The regulations of this section shall apply
to all properties which support the commercial cultivation of crops
and/or the pasturing of horses or livestock.
A. Farm operations shall require a minimum lot size of
2.00 acres.
B. Dwellings and accessory structures not for farm purposes
shall be located in accordance with the bulk regulations of the applicable
zoning district. All other accessory structures (including barns,
silos and bulk bins) shall be set back a minimum of 25 feet from all
property lines in Agricultural and Watershed Conservation Zoning Districts
and 75 feet in all other zoning districts. Where there is a conflict
between this regulation and any other setback provision for a zoning
district contained in this chapter, this regulation shall prevail.
[Amended 8-25-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-10]
C. All pasture areas shall be fenced.
D. The slaughter of animals shall not be permitted within
100 feet of any property line.
E. No farm operation shall be conducted in such a way
as to create a danger to the public health or safety or to the health
or safety of nearby residents. Nuisances, annoyances and inconveniences
to neighboring properties arising from the conduct of accepted farming
practices shall not be deemed dangerous to the general health, safety
or welfare.
F. Display and sale of farm products.
(1) The display and sale of produce and other products
originating from the farm property shall be permitted as an accessory
use. Such display and sale shall be conducted from a temporary or
permanent stand.
(a)
Temporary stands shall be located not less than
12 feet from the edge of the nearest public cartway and shall be removed
at the end of the growing season.
(b)
Permanent stands shall be sited in compliance
with the regulations of the applicable zoning district.
(2) A parking area able to accommodate at least three
parking spaces shall be provided on the property behind the road right-of-way.
Such parking area need not be paved, but shall in all cases be clearly
marked.
The following regulations shall apply to multifamily
dwellings, including, but not by way of limitation, townhouse developments
and apartment buildings, in addition to the area and bulk regulations
found elsewhere in this chapter. These regulations shall not be applied
to mobile home parks.
A. Development controls.
(1) One-owner developments of multifamily housing shall
be permitted only upon provision of adequate means to assure the perpetual
maintenance of building exteriors, common areas and open space, parking
areas and all other improvements which are not to be dedicated to
the Township. Adequate provisions for such responsibilities include,
but are not limited to, condominium associations, cooperative agreements,
cross-easements and deed restrictions. The Township reserves the right
to obtain the opinion of the Township Solicitor concerning the adequacy
of these or similar provisions as may be proposed.
(2) The proposed development shall be carried out in conformance
with an overall plan for the tract. If the development is to be carried
out in phases, each phase shall be planned such that the foregoing
requirements and the intent of this chapter are fully complied with
upon the completion of each phase.
B. Area and building requirements. Overall tract size for lands to be developed with multifamily housing shall be in compliance with Article
VIII of this chapter.
(1) For individual townhouse units, area and bulk regulations
shall be as follows:
(a)
Minimum lot area per unit: 2,600 square feet.
(b)
Minimum lot width: 22 feet.
(c)
Minimum yard setback:
[2]
Side yard (end units only): 20 feet.
(d)
Maximum building coverage: 50%.
(e)
Maximum percentage of impervious surface: 75%.
(f)
Maximum building height: 40 feet.
(g)
Maximum number of stories: four.
(2) Other types of multifamily dwellings.
(a)
Minimum floor area per dwelling shall be as
follows:
[1]
Studio or one-bedroom unit: 600 square feet.
[2]
Two-bedroom unit: 800 square feet.
(b)
Other area and bulk regulations shall be as specified by Article
VIII of this chapter and elsewhere in this section.
(3) Size of structures.
(a)
Structures containing townhouse units shall
have a minimum of three and a maximum of seven such units.
(b)
No residential structure shall be longer or
wider than 154 feet.
(4) Buffer area. Multifamily dwellings shall be separated
from adjacent commercial or industrial properties by a permanent landscaped
buffer strip having a minimum width of 20 feet. Commercial and industrial
properties include properties which are actually used for such purposes
as well as vacant lands which are zoned for such uses.
