It is the legislative intent of the Rural Residential (RR) District
to:
A.
Preserve open land by setting development apart from sensitive natural
features, such as woodlands, steep slopes, streams, floodplains, and
wetlands.
B.
Preserve scenic views and elements of rural character by minimizing
perceived density and views of development from existing roads.
C.
Provide flexibility and efficiency in the siting of infrastructure
and the provision of services.
D.
Encourage compact residential clusters with direct visual and physical
access to open space for recreational, contemplative, and related
purposes.
E.
Reduce erosion and stream sedimentation by the retention of existing
vegetation, and by the minimization of development on steep slopes.
F.
Retain the rural character and scenic qualities of areas within Hamilton
Township while, at the same time, allow for reasonable and sympathetic
residential development in rural areas of the Township where the incidence
of active agriculture is relatively low.
G.
Protect and stabilize general agriculture as an ongoing economic
activity in the Hamilton Township area by encouraging those land uses
and activities which are agricultural in nature or act in direct support
thereof. Therefore, owners, occupants and users of property within
the Rural Residential District should be prepared to accept impacts
associated with normal farming practices and agricultural operations
and are hereby put on official notice that Section 4 of Act 133 of
1982, known as the Right to Farm Law,[1] may bar them from obtaining a legal judgment against such
agricultural operations.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 3 P.S. § 951 et seq.
Within the RR District, the following maximum density standards
apply:
A.
A maximum of one dwelling unit per five acres, with the exception
that if a lot of less than 10 acres has been in existence prior to
the date the RR District was applied to it (January 3, 2000), one
dwelling unit may be subdivided from said lot.
A.
Single-family detached dwellings, in accordance with the following
lot design standards and procedures:
(1)
Minimum lot size: one acre.
(2)
Maximum lot size: five acres. Existing or proposed farms in accordance with Subsection B are exempt from this requirement.
(3)
Minimum setbacks:
(a)
Front yard: 25 feet measured from the right-of-way of the adjoining
road.
(b)
Rear yard: 25 feet measured from the rear property line.
(c)
Side yard: 10 feet measured from the side property line, provided
that the combined setback from both side yards is at least 35 feet.
(d)
For corner lots, front yard requirements shall be applied along
all property boundaries facing road rights-of-way, and rear yard requirements
shall be applied along all other property boundaries.
(4)
Minimum lot width: 150 feet measured at the road right-of-way line.
(5)
Open land shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of § 150-25 and in accordance with the following scale:
(a)
For a parent tract proposed for subdivision, of less than 10
acres in size, no open land must be provided.
(b)
For a parent tract proposed for subdivision, of between 10 acres
and 24.99 acres in size, 50% of the property shall remain in open
land.
(c)
For a parent tract proposed for subdivision, of 25 acres in
size, 75% of the tract shall remain in open land.
B.
Agriculture. The following types of agriculture are permitted by
right:
E.
Farm buildings.
F.
Farm market.
H.
Government offices, municipal buildings.
I.
Horse boarding stables.
J.
Public utility uses.
K.
Riding schools.
M.
Custom
butchering.
[Added 4-6-2015 by Ord.
No. 134]
N.
Custom
butcher shop.
[Added 4-6-2015 by Ord.
No. 134]
A structure may be erected or used, and a lot may be used for
the following permitted accessory uses and no other:
B.
Farm occupations.
D.
Other accessory uses and structures on the same lot that are customarily incidental to the uses permitted by right, pursuant § 150-96.
The following uses and lotting arrangements are permitted by
special exception in accordance with the following standards, the
performance standards contained in this chapter, and any additional
standards that the Hamilton Township Zoning Hearing Board may deem
necessary to apply:
Within the RR District, the following uses are permitted by
conditional use in accordance with the performance standards contained
in this chapter. The Township Supervisors may authorize a use as a
conditional use if it conforms, at a minimum, to these stated standards
and criteria. The Township Supervisors may apply additional criteria
to specific projects, where appropriate, to protect the residential
environment of developing neighborhoods, and in the interests of public
health, safety, and welfare.
For parent tract properties proposed for subdivision in excess of 10 acres and where residential lots permitted by § 150-21A are proposed, a portion of the property shall be set aside as open land in accordance with the scale established in § 150-21A(5). For properties proposed for subdivision in excess of 10 acres and where residential lots permitted by § 150-23A, B or C are proposed, a portion of the property shall be set aside in accordance with the lot arrangement standards of § 150-21A(5). The following standards shall apply to land set aside as open land:
A.
Open land may be devoted to one or more of the following uses:
(1)
Conservation of land in its natural state.
(2)
Passive recreation areas including hiking and bicycling trails, nature
observation, and picnicking. Development easements for these areas
may be offered to the Township or the county, to land trusts, or to
other nonprofit organizations whose purpose is to conserve and protect
open spaces, scenic views, and overall rural qualities. If open land
is offered to the Township for passive recreation purposes, the Township
is not under obligation to accept any or all of the land.
(3)
Easements for drainage, access, sewer and/or waterlines, trails for
pedestrian, bicycle, or equestrian uses, and other similar easements.
(5)
Agricultural activities in accordance with § 150-21B(2), (3) and (4), provided, however, that agribusiness operations are expressly prohibited within the open land areas required by the RR District.
(6)
Pastures.
(7)
Approved water supply and sewage disposal systems for individual
residences or residential clusters. Said sewage disposal systems may
include spray irrigation fields, on-site or off-site sand mounds,
or other individual or community treatment systems, provided that
appropriate approvals are obtained from state and local agencies.
B.
The following standards shall apply to the open land set aside, in
accordance with the requirements of this chapter:
(1)
Significant site features including, but not limited to, major tree
stands or wooded areas, hedgerows, water bodies, and slopes, shall
be protected in compliance with the intent of this chapter.
(2)
Open land of adjacent tracts shall share a common boundary to the
maximum extent possible to provide areas of continuous open land throughout
the RR District.
(3)
Natural features shall generally be maintained in their natural condition,
may be modified in accordance with the recommendations of appropriately
knowledgeable persons in the area being modified. Such modifications
shall improve the appearance, operation, functionality of overall
condition of an open land area.
Unless otherwise established in this article, the following
dimensional requirements are established:
The uses permitted in this district are also subject to the
applicable regulations contained in the following sections of this
chapter:
