[Added 5-20-1998 by Ord. No. 163[1]]
In expansion of the legislative intent and community development objectives contained in Article I, §§ 150-2 and 150-3, of this chapter and in support of the goals and recommendations to the Worcester Township Comprehensive Plan, it is the intent of this article to:
A.
Provide high-density housing in portions of the Township
that are appropriate for this density of housing, given the location
of growth areas, sewer lines, water lines, major roads, commercial
cores and Township uses.
B.
Allow a variety of housing types which can meet the
needs of residents with different incomes, housing preferences, family
sizes and ages.
C.
Protect the character of existing development in the
Township by requiring buffering and adequate building setbacks.
D.
Provide light, air and green space within higher-density
developments by regulating lot coverage and building setbacks.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided
for the repeal of former § 150-82, Applicability.
A building may be erected or used and a lot
may be occupied for any of the following purposes and no other:
A.
Any use permitted in the underlying district, subject
to the regulations for that district contained in this chapter.
B.
Multifamily dwelling in accordance with the regulations
in this article.
[Added 6-16-2021 by Ord. No. 285]
E.
No-impact home-based business, as defined in § 150-9; provided that the permission for such use granted herein shall not supersede any deed restriction, covenant or agreement restricting the use of land, nor any master deed, bylaw or other document applicable to a common interest ownership community.
[Added 8-17-2011 by Ord. No. 230]
[Amended 4-17-1996 by Ord. No. 146]
[Amended 4-17-1996 by Ord. No. 146]
A.
Building coverage. In the case of any lot proposed
to be developed for a single-family detached dwelling, 20% shall be
the maximum total building coverage on such a lot. In the case of
a property proposed to be developed with buildings containing two
or more multifamily dwelling units, 20% shall be the maximum total
building coverage on the land within the lot lines of the property
exclusive of land within the ultimate right-of-way of public roads.
B.
Impervious coverage. In the case of any lot proposed
to be developed for a single-family detached dwelling, 40% shall be
the maximum total impervious coverage on such a lot. In the case of
a property proposed to be developed with buildings containing two
or more multifamily dwelling units, 50% shall be the maximum total
impervious coverage on the land within the lot lines of the property
exclusive of land within the ultimate right-of-way of public roads.
[Amended 6-16-2021 by Ord. No. 285]
[Amended 4-17-2019 by Ord. No. 280; 6-16-2021 by Ord. No. 28510-20-2021 by Ord. No. 287]
A.
Building height.
(1)
Thirty feet, not exceeding two stories, shall be the maximum height
for any building or other structure erected or enlarged in this district
other than an apartment house/garden apartment.
(2)
Forty-five feet, not exceeding four stories, shall be the maximum
height for any apartment house/garden apartment erected or enlarged
in this district.
(3)
Fifteen feet, not exceeding 1.5 stories, shall be the maximum height
for any structure accessory to a dwelling.
B.
Building size. The maximum length of any multifamily dwelling building
shall be 200 feet.
A.
Residential. For each dwelling unit in this district, two all-weather off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the applicable provisions of Article XXII. Upon determination by the Township Engineer, and approval by the Board of Supervisors, and compliance with § 150-159, parking may be held in reserve.
[Amended 6-16-2021 by Ord. No. 285]
B.
For employee and accessory uses, parking shall be provided in accordance with Article XXII, Off-Street Parking and Loading.
C.
Loading and service areas. Areas for loading and unloading of delivery trucks and other vehicles and for refuse collection, fuel and other service vehicles shall be provided, shall be adequate in size and shall be arranged so that they may be used without blocking or interfering with the use of access roads or automobile parking facilities, and all such areas shall be in accordance with Article XXII, Off-Street Parking and Loading.
D.
Setbacks. No parking area, service area, loading area
or access drive shall be located within 75 feet of any property line,
except as required for normal ingress and egress.
B.
Non-dwelling structures. Swimming pools, tennis courts and animal shelters may be permitted in this district subject to the applicable regulations under Article XXIV, General Regulations.
C.
Additional regulations. Lots in this district shall be subject to modified and/or additional regulations under Article XXIV, General Regulations, as applicable.
D.
Detention basins in yard areas. Detention basins shall be allowed in yard areas only in accordance with the: applicable regulations under Article XXIV, General Regulations.
E.
Special regulations for multifamily dwellings.
