Township of Hamiltonban, PA Village Mixed-Use (VM) District

§ 375-27 Statement of legislative intent.

It is hereby declared to be the intent of the VM District to:

Encourage creative development of the lands surrounding Fairfield Borough using village design character that complements the existing character of the Borough.

Promote the use of a grid street system that connects new development with the existing street network within Fairfield Borough and that accommodates both motorized and nonmotorized modes of transportation equally.

Provide for a variety of dwelling unit types in a manner that precludes any one dwelling unit type from dominating the streetscape and that avoids the development of neighborhoods with a variety of dwelling unit options.

Establish village design standards, including building placement, landscaping, and parking placement standards, that emulate the development patterns found in traditional villages.

Encourage the appropriate development of limited, community-serving commercial uses within village development projects.

§ 375-28 Use regulations.

Permitted uses. The following uses are permitted in the VM District.

(1)

Child-care facility, in accordance with § 375-80I.

Emergency services.

Forestry.

Governmental uses.

Mixed-use buildings, included as part of a development subject to the site development standards of § 375-29, and in accordance with § 375-80GG.

(6)

Places of worship.

(7)

Personal service shops, included as part of a development subject to the site development standards of § 375-29.

(8)

Professional offices, included as part of a development subject to the site development standards of § 375-29.

(9)

Public park, recreation, and resource management uses.

(10)

Schools.

(11)

Single-family detached dwellings.

(12)

Single-family semidetached dwellings.

(13)

Specialty retail shops, included as part of a development subject to the site development standards of § 375-29.

(14)

Two-family dwellings.

Accessory uses. The following uses are permitted as accessory uses to any permitted principal use in the VM District.

(1)

Child-care facility (accessory to nonresidential use), in accordance with § 375-80I.

(2)

Detached accessory structures, including but not necessarily limited to detached garages and utility sheds.

(3)

Group child care, in accordance with § 375-80I.

(4)

Homestays, in accordance with § 375-80Y.

(5)

Home occupations, in accordance with § 375-80Z.

(6)

No-impact home-based businesses, in accordance with § 375-80II.

(7)

Wireless communication facility, co-location, outside public right-of-way, proposed as either a stand-alone facility or as part of a DAS, in accordance with § 375-80VV.

Special exception uses. The following uses are permitted by special exception in the VM District in accordance with the following standards and criteria, any reasonable conditions that the Zoning Hearing Board may deem necessary, and in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 375-111 of this chapter:

(1)

Apartment buildings, in accordance with § 375-80D.

(2)

Continuing care retirement community, in accordance with § 375-80K.

(3)

Group home, in accordance with § 375-80W.

(4)

Mobile home parks, in accordance with § 375-80HH.

(5)

Single-family attached dwellings, in accordance with § 375-80RR.

(6)

Wireless communication facility, co-location, inside public right-of-way, proposed as either a stand-alone facility or as part of a DAS, in accordance with § 375-80UU.

(7)

Wireless communication facility, tower-based, inside public right-of-way, proposed as either a stand-alone facility or as part of a DAS, in accordance with § 375-80WW.

(8)

Uses not expressly permitted elsewhere in this chapter and that exhibit the same general character of the uses listed in § 375-28, when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with §§ 375-80ZZ and 375-111.

§ 375-29 Site development standards.

All development proposals involving the construction of expanded or new streets shall meet the following minimum site development standards:

Grid street system. A grid street network shall be employed for all developments. The grid street network shall be based on, and become an extension of, the existing grid street network in Fairfield Borough. The grid street network shall meet the following specific requirements:

(1)

Vehicle access. Vehicle access to all properties shall be provided from alley streets. No vehicle access to property may be permitted from streets other than alley streets.

(2)

Blocks shall be of sufficient depth to allow for lots to be arranged on both sides of an alley. Block length and width shall comply with applicable requirements of Chapter 320, Subdivision and Land Development.

(3)

Street connectivity:

(a)

Existing streets. Where the development is proposed on a parcel that either borders or is bisected by an existing street, the grid street network for the development shall incorporate the existing street in a manner that logically extends the grid street network between lands in Hamiltonban Township and Fairfield Borough.

(b)

Reserve strips. Where existing strips of property have been reserved to enable future street connections to be established, such reserve strips shall be used to facilitate such street connections within the grid street network. In addition, reserve strips shall be retained to enable further extension of the grid street system to adjoining undeveloped properties.

(c)

Extensions. Where a logical extension of the existing grid street network is identified, but where such extension involves a portion of a street to be constructed on land other than that being proposed for development, the developer shall provide the necessary street right-of-way to the property line to enable the future street connection when development is proposed on the adjoining property. The developer shall complete construction of the street to the property line prior to the completion of any phase of development on the adjoining property that would require the street connection.

Sidewalks. Sidewalks, constructed to standards established in Chapter 320, Subdivision and Land Development, or other controlling ordinances, shall be provided along both sides of all streets. A three-foot-wide planting strip shall be provided between the street cartway/curb and the sidewalk.

Landscaping. Street trees shall be planted within all planting strips required by § 375-29B. Street trees shall be located and planted in accordance with applicable requirements of Chapter 320, Subdivision and Land Development, with the exception that street trees shall be planted no further than 30 feet apart.

Dwelling unit types. Any development that includes residential uses (excluding mobile home parks and continuing care retirement communities) shall include a mix of dwelling unit types within the development. The mix of dwelling unit types shall comply with the following standards:

(1)

Number of dwelling unit types. The number of dwelling unit types within a development shall be based upon the number of proposed dwelling units, in accordance with the following criteria:

(a)

For a development with 25 or more but fewer than 100 dwelling units, two dwelling unit types shall be proposed.

