Planned apartment development regulations applicable to R-4, R-5 and C-4 Districts.
A. Specific intent. The intent of this section is to provide regulations that encourage well-planned and well-designed apartment developments appropriate to the district and in harmony with adjacent existing development.
B. Applicability. This section shall apply to any apartment development.
C. Apartment standards. The following standards shall be observed:
(1) Central water and sewer. All apartments shall be serviced by centralized water and centralized sewage disposal systems.
(2) Underground utilities. All utilities shall be placed underground.
(3) Minimum lot area. Apartment developments shall provide a lot area of at least four acres and a minimum average of 3,000 square feet of lot area per dwelling unit on the lot.
(4) Maximum building coverage. The maximum building coverage shall be 20% and the maximum impervious surface coverage shall be 40%.o
(5) Setbacks. All principal buildings shall be at least 50 feet from all street right-of-way lines and property lines. Garages shall be at least five feet from all side and rear property lines and at least 50 feet from all street right-of-way lines.
(6) Maximum height. Maximum height of all buildings shall not exceed three stories or 30 feet. No dwelling unit shall be more than two stones above its -round entrance without the use of elevators.
(7) Building separations. Each building with three or fewer stones shall:
(a) Have a maximum length of each wall of 100 feet in horizontal length.
(b) Be separated from each other building by at least 25 feet.
(c) Be separated from each other building by at least 1.5 times the height of the tallest building.
(8) Maximum dwelling unit size. No dwelling unit within an apartment development shall contain more than two bedrooms, and no more than 40% of the total number of dwelling units shall contain two bedrooms.
(9) Building location, orientation and design. The location, orientation and design of buildings should give consideration for site terrain and other natural features and conform with site design principles outlined in the Township Comprehensive Plan.
(10) Recreation/open spaces. One or more recreation/common open spaces (each with a minimum area of 2,500 square feet) shall be provided, whose total area equals at least 200 square feet per dwelling unit. All recreation/common open spaces shall be located in areas suitable for outdoor active or passive recreation (such as outdoor relaxation, walking and/or gardening). Only recreation spaces at least 20 feet from any building shall count towards the minimum required recreation/common open space. The types of recreation areas shall relate to the expected breakdown of ages of residents of the units.
(11) Driveways. The following minimum cartway widths shall be provided for any driveway within an apartment development:
Minimum Cartway
Width
Function(feet)
One-way traffic, no parking 9
Two-way traffic, no parking 18
One-way traffic, parallel parking on one side 18
Two-way traffic, parallel parking on one side 27
Two-way traffic, parallel parking on two sides 34
(12) Off-street parking. The off-street parking requirements of §240-33 shall be complied with.
D. Convenience commercial within an apartment development.
(1) The following uses, not including an adult use, may be permitted in an apartment development when authorized by the Board of Supervisors in accordance with §240-31, provided that all requirements of this section are met:
(a) Convenience stores, including the sale of groceries and food products, hardware, newspapers and magazines, drugs and variety items.
(b) Personal service establishment, including tailor, barber shop, beauty salon, dressmaker and shoe repair.
(c) Gift shops, including cameras, books, stationery, cosmetics, candy, cigarettes and tobacco, flowers, hobbies, jewelry and crafts.
(d) Standard restaurant without drive-through service.
(e) Professional office, including offices of attorneys, accountants, physicians, dentists, realtors, insurance or financial consultants, brokers, engineers, architects or other recognized profession.
(f) Financial institution, including bank, savings and loan and commercial loan office.
(2) No more than 2,400 square feet of floor area of convenience commercial uses shall be permitted for each 100 dwelling units or part thereof. No single convenience commercial use shall exceed 3,000 square feet.
(3) Convenience commercial uses shall be considered as a part of the total apartment development and shall comply with all of the requirements of Subsection C.
(4) Any commercial convenience uses permitted in a planned apartment development shall be located within a building that does not contain dwellings. If more than one commercial establishment is to be provided, all such establishments shall be within a single building
(5) Signs for a convenience commercial development shall be provided in accordance with §240-22P(4) of this chapter if located in the C-4 Zoning District and §240-220(3), if located in the R-4 and R-5 Zoning Districts.
