East Bradford Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
R-3 Residential District
§ 115-17 Purpose; applicability.
A.
It is the intent of the R-3 District, as outlined by the East Bradford Township Comprehensive Plan, to encourage medium-density residential development which is compatible with established land use patterns; located in areas of the Township which contain environmental features generally suitable for such development; and accessible to transportation systems and community facilities appropriate for such development. The R-3 District is designed to provide a transition between areas of low- and high-density residential use and encourage and promote paced development throughout the Township by permitting medium-density residential uses to fully develop in the R-3 District before the lower density areas of the Township. The R-3 District provides the flexibility of residential uses on a lot-by-lot basis as well as an open space development option that encourages the preservation of open space, surface and groundwater supplies, and soils for on-lot sewage disposal systems.
[Amended 11-8-2005 by Ord. No. 9-2005]
B.
In the R-3 Residential District, the following regulations shall apply.
§ 115-18 Use regulations.
A.
Land and buildings in this district may be used for the purposes listed below, when developed in accordance with one of the following development options:
B.
Applicants under either development option are strongly encouraged to submit a sketch plan to the East Bradford Township Planning Commission and to discuss community development objectives, arrangement of the development with respect to views of the project from adjacent roads and properties, open space and resource conservation objectives, sewage facilities planning and other matters relevant to the purpose of this article.
C.
No tract may be used for more than one of the permitted residential development options. Under any development option, a building may be erected, altered or used and a lot may be used for any one of the following purposes as provided below:
[Amended 4-10-2001 by Ord. No. 2-2001; 4-9-2002 by Ord. No. 4-2002]
(1)
Any use permitted by right, condition or special exception in the R-1 District shall likewise be permitted by right, condition or special exception in the R-3 District, except that land application of sludge shall not be permitted.
(3)
The following uses may be permitted as a special exception when authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board, subject to the provisions of this chapter contained in Article XVI:
(a)
Religious and educational uses, further subject to the area and bulk regulations in § 115-19 and design standards in § 115-20.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(3) and (4), regarding two-family dwellings and multifamily dwellings, respectively, which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 4-9-2002 by Ord. No. 4-2002.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. 3A-1998 readopted the text of Ord. No. 3-1998 because of concern that Ord. No. 3-1998 was not properly advertised before it was adopted on 10-13-1998.
§ 115-19 Area and bulk regulations.
A.
Density of development.
(1)
Under the conventional development option, the maximum permissible number of lots or dwelling units on any tract shall be determined by compliance with the area and bulk criteria herein.
(2)
Under the open space development option, the maximum permissible number of lots or dwelling units on any tract shall be determined by multiplying the net tract area by one of the following factors and rounding the product down to the next lower whole number (i.e., 21.6 would be rounded to 21).
[Amended 11-8-2005 by Ord. No. 9-2005]
(a)
Single-family detached dwelling: 1.0 dwelling units per acre of net tract area, maximum.
B.
Area and bulk regulations for the open space development option. Under the open space development option, specific lot and yard area standards shall apply per § 115-49C(3).
C.
Area and bulk regulations for the conventional development option. Under the conventional development option, the following shall apply for all uses, except agricultural:
(1)
Net lot area: one acre minimum.
[Amended 11-8-2005 by Ord. No. 9-2005; 12-13-2006 by Ord. No. 8-2006]
(2)
Lot width at building line: 150 feet.
(3)
Lot width at street line: 50 feet minimum.
(4)
Lot coverage: 20% maximum.
(5)
Building coverage: 15% maximum.
(6)
Building setback line: 50 feet minimum.
(7)
Side yard: 20 feet minimum with not less than 50 feet total for both yards.
(8)
Rear yard: 50 feet minimum.
(9)
Building and accessory building or structure height: three stories above grade plane or 35 feet maximum.
[Amended 9-13-2011 by Ord. No. 3-2011]
D.
Municipal campus shall be subject to the following area and bulk regulations:
[Added 10-8-2013 by Ord. No. 5-2013[2]]
(1)
Lot area: three acres minimum.
(2)
Building coverage: 40% maximum.
(3)
Landscaped open space: 15% minimum.
(4)
Lot width at street line: 150 feet minimum.
(5)
Lot width at the building line: 300 feet minimum.
(6)
Front yard: 50 feet minimum.
(7)
Rear yard: 50 feet minimum.
(8)
Side yards: 15 feet minimum, except where abutting residential uses, which shall be 30 feet minimum.
F.
Uses permitted by special exception in the R-3 District shall be subject to area and bulk regulations as follows:
[Amended 4-10-2001 by Ord. No. 2-2001]
(2)
Educational uses shall be subject to the following area and bulk regulations:
(a)
Net lot area: 10 acres minimum.
[Amended 11-8-2005 by Ord. No. 9-2005; 4-11-2007 by Ord. No. 2-2007]
(b)
Lot width at building line: 600 feet minimum.
(c)
Lot width at street line: 100 feet minimum.
(d)
Lot coverage: 15% maximum.
(e)
Total building coverage, including accessory buildings and/or structures: 10% maximum. The term "structure" shall include stadiums and/or bleachers.
(f)
Principal building setback line: a distance equal to the maximum building length measured along the principal longitudinal axis of the building.
(g)
Principal building side and rear yards: two times the maximum building depth, the depth being measured perpendicular to the principal longitudinal axis of the building.
(h)
Accessory buildings and structures setback line: 100 feet from all property lines.
(i)
Building and accessory building or structure height: three stories above grade plane or 35 feet maximum.
[Amended 9-13-2011 by Ord. No. 3-2011]
G.
Residential accessory structures may be erected by right as follows:
[Amended 8-10-2004 by Ord. No. 4-2004; 4-14-2009 by Ord. No. 2-2009]
(1)
Front yard. Accessory structures may be located in front yard areas on lots of one acre or greater in area, provided:
(a)
The accessory structure complies with the applicable minimum building setback requirements;
(b)
The accessory structure shall not be located in the area bounded by the outside walls of the principal building and a perpendicular (or radial in cases of roadway curvature) boundary line originating on each side of the principal building from the edge of the outermost face of the wall to the road right-of-way line. In the case of interior lots, the lot line at the frontage of the lot, absent of the access strip, that is most perpendicular or radial to the road right-of-way line shall be utilized to make the determination;
(c)
If the footprint area of the accessory structure is less than 30% of the footprint area of the primary structure, the accessory structure shall be located no closer to the front lot line than 75% of the total distance from the primary structure to the front lot line. If the footprint area of the accessory structure is equal to or greater than 30% of the footprint area of the primary structure, the accessory structures shall be located no closer to the front lot line than 90% of the total distance from the primary structure to the front lot line; and
(d)
No accessory structure in a front yard shall have a building height, mass or floor area greater than that of the principal building.
(2)
Side and rear yards. Accessory structures shall be set no closer to a side or rear lot line in any yard area than the greatest dimension (length, width or height) of the structure itself unless the accessory structure complies with the appropriate area and bulk regulations of the underlying district.
H.
In addition to area and bulk regulations enumerated herein, the following shall apply for all principal buildings and uses within the vicinity of a Class I or Class II historic resource:
[Added 11-8-2005 by Ord. No. 9-2005]
(1)
Historic setback line: 150 feet minimum from any Class I or Class II historic resource, regardless of whether such resource is located upon a tract or lot itself.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. 3A-1998 readopted the text of Ord. No. 3-1998 because of concern that Ord. No. 3-1998 was not properly advertised before it was adopted on 10-13-1998.