The purpose of this Part is to identify certain regulations and standards that are either common to all zoning districts or applicable to more than one district.
1. 
No building or structure or part thereof shall hereafter be erected, constructed, or altered, and no new use or change shall be made or maintained of any building, structure, land, or part thereof except in accordance with this chapter.
2. 
Every principal building shall hereafter be built on a lot with frontage on a public or private street.
3. 
No lot or premises shall hereafter be subdivided or reduced in area or size in any manner so as to violate the provisions of this chapter.
4. 
Only one principal use shall be placed, erected, or operated on a lot.
No principal building or part thereof shall be erected within or project into any required yard in any district, except for unenclosed porches, decks, one-story bay windows, eaves, chimneys, balconies, fire escapes, buttresses, cornices, or steps, and none of these, except unenclosed decks or similar projects, shall encroach more than three feet into any required yard. In the Residential District, such unenclosed decks may extend not more than seven feet into required rear yards.
1. 
On any corner lot, no wall, fence, or other structure shall be erected or maintained and no hedge, tree, shrub, or other growth shall be planted, grown, or maintained which may cause danger to vehicular traffic by obscuring the view or in any other way pose a danger to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
2. 
Where a lot is located at the intersection of two streets, no obstruction of any kind whatsoever of a height greater than 36 inches shall be maintained or permitted within a sight triangle, the legs of which shall be 15 feet measured from the intersection of the curblines at the corner.
3. 
The Borough shall have the right to declare any obstruction to vision within the line of the sight triangle a safety hazard and shall direct the owner of the property to have it removed. If the owner fails to do so within 30 days after written notice, the Borough shall remove the obstruction and bill the owner and lien the property for the expense involved.
1. 
No accessory structures may be placed in front of the principal building.
2. 
On corner lots, accessory structures shall be placed no closer to the side street than the principal building.
3. 
Except for decks and fences, there shall be a distance of not less than three feet between an accessory structure and a side or rear lot line.
4. 
Accessory structures shall not exceed 15 feet in height.
5. 
In the Residential District, not more than one storage shed shall be placed on a lot. No storage shed shall exceed 100 square feet.
6. 
Accessory structures shall not be used for permanent or temporary human habitation.
7. 
No storage shall be allowed in front yards.
8. 
With the exception of decks and fences, there shall be a distance of not less than 10 feet between the principal building and an accessory structure.
1. 
No-impact home-based businesses shall be permitted as an accessory use in the Residential District.
2. 
The business activity shall be compatible with the residential use of the property and surrounding residential uses.
3. 
The business shall employ no employees other than family members residing in the dwelling.
4. 
There shall be no display or sale of retail goods and no stockpiling of inventory of a substantial nature.
5. 
There shall be no outside appearance of a business use, including, but not limited to, parking, signs, or lights.
6. 
No on-site parking of commercially identified vehicles shall be permitted.
7. 
The business activity may not use any process or equipment which creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors, or electrical or electronic interference with radio or television reception which is detectable in the neighborhood.
8. 
The business activity may not discharge any solid waste or sewage discharge, in volume or type, which is not normally associated with residential use in the neighborhood.
9. 
The business activity shall be conducted only within the dwelling and may not occupy more than 25% of the habitable floor area.
10. 
The business may not involve any illegal activity.
1. 
Decks or porches located at the rear or side of a dwelling shall be placed not less than seven feet from the lot line or from the edge line of a common driveway or alley at the side or rear of the dwelling.
2. 
The deck shall be placed not less than one foot from the party wall of a twin or row dwelling. This setback is needed for access and maintenance.
3. 
Decks or porches more than three feet above ground level shall adhere to the following requirements:
A. 
Must have a handrailing not less than 36 inches high around the entire deck or porch with spindles not more than four inches apart.
B. 
Must have a handrailing on any stairway.
4. 
In an area where motor vehicles may park or drive, elevated decks or porches shall have support posts constructed of concrete-filled steel columns which shall be at least four inches wide and are fastened into footings not less than six inches wide.
5. 
