The provisions of this article shall apply to all land uses,
developments, and structures in the Township, regardless of district,
and shall be considered to be additional conditions or standards to
any other provisions of this chapter. To the extent any provisions
contained in this article conflict with any other provision of this
chapter, the more stringent and restrictive provision shall apply.
[Amended 11-5-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-04]
Requirements relating to lot size, area, yard setback, height,
lot or building coverage, open space, etc., in each district, shall
be deemed to be the minimum necessary to meeting the requirements
of this chapter. No required lot area shall be reduced such that the
lot or any required minimum dimension are less than required by this
chapter, except as provided herein. Within the PFZ District, the required
minimum front, side and rear yard requirements shall not apply with
respect to contiguous properties under common ownership for those
yards that are contiguous.
In accordance with Article
VI, Section 619, of the Act of July 31, 1968 (P.L. 247), this chapter shall not apply to any existing or proposed
building, or extension thereof, or to any land, used or to be used,
by a public utility corporation or public utility authority if, upon
petition of the corporation or authority, the Pennsylvania Public
Utility Commission shall, after public hearing, decide that the present
or proposed situation or use of the building or land in question is
reasonably necessary for the convenience or welfare of the public.
Minimum lot area regulations of this chapter shall not apply to electric
substations, pumping stations, and other facilities of an authorized
public utility; provided, however, that all required yard and maximum
height regulations shall apply except for necessary towers, poles,
and lighting arrestors.
[Amended 10-2-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-06]
No building or structure and no part of a building or structure
shall be erected within or shall project into any required yard in
any district except as provided for as an accessory use structure
in specified instances herein and provided that unenclosed ground
level porches, terraces or patios, platforms or other unenclosed landing
places, buttresses, chimneys, cornices, eaves, gutters, piers or pilasters,
unenclosed fire escapes, steps, bay windows and balconies may project
into any required yard.
On any corner lot, no wall, plant, fence or other structure, shall be maintained which may cause danger to traffic on a street by obscuring the view, or which violates any minimum sight distance established in Chapter
320, Subdivision and Land Development.
The following provisions shall apply to the keeping of all livestock
and animals other than household pets:
A. Minimum lot area: 100,000 square feet in all districts.
(1)
Additionally, the following list specifies additional area requirements
by size of animals:
(a) Group 1: animals whose average adult weight is less than 10 pounds
shall be permitted at a density not to exceed 12 animals per acre.
(b)
Group 2: animals whose average adult weight is between 10 pounds
and 65 pounds shall be permitted at a density not to exceed two animals
per acre.
(c)
Group 3: animals whose average adult weight is greater than
65 pounds shall be permitted at a density of not more than one animal
per acre.
(2)
The keeping of a combination of animal types (Groups 1, 2, and
3) shall be limited to a maximum animal density not exceeding the
ratio of the numbers of animals, by type.
(a) For example, to keep two horses (Group 3: 2 x 1 acre), six goats
(Group 2: 6 x 0.5 acre), and 12 chickens (Group 1: 12 x 0.0833 acre),
the minimum lot size would be six acres.
B. All structures used to house livestock shall be set back a minimum
of 50 feet from all property lines. No such structure shall be located
in a front yard.
C. All animals, their housing and their outdoor pasture/recreation areas
shall be properly maintained so as not to become a nuisance to adjacent
properties.
D. All animal wastes shall be properly stored or removed from the site
so as not to become objectionable. Any stockpiling of animal wastes
shall be located such that no drainage or odors from the stockpile
area will flow onto or over an adjacent property or into any watercourse.
E. All outdoor pasture/recreation areas shall be enclosed to prevent
the escape of the animals.
Accessory uses authorized in this chapter shall include the
following, and uses of the same general character:
A. Uses accessory to agriculture. The keeping of livestock and poultry pursuant to the provisions of §
370-131.
B. Uses accessory to single-family dwelling:
(1)
Detached private garage; private parking space; shed or similar
accessory structure; a shelter for small pets owned by the property
owner; a fence (with locking gate), swimming pool and bathhouse; private
greenhouse;
(2)
Private stables or shelters for the keeping of domestic animals, pursuant to the provisions of §
370-131;
(3)
Class B home occupation, after being granted a special exception
from the Zoning Hearing Board;
(4)
Class A home occupation, without any requirement for a special
exception.
