[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 700]
The RD, Residential Development District is designated to provide
opportunities for higher density residential development through a
full variety of housing types, served by public sewer and public water
in close proximity to the Borough of New Hope and accessible from
the principal highway through the Township, U.S. Route 202.
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 701; as amended by Ord. 153,
5/3/1994, § 1; by Ord. 163, 2/4/1997, § I.3; by
Ord. 171, 7/7/1998, § I.3; by Ord. 195, 10/1/2002, § I.3;
by Ord. 200, 3/18/2003, § IV; by Ord. 2006-3, 2/21/2006,
Art. IV; and by Ord. 2014-5, 5/22/2014, Art. XIV]
1. A building may be erected, altered or used, and land may be used
or occupied, subject to the provisions of Parts 25, 26 and 31, for
any of the following uses and for no other:
A. Permitted Principal Uses.
(1)
Single-family detached dwellings.
(2)
Single-family attached dwellings.
(6)
Forestry/timber harvesting uses.
(7)
Wireless telecommunications facilities (possibly permitted by right or as a conditional use pursuant to the conditions and requirements contained in §
27-2611).
B. Permitted Accessory Uses. Except as provided in Subsection
1C(1), the following shall apply:
(1)
Accessory uses on the same lot and customarily incidental to the principal residential uses permitted in Subsection
1A.
(2)
Parking space in accordance with Part
23.
(3)
Signs in accordance with Part
24.
(4)
No-impact home-based business.
(5)
Individual backyard composting facility.
[Added by Ord. 2018-004, 3/6/2018]
C. Conditional Uses. (Refer to Part
26 for special provisions and Part
29 for standards and criteria).
(1)
Home occupation; home professional office which are accessory.
(2)
Open space for recreational and conservation purposes, subject to Part
28.
(3)
Long-term residential health care facility.
[Added by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
(5)
Development under the flexible open space option on any tract not less that 20 acres in area and in accordance with Part
28.
(6)
Communications antenna mounted on an existing public utility transmission tower, building or other structure, including existing communications towers, and communications equipment building accessory thereto. An applicant for a conditional use to situate a communications antenna must demonstrate to the Township that it has met the requirements of §
27-2611 of this chapter.
(7)
Short-term residential health care facility.
[Added by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
(8)
Nonfamily community residential facility.
[Added by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 702]
The maximum height of dwellings and other structures erected, enlarged, altered or used shall be 35 feet, except as provided in Part
25.
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 703; as amended by Ord. 138,
5/26/1992, § 35]
1. Except as specified in Part
26 relative to setbacks, the following shall apply:
A. Single-family detached residential dwelling units with on-lot sewage
disposal and water supply systems shall meet or exceed the following
standards:
(1)
Minimum lot area: one acre.
(2)
Minimum lot width at building line: 125 feet.
(3)
Minimum lot width at street line: 50 feet.
(4)
Maximum impervious surface: 35%.
(5)
Maximum building coverage: 20%.
(6)
Minimum depth of front yard: 50 feet.
(7)
Minimum depth of rear yard: 45 feet.
(8)
Minimum individual side yard: 25 feet.
B. Single-family detached residential dwelling units with public water
supply and sewage disposal systems shall meet or exceed the following
standards:
(1)
Minimum lot area: 1/2 acre.
(2)
Minimum lot width at building line: 125 feet.
(3)
Minimum lot width at street line: 50 feet.
(4)
Maximum impervious surface: 40%.
(5)
Maximum building coverage: 20%.
(6)
Minimum depth of front yard: 40 feet.
(7)
Minimum depth of rear yard: 35 feet.
(8)
Minimum individual side yard: 20 feet.
C. Single-family semidetached dwelling units with community sewage disposal
and water supply systems shall meet the following standards:
(1)
All area and bulk regulations as provided in Subsection
1A shall apply for each individual dwelling unit, except that the side yard requirements shall only apply to one side of the unit.
(2)
The side yard for each semidetached dwelling unit shall be 45
feet.
D. Single-family semidetached dwelling units with public water supply
and sewage disposal systems shall meet the following standards:
(1)
All area and bulk regulations as provided in Subsection
1B shall apply for each individual dwelling unit, except that the side yard requirements shall only apply to one side of the unit.
(2)
The side yard for each semidetached dwelling unit shall be 35
feet.
E. Single-family attached dwelling units and mobile home park shall
meet the following standards:
(1)
The maximum gross density for all such units shall be five dwelling
units per acre.
