[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
The purpose of this district is to prevent the
overcrowding of land and yet encourage well-planned and well-designed
higher-density residential uses in those areas where central water
and sewerage services are most available, and to provide for the public
convenience and avoid congestion of the streets. This district is
intended to promote development that is compatible with adjacent development
and that incorporates natural features and open space into overall
site design.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
A.
The following uses in the HDR District shall be permitted with or without central water and sewer services, within the requirements of Article XX:
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
Special exception uses in the HDR District shall be as follows, within the requirements of Article XX:
Specifically prohibited accessory and principal
uses shall be as follows:
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282; 5-20-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-316]
The following is a list of conditional uses
in the High Density Residential District which must meet the general
and specific standards governing conditional uses in this ordinance:
A.
Life care center.
B.
Personal care home.
C.
Retirement village.
D.
Cemetery.
E.
Nursing home.
F.
Appropriate governmental facilities and services other
than those listed as permitted by right.
G.
Appropriate public utility facilities.
H.
Public or privately owned school.
I.
Mid-rise apartment.
[Added 1-29-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-420]
Permitted accessory uses shall be as follows:
A.
Accessory use specifically permitted under § 190-211C.**
C.
Accessory use and structure which are clearly customarily
incidental to a permitted principal use.**
D.
Accessory outdoor and indoor recreational facility
that is clearly intended to be used predominantly and almost exclusively
by residents of the development within which it is integrated.
E.
Home occupation, light.**
Area and bulk regulations for uses other than
townhouses, low-rise (garden) apartments, mid-rise apartments, life
care centers and offices as principal uses shall be as follows:
A.
Density, lot width and lot depth.
|
Minimum Lot Width 2
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Type
|
Minimum Lot Area
(sq. ft.)
|
Minimum Tract Size per Building
(sq. ft.)
|
At Setback Line
(feet)
|
At Edge of Existing Right-of-Way
(feet)
|
Minimum Lot Depth
(feet)
| |
|
Single-family detached dwelling and individual
mobile homes
| ||||||
|
With public sewer service
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282] |
12,000
|
12,000
|
601
|
401
|
100
| |
|
Without public sewer service
|
43,5601
|
43,5601
|
1001
|
401
|
200
| |
|
Single-family semidetached dwelling, two-family
detached dwelling or two-family semidetached dwelling
|
6,0001
|
12,000
|
451
|
401
|
100
| |
|
All other principal uses (unless larger lot
requirements stated elsewhere)
|
15,000
|
15,000
|
60
|
40
|
100
| |
|
NOTES:
1 Per dwelling unit.
2 Except as required by § 190-53H.
| ||||||
B.
Lot coverage: 30% maximum for all buildings and 70%
maximum impervious coverage. A minimum of 30% of the lot area shall
be landscaped.
C.
Front yard setback.
(1)
Fronting major arterial streets: not permitted.
(2)
Fronting minor arterial streets: 50 feet minimum.
(3)
Fronting collector streets: 40 feet minimum.
(4)
Fronting local streets: 30 feet minimum.
(5)
In the case where a property's front yard does not
abut a public street, the front yard setback shall be no less than
25 feet.
F.
Height: 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is more
restrictive, except as is specifically permitted for mid-rise apartments.
G.
Building setback from major arterial streets (expressways).
(1)
Buildings including one or more dwelling units shall
be setback a minimum of 150 feet from the existing right-of-way line
of any major arterial street, except as below.
(2)
As a special exception use, if a use including one
or more dwelling units includes a landscaped earth berm of appropriate
height and design to deflect noise from the highway, and if such berm
will be located between the major arterial street and the principal
structure, then the minimum building setback shall be reduced to 60
feet from the existing right-of-way of the major arterial street.
(3)
Major arterial streets include U.S. Route 22 and PA
Route 33.
H.
Lot widths along minor arterial and major collector
streets. The following shall be required for any lot created or resubdivided
after the adoption of this ordinance:
(1)
Any use or uses on a lot created after the adoption
of this ordinance having its own direct vehicular access onto a minor
arterial street shall have a minimum lot width of 200 feet at the
edge of the existing right-of-way.
