Township of Westtown, PA Article VII R-2 Residential District

§ 170-700 Statement of intent.

In addition to the goals listed in the statements of general purpose and community development objectives in this chapter, it is the purpose of this article to provide housing choices for residential development at medium densities. It also is the purpose of this article to encourage efficient investment in public improvements associated with more intensive levels of development at locations near existing residential areas of this type, and near major highways, commercial areas, and/or centers of employment. Restrictions are provided to maintain suitable areas of open space between residences to create a suburban atmosphere adequate for family needs.

§ 170-701 Use regulations.

[Amended 9-15-1997 by Ord. No. 97-3; 3-3-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-2]

A. Uses by right. A building may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot or premises may be used or occupied, by right, for any one of the following principal purposes and no other:

(1) Single-family detached dwelling.

(2) Agricultural use, in accordance with the provisions of § 170-1609 of this chapter.

(3) Buildings, structures, and uses owned and operated by Westtown Township.

(4) Accessory uses. Only the following accessory uses shall be permitted, in addition to a permitted principal use:

(a) Uses customarily accessory to principal agricultural or residential uses, including but not limited to those uses described in § 170-1603B and C of this chapter.

(b) Swimming pool, in accordance with the provisions of § 170-1611 of this chapter.

(c) Minor home occupation, in accordance with the terms of § 170-1605 of this chapter.

B. Uses by special exception. The following uses shall be permitted when authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board as a special exception, in accordance with the terms of this article and the standards and criteria contained in § 170-2108 of this chapter. The area and bulk regulations for uses permitted by special exception, as contained in § 170-702E of this article, and the design standards for uses permitted by special exception, as contained in § 170-703 of this article, shall apply to all uses permitted by special exception in the R-2 District.

(1) Greenhouse, when not considered by the Zoning Officer to be a permitted accessory use.

(2) Noncommercial recreational use, such as nonprofit swimming pool, provided the principal activity shall not be one which is customarily carried on as a business and provided that all services shall be for members and their guests.

(3) Religious use or primary or secondary school, which shall comply with § 170-702E of this chapter.

(4) Golf course and buildings customarily incidental thereto, excluding driving range or miniature golf course as a principal use.

(5) Major home occupation, in accordance with the terms of § 170-1605 of this chapter.

(6) Conversion of single-family dwelling, in accordance with the provisions of § 170-1608 of this chapter.

(7) Accessory dwelling unit in accordance with the provisions of § 170-1603A on a lot of not less than 18,000 square feet if the principal dwelling unit and accessory dwelling unit are, or will be, connected to public sewer and water. If both units cannot be connected to public sewer and water, a minimum lot size of 40,000 square feet is required, also subject to the provisions of § 170-1603A.

[Added 5-2-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-4; amended 5-21-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-5]

(8) Conversion of an accessory dwelling unit into a rental, in accordance with the provisions of § 170-1619.

[Added 5-6-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-02]

§ 170-702 Area and bulk regulations.

The following regulations shall apply:

A. The maximum density of use on any tract within the R-2 District shall be as determined by § 170-1519B of this chapter.

B. Single-family detached dwelling.

(1) With on-site sewage and on-site water service:

[Amended 3-3-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-2]

(a) Lot area: one acre minimum.

(b) Lot width at building: 150 feet minimum setback line.

(c) Impervious coverage: 20% maximum.

(2) With on-site sewage and off-site water service, or public off-site sewage and on-site water service:

[Amended 3-3-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-2]

(a) Lot area: one acre minimum.

(b) Lot width at building: 125 feet minimum setback line.

(c) Impervious coverage: 20% maximum.

(3) With both public off-site sewage and water service:

(a) Lot area: 22,000 square feet minimum.

(b) Lot width at building: 100 feet minimum setback line.

(c) Impervious coverage: 25% maximum.

(4) All single-family detached dwellings:

(a) Lot width at street line: 50 feet minimum, except 250 feet minimum at the future right-of-way line of Routes 202, 3, 352 or 926, if the property would have direct access onto any of these routes.

(b) Building setback line: 40 feet minimum, except:

[1] No structure shall be located within 100 feet of the future right-of-way line of Route 202 or Route 3. The land within the required setback may be accepted as part of the requirements for open space of this chapter or Chapter 149, Subdivision and Land Development.

[2] Sixty feet minimum from the future right-of-way line of Route 926 or Route 352.

(c) Side yards: 10 feet minimum for each, with 25 feet total for both yards.

(d) Rear yard:30 feet minimum.

(e) Maximum building height: three stories, not to exceed 38 feet.

[Amended 5-1-1995 by Ord. No. 95-2]

C. Agricultural uses: As required by the standards in § 170-1609 of this chapter.

D. Accessory uses: Accessory uses may be located in side and rear yards, but only in conformance with the standards of § 170-1502 of this chapter.

E. Nonresidential uses permitted by special exception, specifically excluding major home occupations which are considered accessory to a residential use:

[Amended 12-5-1994 by Ord. No. 94-6; 5-1-1995 by Ord. No. 95-2; 3-3-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-2; 5-2-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-4]

(1) Minimum lot area: two acres.

(2) Minimum lot width at building setback: 200 feet.

(3) Side yard minimum width:

(a) One: 50 feet.

(b) Both: 100 feet.

(4) Minimum rear yard: 50 feet.

(5) Maximum building coverage (all uses): 20%.

(6) Maximum total impervious coverage: 40%.

(7) Minimum front yard: 50 feet, except that, for uses in the vicinity of major roads, as noted below:

(a) One hundred feet minimum from the future right-of-way line of Route 202 or Route 3.

(b) Sixty feet minimum from the future right-of-way line of Route 926 or Route 352.

(8) Minimum lot width at street line: 50 feet minimum, except 250 feet minimum at the future right-of-way line of Routes 202, 3, 352, or 926, if the use would have direct access onto any of these routes.

(9) Maximum building height: three stories, not to exceed 38 feet.

(10) Buffer requirements. In addition to the requirements of § 170-1508 of this chapter, there shall be a fifty-foot buffer strip maintained on the property containing a use permitted by special exception when such use abuts any A/C, R-1, R-2, or R-3 District. Such buffer strip shall be in addition to any and all applicable area and bulk regulations, including setback regulations. The buffer strip shall be planted and shall not include any paved area.

F. Conditional uses: Residential conditional uses shall, as applicable, conform to the standards for single-family detached dwellings in § 170-702B above. Nonresidential conditional uses shall conform to the standards for nonresidential uses in § 170-702E above.

§ 170-703 Design standards.

A. The following design standards of this chapter shall, as applicable, govern all uses permitted by right, special exception, and conditional use in the R-2 District:

(1) Parking. As required by Article XVII of this chapter.

(2) Lighting. As required by § 170-1514 of this chapter.

B. The following additional design standards of this chapter shall, as applicable, govern any use permitted by special exception or conditional use in the R-2 District:

(1) Screening. As required by § 170-1508.

(2) Storage. As required by § 170-1509.

(3) Landscaping. As required by § 170-1507.

(4) Access and traffic control. As required by § 170-1510.

(5) Interior circulation. As required by § 170-1513.