[Adopted 10-16-2017 by Ord. No. 1019]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
FAMILY
Any number of individuals living together on a nontransient
basis as a single housekeeping unit and doing their cooking on the
premises. The definition shall not apply to the occupants of a club,
fraternity house, lodge or residential club. Notwithstanding the aforesaid
definition, a family shall include any number of mentally or physically
handicapped persons occupying a dwelling unit as a single, nonprofit
housekeeping unit, if such occupants are handicapped persons as defined
in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by the Fair
Housing Amendments Act of 1988. Such unrelated individuals shall have
the right to occupy a dwelling unit in the same manner and to the
same extent as any family unit as described previously.
MULTIFAMILY DWELLING
A detached residential dwelling containing three or more
dwelling units. Units may be arranged either entirely in vertical
rows (like townhouses) and are generally located entirely above or
below one another. Units may share outside access and/or internal
hallways, lobbies and similar facilities. The dwelling units cannot
be individually lotted but instead share the lot or tract on which
the building containing them is located. The development is usually
under one operating unit, as a rental or condominium development.
This dwelling type includes but is not limited to low-rise, mid-rise
and high-rise apartments and multifamily conversions as defined below.
A.
LOW-RISE APARTMENTAn apartment building not exceeding three stories and 36 feet in height, also known as a "garden apartment."
B.
MID-RISE APARTMENTAn apartment building exceeding three stories and 36 feet in height but not exceeding six stories and 72 feet in height.
C.
HIGH-RISE APARTMENTAn apartment building exceeding six stories and 72 feet in height but not exceeding 10 stories and 120 feet in height.
D.
MULTIFAMILY CONVERSIONA multifamily dwelling, containing not more than four units, that results from the conversion of a single-family or two-family dwelling, also known as a "converted apartment building.
OWNER
The legal owner of a property in Morrisville Borough.
SINGLE-FAMILY ATTACHED DWELLING UNIT
A dwelling unit having its own independent outside access,
with no other dwelling units located directly and totally above or
below it, and having party walls in common with at least one but not
more than three adjacent similar dwelling units and located in a building
comprised of at least three dwelling units. Each dwelling unit may
be individually lotted or owned as a condominium. This dwelling type
shall include but not be limited to dwelling units commonly known
as "townhouses," "row houses," "triplexes," "quadruplexes," and "multiplexes."
SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED DWELLING
A dwelling designed for and occupied exclusively as a residence
for only one family and not attached to any other building or dwelling
units.
SINGLE-FAMILY SEMIDETACHED DWELLING (TWIN)
A two-family building with dwelling units placed side by
side and joined to each other by a vertical common party wall but
otherwise surrounded by yard areas. When lotted, each dwelling unit
may be on a separate lot, with the common boundary between the two
lots running along the common party wall. Separate ingress and egress
is provided to each unit.
TOWNHOUSE (ROW HOUSE)
A single-family attached dwelling in a row of at least three
units, with one dwelling unit from ground to roof, with individual
outside access. Although these units are in rows, their design should
deemphasize a lined-up appearance.
TWO-FAMILY BUILDING
A residential building containing two dwelling units and
which is not attached to any other building. A two-family building
counts as two dwelling units for density purposes.
TWO-FAMILY DETACHED (DUPLEX)
A two-family building with one dwelling unit placed above
the other so that they share a common horizontal partition. When lotted,
a duplex shall be entirely on one lot. Separate ingress and egress
is provided to each unit.
Any person who violates any provision of this article shall
be issued a citation and, upon conviction by a court of competent
jurisdiction, shall be subject to a fine of $1,000 per nonlicensed
dwelling unit, plus any court costs and reasonable attorneys'
fees incurred by the Borough of Morrisville to enforce this article.
Each day that a person is in violation of any provision of this article
shall constitute a separate offense.
[Adopted 5-20-2019 by Ord. No. 1025]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
OWNER
The individual, individuals, entity or entities indicated
by the Bucks County Board of Assessment records as having legal title
to a property.
RENT or RENTAL
An arrangement whereby one or more persons obtain permission
to occupy a property or portion thereof, regardless of whether compensation
or other consideration is passed by a transient visitor to the owner
or an agent of the owner.