Townhouse development regulations applicable to R-4, R-5 and C-4.
A. Specific intent. The intent of this section is to provide regulations that encourage well-planned and well-designed townhouse development appropriate to the district and in harmony with adjacent existing development.
B. Townhouse area, height and bulk regulations. The division of a townhouse development into lots is not required so (11) as the land upon which it is situated remains in single undivided common ownership (including condominium ownership). Whether or not simple lots are involved, a townhouse development shall be designed in compliance with the following:
(1) Minimum frontage for each townhouse development shall be 150 feet on a public street.
(2) Minimum tract area for each development shall be four acres.
(3) Minimum building width shall be 18 feet for each dwelling
(4) Maximum height shall not exceed two stories or 30 feet, except that the basement floor of any dwelling may open to grade at the rear only.
(5) A private space for each townhouse yard, patio or other outdoor area immediately adjacent to the front, back or side of each dwelling of not less than 400 square feet shall be provided for the exclusive use of the occupants of that dwelling. If a townhouse development is subdivided into lots, the minimum lot area shall be the building footprint plus this required private space.
(6) Maximum density for a townhouse development. Ten dwellings per total acre of land within the R-5 District and five dwellings per total acre of land within any other district where townhouses are specifically permitted (such as the R-4 or C-4 District).
(7) Maximum impervious coverage. Forty percent of the total lot area at the time of completion of the development. Such restriction shall not limit future accessory uses on individual townhouse lots.
(8) Units attached. A group of not less than three and not more than six townhouses attached to each other by party walls. No more than two adjacent townhouses in any townhouse building shall have the same back and front setback line. The minimum variation of front and back setback fine shall be eight feet. Upon application, the Board of Supervisors may, upon recommendation from the Planning Commission, modify the requirements as set forth in the two preceding sentences to provide for architectural variations and broken facades consistent with the intent and spirit of said regulations.
(9) External property line building setback. Townhouse buildings and accessory buildings shall be set back from the original tract boundary property line a minimum distance of 40 feet.
(10) Building setback from public and private streets. Townhouse buildings and related garages and accessory buildings shall have a minimum twenty-five-foot setback from the street right-of-way line of proposed streets.
(11) Spacing between buildings. Facing walls are walls opposite to and parallel with one another and any opposite walls whose lines, if extended, would intersect at angles of less than 65 degrees. The minimum horizontal distance (between facing walls) of any two buildings on one lot or any one building with facing walls shall be as follows:
(a) Not less than 75 feet, where two facing walls both contain a window or windows.
(b) Not less than 50 feet between two facing walls, only one of which contains a window or windows.
(c) Not less than 25 feet between two facing walls, neither of which contains a window or windows.
C. Townhouse open space.
(1) Minimum open space shall be not less than 25% of the total lot area of the tract, excluding existing street rights-of-way. Priority for selecting areas of open space preservation shall be given to watercourses, lakes and ponds, floodplain areas, alluvial soils, high water table soils, lands having slopes in excess of 15% and forests with trees having greater than six-inch trunk widths (measured at a height of one foot above ground level) covering an area larger than 0.5 acres. The open space land selected pursuant to these priorities shall not be improved or used in such a manner as to disturb its natural characteristics.
(2) The remaining land set aside as open space may be used for parks, playgrounds, walkways, trails, tennis courts, swimming pools and similar recreational uses to-ether with clubhouses and other social or service facilities customarily associated with such open space uses so designed as not to detract from the open space character of the area. At least 40% of the total open space shall be improved for active recreational use and at least 50% of that area shall be at a grade not exceeding 3%.
(3) Open space maintenance. The proper operation and maintenance of all open spaces and community facilities shall be secured by an appropriate organization with legal responsibility for the same. If the dwellings are sold, the organization may be a condominium, cooperative, homes association, trust or other appropriate nonprofit organization of the dwelling unit owners, organized in a manner found by the Township Solicitor to be legally effective and able to carry out its maintenance and operating responsibilities. It is the intention of this chapter to authorize the remedies provided in 53 P.S. §10705(f) and 53 P.S. §10706(2) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, and the same are hereby incorporated by reference.
