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Township of Charlestown, PA
Chester County
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[Ord. 6/20/1979]
It is the purpose of this Part to provide for uses which are public or semi-public in nature and have attributes which distinguish them from other uses presently found and/or permitted in the Township.
[Ord. 6/20/1979; as amended by Ord. 65-1992, 9/14/1992, §§ 2, 3]
1. 
A building or other structure may be erected or used, and a lot may be used and/or occupied, subject to Parts 11 and 12, for the following:
A. 
Permitted Principal Uses.
(1) 
Schools. Public elementary, junior and senior high schools, private elementary and junior and senior high schools having curricula approximately the same as ordinarily given in public schools and special schools for exceptional children with or without students in residence, either public or private.
(2) 
Colleges, universities, business colleges, music conservatories, schools for the performing or fine arts and other similar institutions, public or private, with or without students in residence.
(3) 
Assembly halls, gymnasiums, community buildings and other similar places of public assembly operated on a nonprofit basis.
(4) 
Churches and other places of worship, including parish house and Sunday school building.
(5) 
Group quarters associated with Subsection 1A(1) through (4) and two-family and single-family dwellings in buildings existing at the time of adoption of this Part.
(6) 
Libraries, museums, art galleries and facilities of cultural/historic organizations (operated on a nonprofit basis).
(7) 
Public park or other noncommercial recreational facilities including swimming pools in accordance with Part 16, and schools for athletic instruction operated on a nonprofit basis.
(8) 
Municipal use.
B. 
Permitted Accessory Uses.
(1) 
Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental to the permitted principal uses.
(2) 
Parking, in accordance with Part 13.
(3) 
Signs, in accordance with Part 14.
C. 
Conditional Uses. (Refer to § 27-1809.)
(1) 
Public utility structures or facilities, provided that no exterior storage of equipment, no housing of construction or repair crews, no aboveground storage of gaseous or liquid fuel, and no aboveground structures related to pipelines shall be permitted.
[Amended by Ord. No. 210-2019, 11/4/2019]
(2) 
Incidental accessory retail uses such as cafeterias, restaurants, gift shops, flower shops, and the like, conducted for the employees, residents, patrons or visitors wholly within a main building without direct access to a street or public sidewalk, provided that any exterior advertising or display pertaining to these uses shall be in conformance with Part 14.
(3) 
General, medical or surgical hospital; nursing home, or similar health facility; a home or institution for children, the aged, the handicapped, or the indigent; provided, however, that all of the foregoing uses shall contain not more than 50 beds and be located on a lot area of not less than 15 acres; permitted uses shall not include a correctional or penal institution.
[Amended by Ord. No. 210-2019, 11/4/2019]
(4) 
Cemetery provided that no such use shall be located closer than 200 feet from the district boundary line.
(5) 
Private club for recreation provided that the principal activity shall not be one which is customarily conducted as a business.
(6) 
Nursery school.
(7) 
Any use permitted in the R-1 — Residential District when the lot exceeds 15 acres and both public water and public sewer are available in accordance with the use regulations of § 27-502, the height regulations of § 27-503, the area and bulk regulations of § 27-504 and the regulations of § 27-505.
(8) 
Any use permitted in the FR — Farm Residential District in accordance with the use regulations of § 27-402, the height regulations of § 27-403 and the area and bulk regulations of § 27-404.
[Ord. 6/20/1979]
The maximum height of buildings erected or enlarged shall be 35 feet above grade. The height of buildings may be increased to a maximum of 65 feet above grade, provided that for every foot of height in excess of 35 feet, there shall be added to each yard requirement five corresponding feet of depth and width.
[Ord. 6/20/1979]
1. 
When the use proposed is to be accommodated in a building existing at the effective date of enactment of this Part, the area and bulk regulations shall be established by the Board of Supervisors upon the recommendation of the Planning Commission. In all other cases the following shall apply:
A. 
Minimum Lot Area. A lot area not less than 10 acres shall be provided for any institutional use held in single and separate ownership.
B. 
Minimum Lot Width at Street Line. A lot width of 300 feet at the street line shall be provided.
C. 
Minimum Lot Width at Building Line. A lot width of 500 feet at the building line shall be provided.
D. 
Maximum Impervious Surface and Building Coverage. Not more than 35% of the total area of any lot shall be covered by impervious surfaces and not more than 20% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings.
E. 
Minimum Depth of Front and Rear Yards. There shall be a front yard and a rear yard on each lot, neither yard having a depth of less than 100 feet.
F. 
Minimum Depth of Side Yards. On each lot there shall be two side yards having an aggregate width of 200 feet; and, neither side yard shall have a width of less than 75 feet. On each corner lot there shall be two side yards: the side yard abutting a street shall have width of not less than 125 feet and the side yard not abutting the street shall have a width of not less than 75 feet.
[Ord. 6/20/1979]
The tract of land on which each permitted use is conducted shall in its entirety, be owned and/or operated as a single or common management and maintenance unit, so as to insure compliance with regulations governing common open areas, parking, utility, maintenance and service facilities.