(2)
Any use or uses on a lot created after the adoption
of this ordinance having its own direct vehicular access onto a major
collector street shall have a minimum lot width of 130 feet at the
edge of the existing right-of-way.
Area and bulk regulations for townhouse and
low-rise (garden) apartment dwellings shall be as follows:
A.
Terms. For the purpose of this section, the term "apartments"
shall refer to low-rise apartment uses.
B.
Minimum tract area. Townhouses and low-rise apartments
shall have a minimum tract area of 21,000 square feet.
C.
Vehicular parking setback. See § 190-168G. Off-street parking shall not be permitted within the front yard area of a lot and shall be located to the rear or side of the principal structure. No off-street parking areas shall be permitted between the principal structure and the public street. However, where the applicant can demonstrate, upon review by the Planning Commission and approval as a conditional use by the Board of Supervisors, that garages and parking oriented to the front of the unit or structure will not extend beyond the width of the garage doors or become a prominent portion of the front yard, such parking may be permitted.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
D.
Principal building separation. All principal buildings
shall be separated from any other principal building by a minimum
of 30 feet and a minimum average of 40 feet. A building may include
multiple dwelling units.
E.
Maximum density.
(1)
Site capacity calculation. The maximum total density of a townhouse or a low-rise (garden) apartment development shall be determined as follows. If an area of land would have more than one characteristic stated in Subsection E(1)(b) through (g) below, it shall only be deleted once. All land areas shall be stated in hundredths of an acre.
[Amended 1-29-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-420]
(a)
The total lot area of all lots within the tract,
not including existing rights-of-way of existing public streets.
|
= _______ acres
|
(b)
Delete future rights-of-way abutting existing
public streets that are required to be dedicated.
|
- _______ acres
| |
|
Areas voluntarily dedicated for an improvement
to a public street that are not required by PennDOT or the Township
but that the Board of Supervisors determines will serve a substantial
public need are not required to be deleted from the buildable area
of the tract.
| |
|
Rights-of-way of proposed streets are not required to be deleted
from the buildable area of the tract, except as specified above.
|
(c)
Delete areas of more than 1,000 square feet
with existing natural slopes of 15% or greater.
|
- _______ acres
|
(d)
Delete areas within the one-hundred-year floodplain, according to official FEMA/FIA maps or a detailed study using accepted hydraulic modeling techniques which meets all requirements listed in § 190-154H(4).
|
- _______ acres
|
(e)
Delete areas proposed to be used for any principal
uses other than low-rise (garden) apartments, townhouses or common
open space.
|
- _______ acres
|
(f)
Delete areas to be dedicated to the Township
as public open space.
|
- _______ acres
|
(g)
Delete areas within existing surface utility
or stormwater rights-of-way or casements, such as overhead electric
transmission rights-of-way, existing stormwater management facilities
and/or drainage swales. Existing underground utility and drainage
easements are not required to be deleted from the buildable area of
the tract.
|
- _______ acres
____________________
|
(h)
Equals the "buildable area of the tract."
|
= _______ acres
| ||
(i)
To determine the maximum total permitted number
of new and existing townhouse or low-rise (garden) apartment dwelling
units permitted within the tract, multiply the buildable area of the
tract by the following:
(2)
Flexibility in placement. The total number of dwelling
units allowed on the tract may be placed at any appropriate locations
within the buildable area of the tract within the setback and other
provisions of this ordinance. However, no single acre of land shall
include more than 12 dwelling units, once streets and dedicated common
open space are deleted from the lot area.
(3)
In calculating the allowable overall density, land
which is capable of further development or subdivision for additional
dwellings shall not be counted unless the possibility of such development
or subdivision is precluded by one of the following methods:
(4)
Condominiums and lots. The division of land into individual
lots is not required. This allows the development of condominium garden
apartments and townhouses. However, any condominium development or
conversion to condominium ownership shall follow the requirements
and processes of the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
(5)
Condominiums and streets. In any development of or
conversion to condominiums, the Township shall reserve the right to
require all roads and major driveways to be constructed or improved
to Township standards and dedicated to the Township. The responsibility
of maintaining interior roads and major driveways should not be given
to a homeowner association, unless there are adequate safeguards.
