[1]
Editor's Note: The title of this article was changed from Conservation Subdivision (CS) Overlay District 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
The OSD Overlay District is primarily intended to:
A. 
Promote a detailed analysis of development parcels so as to locate and coordinate appropriate areas for development and for conservation;
B. 
Avoid development that could cause inefficient patterns of development;
C. 
Encourage a blend of recreation areas and a mix of housing at a medium density to serve various age groups and types of housing;
D. 
Provide for reasonably safe and convenient pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle circulation, with an emphasis on connecting residential and recreational areas;
E. 
Provide greater design flexibility and efficiency in the siting of homes, services and infrastructure, including the opportunity to reduce the length of streets and utility facilities;
F. 
Preserve rural characteristics through the permanent preservation of meaningful open space and sensitive natural resources;
G. 
Encourage the creation of a sense of place and community spirit;
H. 
Promote the goals and objectives of the Lower Allen Township Comprehensive Plan Update, 2006, as amended;
I. 
Make efficient use of available public water and sewer services and other infrastructure; and
J. 
Avoid excessive improvement costs and future Township maintenance costs for each new home by minimizing the amount of street and utility length per home.
A. 
The OSD Overlay District applies to R-1 Single-Family Established Residential and R-2 Single-Family Rural Residential Zoning Districts.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B. 
OSD developments are a permitted use by right in the R-1 and R-2 Zoning Districts.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
C. 
For the purposes of this article, the words "parcel" or "lot," whether singular or plural, shall encompass planned community units under the Pennsylvania Uniform Planned Community Act, 68 Pa.C.S.A. § 5101 et seq., as amended, and condominium units under the Pennsylvania Uniform Condominium Act, 68 Pa.C.S.A. § 3101 et seq., as amended, and the lot area, lot width and yard standards of this article shall apply to each such planned community unit or condominium unit as if each unit constituted a parcel or lot.
A. 
A minimum tract size of five acres is required for an OSD development.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B. 
Each residential lot shall be within 300 feet walking distance of either public recreation land or common open space.
(1) 
Perimeter setbacks:
(a) 
For single-family detached and side-by-side twin dwelling units, no additional perimeter setback other than required yards shall be required.
(b) 
For all other permitted uses, a fifty-foot-wide perimeter setback shall be required for uses in the OSD development from existing residential uses. Screen planting shall be provided in the setback in accordance with §§ 220-201 and 220-202.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
A. 
All proposed development within any OSD shall be served by either public water or suitable private wells. If water supply other than public water is proposed, applicant shall provide a hydrogeologic study demonstrating the availability of adequate water supply. The study shall be submitted with the preliminary plan.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B. 
All proposed development within any OSD shall be served by either public sewer or a community sewage disposal system.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
C. 
Traffic from an OSD of 20 acres or more shall have access to a major collector road, a minor arterial road or a local road, as identified in the Township Comprehensive Plan Update, 2006, as amended. Primary access from an OSD of 20 acres or more from a minor Township road shall not be permitted. Where primary access to an OSD of 20 acres or more is via a major collector road or a local road, the primary route of travel from the OSD to a principal arterial shall be identified. This primary route of travel shall not contain deficiencies identified in the Township Comprehensive Plan Update, 2006, as amended.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
D. 
Single-family detached and side-by-side twin dwelling unit lots are permitted to front only minor Township or local streets. All other permitted uses are permitted to front on minor Township, local or major collector street.
E. 
All OSD developments shall include provisions for constructing trails within and through the development.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
In addition to those uses permitted in the underlying zoning district, the following uses shall be permitted by right:
A. 
Single-family detached dwellings.
B. 
Townhouses.
C. 
Side-by-side twin dwellings.
D. 
Publicly owned recreation uses; recreation uses and open space owned by a property owners association.
E. 
Nature preserves.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
A. 
Maximum density for a OSD shall be determined as follows:
(1) 
Determine land area available for development after deleting: existing rights-of-way of existing streets and railroads, and lands continuously covered with water.
(2) 
Multiply the resulting acreage by the following number to result in the number of permitted dwelling units (DU) within the residential sections of the OSD.
(a) 
Underlying Zoning District R-1: six.
(b) 
Underlying Zoning District R-2: two.
B. 
The densities achieved in Subsection A may be increased by not more than two DU per acre, resulting in a maximum R-1 density of eight DU per acre and a maximum R-2 density of four DU per acre by applying the following methodology:
(1) 
One bonus DU per acre if the developer provides at least 125% of the required open space or required recreation land, or 125% of the fee in lieu of (FILO) dedicated recreation land, if deemed acceptable per the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO).[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: See Ch. 192, Subdivision and Land Development.
