The purpose of the R-7 Residential District
is to provide reasonable standards to encourage the orderly expansion
of and continued investment in small-lot single-family residential
development in sections of the Township with moderate sloping land;
encourage opportunities for older residents to "age in place;" encourage
architecturally attractive building facades and landscaping; prevent
the overcrowding of the land; to limit activities of a commercial
or industrial nature and any activities not compatible with residential
development; and to otherwise create conditions conducive to carrying
out the purposes of this chapter.
The chart of Area and Bulk Requirements for Permitted Uses in the R-7 District (chart for §
325-17) refers to the minimum area and bulk requirements for permitted uses for lots served by public water and sanitary sewer. See §
325-119 for area and bulk requirements for lots without public water and/or sanitary sewer service.
A. The yards shall be as required in the chart for permitted
uses in an R-7 District. Each yard that abuts a street on a corner
lot shall be considered a front yard.
B. Lot coverage. Lot coverage refers to all buildings
and structures on the lot including accessory structures, which include
patios, walkways, decks, utility sheds, driveways, walkways and all
impervious material with the exception of swimming pool basins.
C. Height. Heights shall not exceed those specified in
the chart. The following are exceptions to the maximum height:
(1) Projections allowed: Chimneys, flagpoles, satellite
dishes and other similar items with a width, depth, or diameter of
three feet or less may extend above the height limit, as long as they
do not exceed five feet above the top of the highest point of the
roof. If they are greater than three feet in width, depth or diameter,
they are subject to the height limit.
(2) Utility poles and public safety facilities are exempt
from the height limit.
D. Landscaping and buffer yards. Landscaping and buffer yards shall be provided in accordance with the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (Chapter
289). Such buffer yards may be coterminous with any required yard in this district and, in case of conflict, the larger yard requirements shall apply.
E. Off-street parking.
(1) Parking space, off-street, shall meet regulations as set forth in Article
XXV herein.
F. Building setbacks: The required setbacks for buildings
are stated in the chart for this section. The following are exceptions
to the setback requirements.
(1) A front porch, including any roof gutters, eaves or
spouting, may extend eight feet into the required front yard setback
in all residential zones, provided:
(a)
The porch shall not interfere with the sight triangle as defined in Chapter
289, Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
(b)
A minimum of 15 feet shall exist between any
porch attached to a nonconforming home and the street right-of-way.
(2) Chimneys which are an integral part of the dwelling
may extend 18 inches into any yard area.
(3) Except for porches as described in Subsection
C(1) above, overhangs, eaves, roof gutters and spouting may extend 18 inches into any required yard area.
(4) Setback averaging. The building setbacks may be reduced
using the average of nearby lots according to the following criteria
as interpreted by the Zoning Officer:
(a)
Front and side building setbacks may be reduced
to the average of lots located within 200 feet on the same block and
same side of the street as the property in question.
(b)
Rear yard setbacks may be reduced to the average
of lots located within 200 feet on the same block as the property
in question.
(c)
Lots considered in determination of the average
setback shall not be located across any private or public street or
cartway from the property in question.
(d)
Lots considered in determination of the average
setback shall not be located in a different zoning district than the
property in question.
(5) Established building lines: The front, side or rear
building setback may be reduced for sites with existing nonconforming
development in a required setback. The building line of the nonconforming
wall serves as the reduced setback line. An addition may increase
the building line of a nonconforming setback by up to 50%. However
side or rear setbacks may not be reduced to less than three feet in
depth; see figure below. This reduced setback applies to new development
that is no higher than the existing nonconforming wall. For example,
a second story could not be placed up to the reduced setback line
if the existing nonconforming wall is only one-story high.
Figure of R-7 Building Lines
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