Ephrata City Zoning Code
ARTICLE V
Dimensional Requirements in Each District
§ 319-20 Dimensional requirements.
The following dimensional requirements shall apply for the specified zoning district, unless a more restrictive requirement for a specific use is required by Article VI or another provision of this chapter. All measurements shall be in feet unless otherwise stated. See definitions of terms (such as "lot width") in Article XV. Each dwelling unit and each principal building shall be served by both public water and public sewer service.
A.
Dimensional requirements for primarily residential districts.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Dimensional requirements are included as an attachment to this chapter.
B.
Dimensional requirements for primarily nonresidential districts.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Dimensional requirements are included as an attachment to this chapter.
C.
Additional requirements for the NCD2 District.
(1)
Sidewalks shall be provided along all street frontages.
(2)
Service lanes or alleys shall be provided along all rear yards to accommodate vehicular access and service functions.
(3)
New buildings shall be proportioned vertically with a vertical bay structure to the maximum extent possible to emulate the traditional building form of the Borough. Each bay may be in the range of 16 feet to 24 feet in width, and bays may have projections or recesses of up to four feet.
(4)
If there are more than two buildings on a lot that are separated by a street, they shall be placed in the range of 60 feet to 80 feet apart from one another. Otherwise, the separation distance between buildings shall be 30 feet.
(5)
Architectural detailing in the form of porches, arbors, pergolas, gazebos, pavilions and the like shall be provided to enhance the character of the district.
(6)
Shade trees shall be installed and maintained at a rate of 15 two-and-one-half-to-three-inch-caliper trees per acre. Existing shade trees may be counted toward this requirement. This standard shall replace shade tree requirements of other Borough regulations.
(7)
All exterior lighting shall be consistent with the type and style of lighting standard used in the downtown section of the Borough.
(8)
Each principal building shall be a minimum of least two stories in height.
(9)
As part of a special exception requirement regarding an increase of height above 45 feet, the portion of the building that exceeds a forty-five-foot height shall have a setback equal to its height from all lot lines.
(10)
Borough Council may allow a 50% reduction in the parking requirements based on a satisfactory parking study to indicate the proposed parking demand can be accommodated effectively off street.
(11)
Off-street parking shall be accommodated to the rear and side of any principal building, so that the building can assume a prominent location close to the sidewalk as is customary in the Borough. No parking shall be permitted between a principal permitted building and the primary street(s) closest to the principal building.
§ 319-21 Height exceptions.
Section 319-20 establishes maximum building heights for each district. The following provisions shall also apply:
A.
Any accessory structure or building shall have a maximum height of one habitable story or 20 feet, unless it meets the minimum setbacks for a principal building, in which case the maximum height for a principal building shall apply.
B.
The maximum height requirements shall not apply to cranes or similar mechanical devices.
C.
A minimum building height of 20 feet and two stories shall apply for any new principal building in the CBD District.
D.
The maximum structure height specified for each district shall not apply to: antenna and communications towers that meet the requirements of this chapter, water towers, clock or bell towers, steeples and religious symbols attached to places of worship, utility lines and poles and towers, elevator shafts, rooftop stairways, wind turbines that comply with this chapter, skylights, chimneys, heating/ventilation/air-conditioning equipment, industrial mechanical equipment areas that are not occupied by humans, or other appurtenances usually required to be and customarily placed above the roof level and not intended for human occupancy. See also definition of "height" in Article XV.
E.
Solar energy collection devices may exceed the maximum building height by six feet, provided the devices do not extend above the top of the peak of a pitched residential roof.
§ 319-22 Accessory structures and uses; enclosure of porch.
A.
Accessory structures and uses shall meet the minimum yard setbacks provided for in § 319-20, unless otherwise provided for in this chapter, including the following subsections.
B.
The minimum side and rear yard setback for a permitted one-story detached structure with a height of less than 15 feet that is accessory to a dwelling shall be three feet along a lot line that is not a street right-of-way, except in the following cases:
(1)
This three-foot setback shall also for such building from the right-of-way of an alley.
