Exciting enhancements are coming soon to eCode360! Learn more 🡪
Township of Lower Oxford, PA
Chester County
By using eCode360 you agree to be legally bound by the Terms of Use. If you do not agree to the Terms of Use, please do not use eCode360.
[Ord. 1-71, 3/2/1971, § 1000; as amended by Ord. 4/23/1986, 4/23/1986; by Ord. 1-95, 5/10/1995, § 8; by Ord. 3-99, 5/12/1999, § G; by Ord. 2-2003, 2/12/2003; and by Ord. 1-2004, 3/25/2004]
A building may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot may be used for any one of the following purposes and for no other. Or a building may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot may be used for more than one of the following uses or purposes upon approval by the Board of Supervisors as a conditional use pursuant to the provisions of §§ 27-1411 through 27-1413 of Part 14.
1. 
Research, engineering, or testing laboratories.
2. 
Any production, processing, cleaning, testing, repair, storage, and distribution of materials, goods, and foodstuffs, not including a junkyard or the slaughtering of animals.
3. 
Public utility operating facilities.
4. 
Truck freight terminal.
5. 
Contractor base facilities establishment.
6. 
Administrative activities and offices.
7. 
A rail freight terminal or switching yard.
8. 
Agricultural uses.
9. 
Accessory uses:
A. 
Customary accessory uses in industrial districts.
B. 
Retail sales.
C. 
Solar energy facility - large-scale, specifically at § 27-1202, Subsection 16, and § 27-1422.
[Added by Ord. 1-2012, 6/13/2012]
D. 
Wind energy system, commercial industrial scale, must meet the setback requirements contained elsewhere in this chapter and at least meet the requirements of principal buildings and structures, and specifically in § 27-1202, Subsection 17, and § 27-1423.
[Added by Ord. 1-2012, 6/13/2012]
10. 
Heavy construction contractor base facilities.
11. 
The following uses may be permitted as a special exception when authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board subject to Part 15 of this Chapter 27. The area and bulk regulations, § 27-1001 of this Part 10; the design standards, § 27-1002 of this Part 10; and general standards, § 27-1003 of this Part 10, shall apply to all uses, except single-family residential use, permitted by special exception in the I-1 Limited Industrial District:
A. 
A junkyard, provided that such grounds are fenced and screened in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources and/or Chester County Department of Health requirements. Areas lying between fence lines and contiguous road rights-of-way and/or residential properties shall be landscaped and continuously maintained. The operation of junkyards shall be in accordance with ordinances and regulations established by Lower Oxford Township.
B. 
The slaughtering of animals, provided that such activities are completely screened by either opaque fencing and/or evergreen plantings from observance at the lot lines. Provisions shall be made for the control of any offensive odors before such uses shall be permitted.
C. 
Multiple use of a single industrial lot.
D. 
Single-family dwellings when provided in accordance with the regulations of the R-2 District.
12. 
Sanitary landfills and quarries subject to the provisions of §§ 27-1411 through 27-1415 of this Chapter 27 are permitted as a conditional use when operated by the Lower Oxford Municipal Authority or Lower Oxford Township.
13. 
Any one of the following uses shall be permitted upon approval by the Board of Supervisors as a conditional use pursuant to the provisions of §§ 27-1410 through 27-1413 of Part 14 of this chapter.
A. 
Adult-related facilities in accordance with § 27-1202, Subsection 7.
B. 
Commercial composting processing operation.
[Ord. 1-71, 3/2/1971, § 1001; as amended by Ord. 6/24/1987, 6/24/1987; by Ord. 3-99, 5/12/1999, § G; by Ord. 2-2002, 6/12/2002; by Ord. 2-2003, 2/12/2003; by Ord. 1-2004, 3/25/2004; and by Ord. 3-2011, 6/8/2011]
The following area and bulk regulations shall apply:
1. 
For all uses except agricultural when permitted by special exception of the Zoning Hearing Board:
A.
Lot Size
4 acres minimum
B.
Lot Width at Building Line
300 feet minimum
C.
Lot Width at Street Line
300 feet minimum
D.
Side Yard
50 feet
E.
Rear Yard
50 feet
F.
Building Setback Line
100 feet
G.
Building Height
75 feet maximum provided that for every 1 foot of height in excess of 35 feet there shall be 2 feet added to each yard and setback requirement
H.
Lot Coverage
80% maximum
I.
(Reserved)
J.
Accessory buildings may be erected in the side or rear yards, provided that they meet the same setback requirements as the primary building
K.
