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Township of Susquehanna, PA
Dauphin County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The BOR Business-Office-Residential Districts are intended to provide a suitable environment whereby specific commercial businesses and professional offices can be mixed with residential uses without undue harmful effects to such residential uses. A range of options provides flexibility and innovation by permitting specific styles of mixed-use communities: conservation design subdivisions, and retirement communities.
Buildings or land in the BOR district shall be used for one or more of the following uses and/or community arrangements. No adult-oriented businesses shall be permitted in the BOR district as defined in Part 2.
Residential Uses:
1.
Conservation design subdivisions in accordance with Part 17.
2.
Family care facility in accordance with § 27-2004.
3.
Group home in accordance with § 27-2004.
4.
Long-term care nursing and personal care centers in accordance with § 27-2006.
5.
Multiple family dwellings in accordance with § 27-2008.
6.
Rooming and boarding houses in accordance with § 27-2010.
7.
Single family attached dwelling units in accordance with § 27-2011.
8.
Single family detached dwelling units.
9.
Single family semi-detached dwelling units.
Office Uses:
10.
Administrative and support services.
11.
Banks and financial institutions.
12.
Finance and insurance offices.
13.
Home health care services.
14.
Information services and data processing.
15.
Offices of physicians, dentists, and other health practitioners.
16.
Outpatient care centers.
17.
Professional, scientific, and technical services and offices.
18.
Medical and diagnostic laboratories.
19.
Real estate offices.
20.
Social assistance offices.
Public/Utility Uses:
21.
Electric transmission and distribution facilities, including substations and public utility uses and facilities and excluding material and truck storage in accordance with § 27-2038.
22.
(Reserved)[1]
23.
Public libraries and community activity buildings in accordance with § 27-2038.
24.
Public transit support activities.
25.
(Reserved)[2]
Institutional Uses:
26.
Business schools and computer and management training in accordance with § 27-2038.
27.
Churches and similar places of religious worship in accordance with § 27-2038.
28.
Day care centers in accordance with § 27-2033.
29.
Elementary and secondary schools in accordance with § 27-2034.
30.
Junior colleges, colleges, universities and professional schools in accordance with § 27-2038.
31.
Schools for fine arts and language in accordance with § 27-2038.
32.
Technical and trade schools in accordance with § 27-2038.
Recreational Uses:
33.
Public park, recreational areas and greenways.
34.
Indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, with the exception of outdoor shooting ranges and race tracks.
Innovative Communities:
35.
Continuing care retirement community in accordance with § 27-2003.
Accessory Uses:
36.
The following accessory commercial uses shall not occupy more than 3,500 square feet of space (excluding food preparation areas, storage, lavatories, hallways, and utility rooms) or 30% of the total gross building area, whichever is lesser, within a building occupied by one or more of the permitted uses listed above. Adult-oriented businesses shall not be permitted in BOR districts.
A.
Banks and financial institutions.
B.
Clothing and clothing accessories stores.
C.
Fitness and recreational sports centers.
D.
Florists, office supplies, stationery and gift stores, used merchandise stores, antiques and collectibles, pet supply stores, and art dealers.
E.
Food and beverage stores.
F.
General merchandise stores.
G.
Optical goods stores.
H.
Personal care services.
I.
Photofinishing services.
J.
Restaurants.
K.
Sporting good, hobby, book, and music stores
37.
Customary accessory uses and buildings incidental to any permitted uses in accordance with Part 21, including:
A.
Accessory parking lots and structures.
B.
Drive through facilities in accordance with § 27-2040.
C.
No-impact home-based business, in accordance with § 27-2041.
D.
Private garages, playhouses, garden houses or green houses not used for commercial purposes.
E.
Private swimming pools.
F.
Professional and other home occupations.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection 22, Municipal, county, state, and federal buildings and facilities, was repealed by Ord. No. 22-05, 8/11/2022.
[2]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection 25, Telecommunications structures, was repealed 8/11/2016 by Ord. 16-07.
The following uses shall be allowed subject to Part 26 herein. Accessory uses shall be allowed in accordance with § 27-1002, Subsection 37.
1. 
Ambulance services in accordance with § 27-2037.
2. 
Hospitals in accordance with § 27-2035.
3. 
Neighborhood pharmacy in accordance with § 27-2045.
4. 
Wireless communications facilities, in accordance with § 27-2039.
[Added by Ord. 16-07, 8/11/2016]
[Amended by Ord. 15-03, 3/12/2015]
1. 
