Douglass Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
R-4 Residential District
§ 265-60 Declaration of legislative intent.
The following is an expansion of the Statement of Community Development Objectives contained in Article I of this chapter. It is intent of this article to establish reasonable controls and standards of performance for apartment dwellings in those areas of Douglass Township where the existing community character, superior road access (to feeder or higher classification roads), proximity to commercial and employment centers, and the presence of planned extension of sewer and water facilities would most readily accommodate the highest intensity of residential dwelling type permitted in the Township.
§ 265-61 Permitted uses.
A building or other structure may be erected, altered or used, and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes:
A.
By-right uses.
(1)
Use C-2: Single-Family Detached Dwelling.
(2)
Use C-3: Single-Family Attached Dwelling (Townhouse).
(3)
Use C-4: Single-Family Semi-Detached Dwelling (Twin).
(4)
Use C-5: Two-Family Detached Dwelling (Duplex).
(5)
Use C-7: Multifamily Development.
(6)
Use D-26: Short-Term Transient Lodging or Vacation Rental.
(7)
Use F-5: Parkland.
D.
Accessory uses.
(1)
Use A-1: Residential Accessory Structure.
(2)
Use A-4: Commercial Vehicle Parking.
(a)
Special exception approval by the Zoning Hearing Board is needed to park more than one commercial vehicle.
(3)
Use A-5: Fences and Walls.
(4)
Use A-6: Home Occupations.
(5)
Use A-10: Accessory Roof-Mounted Solar System.
§ 265-62 Dimensional requirements.
A.
The following dimensional requirements shall apply to all uses in the R-4:
Use C-2: Single-Family Detached Dwelling | Use C-4: Single-Family Semi-Detached Dwelling (Twin) | Use C-5: Two-Family Detached Dwelling (Duplex) | Use C-3: Single-Family Attached Dwelling (Townhouse) | Use C-7: Multifamily Development | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minimum tract size | 10 acres | 10 acres | 10 acres | 10 acres | 10 acres |
Maximum density | 11 dwelling units/acre | 11 dwelling units/acre | 11 dwelling units/acre | 11 dwelling units/acre | 11 dwelling units/acre |
Minimum lot area | 7,500 sq. ft. per Du | 4,500 sq. ft. per Du | 4,500 sq. ft. per Du | 2,000 sq. ft. per Du | 10,000 sq. ft. per building, with at least 2,500 sq. ft. provided per Du |
Minimum lot width | 60 ft. | 30 ft. | 70 ft. | 20 ft. for interior units 45 ft. for end units | 100 ft. |
Minimum side yard | 25 ft. agg. 10 ft. min. | 15 ft. | 25 ft. agg. 10 ft. min. | 15 ft.^ | 15 ft. |
Minimum rear yard | 25 ft. | 25 ft. | 25 ft. | 25 ft. | 30 ft. |
Maximum building coverage* | 25% | 30% | 30% | 40% | 25% |
Maximum impervious coverage** | 35% | 40% | 40% | 60% | 60% |
Maximum building height | 35 ft. | 35 ft. | 35 ft. | 35 ft. | 35 ft. |
Maximum building length | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 200 Ft. |
Minimum building setback from controlled access or semi-controlled access streets | 75 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 75 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 75 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 75 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 75 ft. from ultimate right-of-way |
Minimum building setback from collector streets | 60 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 60 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 60 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 60 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 60 ft. from ultimate right-of-way |
Minimum building setback from feeder and residential streets | 50 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 50 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 50 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 50 ft. from ultimate right-of-way | 50 ft. from ultimate right-of-way |
Minimum building setback from parking areas and parking access drives | 25 ft. from edge of paving | 25 ft. from edge of paving | 25 ft. from edge of paving | 25 ft. from edge of paving | 25 ft. from edge of paving |
Minimum building setback from property lines | 50 ft. | 50 ft. | 50 ft. | 50 ft. | 50 ft. |
Notes: | |
|---|---|
^ | For single-family attached dwelling units, any yard which is not clearly a front or rear yard shall be considered a side yard. |
* | Building coverage is the percentage of the total lot area covered by the principal building. |
** | Impervious coverage is the percentage of the total lot area covered by buildings and paved surfaces which do not permit water to penetrate into the soil. This includes buildings (both principal and accessory), parking, driveways, walks, courts, pools (swimming and ornamental) and patios, unless constructed of pervious or porous materials, as determined by the Township. |
B.
The minimum building spacing for Use C-3: Single-Family Attached Dwelling and Use C-7: Multifamily Development in the R-4 shall be:
(1)
Minimum distance between buildings with less than 3% window or other transparent surface on facing walls: 40 feet (see definition of "facing walls" in Article II).
(2)
Minimum distance between buildings with more than 3% window or other transparent surface on facing walls: 40 feet.
(3)
Minimum distance between buildings where one or both facing wall(s) contains an outdoor living area: 60 feet.
§ 265-63 General regulations.
Sewer and water facilities. All development in the R-4 District shall be served by central water facilities and central sewer facilities acceptable to the Board of Supervisors, and subject to approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, appropriate sewer authority and water authority. Central water facilities shall conform with § 267-71 of this chapter.
§ 265-64 Parking requirements.
Minimum setbacks for parking areas:
From | Distance in Feet |
|---|---|
Tract boundary line | 20 |
Ultimate right-of-way | 10 |
Edge of paving of a private street or another parking area | 10 |
Any building | 25 |
§ 265-65 Open space requirements.
A minimum of 15% of the gross area of any tract proposed for R-4 District Development must be permanently preserved as open space via deed restriction from further subdivision or uses not prescribed by this chapter with a conservation easement, unless a predetermined use can be identified during the planning phase for future public improvement or benefit.
A.
Open space location requirements.
(1)
At least 25% of the required open space shall be located in one, contiguous primary park that meets the following standards:
(a)
The primary park shall be located near the middle of the development and shall be easily and conveniently accessible by sidewalk or paved trail from all dwelling units in the development.
(b)
The primary park shall be improved with either a gazebo, pavilion, pond, or paved patio area with a fountain, along with appropriate seating, to help identify the park as the central gathering place for the development. These improvements shall be a minimum of 300 square feet in size.
(c)
The primary park shall be at least 15,000 square feet in size.
(d)
When streets abut a primary park, the opposite side of the street from the primary park shall have building front facades facing the park rather than parking lots or detention basins.
(2)
At least 40% of all lots (rounded up to the nearest whole number) in the development must border or be directly across the street from central open space with the front facades of homes facing the central open space.
B.
Central open space design requirements.
(2)
All portions of central open space areas, except for those areas under sidewalks, water, furnishings, and recreational structures, shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs, ground cover, or grass.
(3)
Detention basins and other stormwater impounding areas, except for permanent wet ponds, may not be located in central open space areas used to meet the minimum amount of required central open space.
§ 265-66 Buffer requirements.
Buffers shall be provided in compliance with § 230-47 of the Township's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.