Township of Springfield, PA B Residence District

Single-family detached dwelling.

Municipal building and municipal use.

Public transit station, exclusive of any transit vehicle storage, garage or service areas.

Public-school maintenance building and public-school maintenance use on property formerly used for a municipal maintenance building or municipal maintenance use. The terms "public-school maintenance building" and "public-school maintenance use" specifically exclude sheds, stalls or similar structures used for the storage of salt or like substances.

[Added 8-9-2022 by Ord. No. 1621]

Permitted accessory uses.

Accessory use on the same lot with and customarily incident to any of the above-permitted uses and not detrimental to the residential character of the neighborhood.

Parking in accordance with Article XV and the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, provided that:

(a)

No private driveway or off-street parking area shall be used for the storage or parking of any commercial vehicle, except that a single commercial vehicle which does not have more than four wheels and which does not exceed a gross vehicle weight of 9,500 pounds or is greater than 84 inches in height may be stored or parked, per residential lot, in the following instances:

[1]

When construction or other work is being done on the premises and the parking or storage is of a temporary nature. (For the purpose of this section, "storage or parking" shall be defined as the leaving of such vehicle or truck unattended for a period in excess of two hours);

[2]

The commercial vehicle is parked completely within a garage;

[3]

The commercial vehicle is parked behind the front building line of the residence of the premises; or

[4]

All lettering and commercial advertising of any nature (other than lettering contained on the front doors within an area of two square feet) is covered by any opaque neutral covering of vinyl or other similar material.

(b)

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no private driveway or off-street parking area shall be used for the storage or parking of any commercial vehicle on which ladders, racks or other equipment or materials are stored which exceed eight inches from the roof of the vehicle or protrude from the front, rear or sides of the vehicle; nor shall ladders be stacked upon one another on the roof or roof rack of said vehicle. In addition thereto, notwithstanding the exceptions noted herein above in Subsections B(2)(a)[1] through [4], no more than one commercial vehicle shall be permitted to be stored or parked on any residential lot.

Signs, in accordance with Article XVI.

Public transit station parking area for commuters and employees, provided that such parking area shall not exceed 50,000 square feet nor be created, maintained or otherwise established by any transit company unless in conjunction with an existing or planned station, and provided further that such parking area is entirely within 500 feet of said station and such parking area and its approaches are surfaced in a manner satisfactory to the Code Enforcement Officer. It shall be the duty of any transit company desiring to create, establish or alter any such parking area to present to the Code Enforcement Officer detailed specifications of the surfacing materials to be used and plans showing the size of the proposed parking area, its distance from the station and the location of the proposed means of ingress and/or egress, and no permit shall be issued until the Code Enforcement Officer has determined that the proposed parking area is in complete conformity with the terms of this ordinance, the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and the Stormwater Management Ordinance.

(5)

No-impact home-based business, as detailed in § 143-9, Terms defined, provided the following eight requirements are satisfied.

(a)

The business activity shall be compatible with the residential use of the property.

(b)

The business shall employ no employees other than family members residing in the dwelling.

(c)

There shall be no display or sale of retail goods and no stockpiling of inventory.

(d)

There shall be no outside appearance of a business.

(e)

The business or activity may not use any equipment or process which creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors or electronic interference, including interference with radio or television reception.

(f)

The business activity may not generate any solid waste or sewage discharge which is not normally associated with residential use.

(g)

The business activity conducted may not occupy more than 25% of the floor area.

(h)

The business activity may not involve any illegal activity.

(6)

Communications antennas, when mounted on one of the following existing locations: public utility transmission tower; public or municipal structure; public or municipal building; other building or structure. Proposed locations shall be considered in the order listed. After all viable options for that alternative have been exhausted, the next location may be considered. The applicant shall not propose one of the latter locations if a preceding alternative is available within a 1/2 mile radius of the proposed location. Equipment buildings associated with communications antennas shall be permitted as a Conditional Use and shall be a maximum of 250 square feet.

