[1]
Editor's Note: The title of this article was changed from
Conservation Subdivision (CS) Overlay District 10-25-2010 by Ord.
No. 2010-05.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
The OSD Overlay District is primarily intended to:
A.
Promote a detailed analysis of development parcels so as to locate
and coordinate appropriate areas for development and for conservation;
B.
Avoid development that could cause inefficient patterns of development;
C.
Encourage a blend of recreation areas and a mix of housing at a medium
density to serve various age groups and types of housing;
D.
Provide for reasonably safe and convenient pedestrian, bicycle and
vehicle circulation, with an emphasis on connecting residential and
recreational areas;
E.
Provide greater design flexibility and efficiency in the siting of
homes, services and infrastructure, including the opportunity to reduce
the length of streets and utility facilities;
F.
Preserve rural characteristics through the permanent preservation
of meaningful open space and sensitive natural resources;
G.
Encourage the creation of a sense of place and community spirit;
H.
Promote the goals and objectives of the Lower Allen Township Comprehensive
Plan Update, 2006, as amended;
I.
Make efficient use of available public water and sewer services and
other infrastructure; and
J.
Avoid excessive improvement costs and future Township maintenance
costs for each new home by minimizing the amount of street and utility
length per home.
A.
The OSD Overlay District applies to R-1 Single-Family Established
Residential and R-2 Single-Family Rural Residential Zoning Districts.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B.
OSD developments are a permitted use by right in the R-1 and R-2
Zoning Districts.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
C.
For the purposes of this article, the words "parcel" or "lot," whether
singular or plural, shall encompass planned community units under
the Pennsylvania Uniform Planned Community Act, 68 Pa.C.S.A. § 5101
et seq., as amended, and condominium units under the Pennsylvania
Uniform Condominium Act, 68 Pa.C.S.A. § 3101 et seq., as
amended, and the lot area, lot width and yard standards of this article
shall apply to each such planned community unit or condominium unit
as if each unit constituted a parcel or lot.
A.
A minimum tract size of five acres is required for an OSD development.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
A.
All proposed development within any OSD shall be served by either
public water or suitable private wells. If water supply other than
public water is proposed, applicant shall provide a hydrogeologic
study demonstrating the availability of adequate water supply. The
study shall be submitted with the preliminary plan.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B.
All proposed development within any OSD shall be served by either
public sewer or a community sewage disposal system.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
C.
Traffic from an OSD of 20 acres or more shall have access to a major
collector road, a minor arterial road or a local road, as identified
in the Township Comprehensive Plan Update, 2006, as amended. Primary
access from an OSD of 20 acres or more from a minor Township road
shall not be permitted. Where primary access to an OSD of 20 acres
or more is via a major collector road or a local road, the primary
route of travel from the OSD to a principal arterial shall be identified.
This primary route of travel shall not contain deficiencies identified
in the Township Comprehensive Plan Update, 2006, as amended.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
D.
Single-family detached and side-by-side twin dwelling unit lots are
permitted to front only minor Township or local streets. All other
permitted uses are permitted to front on minor Township, local or
major collector street.
E.
All OSD developments shall include provisions for constructing trails
within and through the development.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
In addition to those uses permitted in the underlying zoning
district, the following uses shall be permitted by right:
Refer to the requirements in the underlying zoning district.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
A.
Maximum density for a OSD shall be determined as follows:
(1)
Determine land area available for development after deleting:
existing rights-of-way of existing streets and railroads, and lands
continuously covered with water.
B.
The densities achieved in Subsection A may be increased by not more than two DU per acre, resulting in a maximum R-1 density of eight DU per acre and a maximum R-2 density of four DU per acre by applying the following methodology:
(1)
One
bonus DU per acre if the developer provides at least 125% of the required
open space or required recreation land, or 125% of the fee in lieu
of (FILO) dedicated recreation land, if deemed acceptable per the
Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO).[1]
(2)
Two
bonus DU per acre if the developer provides at least 150% of the required
open space or required recreation land, or 150% FILO dedicated recreation
land, if deemed acceptable per SALDO.
(3)
Two
bonus DU per acre if the developer provides at least 125% of the required
open space and required recreation land, or 125% FILO dedicated recreation
land, if deemed acceptable per SALDO.
D.
For all other permitted uses:
(1)
There shall be no minimum lot area. Lot area shall be based
on required setbacks, impervious coverage, parking, environmental
limitations and other applicable criteria.
(2)
The minimum lot width shall be not less than 50 feet at the
dedicated right-of-way line, and not less than 100 feet at the building
line.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
The overall impervious coverage for an OSD shall not exceed
40% in the R-1 District and shall not exceed 30% in the R-2 District.
Yards shall be provided as follows:
A.
On a multiple frontage lot, a front yard shall be provided abutting
each street frontage.
C.
For single-family detached dwelling: minimum side yards shall total
no less than 15 feet, with no one side less than five feet, in width.
On a corner lot, two side yards shall be provided along the interior
lot lines.
D.
For side-by-side twin dwellings:
(1)
One side yard shall be provided, with a minimum width of 10
feet.
F.
For all other permitted uses, refer to the requirements in the underlying
zoning district.
G.
An unenclosed porch, deck or patio may intrude into a required front,
side or rear yard a maximum of 50% of the required setback or 10 feet,
whichever is less.
H.
Chimneys, roof overhangs, rain gutters, building footings, window
wells and similar features may intrude up to two feet into a required
setback.
I.
Detached accessory buildings shall be set back a minimum of five
feet from a side or rear lot line. Accessory buildings shall not be
permitted within a front yard.
A.
A minimum percentage of 60% of total allowable dwelling units within
any OSD must be detached single-family dwellings.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
A.
In addition to required public recreation land, a minimum of 25%
of the gross area of an OSD development shall be retained as common
open space reserved for passive recreational use.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
B.
A minimum of 50% of the designated common open space shall not be
regraded as part of development of the site.
C.
Common open space shall be available for use by residents of the
OSD and their guests free of charge, except for areas of nonintensive
agriculture, horticulture, floriculture or silviculture. An annual
maintenance fee assessed to all property owners for maintenance of
common open space shall not be considered a charge for use of the
space.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
D.
Common open space may be made available for use by the general public.
This shall not be cause to reduce the requirements for dedication
of public recreation land.
E.
A pedestrian access and trail construction plan shall be required
to provide accessibility to the common open space.
F.
Commercial uses shall not be permitted in common open space, except
for community events approved by the owner of the common open space.
G.
Any area designated as common open space shall be no smaller than
four times the area of the smallest residential lot within the OSD
development, except for designated trails.
[Amended 10-25-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-05]
A.
Applicant must supply documentation showing proposed plan for ownership
and perpetual maintenance and protection of common open space (COS).
Available methods are as follows:
(1)
COS ownership retained by applicant.
(2)
COS offered for dedication to the Township. The Board of Commissioners
may accept dedication to the Township at their discretion, but there
is no obligation to do so.
(3)
COS ownership by a qualified conservation or preservation organization.
(4)
COS ownership by a homeowners' association or condominium association.
B.
A conservation easement shall be provided to ensure that all common
open space shall remain open in perpetuity.