(5) Parking and service areas.
(a)
The amount of parking to be provided shall be in compliance with §
131-77 of this chapter. Parking areas shall be separated from the perimeter of the tract by a minimum of 20 feet.
(b)
Areas for loading and unloading of delivery
trucks and other vehicles and for the servicing of refuse collection,
fuel and other services shall be provided and shall be arranged such
that they may be used without blockage or interference with the use
of accessways or parking areas.
(c)
All areas provided for use by vehicles shall be constructed of bituminous paving or concrete paving in accordance with Chapter
107, Subdivision and Land Development, and other applicable regulations.
(6) Required open space and recreational facilities.
(a)
Not less than 30% of the total tract shall be
preserved as common open space. Such open space may include wooded
areas; however, at least 50% of the common open space required shall
be suitable for active recreational use.
(b)
Areas occupied by nonrecreational structures,
parking or loading areas, stormwater management facilities, wetlands,
wetland buffer areas, streams and required setbacks shall not be counted
toward fulfillment of this requirement.
(c)
Lands and facilities for active recreational use shall be provided in accordance with Article
VIII. Such lands shall be included as part of the calculation to determine compliance with Subsection
B(6)(a) above.
(d)
The Board of Supervisors, at the request of
the applicant and after review by the Recreation Advisory Committee,
may accept an equivalent amount of open space off-site, a cash equivalent
to the value of the required open space or a combination of land and
cash in lieu of the open space required above.
C. Utilities. Water supply and sanitary sewage disposal
for multifamily dwellings shall be provided by either community or
public systems. All utility lines shall be underground.
D. Lighting.
(1) Lighting shall be provided as needed and arranged
in a manner which will protect nearby highways and neighboring properties
from direct glare and other hazardous interference.
(2) The Township may require lighting to be provided as
it may deem necessary for the safety and convenience of the residents
of the multifamily development or the general public.
(3) Lighting shall be installed at the expense of the
developer.
All mobile home parks shall conform to all applicable requirements of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for such facilities, Chapter
107, Subdivision and Land Development, and Chapter
70, Mobile Home Parks.
No land, building, structure or premises in
any district shall be used, altered or occupied in such a manner as
to create any dangerous, injurious, noxious or otherwise objectionable
fire, explosive, radioactive or other hazard; noise or vibration;
smoke, dust, odor or other form of air pollution; electrical or other
disturbance; glare; liquid or solid refuse or wastes; conditions conducive
to the breeding of rodents or insects; or other substance, condition
or element in any manner or amount as to adversely affect the surrounding
area. The standards of this section shall be applicable to all zoning
districts and uses.
A. Vibration. No vibration shall be produced exceeding
0.002 g peak measured at or beyond the lot line by either seismic
or electronic vibration measuring equipment.
B. Noise. No person shall operate or cause to be operated on private or public property any source of sound in violation of the Township of Washington Noise Ordinance, Chapter
73 of the Code of Ordinances of Washington Township (Ordinance No. 2008-01, enacted June 26, 2008).
[Amended 7-27-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-1]
C. Air quality.
(1) There shall be no emission of smoke, ash, dust, fumes, vapors, gases or other matter toxic or noxious to air which violates the Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Laws, including the standards set forth in Chapter 123 (Standards for Contaminants) and Chapter
131 (Ambient Air Quality Standards), Article
III, Title 25, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Rules and Regulations.
(2) Furthermore, there shall be no emission into the atmosphere
of visible gray smoke of a shade darker than No. 1 on the Ringelmann
Smoke Chart as published by the United States Bureau of Mines. Visible
grey smoke as dark as No. 2 on said chart may be emitted for a period
or periods totaling no more than four minutes within any given thirty-minute
period. These provisions shall also apply to smoke of other colors
having an equivalent apparent opacity.