Heights in excess of the 35 feet maximum may be granted upon the application to the Board of Supervisors for a conditional use subject specifically to the standard that the height will not create a health or safety problem, that the additional height would not interfere with the nature of the surrounding construction and atmosphere in the area for which the greater height is sought that the increased height of the building would not detract from the rural character of the neighborhood.
2. 
For agricultural use: Agricultural, farm houses and usual farm buildings shall be permitted without restriction except as follows:
A. 
To qualify as agricultural use, the minimum lot size shall be 10 acres.
B. 
No barn lot, mushroom house, or manure storage shall be established closer than 100 feet to any property line, or 100 feet from the center line of a public right-of-way (street).
C. 
Silos and bulk bins shall be exempted from area and bulk regulations when attached to an existing building.
D. 
Farm buildings shall not be constructed closer than 85 feet to a front property line nor closer than 50 feet to a side or rear property line.
E. 
No dwelling shall be constructed closer than 50 feet to such lines.
3. 
Solar energy: setback requirements as established for buildings and other principal structures contained in this chapter and not those for other accessory uses.
[Added by Ord. 1-2012, 6/13/2012]
4. 
Wind energy systems, commercial industrial scale: setback requirements established by this chapter.
[Added by Ord. 1-2012, 6/13/2012]
[Ord. 1-71, 3/2/1971, § 1002]
The following design standards shall apply to all permitted uses except agriculture:
1. 
Screening standards as established by § 27-1101 of this Chapter 27.
2. 
Storage standards as established by § 27-1102 of this Chapter 27.
3. 
Landscaping standards as established by § 27-1103 of this Chapter 27.
4. 
Access and traffic control standards as established by § 27-1104 of this Chapter 27.
5. 
Interior circulation standards as established by § 27-1105 of this Chapter 27.
6. 
Lighting standards as established by § 27-1106 of this Chapter 27.
7. 
Loading standards as established by § 27-1108 of this Chapter 27.
8. 
Parking standards as established by § 27-1109 of this Chapter 27.
[Ord. 1-71, 3/2/1971, § 1003]
The following limitations shall be applied to any use permitted in this district:
1. 
Manufacturing activities shall be carried on in completely enclosed buildings. Waste storage may be permitted only out of doors, under the provisions of § 27-1102 of this Chapter 27.
2. 
Noise emanating from a use shall not exceed the level of ordinary conversation at the lot boundaries. Short, intermittent noise peaks may be permitted, if they do not exceed normal traffic noise peaks at any point on the lot boundaries.
3. 
Industrial uses shall be such that they:
A. 
Emit no obnoxious, toxic, or corrosive fumes or gases.
B. 
Emit no odors perceptible at the lot boundaries.
C. 
Emit no smoke of sufficient density to obscure sunlight.
D. 
Discharge into the air no dust or other particulate matter.
E. 
Produce no heat or glare perceptible at or beyond the lot boundaries.
F. 
Utilize lighting in a manner which produces no glare in public streets or on any lot.
G. 
Produce no physical vibration perceptible at or beyond the lot boundaries.
H. 
Produce no electromagnetic radiation or radioactive emission injurious to human beings, animals, or vegetation. Electromagnetic radiation or radioactive emissions shall not be of an intensity that interferes with the use of any other property.
I. 
Do not engage in production or storage of any material designed for use as an explosive, or in any way create any other danger to the safety of the surrounding area.
J. 
Not discharge any untreated liquid industrial or sanitary wastes from plant operations onto the property of others or into a stream.
K. 
Do not engage in the storage of raw or waste materials on the lot for any period beyond 30 days. Liquid raw or waste materials shall be contained within a formed concrete dike with a volume equal to 1 1/2 times the storage capacity of the container so enclosed.
L. 
Have each building designed so as to minimize its nonresidential appearance and shall insofar as practicable afford minimum external evidence of the operation conducted therein.
M. 
Have all mechanical equipment not enclosed in a structure fully and completely screened from view in a manner compatible with the architectural and landscaping style of the remainder of the lot. Such screening shall be in conformity § 27-1101 of this Chapter 27 and subject to review by the Township and its representatives.
N. 
Water towers, storage tanks, processing equipment, stand fans, skylights, cooling towers, communication towers, vents and any other structures or equipment which rises above the roof line shall be architecturally compatible with its surroundings or effectively shielded from view from any public street by an architecturally sound method which shall be approved in writing by the Township Board or Supervisors before construction or erection of said structures or equipment.
O. 
Where feasible, install all utilities underground.
P. 
Recognize that subdivision and building permits shall be granted only after following procedures established in Chapter 22 of this Code.