SHORT-TERM LODGING
The occupancy of a dwelling unit or portion thereof, situated
in a residential districts and not built as a hotel or motel, which
is offered for temporary rental occupancy by transients.
TRANSIENT VISITOR
An occupant of a dwelling unit or sleeping unit for not more
than 30 days, unless occupant is related to the owner as married spouse,
parent or child, grandparent or grandchild, or brother or sister.
Unless qualified as a motel or bed-and-breakfast use conducted
in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance, short-term lodging is prohibited throughout Morrisville
Borough except in the following circumstances:
A. Specific bedroom accommodation. The owner of an owner-occupied single-family
dwelling may rent not more than two bedrooms to transient visitors
for a period of not less than 24 hours and not more than 30 consecutive
days. Under this arrangement, the owner must occupy the residence
during the stay of the transient visitor.
B. Entire residential unit accommodation. An owner may rent a residential
property he/she/it/they own(s) to transient visitors for a minimum
period of seven consecutive days, not to exceed 90 consecutive or
nonconsecutive calendar days per year (each year shall be January
1 through December 31). Under this type of arrangement, the owner
may, but is not required to, remain on the premises during the stay
of the transient guests.
Any short-term lodging arrangements allowed under this article
must meet all of the following standards:
A. The dwelling shall remain as a single household residential living
unit with common housekeeping, kitchen and laundry facilities.
B. The current Morrisville Borough Code of Ordinances will determine
the maximum occupancy of the short-term lodging facility and, in the
case where the owner-occupant rents a specific bedroom accommodation,
the number of individuals permitted in the designated bedroom.
C. Nothing in this housing ordinance shall allow the license to make
the short-term facility available for use by a transient visitor or
guest for nonresidential purposes, such as, but not limited to, the
lease or use of the property as reception space, party space, meeting
space or for other similar events open to the transient guests.
D. A short-term lodging facility shall be either of the types set forth in §
400-6 of this article for the entire duration of the annual license unless a new short-term lodging license is obtained and a new license fee is paid. A facility may not change or mix the type of transient accommodation it houses during a licensed period.
E. The short-term lodging facility shall not adversely affect the residential
character of the neighborhood. Short-term rental may not generate
noise, vibration, glare, odor or other effects that unreasonably interfere
with a person's enjoyment of his or her neighborhood.
F. The owner shall be responsible for the safety and welfare of all transient visitors and guests, preserving the peace and quiet of the community within which the short-term lodging facility is found from noises or disruptions caused by any transient visitor or guest, and for maintaining the property in accordance with all laws, regulations and ordinances, including but not limited to any conduct which would qualify as a prohibited act within the meaning of Chapter
312, concerning peace and good order, of the Codified Ordinances of the Borough, and promptly report those persons violating the same to the responsible Borough officers and departments for enforcement purposes.
G. There shall be an annual inspection, conducted by the Borough in
accordance with the fee schedule. The owner of the short-term lodging
facility is responsible for scheduling the inspection and paying the
fee. Failure to do so will result in revocation of the short-term
lodging license.
H. There shall be no physical changes to the premises so that it no
longer looks like a single-family dwelling, such as constructing a
separate entrance for the use of the transient visitor or guest.
I. The owner of the short-term lodging facility is responsible for trash
and recycling removal. Lodgers must be notified of trash and recycling
collection days.
J. With respect to making the property available for use, the owners
of the short-term lodging facility shall comply with all anti-discrimination
provisions under state and federal law.
K. The owner of the short-term lodging facility must maintain a ledger,
containing information as required by the Borough, which details the
length of stay of each transient visitor and present same to a Morrisville
Borough Code enforcement officer when requested.
The provisions of this article are severable. If any section,
clause, sentence, part or provision thereof shall be held illegal,
invalid, or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction,
such decision of the court shall not affect or impair any of the remaining
sections, clauses, sentences, parts or provisions of this article.
It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Borough Council that
this article would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid or unconstitutional
section, clause, sentence or part of a provision had not been included
herein.