In expansion of the declaration of legislative intent and community development objectives contained in Article I of this chapter, the specific intent of this district is:
A. 
To permit institutional and recreational uses by conditional use on appropriate properties in the Township, with locational, dimensional, and development standards specific to the type of use proposed.
B. 
To provide design and regulatory standards for institutional and recreational facilities which will minimize any adverse impacts (such as noise, glare and pollution) on surrounding properties.
C. 
To control traffic generated by institutional and recreational uses.
D. 
To ensure that institutional uses will be adequately served by public facilities and services.
[Amended 11-8-2000 by Ord. No. 00-04]
The IR Overlay District is applicable in all zoning districts in the Township except in the CC Community Commercial District and the R-4 High-Density Residential District. The provisions of the underlying district apply if not superseded by the provisions of the IR District. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the IR District and those of the underlying zoning district, the more restrictive provisions shall apply.
A. 
Class One neighborhood-level uses, which require a conditional use from the Board of Supervisors, in compliance with § 170-31 of this chapter:
(1) 
Church, place of worship, including associated residences but excluding schools or monasteries.
(2) 
Township, county, state, or federal park; passive recreation area, environmental or open space preservation area.
(3) 
Public library, museum, gallery or historic resource.
[Amended 2-7-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01]
(4) 
Post office.
(5) 
Cemetery, graveyard, mausoleum, crematory, provided no graves are located within 50 feet of a side or rear property line.
(6) 
Emergency service institution, fire house, ambulance station, police station.
(7) 
Day-care center.
(8) 
Any institution similar to the above Class One uses, when permitted by the Board of Supervisors.
B. 
Class Two community-level uses, which require a conditional use from the Board of Supervisors, in compliance with § 170-31 of this chapter:
(1) 
School (public or private, sectarian or nonsectarian, elementary or secondary, excluding college and university).
(2) 
Nursing home, personal care facility, intermediate care facility, congregate care facility, assisted living facility, or other institution for the aged or infirm.
(3) 
Community center, adult education center, senior center, or similar facility, provided the use is not conducted as a private, for profit business.
(4) 
Convent, monastery, orphanage.
(5) 
Outdoor private park or facility for active recreation, including golf course, tennis court, swim club, day camp, stable, etc., but not to include the following:
(a) 
Racing, driving or riding of any motorized vehicle for sport or recreation (except for golf carts).
(b) 
Amusement park.
(c) 
Shooting, gun or pistol range.
(6) 
Any institution similar to the above Class Two uses, when permitted by the Board of Supervisors.
C. 
Class Three regional-level uses, which require a conditional use from the Board of Supervisors, in compliance with § 170-31 of this chapter:
(1) 
Medical and surgical hospital, rehabilitation hospital, clinic, other medical treatment facility (excluding doctor or dentist office).
(2) 
Penal or correctional institution, prison farm, reform school.
(3) 
College, university.
(4) 
Any institution similar to the above Class Three uses, when permitted by the Board of Supervisors.
A. 
Each class of use shall comply with the following dimensional regulations:
Class One
Uses
Class Two
Uses
Class Three
Uses
Minimum lot size
2 acres
6 acres
20 acres
Minimum lot width
200 feet
300 feet
500 feet
Maximum building coverage
10%
15%
15%
Maximum impervious surface coverage
35%
40%
40%
Minimum front yard setback
60 feet
100 feet
100 feet
Minimum side yard setback
(each yard)
50 feet
75 feet
100 feet
Minimum rear yard setback
60 feet
80 feet
100 feet
Minimum building setback from a residential use or property
75 feet
100 feet
125 feet
Minimum parking and service area setback
40 feet
50 feet
75 feet
B. 
All classes of use:
(1) 
Unless specifically regulated elsewhere in this chapter, the maximum height for all accessory buildings and structures is 15 feet; is 35 feet or three stories for all other buildings; and is 35 feet for all other structures. (See § 170-24 and § 170-32 for additional height regulations.)
[Amended 2-7-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01; 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-03]
(2) 
All active recreation areas (including those for schools, community centers, golf courses, outdoor recreation facilities, and day-care centers) shall be set back a minimum of 80 feet from the rights-of-way of all public roads, as well as from all property lines. This setback area shall contain landscaping and/or berming according to the requirements of Chapter 145, Subdivision and Land Development.
[Amended 11-8-2000 by Ord. No. 00-04]
A. 
Class One uses are permitted in all zoning districts except in the CC Community Commercial District and the R-4 High-Density Residential District, with access on any road.
B. 
Class Two uses are permitted in all zoning districts except in the CC Community Commercial District and the R-4 High-Density Residential District, with access required from a road of feeder classification or higher (see the road classifications in Chapter 145, Subdivision and Land Development).
C. 
Class Three uses are permitted in all zoning districts except the R-1 Residential District, the CC Community Commercial District and the R-4 High-Density Residential District with access required from road of arterial level classification (Route 29 and Route 73 only).
D. 
All classes of use:
(1) 
All development in the IR Institutional and Recreational Overlay District shall be served by public sewer and water systems if available. If public systems are not available, the applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors the adequacy of any proposed private systems.
(2) 
All development shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 145, Subdivision and Land Development.
(3) 
All development shall comply with the parking and loading requirements of Article XVII, and the sign regulations of Article XVIII, of this chapter.
(4) 
All uses shall be connected by a safe and convenient pedestrian circulation system, which shall connect buildings with sidewalks along streets, and parking areas, common areas, and other buildings.
(5) 
Service and loading areas, dumpsters, and similar site elements shall not be located within the required front yard setback of the property, and shall be adequately screened from view according to the provisions of Chapter 145, Subdivision and Land Development.
(6) 
All development shall comply with the performance standards of § 170-33 of this chapter.
E. 
Conditional use standards and criteria.
(1) 
The proposed use shall not cause undue noise, glare or pollution of the surrounding areas, as determined by the Board of Supervisors, upon recommendation by the Township Engineer and Township Planning Commission.
(2) 
Any visual or functional conflicts between the proposed use and surrounding existing uses shall be kept to a minimum. Increased setbacks, planted buffers, wooden fences or other measures may be required by the Board of Supervisors to minimize potential conflicts, or to reduce anticipated levels of noise. Visual and functional conflicts include, but are not limited to, loading docks, parking lots, service driveways, active recreation areas, or large nonresidential buildings adjacent to residential neighborhoods or open space areas without adequate buffering.
(3) 
The applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors that the vehicular traffic from the proposed use shall not cause undue traffic congestion and/or hazardous conditions on the roads in the area. Provisions shall be made for safe and efficient ingress and egress to and from the proposed development. The Board of Supervisors may require a traffic impact study for any use in this district when it is determined, with the advice of the Township Engineer, that such as study is necessary to demonstrate the adequacy of access points and surrounding streets to accommodate the projected traffic generated by the proposed development.
(4) 
The proposed use will comply in all other respects with the provisions of § 170-31 of this chapter.
A. 
The siting of all required parking spaces in the side or rear of the lot is strongly encouraged.
B. 
Parking and loading areas shall not interfere with driveways, accessways, sidewalks, or pedestrian walkways.
C. 
If the front yard setback includes parking, there shall be a minimum five-foot buffer between the end of the driveway or parking area and the building (except in the case of a driveway leading to a garage or carport). The buffer area shall be landscaped and shall not be paved.
D. 
The use of natural building materials, such as brick, stone, stucco or wood, is strongly encouraged.
E. 
The use of a gable, hip, gambrel or mansard roof is strongly encouraged.