Source: https://ecode360.com/32586321
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 04:40:41+00:00

Document:
§ 7-323.3 Zoning Hearing Board.
§ 7-323.4 Membership of Zoning Hearing Board.
§ 7-323.5 Hearings and decisions.
§ 7-323.9 Planning Commission review of special exceptions and variances.
Notice — see Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code § 908, 53 P.S. § 10908.
Special exceptions — see Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code § 912.1.
Variances — see Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code § 910.2.
Land use appeals — see Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code § 1001-A.
Zoning Hearing Board — see Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code § 901 et seq., 53 P.S. § 10901 et seq.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish procedures for special exceptions and variances, and to explain the duties of the Zoning Hearing Board. In addition to making decisions on special exception and variances, the Zoning Hearing Board also functions to hear any appeals of decisions made by the Zoning Officer in the administration of this Zoning Code.
All applications for special exceptions and variances require review and final action by the Zoning Hearing Board. Special exceptions are required for specific land uses in specific zoning districts, further described in Chapter 7-305. Special exceptions also include floodplain special exceptions, as described in Chapter 7-315. Variances are required for any request for relief of the development standards described in Chapter 7-307.
The existing Zoning Hearing Board of the City of Harrisburg is hereby continued and shall perform all of the functions authorized by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.
The Zoning Hearing Board shall consist of three regular members appointed by the City Council. The membership of the Zoning Hearing Board shall consist of residents of the City of Harrisburg. The terms of office shall be three years and shall be fixed so that the term of office of one member shall expire each year. The City Council may also appoint alternate members to serve as authorized by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.
Any conclusion based on any provision of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code or of this Zoning Code shall contain a reference to the provision relied upon.
The approval of a special exception or variance shall be automatically revoked within one year of the notice of decision if a complete building/zoning permit or land development application is not submitted to the City. For good cause, the Zoning Hearing Board may extend this time upon receiving a new application. The one-year period may be extended only with approval of the Zoning Hearing Board. Approval shall also be automatically revoked if no work has been done on site within one year of the notice of decision, unless an alternative schedule is submitted to and approved as part of the permit process. The permit may also be revoked if the Codes Administrator revokes the building permit and a new permit application addressing the revocation's concerns is not resubmitted within one month of the revocation.
The Zoning Hearing Board shall hear and render decisions on requests for a special exception for a use that is permitted by this Code. Special exception requests shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer.
The applicant shall prove that any demolition or other negative impacts upon any buildings with historically significant architecture on the site have been reasonably minimized. The Zoning Hearing Board may request an advisory review by the Harrisburg Architectural Review Board or its Executive Secretary on this matter.
Limitations on future enlargement, modification, or change of use.
In establishing the existence of facts or conditions relative to the possible granting of any special exception, the burden of proof shall be on the applicant.
The Zoning Hearing Board shall hear and render a decision on requests for a variance where an applicant states that the provisions of this Code inflict unnecessary hardship. Applications for variances shall be submitted to the Zoning Officer.
In granting any variance, the Board may attach such reasonable conditions and safeguards as it may deem necessary to implement the purposes of this Zoning Code. Such conditions may include but are not limited to the standards listed in § 7-323.6C.
Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Zoning Hearing Board may within 30 days after such decision of the Zoning Hearing Board seek review by the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas of such decision in the manner provided by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.
The Zoning Hearing Board shall provide an opportunity for the Planning Commission to provide advisory comments on any special exception or variance application prior to the scheduled hearing of the Board.
If the Planning Commission provides comments, the Zoning Officer shall enter such comments as an exhibit on behalf of the City at a hearing of the Zoning Hearing Board on the application for a special exception permit or variance permit.
The primary role of the Planning Commission is to provide advisory comments relating to the appropriateness of the special exception or variance request in relation to the relevant zoning district, adopted neighborhood plans, and the City of Harrisburg Comprehensive Plan.

References: § 7

§ 7

§ 7
 § 908
 § 10908
 § 912
 § 910
 § 1001
 § 901
 § 10901
 § 7