Borough of Lewistown, PA Article V R-2 Residential Districts

§ 240-21 Applicability of regulations.

In R-2 Residential Districts, the regulations which follow in this Article V and the regulations which are set forth in Articles IX and X shall apply.

§ 240-22 Buildings or uses.

[Amended 5-19-1975 by Ord. No. 75-6; 11-9-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-8; 1-11-2021 by Ord. No. 2020-8]

A. A single principal building or single principal use. A lot may be used only for one of the following principal buildings or principal uses:

(1) A principal building or a principal use permitted in an R-1 Residential District.

(2) Boardinghouse or rooming house.

(3) Convalescent home or nursing home which does not primarily care for or treat patients with contagious diseases, drug or alcohol patients, or mentally ill or mentally retarded patients.

(4) Funeral home.

(5) Community garage.

(6) Private parking lot if the parking lot is used only for the parking of passenger motor vehicles owned or operated by the person owning or leasing the parking lot, his/her/its employees, boarders, house tenants, visitors and the like and the parking lot is operated only to meet the requirements of the exception in § 240-27B(1).

B. Multiple buildings and multiple uses. A lot may be used for one or more or a combination of one or more of any of the following principal buildings or principal uses:

(1) Row houses.

(2) Apartment houses.

(3) Conversion apartment houses.

(4) Two-family houses, including two-family duplex houses and two-family sectional houses.

(5) Multifamily houses.

C. Accessory buildings and accessory uses.

(1) The accessory buildings and accessory uses permitted on a lot are those which are customarily incidental to the principal building or principal use on the lot, including, in the case of a single-family house or a two-family house, the accessory buildings and accessory uses set forth by way of example in § 240-15B.

(2) No accessory use shall be permitted in connection with a private parking lot.

D. Special exceptions. A lot may be used for one of the following principal buildings or principal uses:

(1) Private academic school;

(2) Nonprofit charitable or religious institution, or municipal or public institution, for other than correctional or rehabilitative purposes or diagnostic, treatment or scientific testing purposes; or

(3) Senior citizens center (which primarily provides at least three of the following activities, programs or services for the elderly: counseling, education, health, nursing, nutrition, recreation, referral, religious, self-development or social welfare activities, programs or services for the elderly), when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board and under such appropriate safeguards and conditions attached by the Zoning Hearing Board as it deems necessary. In determining whether a special exception is to be granted or denied, the Zoning Hearing Board shall take into consideration whether such building or use will be appropriately located and designed in light of the surrounding uses in the neighborhood and the character, of the neighborhood; will meet a community need without substantially adversely affecting the essential character of the neighborhood; and will be consistent with the surrounding uses in the neighborhood and the character of the neighborhood so as to conserve the objective value of maintaining existing local groupings of consistent uses and yet encourage the most appropriate or effective use of the land.

E. Conditional uses. A home occupation may be conducted in a house or in an accessory building, or a professional office or professional studio may be maintained in a house or in an accessory building, when authorized as a conditional use by Borough Council and under such appropriate safeguards and conditions attached by Borough Council as it deems necessary.

F. Prohibited uses. The uses prohibited in R-1 Residential Districts per § 240-15D are prohibited in R-2 Residential Districts.

§ 240-23 Lot area and lot width for principal buildings or principal uses.

A. Single-family house; two-family house; boardinghouse or rooming house; convalescent home or nursing home; funeral home. The lot area for a single-family house, two-family house, boardinghouse or rooming house, convalescent home or nursing home, or funeral home shall be not less than 3,000 square feet. The lot width at the building line shall be not less than 30 feet.

B. Row house; apartment house; conversion apartment house; multifamily house. A lot area of not less than 1,000 square feet for each dwelling unit shall be provided for every building erected or used as a row house, apartment house, conversion apartment house or multifamily house. The lot width at the building line shall be not less than 30 feet.

C. Other principal buildings or principal uses. No minimum lot area and no minimum lot width are fixed except as the regulations in §§ 240-25, 240-26 and 240-27 and the regulations in Article IX may, directly or indirectly, establish the minimum lot needed to meet the regulations.

§ 240-24 Building height.

A. Single-family house; two-family house; row house; boardinghouse or rooming house; convalescent home or nursing home; funeral home; apartment house, conversion apartment house; multifamily house. The building height of any of the foregoing buildings shall not exceed 35 feet.

B. Community garage. The building height of a community garage shall not exceed 21 feet.

C. Other principal buildings. The building height of a principal building other than a principal building referred to in Subsections A and B shall not exceed 45 feet.

D. Accessory building. The building height of an accessory building shall not exceed the height of the principal building or 21 feet, whichever is less.

§ 240-25 Building area.

The building area on a lot shall not exceed 50% of the lot area.

§ 240-26 Front, side and rear yards for principal buildings.

A. Front yard.

(1) There shall be a front yard, the depth of which to the building line shall be not less than 25 feet. However, the depth of the front yard to the building line may be decreased under § 240-53A in the case where more than 50% of the residential frontage of a block has been improved as of September 13, 1954.

(2) In the case of a community garage on a reverse lot, the yard abutting the alley shall be deemed to be the front yard, and the depth of that front yard to the building line may be reduced to five feet.

