Other Land Use Ordinances

A comprehensive review of Lancaster County’s Designated Growth Areas, this 248 page report covers topics including development trends and projections, growth management framework, and urban and rural growth area strategies.

Zoning map for Bethel Township, which is located along the Kittatinny Ridge in Berks County.

Local government leaders are in a unique position to promote healthy eating and active living in their communities by supporting community gardens. Community gardens can improve nutrition, physical activity, community engagement, safety, and economic vitality for a neighborhood and its residents and provide environmental benefits to the community at large. Planning for Healthy Places, a project of Public Health Law and Policy, has created a set of complementary model land use policies to help communities create and preserve community gardens. Document includes a model general plan as well as model zoning ordinances.

Zoning ordinance for the City of Hermitage (PA). See section 409 for sign regulations.

Zoning ordinance for Lancaster Township (PA). See Article 12 for sign regulations.

Maryland's Green Infrastructure Assessment is a tool developed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to help identify and rank areas of greatest statewide ecological importance as well as those at greatest risk of loss to development. The methods developed are being applied at the multi-state, state, regional and local government levels to guide conservation efforts.

Each guide describes a different type of zoning district (including related open-space issues) and provides a model ordinance for each. Districts include: village residential district, village mixed-use district, land preservation district, neighborhood residential district, rural residential district.

Two zoning tools for municipalities to consider integrating into existing zoning ordinances: Natural Resource Protection Standards and a Model Conservation District.

One way to address environmental sustainability and housing affordability issues is to build smaller houses. Cottage housing is an innovative style of development based on the idea of “better, not bigger.” Although it faces the same obstacles as other higher-density development types, cottage housing’s advantages could make it more acceptable to neighbors. This development type would be a useful option for developers, fitting between the detached single family house and the condo or townhouse. It makes more efficient use of the land, is more affordable and offers better energy efficiency than traditional single family detached housing, while providing more privacy than attached housing.

These model ordinances provide examples for municipal governments to use as tools to incorporate sustainable land-use practices into their regulations.

Model SALDO published by the Lancaster County Planning Commission. This model ordinance was written to promote consistency between the county comprehensive plan and local comprehensive plans and to help municipalities to manage and direct growth in a sustainable manner. The model ordinance has different provisions for urban areas, rural areas, and redevelopment areas within Lancaster County.

Subdivision and land development ordinance for Monroe Township (Cumberland County).

Ordinance prohibiting the growing of bamboo, an invasive species, and outlining fines levied against property owners who do not remove reported bamboo.

Ordinance of North Coventry Township, adopted July 2003.

This report provides information about recommended practices and ordinances that enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety and accommodations. Encouragement and safety campaigns are also highlighted.

This website provides information on proposed legislation, state statutes, and land use case law rulings.

An ordinance of the township of Plainfield amending the Plainfield Township zoning ordinance, chapter 27, as amended, including new or revised provisions regarding: definitions, light and glare control, billboards, sign illumination, noise control, solar energy systems, wind turbines, mineral extraction, mobile home installation, planned residential developments, conservation development, conditional and special exception use standards, outdoor commercial recreation, wireless communications facilities, transfer of development rights, setbacks from pipelines and natural gas compressor stations, water extraction and compliance with State Act 24 of 2008, addressing protection of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail Corridor.

The policy addresses circumstances for the sale or conveyance of land contained on a deed dated prior to March 1, 1961.

Proposed amendments to the existing township ordinances regarding steep slope development. Use a Keyword Search function on this page to locate the steep slope section.

Comprehensive guide about the role of municipalities in protecting the Appalachian Trail, which is cooperatively managed by the National Park Service and other federal and local entities.

In an effort to update both its Regional Growth Management Plan and Regional Transportation Plan, the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission implemented scenario build-outs throughout its entire service region, which includes 103 municipalities in the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission completed a survey of municipal natural resource protection tools in its service area in 2002, which was systematically updated in 2006. Outstanding examples of ordinances related to natural resources, including steep slopes, are posted on this website and are saved as part of this library item.

The Montgomery County Planning Commission conducted a build out study which measured and described all future development permitted in the central and western municipalities of Montgomery County under current zoning ordinances.

Commonwealth Court case, ruling in favor of the landowner, that natural features on the parcel created a “hardship” to the landowner. The court approved the variances sought by the landowner and the Zoning Hearing Board, even though the landowner knew these conditions existed and variances would have to be obtained prior to their purchase of the property.

The subdivision and land development ordinance is the most commonly used development control mechanism in Pennsylvania. It is the most basic of land use regulations. This 41-page manual provides additional information on process and procedures, conservation subdivision planning, fees and inspections, and enforcement.

Any municipality enacting a zoning ordinance must also create a zoning hearing board. The primary purpose of such a board is to help assure fair and equitable application and administration of the zoning ordinance by hearing appeals on the zoning officer’s determinations and by granting relief from the literal enforcement of the ordinance in certain hardship situations.

Examples of township ordinances regarding conservation overlay districts, special overlay districts, and zoning districts and maps for Upper Bern Township, which is located along the Kittatinny Ridge in Berks County. Includes Blue Mountain and Appalachian Trail overlays.

A review of community landscape ordinances and their impact on the design and planning professions that work with this type of legislation.

The model landscaping regulations provided by the model, if adopted by municipalities, can help conserve and restore healthy soils, reduce the use of irrigation for landscapes, improve the quality of surface waters, reduce energy consumption, provide wildlife habitat, and protect and restore native plant communities. They can also assist in cleaning up impaired waters in both MS4 and non-MS4 municipalities.

The Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Act requires Pennsylvania municipalities along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail to adequately protect it as a public natural resource. Planning and architecture firm Wallace, Roberts, and Todd was hired by a steering committee of municipalities subject to the Act to develop strategies and guidelines for trail corridor protection. This website describes various zoning tools for landscape protection and includes examples of steep slope and ridge regulations.