D. Townhouse streets.
(1) Streets shall meet the requirements of Chapter 205, Subdivision and Land Development. The minimum cartway width of both dedicated or private streets shall be 25 feet, except the Board of Supervisors may require a width of up to 30 feet where necessary for overflow of on-street parking
(2) All other applicable provisions of Chapter 205, Subdivision and Land Development, not specifically altered in this chapter shall be complied with.
E. Townhouse parking. Parking shall be in accordance with §240-33, but excluding §240-33C(7), which shall only apply to arterial or collector streets. All parking shall also meet the following requirements:a
(1) The minimum required parking spaces shall not be met by permitting on-street parking on any street, whether public or private.
(2) No off-street parking space shall be located closer than 15 feet to a wall containing win windows, or closer than 10 feet to a blank wall, except when located within the buildings or attached garages.
(3) No parking area, street or driveway, except at points of access, shall be located within 40 feet of the boundary property line of a townhouse development.
(4) Parking areas shall be arranged so as to prevent through travel to other parking areas.
F. Townhouse buffer areas. A twenty-five-foot-wide buffer area shall be provided around the entire townhouse development site. The buffer area shall be in addition to the required minimum yards, although it may be a part of individual lots.
(1) No structure, materials, vehicular parking, drive or streets shall be permitted in the buffer area, except at drives and street crossings.
(2) The screen planting in the buffer area around the site perimeter shall be in accordance with the screening requirements of §240-27C(2).
(3) No structure, fence, planting or other obstruction shall be permitted which would interfere with traffic visibility across the comer of a lot and at access driveways within a triangle bounded by the street right-of-way lines and a straight line drawn between points on each right-of-way line 25 feet from their intersection. Such clear sight triangle shall be maintained in the area between a plane two feet above curb level and a plane seven feet above curb level. The screen planting shall be broken only at points of vehicular or pedestrian access
G. Townhouse utilities. All townhouses shall be served by a centralized water supply system and a centralized sewage disposal system. All utilities, including electric, telephone and cable television shall be installed underground.
H. Townhouse lighting. Lighting shall be in accorcdance with §740-33, §240-27C(7) and Chapter 205, Subdivision and Land Development.
I. Townhouse landscaping. Landscaping shall be in accordance with §240-27C(l).
J. Townhouse access and traffic control. Access and traffic control shall be in accordance with §240-27a and Chapter 205, Subdivision and Land Development.
K. Townhouse storage. Storage shall be in accordance with §240-27C(4).
L. Accessory use and storage enclosures. All storage for other than private automobiles shall be architecturally attached to and be part of the dwelling and be structurally enclosed.
M. Townhouse interior circulation. Interior circulation shall be in accordance with §240-27C(6).
N. Homeowner's and/or condominium agreements. If the applicant is proposing restrictions, easements and/or covenants for the development or if any dwelling units are to be sold under homeowner's or condominium agreements, such restriction, easements, agreement or agreements shall be submitted to the township for review with the preliminary plans.
[Added 11-1-1999 by Ord. No. 129-G-991
A. Specific intent; inconsistencies.
(1) The planned golf course development provisions are intended to serve the following objectives, in addition to the goals and objectives stated in the Comprehensive Plan and in §§240-3 and 240-7:
(a) To provide optional regulations to encourage a championship golf course, contiguous residential dwellings of superior design and quality, site planning and landscaping design.
(b) To reduce area and dimensional specifications under this section as a means to improve the feasibility of creating a championship golf course, preserve desirable natural features and provide attractive and practical designs.
(c) To provide for golf courses that complement natural open spaces and preserve environmental resources, such as flood-prone areas and wetlands.
(d) To limit development on steep slopes, protect surface and groundwater quality and encourage groundwater recharge.
(e) To promote the preservation of significant view sheds, natural features, historical sites and structures and to protect the character of these features by incorporating them into the golf course design.
