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Township of Lower Gwynedd, PA
Montgomery County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (3) Index
STATUTORY REFERENCES
General provisions and definitions — See Penna. Mun. Plan. Code, Art I.
Zoning — See Penna. Mun. Plan. Code, Art. VI.
GENERAL REFERENCES
General provisions and definitions — See Section 1250.04; Ch. 1298.
Establishment — See Section 1254.01.
Signs — See Ch. 1292.
Off-street parking and loading — See Ch. 1294.
Nonconforming uses — See Ch. 1296.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
In an A Residential District, the regulations set forth in this chapter shall apply.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985; Ord. 323. Passed 1-23-1996; Ord. 445. Passed 3-20-2007]
(a) 
In an A Residential District, a building may be erected or used, and a lot may be used or occupied, for any of the following purposes and no other:
(1) 
Farming;
(2) 
One single-family detached dwelling;
(3) 
Municipal use; and
(4) 
Accessory uses in accordance with Section 1250.04(2) and Chapter 1298.
(b) 
The following uses shall be permitted when authorized as a special exception. Such uses shall be subject to the area requirements set forth as follows:
[Amended 12-3-2007 by Ord. No. 452]
Use
Minimum Lot Area
(acres)
Educational
20
Hospital or nursing home
20
Country club or recreational use (nonprofit in nature)
20
Religious
5
(c) 
A cluster development as required in Chapter 1258 shall be permitted as a conditional use in accordance with § 1298.07 on tracts of land that are eight acres or larger in size, measured as to developable area.
(d) 
Post offices shall be permitted on a minimum two-acre lot in the A Residential District as a conditional use, subject to all applicable regulations of the A Residential District, unless modification is granted during the conditional use process by the Board of Supervisors.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
(a) 
Minimum lot area.
(1) 
In an A Residential District, a lot area of not less than 80,000 square feet shall be provided for every dwelling or other building where neither a public sewer nor a public water supply is available.
(2) 
Where either a public sewer or a public water supply is available, a lot area of not less than 60,000 square feet shall be provided for every dwelling or other building.
(3) 
Where both a public sewer and a public water supply are available, a lot area of not less than 40,000 square feet shall be provided for every dwelling or other building.
(b) 
Minimum lot width. A lot width of not less than 200 feet at the building line shall be provided for every dwelling or other building.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
(a) 
Front yards. In an A Residential District, there shall be a front yard on each lot, which yard shall be not less than 75 feet in depth.
(b) 
Side yards.
(1) 
There shall be two side yards on each lot, neither of which shall be less than 50 feet wide.
(2) 
In the case of any building other than a single-family detached dwelling or a building accessory thereto, there shall be two side yards, neither of which shall be less than 100 feet wide.
(c) 
Rear yards. There shall be a rear yard on each lot, which yard shall be not less than 75 feet in depth. An accessory use structure, if entirely separate from the main building and located at least 10 feet farther back than the rear of the main building, may be erected in the rear yard, but not within 10 feet of the rear or side property line.
(d) 
Corner lots. Yards for corner lots are regulated by Section 1298.09.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
(a) 
Building coverage.
(1) 
In an A Residential District, the total building coverage shall not exceed 10%.
(2) 
Where either a public sewer or a public water supply is available, the total building coverage shall not exceed 15%.
(3) 
Where both a public sewer and a public water supply are available, the total building coverage shall not exceed 20%.
(b) 
Impervious coverage.
(1) 
The total impervious coverage shall not exceed 25% for a single-family residential use.
(2) 
The total impervious coverage shall not exceed 45% for all nonresidential uses.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985; Ord. 257. Passed 6-21-1988; Ord. 409. Passed 7-22-2003]
(a) 
The maximum height for dwellings, buildings or other structures erected or enlarged in an A Residential District shall be 45 feet, not exceeding 2 1/2 stories.
(b) 
The maximum height for any building accessory to any dwelling shall be 14 feet, not exceeding one story, except that by special exception, the height of accessory buildings constructed entirely outside any mandatory setback areas on lots exceeding 40,000 square feet shall not exceed 35 feet or 2 1/2 stories.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
(a) 
Residential. For each dwelling unit in an A Residential District, two all-weather off-street parking spaces shall be provided, in accordance with Chapter 1294.
(b) 
Nonresidential. For any permitted use other than a residential use, parking facilities shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 1294. Further, such parking shall not occupy any portion of the front, side or rear yards required under this chapter.
(c) 
Setbacks. No parking area or driveway shall be located closer than five feet to any property line, except the portion of the driveway required for normal ingress and egress.
[Ord. 251. Passed 2-16-1988]
(a) 
Signs. In an A Residential District, signs shall be permitted in accordance with Chapter 1292.
(b) 
Swimming Pools, Tennis Courts; Equine Facilities. Swimming pools, tennis courts and equine facilities may be permitted in such District, subject to Chapter 1298.
(c) 
Detention Basins. Detention basins shall be allowed in yard areas only in accordance with Section 1298.14.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
The uses listed in Section 1257.02(b) may be allowed in an A Residential District, provided that the proposed use is found by the Zoning Hearing Board to be consistent with the intent of such District, as expressed in Section 1257.02, and with the criteria for special exceptions as provided by Chapter 1252. The burden of proving compliance with such criteria shall be on the applicant for such special exception.