[Amended 4-6-2015 by Ord. No. 134; 9-13-2021; 2-5-2024]
It is the legislative intent of the Rural Residential (RR) District to:
A. 
Preserve open land by setting development apart from sensitive natural features, such as woodlands, steep slopes, streams, floodplains, and wetlands.
B. 
Preserve scenic views and elements of rural character by minimizing perceived density and views of development from existing roads.
C. 
Provide flexibility and efficiency in the siting of infrastructure and the provision of services.
D. 
Encourage compact residential clusters with direct visual and physical access to open space for recreational, contemplative, and related purposes.
E. 
Reduce erosion and stream sedimentation by the retention of existing vegetation, and by the minimization of development on steep slopes.
F. 
Retain the rural character and scenic qualities of areas within Hamilton Township while, at the same time, allow for reasonable and sympathetic residential development in rural areas of the Township where the incidence of active agriculture is relatively low.
G. 
Protect and stabilize general agriculture as an ongoing economic activity in the Hamilton Township area by encouraging those land uses and activities which are agricultural in nature or act in direct support thereof. Therefore, owners, occupants and users of property within the Rural Residential District should be prepared to accept impacts associated with normal farming practices and agricultural operations and are hereby put on official notice that Section 4 of Act 133 of 1982, known as the Right to Farm Law,[1] may bar them from obtaining a legal judgment against such agricultural operations.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 3 P.S. § 951 et seq.
A. 
Single-family detached dwelling.
B. 
Agriculture.
C. 
Agricultural Society meeting hall and/or offices.
D. 
Farm market.
E. 
Forestry, excluding permanent sawmills, pursuant to § 150-98.
F. 
Government offices, municipal building.
G. 
Horse boarding stable.
H. 
Public utility uses.
I. 
Riding schools.
J. 
Wildlife sanctuaries and nature preserves, pursuant to § 150-98.
K. 
Custom butchering.
L. 
Custom butcher shop.
M. 
Farm, excluding agribusiness operation.
N. 
Places of worship, pursuant to § 150-98.
O. 
Estate lot, pursuant to § 150-98.
P. 
Veterinarian facilities and animal hospitals, pursuant to § 150-98.
Q. 
Animal shelter.
R. 
Campsite hosting, in accordance with § 150-98.
S. 
Cemetery.
T. 
Farm equipment sales.
U. 
Greenhouse.
V. 
Nursery.
A structure may be erected or used, and a lot may be used for the following permitted accessory uses and no other:
A. 
Wind energy systems, pursuant to § 150-98.
B. 
No-impact home-based business, pursuant to § 150-96.
C. 
Other accessory uses and structures, including farm buildings, on the same lot that are customarily incidental to the uses permitted by right, pursuant to § 150-96.
D. 
Produce stands, pursuant to § 150-96.
E. 
Wireless communications antennas mounted on an existing public utility transmission tower, building, or other structure, along with associated communications equipment buildings, pursuant to § 150-98.
F. 
Accessory solar energy systems (ASES), pursuant to § 150-96.
G. 
Accessory dwelling unit, pursuant to § 150-98.
H. 
Cottage industries, pursuant to § 150-98.
I. 
Home occupation, pursuant to § 150-98.
J. 
Campsite hosting, when accessory to a dwelling, farm, or agricultural operation, pursuant to § 150-98.
K. 
Farm-related business, in accordance with § 150-98.
L. 
Farm worker housing, pursuant to § 150-98.
M. 
Greenhouse, when accessory to a farm or agricultural operation.
N. 
Greenhouse, for personal, noncommercial use when accessory to a residence.
O. 
Growing/producing agricultural products on nonfarm.
P. 
Nursery, when accessory to a farm or agricultural operation.
Q. 
Personal use building, pursuant to § 150-96.
The following uses and lotting arrangements are permitted by special exception in accordance with the following standards, the performance standards contained in this chapter, and any additional standards that the Hamilton Township Zoning Hearing Board may deem necessary to apply:
A. 
Bed-and-breakfast inns, pursuant to § 150-98.
B. 
Campgrounds, pursuant to § 150-98.
C. 
Golf courses, pursuant to § 150-98.
D. 
Park and recreation uses and easements, public and private, limited to passive recreation activities such as walking and hiking, bicycling, nature observation, and picnicking.
E. 
Recycled materials collection and processing facilities, pursuant to § 150-98.
F. 
Agricultural tourism operation, as an accessory to a farm or agricultural operation, pursuant to § 150-98.
G. 
Shooting range, outdoor, pursuant to § 150-98.
H. 
Tasting room/winery/cidery/brewery/distillery, as a principal use or as an accessory to a farm or agricultural operation, pursuant to § 150-98.
Within the RR District, the following uses are permitted by conditional use in accordance with the performance standards contained in this chapter. The Township Supervisors may authorize a use as a conditional use if it conforms, at a minimum, to these stated standards and criteria. The Township Supervisors may apply additional criteria to specific projects, where appropriate, to protect the residential environment of developing neighborhoods, and in the interests of public health, safety, and welfare.
