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Township of Rostraver, PA
Westmoreland County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (2) Index Notes (25)
The R-3 Multiple-Family Residential District is established to provide for a mix of single-family and multifamily residential dwelling units in areas of the Township which have acceptable levels of infrastructure and access facilities.
A. 
Use permitted by right.
(1) 
Single-family dwelling.
(2) 
Duplex dwelling.
(3) 
Accessory uses.
(4) 
Communications antennas that fall under the Pennsylvania Wireless Broadband Collocation Act,[1] subject to the requirements of § 195-81.
[Added 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 705[2]]
[1]
Editor’s Note: See 53 P.S. § 11702.1 et seq.
[2]
Editor’s Note: This ordinance also repealed former Subsection A(4), regarding essential communications antennas, and Subsection A(5), regarding commercial communications antennas, both added 5-7-1997 by Ord. No. 341.
(5) 
School bus shelter.
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
(6) 
Municipal or neighborhood recreation.
[Added 7-3-2002 by Ord. No. 462]
(7) 
No-impact home-based business. (See definition.)
[Added 2-5-2003 by Ord. No. 482]
B. 
Conditional use.
(1) 
Planned residential development.
(2) 
Day-care/center.
(3) 
Ambulance substation.
[Added 9-2-1998 by Ord. No. 387]
(4) 
Chicken coop and chicken run/pen.
[Added 1-20-2016 by Ord. No. 667]
(5) 
Communications antennas that do not fall under the Pennsylvania Broadband Collocation Act,[3] subject to the requirements of § 195-81.
[Added 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 705]
[3]
Editor’s Note: See 53 P.S. § 11702.1 et seq.
(6) 
Multifamily residential dwellings, to include apartments, townhouses, or condominium units.
[Added 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754]
C. 
Special exception.
(1) 
Multifamily residential dwellings, to include apartments, garden apartments or (townhouses) row houses.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(1), regarding multifamily residential dwellings, was repealed 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754. See now Subsection B(6).
(2) 
Blasting.
[Added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
(3) 
Model home.
[Added 5-4-2005 by Ord. No. 528]
(4) 
Public facility.
[Added 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601]
(5) 
Home occupation.
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
D. 
Accessory use examples (not limited to the following):
(1) 
Garden shelter.
(2) 
Home gardening.
(3) 
Private garage.
(4) 
Private swimming pool.
(5) 
Other uses customary to principal use.
(6) 
Accessory solar energy system.
[Added 5-6-2020 by Ord. No. 728]
The following conditional uses may be authorized by the Township Commissioners pursuant to the standards and criteria specified herewith:
A. 
Planned residential development, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VIII, § 195-21B, of this chapter.
B. 
Day-care/center.
(1) 
Day-care centers shall be located only in commercial, public or semipublic institutional buildings, such as schools, churches, governmental or similar structures that meet all requirements specified by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare for such activities. Day-care centers shall not be conducted in conjunction with single-family residential dwellings. When conducted on multifamily premises, all day-care center operators shall be completely separate and distinct from residential uses.
(2) 
Activities shall be limited to functions normally associated with part-time tending of children and shall not include overnight or drop-in care.
(3) 
Operational hours shall be limited to the hours between 5:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.
[Amended 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
(4) 
Day-care centers shall comply with the current editions of the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) and any and all applicable state and county regulations.
[Amended 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601]
(5) 
All rules, requirements and guidelines promulgated in the Regulations for Child Day-Care Centers, Chapter II, Section 8A, of the Department of Public Welfare Social Services Manual, effective April 2, 1978, and any amendments subsequent thereto, shall be strictly observed. All required state licenses and certifications shall be obtained as conditions precedent to granting of required Township zoning and occupancy permits.
(6) 
A traffic circulation plan will need to be reviewed for the safety and orderly loading and unloading of passengers.
[Added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
(7) 
An outdoor recreation area shall be provided with a minimum of 150 square feet per each individual enrolled. This area shall be located to the side or rear of the lot and shall not include parking or driveway areas.
[Added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
(8) 
All lighting shall be designed and utilized in compliance with § 195-81.2.
[Added 4-7-2004 by Ord. No. 508]
C. 
Ambulance substation, subject to the standards and criteria of Article IX, § 195-25C, of this chapter.
[Added 9-2-1998 by Ord. No. 387]
D. 
Chicken coop and run/pen. The keeping of female chickens is only permitted as an accessory to any single-family dwelling. Roosters are prohibited. Chicken must be kept in a coop, chicken run/pen, or fenced area at all times.
[Added 1-20-2016 by Ord. No. 667]
(1) 
Minimum lot area shall be one acre.
[Added 1-20-2016 by Ord. No. 667]
(2) 
Any structure over 200 square feet will need a zoning permit.
[Added 1-20-2016 by Ord. No. 667]
(3) 
Chicken coops, runs, and pens are only permitted in the rear yard.
[Added 1-20-2016 by Ord. No. 667]
(4) 
Any coop or enclosure for the chickens must be located a minimum of 25 feet from any lot line.
[Added 1-20-2016 by Ord. No. 667]
E. 
Communications antennas that do not fall under the Pennsylvania Wireless Broadband Collocation Act,[1] subject to the standards and criteria of Article XVIII, § 195-81, of this chapter.
