Township of Marlborough, PA Article XXIV VR Village Residential District

[Added 4-9-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-07]

§ 275-171 Legislative intent.

In expansion of the legislative intent contained in Article I, § 275-2 of this chapter, it is hereby declared to be the specific intent of this article to:

A. Permit development of small-lot single-family detached homes in a manner that creates a strong neighborhood identity and sense of community.

B. Achieve the land use planning goals identified in Marlborough Township's Comprehensive Plan by providing well-designed medium-density development.

C. Encourage traditional neighborhood character that is complementary to the Village of Sumneytown.

D. Create an inviting pedestrian environment by requiring sidewalks, site design that encourages walking, and a varied streetscape.

E. Provide architectural variety within the community by requiring different lot sizes, controlling the location of garages, and requiring staggered front yard setbacks.

F. Lower the impact of automobiles and reduce vehicle trips by requiring site design that encourages walking.

G. Provide usable and accessible neighborhood open space that creates a focal point for the community and encourages social interaction.

H. Protect privacy by having adequate dimensional standards, including lot size, lot width, building setbacks, building coverage, and impervious coverage.

§ 275-172 Use regulations.

On any lot in the VR District, any one of the following uses, and no other, is permitted:

A. Permitted uses.

(1) Single-family detached dwelling.

(2) Accessory uses on the same lot with and customarily incidental to the principal use, as specified in § 275-61 herein.

(3) Public or private noncommercial open space, parks, playgrounds, tot lots and similar recreational facilities, if ancillary to residential development.

(4) Municipal parks, playgrounds and other such municipal buildings and uses deemed appropriate and necessary by the Township Supervisors.

B. Conditional uses. The following uses when approved by the Board of Supervisors as a conditional use:

(1) Group home, as defined in § 275-45, pursuant to the standards of §§ 275-60 and 275-74, herein.

(2) Village residential development option, provided such use meets the conditional use standards of § 275-60 and the requirements of § 275-173B(2).

§ 275-173 Dimensional standards.

A. Permitted uses.

(1) Minimum developable lot area: one acre. [Refer to Article XI for determination of actual allowable lot size(s)] Except that tracts of five acres or more with central sewer and water (where the applicable density adjustment factors of Article XI each equal 1.0) may use the village residential development standards below.

(2) Minimum lot width: 150 feet.

(3) Minimum yards:

(a) Front: 60 feet.

(b) Side (each): 30 feet (accessory building, five feet).

(c) Rear: 60 feet (accessory building, 10 feet).

(4) Maximum building coverage: 15%.

(5) Maximum building height: 35 feet (accessory building, 20 feet).

B. Conditional uses.

(1) Group home, the dimensional standards of Subsection A of this section shall be used for group homes, except where the additional standards of §§ 275-60 and 275-74 herein apply.

(2) Village residential development option. In addition to meeting the standards of § 275-60, all proposed village residential developments shall meet the following requirements.

(a) Tract requirements.

[1] Minimum tract size: five contiguous acres in one ownership.

[2] Community facilities. The tract shall be served by public or central sewage and water facilities. (Note: A central water facility utilizing an on-site well or wells shall demonstrate that a sufficient supply will exist to serve the development without causing any adverse effects on the supply available to existing wells in the surrounding area and shall meet all applicable requirements of Chapter 261, Water, Article I, Well Drilling.)

[3] Maximum tract density. Density shall be calculated by determining the total developable area for the tract, as provided for in Article XI, § 275-91A, of this chapter. The maximum density for the tract utilizing the village residential option shall be 2.5 dwelling units per developable acre.

[4] Minimum amount of common open space. A minimum of 10% of the gross tract area shall be permanently preserved as common open space, in accordance with the standards outlined in Subsection B(2)(d) of this section.

(b) Lot types and dimensional requirements:

[1] Types of lots. Village residential developments shall consist of two types of lots: standard lots and extra-wide lots. These lots shall meet the following distributional requirements:

[a] Standard lots.