Uses by special exception.

Educational use which is not for profit and when licensed as such by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the location applied for, specifically excluding a trade or business school or any building or use akin thereto.

Family day-care home use, as defined in this ordinance and subject to the following requirements:

(a)

The caregiver shall be registered or licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide child-care services in the dwelling.

(b)

There shall be a minimum of 100 square feet of outdoor play space per child available on the same lot. Said play area shall be enclosed by a fence with a minimum height of four feet, substantially constructed and closely maintained.

(c)

The hours of operation shall not be earlier than 7:00 a.m. nor later than 7:00 p.m., prevailing time.

(d)

No home day-care use shall be permitted within a radius of 1,000 feet of any other home day-care use. The radius shall be measured from the center of the home structure to the center of the nearest home used as a family day-care home use.

(e)

The premises used for any home day-care use shall be subject to inspection during normal business hours by the Township Health Officer and/or Fire Marshal or their agent to ensure compliance with all applicable Health and/or Fire Safety Codes.

(f)

All provisions of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Regulations governing family day care and contained in 55f Pennsylvania Code, Chapter 3290 et seq., are incorporated herein by reference. Where this ordinance contains more stringent provisions from said Department of Public Welfare Regulations, the provisions of this ordinance shall control.

Place of worship, including education, child care and similar activities, provided all related uses are undertaken by the religious organization and not managed by an outside agency, company or any other entity.

Any uses proposed in a TND Overlay District shall be in accordance with Article XIV.

§ 143-20 Height regulations.

The maximum height of dwellings and other structures erected, enlarged or used shall be 35 feet and two stories, except as provided in Article XVII, §§ 143-104 and 143-111, or when proposed in a TND Overlay District, shall be in accordance with Article XIV.

§ 143-21 Area and bulk regulations.

Permitted principal uses.

Lot area. A lot area of not less than 7,200 square feet shall be provided for every single-family detached dwelling or other structure erected or used for any other permitted use. The minimum lot area, whenever on-site sewage disposal is proposed and approved, shall be 1/2 acre. The Board of Commissioners shall determine when a lot cannot be served by public sewer and may require the installation of capped sewers if on-site sewerage is used temporarily.

Lot width at building line. A lot width of not less than 55 feet at the building line shall be provided.

Lot width at street line. A lot width or lot frontage of not less than 55 feet at the street line shall be provided.

Building coverage and impervious surface. Not more than 30% of any lot area shall be occupied by buildings, and not more than 40% of any lot area shall be covered by impervious surfaces.

(5)

Front yard setback. The front yard setback shall be at least 30 feet, except that in the case of a lot extending through from one street to another, the street lines of which are not more than 150 feet apart, the setback from the rear street line may be decreased when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board, provided that no building shall be constructed so that it projects nearer the front property line than the average setback of other buildings in the same block facing the same street.

(6)

Rear yard. The rear yard shall have a depth of at least 20 feet.

(7)

Corner lot setback. In case of a corner lot, a setback of 30 feet shall be provided from the front lot line, and a setback of 15 feet shall be provided from the side lot line.

(8)

Side yards. There shall be two side yards. The aggregate width of the side yards shall not be less than 20 feet, and neither side yard shall be less than eight feet in width, except in the case of a corner lot, where the side yard adjacent to the longer street line shall be a minimum of 15 feet in width.

(9)

A lot that existed prior to the effective date of this ordinance and which was lawful when created, held in single, separate ownership, may be developed in accordance with Article XVII, §§ 143-103 and 143-112.

Uses by special exception. The area and bulk regulations for uses by special exception shall be established after analyzing the particular use which is proposed. In determining such regulations, the following shall be considered:

The nature of the use and related activities conducted therewith, in particular, the space needs or requirements of such use and activities.

The area and bulk regulations set forth in this ordinance for uses which are similar to those proposed, but in no case less than those set forth above.

Recognized space standards published in the professional planning and design literature for architects, engineers and allied professionals for educational or religious structures and uses.