Lower Moreland Board of Commissioners approves new zoning and flood plain codes
By Matt Schickling
Wire Staff Writer
For over two years, the Lower Moreland Board of Commissioners has been going through the process of modernizing the township’s zoning and flood damage prevention codes.
On the evening of Wednesday, April 9, a flood of relief filled the Lower Moreland Community Room as the board of commissioners approved these ordinances after a long, tedious process.
Plans to overhaul the zoning code went into motion as early as 2011, but a project of that magnitude requires time to complete. There were multiple drafts and revisions, as each portion needed to be approved by the township, county and Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
“As with anything in local government, it takes a while,” said Loreen Guertin, assistant township manager. “It was a long process, and we didn’t want to rush it.”
After several public meetings and an informational session in March, the plans were finally ready for approval. The board kept several dynamics in mind when approving the code.
According to the township documents, the purpose of enacting the new code was to “promote, protect and facilitate…the public health, safety, morals, or general welfare; the provision of adequate light and air; and other public requirements.” In doing this, township officials sought ways to supervise the use of land and bodies of water, especially regarding construction and development, and to protect the well-being of residents and the integrity of the township.
Apart from the new zoning code, the board approved a separate flood plain code, which had also been in the works for about two years.
“Our township is in a flood plain zone,” Guertin said. “There are provisions in it that protect residents. It’s our responsibility in local government to pass these ordinances.”
Lower Moreland is prone to flooding due to its low-lying location in proximity to local waterways, most notably Pennypack Creek. These new provisions seek to enable flood plain conservation and damage prevention regulations in accordance with the standards set forth by the National Flood Insurance Program and the Pennsylvania Flood Plain Management Act.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) instructed municipalities to revisit their flood plain regulations. The new version that Lower Moreland adopted is a stand-alone ordinance that is separate from the zoning code, said Chris Hoffman, township manager.
“Multiple levels of government from federal and state to municipal were involved in drafting the flood plain ordinance,” said Hoffman. “The model ordinances that were passed on for consideration were very restrictive for future development within the flood plain.”
Lower Moreland officials wanted to leave open the opportunity for community members and business owners to redevelop their properties while maintaining the regulations set by FEMA.
By taking the time to evaluate these regulations, they came up with the best plan to both protect the community and allow them options for property development. An example of this is the requirement that residential properties must be built one and a half feet above the flood line, while commercial properties have additional options, like using approved forms of flood prevention.
The township and the board of commissioners are happy to have put a viable plan in place for their community.
“It’s nice to focus on the implementation of these ordinances now that they’ve been approved, rather than drafting ordinances again,” Hoffman said.
