generally intended to follow or be parallel to the center line of street rights-of-way, streams, and railroads, and lot lines as such lot lines existed on a deed or plan record in the County Recorder of Deeds' Office at the time of the adoption of this chapter, unless such zoning district boundary lines are located by specific dimensions as shown on the Official Zoning Map.
B. 
Where a zoning district boundary is not located by dimensions and where it appears to approximately follow lot lines, such boundary shall be construed to be coincident with such lot lines unless specifically shown otherwise.
C. 
In unsubdivided land or where a zoning district boundary crosses divides a lot, and where no dimensions indicate the location of such boundary, then such boundary location shall be determined by the use of the scale appearing on the Official Zoning Map.
D. 
Interpretation of Boundaries. The Zoning Officer shall determine the location of zoning district boundaries pursuant § 27-105D.
[Ord. No. 2020-01, 1/6/2020]
A. 
The intent of this chapter is to provide for compatible land uses across municipal boundaries, consistent with this chapter.
B. 
Protection of Uses, Buildings, or Structures in Williams Township. Any uses, buildings, or structures proposed within Williams Township shall provide the same setbacks and buffer yards in the Township from abutting uses and zoning districts that are located in an abutting municipality as the same as if said uses and zoning districts are located in Williams Township instead of the abutting municipality.
C. 
Protection of Residential Uses and Zoning Districts in Abutting Municipality. This chapter shall require same setbacks and buffer yards for any uses, buildings, or structures proposed within Williams Township that abut an existing residence or principally residential zoning district located in an abutting municipality.