Zoning

“…no use or activity on a piece of land shall be allowed or maintained, no building or structure or part thereof shall be allowed to be used, constructed, remodeled, altered, or moved upon any property unless it is in conformance with this Ordinance, and a zoning permit has been obtained…” (emphasis added)

Section 10.02 Zoning Permit

“No building or structure subject to the provisions of this Ordinance shall hereafter be erected, structurally altered, reconstructed, used, or moved, nor shall any associated excavation or filling of land commence until a Zoning Permit application, including a Firewise audit, has been filed with the Township Zoning Administrator and a Zoning Permit has been issued by the Zoning Administrator, except as otherwise permitted for in this Ordinance. No Zoning Permit shall be required for any lawful use of any building or structure in existence as of the adoption date of this Ordinance. No Zoning permit shall be required for an accessory structure less than two hundred (200) square feet in size; except when located in the Stream Corridor Overlay, as provided for in Section 5.07 of this Ordinance.”

“The Zoning Administrator shall have the power to revoke or cancel any Zoning Permit in case of failure or neglect to comply with the provisions of the Ordinance, or in the case of a false statement or misrepresentation made in the application. The owner shall be notified of such revocation in writing.”

“No Zoning Permit shall be valid until the required fees have been paid. Except for an accessory building or structure less than two hundred (200) square feet in size (which does not require a zoning permit pursuant to Section 10.02.1 of this Ordinance), no separate fee shall be required for accessory buildings or structures when part of the application for the principal building or structure…”

Section 10.02.3 Other Required Permits

“A zoning permit shall not be issued until all other necessary permits required by statute have been obtained or waived with the exception of those permits issued by the Crawford County Building Department.”

Section 3.26 Zoning Permits in Relation to Building Permits

“Prior to the issuance of any building permit in the County, it shall be necessary for any applicant to first apply for and obtain a zoning permit from the Zoning Administrator in accordance with the provisions of this Zoning Ordinance. All buildings, new, renovation for commercial, residential, agriculture, and accessory buildings must obtain a building permit prior to starting construction. All new buildings must comply with this Zoning Ordinance.”

Firewise Audit Inspections

As noted above in Section 10.02, a Firewise audit is a requirement for the issuance of any zoning permit in South Branch Township. The ‘Firewise Audit Inspection’ is a free service provided by the township fire department, and is intended to assist property owners in becoming more aware of the preventative measures that can help safeguard their property in the event of a wildfire.

For more information click the link here to view the brochure: Firewise Brochure – 2019.pdf