C. Uses accessory to multifamily housing:
(1)
Recreation facilities, designed for use by tenants and their
guests, such as swimming pools, tennis and badminton courts, swings,
seesaws, slides, pitch-and-putt golf course, and recreational activities
similar to the foregoing, when made an integral part of the project
design;
(2)
Retail shops, designed for use by tenants and their guests,
in multifamily projects containing 200 or more dwelling units, with
the total area devoted to such shops:
(a)
Not to exceed 20 square feet per dwelling unit; and
(b)
Limited to a maximum floor area of 12,000 square feet.
D. Uses accessory to public parks. Customary recreational, refreshment
and service uses and buildings in any public park, recreation area,
and playground or other recreational area shall be permitted as accessory
uses to a public park.
E. Accessory use structure. In any district, the height and yard regulations
to the contrary notwithstanding:
[Amended 10-2-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-06]
(1)
An accessory building or structure, not a structural part of
the principal building, may be erected 10 feet from the rear and/or
side lot line not abutting a street if it does not exceed 50 square
feet and is not more than 10 feet in height.
(2)
An accessory building or structure, not a structural part of
the principal building, which exceeds 50 square feet, may be erected
15 feet from a rear and/or side lot line not abutting a street if
it does not exceed 150 square feet and is not more than 12 feet in
height.
(3)
An accessory building or structure which exceeds 150 square
feet shall meet the height and yard regulations of the district in
which it is located.
[Amended 6-7-2017 by Ord.
No. 2017-04]
(4)
For a swimming pool, the minimum distance from the rear lot
line may be reduced to equal the interior side yard requirements.
[Added 6-7-2017 by Ord.
No. 2017-04]
F. Uses accessory to commercial activities. In all commercial districts,
there shall be no outdoor storage except where it is inherently a
characteristic of the item for sale, and all other activities shall
be carried on within a building; provided, however, that any commercial
activity involving the sale of goods or materials may, while open
for business, have an outdoor display area totalling not more than
20% of the indoor display area.
G. Uses accessory to industrial activities. Caretakers' quarters and
customary storage of raw materials and the warehousing of finished
products with a principal or accessory building or structure, lunchroom
facilities for the exclusive use of employees, and outdoor storage.
[Amended 10-2-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-06]
H. Uses accessory to educational institutions and municipal uses.
[Added 11-5-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-04]
(1)
Recreational facilities, including outdoor playing fields, walking trails, playground and other recreational area, customary structures for playing fields, including backstops, goalposts, fences, refreshment and service uses and buildings, shall be permitted as accessory uses to any educational institution. Outdoor playing fields may incorporate spectator stands for no more than 1,000 spectators, except that spectator stands for more than 1,000 spectators are permitted by conditional use, subject to the applicant submitting an additional traffic study for approval by the Township in compliance with §
320-18D(24) of Chapter
320, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Township Code;
(2)
Maintenance facility, including the service, repair, fueling
and maintenance of vehicles and equipment, provided that storage for
any fueling tank does not exceed 1,000 gallons of capacity on that
property. To the extent that an applicant desires to incorporate fuel
tank storage in the aggregate greater than 5,000 gallons in capacity
on that property, special exception approval shall be required; and
(3)
Signs, in accordance with §§
370-177B and
370-178, except directional signs are excluded from the total number of signs allowed, and letters painted on or affixed to a school building are excluded from the computation of the total exposed sign area.
I. No electrical wires shall pass over any pool.
[Added 6-7-2017 by Ord.
No. 2017-04]
J. All accessory structures as identified in this chapter shall be limited
to a height of 20 feet.
[Added 10-2-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-06]
K. All accessory buildings and structures shall be limited to a maximum
footprint size of 750 square feet.
[Added 10-2-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-06]
Landscaping shall be provided pursuant to the provisions of §
320-34 of Chapter
320, Subdivision and Land Development. All landscaping, plantings, screenings, and buffering areas shall be maintained in a healthy condition at all times and shall be kept free of rubbish and debris. Dead landscape materials or plants which constitute a hazard or nuisance shall be promptly removed. All dead or diseased plant materials that are part of a required buffer or screening area shall be replaced within not more than one year. All portions of lots or sites not occupied by buildings, other structures, or parking or other paved areas shall be planted with an all-season ground cover sufficient to reduce erosion or weed growth.
