The purpose of establishing planned apartment
districts shall be to encourage the logical and timely development
of land for apartment purposes in accordance with the objectives,
policies and proposals of the Comprehensive or General Plan and Zoning
Ordinance; to assure the suitable design of the apartment in order
to protect the surrounding environment of adjacent and nearby neighborhoods;
and to ensure that the proposed development will constitute a residential
environment of sustained desirability and stability and not produce
a volume of traffic in excess of the capacity for which access streets
are designed. The protective standards contained in this article are
intended to minimize any adverse effect of the apartment on nearby
property values.
The Board of Supervisors may authorize as an
amendment to the Zoning Map the designation of an area as an "Apartment
House District LR" or as an "Apartment House District HR" for the
location of an integrated apartment development, subject to the regulations
of this and any pertinent article. In an Apartment House District,
the following regulations shall apply.
A building may be erected or used and a lot
may be used or occupied for the following purposes and no other, provided
that the requirements of the sections following are met:
A.
Multiple dwelling, semidetached dwelling and attached
dwelling.
B.
Playgrounds, parks, tot lots and open space.
C.
Parking. Off-street automobile parking and off-street
delivery/collection facilities shall be required. Such parking area
shall not be leased but shall be for the sole use of the occupants
of such building and the visitors thereto.
D.
The dwelling accessory uses, limited to satisfy principally
the needs of the occupants: restaurant; hair dresser; barbershop;
newsstand; dry cleaning; pick-up station; retail sales of food; flowers;
clothing; sale or repair of watches and jewelry; drugs; optical goods
and household supplies; professional office and studio for physician,
dentist, musician, artist, teacher, lawyer, architect or other professional
person. The total maximum area for such uses shall not exceed 5% of
the total floor area of the building or buildings, excluding basements
and garages. Parking for such accessory uses shall be in accordance
with the requirements of this article of this chapter. No exterior
displays or advertising shall be permitted for accessory uses.
E.
No area shall be zoned for apartment house district
use if there exists in the area to be zoned any residential, industrial
or other use which would be nonconforming under the terms of this
section. The Board of Supervisors may zone the area apartment house
district, however, if the developer guarantees the removal or discontinuance
of the nonconforming use. The proposed district shall be unified and
contiguous in shape; the creation of odd-shaped areas which exclude
nonconforming uses is to be avoided.
In a development of multiple dwellings, the
following regulations shall apply in an Apartment House District LR:
A.
Area of tract. Not less than 10 acres shall be provided
for every area to be used in whole or in part as an Apartment House
District LR.
B.
Building area. Not more than 15% of the area of each
Apartment House District LR may be occupied by buildings.
C.
Setback from streets. There shall be a setback from
the ultimate right-of-way of each street on which the Apartment House
District LR abuts which shall be not less than 75 feet.
D.
Setback from property lines. There shall be a setback
from any property line other than the street line which the Apartment
House District LR abuts of not less than 200 feet.
E.
Setback between buildings. The horizontal distance
measured in feet at the closest point between any two buildings shall
not be less than the height of the taller building, measured in feet.
The horizontal distance measured in feet between parallel elements
of buildings forming courts and courtyards shall not be less than
twice the height of the taller building, measured in feet.
F.
Not less than two off-street automobile parking spaces
shall be required for each dwelling unit. Such parking area shall
be so placed so as not to interfere with any recreation or service
area and shall not be less than 25 feet from the property line or
ultimate right-of-way lines.
G.
Dwelling units per acre. There shall be no more than
10 dwelling units per acre. Not more than 1/2 of the total dwelling
units shall have two bedrooms or more; furthermore, not more than
1/10 of the total dwelling units shall have three bedrooms or more.
H.
Height regulations. No building in an Apartment House
District LR shall exceed 35 feet in height or three stories, exclusive
of basements. Appurtenances such as chimneys, flagpoles and mechanical
units may be created above the roofline, provided that any structure
above the roofline shall be erected within a recession of one foot
for each one foot of additional height.
I.
[1]Air conditioners may be of the single-unit or central-unit type. If single unit, they must not protrude from the natural wall line and must be designed in accordance with the overall architectural treatment of the building. If of the central-unit type, with the unit on the roof, the unit must be recessed in accordance with Subsection H above of this section and must be designed in accordance with the overall architectural treatment of the building.
J.
Impervious ground cover: maximum of 30% of the total
lot area.
[Added 9-9-2004 by Ord. No. 794]
K.