A. 
Bio-gas or bio-fuel facilities.
B. 
Wind farms.
C. 
Rural events venue, as a principal use, pursuant to § 150-98.
For parent tract properties (existing on January 3, 2000, the date of the initial application of RR Zoning standards in Hamilton Township) proposed for subdivision, a portion of the parcel must be set aside as open land in accordance with the following requirements.
A. 
Open land shall be provided in accordance with the following scale:
(1) 
For a parent tract of less than 10 acres in size, no open land must be provided.
(2) 
For a parent tract of 10 acres to 25 acres in size, 50% of the parcel shall remain in open land. The open land shall be retained either on the parent tract or on the open land portion of an estate lot.
(3) 
For a parent tract of greater than 25 acres in size, 75% of the parcel shall remain in open land. The open land shall be retained either on the parent tract or on the open land portion of an estate lot.
B. 
Open land may be devoted to one or more of the following uses:
(1) 
Conservation of land in its natural state.
(2) 
Passive recreation areas including hiking and bicycling trails, nature observation, and picnicking. Development easements for these areas may be offered to the Township or the county, to land trusts, or to other nonprofit organizations whose purpose is to conserve and protect open spaces, scenic views, and overall rural qualities. If open land is offered to the Township for passive recreation purposes, the Township is not under obligation to accept any or all of the land.
(3) 
Easements for drainage, access, sewer and/or waterlines, trails for pedestrian, bicycle, or equestrian uses, and other similar easements.
(4) 
Stormwater management facilities designed in accordance with applicable standards established by the Hamilton Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance,[1] and/or any other applicable agencies.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 120, Subdivision and Land Development.
(5) 
Agricultural activities in accordance with § 150-20 and § 150-21; provided, however, that agribusiness operations are expressly prohibited within the open land areas required by the RR District.
(6) 
Pastures.
(7) 
Approved water supply and sewage disposal systems for individual residences. Said sewage disposal systems may include spray irrigation fields, on-site or off-site sand mounds, or other individual or community treatment systems, provided that appropriate approvals are obtained from state and local agencies.
C. 
The following standards shall apply to the open land set aside, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter:
(1) 
Significant site features including, but not limited to, major tree stands or wooded areas, hedgerows, water bodies and slopes, shall be protected as open land in compliance with the intent of this chapter.
(2) 
Open land of adjacent parcels shall share a common boundary to the maximum extent possible to provide areas of continuous open land throughout the RR District.
(3) 
Natural features shall generally be maintained in their natural condition, may be modified in accordance with the recommendations of appropriately knowledgeable persons in the area being modified. Such modifications shall improve the appearance, operation, functionality of overall condition of an open land area and may include:
(a) 
Reforestation.
(b) 
Woodland management.
(c) 
Meadow management.
(d) 
Stream bank management.
(e) 
Wetlands management.
A. 
Density. Within the RR District, the following maximum residential density standards apply.
(1) 
A maximum of one dwelling unit per five acres, with the exception that, if a lot of less than 10 acres has been in existence prior to the date the RR District was applied to it (January 3, 2000), one dwelling unit may be subdivided from said lot.
(2) 
The density allocated by Subsection A(1) above shall be calculated based on the parcel size, as of January 3, 2000, the date of the initial application of the RR District in Hamilton Township. Additional dwelling units will not be allocated where a lot addition is added to the subject parcel after the original date of application.
B. 
Minimum lot area.
(1) 
Residential: one acre.
(2) 
Estate lot: five acres.
(3) 
Farm: 20 acres.
(4) 
All other uses: one acre.
C. 
Maximum lot area.
(1) 
Residential: five acres.
(2) 
Estate lot: 20 acres.
(3) 
All other uses: none.
D. 
Minimum lot width.
(1) 
Single-family detached dwelling: 150 feet.
(2) 
Estate lot: 150 feet.
(3) 
All other uses: 150 feet.
E. 
Minimum setbacks.
(1) 
Front: 50 feet measured from the right-of-way of the adjoining road.
(2) 
Side: 25 feet measured from the side property line.
(3) 
Rear: 25 feet measured from the rear property line.
(4) 
Corner lots: For corner lots, front yard requirements shall be applied along all property boundaries facing road rights-of-way, and rear yard requirements shall be applied along all other property boundaries.
F. 
Maximum lot coverage.
(1) 
Residential uses: 25%.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses: 20%.
G. 
Minimum vegetative coverage.
(1) 
Residential uses: 75%.
(2) 
Nonresidential uses: 80%.
H. 
Maximum building height: 35 feet.
The uses permitted in this district are also subject to the applicable regulations contained in the following sections of this chapter:
A. 
Article XIV, General Regulations.
B. 
Article XV, Performance Standards.
C. 
Article XVI, Sign Regulations.
D. 
Article XVII, Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations.