Zoning – Lower Windsor Township

The Zoning Department issues all permits for Lower Windsor Township. All property complaints are investigated through this office and all applications for Land Development Subdivision, Variances and Special Exceptions begin here before moving on to the respective Boards.

The Lower Windsor Township Zoning Ordinance can be found here.

The Zoning Ordinance has expanded information that may be helpful to residents when considering construction or use changes. Information on permitted uses, driveways, parking required, setbacks, accessory buildings, etc. may be obtained directly from the Zoning Ordinance, or by calling the Zoning Officer at (717) 244-6813. The following is not meant to be all inclusive.

The purpose of all ordinances and regulations is to promote and protect the Township residents’ health, safety, and general welfare by:

Protecting and preserving natural resources and local heritage including prime agricultural soils, historically significant features, and environmentally sensitive land.
Facilitating coordinated and practical community development.
Ensuring proper density of population;
Providing access to adequate light and air, police protection, vehicle parking and loading spaces, transportation, water supply, sewerage, schools, public grounds and other public needs;
Preventing the overcrowding of land, blight, danger and congestion in travel and transportation; and
Preventing loss of health, life, or property from fire, flood, panic and/or other dangers.

Community Development Objectives

The Zoning Ordinance is enacted as a component of the overall plan for the orderly growth and harmonious development of Lower Windsor Township. As such, this Ordinance is based upon the expressed or implied community development objectives provided for in the Lower Windsor Township Comprehensive Plan.

Districts

Lower Windsor Township has five (5) zoning districts which are:

Agricultural
Residential
Village
Waterfront Recreational
Industrial

Each of these districts have Permitted Uses and Uses Permitted by Special Exception. Each district also has specific setbacks, lot coverage limitations, and minimum lot size requirements. The Zoning Map can be viewed here.

Special Exceptions and Variances:

The application for a Special Exception or Variance is available at the Township office and also on

this website in the Zoning section under Form, ”Zoning Hearing Application” and “Zoning Hearing Instructions.” The process from application to decision may take several months and requires a completed application containing certain information along with a $500.00 fee. The applicant must attend the Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board meetings. As part of the procedure, surrounding property owners will be notified of the meeting dates, your property will be posted with a Hearing Notice and a notice will be advertised in the newspaper.

A submittal schedule can be found on the right side bar under Forms…“Submittal Schedule.”

Requirements for Working from Your Home

A No-Impact Home Occupation Or Profession is permitted in all districts except for the Industrial district. It is defined in the Ordinance as “A business activity administered or conducted as an accessory use which is clearly secondary to the use as a residential dwelling and which involves no customer, client or patient traffic, whether vehicular or pedestrian, pick-up, delivery or removal functions to or from the premises, in excess of those normally associated with the residential use.” Some examples are, but are not limited to, Avon, Jewelry, Pampered Chef, Princess House, health care or diet products, typing and computer services and service businesses where only the office work is performed in the home. As noted above, there can be no client or customer traffic associated with this use. There is specific criteria which must also be met and can be found in Section 410-95 of the Zoning Ordinance which is available on this website.

A Home Occupation Or Profession is defined as “A business or commercial activity other than a no-impact home-based business that is conducted as an accessory use to a principal dwelling.” A home occupation or profession is permitted by Special Exception in all districts except for the Industrial district. Some examples are, but are not limited to, physician, dentist, clergyman, lawyer, engineer, accountant, artist, licensed insurance or real estate agent, barber, beautician and similar service occupations and professions which have minimal impact on the surrounding area. There is also specific criteria which must be met and can be found in Section 410-94 of the Zoning Ordinance which is available on this website.

All businesses operating in the Township must be registered. There is a one-time fee of $10 for a Use and Occupancy permit for the business. Operating a business without approval is a violation of the Zoning Ordinance and could result in legal action and/or fines.

Permits

Zoning and/or building permits are required when you are erecting, constructing, reconstructing, enlarging, altering, moving, changing the use of, or demolishing any building or structure or when you are improving the land by changing its use or establishing a new use. More detailed information and instructions can be found to the right under Forms, “Zoning Permit Package.”