Minimum green space area: 70% of the total lot area.
[Added 9-9-2004 by Ord. No. 794]
In a development of multiple dwellings, the
following regulations shall apply in an Apartment House District HR:
A.
Area of tract. Not less than 15 acres shall be provided
for every area to be used as an Apartment House District HR.
B.
Building area. Not more than 10% of the area of each
Apartment House District HR may be occupied by buildings.
C.
Setback from streets. There shall be a setback from
the ultimate right-of-way of each street on which the Apartment House
District HR abuts which shall be not less than 75 feet in depth, provided
that buildings in excess of 35 feet in height shall provide an additional
one foot of setback for each additional one foot of height.
D.
Setback from property lines. There shall be a setback
from any property line other than the street line which the Apartment
House District HR abuts of not less than 100 feet, except where the
adjacent property is zoned residential, in which case the setback
shall be 200 feet.
E.
Building arrangement. In the case of two or more buildings
for any permitted use on one lot, such buildings shall be arranged
in a harmonious grouping, and:
(1)
The distance between any two buildings or wings and
single building, regardless of orientation, shall be not less than
the height of the taller of the two buildings, or the height of one
building if both are of the same height; provided, however, that in
no case shall the distance between buildings or wings of a building
court be less than 75 feet.
(2)
When courts are created by construction of a single
continuous building being built around a central open area, such court
must have not more than 75% of its perimeter surrounded by the subject
building.
F.
Not less than two off-street automobile parking spaces
shall be required for each dwelling unit. Such parking areas shall
be placed so as not to interfere with any recreation or service area
and shall not be less than 50 feet from any property line and 25 feet
from any ultimate right-of-way line.
G.
Dwelling unit per acre. There shall be no more than
10 dwelling units per acre.
H.
Height regulations. No building shall exceed 120 feet
in height, nor shall it exceed 12 habitable stories. Appurtenances
such as chimneys, flagpoles and mechanical units may be erected above
the roofline, provided that any structure above the roofline shall
be erected within a recession of one foot for each one foot of additional
height.
I.
[1]Air conditioners may be of the single-unit or central-unit type. If single unit, they must not protrude from the natural wall line and must be designed in accordance with the overall architectural treatment of the building. If of the central-unit type, with the unit on the roof, the unit must be recessed in accordance with Subsection H above of this section and must be designed in accordance with the overall architectural treatment of the building.
J.
Impervious ground cover: maximum of 25% of the total
lot area.
[Added 9-9-2004 by Ord. No. 794]
K.
Minimum green space area: 75% of the total lot area.
[Added 9-9-2004 by Ord. No. 794]
In any development under § 116-67 or 116-68, the general plan shall include evidence and facts showing that consideration has been given and provision has been made for the development and shall be executed in accordance with the following essential conditions:
A.
The development shall be substantially in accordance
with the Comprehensive Plan of the Township. Consideration shall be
given to the surrounding land features of the area, including but
not limited to residences, schools, parks, other reservation of open
spaces, locations, width and grade of streets and location and arrangement
of parking spaces, local and regional business areas and shopping
centers, densities proposed for surrounding areas, and such other
features as shall contribute to the harmonious development of the
area, with due regard to the character of the neighborhood and its
particular suitability for this type of use.
B.
The development shall be constructed in accordance
with an overall plan and shall be designed as a unified architectural
unit with appropriate landscaping.
(1)
If the development of the apartment is to be carried
out in stages, such stages shall be so planned that the foregoing
requirements and the intent of this chapter shall be fully complied
with at the completion of any stage. The initial stage of development
shall comprise a total floor area of not less than 50,000 square feet.
(2)
The developer shall assure the provisions of required improvements
by means of a proper completion guaranty in the form of an irrevocable
letter of credit acceptable to the Township Solicitor or the deposit
of funds or securities in escrow to cover the cost of the improvements.
[Amended 1-8-2015 by Ord.
No. 948]
C.
The area shall, as far as possible, have within or
through it no major thoroughfare or other physical feature which will
tend to destroy the neighborhood or community cohesiveness.
D.
All paved areas for vehicular use shall be constructed
to specifications of No. 2 highways, Pennsylvania Department of Highways.
All pedestrian walks and other paved areas shall be constructed in
accordance with Township specifications.
E.
Fire lanes as required by the Fire Marshal. Areas
for loading and unloading of delivery trucks and other vehicles and
for the servicing of refuse collection, fuel and other service shall
be provided and shall be adequate in size and shall be so arranged
that they may be used without blockage or interference with the use
of accessways or automobile parking facilities.