The following table provides the bulk and area standards for residential and nonresidential land uses:
Bulk and Area Dimensions Table
Standard
Single Family Detached
Single Family Semi-Detached
Single Family Attached*
Multiple Family
Principal Non-Residential Building
Minimum Tract Area (sq. ft.)
N/A
N/A
40,000
40,000
15,000
Maximum Dwelling Units Per Acre
5
8
10
12****
N/A
Minimum Lot Area per Dwelling*** (sq. ft.)
8,000
5,000
2,200
N/A
N/A
Minimum Lot Width (feet)
65
40
22 interior units, 32 exterior units
N/A
150
Minimum Yard Setback** (feet)
Front
30
30
25
25
25
Side
8
10
10
20
10
Rear
30
30
25
25
25
Maximum Building Coverage
N/A
30%
35%
20%
35%
Maximum Lot Impervious Coverage
40%
45%
50%
45%
80%
Minimum Vegetative Coverage
60%
55%
50%
55%
20%
*
Limited to a maximum of eight dwelling units per building or row of attached single family units.
**
Interior yards and/or building spacing for tracts or lots with more than one building shall be provided in accordance § 27-2106, Subsection 7.
***
Standard applies to any and all forms of ownership.
****
Maximum density up to 18 dwelling units per acre is permitted if in a single residential building of new construction for seniors aged 62 or older.
2. 
Height regulations. Height of principal building shall not exceed 42 feet in accordance with § 27-2104, except the height of any building may exceed 42 feet in height by one foot for each additional foot by which the width of each yard exceeds the minimum yard regulations of the district; however, under no circumstances shall the height exceed four stories or a maximum of 55 feet.
3. 
Buffer yards for nonresidential structures: Buffer yards shall be required for any nonresidential structure when abutting a residential use or district in accordance with § 27-2106, Subsection 5.
For office and institutional uses a landscaping plan for the entire tract shall be required. A landscape architect licensed by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall be retained to complete such a plan to ensure the proper species, use and arrangement of plant materials. All areas of the development not covered by impervious surfaces shall be landscaped and maintained with suitable ground cover and plants. Existing vegetation is encouraged to be preserved for landscaping purposes.
1. 
Earthen berms may be incorporated into the landscaping plan along public street frontage and along property lines abutting existing dwellings. Earthen berms shall have a maximum height of five feet and a maximum slope of four feet horizontal to one foot vertical.
2. 
Landscaped areas shall be continually maintained by the landowner. Care, grooming, and replacement of plants shall be included as part of the required maintenance. Failure to adequately maintain landscaped areas shall be subject to a citation issued by the Township.
3. 
Buffers and screens shall be in accordance with § 27-2106, Subsection 5, herein.
Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of Part 23 of this Chapter.
Signs shall be in accordance with Part 24 of this Chapter.
[Added 10/12/2006 by Ord. 06-15]
Where there is an existing front or rear porch which extends into a restricted setback area, the same may be covered by an awning or roof which protrudes into the setback area to no greater extent than the existing porch or deck; and, if an existing porch or deck protruding into a setback area must be replaced or reconstructed for maintenance reasons or due to deterioration, the same construction may extend into the setback area to an extent no greater than the previously existing porch or deck. Additionally, where there is less than 10 feet from the rear of a residential structure to the setback line, a pervious deck may be built on the rear of a residential structure extending no more than 10 feet into a rear setback so long as the deck still allows a setback of at least 10 feet and so long as the same meets all coverage, side yard and other requirements of the ordinances of Susquehanna Township, with the condition that any deck shall not be elevated beyond the existing level of the first-floor rear door from the residential structure.
[Added 2/25/2021 by Ord. No. 21-05]
In addition of the standards contained in this section, and except as otherwise provided in this section, Development of residential uses on tracts of 20 acres or larger shall comply with the submission requirements and key design elements set forth in § 27-2049, Subsections 3 and 4.
1. 
For townhouse buildings:
A. 
To provide additional green space within front yards, front entry garages shall be paired (except for end units).
B. 
Front entry garage doors shall occupy less than 50% of the first floor facade.
C. 
The standards of Section 27-1009, Subsection 4A(1)(k) (relating to variation in position or orientation of buildings on the lot along a streetscape) shall not apply to townhouse buildings.
2. 
Parking areas along streets shall be defined with landscaped bump-outs at street intersections and at regular intervals of no greater than 12 parking spaces.
3. 
In addition to the central open space required under § 27-2049, Subsection 4A(2), at least three pocket parks, neighborhood open spaces, resting places or gathering areas shall be scattered throughout the development.
4. 
Crosswalks at street intersections or mid-block crossings shall be raised so as to provide traffic calming.