[Ord. 160, 4/6/1977; as amended by Ord. 265, 2/24/1988]
In accordance with the objectives of the Township Comprehensive Plan, it is desirable to preserve prime agricultural land within the Township. The Township, therefore, intends to encourage an optional form of residential development within the agricultural areas at a density not to exceed one dwelling unit per acre which will allow for increased flexibility in design in conjunction with the preservation of farmland. In addition to the goals set forth in Part 1 and this chapter, it is the intent of the Township to promote and encourage this optional form of residential development which will provide for and protect large areas of open space and will further encourage the use of that preserved area for those agricultural and/or recreational uses listed in § 27-903, Subsection 6B.
[Ord. 160, 4/6/1977; as amended by Ord. 265, 2/24/1988; by Ord. 277, 8/10/1988; by Ord.
289, 5/10/1989; by Ord. 290, 5/24/1989; by Ord. 339, 11/13/1991; by Ord. 343, 12/11/1991; by Ord. 438, 7/8/1998; by Ord. 470, 12/13/2000; by Ord. 488, 1/22/2003; by Ord. 523, 12/12/2007; and by Ord. 564, 8/22/2012, § 3]
1.
Use regulations in the AR District shall be as follows:
A.
Uses by Right.
(1)
Agricultural, including tilling of soils, raising of livestock,
horses or poultry, nursery, and landscape operations.
(2)
Kennels.
(3)
Horseboarding, riding academy.
(4)
No-impact home-based business, where such business is located
in a dwelling and provided such use shall not supersede any deed restriction,
covenant or agreement restricting the use of land, or any master deed,
by-law or other document applicable to a common-interest-ownership
community.
(6)
One single-family detached dwelling.
B.
Conditional Uses.
(1)
Farm or agricultural retail sales, subject to the following
provisions:
(a)
Farm or agricultural retail sales may only be permitted as an
accessory use to an existing farm or agricultural use.
(b)
Farm or agricultural retail sales shall be operated and maintained
by the owners of the property on which the farm stand is located.
(c)
At least 50% of the agricultural products sold at the farm stand
shall have been grown, raised, produced, processed or packaged on
the property accommodating the farm stand.
(d)
No more than one farm stand shall be permitted on any individual
property or lot. The total display area of the agricultural products
sold at the farm stand shall be limited to 2,000 cumulative square
feet of gross floor area or display area.
(e)
The farm stand shall be considered as a temporary and portable
display area, which shall be located at least 50 feet from the center
line of the cartway and 200 feet from a street intersection. In no
case shall the farm stand be placed within the street right-of-way.
(f)
The farm stand shall be designed as a portable display area,
which shall be removed during seasons when agricultural products are
not sold or if the farm stand becomes inactive for 30 consecutive
days.
(g)
If permitted by the Board of Supervisors as part of the conditional use application, the farm stand may be permitted as a permanent structure, provided that it is located in a manner to comply with the minimum and maximum dimensional requirements specified under § 27-303, Subsection 1B, of this chapter.
(h)
Sufficient off-street parking spaces shall be designed, located
and constructed in a manner considering the customer vehicles entering
and exiting the property. All such off-street parking spaces shall
be mud free and shall not create a traffic hazard. A minimum of four
off-street parking spaces shall be provided.
(i)
A sign displaying the name or products for sale may be permitted,
subject to the following requirements: no more than two such signs
shall be erected on the lot; the area of the sign shall not exceed
12 cumulative square feet in size; the sign shall not be illuminated
at any time; the sign shall be an accessory structure of the farm
stand, which shall be part of the display area; and the sign shall
be either fixed flat on the main wall of the display area or may be
erected in the front yard, but not within 10 feet of the cartway.
(j)
All lawful preexisting farm or agricultural retail sales uses
or farm stands that have been in effect or recognized as a use prior
to the passage of this paragraph shall be classified as a nonconforming
use, provided that such uses or farm stands exceed the provisions
of this subsection. All such nonconforming agricultural retail sales
uses or farm stands shall be permitted to expand or increase by no
more than 10% in terms of its total size and/or use, as it existed
at the time of the passage of this paragraph.
(2)
Cluster-designed subdivisions, per Part 9.
C.
Accessory Uses.
(1)
Any use which is entirely incidental and subordinate to the
above permitted uses and is located on the same lot or parcel.
D.
Use by Special Exception. The following uses shall be permitted as
a special exception after approval by the Zoning Hearing Board:
(1)
Home occupations.
(3)
Guesthouse (bed-and-breakfast), subject to the specific criteria
listed below:
(a)
No more than seven guest rooms may be provided. No more than
two adults and two children may occupy one guest room.
(b)
The use shall be limited to an existing single-family dwelling
constructed prior to 1938.
(c)
The minimum lot size for such a use shall be three acres for
the first three guest rooms and 1/2 additional acre for each additional
guest room.
(d)
Off-street parking spaces shall be located to the rear of the
front building line of the principal dwelling.
(f)
No external alterations, additions or extensions to the exterior
structure shall be permitted in excess of 25% of the floor area, except
as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry or
for safety reasons as required by any other governmental agency.
(g)
The use shall be carried on primarily by members of the immediate
family residing on the premises. Nonresident employees shall be limited
to no more than two on the premises at any one time, in addition to
those resident members of the family.
(h)
There shall be no separate kitchen or cooking facilities in
any guest room. Food served on the premises shall be for guests and
resident family only, and food preparation facilities shall conform
to all applicable State and/or local health regulations. Guests may
be served breakfast and afternoon nonalcoholic beverages only.
(i)
The maximum length of stay at a guest house shall be 14 days
within any six-month period.
(j)
The use of any outdoor amenities provided by the use, such as
swimming pool or tennis courts, shall be restricted to the resident
family and its guests and to the guests of the guesthouse establishment
and shall be limited to the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
(k)
Any outdoor amenities as referenced in Subsection 1D(3)(j) above and/or any off-street parking as required under Subsection 1D(3)(d) above shall be located not less than 20 feet from any property line. All such facilities are required to be screened by vegetative landscaping. Such landscaping shall consist of an evergreen hedge at least 3 1/2 feet in height or two staggered rows of evergreen trees with no more than 10 feet separation for each row between each tree.
(l)
Sewage disposal methods shall conform to the requirements of
the Bucks County Department of Health. If the proposed use is to be
served by public sewer, the applicant shall submit documentation from
the Northampton, Bucks County, Municipal Authority that said use shall
be served.
(m)
Such a use shall be located on a lot having frontage on one
or more of the following streets:
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Name of Street
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Almshouse Road
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Bridgetown Pike
|
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Bristol Road
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Buck Road
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Bustleton Pike
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East Holland Road
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Hatboro Road
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Holland Road
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Jacksonville Road
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Lower Holland Road
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Middle Holland Road
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New Road
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Newtown-Richboro Road
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Old Jacksonville Road
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Sackettsford Road
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Second Street Pike
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Spencer Road
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Tanyard Road
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Temperance Lane
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Twiningford Road
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Twining Road
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Upper Holland Road
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Worthington Mill Road
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(4)
(Reserved)
[Ord. 160, 4/6/1977; as amended by Ord. 186, 10/22/1980; by Ord. 210, 5/9/1984; by Ord. 339, 11/13/1991; by Ord.
415, 1/22/1997; and by Ord. 564, 8/22/2012,
§ 4]
1.
Area and development regulations in the AR District shall be as follows:
A.
Single-family detached dwelling and retail agricultural sales.
B.
All other uses, including residential where it is an adjunct to other
uses.
