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Township of Lower Salford, PA
Montgomery County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Added 10-7-1992 by Ord. No. 92-7]
In expansion of the community development objectives contained in Article II of this chapter and in support of the goals and recommendations of the Township Comprehensive Plan, it is the intent of this article to:
A. 
Locate office and limited commercial uses as a transition directly between existing intensive commercial uses and existing residential areas.
B. 
Limit the impact of nonresidential development on residences by encouraging a residential character, limiting the scale of buildings, controlling the location of parking areas and requiring buffer landscaping.
C. 
Require more extensive development standards for more intensive uses.
A lot may be used for one or more of the following uses:
A. 
Single-family detached residential in accordance with the standards of the R-3 Medium-Density Residence District.
B. 
Offices, including businesses and professional offices.
C. 
Funeral homes.
D. 
Studios for dance, art, music or photography.
E. 
[1]Bed-and-breakfast homes, provided that these homes are located in a residential building existing at the time of passage of this article and there are no more than 10 guest rooms.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 164-62.9E, regarding day-care centers, family day-care homes and group day-care homes, was repealed 10-22-1998 by Ord. No. 98-12. This ordinance also redesignated former § 164-62.9F, G and H as § 164-62.9E, F and G, respectively.
F. 
Offices combined with a single dwelling unit, such as a single-family detached home or apartment.
G. 
Accessory uses on the same lot with and customarily incidental to any permitted residential use.
H. 
A mixed residential development comprised of un-lotted two-family buildings and triplex buildings, on tracts of land that (i) contain at least 10 gross acres of ground, and (ii) have frontage on at least two roads. The development of residential communities containing two-family buildings and triplex buildings on such qualifying tracts of ground shall be subject to the following dimensional regulations:
[Added 3-4-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-01]
(1) 
Dimensional requirements:
Structural Type or Development Classification
Mixed Residential Development of Two-Family Buildings and Triplex Buildings
Minimum tract size (gross acres)
10
Maximum tract size (gross acres) allowed without fully mixing a development in accordance with § 164-47A(2)(a)
30
Maximum density
5.5 du/acre
Minimum width per dwelling unit (feet)
24
Maximum building height (feet)
35
Minimum building setback from the ultimate right-of-way lines of collector or semi-controlled access roads (feet)
40
Minimum building setback from the ultimate right-of-way lines of feeder and residential roads (feet)
20
Minimum building setback from private street curblines or common driveways serving three or more dwelling units (feet)
25
Minimum building setback from common parking spaces (feet)
20
Minimum building setback from tract property lines abutting zoning districts other than R-4 or R-5 (feet)
40
Minimum building setback from tract property lines abutting lots zoned R-4 or R-5 (feet)
40
Maximum building coverage
35%
(2) 
The development shall also follow the dimensional standards for unlotted developments as set forth in § 164-47C and D, except as otherwise set forth below:
(a) 
Where facing walls of two unattached dwelling units are parallel, the dwelling units shall be set back at least 25 feet from each other.
(b) 
Where facing walls of two unattached dwelling units are not parallel, the dwelling units shall be set back at least 20 feet from each other.
(c) 
Outdoor living areas must be set back at least seven feet from (i) buildings or other outdoor living areas to the rear of a dwelling unit, and (ii) buildings to the side of a dwelling unit or outdoor living areas to the side of a dwelling unit which are not located in the dwelling unit. Outdoor living areas in the same dwelling unit have no minimum setback requirement.
A lot may be used for one of the following classes of uses, provided that a conditional use is received in accordance with the requirements of § 164-25 of this chapter and all standards of this district are met.
A. 
Class One conditional uses. On lots which meet the Class One dimensional requirements, the following uses are permitted as a conditional use:
(1) 
Retail establishments for the sale of dry goods, clothing, hardware, furnishings, appliances and other durable goods. Retail sale of food, beverages and automobile is not permitted.
(2) 
Personal service shops, including but not limited to barbershop, hairdresser, beautician, shoe repair, tailor, dry cleaning and laundry.
(3) 
Fitness centers.