(f) To promote a high-quality golf course with a residential component by:
[1] Careful site analysis of the natural landscape.
[2] Sensitive design that is environmentally sound.
[3] Sensitive, attractive and functional layouts of the golf course, clubhouse and dwelling units.
[4] Provisions for extensive attractive landscaping.
(g) To seek to protect the scenic beauty of the township, including scenic roads.
(2) To achieve the objectives set forth herein, to the extent that there are any inconsistencies with any other provisions of the Zoning Ordinance, the requirements set forth in this section shall apply.
B. Minimum tract, ownership and utility requirements.
(1) Any planned golf course development shall meet the regulations of this section.
(2) A planned golf course development shall only be permitted where specifically listed as permitted in the applicable zoning district regulations.
(3) The tract of land comprising the planned golf course development, referred to hereafter as the "development tract," shall be in single and separate ownership or filed jointly by the owners of the entire tract and shall contain a minimum of 180 contiguous acres. Any plan of subdivision or land development filed with the township on lands situated within the development tract shall depict not only the subdivision/land development for which approval is being sought but also the entirety of the development tract comprising the planned golf course development.
(4) A minimum of 80% of the gross acreage of the development tract must be devoted to the golf course use.
(5) A maximum of 20% of the gross development tract acreage may be devoted to residential use as permitted in Subsection C(2) of this section. This twenty-percent portion of the development tract may be developed to a maximum overall density of three dwelling units per acre, when the developer agrees to transfer development rights on that portion of the development tract identified in Subsection B(4) of this section to that portion of the development tract specified in Subsection B(5); provided, however, that the developer shall retain the development rights described in Subsection E(2) of this section.
(6) The clubhouse, golf cottages and all dwelling units shall be served by a centralized public water supply system and a centralized sewage disposal system. All new utilities, including electric, telephone and cable television, shall be installed underground.
(7) The site entrance standards set forth in §240-27G(l)(d) shall not apply to a planned golf course development. The following access limitations shall apply instead:
(a) There shall be a maximum of two entrances for the carriage homes development portion of the development tract.
(b) There shall be a maximum of one principal entrance for the portion of the development tract devoted to the golf course. An emergency access may be required if the Board of Supervisors determines that there is a need.
(c) A maximum of three entrances shall be permitted for the portion of the development tract devoted to single-family detached dwellings. Common or shared driveways shall be required in order to minimize the number of entrances.
C. Design standards for planned golf course development.
(1) The golf course shall be developed according to the following standards:
(a) Either a public or privately owned and operated golf course which shall have a minimum of 18 holes of golf. Neither a commercial driving range nor a commercial miniature golf area shall be considered a golf course for purposes of this section.
(b) The golf course use may include a clubhouse, driving range, tennis courts, swimming pool and a maximum of two golf cottage(s) and overnight clubhouse accommodations. The clubhouse accommodations shall be limited to use by club members and their guests. Said clubhouse accommodations shall not exceed eight single-occupancy units and two double-occupancy units. They shall not contain separate cooking or eating facilities, and occupancy of the units by club members or guests shall be limited to stays of no more than seven consecutive days in any thirty- day period.
(c) The clubhouse shall be located at least 75 feet from any proposed public road right-of-way line. It may contain locker room(s), clubhouse accommodations, a pro shop (750 square feet maximum) and dining facilities.
(d) A golf cottage is a separate residential building for the temporary accommodation of members and guests of the golf club. Golf cottage(s) shall be located at least 75 feet from any proposed public road right-of-way line. There may be no more than two golf cottages, each containing up to eight guest rooms, or one cottage containing up to 16 guest rooms. The cottage(s) shall not contain separate cooking or eating facilities, and occupancy of the cottages) by club members or guests shall be limited to stays of no more than seven consecutive days in any thirty-day period.
(e) Signs. One freestanding, directly illuminated, off-premises sign not exceeding 32 square feet in area, including the sign's base, and not more than 6 feet in height measured from ground level shall be permitted at the corner of Line Road and Paoli Pike. The design, materials and construction of such sign shall be contingent upon the approval of the Board of Supervisors.