There shall be no outdoor storage or accumulation for a period
in excess of seven days of any waste materials which produce fumes
detectable at the lot lines, of any inflammable or edible materials,
of material which would harbor or breed rodents or insects, or of
abandoned, wrecked, or junked vehicles, or of any vehicle without
a valid registration for more than 120 days, unless screened or covered,
and placed in a rear yard. No unregistered vehicles shall be stored
in a front yard. This shall not apply to farm vehicles and implements.
Parks and playgrounds owned by Schuylkill Township shall be
permitted in all districts.
Should the use of any building or structure or lot be changed
in any district, then all of the area, bulk and accessory requirements
of the new use shall be met.
Class A home occupations shall be subject to the following:
A. No changes to the exterior of the dwelling shall be permitted which
would have the effect of altering its character as a dwelling.
B. Not more than one employee not in residence in the dwelling shall
be permitted.
C. No outside storage shall be permitted.
D. No vehicles, except for typical automobiles or pickup trucks, shall
be used in the occupation.
E. No deliveries by tractor-trailer shall be permitted.
F. The occupation shall not result in any noise, glare, vibration, electrical
or electromagnetic interference to radio or television signals, odor,
glare or septic discharge which are significantly different from those
of typical dwellings.
G. The resident shall operate the home occupation.
H. The home occupation shall not contribute more than five additional
vehicle trips per day from the dwelling, and no commercial vehicles
shall be used in the home occupation.
I. An area corresponding to not more than 20% or 500 square feet, whichever
is less, of the gross square footage of the dwelling, including all
floors and habitable basement areas, but excluding garage and attic
space, shall be devoted or used for the home business.
J. No-impact home-based business.
[Amended 1-7-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-01]
[Added 6-1-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-05]
The following provisions shall apply to commercial
solar power facilities within the Township:
A. Impervious coverage and building coverage. The area
of any solar panels (including, without limitation, framing for the
same) shall not be included in the calculation of impervious surface,
impervious coverage or building coverage, provided that the area directly
beneath the solar panels remains pervious for purposes of determining
compliance with the area and bulk criteria set forth in this section.
B. Projections into required yards. Commercial solar
panels (including, without limitation, framing for the same) may extend
into required yards. Commercial solar panels (including, without limitation,
framing for the same) may extend a maximum distance of 10 feet into
required yards abutting properties currently used or zoned for residential
purposes, provided that no base or foundation of any solar panels
shall extend into any required yard.
C. Lot size and area and bulk regulations. The lot size
and area and bulk regulations applicable in the zoning district in
which a commercial solar power facility is located shall apply to
the commercial solar power facility, except that the maximum height
of the solar or photovoltaic panels above ground surface shall not
exceed 10 feet.
D. Buffer screen. Except as provided in §
370-138E, each commercial solar power facility shall include a buffer to create a continuous visual screen between the solar power facility and a person standing at ground level on an adjacent residentially zoned lot or a public right-of-way. Such buffer shall be comprised of opaque fencing, landscaping, earthen berms, or some combination thereof to be approved by the Township Zoning Officer. Said buffer shall be not less than eight feet in height and not less than 10 feet in width.
E. Solar access. The owner or operator of any commercial
solar power facility shall not erect or plant on the lot on which
the commercial solar power facility is located any building, structure,
fencing or landscaping which would block sunlight from reaching less
than 90% of any solar panel between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m.
F. Glare. No commercial solar power facility shall create
glare visible from adjoining public rights-of-way, streets, or adjacent
lots when viewed by a person standing on ground level or which shall
be visible from any floor level in a structure measuring 35 feet or
less and located on an adjacent property. All solar panels, frames,
posts, etc., shall be color matched and of an earth tone color so
that the color of all components shall be uniform.
G. Vehicular access. Each commercial solar power facility
shall be provided with a stabilized means of vehicular access to and
from a public roadway.
H. Parking. Parking shall be provided as required in §
370-181.
I. Commercial solar power facilities shall not occupy
flood hazard and wetland districts, the fifty-foot no-structure setback
from flood hazard and wetland districts, wetland margins, steep slopes,
or natural surface drainage courses.
J. Commercial solar power facilities, including all components
thereof, shall be designed to withstand a ground level wind velocity
of 130 miles per hour.