(4) 
Municipal buildings, offices and uses.
[Amended 8-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-5]
(5) 
Fire companies and other rescue services.
[Amended 8-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-5]
(6) 
Class One institutional uses, in accordance with the standards of Article XIVA, Institutional Regulations, of this chapter.
[Added 8-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-5]
(7) 
Class Two institutional uses, in accordance with the standards of Article XIVA, Institutional Regulations, of this chapter.
[Added 8-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-5]
B. 
Class Two conditional uses. On lots which meet the Class Two dimensional requirements, the following uses are permitted as a conditional use:
(1) 
Car washes, provided that:
(a) 
There are no accessory buildings or uses.
(b) 
Each automatic car wash bay provides stacking space 200 feet in length for cars waiting to be washed and 80 feet in length for cars exiting the car wash bay.
(c) 
Each self-service car wash bay provides stacking space 40 feet in length for cars entering or exiting these bays.
(d) 
All direct vehicular access to the car wash lot is from a collector or feeder street.
(e) 
All car-washing equipment is contained within a building.
(f) 
Car wash bay doors do not face the street, unless a screen buffer planting is provided along the street in accordance with the screen planting requirements in Chapter 142, Subdivision and Land Development.
A. 
All lots must be within 150 feet, measured from lot line to lot line, of an existing nonresidential use.
B. 
If there is an existing principal building, the proposed use must preserve, utilize and maintain this building, provided that it was originally built for residential purposes. If such building is demolished after enactment of this article, then no conditional use will be permitted.
C. 
All conditional uses must have a residential character, which can be achieved by using pitched roofs, residential building materials and residentially scaled windows and doors.
Proposed uses shall meet the following dimensional requirements:
Permitted Uses By Right
Class One Conditional Uses
Class Two Conditional Uses
Minimum net lot size
(square feet)
[Amended 8-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-5]
20,000
40,000
100,000
Minimum lot width (feet)
100
150
200
Minimum front yard setback (feet)
30
30
40
Minimum side yard setback (feet)
20
20
30
Minimum rear yard setback (feet)
40
40
40
Minimum setback from abutting residential property lines (feet)
60
60
75
Maximum height (feet)
35
35
35
Minimum setback for parking
areas from abutting residential property lines (feet)
30
30
40
Minimum setback between buildings on the same lot (feet)
25
25
Only 1 building permitted per lot
Maximum building footprint (square feet)
4,000
6,000
6,000
Maximum building dimension, measured horizontally, parallel to exterior walls (feet)
100
150
150
Maximum building coverage, except as noted in § 164-62.13A(3) below
10% of net lot area
10% of net lot area
5% of net lot area
Minimum amount of green space, except as noted in § 164-62.13A(3) below
60% of net lot area
60% of net lot area
60% of net lot area
A. 
Driveway access controls.
(1) 
No more than one driveway access shall be permitted per street frontage.
(2) 
All driveways must be at least 100 feet from the center line of any existing or proposed driveways, when feasible given existing physical features.
(3) 
For offices and Class One conditional uses, when two abutting lots share a common driveway from a primary arterial, the maximum building coverage of each lot may be increased to 15% of the net lot area, and the minimum amount of green space of each lot may be decreased to 50% of the net lot area, provided that no other driveways lead from either lot to the primary arterial and provided that each lot is deed restricted to limit access from the primary arterial to the common driveway. A single lot which only abuts vacant or single-family detached lots along a primary arterial may use fifteen-percent maximum building coverage and fifty-percent minimum green space, provided that all requirements outlined above are met.
B. 
Each lot with a nonresidential use shall provide access easements for its parking aisles and driveways guaranteeing access and use to all abutting lots within the OLC and C Districts, unless all possible interconnections between two abutting lots must cross wetlands, floodplains or slopes of 15% or more. Parking areas on each lot with a nonresidential use shall be designed so that the parking areas can be directly interconnected by driveways with existing or potential parking areas on abutting lots within the OLC and C Districts. The driveway interconnections shall be constructed to the property line during the initial land development.