(f) Parking for the clubhouse shall be located at least 50 feet from any proposed public road right-of-way line and shall be in accordance with the requirements of § 240-33C(2).
(g) [Added 8-7-2001 by Ord. No. 129-D-01] Accessory buildings. Maintenance buildings for storage and maintenance of equipment directly related to the golf course use may be located off site on property contiguous to the golf course, provided that there is direct access to and from the accessory buildings to the golf course over a private street or driveway serving the golf course and a subdivision plan of the off-site property is approved by the Board of Supervisors. In such case:
[1] Accessory buildings may be located on a "footprint lot" which, for purposes of this provision, is defined to mean the perimeter of the existing or proposed building coincident with the building's foundation and outer walls, in which case the provision of Subsection C(1)(g)[2] shall apply.
[2] Footprint lots. When the maintenance building is proposed to be located on a footprint lot, the subdivision plan shall demonstrate that there is sufficient area on the parent lot from which the footprint lot is being subdivided, without violation of any setback encroachments, to contain the required parking, shared access to the footprint lot, stormwater management, if any, and utilities within a shared easement area of not less than 24,000 square feet per building; within the shared easement area, there shall be designated for the benefit of the maintenance building owner a nonexclusive area not more than 10 feet around the perimeter of the building for building maintenance purposes; the footprint lot shall comply with the front, rear and side yard requirements set forth in § 240-20F(3), except the building(s) shall be limited to one story and shall not exceed 20 feet in height; the owner of the parent lot shall retain the right to use the parent lot for all purposes not inconsistent with the shared easement; and the subdivision application shall be accompanied by a declaration of covenants, easements and restrictions which provides for and defines the shared access, parking and utility usage in common with the owner of the parent lot and the rights and obligations of the parties with respect thereto, in form and content acceptable to the Township Solicitor, which shall be recorded with the approved final subdivision plan.
(2) Single-family detached dwellings and/or carriage homes are permitted in the development tract in accordance with the following lot area, width, building coverage, height and yard regulations:
(a) Single-family detached dwellings regulations.
[1] Lot area: 20,000 square feet minimum.
[3] Side yards: 15 feet minimum each side.
[4] Rear yard: 35 feet minimum.
[7] Impervious coverage per lot: 50% maximum.
[9] Accessory uses as listed in § 240-9E are permitted.
[10] Common access driveways shall have a paved cartway width of 24 feet, including curbing, where parking is allowed. and a paved cartway width of 16 feet where parking is not allowed.
(b) Carriage home development regulations. The division into lots of that portion of the planned golf course development devoted to carriage homes is not required if the land upon which it is situated remains in single, undivided common ownership (including condominium ownership). Whether or not fee-simple lots are involved, a carriage home development shall be designed in compliance with the following:
[1] Minimum frontage for each carriage home development shall be 150 feet on a public street.
[2] Minimum gross tract area for each carriage home development shall be 10 acres.
[3] Minimum building width shall be 30 feet for each dwelling.
[5] A private space for each: carriage home, of not less than 200 square feet, which shall be immediately adjacent to the front, back or side of each dwelling, shall be provided for the exclusive use of the occupants of that dwelling. If a carriage home development is subdivided into lots, the minimum lot area shall be the building footprint plus this required private space.
[6] Maximum density shall be four dwellings per acre of land within the carriage home development.
[7] Maximum impervious coverage shall not exceed 75% of the tract.
[8] No more than two carriage homes shall be attached to each other by party walls.
[9] External property line building setback. Carriage homes shall be set back from any proposed road right-of-way line a minimum distance of 25 feet. Accessory buildings shall be set back from any proposed road right-of-way line a minimum distance of 15 feet.
[10] Internal building setback from streets. Carriage homes shall have a minimum fifteen-foot setback from any development street. In a planned golf course development, detached accessory garages shall have a minimum ten-foot setback from any development street and need not be on the same lot as the principal use.
