1. Hereafter no structure shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered or moved, and no building shall be used or occupied, or changed in use, until a zoning permit has been secured from the Zoning Officer. Upon completion of changes in use or construction, reconstruction, alteration or moving of structures, the applicant shall notify the Zoning Officer of such completion. No permit shall be considered as completed or as permanently effective until the Zoning Officer has noted on the permit that the work or occupancy and use has been inspected and approved as being in conformity with the provisions of this Chapter.

2. All structures for which permits have been obtained and the construction of which or a portion of which has been begun, or for which a contract or contracts have been let pursuant to a permit issued prior to the passage of this Chapter, may be completed and used in accordance with the plans on which said permit was granted. Zoning permits shall not be required for general maintenance work, painting, cleaning woodlands, building ponds, tilling the soil, constructing fences, terraces, or similar features, nor landscaping.

1. All applications for zoning permits shall be made by the owner, tenant, purchaser under contract of sale, or authorized agent, on a form supplied by the Borough, and shall be filed with the Zoning Officer. The application shall consist of two parts:

 

A. A written statement including:

(1) An identification of the proposed use of the building or land;

(2) A description of any proposed industrial or commercial operations in sufficient detail to indicate effects of those operations in producing noise, heat, vibration, glare, air pollution, water pollution, fire hazards, traffic congestion, or other safety hazards;

(3) A description of methods to be employed in controlling any excess noise, air pollution, smoke, fumes, water pollution, fire hazards or other safety hazards;

(4) In the case of application for interpretation, variances, special exceptions, and conditional uses, the additional information specified in Part 11 § § 1110: Representation and;

(5) Any other data deemed necessary by the Zoning Officer, Planning Commission or Borough Council to enable them to determine the compliance of the proposed development with the terms of this Chapter.

B. A site plan drawn to scale showing:

(1) The location, dimensions, and height of proposed buildings, structures, or uses and existing buildings in relation to property and street lines. If the application relates to property which is scheduled to be developed in successive stages, such plans shall show the relationship of the portion scheduled for initial development to the proposed layout of the entire property;

(2) The location, dimensions, arrangement, and capacity of all open spaces and yards and buffer yards, including methods to be employed for screening;

(3) The location, size, arrangement, and capacity of all areas to be used for motor vehicle access, off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading, and provisions to be made for lighting such areas if required under Part 8: OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING;

(4) The dimensions, location and methods of illumination for signs if applicable;

(5) The location and dimensions of sidewalks and all other areas to be devoted to pedestrian use;

(6) Provisions to be made for treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial wastes, water supply and storm drainage;

(7) The capacity and arrangement of all buildings used or intended to be used for dwelling purposes, including the proposed density in terms of number of dwelling units per acre of land.

2. During a period of 60 days before the introduction of an ordinance which proposes a change in regulations, district boundaries or classifications of property, unless Council shall have acted on the ordinance within the said sixty-day period, the Zoning Officer shall accept no application for permits within the area involved in said change for any use which would be forbidden in the proposed ordinance.

3. No zoning permit for any new use or construction which will involve the on-site disposal of sewage or waste, and no zoning permit for a change in use or an alteration which will result in an increased volume of sewage or waste to be disposed of on the site, shall be issued until a certificate of approval has been issued by the Bucks County Department of Health.

Life of a Permit.

Any erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration or moving of a building or other structure, including a sign authorized by a zoning permit, shall be commenced, and any change in use of a building or land authorized by a zoning permit shall be undertaken, within one year after the date of issuance of the permit. If not, the permit shall be considered null and void. However, in the case of erection or construction of a building, the right to continue with construction may be extended annually without payment of additional fees for an aggregate period of not more than two years, provided that the construction pursuant to said permit has commenced within one year following issuance of the permit.

Issuance of Permits.

Zoning permits shall be granted or refused within 90 days after the date of application. No permit shall be issued until the Zoning Officer has certified that the proposed building or alteration complies with all the provisions of this Chapter. In case of refusal, the applicant shall be informed of his right of appeal to the Zoning Hearing Board. Upon completion of the erection or alteration of any building or portion thereof authorized by any permit obtained in compliance with this Chapter, and prior to occupancy or use, the holder of such permit shall notify the Zoning Officer of such completion. Occupancy shall not be authorized until the Zoning Officer has certified that the work has been inspected and approved as being in conformity with the permit and the provisions of this and other applicable ordinances, and has issued a certificate of occupancy where required as provided below. All applications with accompanying plans and documents shall be a public record.