[Adopted 6-3-2008 by Ord. No. 08-12]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
FAMILY
Any number of individuals living together on a nontransient
basis as a single housekeeping unit and doing their cooking on the
premises. The definition shall not apply to the occupants of a club,
fraternity house, lodge or residential club. Notwithstanding the aforesaid
definition, a family shall include any number of mentally or physically
handicapped persons occupying a dwelling unit as a single, nonprofit
housekeeping unit, if such occupants are handicapped persons as defined
in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by the Fair
Housing Amendments Act of 1988. Such unrelated individuals shall have
the right to occupy a dwelling unit in the same manner and to the
same extent as any family unit as defined previously.
MULTIFAMILY DWELLING
A detached residential building containing three or more
dwelling units. Units may be arranged entirely in vertical rows (like
townhouses) and are generally located entirely above or below one
another. Units may share outside access and/or internal hallways,
lobbies and similar facilities. The dwelling units cannot be individually
lotted, but instead share the lot or tract on which the building containing
them is located. The development is usually under one operating unit,
as a rental or condominium development. This dwelling type includes
but is not limited to low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise apartments
and multifamily conversions as defined below.
A.
LOW-RISE APARTMENTAn apartment building not exceeding three stories and 36 feet in height, also known as a "garden apartment."
B.
MID-RISE APARTMENT—An apartment building exceeding three
stories and 36 feet in height but not exceeding six stones and 72
feet in height.
C.
HIGH-RISE APARTMENT—An apartment building exceeding six
stories and 72 feet in height but not exceeding 10 stories and 120
feet in height.
D.
MULTIFAMILY CONVERSIONA multifamily dwelling, containing not more than four units, that results from the conversion of a single-family or two-family dwelling, also known as a "converted apartment building."
SINGLE-FAMILY ATTACHED DWELLING UNIT
A dwelling unit having its own independent outside access,
with no other dwelling units located directly and totally above or
below it, and having party walls in common with at least one but not
more than three adjacent similar dwelling units and located in a building
comprised of at least three dwelling units. Each dwelling unit may
be individually lotted or owned as a condominium. This dwelling type
shall include but not be limited to dwelling units commonly known
as "townhouses," "row houses," "triplexes," "quadruplexes," and "multiplexes."
SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING
A dwelling designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence
for only one family and not attached to any other building or dwelling
units.
SINGLE-FAMILY SEMIDETACHED DWELLING (TWIN)
A two-family building with dwelling units placed side-by-side
and joined to each other by a vertical, common party wall but otherwise
surrounded by yard areas. When lotted, each dwelling unit may be on
a separate lot, with the common boundary between the two lots running
along the common party wall. Separate ingress and egress is provided
to each unit.
TOWNHOUSE (ROW HOUSE)
A single-family attached dwelling in a row of at least three
units, with one dwelling unit from ground to roof, with individual
outside access. Although these units are in rows, their design should
deemphasize a lined-up appearance.
TWO-FAMILY BUILDING
A residential building containing two dwelling units and
which is not attached to any other building. A two-family building
counts as two dwelling units for density purposes.
TWO-FAMILY DETACHED (DUPLEX)
A two-family building with one dwelling unit placed above
the other so that they share a common horizontal partition. When lotted,
a duplex shall be entirely on one lot. Separate ingress and egress
is provided to each unit.
[Amended 10-7-2008 by Ord. No. 08-22; 2-7-2012 by Ord. No. 12-03; 12-4-2012 by Ord. No. 12-15]
A. Any person who violates any provision of this chapter other than §
245-3 shall be issued a citation and, upon conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction, shall be subject to a fine of not less than $300 nor more than $1,000 per nonlicensed dwelling unit, plus any and all court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the Municipality of Norristown to enforce this chapter. Each day that a person is in violation of any provision of this chapter shall constitute a separate offense.