[11] Spacing between buildings. There shall be a minimum of 15 feet between buildings.
[12] Carriage home open space. The proper operation and maintenance of all open spaces and community facilities shall be secured by an appropriate organization with legal responsibility for the same. If the dwellings are sold, the organization may be a condominium, cooperative, homeowner's association, trust or other appropriate nonprofit organization of the dwelling unit owners, organized in a manner found by the Township Solicitor to be legally effective and able to carry out its maintenance and operating responsibilities. It is the intention of this section to authorize the remedies provided in 53 P.S. § 10705(f) and 53 P.S. § 10706(2) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, and the same are hereby incorporated by reference.
**Webmasters Note: The previous subsections, C(1)(c) through C(2)(b)[12], have been amended as per Supplement No. 19.
[13] Carriage home streets. If the minimum cartway width is proposed to be less than required for public streets, it shall not be less than 20 feet in width, and all streets shall be privately owned and maintained.
[14] Parking. A minimum of 2.5 off-street parking spaces per unit are required.
[15] Buffer yards. In a planned golf course development a fifteen-foot-wide buffer area shall be provided around the entire carriage home development, except for those areas which abut the golf course.
[a] The buffer yard shall be landscaped in accordance with the screening requirements of §240-27C(3).
[b] No structure, fence, planting or other obstruction shall be permitted which would interfere with traffic visibility across the comer of a lot and at access driveways within a triangle bounded by the street right-of-way lines and a straight line drawn between points on each right-of-way line 25 feet from their intersection. Such clear sight triangle shall be maintained in the area between a plane two feet above curb level and a plane seven feet above curb level. The screen planting shall be broken only at points of vehicular or pedestrian access.
[16] Accessory uses as listed in §240-9E are permitted.
[17] Storage enclosures. All storage for other than private automobiles shall be architecturally attached to and part of the dwelling and shall be structurally enclosed.
[18] Homeowners' and/or condominium agreements. If the applicant is proposing restrictions, easements and/or covenants for the development or if any dwelling units are to be sold under homeowners' or condominium agreements, such restrictions, easements, agreement or agreements shall be submitted to the township for review and approval with the preliminary plans.
[19] Signs. One thirty-two-square-foot freestanding directly illuminated sign shall be permitted.
D. Golf course development approval.
(1) An overall subdivision plan of the planned golf course development tract shall be submitted for review and approval by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to Ch. 205, Subdivision and Land Development. The subdivision plan shall depict the location of the golf course and the portions of the development tract to be developed with single family detached dwelling units and/or carriage homes.
(2) Nothing herein shall preclude the approval or construction of the planned golf course development in phases.
(3) After approval of the first subdivision plan, nothing in this section shall preclude the sale of the parcels to be developed as single-family detached dwellings and/or carriage homes to another person, firm or corporation, provided that such parcels shall only be developed in full compliance with any and all conditions of subdivision approval.
E. Discontinuance of golf course use.
(1) After the subdivision plan referred to in §240-30.11)(1) has been approved by the township and recorded with the Recorder of Deeds and those portions of the development tract to be developed with single-family detached dwellings and/or carriage homes have been sold or conveyed to another person, firm or corporation, the area of the development tract that is to be developed as a golf course must be developed only as an eighteen-hole golf course.
(2) [Amended 1-25-2000 by Ord. No. 129-A-00] In the event that the golf course use is discontinued or terminated, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, after approval of the subdivision plan referred to in §240-31D(l) and recordation of said plan, and after the conveyance of either or all of those portions of the development tract to be developed with single-family detached dwellings and/or carriage homes to another party, the owner of the golf course shall be permitted to develop the golf course property for single-family residential dwellings, but only at the maximum density of one dwelling unit per four acres, in accordance with the following requirements, except that the maximum density shall be reduced to one dwelling unit per eight acres if such discontinuance or termination occurs more than two years after the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the golf course clubhouse:
(a) Single-family detached dwelling units pursuant to §240-9.
(b) Single-family cluster development pursuant to §240-28.
(c) Single-family open space development pursuant to §240-36.
