In expansion of the community development objectives contained in Article
II of this chapter and in support of the goals and objectives in the Township Comprehensive Plan, it is the intent of the institutional regulations to regulate the development of institutional uses permitted by the majority of zoning districts in the Township. Further, it is the intent of this article to:
A. Ensure that institutional uses are appropriately located
within the Township in relation to population and infrastructure.
B. Minimize any adverse impacts of institutional uses
on surrounding properties.
C. Control traffic generated by institutional uses.
The regulations of this article apply to institutional
uses permitted in all zoning districts in the Township except the
VC Village Commercial and MU Mixed-Use Districts, which have their
own regulations governing institutional uses. These regulations shall
also apply to nonconforming institutional uses in connection with
any proposed expansion of such nonconforming use, except nonconforming
institutional uses located in the VC Village Commercial and MU Mixed-Use
Districts.
The institutional uses listed in this article
have been divided into three classes of institutional uses. Some zoning
districts permit all three classes of institutional uses, while some
only permit one or two classes. Each of the following uses is permitted,
provided that all requirements of this article are met and provided
that the class of institutional use is listed as a permitted or conditional
use in the zoning district in which the property is located.
A. Class One institutional uses.
(1)
Churches or other places of worship.
(2)
Cemeteries, provided that the cemetery is on
a lot 10 net acres or larger in size, graves are set back at least
25 feet from property and street ultimate rights-of-way lines, buildings
and mausoleums are set back at least 100 feet from property lines
and the cemetery has no crematoria.
(5)
Elementary schools, including accessory group
living quarters for students on the same property.
(6)
Middle, junior high and senior high schools,
including accessory group living quarters for students on the same
property.
(7)
Colleges, universities and theological schools,
including accessory group living quarters for students on the same
property.
(8)
Convents, monasteries or similar religious facilities.
(9)
Noncommercial parks and playgrounds, excluding
miniature golf courses, batting cages, golf driving ranges, racetracks,
amusement parks and similar intense uses, provided that total impervious
coverage does not exceed 5% of the gross tract acreage.
(10)
Nature preserves, forest preserves and nature
centers, provided that building coverage does not exceed 1% of net
lot area.
(11)
Educational camps, provided that the camp is
located on a lot 10 net acres or larger in size and building coverage
does not exceed 5% of net lot area.
B. Class Two institutional uses.
(1)
Nursing homes and personal care facilities,
provided that the use is located on a lot two net acres or larger
in size.
(2)
Medical hospitals, surgical hospitals and rehabilitation
clinics, provided that the use is located on a lot five net acres
or larger in size.
(3)
Life-care facilities, provided that the use
is located on a lot 20 net acres or larger in size and independent
living units comprise no more than 40% of the total number of dwelling
units and/or beds on the lot.
(4)
Institutional group living quarters.
(5)
Community centers and senior centers.
(7)
Day-care centers, nursery schools and similar
uses, provided that the proposed use meets all applicable regulations
of the State of Pennsylvania for licensing and/or certification, including
but not limited to classroom size and space, recreational space, sanitary
facilities and teacher certification. When the proposed use is located
in a residential district, no more than 20 children may be accommodated
at one time and no parking shall be permitted within the front yard
area. Outdoor play areas shall be fenced with a fence that is at least
four feet in height.
(8)
Post offices.
[Added 5-20-1999 by Ord. No. 99-8]
C. Class Three institutional uses.
(1)
Institutional headquarters of nonprofit organizations.
(2)
Fraternal organizations without living facilities
or regularly scheduled meal service.
The following dimensional standards apply to institutional uses, unless a different standard is required by §
164-85.3 above.
A. Institutional uses shall comply with the minimum net lot size of
the zoning district in which the use is located. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the minimum net lot size of any parcel containing a Class
One institutional use shall be twice the minimum net lot size required
in the zoning district in which the use is located.
[Amended 6-1-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-03]
B. Institutional uses shall meet the minimum lot width
of the zoning district in which the use is located.
C. Institutional buildings shall always meet the minimum
front, side and rear yard building setback of the district in which
the building is located. In addition, institutional buildings shall
also meet the following setback requirements:
(1)
Institutional buildings with a gross floor area
of less than 50,000 square feet shall be set back at least 50 feet
from residential property lines.
(2)
Institutional buildings with a gross floor area
of 50,000 square feet or more shall be set back at least 100 feet
from residential property lines.
(3)
Accessory buildings shall meet all primary building
setback requirements.
D. The minimum setback between buildings on the same
property is 25 feet.
E. Parking lots and driveways shall be set back at least
30 feet from residential property lines. Parking lots with 100 or
more cars shall be set back at least 40 feet from residential property
lines.
F. Outdoor recreation areas shall be set back at least
30 feet from residential property lines.
G. Off-street loading and/or trash disposal areas shall
be set back at least 80 feet from residential property lines and 25
feet from all other property lines and may not be located in front
yard areas.
H. Maximum building coverage.
(1)
Class One institutional uses: 15% of net lot
area.
(2)
Class Two institutional uses: 25% of net lot
area.
(3)
Class Three institutional uses: maximum building
coverage of the district in which the use is located.
I. Maximum impervious coverage.
(1)
Class One institutional uses: 50% of net lot
area.
[Amended 6-1-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-03]
(2)
Class Two institutional uses: 50% of net lot
area.
(3)
Class Three institutional uses: maximum impervious
coverage of the district in which the use is located.
J. Maximum density or beds of institutional group living
quarters.
[Amended 1-4-1999 by Ord. No. 99-2]
(1)
Class One institutional uses: five dwelling
units per net acre; when it is not possible to distinguish distinct
dwelling units, 7 1/2 beds per net acre.
(2)
Class Two institutional uses: 10 dwelling units
per net acre; when it is not possible to distinguish distinct dwelling
units, 15 beds per net acre.
K. Institutional uses shall not exceed the maximum permitted
height of the zoning district in which the use is located.
Institutional uses that are permitted as a conditional use shall meet the following conditional use standards, in addition to the requirements of §
164-25 of this chapter:
A. Buildings, driveways, parking areas, loading areas,
outdoor activity areas, light sources, trash areas and other potential
nuisances shall be located and designed to minimize adverse impacts
on abutting residential properties. The Township Board of Supervisors
may require alternative site layouts in order to limit the adverse
impact of a proposed institutional use.
B. Driveway intersections with streets and traffic circulation
patterns within lots shall be located and designed to minimize congestion
and safety problems on abutting streets and nearby intersections.
The Township Board of Supervisors may require alternative driveway
locations and site design in order to alleviate potential congestion
or safety problems.
C. Institutional uses located within residential districts
shall be designed to fit into the residential neighborhood through
the use of pitched roofs, offsets in facades and rooflines, natural
building materials, traditional fenestration and other design elements.
Applicants shall submit architectural drawings demonstrating compliance
with this provision.