Parties. The Township is a party to all zoning hearings regardless whether it attends any particular hearing. Party status to all other persons and entities shall be decided by the Board prior to the receipt of any substantive testimony, and shall be based upon whether they are "persons affected" by the application as defined in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. Persons who received written notice from the Township of the hearing are presumptively affected. Others shall be decided on a case by case basis in accordance with then-prevailing case law.