[i] Standard lots shall comprise at least 70% but no more than 90% of the total number of lots in a village residential development.

[ii] No more than five standard lots may be located adjacent to each other on the same side of the street. When more than five standard lots would be located on the same side of a street, they must be separated by an extra-wide lot. For this measurement, rows of lots shall begin or end at street intersections, the end lot on culs-de-sac, and/or any open space along the street that is 80 feet or more in width.

[b] Extra-wide lots.

[i] Extra-wide lots shall comprise at least 10% but no more than 30% of the total number of lots in a village residential development.

[ii] No more than two extra-wide lots may be located adjacent to each other on the same side of the street.

[iii] Lots located on street corners may not be counted as extra-wide lots.

[iv] Extra-wide lots with a gross lot area of 20,000 square feet or larger shall be deed-restricted against future subdivision.

Standard Lot 80-foot lot width and 10,000 square-foot lot size

Extra-Wide Lot 120-foot lot width and 14,000 square-foot lot size

[2] Dimensional standards for standard lots:

[a] Minimum developable lot area: 10,000 square feet. (See § 275-91C for calculation requirements.)

[b] Minimum lot width at the building line: 80 feet.

[c] Minimum front yard setback:

[i] A minimum of 20% and a maximum of 80% of the standard lots in a village residential development shall have a minimum front yard setback of 25 feet, measured from the street ultimate right-of-way line.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

[ii] A minimum of 20% of the standard lots in a village residential development shall have a minimum front yard setback of 35 feet, measured from the street ultimate right-of-way line.

[iii] No more than three standard lots with the same minimum front yard setback shall be located adjacent to each other, on the same side of the street.

[d] Minimum side yard setback: 15 feet.

[e] Minimum rear yard setback: 25 feet.

[f] Minimum building setback from tract boundaries: 40 feet.

[g] Maximum building coverage: 18% of the gross lot area.

[h] Maximum impervious coverage: 30% of the gross lot area.

[i] Maximum building height: 35 feet.

[3] Dimensional standards for extra-wide lots:

[a] Minimum developable lot area: 14,000 square feet. (See § 275-91C for calculation requirements.)

[b] Minimum lot width at the building line: 120 feet.

[c] Minimum front yard setback: 35 feet from the street ultimate right-of-way line.

[d] Minimum side yard setback: 15 feet on one side and 45 feet on the other side.

[e] Minimum rear yard setback: 25 feet.

[f] Minimum building setback from tract boundaries: 40 feet.

[g] Maximum building coverage: 18% of the gross lot area.

[h] Maximum impervious coverage: 30% of the gross lot area.

[i] Maximum building height: 35 feet.

(c) Design standards.

[1] Garage location and design.

[a] A maximum of 20% of the lots within a village residential development may have garages which meet the following design option:

[i] The garage is front entry, is flush with or projects no more than five feet in front of the front facade of the house, and does not comprise more than 20% of the total area of the front facade elevation, measured from ground level to the edge of the roof.

[b] Within a village residential development, at least three of the following garage types shall be used, with no single type comprising less than 20% of the total:

[i] The garage is side entry, so that the garage doors are perpendicular or radial to the street which the front facade faces.

[ii] The garage is front entry and set back at least 10 feet from the front facade of the house.

[iii] The garage is located at or behind the rear facade of the house. This garage may be detached from or attached to the house, and the garage doors may face any direction.

[iv] The garage is rear entry, so that the garage doors are on the opposite side of the house from the front facade.

[2] Street trees. Street trees shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 215, Subdivision and Land Development.

[3] Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 215, Subdivision and Land Development.

[4] Driveway access. No lot within a village residential development shall take driveway access from an existing major collector or higher classification road.

[5] Street layout. Streets within village residential developments should be interconnected with each other and with streets on abutting properties. Unless no other street layout is physically feasible, cul-de-sac streets should not be used.

(d) Open space standards.

