[Added 2-20-2002 by Ord. No. 185]
The AQRC Age-Qualified Residential Community District is intended to address the housing needs of older persons who do not require the intensive needs of a nursing home but desire the security, safety and special design of a residential environment which can provide residential units particularly conducive to older persons in the form of independent living
The following uses are permitted by right
A. Age-qualified residential community
B. Agriculture uses as limited by the provisions of Article IV
C. Municipal use
D. Accessory uses Accessory uses to the age-qualified residential community shall be specifically restricted to serve only residents of the age-qualified residential community and their invited guests and shall be limited to the following
(1) A clubhouse consisting of activity rooms, craft rooms, lockers and shower room, library, physical therapy and fitness center, lounges, and similar facilities for members of the age-qualified residential community and invited guests
(2) Recreation facilities such as a swimming pool and tennis court
(3) A guard station and/or mechanical entrance gate
E. Bed-and-breakfast, limited to not more than nine bedrooms when occupying an existing structure which shall be preserved in its original exterior style and materials The bed-and-breakfast facility shall not be an independent use, and it shall not be open for use by the general public Its use shall be strictly limited to the temporary use of the family, friends and guests of the residents of the age-qualified residential community
A. Development regulations
(1) Maximum density The maximum density shall be two units per acre of gross site area
(2) Minimum tract area The minimum tract area shall be 75 acres
(3) Required frontage The tract shall have not less than 500 feet of continuous frontage along each of two perimeter streets which shall satisfy the classification of secondary or primary streets in the Worcester Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance
(4) Open space
(a) Not less than 70% of the area of the tract shall be retained as permanent open space for use by the residents for recreation, leisure activities, resource protection, amenities, etc
(b) Open space having a dimension less than 50 feet in width or containing an individual area less than 20,000 square feet shall not be counted toward the minimum 70% requirement
(5) Setbacks
(a) No principal or accessory building (or any parking lot area accessory thereto) shall be less than 200 feet from any tract boundary or less than 400 feet from the ultimate right-of-way of existing perimeter streets
(b) A gate house/guard house may be permitted within the required setback from an existing perimeter street provided it is set back at least 100 feet from the ultimate right-of-way of the perimeter street
(6) Neighborhood development regulations
(a) The minimum building setback from any interior street line or common parking lot shall be 20 feet
(b) The horizontal distance between the closest point of two adjacent buildings shall not be less than 20 feet In addition, front and rear facades of buildings greater than 50 feet in length shall be separated from other front and rear facades by a distance not less than 35 feet, and front and rear facades of buildings greater than 100 feet in length shall be separated from other front and rear facades by a distance not less than 50 feet
(c) Townhouse dwelling units shall be permitted as a group of two or more, but not more than six, attached dwelling units; and-only one unit shall fully occupy the space from ground to roof
(d) The total building coverage of all dwelling units shall not exceed 15% of the total tract area The total impervious coverage shall not exceed 30% of the total tract area
(e) No accessory buildings, structures or uses may be located between the front of any dwelling unit and interior street lines
(7) Building- height The maximum building-height shall be 35 feet
(8) Off-street parking per dwelling unit There shall be a minimum of two spaces which may include one garage space Garages may not be converted into living area In addition, where on-street parking is not authorized by Worcester Township, 25 parking space per dwelling unit shall be provided in common facilities for overflow and visitors
B. Utilities, common areas and facilities, buffers
(1) Utilities All dwellings and other buildings within an age-qualified residential community shall be served by central sewerage and central water systems
(2) Common areas and facilities Provisions (including the establishment of escrow accounts or sinking funds for future repair and replacement) shall be made for the perpetual maintenance, care and ownership of all common areas, including private streets built to Township specifications, driveways, parking areas, walkways, landscaped planting areas, open space, recreation, and stormwater management systems by a private homeowner association approved by the Board of Supervisors, and none of these facilities shall be offered for dedication to the Township unless specifically requested by the Board of Supervisors
(1) Buffers Along all exterior property boundary lines there shall be a permanent landscape buffer at least 30 feet in depth The landscaping of required buffers shall comply with § 130-28G(5) of the Worcester Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance or Subsection C(2) through (4) below, as may be applicable
(2) Existing buffers In cases where the edge(s) of a development occurs along natural features which adequately function (in the opinion of the Board of Supervisors) as landscape buffers, including but not limited to mature vegetation, significant grade changes or stream valleys, which are proposed to be permanently preserved, buffering as required in § 150-146 15C(1) may be reduced or waived by the Board
(3) Street boundaries Rather than the landscape buffer described in Subsection C(1) and (2) above, the use of an informal massing of deciduous trees having a minimum size of two inches caliper when planted and an expected 20 feet in height at maturity, with an overlapping spacing, may be provided along all property boundaries which abut an existing public street where approved by the Board of Supervisors
(4) Extensive setbacks Where principal and accessory buildings are set back at least 300 feet from a property boundary line or existing perimeter street ultimate right-of-way, the landscaping requirements for a landscape buffer as required in § 150-146-15(1) may be waived by the Board of Supervisors
(5) Maintenance All buffer vegetation required by this article shall be maintained permanently and, in the event of death or other destruction, shall be replaced within six months by the persons responsible for maintenance when death or destruction occurred
A. No more than four persons shall occupy a dwelling on a permanent basis, at least one of whom shall be 55 years of age or older No persons under the age of 19 shall occupy a dwelling except the child of a resident during summer months or during holidays
B. Occupants unrelated by blood or marriage shall be 55 years of age or older
C. An underage resident who shall survive the death of an age-qualified spouse shall be permitted to continue to occupy the dwelling, provided that the continued occupancy does not violate the Federal Fair Housing Act
At the time of subdivision and land development, as a prerequisite to the recording of any final plan approved, the developer shall record a declaration against the entire tract, in a form acceptable to the Township, binding all properties and owners to the restriction which shall require the permanent residents of an individual dwelling unit within the AQRC District to be age 55 or older, and which shall require that any residents of an individual dwelling unit within the AQRC District under the age of 19 years old shall not reside in that dwelling unit except during summer months or during holidays