Stormwater Management

All new impervious areas (porches, patios, structures, driveways, etc. including stone parking areas) are required to infiltrate the rainfall from the 2 year storm on the project property. For smaller areas, our Engineer has created the Small Projects Guide.

Projects that propose between 1 and 2,000 square feet of new impervious area can use this guide to provide the required infiltration on your lot. If you have questions about how the facilities are constructed and/or maintained, please contact the Zoning Officer at 717-244-6813 or MLove@LowerWindsor.com

ALL new impervious areas require STORMWATER MANAGEMENT regardless of size. Impervious areas greater than 2,000 s.f. have additional requirements. See the stormwater page for these requirements, or the Stormwater Management Ordinance.

Building Permits

Building permits are reviewed and construction is inspected for conformance with the PA Uniform Construction Code (UCC) by Commonwealth Code Inspection Service, Inc. (CCIS) CCIS was appointed by the Board of Supervisors as the Township’s third-party inspection Agency. All Building permit inspections must be scheduled directly with CCIS at 717-846-2004.

Building Permits require an application and ALL of the following:

Site plan showing the property lines, existing and proposed structures and the distance of proposed work to the property lines.
Two (2) complete sets of construction plans for residential projects.
Three (3) complete sets of stamped sealed construction plans for commercial projects.
All contractors and subcontractors associated with the project, and their Certificates of Workers Compensation insurance.

No payments are accepted at the time of application. Permit fees are assessed and collected at the time of issuance.

The average time to process an application is 15 business days for residential, 30 business days for commercial permits.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Zoning Department for any permit related questions.

Zoning Permits

Zoning Permits are issued and inspected by the Zoning Department and are not regulated by outside agencies. Zoning Permits require an application with a site plan, showing the following:

The entire lot with overall property dimensions · Existing and proposed structures with dimensions and areas
Total construction cost of the project
Any contractors or sub-contractors involved with the project, and their Certificates of Workers Compensation insurance.

Permit fee is $5 per $1,000 estimated construction cost plus a $10 administrative fee, which is due at the time of issuance, not submission. If a stormwater facility is required, a $25 inspection fee will be assessed.

The average time to process and issue a Zoning Permit is seven (7) to ten (10) business days.

Foodplain Permits

Floodplain permits are required for any type of disturbance or development within the floodplain of any stream, creek or river in or adjacent to the Township. Work within the Floodway requires a permit from PA DEP, prior to application for a floodplain permit from the Township. Floodplain permits require an application with any other agency permits attached, and a site plan showing the following: ·

The entire lot with overall property dimensions
Existing and proposed structures with dimensions and areas

Depending on the nature of the project, a Building, Zoning and Floodplain permit may be required. The fee for a Floodplain permit is always $25.

Regulations of the Floodplain Ordinance can be found here .

More information about 'Floodplain'

Complaints

A complaint form regarding Ordinance violations such as tall grass/weeds, burning, working without a permit, etc. can be submitted to the Zoning Officer. The forms are available at the Township office. Please include the exact address of the property at issue. It is always the best policy to talk to your neighbor when there is a problem. Most residents prefer to have a neighbor approach them personally, rather than receive an Official Notice of Violation from the Township.

All complaints are investigated, however when a complaint is founded, the Township must follow the legal procedure set forth in the Zoning Ordinance, and the Municipalities Planning Code in order to resolve the matter. At times, these procedures can be quite lengthy. It is not our policy to call complainants with updates, however, you may call in to request an update.

Anonymous complaints are not accepted. The Township will never release any information regarding the identity of the person reporting a complaint.

Swimming Pool & Hot Tub Regulations

A building permit must be acquired before installing an above ground swimming pool, spa or hot tub, or when constructing an in-ground swimming pool or spa on your property. Contact the zoning department to find out what the setbacks are and be sure your permit is in hand before the construction takes place.

Visit Zoning Board Page for members and meeting schedules / agendas