[1] At least 10% of the gross tract area shall consist of central open space which meets one or more of the design options outlined in Subsection B(2)(d)[4], Central open space design options, below. Open space above and beyond the required 10% of gross tract area does not need to meet the requirements of Subsection B(2)(d)[3], [4] and [5] and may be located anywhere on the tract.

[2] Open space preservation priorities. Natural and historic features that shall be given priority for preservation in open space areas should include when present the following characteristics:

[a] Mature trees.

[b] Lands adjoining stream corridors or bodies of water.

[c] Historic resource areas.

[d] Areas providing unique ecological characteristics.

[3] Central open space location requirements.

[a] At least 60% of the required central open space shall be located in one, contiguous park. This park shall meet the following standards:

[i] The park shall be centrally located within the development and easily and conveniently accessible from all lots in the development.

[ii] The park shall be accessible by sidewalk or paved trail from every home within the development.

[iii] On tracts of 10 acres or more, the park shall be configured as a village green, in accordance with Subsection B(2)(d)[4], Central open space design options, below. On tracts under 10 acres, the park may be configured as a village green, parkway, eyebrow, or cul-de-sac island, in accordance with Subsection B(2)(d)[4] below.

[b] All lots within a village residential development shall be located within 1,000 feet of some type of central open space.

Village Green	Eyebrow
Parkway	Cul-de-Sac Island

[4] Central open space design options.

[a] Village green. Each village green shall be at least 20,000 square feet in size, shall be surrounded along at least half of its perimeter by roads, and shall be configured so that a circle with a radius of 50 feet can fit within the confines of the green.

[b] Parkway. Each parkway shall have a minimum average width of 35 feet, shall have a length of at least 150 feet, and shall be surrounded by streets on all sides.

[c] Eyebrow. Each eyebrow shall be surrounded by streets on all sides, shall be generally configured as a semicircle, and shall be configured so that a circle with a radius of 30 feet can fit within the confines of the eyebrow.

[d] Cul-de-sac island. Each cul-de-sac island shall be located in the bulb of a cul-de-sac, shall have a radius of at least 30 feet, and shall be surrounded by streets on all sides.

[5] Central open space design requirements.

[a] When feasible, existing healthy trees and shrubs shall be preserved within central open space areas.

[b] Street trees shall be provided along the perimeter of central open space areas that border streets, in accordance with Chapter 215, Subdivision and Land Development.

[c] All portions of central open space areas, except for those areas under sidewalks, water, furnishings, and recreational structures, shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs, ground cover, or grass.

[d] Detention basins and other stormwater impounding areas, except for permanent wet ponds, may not be located in central open space areas used to meet the minimum amount of required central open space.

(e) Ownership and maintenance of common open space and facilities.

[1] Ownership and maintenance of common open space and facilities shall be provided for in accordance with the regulations in § 275-53 of this chapter. All open space shall be permanently restricted from future development.

[2] Pursuant to § 275-53 of this chapter, the following methods of ownership may be used, either individually or in combination:

[a] Fee-simple dedication to Marlborough Township, although Marlborough Township need not accept the offer of dedication.

[b] A condominium association.

[c] A homeowners' association.

[3] Maintenance. Unless otherwise agreed to by Marlborough Township, the cost and responsibility of maintaining common open space and facilities shall be borne by the property owner, condominium association, or homeowners' association.

[4] In the event that the organization established to maintain common facilities and open space, or any successor organization thereto, fails to maintain all or any portion of the common facilities in reasonable order and condition, Marlborough Township may assume responsibility for maintenance and may enter the premises and take corrective action, in which case any escrow funds may be forfeited and any permits may be revoked or suspended.

[5] The costs of such corrective action and/or maintenance may be charged to the property owner, condominium association, homeowners' association, or individual property owners who make up a condominium or homeowners' association and may include administrative costs and penalties. Such costs, if not paid, shall become a lien on said properties. Notice of such lien shall be filed by Marlborough Township in the office of the prothonotary of the county.