The Townhouse Zone shall comprise an area to
the west of Schuyler Avenue from Exton Avenue on the south to the
C-3 Cemetery zone on the north and encompassing Block 116 Lots 16,
17, 18, 19, 20.02, 20.01, 21.01, 23.01, 25 and 26 and Block 128 Lots
6.01 and 7.
The purpose of this zone is to permit a townhouse
development that provides an attractive alternative to residents who
no longer want to maintain a larger house and yard and provide density
adjacent to shopping areas.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A one-family dwelling in a row of at least three such units
in which each unit has its own front and rear access to the outside,
no unit is located over another unit, and each unit is separated from
any other unit by one or more common fire-resistant walls.
A.
Bulk requirements.
(1)
Minimum tract size: 1/2 acre.
(2)
Maximum density, including common areas: eight dwelling
units per acre.
(3)
Minimum front yard setback: 10 feet from interior
edge of sidewalk.
(4)
Minimum rear yard setback: 25 feet.
(5)
Maximum building height: 35 feet/2 1/2 stories.
(6)
Maximum building coverage: 65%.
(7)
Minimum distance between buildings: 20 feet.
(8)
Maximum number of units per building: eight units.
B.
No public roadway shall be provided with the tract:
private access roads shall be a minimum of 22 feet in width if two-way
traffic is allowed, and a minimum of 11 feet in width if one way.
C.
Required parking: Off-street parking shall be provided
in accordance with the Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS).
Parking for units is to be provided within the building envelope of
each unit in integral ground level garages, accessed from the rear
of each unit.
A.
General.
(1)
The overall development shall have a compatible architectural
and landscaping theme.
(2)
Building design features such as exterior materials,
rooflines and roof designs, windows, shutters, doors, porches, colors
and orientation of the facades shall be considered as to appropriateness
and attractiveness for the neighborhood. All publicly visible foundations
and exterior walls shall be finished.
(3)
End units shall be designed so as to mitigate large
expanses of blank facades by including such elements as bay windows
and other windows, roof projections and other exterior articulation.
B.
Front yard setbacks.
(1)
All residential setbacks shall be enclosed with a
combination of low garden walls or other landscaping. Garden walls
are defined as a walled separation between a courtyard, front yard
or service area and the street to screen private activities from the
public realm.
(2)
Setback areas are encouraged to be landscaped with
a combination of flowering trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs to
create a garden space.
(3)
Lawn and turf areas are discouraged in all front yards,
more sustainable and less maintenance intensive ground covers are
encouraged.
(4)
Common setback areas shall contain a combination of
hardscape and softscape areas.
C.
Lighting.
(1)
Only shielded light fixtures shall be used. All lighting
shall be designed to prevent misdirected or excessive artificial light
and to maximize energy efficiency. Floodlights shall not be directed
toward the street and shall be shielded from light intrusion into
the windows of units.
(2)
Incandescent, halogen, or natural gas lighting elements
are encouraged. Sodium vapor fixtures shall be prohibited.
(3)
Lighting shall not be more than 0.1 footcandle at
any adjacent residential property measured at the adjacent residential
property line at grade.
(4)
The maximum height of freestanding lights shall not
exceed 12 feet.
(5)
The style of the light and light standard shall be
consistent with the architectural style of the principal buildings.
D.
Signage.
(1)
One freestanding sign shall be permitted per development
at the roadway access. The sign shall not exceed 12 square feet in
area, three feet in height and shall not intrude into the sight triangle.
(2)
No backlight signs or those in which letters are silhouetted
against a light background are permitted. External lighting may be
permitted.
(3)
Signage shall be compatible with the overall development
theme.
E.
Garden walls and fencing.
(1)
Garden walls shall generally be constructed of the
same material as the first floor of the primary building.
(2)
Garden walls shall be a minimum of 24 inches and a
maximum of 36 inches in height. Sitting walls, between 12 inches and
24 inches in height, shall be incorporated whenever possible.
(3)
Garden walls shall be minimum of eight inches thick
and have a horizontal cap.
(4)
Fences shall be made of aluminum or steel and shall
have stucco or masonry piers. PVC, wood and chain link are not permitted
as fencing materials.
(5)
Masonry piers with steel or iron fencing may replace
solid masonry walls.
(6)
Hedges may not be used in place of fence requirements.
F.
Buffering.
(1)
A five-foot buffer (e.g., landscaping, fencing) shall
be provided along the rear and side property lines. Side buffers along
buildings shall be landscaped to complement building design and screen
foundation expanses.
(2)
On-site recreational facilities, including playgrounds,
swimming pools, etc., shall not be less than 15 feet from any property
line and shall be screened by fencing, landscaping or both from adjoining
properties.
G.
Utilities and mechanical equipment.
(1)
Roof-vent penetrations shall be located at least 10
feet from any exterior building face, if possible.
(2)
Bulkheads and/or mechanical equipment shall be enclosed
on the roof, set back and housed in an enclosure utilizing the same
material or comparable material as the rest of the building facades.
(3)
Aboveground storage tanks, basketball hoops or other
such equipment are prohibited unless visually screened from the street.
(4)
Access roads and paving are required to be of porous
paving so as to minimize stormwater runoff.
(5)
All utilities shall be buried underground unless site-specific
constraints exist.
(6)
Every effort shall be made to make utilities as visually
unobtrusive as possible.
(7)
Meters and access panels shall be integrated with
building design and shall be constructed of materials and styles consistent
with the established design theme.
(8)
The developer shall coordinate all utility improvements
with the responsible utility.
H.
Trash disposal/recycling. Trash/recycling containers
shall be housed in the rear of the buildings in an enclosed structure
which will be the collection point.
