[Added 11-9-1977 by Ord. No. 668]
A.
It is the intent of this Article to encourage the
creative use of varied housing types and clustering of homes so as
to preserve natural features of irreplaceable value, retain ground
cover and foliage to prevent erosion and flooding and maintain air
quality, avoid building on steep slopes or floodplains and to preserve
historic sites.
B.
A developer of a site in a Cluster Residential District
may develop a plan for the site utilizing a variety of building types,
clustering without regard to lot criteria, utilizing contemporary
planning and building technology and preserving common open space
and natural terrain features, provided that such a plan meets the
requirement of this Article.
A.
The tract to be developed shall have a minimum of
10 acres, shall be in one ownership or shall be the subject of an
application filed by owners of the entire tract, and it shall be agreed
that the tract shall be developed under single direction and in the
manner approved under the requirements of this Article.
B.
The maintenance of land for open space or recreational
use shall be guaranteed by deed restriction, trust indenture, conveyance
of the land to or for the benefit of all individual lot owners within
the tract, by compliance with the Pennsylvania Unit Property Act,
or by other procedures for the management and maintenance of the common
elements as may be approved by the Township Commissioners. Any or
all such plans, agreements or instruments shall be filed with the
Recorder of Deeds of Montgomery County simultaneously with the recording
of the final plan of the subdivision.
C.
In the event of a material default in the preservation
or maintenance of land used for open space or recreational use, the
Township shall have the right to enter, preserve and maintain such
lands and assess the costs thereof on the trustee(s) or the owners
of the open space or recreational land.
D.
In the event of a material default in the preservation
or maintenance of land used for roadways, walkways, parking lots or
curbs, the Township shall have the right to enter, preserve and maintain
such facilities and assess the costs thereof on the trustee(s) or
the owners of such facilities.
Preliminary and final plans shall contain those
items required under the Springfield Township Subdivision and Land
Development Ordinance,[1] but additionally shall be accompanied by a general development
plan showing the use of or uses, dimensions and locations of proposed
areas to be reserved for recreation, playgrounds, landscaping and
other open spaces and by detailed architectural drawings and sketches
demonstrating the design and character of the development and the
proposed open space as well as other data demonstrating compliance
with the required area and design regulations.
A.
Single overall plan. The proposed development shall
be constructed in accordance with an overall plan and shall be designed
as a single architectural unit with appropriate landscaping.
B.
Density. The overall density of the area to be developed
shall be no greater than 3.5 units per gross acre.
C.
Density bonus. Developers in the Cluster Residential
District who build a minimum of 20% of one- or two-bedroom units will
be permitted to increase the number of units by an additional 10%.
D.
Land coverage. Buildings, roads and other impervious
surfaces may occupy no more than 25% of the gross land area.
E.
Steep slopes. No buildings, roads, other impervious
surfaces or pervious paving may be installed within the Cluster Residential
District on steep slopes, which are those areas having slopes of 15%
or more as delineated by the Soil Conservation Service, United States
Department of Agriculture, in the Soil Survey of Montgomery County,
1967, unless the Township Engineer certifies that such construction
will not result in drainage problems or safety hazards.
F.
Floodplains. No structures of any kind may be built
in a floodway as defined in the Code.
G.
Permitted uses. A building may be erected, altered
or used and a lot or premises may be used for any of the following
purposes and for no other:
H.
Lot size. Single-family homes are required to have
a minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet, and each half of a semidetached
home must have a minimum lot size of 4,000 square feet. The minimum
lot size for a townhouse shall be 2,000 square feet per dwelling unit.
I.
Structure size. Maximum structure dimensions for townhouses
shall be as stipulated in § 114-85B(5) of the Code.
J.
Building height. No structure may exceed 35 feet in
height. For the purposes of the Cluster Residential District, "height
of the building" shall be defined as the building's vertical measurement
from the mean level of the ground surrounding the building to the
highest roof level, provided that chimneys, spires, towers, elevator
housing, tanks and similar projections shall not be included in calculating
the height.
K.
Building separation.
(1)
Single homes and the open side of semidetached
homes shall have side yards of not less than 10 feet and front and
rear yards, each of which shall be not less than 25 feet.
(2)
Townhouses shall be separated from other buildings as specified in § 114-88B(2) of the Code. The greatest dimension in length or depth shall not exceed 160 feet. No more than two contiguous dwelling units shall have a uniform (less than a three-foot variation) front setback from a right-of-way line or parking area, and the structure shall encompass a maximum of eight dwelling units.
L.
Setbacks. Single and semidetached homes shall be set back a distance of not less than 50 feet and townhouses a distance of not less than 75 feet from any property line, including the buffer area required in Subsection M below, and 50 feet from the right-of-way line, including the buffer area.
M.
Buffers. For all types of dwelling units in the Cluster Residential District, buffers shall be provided along property boundaries, buffers or street trees shall be provided along all streets and all parking areas shall be landscaped in accordance with the requirements of § 95-11I of Chapter 95, Subdivision of Land. Existing landscape material may be used to meet these requirements.
[Amended 7-8-1992 by Ord. No. 786]
N.
[1]Open space and conservation.
(1)
A minimum of 30% of the total site area, exclusive
of the required public improvements and private streets and parking
areas, shall be provided for open space and recreation. Private yards
associated with individual dwelling units are not considered a portion
of open space, but buffers may be included. Private yards may extend
beyond the building envelope.
(2)
Open space shall be planned and located to preserve
and, where possible, enhance natural and significant architectural
features.
(3)
The finished topography of the site shall be
such as to facilitate the proposed development without excessive earth
moving, tree clearance and destruction of natural amenities. Natural
features, such as lakes, streams, topsoil, trees and shrubs, shall
be preserved and incorporated into the final landscaping of the development.
The location of trees shall be considered when planning the open space,
location of buildings, underground areas, walks, paved areas, playgrounds,
parking areas and finished grade levels.
(4)
The developer shall protect trees and other
natural features during construction. Construction of buildings shall
commence within 30 days after clearing the site of topsoil, trees
and natural features.
(5)
Recreational or service structures, such as
a club- or pool house, may be located in the open space area, but
the land coverage of the structures may not be counted toward the
required 30% of the land devoted to open space and will be counted
as part of the permitted 25% of land coverage.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection N, concerning
off-street parking, was repealed 4-8-1981 by Ord. No. 702, which ordinance
also relettered former Subsections O, P and Q as N, O and P.
O.
Utilities.
(1)
The Cluster Residential District must be served
by public water and sanitary sewers.
(2)
Where adequate surface drainage is not possible
by grading alone, a supplementary drainage system, including but not
limited to retention and/or detention facilities, approved by the
Township Engineer shall be required.
(3)
Underground utility lines, including telephone
and electric systems, are required within the limits of the Cluster
Residential District. Appurtenances to these systems which can be
effectively screened may be exempted from this requirement.
(4)
Requirements of the subdivision regulations
pertaining to sidewalks and street width may be waived by the Board
of Commissioners if it can be demonstrated that adequate pedestrian
and vehicular circulation is provided and unique design features preclude
the necessity for standard street width.
The Cluster Residential District is limited
to residential use. So-called convenience stores and professional
offices or institutional, philanthropic or any other nonresidential
use is specifically prohibited within the district.
