[Ord. 524, 12/31/1991; as amended by Ord. 09-638, 5/12/2009]
A building may be erected or used, and a lot may be used or occupied, for any use permitted in the R-A Residence District, provided that special exception uses shall require special exception approval and shall comply with all standards of § 27-301. Agricultural or farm use shall not be permitted.
[Ord. 524, 12/31/1991]
1.Â
Lot Area and Width. A lot area of not less than 17,000 square feet per family shall be provided for every building hereafter erected or used in whole or in part as a dwelling, and each lot shall have a width at the building line of not less than 85 feet, subject to the provisions of § 27-1402.
2.Â
Building Area. Not more than 35% of the area of each lot may be occupied
by buildings.
3.Â
Front Yard. There shall be a front yard on each street on which a lot abuts, which shall be not less than 25 feet in depth provided that the front yard on the long side of a corner lot may be reduced to a depth of not less than 15 feet, subject to the provisions of § 27-1413.
4.Â
Side Yards.
A.Â
For every dwelling, there shall be two side yards on each lot, which
shall not be less than 25 feet in aggregate width, and neither of
which shall be less than 10 feet in width.
B.Â
For every main building other than a dwelling, there shall be two
side yards on each lot neither of which shall be less than 15 feet
in width.
5.Â
Rear Yard. There shall be a rear yard on each lot which shall be
not less than 25 feet in depth.
[Ord. 524, 12/31/1991]
No building shall exceed 35 feet in height.
[Ord. 524, 12/31/1991; as added by Ord. 549, 9/8/1996, § 2]
The Board of Commissioners may approve as a conditional use
in an R-2 Residence District the following:
A.Â
Cluster subdivision option having individual lots containing one
single-family detached dwelling and permitted accessory uses.
[Ord. 524, 12/31/1991; as added by Ord. 549, 9/9/1996, § 3]
In order to encourage the preservation of natural resources,
the creation of viable open spaces, more creative and attractive development,
the provision of recreation areas and the efficient design and use
of streets, the Board of Commissioners may permit cluster development
in the R-2 Residence District only, provided that the standards and
criteria are satisfied:
A.Â
The tract of land shall be not less than five contiguous acres within
West Norriton Township.
B.Â
The tract of land to be developed shall be in one ownership or shall
be the subject of an application filed jointly by the owners of the
entire tract, and it shall be agreed that the tract will be developed
under single direction and completely in accordance with the plan.
C.Â
The tract to be subdivided shall contain any one or combination of
the following, which to the maximum extent practicable shall be included
as common open space as described under Subsection G hereunder except
for roads or access drives which may be required in order to take
safe and convenient access to the property proposed for cluster development.
(2)Â
Slopes in excess of 15% as determined by a field topographical
survey.
(3)Â
Mature permanent vegetation such as trees with a caliper of
six inches or greater covering 1/4 acre considered by the Board of
Commissioners to be a natural amenity worthy of preservation.
(4)Â
Other natural features of irreplaceable value or unique areas
providing wildlife habitat, subject to the concurrence of the Board
of Commissioners.
(5)Â
Land suitable for active recreational use of public open space
facilities subject to the concurrence of the Board of Commissioners.
D.Â
The cluster subdivision option shall be served by public water and
public sanitary sewer facilities.
E.Â
The application for conditional use shall be accompanied by a plan
showing the detailed use of the entire tract, which plan shall also
demonstrate compliance with all applicable requirements of the West
Norriton Township Zoning Ordinance and West Norriton Township Subdivision
and Land Development Ordinance. The plan shall clearly identify all
features described in Subsection C above and indicate the location
of proposed common open space areas as well as method of ownership.
[Amended by Ord. 2013-677, 2/11/2014]
F.Â
A cluster subdivision option shall be subject to the following regulations:
(1)Â
Minimum common open space, 40% of tract area.
[Amended by Ord. 2013-677, 2/11/2014]
(2)Â
Lot Requirements. Each subdivided lot shall be subject to the
following minimum area, width and yard and maximum height and building
requirements:
(a)Â
Lot area, 10,000 square feet minimum.
[Amended by Ord. 2013-677, 2/11/2014]
(b)Â
Minimum lot width at building setback line, 65 feet.
(c)Â
Average lot width at building setback line, 80 feet.
(d)Â
Front yard, 30 feet.
