Township of North Versailles, PA Article IX Supplemental Regulations

§ 300-900 Accessory structures and uses.

A. The following standards shall apply to all accessory structures within the Planning Area:

(1) All accessory structures shall, at a minimum, adhere to the building setbacks in the zoning districts in which they are situated.

(2) Accessory structures shall not be located in the front yard.

(3) Accessory structures occupying building footprints less than 800 square feet may locate up 10 feet from the rear property line.

(4) Sheds occupying less than 100 square feet of footprint may locate up five feet from the side and rear property lines.

B. The following standards shall apply to all accessory structures located within R-R, R-1, R-2, and P Districts and shall apply to all parcels of which single-family or duplex structures constitute the principal use:

(1) Maximum height from average grade of ground: 14 feet.

(2) Maximum square footage of building footprint: 500 square feet or the equivalent square footage of the principal structure's building footprint, whichever is greater; up to 1,200 square feet.

(3) Only one accessory structure in addition to one shed as an accessory structure shall be permitted for each principal use.

(4) Accessory structures shall be located on the same lot as the principal use to which said structure is an accessory. Accessory structures may be permitted on lots immediately adjacent to the lot bearing the principal use when a zoning permit is issued conditioned upon the following statement which shall appear on said permit: "The lot on which the approved structure is to be constructed, if conveyed to subsequent ownership, shall be conveyed to the same ownership as the property on which the principal use rests. Where the subject lots are conveyed to separate ownership, the approved accessory structure shall be demolished or approved as a principal use by the Zoning Officer in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance."

C. The following shall constitute accessory uses authorized within R-R, R-1, R-2, and P Districts and shall apply to all parcels of which single-family or duplex structures constitute the principal use:

(1) The use of no more than one accessory structure to be rented to an individual or individuals other than the occupant for purposes of storing materials customarily accessory to a residential use.

(2) Home occupations as authorized in § 300-903.

(3) Breeding and boarding of no more than one litter per year of dogs, cats, or other customary domestic pets.

(4) Residential storage; garages; pools; decks; similar uses; and shelter for domestic pets and children's play equipment at a scale commensurate with accessory structures otherwise regulated within this chapter and intended for private and noncommercial use.

D. The following standards shall apply to all accessory structures located within N, MU, M, GR, and R-3 Districts where the parcels of which single-family or duplex structures do not constitute the principal use.

(1) Maximum height from average grade of ground: 20 feet.

(2) Only one accessory structure and one shed as an accessory structure shall be permitted for each principal use.

(3) All other structures permitted shall be classified as principal structures wherein the number or scale of said structures shall be determined to house principal or basic operations related to an establishment.

E. Swimming pools as accessory structures.

(1) All swimming pools that serve as an accessory use to a dwelling unit may locate up to 10 feet from the rear yard or side yard property lines.

(2) No swimming pool shall be permitted in the front yard.

(3) Swimming pools shall abide by all standards, with the exception of those expressly modified herein.

F. No-impact home-based businesses are permitted as an accessory residential use in all zoning districts.

§ 300-901 Signs.

A. General standards.

(1) The following sign types are permitted:

(a) Wall signs.

(b) Projected signs.

(c) Ground signs.

(d) Changeable copy signs.

(e) Signs authorized in Subsection B.

(2) Signs bearing flashing lighting or digital scrolling or moving text or animation are prohibited.

(3) Signs bearing language or character that reflect traffic signals and emergency and traffic signage are prohibited.

(4) No sign shall infringe upon the existing site distance of abutting intersections such that the sign's presence compromises the safety of traffic and pedestrian movement.

(5) No sign shall produce glare.

(6) No sign shall emit more than 0.2 footcandle of light at any property line except where properties are part of a shopping center.

(7) Calculation of square footage of signs. For purposes of determining signage permitted per the standards of this section, square footage shall be calculated as follows.

(a) The square footage of wall signs shall include the entire area where illustrations and lettering is provided on material which is not part of the building's structure and is affixed thereto as signage. Where letters or illustrations are directly affixed to a wall, square footage shall be calculated through the area within all lines tangent to the edges of said lettering or illustrations.

(b) For all projected and ground signs, area is calculated for only one face of the sign. The entire area of a ground or projected sign shall be considered in calculating area permitted, including monuments to which signs are affixed and decorative features accompanying said signs.

(8) No sign shall be placed on an automobile, truck or other vehicle if that vehicle is being used primarily for displaying such sign.

(9) Ground signs shall be set back at least five feet from the adjoining right-of-way.

(10) No sign shall include statements, words or pictures that are considered to be vulgar, obscene or pornographic.

B. Exempted signs. The following types of signs are exempted from the calculation of maximum square footage, number of signs, and setbacks otherwise regulated by this article; and shall not require a zoning certificate.

(1) Political signs up to eight square feet in Residential, Neighborhood Park, Mixed-Use, and Neighborhood Use Districts.

(2) Political signs up to 16 square feet in General Retail and Office and Manufacturing Districts.

(3) Address signs and nameplates, up to two square feet for residential principal uses and up to four square feet for nonresidential principal uses.

(4) Real estate signs up to five square feet per principal residential use of single-family or duplex and up to 10 square feet per parcel bearing all other uses.

(5) Directional signs up to two square feet per sign with a maximum height of four feet.

(6) Window signs up to 50 cumulative square feet.

(7) Two drive-through menu reader boards per establishment up to 50 square feet and eight feet in height per board.

C. Signs in Residential, Neighborhood Use, and Mixed-Use Districts.

(1) Internally illuminated signs are prohibited.

(2) Externally illuminated signs are permitted provided that the cutoff angle of said illumination does not illuminate space beyond the area of the sign and does not, by the determination of the Zoning Officer, present a safety hazard to vehicular traffic by distracting drivers.

(3) Residential uses. Where residential use constitutes the principal use of a zoning lot and no principal nonresidential use exists, the maximum square footage of signage permitted shall be two square feet. Multifamily uses shall be permitted eight square feet of signage. All ground signs shall not exceed six feet in height.

(4) Nonresidential uses. Where nonresidential use constitutes the principal use of a zoning lot, the maximum cumulative square footage of all signage permitted per zoning lot shall equal one times the linear frontage which said lot bears on a street, excluding alleys; or 100 square feet, whichever is less. The total amount of signage permitted to face each property line having frontage shall equal the amount of frontage borne by the respective lot line, on corner lots. Ground signs shall be limited to 10 square feet and eight feet in height. Projected signs shall be limited to six square feet of signage. One ground sign and one projected sign are permitted per zoning lot. Ground signs shall be set back a minimum of eight feet from any side lot line. Although multiple wall signs are permitted per zoning lot, the maximum square footage of each wall sign shall be 20 square feet.

(5) Signs on vacant lots, excepting those authorized by Subsection B, are expressly prohibited.

D. Signs in Office and Manufacturing and General Retail Districts.

(1) Externally and internally illuminated signs are permitted.

(2) The maximum cumulative square footage of all signage permitted per zoning lot shall equal one times the linear frontage which said lot bears on a street, excluding alleys. The total amount of signage permitted to face each property line having frontage shall equal the amount of frontage borne by the respective lot line, on corner lots. Ground signs shall be limited to 50 square feet of signage and 15 feet in height, excepting shopping centers, and shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the side property line. Projected signs shall be limited to six square feet of signage per establishment. The maximum square footage of each wall sign shall be 200 square feet. The preceding regulations shall not withstand regulations for nonresidential group developments outlined in Subsection C. Additionally, properties bearing residential uses as principal uses with no principal nonresidential use (excluding home occupations) shall adhere to the regulations outlined in this Subsection D.

E. The following standards shall apply to group developments as outlined herein. For purposes of this section, nonresidential group developments shall include all nonresidential groups that are located such that multiple principal uses are either accessed from a street by a common entrance or entrances, located on the same parcel, sharing party walls, or constituting a shopping center.

(1) One ground sign shall be permitted per each side of the nonresidential group development bordering a street, not including alleys, where the development bears an entrance to said street.

(2) Shopping centers shall be permitted 150 square feet per ground sign and 25 feet of maximum height.

(3) Where principal uses bear external walls facing a street, the permitted signage for each establishment shall be assessed as a proportion of the linear footage of said wall as part of the total linear footage of the group development facing the respective street, subtracting the square footage of existing or proposed ground signs.

(4) A property owner or group of owners controlling property on which a nonresidential group development is situated may submit a sign plan to the Zoning Officer, allotted proportions of permitted signage to certain tenants and establishments located therein. The Zoning Officer shall approve said plan where the plan complies with this chapter. The notarized signature of said owner(s) shall be placed on the plan along with the signature of the Zoning Officer accepting said plan.

F. Residential group developments, such as approved subdivisions, planned residential development, and traditional neighborhood developments, may place an identification sign bearing the plan's name not to exceed 15 square feet in area and six feet in height.

G. Temporary signs are permitted once for a new nonresidential establishment for up to 45 days and shall conform to the height and square footage limitations of the respective district or development in which said signs are located.

H. The faces of obsolete signs shall be removed within 30 days after the close of the business or establishment to which they relate. Where the business to which the structure on which a ground sign relates closes, rendering said sign obsolete, the face shall be removed with 30 days. However, the sign structure may remain so long as the owner is actively marketing the sale or lease of the subject space. Once one year has passed since the close of said establishment, and the owner fails to actively market the space for a period exceeding 30 consecutive days, the owner shall remove the entire structure of the ground sign.

I. Changeable copy signs shall be permitted, whether as wall signs or attached to ground signs, at a rate of one per nonresidential group development or per parcel on which a nonresidential principal use is situated. The maximum square footage of any such sign as a wall sign shall not exceed 10 square feet. Changeable copy signs attached to freestanding signs shall not stand alone and shall be attached to a freestanding sign with permanent signage and limited to half the square footage of said signage.

J. Balloons, streamers, and banners employed as promotional and advertising tools shall be prohibited.

§ 300-902 Parking requirements.

A. The following uses categories shall be interpreted based upon their basic meanings as defined and employed within the NAICS.

(1) Small-scale retail: one parking space per every 200 feet of gross floor area.

(2) Large-scale retail: one parking space per every 250 feet of gross floor area.

(3) Warehousing and storage, manufacturing, and wholesale: one parking space per employee on peak shift.

(4) Administrative services and offices: one parking space per every 200 feet of gross floor area.

(5) Miniwarehouses and self-storage units: one parking space per unit.

(6) Elementary and secondary schools: one parking space per every 10 students.

(7) All other education services: one parking space per every six students.

(8) Food services and drinking places: one parking space per every three seats; or per 100 square feet of gross floor area where seating is not provided.

(9) Hospitals and nursing and residential care facilities: one parking space per employee on peak shift and one parking space per every three beds.

(10) Child day-care services: one parking space per employee and one parking space per every five students in the total enrollment capacity.

(11) Hotels and motels: one per employee and one per guest room.

(12) Personal care services and funeral homes: one parking space for every 150 square feet of area designated for use by customers or the public.

(13) Residential: two parking spaces per dwelling unit. Garages, where an improved access to the garage is provided, shall fulfill the requirement of parking spaces equal to the amount of vehicles for which the garage is designed to accommodate.

B. The preceding parking requirements notwithstanding, any use which provides for public assembly including but not limited to churches, assembly halls, auditoriums, and theaters shall provide one parking space per every four seats or per every four persons of the total capacity of said space, as determined by the Municipal Engineer utilizing the requirements of the Uniform Construction Code and other applicable standards, whichever is less.

C. Parking requirements shall be provided for each principal use per the above standards and classifications, notwithstanding conditional uses authorized for shared parking.

D. Dimensional and access standards for nonresidential, multifamily uses, and townhouse uses.

(1) Stall size. All parking spaces shall be no less than nine feet in width by 18 feet in length. Parallel spaces shall be no less than eight feet in width and 23 feet in length.

(2) Aisle width. Aisle widths for parking spaces shall be in accordance with the chart below. Where a parking lot serves less than 30 spaces, aisle widths for two- and one-way parking accessing ninety-degree spaces shall be reduced to 20 and 10 feet, respectively. Only one-way traffic is permitted for any parking space at an angle less than 90°.

Parking Space Angle	Aisle Width (feet)
30°	12
45°	14
60°	18
75°	22
90°	22 (two-way traffic)
	12 (one-way traffic)

(3) Access drives which do not serve as aisles for parking spaces shall provide the following lane widths:

(a) Ten feet per lane where total parking spaces accessed by use of said drive is less than 30.

(b) Twelve feet per lane where total parking spaces accessed by use of said drive is 30 or more.

(4) Parking spaces, other than parallel parking spaces, shall not be oriented such that vehicles are forced to exit or back out directly into a street.

