Township of Patterson, PA Article XI C-2 Highway Commercial District

§ 190-39 Purpose.

The C-2 Highway Commercial District is established to provide locations for commercial and service activities in areas of the Township where sites are predominantly highway-oriented. This district is intended to ensure adequate light, air, open space and other amenities appropriate to the maintenance of safety and to generate qualities conducive to viable commercial operations.

§ 190-40 Permitted uses.

A. The following uses shall be permitted:

(1) Auto-related sales and services.

(2) Retail and wholesale building supply sales, with the exception that stone crushing and concrete mixing shall not be permitted.

(3) Business and professional offices.

(4) Filling stations.

(5) Motels.

(6) Restaurants.

(7) Retail sales and services.

(8) Transportation terminals.

(9) Wholesaling, warehousing and storage.

(10) Animal clinics.

(11) Mobile home courts shall be permitted subject to the standards and criteria listed hereafter:

(a) Minimum court area. All courts shall have a minimum gross site area of at least five contiguous acres of land.

(b) Site location. All courts shall comply with the following minimum requirements:

[1] The court shall be free from adverse influence by swamps, marshes, garbage or rubbish disposal areas or similar adverse environmental conditions, whether of a natural or man-made nature.

[2] The court shall not be subject to flooding.

[3] The court shall not be subject to hazard or nuisance factors of a nature to render the site unacceptable for residential purposes.

(c) Site drainage.

[1] The ground surface throughout the site shall be graded and equipped to drain all surface water in a safe, adequate and efficient manner.

[2] All surface water collectors and other bodies of standing water shall be eliminated or controlled to eliminate breeding of insects.

[3] Wastewater from any plumbing fixture or sewer line shall not be deposited upon the ground surface in any part of a court site or adjacent land area.

(d) Soil and ground cover. All exposed ground surfaces throughout the court site shall be paved, covered with solid material or protected with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing soil erosion and the creation of dust conditions during periods of dry weather.

(e) Nonresidential.

[1] No part of any site shall be used for nonresidential purposes, except such uses that are required for the direct servicing and well-being of park residents and for the management and maintenance of recreational features of the court.

[2] Nothing contained in this subsection of the requirements for mobile home courts shall be deemed as prohibiting the sale of a mobile home located on a mobile home lot and connected to utilities.

(f) Setbacks, buffers, screening and reserve areas.

[1] All mobile home units, permitted accessory structures and court service buildings shall be located at least 50 feet from any court boundary line abutting any public right-of-way and at least 25 feet from other court boundary lines.

[2] There shall be a minimum distance of 15 feet between an individual mobile home, including accessory structures, and the adjoining right-of-way of a court street or common parking area or other common areas and structures.

[3] All mobile home courts shall be required to provide screening, such as fences or natural growth, along the property lines which separate the court site from other properties.

[4] All mobile home courts shall reserve and improve 8% of the total area of said court for recreation and playground use of the court residents. The site of such reserve area shall be centrally located for the convenience of residents, and the location and plan of improvements shall meet the approval of the Planning Commission and Township Commissioners.

(g) Mobile home sites and unit placement.

[1] Mobile home lots within the court shall have a minimum area of 3,000 square feet.

[2] Each mobile home lot shall be improved to provide an adequate foundation for the placement of the mobile home. At a minimum, this shall include:

[a] Approved tie-down anchors;

[b] One paved off-street parking stall; and

[i] Positioning of the above features so as to allow a minimum of 15 feet between the mobile home and the court street serving access to the lot.

[3] Mobile homes shall be separated from each other and from all buildings and other structures by at least 15 feet, except for storage structures accessory to the dwelling unit. A minimum distance of six feet shall be maintained between the accessory structure and the dwelling unit.

[4] A screening enclosure of compatible design and material shall be erected around the entire base of each mobile home within three months of the unit's installation on the site.

(h) Court street system.

[1] A safe and convenient paved vehicular access shall be provided from abutting public roads with a minimum right-of-way of 40 feet. Said accessways shall serve all mobile home sites.

[2] Surface paved cartways shall meet the following minimum standards:

[a] Thirty-four feet where parking is permitted on both sides.

[b] Twenty-eight feet where parking is limited to one side.

[i] Twenty feet where no parking is permitted.

[3] Dead-end streets shall be provided with a cul-de-sac having an outside roadway diameter of at least 100 feet.

[4] Street construction and design standards shall be in accordance with specifications to be set by the Township Board of Commissioners.

[5] All courts shall be furnished with streetlighting units so spaced and equipped to provide average levels of illumination adequate for the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicular traffic at night.

(i) Off-street parking.

[1] One off-street parking space shall be provided for each mobile home unit as specified in Subsection A(11)(g)[2][b] above.