(e)Â
Side yard, 10 feet each.
(f)Â
Rear yard, 25 feet.
(g)Â
Accessory building or structure may be erected in the rear yard
only.
(i)Â
Maximum building coverage, 30% of each individual lot.
(j)Â
A perimeter buffer as defined by § 27-606 of this chapter shall be provided on all single-family lots that abut the ultimate right-of way of existing streets and the tract boundary and shall have a minimum width of 35 feet; underground utilities and driveways providing access to the single-family lots shall be permitted in the perimeter buffer.
[Amended by Ord. 2014-686, 7/14/2015]
(k)Â
Access Restrictions. The Board of Commissioners may impose the
following additional conditions:
(i)Â
Reverse-frontage or marginal access road design shall be provided
along primary streets such as those classified as major and secondary
streets.
(ii)Â
For each lot with more than one street frontage,
driveway access shall be permitted only to the street of lower classification.
(iii)Â
Where reverse frontage lots are utilized, the
rear 35 feet shall consist of landscape material abutting the perimeter
street and shall be provided in addition to the minimum rear yard.
(l)Â
Maximum density shall be determined by submission of a sketch
plan based upon by-right development in the R-2 Residence District.
This plan shall be submitted as part of the conditional use application
for cluster development and shall demonstrate compliance with all
applicable requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. The number of lots
determined by the by-right yield plan shall be the maximum number
of lots allowed in any proposed cluster development.
[Added by Ord. No. 2013-677, 2/11/2014]
(m)Â
Pedestrian access shall be provided through the common open
space and shall connect to other open space areas whenever practicable.
[Added by Ord. No. 2013-677, 2/11/2014[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the repeal
of former Subsection F(3), Gross Density, which immediately followed
this subsection.
G.Â
Open Space in Cluster Subdivision Option.
(1)Â
All areas to be set aside or reserved for parks, woodlands,
conservation, common use or other open space purposes, such as the
preservation of natural features or historical areas, shall be suitable
for the designated purpose as determined by the Board of Commissioners,
or be consistent with the comprehensive plan or open space plan for
the Township and contain no new structures, paving or other physical
improvements except for those necessary and incidental to the open
space purpose, natural plantings, necessary underground utilities
and pedestrian walkways.
(2)Â
Ownership. Provision for ownership and maintenance of the common
open space shall be made in a manner so as to ensure its preservation.
To that end, the Township may accept dedication of the common open
space or any interest therein for public use and maintenance but,
at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners, the Township need
not require that the common open space be dedicated nor accept a dedication
of the common open space if offered. The developer shall provide for
and establish an organization for the ownership and maintenance of
the common open space. If such an organization is created, the deed
for the common open space and for all individual lots within the tract
shall contain the following requirements in language acceptable to
the Township Solicitor:
(a)Â
Such organization shall not dispose of the common open space
by sale or otherwise except to the Township or other governmental
body unless the Township has given prior approval. Such transfer shall
be made only to another organization, which shall maintain the common
open space in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(b)Â
The organization and all lot owners within the development shall
agree to be bound by provisions relating to Township maintenance and
deteriorating open space and providing for the ability of the Township
to access and lien the properties within the development.
(c)Â
All lot owners shall be required to become members of the organization
and pay assessments for the maintenance of the common open space.
(d)Â
The Township may require the formation of a reserve fund to
cover capital improvements to the common open space.
(3)Â
Provision shall be made for the continued maintenance and repair
of common open space features, which may not be accepted for dedication
by the Board of Commissioners, and shall be the continued responsibility
of the homeowners' association, which shall have been created in a
form and manner subject to the approval of the Township Solicitor.
[Added by Ord. No. 2013-677, 2/11/2014]
H.Â
Any conditional use approval for cluster development in the R-2 Zoning
District shall be conditioned upon the applicant's submission of a
formal subdivision and land development application for the property;
that plan must receive final approval by the Board of Commissioners
as a prerequisite to obtaining any Township permits for the development
of the property.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2013-677, 2/11/2014]
I.Â
The Board of Commissioners shall determine whether or not dedication
of roads shall be accepted by the Township or, in the alternative,
reserved as private roads to be maintained by a homeowners' association
in a manner acceptable to West Norriton Township.
[Added by Ord. No. 2013-677, 2/11/2014]