F.
Maximum height. Maximum building height shall be 35
feet or 2.5 stories, whichever is more restrictive, except that as
a conditional use the Board of Supervisors may allow up to 3.5 stories
or 48 feet for low-rise/garden apartments to allow excellence in architectural
design or to make an allowance for unusual topography. Pitched roofs
with a slope of five inches vertical for every 12 inches horizontal
or greater and variations in rooflines of structures are strongly
encouraged for the purpose of variety.
[Amended 12-29-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-389]
G.
Buffer yard. A buffer yard with screening shall be required, as described in § 190-194D, between any townhouse or low-rise apartment principal building and any abutting existing single-family detached dwelling that would be within 120 feet of a low-rise apartment or townhouse building. The buffer yard shall be the responsibility of the developer of the townhouses or low-rise apartments.
H.
Accessory uses and structures.
(2)
The intent is to carefully avoid incompatible structures
in a high density environment.
(3)
Garages or carports for the storage of private automobiles
are a permitted by right accessory use, provided that such structures
are architecturally compatible with the principal buildings.
(4)
The developer shall state whether any deed restrictions
or similar restrictions will be established to control the design
of any detached accessory buildings and fences. Such controls are
strongly encouraged.
(5)
Accessory structures may be placed a minimum of one
foot from the lot line along which dwellings are attached. Fences
may be located on a lot line.
I.
Homeowners' and/or condominium agreements. If any
dwelling units are to be sold under homeowners' and/or condominium
agreements, such agreements or documents shall be reviewed by the
Township Solicitor and approved by the Board of Supervisors prior
to recording and filed with the subdivision or land development plan.
It is strongly recommended that any such agreements include restrictions
requiring any fencing or garages to be compatible with the overall
design.
J.
Maximum impervious coverage shall be 70%, based upon
the entire tract. For the purpose of this section, active recreational
facilities such as tennis or basketball courts shall not be limited
by the maximum impervious coverage regulation. However, such areas
shall still be considered impervious for the purposes of managing
stormwater runoff.
K.
Maximum length of building. The maximum length of
a townhouse or low-rise apartment building shall be 160 feet, with
no more than four dwelling units attached. As used in this section,
"building length" means the horizontal measurement of any building
length from any one end to any other end, without regard to offsets
but without including diagonal measurements. As a conditional use,
upon review by the Planning Commission and approval by the Board of
Supervisors, the maximum length of the building may be extended to
accommodate up to eight units attached, provided the applicant demonstrates
excellence in design. At a minimum, factors to be incorporated into
design include articulation in roofline and pitch, the use of dormers
or other similar features, and alternating facade materials (e.g.,
stone, brick, and wood). Also, a minimum of 50% of all dwellings shall
have a front entrance articulated with a covered porch entry. The
size of the front porch shall be a minimum of five feet deep from
the front wall of the dwelling to the enclosing porch rail and ten
feet long. The applicant may provide an alternative design as part
of the conditional use application that meets the intent of this standard.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
L.
Changes in facade. No more than two adjacent townhouses
in any townhouse building shall have the same front wall plane. The
minimum variation or offset of the front wall plane shall be two feet.
A visual structural break in the roofline or front facade shall be
provided between every two townhouse units.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282; 12-29-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-389]
M.
External property line building setback. Townhouse
and low-rise apartment buildings and their permitted accessory structures
shall be setback from all exterior lot lines of a tract a minimum
distance of 30 feet, except a minimum distance of 80 feet shall be
required from the lot line of an existing single-family detached dwelling.
N.
Building setback from public or private streets. All
principal and accessory buildings and carports of townhouse and low-rise
apartment buildings shall have a minimum of 10 feet setback from the
street right-of-way line of proposed and existing streets where parking
is located to the rear or side of the principal structure. Where parking
is proposed to be located to the front of the principal building,
the front yard setback shall be a minimum of 30 feet from the street
right-of-way line of proposed and existing streets. If right-of-way
is not established for a street, then setbacks shall be measured from
the edge of the cartway.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
O.