(5) Parking lots shall, at a minimum, provide a dust-free surface, as determined by the Borough Engineer.

(6) The entrance width of all parking lots and access drives to abutting streets shall not exceed 28 feet.

(7) The grade of parking lots shall be between 1% and 5%, and shall be designed according to provide proper stormwater drainage.

(8) All parking spaces shall be delineated in the parking lot by a minimum of three-inch-wide line striping.

(9) Parking lots serving a principal use shall be located within 300 feet of an entrance to said use.

E. Residential standards for single-family and duplex units. Residential driveways serving single-family and duplex structures are exempt from all other provisions of this section and are subject only to the following standards:

(1) Driveways shall be maintained in a mud-free condition.

(2) A maximum street opening of 24 feet is permitted for each driveway.

(3) A minimum of two parking spaces shall be provided on the property through a driveway, garage, carport, or a combination thereof.

(4) Parking lots within 150 feet of a single-family or duplex structure may provide for the required two-space-per-unit parking where a recorded easement or covenant that guarantees usage of the lot by the subject property owner for purposes of parking at least two vehicles.

F. Residential standards for multifamily and townhouse developments. Driveways and parking lots shall be subject to all standards in the preceding sections with the following modifications:

(1) Driveways provided specifically for individual dwelling units shall fulfill parking requirements where driveways are capable of providing a minimum of two parking spaces, generally consistent with the minimum dimensions as specified in this section. Garage shall fulfill the same.

(2) The maximum street opening of driveways servicing individual dwelling units shall be 24 feet.

G. Commercial vehicles.

(1) The parking of commercial vehicles shall be expressly prohibited within all residential districts except where used on a temporary basis for construction activities on the site or parcel on which they are parked or stored.

(2) The parking or storage of commercial vehicles and equipment shall occur only in approved spaces. Said spaces shall be designed in a ratio of the vehicle to the space similar to that of the minimum required parking space dimensions to a vehicle classified or equipment under one ton.

H. Vehicle and equipment sales. The storage or display of vehicles and equipment for sale shall be subject to the parking and design standards of this section including aisle widths, parking space dimensions, and permitted access to streets; and shall generally be considered parking lots.

§ 300-903 Home occupations.

A. Home occupations involving the following uses shall be permitted.

Code	Description
5411	Legal services
5412	Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services
53121	Offices of real estate agents and brokers
6211	Offices of physicians
6212	Offices of dentists
6213	Offices of other health practitioners
6244	Child day-care services*
8121	Personal care services

*	Child day-care services as home occupations shall be limited to the provision of said services to equal to or less than three children, unrelated to the operator, at any given time.

B. Home occupations shall abide by the following standards and restrictions.

(1) Hours of operation shall be limited to between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., daily.

(2) Only one additional employee, who does not reside within the household or dwelling unit operating the home occupation, shall be permitted to work on the site of the occupation at any given time.

(3) At least two additional parking spaces, in general conformance with the parking requirements of this chapter, shall be required. Parking shall be determined by the Zoning Officer in a manner consistent with the parking requirements applicable to the use proposed.

C. Other types of offices providing services generally consistent with those of offices listed in the preceding table shall be permitted. Said offices shall generally include forms of consulting and professional services, the impact and scope of which is similar to that of those listed in the preceding table.

D. Home occupations shall not be permitted in association with dwelling units in multifamily structures.

E. No home occupation shall operate without an occupancy permit.

F. No more than one home occupation shall be permitted per dwelling unit.

§ 300-904 Transient retail businesses.

Transient retail businesses, for purposes of this section, shall be defined as businesses of a retail nature which operate within the Planning Area, at one or multiple locations, for a period of 90 days or less throughout a calendar year. Transient businesses may operate with a zoning permit as approved by the Zoning Officer, absent other requirement of this chapter as may apply to permanent businesses and in accordance with the following standards:

A. Said business shall be retail in nature and shall reflect retail uses otherwise permitted by right within the district in which it functions.

B. Any temporary structures such as tents associated with said business shall adhere to the setback requirements of principal structures in the district in which they operate.

C. The operation of the business shall not impede the flow of traffic in the area in which it operates; nor shall said operation and associated structures impede the site distance of adjacent intersections.

D. Said businesses shall not operate within any right-of-way.

§ 300-905 Large-scale building standards.