(2) 
Two bonus DU per acre if the developer provides at least 150% of the required open space or required recreation land, or 150% FILO dedicated recreation land, if deemed acceptable per SALDO.
(3) 
Two bonus DU per acre if the developer provides at least 125% of the required open space and required recreation land, or 125% FILO dedicated recreation land, if deemed acceptable per SALDO.
A. 
For single-family detached dwellings:
(1) 
The minimum lot area shall be 6,000 square feet.
(2) 
The minimum lot width at the building setback line shall be 40 feet.
B. 
For side-by-side twin dwelling:
(1) 
The minimum lot area shall be 5,000 square feet.
(2) 
The minimum lot width at the building setback line shall be 30 feet.
C. 
For townhouse dwelling units:
(1) 
The minimum lot area shall be 2,000 square feet.
(2) 
The minimum lot width and dwelling unit width at the front of the enclosed dwelling unit shall be 20 feet.
D. 
For all other permitted uses:
(1) 
There shall be no minimum lot area. Lot area shall be based on required setbacks, impervious coverage, parking, environmental limitations and other applicable criteria.
(2) 
The minimum lot width shall be not less than 50 feet at the dedicated right-of-way line, and not less than 100 feet at the building line.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
The overall impervious coverage for an OSD shall not exceed 40% in the R-1 District and shall not exceed 30% in the R-2 District.
Yards shall be provided as follows:
A. 
On a multiple frontage lot, a front yard shall be provided abutting each street frontage.
B. 
For single-family detached, side-by-side twin and townhouse dwellings:
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
(1) 
Minimum front yard depth: five feet.
(2) 
Maximum front yard depth: 25 feet.
(3) 
Minimum rear yard for principal building: 25 feet.
C. 
For single-family detached dwelling: minimum side yards shall total no less than 15 feet, with no one side less than five feet, in width. On a corner lot, two side yards shall be provided along the interior lot lines.
D. 
For side-by-side twin dwellings:
(1) 
One side yard shall be provided, with a minimum width of 10 feet.
E. 
For townhouse dwellings:
(1) 
No side yard shall be required for interior units, if alley or easement access is provided to the rear yard.
(2) 
For each end unit, one side yard shall be provided, with a minimum width of 10 feet.
F. 
For all other permitted uses, refer to the requirements in the underlying zoning district.
G. 
An unenclosed porch, deck or patio may intrude into a required front, side or rear yard a maximum of 50% of the required setback or 10 feet, whichever is less.
H. 
Chimneys, roof overhangs, rain gutters, building footings, window wells and similar features may intrude up to two feet into a required setback.
I. 
Detached accessory buildings shall be set back a minimum of five feet from a side or rear lot line. Accessory buildings shall not be permitted within a front yard.
A. 
A minimum percentage of 60% of total allowable dwelling units within any OSD must be detached single-family dwellings.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B. 
For townhouse dwelling units:
(1) 
No more than six townhouse units shall be attached.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
(2) 
A vertical or horizontal visual structural offset or other deviation in exterior architectural materials shall be provided for every other unit.
A. 
In addition to required public recreation land, a minimum of 25% of the gross area of an OSD development shall be retained as common open space reserved for passive recreational use.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B. 
A minimum of 50% of the designated common open space shall not be regraded as part of development of the site.
C. 
Common open space shall be available for use by residents of the OSD and their guests free of charge, except for areas of nonintensive agriculture, horticulture, floriculture or silviculture. An annual maintenance fee assessed to all property owners for maintenance of common open space shall not be considered a charge for use of the space.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
D. 
Common open space may be made available for use by the general public. This shall not be cause to reduce the requirements for dedication of public recreation land.
E. 
A pedestrian access and trail construction plan shall be required to provide accessibility to the common open space.
F. 
Commercial uses shall not be permitted in common open space, except for community events approved by the owner of the common open space.
G. 
Any area designated as common open space shall be no smaller than four times the area of the smallest residential lot within the OSD development, except for designated trails.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
A. 
Applicant must supply documentation showing proposed plan for ownership and perpetual maintenance and protection of common open space (COS). Available methods are as follows:
(1) 
COS ownership retained by applicant.
(2) 
COS offered for dedication to the Township. The Board of Commissioners may accept dedication to the Township at their discretion, but there is no obligation to do so.
(3) 
COS ownership by a qualified conservation or preservation organization.
(4) 
COS ownership by a homeowners' association or condominium association.
B. 
A conservation easement shall be provided to ensure that all common open space shall remain open in perpetuity.