[Added 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 705]
[1]
Editor’s Note: See 53 P.S. § 11702.1 et seq.
F. 
Multifamily residential dwellings, to include apartments, townhouses or condominium units may be permitted under either condominium (single unit ownership arrangement) or general ownership.
[Added 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754]
(1) 
Minimum lot size for a multifamily dwelling shall be 20,000 square feet in area.
(2) 
The following design standards shall apply:
(a) 
No structure shall exceed three stories in height.
(b) 
No structure shall contain more than six dwelling units.
(c) 
No structure shall be less than 40 feet or more than 300 feet in length.
(d) 
At least two off-street parking spaces shall be provided for each dwelling unit, and such space shall be within 150 feet of any commonly used entranceway for such dwelling units.
(e) 
Buildings shall be so designed as to avoid monotonous patterns of construction or repetitive spaces or modules between buildings.
(f) 
No structure shall be erected within 25 feet of another structure.
(g) 
Residential density shall not exceed 10 dwelling units per gross acre of land.
(3) 
The development shall provide an approved (PADEP) sanitary sewage disposal system of sufficient size and design to adequately serve the maximum designed capacity of the proposed residential units in the development in lieu of connection to an approved municipal sewage system.
(4) 
An approved municipal water system shall be provided to serve the maximum designed capacity of the proposed residential units.
(5) 
All multifamily dwelling unit development shall be subject to preliminary site plan review and approval in accordance with the following application requirements:
(a) 
Overall development plans showing elevations or architectural perspectives which is reviewed by the Township Planning Agency;
[1] 
Kind, location, occupancy capacity of structures and uses;
[2] 
General floor plan of building;
[3] 
Location and identification of open space, streets and all other means for pedestrian and vehicular circulation, parks, recreational areas and other nonbuilding sites;
[4] 
Provisions for automobile parking and loading;
[5] 
General landscape plan; and
[6] 
General location and nature of public and private utilities and community facilities and services.
(b) 
Approval of a conditional use sketch plan does not constitute a land development approval under the Rostraver Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, Chapter 175, or the Rostraver Township Stormwater Management Ordinance, Chapter 164.
(c) 
At the time of land development submission, the developer shall meet all applicable standards, including but not limited to the requirements for stormwater management and/or a traffic impact study.
The following special exceptions may be authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board, pursuant to the standards and criteria specified herewith:
A. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection A, regarding multifamily houses, was repealed 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754.
B. 
Blasting, subject to the standard and criteria of Article VI, § 195-14N, of this chapter.
[Added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
C. 
Model home, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VI, § 95-14R, of this chapter.
[Added 5-4-2005 by Ord. No. 528]
D. 
Public facility, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VI, § 194-14P, of this chapter.
[Added 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601]
E. 
Home occupation, subject to the standards and criteria of Article IX, § 195-22C, of this chapter.
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
The following requirements shall apply in the R-3 Multiple-Family Residential District.
Use Category
Min. Lot Area
(sq. ft.)
Min. Lot Width
(ft.)
Min. Front Setback
(ft. from ROW)
Min. Side Yard
(ft.)
Min. Rear Yard
(ft.)
Max. Bldg. Height
(ft.)
Max. Lot Coverage
Permitted Use:
Single-family dwelling
[Amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606; 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754]
7,000
90
25
10
15
45
40%
Duplex dwelling
[Amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606;8-1-2018 by Ord. No. 703; 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754]
6,000
90***
25
10**
15
45
40%
Municipal or neighborhood recreation
[Added 7-3-2002 by Ord. No. 462; amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606]
14,000
90
25
20
20
45
NA
Communications antennas that fall under the Pennsylvania Wireless Broadband Collocation Act[1]
[Added 2-23-2000 by Ord. No. 421; amended 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 705]
Subject to the requirements of § 195-81
School bus shelter
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
10-foot setback from all rights-of-way
Conditional Use:
Planned residential development
[Amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606]
Subject to requirements of § 195-21B
Day-care center
[Amended 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483; 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606]
32,000
100
50
25
25
45
40%
Ambulance substation
[Added 9-2-1998 by Ord. No. 387; amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606]
14,000
120
25
10
15
45
15%
Communications antennas that do not fall under the Pennsylvania Wireless Broadband Collocation Act[2]
[Added 9-5-2018 by Ord. No. 705]
Subject to requirements of § 195-81
Multifamily dwelling
[Added 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754]
20,000
100
25
15
15
45
40%
Special Exception:[3]
Blasting
[Added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
Subject to requirements of § 195-14N
Public facility
[Added 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601; amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606]
1 acre
100
50
25
25
45
40%
Home occupation
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
Standard for single-family dwelling shall apply
NOTES:
**
There shall be no minimum side yard requirement at the common party wall. The minimum side yard setback for non -common party walls (any exterior wall not owned by both parties in common) shall be 10 feet.
[Added 8-1-2018 by Ord. No. 703]
***
Duplex lots shall be minimum combined total lot width of 90 feet measuring 45 feet from the common party wall/centerline of the structure.
NA
Not applicable
[1]
Editor’s Note: See 53 P.S. § 11702.1 et seq.
[2]
Editor’s Note: See 53 P.S. § 11702.1 et seq.
[3]
Editor's Note: The former entry for multifamily dwelling, as amended, was repealed 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754.