[Amended 6-11-2018 by Ord. No. 4-248]
A.
In expansion of the community development objectives contained in Article III, § 160-8, it is hereby declared to be the intent of this article to encourage the preservation of passive and active open space park and recreation uses in the Township, to establish reasonable standards of performance in order to maintain the desirable benefits of open space park and recreational uses throughout the community, and to ensure that such uses will have no adverse effect on abutting residential areas.
B.
Under the Park and Recreation Overlay, the following regulations
shall apply.
Under the Park and Recreation Overlay, land may be used or occupied
and buildings and structures may be erected, altered and used for
any of the following purposes and no other:
A.
Public park or recreation area for open space recreation,
owned and operated by a governmental agency.
B.
Woodland, game preserve, nature areas or other conservation
purposes.
C.
Privately owned outdoor recreational areas or use,
including but not limited to a park, picnic ground, riding academy,
golf course, swimming pool, day camp, ice-skating rink, nature area
and tennis courts, including facilities for team sports such as baseball,
football, basketball and soccer.
D.
Uses accessory to permitted uses, provided that each
building or structure is clearly incidental to the permitted outdoor
use.
E.
Historic monuments and publicly owned buildings which
are open for public viewing and inspection.
F.
Any use of the same general character as any of the
uses specifically permitted when authorized as a special exception,
provided that the use and its design are compatible with the character
of the area in which it is located and that any club or lodge building
and its services shall be for the use of members and their guests
only.
A.
Height regulations. The maximum height of buildings and other structures
erected or enlarged in this overlay shall be 35 feet. Additional height
for lights, baseball backstops and similar ancillary sports equipment
may be approved by the Board of Supervisors.
B.
Building coverage. Not more than 20% of the total lot area shall
be occupied by buildings and structures.
C.
Commercial activity. No commercial activity shall be permitted except
for charging of admission, the sale of refreshments or such other
purpose as is clearly incidental to the permitted outdoor activity.
Each permitted commercial activity shall be located or screened so
that it shall not be visible from a public street (except the Pennsylvania
Turnpike).
D.
Off-street parking. The provisions of Article XXVII shall apply to P-R Districts, except that pervious surfaces for parking areas and access drives are permitted in this overlay. In the event the use contemplated is not specifically covered by the terms of Article XXVII, adequate off-street parking must be shown on the development plan to accommodate the maximum number of persons expected to be using the facilities on a day-to-day basis.
E.
Lighting. The source of any exterior spotlighting or floodlights of buildings or grounds shall comply with § 160-220 of the Code of the Township of Whitpain.
F.
Screening. All parking shall be effectively screened by a permanent screen buffer from adjoining and contiguous Residential, Park and Recreation, and Institutional Districts by a combination of the following: wall, fence, evergreen hedge or other suitable enclosure of a minimum height of 6 1/2 feet, placed at least four feet inside the overlay property line. A buffer shall be planted in accordance with a plan approved by the Board of Supervisors following a recommendation by the Planning Commission, which, at the very least, shall conform to the standards and requirements of § 160-107, Buffer yards and planting materials, of this chapter.
G.
Green areas. At least 90% of the area of each lot not devoted to
off-street parking or occupied by buildings or other structures shall
be kept in grass, shrubbery, trees or other natural cover. In any
event, at least 70% of any lot within the overlay shall be kept as
green area.
H.
Setbacks.
(1)
Buildings. No building over 15 feet high or exceeding 250 square
feet of ground coverage or containing food service facilities shall
be located within 100 feet of any abutting residentially zoned district.
In no case shall any building be located within 50 feet of any property
line, or 50 feet of any utility right-of-way line.
(2)
Uses. No use which requires the use of outdoor lighting or which
is concentrated in time and space, such as but not limited to the
use of a swimming pool or tennis courts, shall be located within 100
feet of any abutting residentially zoned district. Such setback may
be reduced up to 50 feet if the use is appropriately screened by a
screen buffer from the adjoining and contiguous Residential and Institutional
Districts.
