The R-1 Residential District is designed to
protect from overdevelopment those areas of the Township possessing
environmentally sensitive features and those lands which are served
by the local road network. The R-1 District is established to minimize
the possibility of groundwater contamination by providing for low
density development which depends on individual sewer and water facilities.
[Amended 10-4-2001 by Ord. No. 01-02]
A. Agricultural use requirements. The following requirements shall apply to all agricultural uses, in lieu of the area and bulk regulations established under §
200-16 for this district:
(1) To qualify as an agricultural use, the tract supporting
such use shall have a minimum area of four acres, except that mushroom
production shall be provided with a minimum of 15 acres to qualify
as a special exception.
(2) All buildings and structures used in housing livestock
and poultry and manure accumulation shall be situated no closer than
100 feet to any lot line or public right-of-way.
(3) All dwellings and buildings shall not be constructed
closer than 50 feet to all property lines.
(4) Silos and bulk bins shall be exempted from height,
area and bulk regulations when associated with an agricultural operation,
provided such structures are setback equal to or greater than their
height.
(5) Tenant farm dwellings, accessory to the principal farmhouse, shall comply with the area and bulk regulations for residential use under §
200-16.
(6) The maximum lot coverage on a farm shall not exceed
15%.
B. Special use provisions for country properties. Where
approved by the Board of Supervisors as a conditional use, the following
uses shall be permitted on country properties, in addition to otherwise
permitted principal and accessory uses, where such properties are
restricted from being subdivided into parcels less than 10 acres in
gross area. If, at any time, subdivision of a country property is
approved, resulting in any lots containing less than 10 acres, then
any conditional use approval granted under this section shall expire
and any use permitted thereunder shall immediately be discontinued.
The applicant shall affirmatively agree to such potential expiration
of conditional use approval and discontinuance of use at the time
of conditional use application.
(1) Kennel, provided that any building, structure or facility
erected or occupied for such use shall be located a minimum of 200
feet from any lot line.
(2) Public stable, provided that, except where existing
historical resources are utilized, any building or structure erected
or occupied for such use shall be located a minimum of 200 feet from
any lot line. Outdoor riding rings shall be located no less than 100
feet from any lot line.
(3) Accessory dwelling unit not exceeding 1,500 square
feet in gross floor area, whether in the same structure as the principal
residence or in a traditional outbuilding (such as a barn, stable,
carriage house, or spring house). Such accessory dwelling unit shall
be designed to harmonize with vernacular rural buildings in the Township's
historic landscape. There shall be a maximum of one accessory dwelling
unit on any legal building lot greater than or equal to 10 acres in
gross tract area, and a maximum of one additional accessory dwelling
unit for each additional 25 acres in gross tract area. No such accessory
dwelling unit shall be subdivided from the parent tract unless such
subdivision results in lots fully in compliance with all applicable
provisions of this chapter.
(4) Major home occupation(s), regardless of whether direct
access to either Route 82 or Route 322 is provided.
(5) Supplemental farm-related businesses, as set forth in §
200-15C.
C. Supplemental farm-related businesses. Provisions for
supplemental farm-related businesses are made to provide opportunities
to conduct such businesses and occupations as are intended to enhance
and preserve the agricultural viability of farm parcels. Such activities
should represent a secondary use of part of the tract and should not
become the principal use, which should remain agricultural.
(1) Permitted uses. Supplemental farm-related businesses
may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a)
Facilities for agricultural-related manufacturing,
storage, sales, repair and service of agricultural equipment or vehicles
(including carriages and buggies), or supplies.
(b)
Blacksmith or carpentry shops, farriers, harness-making.
(c)
Butcher shops, food-processing facilities, feed
preparation or processing.
(d)
Veterinary activities (which primarily involve
farm animals), stables, kennels.
(e)
Agricultural-related processing or assembly
of materials.
(2) General standards.
(a)
The area encompassed by one or more farm-related
business(es) shall not exceed two acres of the parent parcel, including
all structures, buildings, parking and outdoor storage, and shall
not exceed a total of 8,000 square feet of building space. The applicant
shall demonstrate that the size of the site is the minimum needed
to conduct the farm-related business.
(b)
Not more than one, two-sided nonilluminated
outdoor sign shall be permitted for a farm-related business, not to
exceed 12 square feet per side. The area of any sign on a vehicle
or structure which is regularly visible from the street shall be included
in calculating compliance.
(c)
No outside storage areas shall be located closer
than 20 feet to any property line. All such storage shall be screened
from roads and residences (except dwellings located on the parcel).
(d)
Off-street parking shall be provided according to the provisions of §
200-101.
(e)
Any building constructed or used as part of
the farm occupation shall be of the nature that it can be converted
to a permitted agricultural use or removed from the property if the
supplemental farm-related business is discontinued.
(f)
No portion of the farm-related business shall
be subdivided from the parent tract unless such subdivision results
in all parcels 10 acres or greater in gross area.
(g)
At the time of conditional use application, the applicant shall indicate on a plan or plans submitted in accordance with §
200-174B, or in an accompanying narrative acceptable to the Board of Supervisors, means to control lighting, internal traffic, litter, sanitation, and noise. If a proposed supplemental farm-related business presents an extraordinary threat of fire, emits smoke, dust or other air pollutants, noise, light or glare, or creates a nuisance as a result of the hours of operation, the Board of Supervisors may attach such other reasonable conditions as deemed appropriate to mitigate these issues.
D. Establishment of animal equivalent units in conjunction with agricultural
uses and country properties. An animal equivalent unit (AEU) is 1,000
pounds of live weight of any animal on an annualized basis. "Annualized"
means that if animals are not present for a whole year, the animal
units are adjusted for the proportion of time during the year that
animals are present. All AEUs are considered livestock, grazing animals
and/or poultry.
[Added 5-2-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-05]
(1) Animals per AEU.
(a)
Cows (dairy, beef, bulls): 1.
(2) One AEU shall be permitted per grazeable acre in agricultural uses/country
property.
(3) Any combination of the aforementioned animals in Subsection
D(1) may be utilized to establish an AEU. (Examples: two ponies equals one AEU; two sheep plus two alpacas plus two emus equals one AEU.)
(4) All aforementioned AEUs permitted in agricultural uses/country properties,
which abut a residential area, shall be maintained and/or housed in
a fashion that shall not permit the animals to cross the property
line to neighboring properties.
(5) Tax parcels that are part of the Township's Agricultural Security District shall be exempt from the provisions within Subsection
D of this chapter.
The following design standards under Article
XV shall apply to all uses under the Agricultural/Residential District:
A. Required off-street parking requirements, §
200-101.
B. Visibility at intersection requirement, §
200-103.
C. Access and traffic control standards, §
200-104.
D. Landscaping standards, §
167-66.1 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
[Amended 1-21-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-01]
E. Screening and buffering standards, §
200-108.