Minimum width of townhouses. Each townhouse dwelling
unit shall have a minimum width of 20 feet, except that a minimum
width of 26 feet shall apply if garage doors for two or more vehicles
open onto the front of a townhouse.
P.
Minimum private area. For each townhouse, there shall
be a yard immediately adjacent to the front and back of the unit and
including the side for end units. Each dwelling shall be provided
an area of not less than 200 square feet for the exclusive use of
the occupants of that dwelling. Within the yard area described above,
a balcony, patio, porch, deck or other similar outdoor area shall
be provided for each dwelling. If a development is subdivided into
lots, the same private area requirement shall apply in determining
the minimum size of the lot; however, the minimum lot area shall not
be less than 3,000 square feet. Design measures shall be used to seek
an appropriate level of privacy in any rear yards. Such measures might
include landscaped screening, compatible fencing and earth berming.
The intent is to avoid the placement of incompatible fencing by individual
lot owners in the future. If a townhouse includes an individual fee-simple
lot of over 1,200 square feet, then such private area is not required
to be specifically designated on plans. Apartments shall provide a
terrace, recessed inside the exterior building wall of the dwelling,
for units above the first level.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
Q.
Minimum recreation and open space land. See Article X of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
S.
Private streets. All interior streets and accessways
serving more than five dwelling units but not including parking courts
shall be built to Township construction standards for public streets,
regardless of whether the streets or accessways will be dedicated
to the Township. However, the Board of Supervisors may allow widths
of a cartway and a right-of-way of any private street or accessway
to be narrower than is required for a public street, provided that
a private street providing direct or indirect access to 20 or more
dwellings shall have a minimum width of 24 feet and garages, carports
or parking areas are located to the side or rear of the principal
structure.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
T.
Architectural renderings required. Preliminary architectural
renderings shall be required of the front facades of any low-rise
apartment or townhouse development of more than 10 units.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
U.
Preservation of natural buffers. See § 190-194D(3)(c).
V.
Architectural variety. A variety of complimentary
designs are encouraged among clusters of buildings within larger developments.
Extreme changes of facades among attached townhouse units are discouraged.
W.
Garages. Any townhouses shall be designed so that
garages and/or carports are not an overly prominent part of the view
from public streets. For this reason, parking courts and combined
garage or carport structures are encouraged instead of individual
garages, especially for narrow townhouse units. If garages are provided,
they should be located to the rear of the structures, with a common
driveway system, provided that adequate provision is made for maintenance
through a homeowners' association.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282; 12-17-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-311]
X.
Mailboxes. Due to the density and compact design of
apartment and townhouse developments, mailboxes should be located
either on the facade of the dwelling unit (where permitted by the
United States Postal Service) or within a common kiosk or enclosed
structure. Individual freestanding mailboxes at the curbside are discouraged.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
Y.
Trash bins. Common trash receptacles shall be provided
in locations that are convenient for residents and for collection.
Trash dumpsters and similar facilities shall he completely enclosed
within a decorative masonry or wood fence, at least six feet in height,
on three sides, maintaining 100% visual blockage on three sides and
a self-closing gate on the fourth side. These areas shall be screened
from view of streets and dwellings.
[Amended 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
Z.
Access. Vehicular access points onto all minor arterial
and collector streets shall be minimized to the lowest number possible.
AA.
Visitor/overflow parking areas.
[Added 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282[1]]
(1)
Design. Off-street parking area(s) shall be
provided at a rate of 0.25 space per dwelling unit. The off-street
parking area(s) shall be provided in addition to the minimum off-street
parking spaces required for each individual dwelling unit. The visitor/overflow
parking areas shall be located not greater than 300 feet from any
given dwelling. Off-street parking areas shall not be located between
the public street and the principal building. Such parking areas shall
be located to the side or rear of the principal structure and in pods
of not more than 20 spaces. Each parking area shall be screened from
view from the public right-of-way with a four-foot decorative masonry
fence or evergreen hedgerow, or a combination of both. The parking
areas shall contain internal landscaping. At a minimum, terminal islands
shall be installed at both ends of a single unbroken row of parking.