D. Electric and electromagnetic interference. Electric
and electromagnetic devices shall be shielded in such a manner than
no electrical or electromagnetic disturbance shall be evident which
adversely affects the operation of any equipment other than that of
the creator of such disturbance.
E. Fire and explosive hazards.
(1) All activities and all storage of flammable and explosive
material at any point shall be provided with adequate safety devices
against the hazards of fire and explosion along with adequate fire-fighting
and fire-suppression equipment and devices as detailed and specified
by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(2) All buildings and structures and activities within
such buildings and structures shall conform to all applicable Township
or county codes and ordinances.
(3) Any explosive material shall conform to the requirements
of Chapter 211, Title 25, Rules and Regulations, Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Resources, for the storage, handling and use of explosives.
F. Glare and heat.
(1) Glare from exposed incandescent lights shall not be
visible from any property other than the originating property.
(2) Glare generated by any industrial process, including
but not limited to high temperature processes such as combustion and
welding, shall not be visible at or beyond the lot line of the property
generating such glare.
(3) There shall be no emission or transmission of heat
or heated air which is discernible at the lot line.
G. Liquid and solid wastes, including sewage.
(1) There shall be no discharge at any point into any public or private sewerage system or watercourse or into the ground of any materials in such a way or of such a nature as will contaminate or otherwise cause the emission of hazardous materials in violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, specifically Chapters
73, 75,
95 and
97 of Title 25, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Rules and Regulations.
(2) No solid waste matter shall be stored on any property
(other than an approved sanitary landfill, solid waste management
facility or recycling center) for longer than 30 days. This section
shall not be applied to the storage of manure upon farm properties,
regardless of whether or not such property is located within the Agricultural
District, unless such storage creates a clear and immediate danger
to the public health and welfare.
H. Odor.
(1) No use shall emit malodorous gases in such quantity
as to be offensive at any point on or beyond the lot lines of the
parcel whereupon such use is located. The guide for determining such
quantities of offensive odors shall be the fifty-percent response
level of Table I, Odor Thresholds in Air, contained in the publication
Research on Chemical Odors: Part I, Odor Thresholds for 53 Commercial
Chemicals, October 1968, Manufacturing Chemists Association, Inc.,
Washington, DC.
(2) This section shall not be applied to odors resulting
from agricultural practices upon farm properties within the Agricultural
District.
I. Toxic gases. The emission of noxious, toxic or corrosive
gases or of fumes injurious to persons, property or vegetation beyond
the lot lines of the lot whereupon such emission originates shall
be prohibited.
J. Dust, mud and debris.
(1) No activity or use upon any lot shall be permitted
to create conditions whereby airborne dust may be blown beyond the
lot lines of that lot. This regulation shall not apply to dust created
by agricultural practices upon farm properties, regardless of whether
or not such property is located in the Agricultural District.
(2) No activity or use upon any lot shall be permitted
to allow mud to flow beyond the lot lines of that lot. This regulation
shall not apply to the natural deposition of alluvium associated with
streams; however, no activity or use is permitted which will increase
the rate or amount of such deposition.
(3) No activity or use upon any lot shall be permitted
to allow airborne or waterborne debris to spread beyond the lot lines
of that lot.
(4) No vehicle leaving a lot shall be permitted to cause
the dispersal of mud, dust or debris onto property other than the
originating lot or onto any public road.
Flag lots, as defined in Article
II of this chapter, shall be deemed conforming lots only when in compliance with the following regulations:
A. The pole of the flag lot shall have a minimum width
of 50 feet.
B. For purposes of interpretation and application of
yard requirements, the front lot line of a flag lot shall be that
lot line of the flag portion of the lot which is closest and most
nearly parallel to the nearest street right-of-way line.
C. The calculation of lot area to determine compliance
with the minimum lot area requirement of the zoning district shall
exclude lands occupied by the pole portion of the lot.
D. No portion of the building envelope shall be located
within the pole portion of a flag lot.
E. No flag lot shall adjoin more than one other flag
lot.