F.
Provision shall be made for safe and efficient ingress
and egress to and from public streets and highways serving the apartment
without undue congestion to or interference with normal traffic flow.
G.
All utility lines servicing the apartment center shall
be placed underground.
H.
All buildings within the center shall be served by
a public sanitary sewage disposal system and public water supply or
available public utilities.
J.
Lighting facilities provided shall be arranged in
a manner which will protect the highway and neighboring properties
from unreasonable direct glare or hazardous interference of any kind.
Lighting facilities shall be required where deemed necessary for the
safety and convenience of apartment residents.
K.
Landscaping and screening. All front yards, side yards
and rear yards shall be landscaped for a depth of 50 feet for the
entire length thereof in accordance with landscape plans showing the
locations, species and size of shrubs and other proposed landscaping,
which plans shall include proposals for screening adjacent residential
areas and shall be submitted to the Shade Tree Commission prior to
the issuance of the building permit.
L.
The developer shall preserve or incorporate natural
features such as woods, streams and open space areas, which add to
the overall cohesive development of the Apartment House District and
overall Township development.
M.
The developer shall give consideration to the provision
of community areas, laundry facilities, playgrounds, open space and
tot lots, and other services necessary for the comfort and convenience
of apartment residents.
N.
Trash receptacles. All buildings shall be provided
with trash receptacles convenient to service entrances and screened
as a part of the architectural treatment of the building. Incinerators
are not permitted in apartment buildings.
P.
All mechanical equipment shall be installed and maintained
so that no noise therefrom can be heard at the property line.
A.
In any development under § 116-67 or § 116-68, the overall development plan shall include the following items without limitation:
(1)
All property lines and names of adjoining owners.
(2)
Existing contours at two-foot intervals.
(3)
Finished contours after grading.
(4)
Existing utility poles.
(5)
Existing major trees (having a diameter of eight inches
or more at a point measured three feet from the ground) and outline
of significant tree groups.
(6)
Outline of proposed buildings, including main floor
elevation and estimate of floor area.
(7)
Location and slopes of all roads and parking lots.
(8)
Outline of all existing structures and an indication
of what structures are going to be demolished.
(9)
Existing watercourses and floodplain.
(10)
Road right-of-way, including ultimate right-of-way.
(11)
Existing and proposed drainage structures.
B.
No building permit application may be submitted until
the overall development plan shall have been reviewed and approved
by the Board of Supervisors.
All procedural requirements of the Township
subdivision regulations shall be adhered to as they apply to apartment
house district development.
In a development of semidetached or attached
dwellings, the following regulations shall apply:
A.
Building area. The maximum building coverage shall
be 20% of the area being developed hereunder.
B.
Yard requirements. Any dwelling constructed hereunder
shall have a minimum front yard of 30 feet, a minimum rear yard of
40 feet, and the minimum lot area shall be 3,000 square feet.
C.
Height limits. The maximum height of any principal
building on any lot shall be 35 feet, and the maximum height of any
accessory building shall be 20 feet.
D.
Area of tract. Any tract to be developed in whole
or in part for semidetached or attached dwellings shall contain not
less than 10 acres.
E.
Dwelling units per acre. There shall be no more than
eight dwelling units per acre.
F.
Building size. No building shall contain more than
eight dwelling units in a continuous attached row. No more than three
contiguous units shall have a uniform front yard setback from a right-of-way
or parking area.
G.
Open space. A minimum of 20% of the area being developed
hereunder shall be retained as nonvehicular common open space.
H.
Setback from property lines. The setback from each
property line or the zoning district boundary, other than a street
line, shall be not less than 100 feet.
I.
Setback between buildings. The horizontal distance
measured in feet at the closest point between any two buildings shall
be not less than 40 feet.
J.
Parking. Not less than two off-street parking units
shall be required for each dwelling unit.
K.
Water and sewers. Any development hereunder must be
serviced by public water and sewer systems.
L.
Fences and walls. No fence or wall over six feet in
height, except a retaining wall or a wall of a building permitted
under the terms of this chapter, shall be erected within three feet
of the rear lot line of any residential lot. In instances where the
side lot line does not pass through a common wall, no such fence or
wall shall be erected within three feet of said lot line. A fence
or wall may be used to enclose tennis courts, playgrounds or other
recreational areas, which areas are available to the general public.
