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.
A. 
Permitted principal uses.
(1) 
Detached single-family dwelling.
(2) 
Semi-attached single-family dwelling.
(3) 
Group home (subject to § 325-122).
(4) 
House of worship.
(5) 
Public or private school (subject to § 325-129).
(6) 
Library.
(7) 
Public parks and playgrounds.
(8) 
Public utility facilities (subject to § 325-130).
B. 
Permitted accessory uses. (See Article XXVII, Accessory Uses, for additional requirements.)
(1) 
Private garage or carport.
(2) 
Storage sheds, tool sheds and greenhouses.
(3) 
Gazebos.
(4) 
Decks and patios.
(5) 
Swimming pool.
(6) 
Energy conversion systems.
(7) 
No-impact home-based business.
(8) 
Child day-care home.
(9) 
Child day-care center: permitted only as an accessory use to a house of worship, public or private school.
(10) 
Recreational vehicle on-lot parking and storage.
(11) 
Satellite dishes.
C. 
Uses by special exception. (See Article XXIX, Uses Permitted by Special Exception, for additional requirements.)
(1) 
Domiciliary care unit.
(2) 
Home occupations.
(3) 
Accessory dwelling unit for family members.
(4) 
Adaptive reuse to multifamily residential.
[Added 1-25-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-01]
D. 
Prohibited uses. Any use that is not a permitted use or a use by special exception.
The chart of Area and Bulk Requirements for Permitted Uses in the R-7 District (chart for § 325-17)[1] 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
[1]
Editor's Note: Said chart is included at the end of this chapter.