Abington Township will host a public hearing regarding its Nonconforming Lot Ordinance on August 14 at 7:00pm.
During the meeting, the board will consider for adoption an ordinance amending Part II, General Legislation; Chapter 162, Zoning:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF ABINGTON, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AMENDING THE CODE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF ABINGTON AT PART II [GENERAL LEGISLATION], CHAPTER 162 [ZONING], ARTICLE XIX [NONCONFORMING USES, STRUCTURES, LOTS AND SIGNS] BY AMENDING AND RESTATING SECTION 1908 [EXPANSION OF OR CONSTRUCTION ON A NONCONFORMING LOT] TO REVISE PROVISIONS FOR SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.
The proposed ordinance was summarized by the township as follows:
Section 1 amends Chapter 162; Article XIX; Section 1908 to refine the provisions for special exception approval of expansion of or construction on a nonconforming lot. Section 2 contains a repealer. Section 3 maintains severability of the Ordinance. Section 4 states the ordinance becomes effective immediately.
The township noted that the full text of the proposed ordinance can be examined or inspected by residents during regular business hours.
Commissioner John Spiegelman wrote the following in his July newsletter:
This is a long-requested update to the Township Zoning Ordinance that relieves some cumbersome and costly burdens on the many Township property owners with nonconforming lots—that is, existing parcels that do not conform to current zoning code. Normally, when a property owner wants to make a change to their property—something like putting up a fence—that doesn’t require any special zoning waiver/exception, they simply following the standard permitting process. However, owners of nonconforming lots (and, again, there are many of these in pretty much every neighborhood in the Township) must currently go before the Zoning Hearing Board (ZHB) to apply for permission to do just about anything. This costs property owners unnecessary time and money and regularly clogs up the ZHB’s agendas. This new proposed ordinance, which you can view on the info page HERE, is intended to remove this burden.
In related news, the township’s single-use plastics ordinance will take effect on August 12.
The legislation, which was passed in February, includes a ban on single-use plastic bags and a ban on expanded foam polystyrene containers like plates, cups, and takeout containers.
Plans for the ordinance date back to October 2023 when the township’s Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) held a public information session. In February 2024, the EAC submitted a proposal to the Board of Commissioners to ban plastic bags and polystyrene containers. They began requesting feedback from local businesses regarding the proposal in September 2024.
More details below:
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