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Carroll Valley City Zoning Code

PART 4

AGRICULTURE A DISTRICT

§ 27-401 Statement of Legislative Intent.

[Ord. No. 1-2022, 5/10/2022]
1. 
It is hereby declared to be the intent of the A District to:
A. 
Protect and stabilize agriculture as an ongoing economic activity within appropriate areas of Carroll Valley Borough by generally permitting only those land uses and activities which are agricultural in nature or act in direct support thereof.
B. 
Discourage development from occurring on prime farm lands which are most conducive to high crop yields.
C. 
Protect agriculture from incompatible uses which may also interfere with normal and customary agricultural practices within agricultural settings.
D. 
Provide a range of opportunities for farmers to engage in direct marketing to consumers.
E. 
Enable farmers to pursue a range of agriculturally supportive businesses that are supportive of the farm operation and that can provide supplemental income to the farm operation while providing agricultural and entertainment opportunities for customers.

§ 27-402 Use Regulations.

[Ord. No. 1-2022, 5/10/2022]
1. 
Permitted Uses. The following uses are permitted in the A District:
A. 
Agricultural operations.
B. 
Animal hospital.
C. 
Cemetery, either as a principal use or as an accessory use to a place of worship.
D. 
Farms.
E. 
Forestry.
F. 
Horticultural activities, including nurseries and greenhouses.
G. 
Kennel, commercial.
H. 
Place of worship.
I. 
Single-family detached dwellings.
J. 
Vacation rental, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 34.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1-2023, 4/11/2023]
2. 
Accessory Uses. The following uses are permitted as accessory uses to any permitted principal use in the A District:
A. 
Detached accessory structures, including but not necessarily limited to detached garages and utility sheds.
B. 
Farm stand, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 11.
C. 
Farm worker housing, as an accessory use to a farm or an agricultural operation, in accordance § 27-1502, Subsection 12.
D. 
Home occupations, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 16.
E. 
Homestay, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 17.
F. 
No-impact home-based businesses, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 21.
G. 
Produce stand, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 23.
H. 
Wireless communication facility — co-location — inside public right-of-way, proposed as either a stand-alone facility or as part of a DAS, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 36.
I. 
Wireless communication facility — co-location — outside public right-of-way, proposed as either a stand-alone facility or as part of a DAS, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 37.
3. 
Special Exception Uses. The following uses are permitted by special exception in the A District in accordance with the following standards and criteria, any reasonable conditions that the Zoning Hearing Board may deem necessary, and in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 27-1909 of this chapter.
A. 
Bed-and-breakfast operations, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 2.
B. 
Farm equipment sales facility, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 8.
C. 
Farm market and/or agricultural tourism in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 9.
D. 
Farm-related business, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 10.
E. 
Solar energy production facility, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 40.
F. 
(Reserved)
G. 
Wind energy facility, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 41.
H. 
Wireless communication facility — tower based — inside public right-of-way, proposed as either a stand-alone facility or as part of a DAS, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 38.
I. 
Wireless communications facility — tower based — outside public right-of-way, in accordance with § 27-1502, Subsection 39.
J. 
Uses not expressly permitted elsewhere in this chapter, and that exhibit the same general character of the uses listed in § 27-402, when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with §§ 27-1502, Subsection 33, and 27-1909.

§ 27-403 General District Requirements.

