[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Green Lane as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 2-14-1962 by Ord. No. 62-3; amended in its entirety 6-12-1995 by Ord. No. 95-4 (Ch. 1, Part 4, of the 1995 Code of Ordinances)]
A Borough Planning Commission to be composed of three members, appointed as provided by law (53 P.S. § 10202), is hereby created in and for the Borough of Green Lane. The Planning Commission shall perform all duties and may exercise all powers conferred by law upon Borough planning agencies; provided, the Planning Commission previously created in and for the said Borough shall constitute the tenure of any of the members thereof, but any and all vacancies in the said Commission, hereafter occurring, shall be filled in the manner and for the term provided in the law governing Borough planning commissions in effect at the time of the happening of the said vacancy.
[Adopted 8-11-1997 by Ord. No. 97-4]
Green Lane Borough shall join with the municipalities of East Greenville Borough, Pennsburg Borough, Red Hill Borough, Upper Hanover Township, and Marlborough Township to create the Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Planning Commission (Commission) as per the guidelines set forth under Section 1102 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code, Act 247 of July 31, 1968,[1] as reenacted and amended. Each participating municipality shall appoint two members. The term of each member shall be two years; however, initially each municipality shall appoint one member for a one-year term and a second member for a two-year term so that the term of membership of the members appointed by the individual municipalities shall be on a staggered basis. Qualification of members, the removal of members, the conduct of business, etc., shall be governed by Article II, 53 P.S. § 10201 et seq., and Article XI, 53 P.S. § 11101 et seq., of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: See now, in the Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 11002-A.
A. 
The six municipalities of the Upper Perkiomen Valley have come to recognize that the issues associated with growth and development, such as, but not limited to, traffic congestion, air and water pollution, and loss of open space, are too large for any one municipality to deal with. They further recognize that current growth, and anticipated growth, if not properly managed, will lead to the diminution of the region's quality of life. They are concerned that current zoning requirements which call for each and every municipality to provide for a full range of uses, regardless of historic development patterns, is inefficient and potentially destructive to the region's economic and social structure.
B. 
To this end, the six municipalities of the Upper Perkiomen Valley hereby embark on a course of action to implement Regional Planning and Regional Zoning. That only through Regional Planning and Regional Zoning can growth and development be rationally and fairly managed. Therefore, Green Lane Borough empowers the Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Planning Commission to undertake the development of a Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan that shall encompass the six municipalities of the Upper Perkiomen Valley. Upon the successful completion of the Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan, and its adoption by all the participating municipalities, the participating municipalities may so instruct the Regional Planning Commission to undertake the development of a Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map.
The Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Planning Commission shall have the responsibility to prepare a Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan for the six participating municipalities of the Upper Perkiomen Valley. To this end, the powers and duties of the Commission are as follows:
A. 
To prepare a Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan pursuant to Article III, 53 P.S. § 10301 et seq., and Article XI, 53 P.S. § 11101 et seq., of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
B. 
That in the preparation of the Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan, the members of the Commission shall represent the interests of their respective municipalities and shall cast one vote per municipality on all matters that require action.
C. 
Any vote taken by Commission members pertaining to regional planning and regional zoning must be unanimous for it to pass. All other non-planning and zoning related matters may be approved by simple majority.
D. 
Upon the completion of the Joint Municipal Comprehensive Plan by the Commission, and its adoption by all the participating municipalities, the Commission may be instructed by the participating municipalities to prepare a Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map which shall be presented to the participating municipalities for their consideration and adoption.
E. 
If so directed by the participating municipalities to develop a Regional Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map, the Regional Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map shall be prepared pursuant to Article VI, 53 P.S. § 10601 et seq., and Article VIII-A, 53 P.S. § 10801-A et seq., of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
F. 
Should Joint Municipal Zoning be formally adopted by the participating municipalities, the Regional Planning Commission shall review all proposed changes to the Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map and shall make a formal recommendation to the participating municipalities regarding said change. The recommendation of the Commission shall be advisory only.
Each municipality shall retain its own municipal planning commission and zoning hearing board. The participating municipalities agree that for all matters relating to lot line changes, subdivisions, land developments, variances, special exceptions and conditional uses, or any other matter of a planning or zoning nature in which jurisdiction resides in the governing body of a municipality, shall not be a joint planning or joint zoning activity.
The officers of the Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Planning Commission shall consist of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary, all of whom are to serve for a term of one year. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be members of the Commission, but the Secretary need not be a member of the Commission.
Any participating municipality may withdraw from the Regional Planning Commission after one month formal notice. Upon receiving notice that a municipality wishes to withdraw from the Regional Planning Commission, the governing bodies of the remaining municipalities shall promptly schedule a meeting to consider whether the remaining municipalities wish to continue with the Regional Planning Commission. Should joint Municipal Zoning be enacted, notice of withdrawal shall be pursuant to the standards set forth in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
The provisions of this article are severable; and if any section, sentence, clause, part or provision hereof shall be held illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision of the court shall not affect or impair the remaining sections, sentences, clauses, parts or provisions of this article. It is hereby declared to be the intent of this Council that this article would have still been adopted even if such illegal, invalid or unconstitutional section, sentence, clause, part or provision had not been included herein.
This article shall be effective upon its enactment by all the participating municipalities.