Chester Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 38
RC Residential Cluster Zone
§ 113-247 Permitted uses.
Within the RC Zone, no lot or building shall be used, and no building shall be erected or altered to be used in whole or in part, unless it complies with the following regulations:
A.
Single-family detached dwellings, including zero lot line dwellings.
B.
Single-family attached dwellings, including townhouses and multiplexes.
C.
Public or private noncommercial recreation facilities, including indoor recreation facilities, community building or similar use, provided that it is intended for the prospective residents of a development or is a public neighborhood or municipal facility.
D.
Accessory uses, such as garages and carports, attached or detached.
§ 113-248 General standards.
A.
Minimum tract size. The minimum gross site area shall not be less than 50 contiguous acres.
B.
Maximum number of dwelling units. The maximum number of dwelling units shall be calculated based upon gross residential density of two dwelling units per acre (2.0 DU/acre) of land in the RC Zone; provided, however, that the maximum number of dwelling units can be increased up to a maximum of 2.5 dwelling units per acre by the transfer of permitted dwelling units from adjoining property under common ownership or control. The number of such additional permitted dwelling units shall be equal to the difference between the maximum number of residential lots permitted pursuant to an approvable subdivision on such adjoining property and the number of residential lots contained in an approved subdivision plan for such adjoining property. If this optional provision for increasing the maximum number of permitted lots is elected, then the developer shall submit a single subdivision application for both the RC property and the adjoining property, and the approval of subdivision of the adjoining property shall expressly preclude any further subdivision to create additional lots on the adjoining property, and an appropriate deed restriction shall be obtained.
C.
Dwelling unit mix. No more than 50% of the dwelling units shall be single-family detached.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsections D and E, added 5-7-1996, both pertaining to the development of the RC Zone in accordance with the settlement agreement dated November 4, 1986, and which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 11-18-1997.
§ 113-249 Building standards.
A.
Height regulations. No building shall exceed 35 feet in height.
B.
Building setbacks. The following setback regulations apply to all cluster developments proposed within the RC Zone, regardless of whether individual lots are provided for each dwelling unit.
C.
Setback. Setback from tract boundary or existing public road right-of-way shall be 100 feet, except that the setback from Route 206 shall be 200 feet.
D.
Building separation. Minimum building separation from any single-family detached building shall be 25 feet. Minimum building separation from single-family attached structures shall be as follows:
§ 113-250 Bulk standards.
A.
The following additional standards apply to lotted development proposals:
Dwelling Type | Minimum Lot Area Per Unit (sq. ft) | Minimum Depth (ft.) | Minimum Width1 (interior/ corner) (ft.) | Front Yard2 (ft.) | Rear Yard (ft.) | Side Yard (ft.) | Maximum Impervious Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Single-family detached | 6,500 | 100 | 65/75 | 30 | 20 | 0/25 | 45% |
Single-family attached | 2,000 on- lot parking | 100 | 20 | 35 | 25 | 15 end unit | 70% |
1,600 off-lot parking | 80 | 20 | 15 | 25 | 15 end unit | 70% |
NOTES: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
1. | Lot frontage will be the same as lot width except on culs-de-sac, in which case frontage may be reduced to 1/2 of the required lot width. | ||
2. | Front yard setback will be measured from closest of: | ||
A. | Road right-of-way. | ||
B. | Edge of paving of private streets, parking access driveways or parking area. | ||
B.
Condominium or other unlotted developments may be permitted in lieu of lotted development, provided that the area for each unit and the location of each unit is identified on the plan to show compliance with the regulations for lotted developments as outlined above.
§ 113-251 Additional standards for single-family attached units.
A.
No structure shall directly face the rear of another such structure or structures on adjoining properties unless screening is installed to provide privacy.
B.
No more than six multiplex units or eight townhouse units shall be contained in any one structure, nor shall any structure be longer than 200 feet.
C.
There shall be no more than two dwelling units in any unbroken building line. An offset of not less than four feet nor more than 10 feet shall be deemed a satisfactory break in the building line.
D.
No additions to a dwelling unit are permitted except those additions which have been made available by the developer with prior approval of the Planning Board, and an appropriate deed restriction shall be obtained.
E.
Trash disposal areas shall be enclosed. The enclosure shall be at least six feet high and of a material which is consistent with that of the principal buildings. The enclosure shall be designed to shield the refuse area from direct view of any on-site buildings and adjacent property.
F.
At least 35% of a townhouse or multiplex unit front yard must be landscaped open space, which shall not be used for parking or storage of vehicles.
§ 113-252 Street standards.
All streets, whether public or private, shall be built in accordance with all applicable Township construction specifications.[1] In addition, the applicant or his or her successors shall give written consent to municipal enforcement of the provisions of Title 39 so that traffic regulations can be enforced throughout the development.
§ 113-253 Parking standards.
Parking shall conform to the requirements of § 113-325. In addition, the following regulations shall apply:
A.
Locations of spaces. All parking areas shall be located within the property lines of the development in the RC Zone.
(1)
No parking shall be permitted in designated fire lanes, driveways, aisles, sidewalks or turning areas.
(2)
No parking shall be permitted on any public street or any private street that serves more than 20 units.
(3)
No parking spaces shall be located in any required buffer or landscaped screen.
(4)
Parking for attached units shall be within 200 feet of the building being served.
B.
Parking area setbacks. Any common parking area, together with accessways, shall adhere to the following minimum standards:
C.