(1)
Density. The base density for an apartment house/garden
apartment use shall be 12 units per acre of developable area. The
density for an apartment house/garden apartment use may be increased
as provided in this section up to a maximum density of 15 units per
acre of developable area. The density for all other types of multifamily
dwellings shall be four units per acre of developable area.
[Amended 10-20-2021 by Ord. No. 287]
(2)
All
buildings shall be in accordance with an overall plan and shall be
designed as a single architectural scheme. The distance at the closest
point between any two buildings utilized for multifamily dwelling
units shall be not less than 30 feet except that such minimum distance
shall be increased to not less than 75 feet where the Board of Supervisors
determines that the front or rear of any such building is substantially
parallel to the front or rear of a similarly used building.
(3)
The
development plan shall preserve and incorporate natural features such
as woods, streams and open space areas, which add to the overall cohesive
development of the Multi-Residential District and to overall Township
development.
(4)
All
spaces between buildings, parking, loading, access and service areas
shall be adequately illuminated at night. All lighting, including
sign lighting, shall be arranged to protect the highway and adjoining
property from direct glare or hazardous interference. All utility
lines servicing the area shall be placed underground.
(5)
Raw
materials, supplies, trash, rubbish and other refuse shall be stored
in covered containers within an adequate enclosure and handled and
disposed of in such a manner not to give rise to smoke, odor or litter.
(6)
Buffer
areas.
(a)
When any building for multifamily housing use is to be erected
upon a tract of land, an unbuilt-upon buffer strip shall be provided
between such buildings and adjoining properties. This buffer area
shall be a minimum of 75 feet in width. It shall be landscaped and
maintained by the developer and/or owner, as specified in the following
subsection. Buffer areas may not be used for parking areas nor for
recreational purposes, except for a walking trail. If a walking trail
is provided, it shall be a minimum of 40 feet from a property line,
except where it may connect to other trails and sidewalks. The walking
trail shall be adequately buffered from view from surrounding properties.
(b)
Shrubbery and trees. A screen planting strip of not less than
20 feet in width shall be provided in the buffer area. All screen
planting strips shall include a dense screen planting of trees, shrubs
or other plant materials or both, to the full length of the lot line
to serve as a barrier to visibility, airborne particles, glare and
noise. Such planting shall be located within the exterior 50 feet
of the buffer area, and shall be in accordance with the following
requirements:
[1]
Plant materials used in screen planting shall be at least five
feet in height when planted and be of a species as will produce, within
two years, a complete year-round evergreen visual screen at a height
of five feet. Required types of evergreen plant materials are hemlock,
pine, spruce, fir, holly and yew species, other species only when
approved, in writing, by the Board of Supervisors.
[2]
The screen planting shall be maintained permanently and any
plant material which does not live shall be replaced within six months.
[3]
The screen planting shall be so placed that at maturity it will
not be closer than five feet from any ultimate right-of-way or property
line.
[4]
A clear-sight triangle shall be maintained at all street interactions
and at all points where private vehicular accessways intersect public
streets.
[5]
The screen planting shall be broken only at points of vehicular
and pedestrian access.
[6]
Plans for buffer yards shall be submitted for review by the
Township and approval by the Board of Supervisors.
[7]
Deciduous trees shall be planted in the buffer area left over
from the buffer strip and shall be planted at least 20 feet away from
the strip and so placed that when matured, the branches of the adjoining
trees will about meet. Such trees shall be not less than two inches
to 2 1/2 inches diameter at the base of the tree at time of planting.
Such trees shall be maintained in a healthy condition or replaced
by new trees within six months.
(7)
Amenities.
Each development within the MR Multi-Residential District shall provide
recreational facilities including but not limited to tot-lots, plazas
public squares, outdoor meeting areas, grilling stations and outdoor
fitness courts or other sport courts. At the discretion of the Board
of Supervisors a developer may provide a fee in lieu as an alternate
to providing the required outdoor recreational activities.
(8)
Application
of transfer development rights (TDRs).
[Amended 10-20-2021 by Ord. No. 287]
(a)
The MR Multi-Residential District shall constitute a receiving district for the transfer of development rights as provided by Article XXIX for an apartment house/garden apartment use only.
(b)
TDRs may be utilized on a parcel in the MR Multi-Residential
District for an apartment house/garden apartment use as follows:
[1]
Each TDR shall allow the developer to add up to three dwelling
units to the receiving parcel in conformance with the requirements
of this section, up to the maximum permitted density as permitted
by this section.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance repealed former Subsection E,
Application procedure, and provided for the redesignation of former
Subsection F as Subsection E.
