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Borough of Downingtown, PA
Chester County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (1) Index Notes (1)
The R-1 Single-Family Residential District is designated for low-density residential neighborhoods and permits compatible institutional uses and home occupations under explicit standards as well. The alternative site design options of clustering and lot-averaging are made available on the large-scale areas of undeveloped property found in this district.
A. 
Uses by right. In the R-1 District, land, buildings and premises may be used by right for any one of the following principal purposes, and no other:
(1) 
Single-family detached dwelling.
(2) 
Agriculture, in accordance with the terms of § 287-95.
B. 
Accessory uses. Only the following accessory uses shall be permitted:
(1) 
Uses customarily accessory and incidental to uses in residential areas.
(2) 
Home occupations, in accordance with the terms of § 287-92B.
(3) 
Swimming pool, in-ground, when located not less than 20 feet from any side or rear lot line, not less than 10 feet from any principal structure or garage, and in full compliance with all other Borough ordinances.
(4) 
Swimming pool, aboveground, when located not less than 10 feet from any side or rear lot line, principal structure or garage, and in full compliance with all other Borough ordinances.
C. 
Uses by special exception. The following uses shall be permitted only upon the grant of a special exception from the Zoning Hearing Board, subject to the terms of this article and of § 287-145.
(1) 
Religious use.
(2) 
Educational use.
(3) 
Hospital.
(4) 
Library.
(5) 
Institution.
D. 
Conditional uses. The following uses shall be permitted only upon the grant of conditional use approval from the Borough Council, subject to the terms of this article and of § 287-137:
(1) 
Clustering or lot-averaging, in accordance with the terms of § 287-98.
(2) 
Home occupations, in accordance with the uses listed in § 287-92D and the standards in § 287-92E.
(3) 
Bed-and-breakfast facility, in accordance with the standards of § 287-101 of this chapter.
[Added 4-3-1991 by Ord. No. 91-8]
(4) 
Restaurant, in accordance with the standards of § 287-101.1 of this chapter.
[Added 4-3-1991 by Ord. No. 91-8]
(5) 
Offices for professional, general or governmental use, in accordance with the standards of § 287-101.2 of this chapter.
[Added 4-3-1991 by Ord. No. 91-8]
Except where a clustering or lot-averaging option is utilized in accordance with the terms of § 287-98, the following regulations shall apply to uses in the R-1 District:
A. 
Minimum lot size: 22,000 square feet.
B. 
Minimum lot width: 100 feet at the building setback line. (For interior lots, see definition of "lot, interior" in Article II of this chapter.)
C. 
Maximum building coverage: 15%.
D. 
Maximum other impervious surface coverage: 15%.
E. 
Minimum front yard: 50 feet.
F. 
Minimum side yards:
(1) 
Single-family dwellings: 35 feet aggregate, with neither less than 15 feet.
(2) 
Corner lot (new construction): The single side yard shall be a minimum of 15 feet. (See definition of "lot, corner" in Article II of this chapter.)
(3) 
Uses by special exception: 50 feet aggregate, with neither less than 20 feet.
G. 
Minimum rear yard: 50 feet.
H. 
Maximum building height: 35 feet; for special exception uses, an increase of two feet or fraction thereof shall be permitted for each additional one foot of side yard setback, up to a maximum height of 50 feet.
I. 
Accessory building setbacks: three feet from any side or rear lot line, but not closer than five feet to the edge of any alley or street at the side or rear of the property.
J. 
Uses permitted by special exception in § 270-19C shall comply with the area and bulk requirements set forth above in § 287-20A through I, except as herein provided below:
[Added 8-1-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-02]
(1) 
Maximum building coverage: 35%.
(2) 
Maximum total impervious surface coverage: 70%.
(3) 
Minimum front yard: 25 feet.
(4) 
Maximum building height: 50 feet.
The following design standards of this chapter shall, as applicable, govern all uses within the R-1 District:
A. 
Signs: as required by Article XIX.
B. 
Parking and loading: as required by Article XVIII.
C. 
Access and traffic control: as required by § 287-80.
D. 
Landscaping and site design: as required by § 287-77.
E. 
Screening and buffering: as required by § 287-78.
F. 
Storage: as required by § 287-79.
G. 
Interior circulation: as required by § 287-81.
H. 
Lighting: as required by § 287-82.