Terminal islands shall be a minimum of 15 feet in length and minimum
of 10 feet in width. Each terminal island shall be landscaped with
a minimum of one shade tree, and grass or a vegetative ground cover.
In addition, a landscaped divider strip shall be provided to connect
the terminal islands. The divider strip shall be a minimum of seven
feet in width and be planted with a minimum of one shade tree every
30 feet on center and grass or a vegetative ground cover. These areas
shall not be used to meet the standard parking requirements.
(2)
Use. Boats, campers, trailers and other recreational
vehicles shall be prohibited from said parking areas.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided
for the repeal of former Subsection AA, Density bonuses.
BB.
Setback from industrial zoning districts. All buildings including
one or more dwelling units shall have a minimum setback of 100 feet
from the boundary of any HI, LI, PIC or PO/IP District boundary. If
a public street is the zoning boundary, such setback shall be measured
from the center line of the street.
[Amended 11-13-1995 by Ord. No. 261; 12-17-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-311; 1-29-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-420]
(1)
In the case of a conditional use application for a traditional village (pursuant to § 190-224 et seq.), the Board of Supervisors may consider allowing, as an additional conditional use, the minimum setback to be reduced to 50 feet, provided that a minimum forty-foot-wide buffer yard with screening, as described in § 190-194D, shall be required between any newly developed townhouse, low-rise/garden apartment and/or mid-rise apartment principal use and any abutting industrial zoning district or existing principal industrial use.
CC.
Front yard landscaping. All townhouse dwelling units
shall have a clearly defined front yard using landscaping, hedging,
fencing or a brick or stone wall, none of which shall exceed three
feet in height. Front yards of low-rise apartments, attached duplexes
or townhouses may be unified into one common yard treated as a single
yard for the entire building.
[Added 2-15-2000 by Ord. No. 282]
Area and bulk regulations for offices as principal
uses shall be as follows:
A.
Minimum lot area: 12,000 square feet.
B.
Lot width: a minimum of 120 feet at the building setback
line, except a minimum of 200 feet for any use having direct individual
vehicular access onto a minor arterial road.
C.
Lot depth: a minimum of 100 feet.
D.
Lot coverage: a maximum of 25% for buildings and 65%
total impervious coverage.
F.
Side yard setback. There shall be two side yards,
each with a minimum width of 25 feet.
G.
Rear yard setback: a minimum of 50 feet.
H.
Parking lot setback. All parking spaces shall be set
back a minimum of 10 feet from all buildings, except for garage or
carport entrances and buildings raised to allow parking beneath the
structure.
I.
Height: 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is more
restrictive.
J.
Parking. Wherever reasonable, especially in conversions
of residences to offices, the bulk of off-street parking shall be
located to the rear of the structure. Wherever reasonable in conversions
of residences to offices, the front yard shall maintain a residential
appearance.
K.
Maximum square footage. No office use or building
within an HDR District shall have a total floor area of greater than
4,000 square feet.
L.
Location: shall be located abutting a street designated
as a collector or minor arterial street.
Area and bulk regulations for a mid-rise apartment
building shall be as follows:
A.
Height: a maximum of six stories or 72 feet, whichever
is more restrictive.
B.
Minimum tract area: 10 acres.
C.
Building setback. The minimum principal building setback
shall be:
(1)
Three hundred feet from all lot lines of existing
single-family detached dwellings or single-family semidetached dwellings
or lot lines of less than one acre approved for such dwellings.
(2)
One hundred feet from any future right-of-way of an
existing street.
(3)
Seventy-five feet from any other lot lines.
D.
Maximum density: a maximum density of nine dwelling units per acre.
[Amended 1-29-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-420]
See § 190-201 regarding whether a zoning site plan submittal is required.