[2] In addition to the requirement in Subsection A(11)(i)[1], at least one additional space for every mobile home site shall be provided in paved parking lots. Such parking lots shall be located so as to provide convenient access to the mobile homes it is intended to serve. Such siting shall not exceed the distance of 200 feet from said units.

(j) Pedestrian access systems.

[1] Courts shall provide and maintain all-weather walkways between individual mobile homes, the park street system, parking areas and all community facilities provided for park residents.

[2] All walkways shall have a minimum width of two feet.

(k) Sewage disposal. An adequate and safe sewerage system shall be provided in all courts for the conveying and disposing of sewage from mobile homes, service buildings and other accessory facilities provided as part of the court development. Such system shall be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and local regulations. All proposed sewage disposal systems and facilities shall be approved by state and local officials prior to construction. No individual mobile home unit septic systems shall be permitted.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of 2002 Code revisions; see Ch. 1, Art. III.

(l) Water supply.

[1] When a public water system is available, connection shall be made thereto and used exclusively to serve the mobile home court.

[2] When a public water system is available, the development of a private water supply system to serve the mobile home court shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection or other authorities having jurisdiction. No individual wells shall be permitted.[2]

[2] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of 2002 Code revisions; see Ch. 1, Art. III.

(m) Electrical system. Every court shall contain an electrical wiring system consisting of fixtures and equipment which shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the local operating power company's specifications.

(n) Refuse handling. The storage, collection and disposal of refuse in the mobile home court shall be conducted in a manner not to create health hazards, rodent harborage, air pollution or any type of hazardous condition.

(o) Fire protection.

[1] Fuel supply and storage systems in mobile home courts shall be handled in conformity with accepted safety procedures.

[2] Courts shall be kept free of litter, rubbish and any accumulation of flammable materials.

[3] All vehicular circulation plans, including access portals, on-site intersections, cul-de-sac design and curve design shall be approved by the Township Fire Department.

(p) Service facilities.

[1] No central toilet or washroom facilities shall be constructed in a mobile home court other than those established in support of community buildings, swimming pools, recreation areas or similar facilities for the use of court residents. All mobile homes located in the court shall be equipped with toilet and washroom facilities which shall be connected to central sewage facilities.

[2] Central laundry facilities shall be required for the use of court residents. Such facilities shall be maintained in a safe and clean condition at all times by the court operators.

(q) Court management responsibilities.

[1] The person to whom the conditional use is granted for the development of a mobile home court shall be responsible for the establishment and operation of the court in compliance with this chapter.

[2] The court management shall supervise the placement of each mobile home on its lot. This shall include responsibility for proper alignment, anchoring and utility connections.

[3] The court management shall maintain a register containing the names of all court residents.

(r) Permits and applications.

[1] It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, alter or extend any mobile home court within Patterson Township, unless valid permits have been issued by the appropriate agencies of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the specific construction, alteration or extension proposed.

[2] Applications for a conditional use and all permits connected with the establishment, extension or alteration of a mobile home court shall be accompanied by plans and drawings prepared by a registered engineer, registered architect or registered surveyor.

B. Permitted uses shall not include the raising, boarding, breeding, keeping or permitting of any livestock or poultry or any animals other than household pets on the premises.

[Added 7-27-1988 by Ord. No. 297]

§ 190-41 Accessory uses.

A. The following accessory uses shall be permitted in conjunction with authorized uses in the C-2 District: uses which are customarily incidental and accessory to permitted or conditional uses and necessary for the operation thereof.

B. Accessory uses shall not include the raising, boarding, breeding, keeping or permitting of any livestock or poultry or any animals other than household pets on the premises.

[Added 7-27-1988 by Ord. No. 297]

§ 190-42 Conditional uses.

[Added 12-30-1985 by Ord. No. 283]

A. A group residential facility may be permitted in the C-2 Highway Commercial District pursuant to the standards and criteria listed in § 190-30C.

B. Keeping of horses, pursuant to the requirements specified in § 190-13C of this chapter.

[Added 2-13-1989 by Ord. No. 299]

§ 190-43 Lot, area and dimensional requirements.

The following lot, area and dimensional requirements shall apply in the C-2 District:

A. Minimum lot area shall be 16,000 square feet.

B. Minimum lot width shall be 80 feet at the building line.

C. Minimum front building line setbacks shall be 20 feet.

D. Minimum side yard width on each side of the lot shall be 15 feet. The minimum side yard width on the street side of a corner lot shall be 20 feet.

E. Minimum rear yard depth shall be 20 feet from the rear lot line.

F. Not more than 85% of the total site shall be covered by structures.

G. No structure shall exceed three stories or 50 feet in height.