(2)
All such units must be served by public sewage disposal and
water supply systems.
(3)
The property shall be a minimum of 35 acres in size.
(4)
The design standards of §§
27-905 and
27-2601 shall be met for all such dwelling units.
F. Multifamily dwelling units (apartments) shall meet or exceed the
following standards:
[Amended by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
(1)
The maximum gross density for all such units shall be five dwelling
units per acre.
(2)
All such units shall be served by public sewage disposal and
water supply systems.
(3)
The property shall be a minimum of 35 acres in size.
(4)
The design standards of §§
27-905 and
27-2601 shall be met for all such dwelling units.
G. Community centers shall be in accordance with §
27-604, Subsection
1C(2).
H. Long-term residential health care facilities, short-term residential
health care facilities and nonfamily community residential facilities
shall meet the following standards:
[Added by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
(1)
Minimum lot size.
(a)
Long-term residential health care facilities: eight acres.
(b)
Short-term residential health care facilities and nonfamily
community residential facilities: five acres.
(2)
The maximum gross density for the facility shall be 12 units
per acre.
(3)
Minimum building spacing: 50 feet.
(4)
The standards in §
27-1005 and the applicable subsections of §
27-2602 shall be met.
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 704; as amended by Ord. 113,
1/16/1990, §§ 51, 52; by Ord. 138, 5/26/1992, §§ 36–38;
by Ord. 153, 5/3/1994, § 1; by Ord. 2011-4, 5/3/2011, Arts.
IV–VIII; and by A.O.]
1. General Design Standards.
A. All performance standards in the open space provisions of Part
28 shall apply.
B. The topography and natural features of the site and the direction
of prevailing winds and solar orientation shall be analyzed and evaluated
in planning, designing, locating, orienting and constructing all residential
buildings and other structures, to improve the aesthetic design and
energy efficiency of the development. The development plans shall
show and supplemental notes shall explain how these factors are incorporated
into the design. The analysis and evaluation of these factors shall
be evidenced by plans, maps, illustrations, and the like.
C. Residential buildings and other structures shall be located, oriented
and designed to create architectural interest and to preserve areas
of environmental concern and further the amenities of light and air,
recreation and visual enjoyment.
D. Residential buildings and other structures shall be located and situated to promote pedestrian and visual access to open space, in accordance with the provisions of Part
28.
E. Single-family attached dwellings and multifamily (apartment) buildings
shall be designed and constructed in staggered groups and not in long
rows parallel to street or property lines. The arrangement of such
units shall create a physical and visual distinction in the lines
of the facades and the roofs of at least three feet. Such distinctions
shall be achieved through the use of varied floor plans for adjoining
units and alternating the projections and angles of exterior walls
and roofs, exterior fencing and other diversified space articulating
techniques.
F. All housing shall be sited so as to enhance privacy.
G. The maximum impervious surface coverage shall be 40%.
H. The maximum building coverage shall be 25%.
I. Development within 150 feet of the perimeter of the property shall
be designed to be harmonious with neighboring residential land uses
from an architectural height and volume standpoint.
J. All utilities shall be placed and/or installed underground.
K. Refuse stations to serve residential and recreational areas shall
be designed with suitable opaque fencing with a minimum height of
six feet, located so as to be convenient for trash removal and not
offensive to nearby residential areas.
L. Any preparatory flood control work shall be completed before construction
of buildings is started.
2. Dimensional Standards.
A. The length of any single-family attached dwellings shall not exceed
six dwelling units in any single direction.
B. The length of any multifamily building shall not exceed 180 feet
in any single direction.
C. No building shall be less than 100 feet from any RD district boundary
line which abuts an RA, RB, or VR District, and 50 feet from the perimeter
property line of any tract within the RD District; and no accessory
structure shall be less than 25 feet from such property line, except
for signs and those structures associated with ingress and egress,
lighting standards, benches and the like.
D. No building shall be closer than 50 feet from any other building.
E. No building shall be closer than 50 feet from the street line.
F. A Type 1 buffer (50 feet in width) shall be provided along the perimeter property lines in accordance with §
22-520, Landscape Conservation and Improvement Plans of the Subdivision Ordinance [Chapter
22].
G. No common parking area shall be closer than 20 feet to any single-family
attached residential building or multifamily building and shall be
screened from any such buildings to prevent direct glare from headlights
and other lights. However, common parking areas assigned to particular
dwelling units shall not be more than 100 feet from the assigned dwelling
units.