[Ord. No. 1-2022, 5/10/2022]
1. 
General District Requirements. All principal buildings, structures, and uses erected or established after the adoption date of this chapter shall comply with the following requirements.
A. 
Lot Allocation. Existing parcels shall be permitted to subdivide the following number of lots, based upon the property size as of the original date of application of this chapter, as may be amended or reenacted, to the subject parcel:
Size of Property
Maximum Number of Lots
2 acres to less than 10 acres
1
10 acres to less than 25 acres
2
25 acres to less than 50 acres
3
50 acres to less than 100 acres
4
Over 100 acres
5, plus 1 for each 50 acres over 100 acres
B. 
Resubdivision. Resubdivision of lots created after the original date of application of this chapter to the subject parcel shall be subject to the overall lot allocation determined for the parcel as it existed on said original date of application.
C. 
Large Lot/Lot Consolidation Option. Landowners may elect to combine the lot allocations that they are entitled to by the scale established in § 27-403, Subsection 1A, to create a lot that is larger than the ordinarily required maximum lot area for the given use. If this option is elected, the maximum area of the large lot created by combining two or more of the entitled lot allocations, shall be determined by adding two acres to the maximum lot size for the given use for each additional lot allocation used to create the new lot.
D. 
Where new lots are proposed in accordance with this section, but where all of the lots allocated in § 27-403, Subsection 1A, are not used, the subdivision plan shall indicate which lot or lots retain the right to subdivide the remaining lot allocation.
E. 
All subdivision plans shall indicate the number of lots allocated to the parent tract, based on the scale established in § 27-403, Subsection 1A, the number of lots previously subdivided from the parent tract, the number of new lots proposed by the subdivision plan, and the number of lots remaining from the allocation that may be subdivided.
2. 
All subdivision plan submissions shall include a sheet that depicts existing site characteristics associated with agricultural function of the property and area. This information can be incorporated into an overall existing conditions sheet for the subdivision plan. The sheet shall include the following information:
A. 
Size, shape and dimensions of the farm or property; size and location of all existing building; and size, location and use of all proposed buildings or lots.
B. 
Lots or uses previously approved under these regulations.
C. 
Land under active cultivation and land in woodlots or forests.
D. 
Soil information for the parcel, including extent of prime farmland, soil series and soil capability class, subclass, and unit as classified by the most current version of the Soil Survey of Adams County, Pennsylvania, as published by the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Any property owner who disagrees with the classification of his or her property or any part of it by the most current version of the Soil Survey of Adams County, Pennsylvania, may submit a scientifically based analysis of the soils on that portion of the property which he or she seeks to develop.
3. 
Applications to subdivide a property shall be subject to the following criteria:
A. 
All nonagricultural uses or lots shall be established or located on non-prime farmland (Soil Capability Classes III-VIII), when such land is available; or on lots or lands which cannot feasibly be farmed due to existing features of the site such as rock outcroppings, heavily wooded areas, or property configuration that is insufficient to permit the efficient use of farm machinery. In all cases, such lots shall be located on the least agriculturally productive land feasible, and so as to minimize interference with agricultural production.
B. 
The least suitable farmland (highest number soil capability unit) shall be utilized for development in all cases, unless the applicant can demonstrate its unsuitability for the proposed use. When a soil has been determined to be unsuitable because of slope, drainage, flooding, sewage disposal deficiencies or other physical characteristics, then the least suitable remaining farmland shall be utilized for development.
C. 
When a farm or property is comprised entirely of prime farmland (Soil Capability Classes I and II), then the least suitable or least prime land shall be utilized for development.
D. 
Lots and uses shall be grouped, where possible, adjacent to other similar lots and uses to avoid a scattering of development. Lots and uses shall not be located near intensive farming operations.

§ 27-404 Dimensional Requirements.

[Ord. No. 1-2022, 5/10/2022]
1. 
Minimum Lot Area.
A. 
Single-family detached dwelling: one acre.
B. 
All other uses not otherwise defined: one acre.
2. 
Maximum Lot Area.
A. 
Single-family detached dwelling: two acres, unless the large lot/lot consolidation option established in § 27-403, Subsection 1C, is applied.
B. 
Nonresidential uses not associated with a farm or agricultural operation: four acres, unless the large lot/lot consolidation option established in § 27-403, Subsection 1C, is applied.
C. 
Farm and agricultural operation uses: none.
3. 
Minimum Lot Width.
A. 
Single-family detached dwelling: 125 feet.
B. 
All other uses: 150 feet.
4. 
Minimum front setback: 35 feet.
5. 
Minimum side setback: 20 feet.
6. 
Minimum rear setback: 20 feet.
7. 
Maximum Lot Coverage.
A. 
Residential uses: 25%.
B. 
Farm and agricultural uses: 35%.
C. 
Other uses: 30%.
8. 
Minimum Vegetative Coverage.
A. 
Residential uses: 75%.
B. 
Farm and agricultural uses: 65%.
C. 
Other uses: 70%.
9. 
Maximum Building Height.
A. 
Farms and agricultural operations: 100 feet.
B. 
All other uses: 35 feet.
10. 
Minimum Dwelling Unit Livable Floor Area.
A. 
Single-family detached dwelling: 1,000 square feet.