Landscaping. All parking for 20 or more cars shall contain a minimum of 10% of the paved area devoted to landscaped islands. The landscaping shall be installed in such a manner that no individual landscaped area shall contain less than 200 square feet. The minimum horizontal dimension of any such area shall be 12 feet. Landscaped islands shall be placed such that the ends of all parking bays are defined. Landscaped islands having a minimum width of 12 feet shall be located between alternate dual rows of parking stalls. No shrubs shall be permitted in the island that are taller than two feet at maturity. Shade trees are encouraged.
§ 113-254 Open space and common area standards.
A.
Common open space. At least 40% of the gross site area shall be set aside as common open space. Whenever possible, common open space areas shall be designed as a continuous system of usable areas, interspersed among groupings of residential dwelling units. Up to 30% of the required open space may be contained in an adjoining parcel under common ownership or control. If any of the required open space is contained in an adjoining parcel, the developer shall submit a single subdivision application for both the RC property and the adjoining property, and the approval of subdivision of the adjoining property shall expressly preclude any further subdivision to create additional lots on the adjoining property, which restriction shall be recorded in an appropriate deed restriction. Common open space shall not include lots, parking areas and accessways or road rights-of-way. In the case of unlotted units, an area equal to the yard requirements of individual units of the same type shall be inscribed around the building, and shall not be considered common open space.
B.
Buffers and landscape screens. Open space buffers shall be provided between the RC Zone and all adjacent zones and existing public roads, as follows:
(1)
The width of the buffer shall be 100 feet from the property line or road right-of-way to any building, and 50 feet from a property line or road right-of-way to any lot line, except those portions of a property which abut Route 206, in which case the buffer shall be increased to 200 feet from the right-of-way to any building and 150 feet from the right-of-way to any lot line.
(2)
Buffer areas shall be measured horizontally and at right angles to either a lot or street line or the tangent line of a curbed lot or street line. No above-surface structure, storage of materials or parking of vehicles shall be permitted in the buffer.
(3)
Within the open space buffer the developer shall place and maintain a fifty-foot landscaped screen containing mixed deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs of sufficient density to provide a year-round adequate screen.
(4)
The buffer and screen shall be planted and maintained with grass or ground cover, together with trees and shrubs. Except for existing, preserved or transplanted vegetation, evergreen trees shall be at least six feet in height when installed. All trees shall be two inches to 2 1/2 inches caliper and of a species common to the area, of nursery stock and free of insects and disease. Shrubs used in buffer planting shall be at least two feet in height when installed. Any plant material which does not live shall be replaced within one year or one growing season.
(5)
Plantings and landscaping at points of vehicular and pedestrian access shall be designed to assure clear sight triangles. Any portion of the development not covered by structures, roadways, loading, accessways, parking or pedestrian walks shall be landscaped with grass, trees and shrubs as designed by a certified landscape architect.
(6)
The Planning Board may waive the requirements for the installation of plant material within the buffer if equivalent screening is provided by existing vegetation, topography or other natural conditions.
(7)
At the discretion of the Planning Board, any buffer along state and county highways may include an earth berm as an integral part of the open space buffer.
C.
Maintenance. Common open space, recreation facilities and common areas shall be maintained by an open space organization established by the developer in accordance with Township policy. The documentation for the organization must be approved by the Planning Board prior to final approval. The open space organization's responsibilities will include but will not be limited to maintenance of any common open space and recreation facilities, common drives and parking areas, interior pedestrian paths and removal of garbage, trash and snow. The open space organization shall be required to obtain liability insurance for all common areas and facilities.
§ 113-255 Recreation facilities.
At the discretion of the Planning Board, the developer shall provide adequate passive and active recreation facilities for the use and enjoyment of the residents of the development. These facilities may consist of playing fields, play areas, jogging paths, tennis courts, swimming pools or similar facilities. The recreation facilities are subject to the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., and the review and approval of the Planning Board.
§ 113-256 General conditions.
A.
Sanitary sewerage and potable water. Development in the RC Zone shall be served by central sanitary sewer and potable water systems, except that individual wells and septic systems may be utilized for clustered lots within a minimum area of 50,000 square feet or greater. The applicant must establish the following:
(1)
Sewage treatment. The adequacy of the sanitary sewage treatment system to service the development, plans of which shall be reviewed and approved by the Township Health Officer, the Township Engineer and all applicable county and state review agencies. All sewage treatment facilities and disposal areas must be located within the RC Zone.
(2)
Potable water. The availability of an adequate water supply from a private supplier or the local adequacy of the groundwater to provide potable water without substantially affecting the aquifer intake area. In addition, the applicant shall provide proof that there will be sufficient potable water available, both as to quality and quantity, for residential use.
B.
Fire protection. Development in the RC Zone shall be provided with adequate water supplies and water storage for fire protection as follows:
C.
Stormwater management. The applicant must establish that the development plan is in conformance with applicable Township, county and state regulations regarding sedimentation and erosion control measures, and that the potential for flooding, excessive runoff and surface erosion have been considered and resolved to avoid adverse environmental impacts.
E.
Pedestrian paths. Sidewalks shall be provided in suitable locations wherever normal pedestrian circulation will occur in order to handle the pedestrian traffic generated by site development.
§ 113-257 Development plan and architectural design review.
A.
An application for development within the RC Zone shall be accompanied by a plan or plans showing the detailed use of the entire tract. These plans shall comply with all requirements of Part 1, Land Use Procedures, Part 4, Subdivision of Land, the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., and any other applicable laws or regulations.
B.
The applicant shall submit floor plans and building elevations for all structures proposed to be constructed within the RC Zone for review by the Township Design Review Committee or Planning Board, as may be required.