All uses and activities established after the effective date
of this chapter shall comply with the standards and regulations set
forth in this article.
Except as provided in the definition of "height" in Article
II herein or as specified otherwise in this chapter for a particular use, the following maximum structure height shall apply in all zoning districts and zoning overlay districts.
A.
The maximum height of a structure that is accessory to a dwelling
on a lot of less than five acres shall be two stories or 35 feet,
whichever is more restrictive. The second story shall be limited to
nonhabitable storage areas.
B.
A building height of up to a maximum of five stories shall only
be allowed if the building is within 1.0 mile of the center line of
U.S. Route 209 and if approved as a conditional use, provided the
applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors that
the following additional requirements will be met:
(1)
The taller height shall be limited to the following uses, provided
such use is allowed in the applicable district: time-share units,
age-restricted housing, motels/hotels, hospitals, primary and secondary
schools and offices.
(2)
The applicant shall provide expert testimony that there will
be suitable access to the building for emergency apparatus and a suitable
water supply and fire flow. The Board of Supervisors shall have the
authority to deny the taller height if the applicant is not able to
satisfactorily resolve emergency concerns, in the determination of
the Board of Supervisors.
(3)
A building height of greater than 45 feet shall only be allowed
if the building is set back a minimum of the height of the proposed
structure from a lot line of an adjacent lot occupied by a single-family
dwelling in a residential district, or 1.5 times the height of the
proposed structure from an existing residential structure in a residential
district, whichever is more restrictive.
(4)
For those portions of the proposed structure that are over 45
feet, based on the height of the structure as determined by the definition
of "height" provided in Division 20 herein, the applicant shall provide
evidence on how the applicant has minimized the effect of the proposed
structure on those portions of the building over 45 feet from other
lots in residential districts that are within 1,000 feet of the proposed
structure.
C.
The maximum height for any structure not addressed in Table
130-030A (such as principal buildings in residential districts)
shall be 3.5 stories or 45 feet, whichever is more restrictive.
D.
The maximum height for any standalone, outdoor non-building
structure, such as a statue, monument, or artificial landscape feature,
ornament, or decoration, shall be 12 feet from the ground elevation
at the base of the structure, unless another provision in the Zoning
Ordinance addresses a height limitation for a specific type of structure,
and permits a higher height limit for such structure. The height limitation
of the structure is inclusive of a base or pedestal. The ground level
shall not be artificially increased at the base, such as through use
of berming or retaining walls, to increase the total allowed height
of the structure. If the structure is located on a sloped site, the
grade level shall be based upon the side of the structure that is
closest to the nearest street.
[Added 11-14-2019 by Ord.
No. 228]
This chapter contains standards for lot sizes, building coverage
and density that should not be construed as guarantees that a certain
number of dwelling units or amount of development can be accommodated
on any individual site. Site constraints and other chapter requirements,
as well as other federal, state and municipal regulations, will all
affect development potential.
[Added 12-30-2013 by Ord. No. 198]
A.
Buffer yards with plant screening complying with the following
standards shall be required under the following situations, unless
a more restrictive requirement is established by another requirement
of this chapter:
(1)
A minimum forty-foot-wide buffer yard with plant screening shall
be required along the rear and side lines of any lot used principally
for nonresidential purposes that is contiguous to a lot occupied by
an existing principal dwelling or an undeveloped residentially zoned
lot. The plant screening shall primarily use evergreen plants. If
existing healthy trees with a trunk diameter of six inches or greater
(measured 4.5 feet above the ground level) exist within the buffer
yard, they shall be preserved to the maximum extent feasible. The
Zoning Officer may certify that preserving existing mature trees and
shrubs within the buffer yard will meet the same purposes as the new
plant screening. In such case, part or all of the new plant screening
may be waived, in writing by the Zoning Officer. The requirements
of this section are modified in the following circumstances:
(a) If a principal business use will include areas
used for manufacturing or will have a loading dock that will be serviced
by tractor-trailer trucks or refrigerated trucks, then the minimum
buffer yard between such manufacturing area and/or loading dock and
a lot line of an existing principal dwelling shall be increased to
60 feet.
(b) A buffer yard shall not be required between a dwelling
and a principal business use on the same lot.
(2)
A required yard may overlap a required buffer yard, provided
the requirement for each is met. The buffer yard shall be measured
from the district boundary line, street right-of-way line or lot line,
whichever is applicable. Required plantings shall not be placed within
the right-of-way, except for deciduous canopy trees that may be approved
by the Township.
(3)
The buffer yard shall be a landscaped area free of structures,
dumpsters, commercial or industrial storage or display, signs, manufacturing
or processing activity, materials storage, loading and unloading areas,
or vehicle parking or display.
(4)
Fence. Any fence in a buffer yard shall be placed on the inside
(nonresidential side)of any required plant screening.
(5)
A well or septic system may be placed within a buffer yard,
provided the landscaping and tree preservation provisions are still
met.
(6)
Each planting screen shall meet the following requirements:
(a) Plant materials needed to form the visual screen
shall have a minimum height, when planted, of four feet. In addition,
an average of one deciduous shade tree, with a minimum trunk diameter
of two inches measured six inches above the ground level, shall be
placed for each 40 feet of length of the buffer yard. The shade trees
may be clustered or spaced unevenly.
(b) Plants needed to form the visual screen shall be
of such species, spacing and size as can reasonably be expected to
produce within three years a mostly solid year-round visual screen
at least six feet in height. The use of native species is encouraged.
(c) The plant screen shall be placed so that at maturity
the plants will not obstruct a street or sidewalk.
(d) The plant visual screen shall extend the full length
of the lot line, except for Township-approved points of approximately
perpendicular vehicle or pedestrian ingress and egress to the lot;
locations necessary to comply with safe sight distance requirements
where the plantings cannot feasibly be moved further back; and locations
needed to meet other specific state, Township and utility requirements,
such as stormwater swales.
(e) Evergreen trees should be planted at diagonal offsets
so that there is room for future growth of the trees.
(7)
Buffer yard plans.
(a) Prior to the issuance of a permit under this chapter
where a buffer yard would be required, and on any required subdivision
or land development plan, the applicant shall submit plans showing:
[1] The location and arrangement of each buffer yard;
[2] The placement, general selection of species and
initial size of all plant materials; and
[3] The placement, size, materials and type of all
fences to be placed in such buffer yard.
(b) If more than 20 evergreen plants are proposed,
no more than 50% shall be of one species.
B.
Any part of a commercial, industrial, institutional or apartment
lot which is not used for structures, loading areas, parking spaces
and aisles, sidewalks, designated storage areas and other approved
uses, and which is not maintained in existing natural trees and natural
vegetation, shall be maintained with a vegetative ground cover and
shall be kept free of debris.
C.
Street trees. See the provisions in the Subdivision and Land
Development Chapter. A tree required under the Zoning Chapter may
also be used to meet a requirement under the Subdivision and Land
Development Chapter if the tree would meet the requirements for both
ordinances.
D.
Parking lot landscaping. See the provisions in the Subdivision
and Land Development Chapter.
E.
Review and approval. Where landscaping is required by this chapter,
the applicant shall submit the landscaping information on a site plan
or an accompanying plan that shows proposed initial sizes, locations
and species of plantings.