After a zoning permit is issued for a deck or porch, no change in plans regarding setbacks, dimensions, or heights is permissible without first receiving written permission from the Zoning Officer.
6. 
Prior to constructing a deck or porch, a zoning permit must be obtained from the Zoning Officer, and a building permit must be obtained from the Building Inspector.
7. 
All materials used in the construction of a deck or porch shall comply with the most recently adopted Uniform Construction Code.
1. 
Satellite antennas shall be considered as a permissible accessory use in all zoning districts.
2. 
Satellite antennas may be attached to or placed on top of a building or may be placed in one of the yards.
3. 
The diameter of a satellite antenna shall not exceed three feet in the Residential District and nine feet in the Commercial District.
4. 
When separately supported, the total height of the satellite antenna in the Commercial District shall not exceed 12 feet.
5. 
The satellite antenna shall be located not closer than eight feet to the property line.
6. 
Where possible, roof-mounted antennas shall be located on a portion of the roof sloping away from the front of the lot, and no part thereof shall project above the ridgeline.
7. 
All wiring for ground-based antennas shall be underground.
8. 
The satellite antenna shall be of a color that blends with the surrounding landscape.
9. 
All satellite antennas shall be adequately grounded for protection against a direct strike of lightning.
10. 
No more than one satellite antenna shall be permitted on any lot.
11. 
Before the erection of any such satellite antenna, a building permit must be applied for and issued by the East Lansdowne Borough Building Inspector.
1. 
Swimming pools shall not be located in the front yard. They may be located in the side yard, provided that there exists a distance of not less than 15 feet between the pool and the side property line. Also, no pool on a corner lot shall be located closer to the side street than the principal building.
2. 
No private swimming pool shall be located closer than 10 feet to a rear property line or eight feet to a cellar or basement. Accessory buildings, such as locker rooms, bathhouses, cabanas, shower rooms, and toilets, and other physical facilities or equipment incident to the operation of any private swimming pool shall conform to the requirements of this chapter and the Borough Building and Plumbing Codes.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 5, Code Enforcement.
3. 
Every private swimming pool shall be completely surrounded by a fence, which shall be not less than six feet in height. Such fence shall be erected around the entire perimeter of the pool. However, the house or other building may serve as the safety barrier on one or more sides of the pool.
4. 
All fences around pools shall have a self-locking gate and shall be of a design to adequately prevent unauthorized children or animals from entering the pool area.
5. 
No swimming pool shall be located under electric lines.
6. 
Pool lighting fixtures shall be placed, directed, or shielded to protect neighboring properties from glare.
7. 
Every private swimming pool constructed, installed, established, or maintained in the Borough of East Lansdowne shall at all times comply with any requirements of the local Board of Health. Any nuisance or hazard to health which may exist or develop in or in consequence of or in connection with any such private swimming pool shall be abated and removed by the owner, lessee, or occupant of the premises on which said pool is located within 10 days of receipt of notice from the Building Inspector or Health Officer of the Borough of East Lansdowne. It shall be the duty of the Building Inspector and the Health Officer, respectively, or their authorized assistants to enforce the provisions of this subsection.
8. 
The Building Inspector and/or Health Officer or any of their assistants or deputies shall have the right to enter any premises or any building or other structure for the performance of their duties to ascertain compliance with this section.
Family-based community residence facilities shall be permitted by right in the Residential District, subject to the following requirements:
1. 
Supervision on a twenty-four-hour basis shall be available by adults qualified in the field for which the facility is intended.
2. 
Each facility must receive all pertinent approvals and/or licenses from the appropriate state agencies prior to final approval of the application.
3. 
No facility shall be located less than 500 feet from another facility, measured from the property lines.
4. 
All other applicable requirements of this chapter and the Building Code, Fire Code, and all other applicable Borough codes and state regulations and statutes shall be met.
5. 
All facilities will be available for reasonable periodic inspections by the Code Enforcement Officer.
6. 
A record of all facilities and their locations shall be maintained by the Code Enforcement Officer.
7. 
The operator of the facility must register annually with the Code Enforcement Officer and provide the following information:
A. 
Name of operator.
B. 
The profit or nonprofit status of the facility.
C. 
The registration of the facility under the Department of Public Welfare.
D. 
Such other information as is reasonably requested by the Borough.
1. 
Fences and walls in the Residential District will be subject to the following provisions:
Location
Maximum Height
(feet)
Materials
Front yard
3
Brick
Side and rear yard
6
Ornamental iron
Ornamental aluminum or steel designed to look like iron
Rear yard adjacent to a street
4
Stone
Wood in the form of a picket fence
Vinyl designed to look like wood in the form of a picket fence
Vinyl designed to look like iron
2. 
In the Commercial District, no fence, wall, hedge, or similar growth shall exceed six feet in height.
3. 
All fences or walls shall be erected 1/2 foot inside the property line, provided that said fences or walls may be erected on a joint property line with the consent of both owners.
4. 
The fence shall be installed so that the finished side faces toward the outside of the property.
5. 
Hedges and other plantings, whether or not they constitute a fence, shall be trimmed so as not to grow out over sidewalks, streets, or adjoining properties.
6. 
Before erecting a fence, a permit must be obtained from the Zoning Officer, as required in Part 12.
1. 
Unless specifically stated otherwise for a particular district, all refuse shall be placed in closed, vermin-proof containers.
2. 
In the case of multifamily buildings, all refuse receptacles shall be effectively screened from the view of residents and from public streets and sidewalks by means of a fence, wall, or plantings. All such receptacles shall be placed on the property responsible for the refuse.
Multifamily dwellings and nonresidential buildings shall be properly lighted to assure safe driving conditions at night as well as the security and safety of residents and patrons. All lighting shall be designed to protect neighboring properties from glare.
1. 
A planted visual screen, as defined in Part 2, shall be provided and maintained under the following circumstances. In case of conflict between a regulation in this Part and that in any individual district, the regulation in the individual district shall prevail.
A. 
When a commercial or industrial structure is constructed or extended adjacent to an existing residential use or district.
B. 
When a multifamily or townhouse structure or addition thereto is proposed to abut an existing single-family detached dwelling.
C. 
Where any proposed institutional use or an expansion of an existing industrial use abuts an existing residential use or district.
D. 
Any other instance where screening is required by this chapter, by the Borough, or by the Zoning Hearing Board.
2. 
A privacy fence, subject to § 27-610 of this Part, may be substituted for a planted visual screen only when there is insufficient area to provide a planted visual screen.
3. 
Screening shall comply with the following requirements:
A. 
The planted visual screen shall consist of species indigenous to the area so as to provide a year-round visual barrier.
B. 
Such screens shall incorporate earthen mounds or berms, where possible, to improve sound as well as visual buffering.
C. 
Plants shall be at least six feet high when planted, and no plantings shall be placed closer than five feet to the property line.
D. 
Placement of screening material shall not obscure sight lines at intersections.
E. 
All mechanical equipment not enclosed in a structure shall be fully and completely screened and landscaped in a manner compatible with the style of the buildings on the site.
4. 
Upon a recommendation of the Planning Commission, an opaque privacy fence or wall may be substituted for the planted screen required above. Such alternate screening must be constructed and placed so as to clearly provide an effective visual barrier.
1. 
General Regulations.
A. 
Any part or portion of a site which is not used for buildings or other structures, loading and parking spaces, aisles, sidewalks, and designated storage areas shall be planted and maintained with landscaping. Maximum advantage shall be taken of existing trees and shrubs in landscaping.
B. 
All landscaped planting areas shall be planted with grass seed, sod, or other ground cover and shall be maintained and kept clean of all debris, rubbish, weeds, and tall grass; provided, however, that if such land is naturally wooded, it may continue in its natural state.
C. 
Unless otherwise specified, landscaped planting areas may be part of the required front, side, and rear yards.
D. 