B. Side yards.

(1) A single-family house shall have two side yards (one at each side of the lot), the width of each of which shall be not less than three feet.

(2) A two-family house, boardinghouse or rooming house, convalescent home or nursing home, funeral home, apartment house, conversion apartment house, or multifamily house shall have two side yards (one at each side of the lot), the width of each of which shall be not less than six feet.

(3) A row house which is at the end of the row shall have a side yard (at the side of the lot adjoining the row house), the width of which shall be not less than six feet.

(4) A community garage shall have two side yards (one at each side of the lot), the width of each of which shall be not less than six feet.

(5) A principal building other than one referred to above shall have two side yards (one at each side of the lot), the width of each of which shall be not less than 10 feet. If the building height of the building is over 35 feet, the width of each side yard shall be increased one foot for each five feet, or fraction thereof, by which the building height exceeds 35 feet.

(6) In the case of a corner lot at the intersection of two streets, the width of the side yard on the street side shall be not less than six feet or the depth established under § 240-53A, whichever is less.

(7) In every case under Subsection B(1), (2), (5) or (6) above (and except for a row house, community garage or private parking lot), the total width of the two side yards in the aggregate shall equal not less than 20% of the lot width measured at the building line.

C. Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard, the depth of which shall be not less than five feet.

D. Private parking lot. A private parking lot shall have two side yards (one at each side of the lot), the width of each of which shall be not less than three feet; and a rear yard, the depth of which shall be not less than five feet. No parking shall be permitted within three feet of the side lines of the lot, within five feet of the rear line of the lot, or within five feet of the street line (or if the parking lot is on a reverse lot, within five feet of the lot line abutting the alley). Only the minimum number of off-street parking spaces which are required by § 240-27 for a particular building or use shall be located in front of the building line established for the block.

§ 240-27 Off-street parking.

[Amended 3-24-1986 by Ord. No. 86-2]

A. Spaces required. Off-street parking spaces for passenger motor vehicles shall be provided in the following amounts for the following principal buildings or principal uses:

(1) For a principal building or principal use permitted in an R-1 Residential District, off-street parking spaces shall be provided as required by § 240-20A

(2) For a two-family house, row house, apartment house, conversion apartment house or multifamily house, off-street parking spaces shall be provided at the rate of one parking space for each dwelling unit.

(3) For a boardinghouse or rooming house, off-street parking spaces shall be provided at the rate of one parking space for each dwelling unit; one parking space for each of the first four boarding units or rooming units; one parking space for each three boarding units or rooming units in excess of four; and one parking space for the owner or operator.

(4) For a convalescent home or nursing home, off-street parking spaces shall be provided at the rate of one parking space for each four patient beds; one parking space for each staff or visiting doctor; and one parking space for each two employees (including nurses) on the largest work shift.

(5) For a funeral home, off-street parking spaces shall be provided at the rate of one parking space for each vehicle customarily used in the operation of a funeral home (such as hearses, limousines, flower cars and the like); three parking spaces for the director or supervisor of the funeral home; one parking space for each family dwelling unit located on the premises; one parking space for each two employees (other than the director or supervisor or employees residing on the premises); and such additional parking spaces for business visitors or guests as shall be determined by the Department.

(6) For a private academic school, off-street parking spaces shall be provided at the rate of one parking space for each two employees (including teachers and administrators) and such additional parking spaces for students and visitors as shall be determined by the Department.

(7) For a nonprofit charitable or religious institution or a municipal or public institution, off-street parking spaces shall be provided at the rate of one parking space for each two employees and such additional parking spaces for members, business visitors or guests as shall be determined by the Department.

B. Location of off-street parking spaces. The off-street parking spaces required by Subsection A above shall be provided on the same lot with the principal building or principal use and may be provided by a private garage on the lot. The location on the lot of an off-street parking space and the design of an off-street parking space shall be governed by the regulations in §§ 240-51, 240-53 and 240-54. Exception: If in the opinion of the Department the physical circumstances or condition of the lot (such as the topography, slope or drainage of the lot or the irregularity, narrowness or shallowness of the lot in size or shape) preclude the safe design, construction or maintenance of off-street parking spaces, maneuvering areas or means of access, or make the same impractical, the requirement that all of the off-street parking spaces are to be provided on the same lot with the principal building or principal use may be modified or waived by the Department to the extent that it can be shown (upon such evidence as the Department deems sufficient) that off-street parking spaces can be provided:

(1) On a private parking lot owned by the owner or operator of the principal building or use (or on a private parking lot leased by such owner or operator for a period of not less than 10 years) and a substantial portion of which is within 450 feet (by the most direct walking route) of the lot line of the lot containing the principal building or the principal use;

(2) On a free municipal parking lot, a substantial portion of which is within 450 feet (by the most direct walking route) of the lot line of the lot containing the principal building or the principal use; or

(3) In the case of a single-family house, two-family house, boardinghouse or rooming house, conversion apartment house or multifamily house, at a community garage a substantial portion of which is within 450 feet (by the most direct walking route) of the lot line of the lot containing the principal building or the principal use.