[Amended 8-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-5]
C. 
Parking is not permitted between buildings and streets.
D. 
No outdoor storage is permitted, and trash must be kept inside a principal building.
E. 
All signs must meet the requirements of Article XVII, Signs.
F. 
All nonresidential buildings must have a ten-foot offset in the facade every 50 feet of continuous facade.
G. 
Lighting shall not shine on abutting residential properties, and lighting poles shall not exceed 20 feet in height. Light sources shall be parallel to the ground.
H. 
All nonresidential uses shall provide screen buffers in accordance with the Chapter 142, Subdivision and Land Development.
[Added 3-4-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-01]
A. 
Common open space.
(1) 
Developments must retain a minimum of 15% of the gross area of the tract as common open space.
(2) 
Common open space must meet the following requirements:
(a) 
Common open space areas shall be no less than 30 feet in width unless the area contains a walking trail, in which case the minimum width shall be 20 feet.
(b) 
The minimum setback from the building to common open space shall be 25 feet and may include a patio or deck with a maximum depth of 12 feet, measured from the building.
(c) 
Common open space areas shall not include any driveways, streets, alleys, or required residential parking areas.
(d) 
Stormwater facilities, utility, communication and similar facilities shall be permitted underground, underneath common open space areas. Aboveground stormwater facilities shall be permitted within common open space areas, provided that any aboveground stormwater facilities do not exceed more than 10% of the minimum required common open space for the development. Existing overhead utility lines shall also be permitted within common open space areas. None of the aforesaid areas shall be deducted from the common open space calculation.
(e) 
Common open space may be provided in multiple locations throughout the development.
(f) 
Common open space adjoining Township-owned land, community facilities, or parks shall be initially offered for dedication to the Township, either as fee simple dedication or an easement. Whether such offer is accepted or not accepted by the Township, the common open space shall be deed restricted for stormwater management facilities, open space and/or park and recreation use and uses accessory thereto, including public parking. With regard to the location of stormwater management facilities in any common open space accepted by the Township, if existing public parking areas are proposed for relocation, the same size and number of public parking spaces shall be provided elsewhere within the common open space at locations reasonably acceptable to the Township. If the offer of dedication of the common open space includes land on which stormwater facilities are proposed for the development, the homeowners' association shall remain fully responsible for the maintenance of those facilities through an agreement to be approved by the Township Solicitor. The area of any stormwater management facilities and public parking shall qualify to be counted as part of the common open space.
(g) 
Where there is any conflict between the common open space provisions of this section and any other common open space provisions of the Township Code, this section shall be controlling.
B. 
Sections 164-22A through F are not applicable for the development of mixed residential development comprised of two-family buildings and triplex buildings in the OLC Zoning District and this § 164-62.13.1 of this chapter shall regulate the required open space for such developments.
C. 
For every dwelling unit, there shall be a minimum of 2.5 off-street parking spaces provided. Garages shall not be counted toward the required off-street parking.
D. 
Public sewer and water. All mixed residential developments of two-family buildings and triplex buildings in the OLC District shall be served by public sewer and water.
E. 
Pedestrian and bicycle access. Sidewalks and paved bicycle trails shall be provided and shall provide access from dwelling units to common parking areas, streets, common open space, sidewalks and bicycle trails on abutting tracts and destinations on abutting tracts.
F. 
Trash receptacles.
(1) 
When common trash receptacles are used, they shall be visually screened on all four sides by a solid decorative wall or fence with softening landscaping around the wall or fence on all sides except the side where access is needed for trash collection vehicles.
(2) 
When private, individual trash receptacles are used, they shall be housed in an enclosed area which is attached to the individual dwelling unit and in architectural harmony with the building.
(3) 
In recreation areas and along connecting walkways, adequate trash receptacles shall be provided to discourage littering.
G. 
Vehicular access. When only one vehicular access point to a site is practical, emergency vehicular access drives may be required.
H. 
Landscaping. Landscaping, including buffering, shall be provided in accordance with Ch. 142, Subdivision and Land Development.