3. Open Space Standards.
A. A minimum of 40% of the property shall be designated as, restricted to and used for open space uses, subject to the provisions in Part
28.
B. A minimum of 10% of the property shall be devoted to, and constructed to provide active recreation use. Such recreation lands may be counted as part of the open space requirement described in Subsection
3A above, however, no more than 5% of the active recreation use in the form of structures such as parking, tennis courts or other paved surfaces, or walkways, fitness courses and stations, and the like, shall take place in the required buffer area and buffer planting strip.
4. Stormwater Control.
A. The storm draining system shall be designed and constructed so as
to minimize erosion and flooding, using as necessary, drainage easements,
swales, catchment basins, silt traps, and the design of cartways so
as to minimize runoff.
B. Where existing storm sewers are deemed by the Board of Supervisors
as accessible, the Board may require that proposed development connect
therewith.
C. All stormwater management design standards shall be in accordance with the provisions for design standards and required improvements embodied in the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22], as may be amended from time to time.
D. Storm sewer systems for the development shall be designed, constructed
and shall operate and be readily capable of being maintained to prevent
concentration of stormwater runoff on adjacent developed or undeveloped
properties and streets and other areas of impervious surface.
E. The design and construction of all storm drainage facilities and
storm sewer systems shall be subject to the approval of the Township.
5. Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control.
A. Plans submitted for any development shall conform to the guidelines for minimizing erosion and sedimentation as set forth in the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Manual of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection prepared by the State Conservation Commission and Bureau of Water Quality Management and the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service, as amended. In developing a plan for the control of erosion and sedimentation, the developer shall meet as a minimum the standards and specifications outlined in the aforementioned manual, as well as the standards set forth in the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22].
6. Other Environmental Controls.
A. In addition to the controls presented in the above subsections herein, all development shall be governed by the environmental controls set forth in Part
25, §
27-2512, pertaining to such matters as noise, vibration, storage, glare and heat, fire and explosion, and traffic control; and all plans, documents and other submissions in regard to any approval sought shall demonstrate compliance herewith to the Board of Supervisors.
7. Streets and Pathways.
A. The street system shall be designed so as to relate harmoniously
with land uses within and adjacent to the development through the
establishment of a hierarchy of roadway functions which includes internal
collector and local streets, to create a separation of automobile
and pedestrian traffic through the coordinated design of streets,
dwelling units, open space areas and pedestrian walkways, to create
efficient and safe connections with the existing road system of the
municipality in order to insure proper ingress and egress and to minimize
through traffic in residential areas.
B. Internal collector streets and local streets shall be so designated
and shall have a minimum right-of-way of 60 feet and minimum cartway
widths of 28 and 26 feet respectively.
C. Cul-de-sac streets shall be in accordance with the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22].
D. In order to separate automobile and pedestrian circulation and to
increase accessibility to common open space areas, pedestrian walkways
and pathways shall be provided throughout the property.
E. The construction of streets must conform to the standards set forth in the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
22] relative to paving specifications, cartway design, horizontal and vertical alignment, sight distances and the like.
8. Parking.
A. All provisions of Part
23 shall apply, in addition to the relevant provisions of the Township's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
B. In addition to the number of off-street parking spaces required by Part
23 and the Township's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, an additional 10% allowance for visitor parking space shall be made.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
D. Where parking spaces are grouped in lots, aisles at least 25 feet
in width shall be provided.
E. Parking areas shall be screened and landscaped in accordance with §
22-520, Landscape Conservation and Improvement Plans of the Subdivision Ordinance [Chapter
22].
F. No more than 60 parking spaces shall be accommodated in any single
parking area.
G. All off-street parking and/or loading areas shall be surfaced with
an asphaltic or Portland cement pavement.
9. Lighting.
A. All streets, off-street parking areas, and areas of intensive pedestrian
use shall be lighted. All such lighting shall be designed and located
so as to direct light away from adjacent residences.
B. Lighting shall be provided after dark. Lighting fixtures shall be
provided for walkways and to identify steps, ramps, and signs. Such
lighting shall be designed and located so as to direct light away
from adjacent residences.
10. Tree Conservation and Landscaping.
A. Landscape conservation and improvement plans shall be prepared in accordance with §
22-520, Landscape Conservation and Improvement Plans of the Subdivision Ordinance [Chapter
22].
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 705]
1. All design standards of §
27-905 shall apply, unless specifically related to attached or multifamily dwellings.
2. All regulations for mobile home parks in the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter
27] shall apply.