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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-2 Suburban Residential District is established to provide for residential neighborhoods to accommodate single-family, duplex housing and multifamily condominium units, together with activities that are compatible and normally associated with residential neighborhoods.
A. 
Use permitted by right.
(1) 
Single-family dwelling.
(2) 
Duplex dwelling.
(3) 
Accessory uses.
(4) 
Essential services.
(5) 
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Editor’s Note: This ordinance also repealed former Subsection A(5), regarding essential communications antennas, and Subsection A(6), regarding commercial communications antennas, both added 5-7-1997 by Ord. No. 341.
(6) 
Educational institution, noncommercial.
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
(7) 
Municipal or neighborhood recreation.
[Added 7-3-2002 by Ord. No. 462]
(8) 
No-impact home-based business. (See definition.)
[Added 2-5-2003 by Ord. No. 482]
(9) 
School bus shelter.
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
B. 
Conditional use.
(1) 
Day-care/family.
(2) 
Planned residential development.
(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 Wireless 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) 
Condominium.
[Added 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754]
C. 
Special exception.
(1) 
Church and public facility.
[Amended 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483; 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601; 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
(2) 
Group residential facility.
(3) 
Home occupation.
(4) 
(Reserved)[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(4), School bus shelter, was repealed 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739. See now Subsection A(9).
(5) 
(Reserved)[5]
[5]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(5), Condominium units, was repealed 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754. See now Subsection B(6).
(6) 
Blasting.
[Added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
(7) 
(Reserved)[6]
[6]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(7), which listed a public library as a special exception use, added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483, was repealed 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601.
(8) 
Model home.
[Added 5-4-2005 by Ord. No. 528]
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. 
Day-care/family, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VI, § 195-13A, of this chapter.
B. 
Planned residential development, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VIII, § 195-21B, of this chapter.
C. 
Ambulance substation, subject to the following standards and criteria:
[Added 9-2-1998 by Ord. No. 387]
(1) 
The site shall be no more than one mile by public road from the entrance to a major highway.
(2) 
The site shall be serviced by a municipal water supply and a Township-approved sewer system.
(3) 
All required county, state and federal requirements, permits and license shall be obtained prior to the grant of conditional approval.
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. 
Condominium units in the R- 2 District shall only be permitted under a condominium unit ownership arrangement, as defined in Article III of this chapter.
[Added 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754]
(1) 
Minimum lot size for a multifamily dwelling shall be 22,000 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 six 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 condominium developments 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;
[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. 
Church and public facility, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VI, § 195-14P, of this chapter.
[Amended 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483; 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601; 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
B. 
Group residential facility, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VI, § 195-14F.
C. 
Home occupation, subject to the standards and criteria of Article IX, § 195-22C, of this chapter.
[Amended 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
D. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection D, School bus shelter, was repealed 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739.
E. 
(Reserved)[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection E, Condominium multifamily units, was repealed 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754. See now § 195-25F.
F. 
Blasting, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VI, § 195-14N, of this chapter.
[Added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
G. 
(Reserved)[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection G, which provided for a public library, added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483, was repealed 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601.
H. 
Model home, subject to the standards and criteria of Article VI, § 195-14R, of this chapter.
[Added 5-4-2005 by Ord. No. 528]
The following requirements shall apply in R-2 Suburban Residential Districts:
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]
9,000
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]
7,000
90
25
10**
15
45
40%
Municipal neighborhood recreation
[Added 7-3-2002 by Ord. No. 462; amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606]
11,000
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
Educational institution, noncommercial
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
1 acre
100
50
25
25
45
40%
School bus shelter
[Added 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
10-foot setback from all rights-of-way
Conditional Use:
Condominium
[Added 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754]
22,000
100
25
20
20
45
10%
Day-care/family
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Planned residential development
Subject to requirements of § 195-21B
Ambulance substation
[Added 9-2-1998 by Ord. No. 387; amended 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606]
7,500
75
25
15
10
45
30%
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
Special Exception:[3][4][5]
Church and public facility
[Amended 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601; 9-1-2010 by Ord. No. 606; 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
1 acre
100
50
25
25
45
40%
Group residential facility
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Home occupation
[Amended 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739]
Standard for single- family dwelling shall apply
Blasting
[Added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483]
Subject to requirements of § 195-14N
Model home
[Added 5-4-2005 by Ord. No. 528]
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
NOTES:
*
Standard for principal use shall apply
**
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 15 feet.
[Added 8-1-2018 by Ord. No. 703]
NA
Not applicable
**
Duplex lots shall be a minimum combined total lot width of 90 feet measuring 45 feet from the common party wall/centerline of the structure.
[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 entry for public library, added 4-2-2003 by Ord. No. 483, was repealed 6-2-2010 by Ord. No. 601.
[4]
Editor's Note: The entry for school bus shelter was repealed 7-7-2021 by Ord. No. 739.
[5]
Editor's Note: The entry for condominium units was repealed 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 754.