Abington City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Dimensional and Density Regulations
§ 175-25 Conformity to regulations required.
No principal building or structure shall be built nor shall any existing building or structure be enlarged except in conformance with the regulations of the Abington Zoning Bylaw as to lot coverage, lot area per dwelling unit, lot width, front, side and rear yards, and maximum height of structures, in the districts as set forth below except as may otherwise be provided elsewhere in the Abington Zoning Bylaw.
§ 175-25.1 Nonconforming area, frontage or setback.
[Added 6-8-2015 ATM by Art. 21]
No lot shall be reduced in area or frontage if it already has or will be caused to have less area or frontage than required by this section, except by a taking by eminent domain or a conveyance for a public purpose. Such lots reduced in the area or frontage by a taking by eminent domain or a conveyance for a public purpose shall be entitled to the protections afforded by statute and in this Bylaw to lawfully preexisting nonconforming lots. Further, if an existing structure is rendered nonconforming as to setback (or more nonconforming as to setback) by a taking by eminent domain or conveyance for a public way or accessway or by the approval of a subdivision way for a third party, said structure shall be entitled to the protections afforded by statute and in this Bylaw to lawfully preexisting nonconforming structures. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the protections afforded by this section shall not apply to vacant lots existing prior to the effective date of this section which are less than 5,000 square feet and/or with less than 50 feet of frontage.
§ 175-26 Accessory uses and accessory buildings.
A.
A detached accessory building may be erected in the side or rear yard area no closer than 10 feet from any side or rear lot line, no closer than 10 feet from the principal building, and in conformance with the front yard requirement of the district in which it is located. An accessory building attached to its principal building (excluding pools) shall be considered an integral part thereof and as such shall be subject to the front, side and rear year requirements applicable to the principal building.
[Amended 5-21-2018 ATM by Art. 23]
B.
A detached accessory building shall cover no more than 25% of the rear yard area required for the principal building.
C.
One garage for private motor vehicles, attached or detached, of not more than 875 square feet of floor area shall be considered as an accessory building and may provide for as many as three cars in residence districts and for dwellings in a commercial district subject to the provisions of Subsections A and B (above) in this section, unless a special permit is otherwise granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals. This subsection creates a limit of one garage or vehicular storage structure to be built upon a lot except by a special permit granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals.
[Amended 4-6-2005 ATM by Art. 18; 4-2-2007 ATM by Art. 11; 5-21-2018 ATM by Art. 18]
D.
One storage pod/container for the storage of personal property, provided such storage container does not exceed 1,700 cubic feet and is not maintained for more than 90 days in any twelve-consecutive-month period; or one storage pod/container, not to exceed 1,700 cubic feet, for the storage of personal property and construction materials and equipment, provided such storage pod/container is required as a result of ongoing construction at the property which is being undertaken in accordance with a lawfully issued building permit; provided, however, such storage pod/container shall be removed from the property upon the earlier of (i) cessation of construction work on the property for any ten-consecutive-day period, (ii) final sign-off of the building permit; and (iii) 150 days following issuance of the building permit, or by extension from the Building Inspector, permitting such construction.
[Added 5-21-2018 ATM by Art. 18]
§ 175-27 Visibility at intersections.
On a corner lot, to provide unobstructed visibility at intersections, no sign, fence, wall, tree, hedge or other vegetation, and no building or other structure between three feet and eight feet above the established street grades shall be erected, placed, or maintained within the area formed by the intersecting street lines and a straight line joining said street lines at points which are 20 feet from the point of intersection of ways or tangents of curves of rounded curbs, measured along said street lines.
§ 175-28 Minimum floor area requirements for apartment units.
The primary apartment unit within an apartment building shall have a minimum interior floor area of 600 square feet; each additional apartment unit shall have a minimum interior floor area of 400 square feet.
§ 175-29 Dimensional and Density Regulations Table.
[Amended 4-7-2003 ATM by Art. 25]
(Editor's Note: The Dimensional and Density Regulations Table is included at the end of this chapter.)