Purpose. The Township desires to accommodate an adequate mixture of business, industry, and residential and public uses while maintaining a scale which is in conformance with current community character. Therefore, the following provisions shall be instituted in applicable zoning districts.

A. Large-scale buildings shall be defined as any building that bears more than 90 feet of building length that directly faces any street including the cumulative effect of buildings with party walls (except for townhouses).

B. Offsets in the footprint of the building, along any wall facing a street, shall be provided according to the following standards.

(1) Said wall shall not have a surface longer than 50 feet without a break.

(2) If only one break is provided, said break shall be offset by at least 10 feet and shall comprise at least 1/4 of the length of said wall.

(3) If more than one break is provided, the setback shall be a minimum of four feet and the length of the wall which accompanies the setback should not be less than 10% nor more than 25% of the total length of the applicable wall.

(4) Recesses may be a minimum of one foot where the type of building facade differs from that of the adjacent portions of the wall.

§ 300-906 Lighting standards.

A. Lighting in all districts shall be designed so as not to produce glare.

B. Lighting shall produce no more than 0.2 footcandle at any property line unless the adjoining property is under common ownership or is part of a shopping center.

C. No lighting shall be designed so as to emit colors, flashing, or animated effects so as to distract the motoring public and thus present nuisance to public safety.

D. Electrical feeds to lighting standards shall be underground.

E. Lighting in residential districts, Neighborhood Use District, and Mixed-Use District.

(1) Maximum height of lighting, whether freestanding or mounted to a wall or building, shall be 15 feet. Lighted wall signs shall be subject to the aforesaid.

(2) Lighting on properties where single-family or duplex residential use constitutes the principal use shall not exceed two footcandles at any location.

F. Lighting in the General Retail and Office and Manufacturing Districts.

(1) Maximum height of pole lighting shall be 25 feet.

(2) All lighting shall include a cutoff angle of at least 60° to avoid glare.

§ 300-907 Yard and buffering standards.

A. Multifamily and townhouse structures shall be set back at least 60 feet from any property line adjoining a property in an R-R, R-1, or R-2 District that is either vacant, or that bears single-family or duplex as a principal use.

B. All other nonresidential principal structures shall be set back at least 80 feet from any property line adjoining a property in an R-R, R-1, or R-2 District that is either vacant, or that bears single-family or duplex as a principal use.

C. Parking and access drives associated with the above uses shall be set back at least 40 feet from the aforesaid property lines.

D. Lighting installed within the aforesaid yards or setbacks shall adhere to standards for single-family or duplex residential uses otherwise specified in § 300-906, Lighting standards.

E. Notwithstanding side and rear yard setbacks otherwise required in the respective zoning district, the setbacks or buffer areas required in this section may be reduced through the granting of a conditional use where the following are demonstrated:

(1) Changes in topography and existing vegetation that provide a visual buffer or screening to the adjacent property.

(2) A mixture of high- and low-level plantings and/or mounding that provides an effective visual buffer or screening to the adjacent property.

(3) The arrangement of lighting within the setback area otherwise required shall be designed in a manner such that it is screened from the adjacent property.

§ 300-908 Exterior facade building standards.

A. Exposed exterior walls of structures shall be composed of brick, stone, stucco, fireproof precast stucco, glass, metal or marble, or with wood that is treated, finished with stain, paint, or a similar finish.

B. The walls of nonresidential structures which are two stories or less and which face a rear yard may contain exposed concrete block. Additionally, the walls of foundations facing a rear yard on any single-family or duplex structure may contain exposed concrete block.

C. The governing body, upon recommendation by the Municipal Engineer, may approve alternative materials as a conditional use if and only if such material is determined to be equal or superior in quality and aesthetic character compared to approved materials.

D. An addition to an existing structure which is nonconforming with respect to this section may be constructed in conformance with the materials of original construction of the existing portion of the structure so long as the footprint of said addition does not exceed that of the nonconforming structure.

E. It is the intent of this chapter to treat mobile homes, modular homes, and all preconstructed homes equally with traditionally constructed homes. As such, all preconstructed homes shall be placed on foundations that shall adhere to the requirements of this section. Mobile homes in mobile home parks, meeting the standards of this chapter, shall be placed on approved concrete pads and shall maintain skirting around their perimeters.