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Township of Lower Gwynedd, PA
Montgomery County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (3) Index
STATUTORY REFERENCES
General provisions and definitions — See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
GENERAL REFERENCES
Establishment — See Ch. 1254, Section 1254.01.
Townhouses in E District — See Ch. 1268, Sections 1268.06(a) and 1268.08(h)(1).
Signs — See Ch. 1292.
Off-street parking and loading — See Ch. 1294.
Nonconforming uses — See Ch. 1296.
Fire separations in multifamily dwellings — See Ch. 1440, Section 1440.03 (BOCA See. 910.3).
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
In an "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District, the regulations set forth in this chapter shall apply.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
In an "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District, a building may be erected or used, and a lot may be used or occupied, for any of the following purposes and no other:
(a) 
Housing for the elderly.
(b) 
Residential nursing care facilities.
(c) 
Municipal use.
(d) 
Accessory uses in accordance with Section 1250.04(2) and Chapter 1298.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
(a) 
Minimum Lot Area. In an "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District, a lot area of not less than 20 acres shall be provided for every development.
(b) 
Minimum Lot Width. A lot width of not less than 200 feet shall be provided along a public street or way for every access to the development.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985; amended 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. 522]
(a) 
General Regulations.
(1) 
Front yards. In an "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District, there shall be a front yard along all street frontages which shall not be less than 200 feet in depth.
(2) 
Side and rear yards. All side and rear yards along the lot boundary shall be not less than 175 feet in depth.
(b) 
Regulations for residential buildings or buildings accessory thereto. For the purposes of this chapter, a residential building, or unit, as the case may be, shall house overnight occupants. In the case of buildings meeting all of the following criteria, front, side and rear yard requirements shall be reduced to 75 feet:
(1) 
The building shall be a residential building or a building accessory thereto.
(2) 
The maximum height of any residential building shall be 40 feet.
(3) 
Buildings accessory to a residential building shall be limited to a detached garage or shed. The maximum height of any building accessory to a residential building shall be 14 feet.
(4) 
The maximum length of a building wall most nearly parallel to a public street or property line shall not exceed 160 feet.
(5) 
Any new residential building subject to this reduced setback requirement shall have its design and materials approved by the Board of Supervisors.
(c) 
Additional regulations for any development within 1,000 feet of Evans Road.
(1) 
Residential units shall have a maximum height of 30 feet and shall not exceed two stories.
(2) 
Residential units shall be set back a minimum of 75 feet from the outside edge of an ultimate right-of-way and 200 feet from an adjoining residential property line.
(3) 
Interior access roads shall have a cartway no less than 24 feet and no greater than 28 feet in width. The center line of all access roads shall be set back 170 feet from any adjacent property not zoned "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District.
(4) 
Nonresidential structures shall be limited to one parlor/clubhouse no larger than 1,200 square feet with a maximum height of 30 feet, storage buildings for the owner/operator of the facility no larger than 400 square feet, and one guard house.
(5) 
Parking areas shall be set back a minimum of 75 feet from an adjoining residential property line.
(6) 
The maximum length of a residential building wall most nearly parallel to a public street or property line shall not exceed 140 feet.
(7) 
A Class B buffer, as defined in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance,[1] shall be installed along the property line of adjacent residential properties to the southwest.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 1230, Subdivision and Land Development.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
(a) 
Building Coverage. In an "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District, the total area building coverage shall not exceed 20%.
(b) 
Impervious Coverage. The total impervious coverage shall not exceed 45%.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985; amended 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. 522]
(a) 
The maximum height for residential buildings erected or enlarged in an "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District shall be 50 feet. Any building in excess of 40 feet in height shall be set back a minimum of 300 feet from a street right-of-way and/or 200 feet from a property line.
(b) 
The maximum height for any detached garage or shed shall be 14 feet.
(c) 
The maximum height for any building that supports the operation of the community, such as, but not limited to, community centers, dining services, fitness/wellness centers, maintenance buildings and storage buildings, shall be 50 feet.
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985]
(a) 
For each dwelling unit in an "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District, 0.85 of a parking space shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 1294.
(b) 
For employee and accessory uses, parking shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 1294.
(c) 
Areas for loading and unloading of delivery trucks and other vehicles, and for refuse collection, fuel and other service vehicles, shall be provided, shall be adequate in size and shall be so arranged that they may be used without blocking or interfering with the use of access roads or automobile parking facilities, and all such areas shall be in accordance with Chapter 1294.
(d) 
Parking areas, service areas, loading areas or access drives shall be set back a minimum of 20 feet from any property line.
[Amended 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. 522]
[Ord. 223. Passed 12-10-1985; Ord. 251. Passed 2-16-1988]
(a) 
Density. In an "MF-3-A" Multifamily Residential District:
[Amended 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. 522]
(1) 
The number of units per gross acre shall not exceed six for developments with no residential nursing care facilities.
(2) 
The number of dwelling units per gross acre shall not exceed four for developments that include residential nursing care facilities. When developments include residential nursing care facilities, the number of residential nursing care beds in any one development shall not exceed 20% of the total number of dwelling units in that development.
(b) 
Building Plan. Buildings shall be in accordance with an overall plan and shall be designed as a single architectural scheme. The distance at the closest point between buildings shall be 30 feet.
(c) 
Preservation of Natural Features. The development plan shall preserve and incorporate natural features such as woods, streams and open space areas which add to the overall cohesive development of such district and to the overall Township development.
(d) 
Lighting; Utility Lines. Spaces between buildings, parking areas, loading areas, access areas and service areas shall be adequately illuminated at night. Lighting, including sign lighting, shall be arranged to protect the highway and adjoining property from direct glare or hazardous interference. Utility lines servicing the area shall be placed underground.
(e) 
Storage of Refuse. Raw materials, supplies, trash, rubbish and other refuse shall be stored in covered containers within an adequate enclosure and handled and disposed of in such a manner so as not to give rise to smoke, odor or litter.
(f) 
Landscaping. All development in such district shall be designed and maintained in accordance with the landscape provisions of the Subdivision Regulations.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection (g), Common Open Space, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 5-28-2019 by Ord. No. 522, and former Subsection (h), Detention Basins, was repealed 8-22-2017 by Ord. No. 513.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Section 1278.09, Application procedure, was repealed 2-21-1995 by Ord. No. 314.