Except for single-family and two-family dwellings, any part or portion of a site which is not used for loading and parking spaces, aisles, sidewalks, and designated storage areas shall be landscaped according to an overall plan prepared and approved as part of the development plan or shall be left in its natural state. A replacement program for nonsurviving plant material should be included.
2. 
Landscaping Plans.
A. 
Landscaping shall be installed and maintained in accordance with a landscape plan approved by Borough Council. The landscape plan shall depict all proposed plantings which relate to, complement, screen, or accentuate buildings, roads, parking areas, sidewalks, walkways, sitting areas, service or maintenance structures, courtyards, and other site features.
B. 
The landscaping plan shall be coordinated with the development plan and shall show the location, type, size, height, and other characteristics of the proposed landscaping.
C. 
The plan shall be accompanied by or shall include information regarding the continued maintenance of plantings, indicating that all plantings will be replaced, if damaged, diseased, or dead, in locations shown on the approved plan.
3. 
Specific Requirements.
A. 
For every new building or alteration or expansion erected after the effective date of this chapter, landscaping shall be provided as noted below.
B. 
Unless specifically stated otherwise in the specific zoning district, landscaping shall be provided as required below:
Zoning District or Use
Minimum Landscaping Requirements
Commercial District
2 shrubs, which may be placed in planters in front of the principal building
In the event that multifamily dwellings are converted or developed as condominiums, such condominiums shall be owned and operated in accordance with the Pennsylvania Uniform Condominium Act of 1980, as amended.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 68 Pa. C.S.A. § 3101 et seq.
In determining if a proposed use is of the same general character as the listed uses, the Borough Council and the Planning Commission shall consider the compatibility standards listed below:
1. 
Type and volume of sales, retail or wholesale activity, size and type of items sold, and nature of the inventory on the premises.
2. 
Extent of processing, assembly, warehousing, shipping, and distribution done on the premises of any dangerous, hazardous, toxic, or explosive materials used in the processing.
3. 
The nature and location of storage and outdoor display of merchandise and the predominant items stored.
4. 
The type, size, and nature of buildings and structures supporting the use.
5. 
The number of employees and customers in relation to business hours and employment shifts.
6. 
The business hours the use is in operation or open for business, ranging from seven days a week, 24 hours a day to several times a year.
7. 
The transportation requirements for people and freight, by volume, type, and characteristics of traffic generation to and from the site, trip purposes, and whether trip purposes can be shared with other uses on the site.
8. 
Parking characteristics, turnover and generation, ratio of the number of spaces required per unit area or activity, and potential for shared parking with other uses.
9. 
The tendency for attracting or repelling criminal activities to and from or on the premises.
10. 
The amount and nature of nuisances generated on the premises, such as noise, smoke, odor, glare, vibration, radiation, and fumes.
11. 
Any special public utility requirements for serving the use, such as water supply, wastewater output, pretreatment of wastes and emissions recommended or required, and any significant power structures and communication towers or facilities.
1. 
Construction/office trailers, as defined in Part 2, may be temporarily placed at or near a work or construction site only after acquiring a permit from the Borough that shall be effective for not more than 90 days. The applicant may then apply for another permit.
2. 
Such trailers shall be prohibited in the Residential and Commercial Districts except for those used at new construction sites.
3. 
Such trailers shall be removed from the site within five days after completion of the construction or other work activity that was the basis for permitting the placement of the temporary trailer.
4. 
In the Commercial District, office/storage trailers shall require a permit from the Borough only if they are placed or intended to be placed within 200 feet of the right-of-way line of a public street. Such permits shall be effective for one year.
5. 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the parking of recreational trailers or similar vehicles in private garages or driveways.
Small collection facilities are subject to the following requirements:
1. 
Small collection facilities shall be located no less than 20 feet from the right-of-way line of a public street.
2. 
Trash and debris shall be cleaned up on a daily basis.
3. 
The name and phone number of the person responsible for the collection facility shall be displayed on containers.
4. 
Areas where collection facilities are located shall be adequately lit and well kept.
5. 
Small collection facilities shall be placed only on public land held by the Borough of East Lansdowne.
Family day-care homes are subject to the requirements of § 27-506.