(b)

For a development with 100 or more but fewer than 200 dwelling units, three dwelling unit types shall be proposed.

(c)

For a development with 200 or more dwelling units, four dwelling unit types shall be proposed.

(2)

Dwelling unit percentages. The percentage of individual dwelling unit types within a development shall be in accordance with the following criteria:

(a)

Where two dwelling unit types are proposed, no dwelling unit type shall constitute more than 60% nor less than 40% of the total proposed dwelling units.

(b)

Where three dwelling unit types are proposed, no dwelling unit type shall constitute more than 50% nor less than 25% of the total proposed dwelling units.

(c)

Where four dwelling unit types are proposed, no dwelling unit type shall constitute more than 50% nor less than 15% of the total proposed dwelling units.

(3)

Dwelling unit organization. A development with two or more residential dwelling types shall be designed in a manner that disperses each dwelling unit type throughout the development. Development designs that concentrate each dwelling unit type into specific areas are prohibited. To achieve this standard, the following standards shall be applied:

(a)

Single-family detached dwellings. The maximum number of single-family detached dwellings that may be arranged along one side of a street with no break shall be 12.

(b)

Single-family semidetached and two-family dwellings. The maximum number of single-family semi-detached or two-family dwellings that may be arranged along one side of a street with no break shall be 16.

(c)

Single-family attached dwellings and apartment buildings. The maximum number of single-family attached dwellings and units within apartment buildings that may be arranged along one side of a street with no break shall be 24.

(d)

Features that provide the required breaks between an individual dwelling unit type grouping shall include street intersections, a grouping of a different housing type with four or more dwelling units, one or more nonresidential uses, or common open space with at least 200 feet of frontage on the street.

All principal buildings, including both residential and nonresidential uses, shall be oriented in a manner where the front facade of the building faces the street to which the use is addressed. Further, access to principal buildings shall comply with the following.

(1)

Where a lot is developed with a single dwelling unit (a single-family detached dwelling, a single-family semidetached dwelling, or a single-family attached dwelling) or a single nonresidential use, a primary entrance to the building must be provided within the front facade.

(2)

Where a lot is developed with two or more dwelling units or nonresidential uses on the same lot, at least one of the uses shall be provided with a primary entrance within the front facade. Where the uses are oriented using common entrances (such as within at apartment building), at least one of the common entrances must be provided within the front facade.

Off-street parking. In addition to the requirements established in Article XIX, all off-street parking shall comply with the following requirements:

(1)

All off-street parking spaces shall be accessed from an alley street.

(2)

Off-street parking for a lot developed with a single dwelling unit shall be provided within the rear yard.

(3)

Off-street parking for a lot developed with a nonresidential use or with two or more dwelling units shall be located in either the side or rear yard.

Trash disposal. For any use or combination of uses that will require use of a trash dumpster, said dumpster shall be located within the rear yard of the property on which the use or uses are proposed. The dumpster shall be serviced from the alley street, and shall be shall be screened on all sides by a six-foot fence.

Commercial uses. Where commercial uses are proposed in accordance with a development project, such uses shall comply with the following requirements.

(1)

Location. Commercial uses shall be located on lots that adjoin an intersection of two streets other than alley streets.

(2)

Tenures. Commercial uses may be established on a lot specifically dedicated to the use, or they may be established on a lot together with residential uses. When developed in tandem with residential uses, the building shall be developed with the commercial use on the first floor and residential uses (such as apartments) on the upper floors.

(3)

Building design. Commercial uses shall be located in buildings of at least two stories in height. Single story commercial buildings shall not be permitted in the VM District.

Utilities. Public sewer and public water service shall be provided.

§ 375-30 Dimensional requirements.

Minimum lot area.

(1)

Single-family detached dwellings: 10,000 square feet.

(2)

Single-family semidetached and two-family dwellings: 7,500 square feet per dwelling unit.

(3)

Single-family attached dwellings: 4,000 square feet per dwelling unit.

(4)

Apartment buildings. 15,000 square feet per building.

(5)

Mobile home parks: 10 acres.

(6)

Continuing care retirement community: 10 acres.

(7)

All other uses: 2,000 square feet.

Maximum density: five dwelling units per acre. The maximum density calculation shall be applied to the parcel as it existed on the effective date of this section.

Minimum lot width.

(1)

Single-family detached dwellings: 75 feet.

(2)

Single-family semidetached and two-family dwellings: 60 feet per dwelling unit.

(3)

Single-family attached dwellings: 25 feet per dwelling unit.

(4)

Apartment buildings: 100 feet per building.

(5)

Mobile home parks: 250 feet.

(6)

Continuing care retirement community: 250 feet.

(7)

All other uses: 150 feet.

Build-to line. All principal buildings shall be placed within a build-to line range of between four feet and 12 feet.

Minimum side setback.

(1)

Single-family detached dwellings, single-family semidetached dwellings, and two-family dwellings: five feet.

[Amended 5-19-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-06]

(2)

Single-family attached (townhouse) dwellings and apartment buildings: 10 feet.

(3)

Mobile home parks and continuing care retirement community: 25 feet.

(4)

All other uses: 15 feet.

(5)

Where attached dwelling units include a side lot line arranged along a common party wall separating two dwelling units, no side setback shall be applied along said side lot line for principal or accessory structure on the lot.

Minimum rear setback.

(1)

Single-family detached dwellings, single-family semidetached dwellings, and two-family dwellings: five feet.

[Amended 5-19-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-06]

(2)

Single-family attached (townhouse) dwellings and apartment buildings: 10 feet.

(3)

Mobile home parks and continuing care retirement community: 25 feet.

(4)

All other uses: 15 feet.

Maximum lot coverage.

(1)