(2)
A side yard setback is not required for a structure that is accessory to a dwelling from a lot line along which two dwellings are attached (such as a lot line shared by semidetached dwellings). However, such structure shall still meet the minimum side yard on a lot line where the dwellings are not attached.
(3)
A residential porch or deck that is unenclosed may extend a maximum of 15 feet into the required rear setback. Such porch or deck may be covered by a roof. See Note D[1] above considering front yard setbacks.
[1]
Editor's Note: Refer to the Table of Dimensional Requirements, which is included as an attachment to this chapter.
(4)
See § 319-27D for swimming pools.
(5)
A building that is accessory to a dwelling shall have a minimum three-foot setback from the right-of-way of an alley. In addition, a vehicle garage shall have a sufficient setback along an alley in order to provide access to the garage, unless a larger setback is established by another section of this chapter.
(6)
No accessory building and no swimming pool shall be allowed between the principal building and the front lot line.
C.
The minimum side and rear yard setback for an accessory storage shed that is not accessory to a dwelling shall be 10 feet, except it shall be three feet for a lot line abutting a principal business use. These reduced setbacks shall only apply for storage sheds of less than 15 feet in height that are used to store types of materials, substances and equipment that would be typically found on a residential property, such as lawn mowers.
D.
Enclosure of a porch. This Subsection D shall apply to the proposed enclosure of a porch that will be located in part or entirely within a required front, side or rear yard. Special exception approval shall be required.
(1)
The applicant shall submit as part of the application for special exception elevation drawings at a scale of not less than 1/8 inch equals one foot zero inches depicting the design and exterior materials of the proposed porch enclosure.
(2)
The applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed porch enclosure will not:
(a)
Increase or redirect the flow of stormwater in any manner that will adversely affect another property;
(b)
Reduce the amount of natural light to another property;
(c)
Interfere with or otherwise limit access to another property;
(d)
Reduce any required clear sight distance along any street or street intersection;
(e)
Promote blight, the harboring of vectors or otherwise adversely affect the public health, safety, general welfare and property values of the neighborhood within which the proposed porch enclosure will be located.
(3)
All entry door(s) to proposed porch enclosures shall be located parallel to the street, and no such door shall exceed the size of the existing front door to the dwelling, or three feet zero inches, whichever is greater width.
(a)
New door operation and handing shall be configured to match the original front door.
(b)
All unenclosed steps, porticos or entries to the new door(s) shall be aligned with the new door and perpendicular to the street.
(4)
Access to all utility or metering devices must remain clear and unobstructed with a level path equal to a minimum of 36 inches plus the width of the device. At the expense of the applicant, and under the guidelines of each utility, metering devices may also be relocated.
(5)
House numbers shall not be obscured by any type of porch enclosure and shall be located in such a manner as to be plainly visible and legible from the street fronting the property. Characters shall be a minimum height of four inches and a minimum stroke width of 1/2 inch.
(6)
All porch elements and ornamentation that are original to the dwelling shall be incorporated into the final design of the porch enclosure.
(7)
Not less than 55% of the total wall area of each street-facing elevation wall of the porch enclosure shall be constructed with transparent materials. All glazing shall be constructed and installed in accordance with the current adopted version of the International Residential Code (IRC).
(a)
With the exception of 100% glass enclosures, windows shall match the existing windows in proportion and configuration of lites.
(8)
Porch enclosures, constructed as part of a single-family, semidetached dwelling are not permitted except under the following conditions:
(a)
The party wall of the enclosure shall extend to the exterior face of the proposed enclosure and shall match the fire rating of the existing wall, or as required by current adopted versions of the IRC, whichever is more restrictive. The extended party wall shall be continuous from the foundation to the underside of the roof sheathing.
(b)
Privacy screens, located on a property line or party wall, are permitted.
(c)
All exposed sides of any enclosure shall be covered by a weatherproof material rated for exterior exposure.
(d)
Materials should be recessed or offset behind the outermost portions of the existing porch structure in such a manner as to retain ornate structural elements and railings and to maintain the open character of the porch.
(e)
A minimal use of horizontal and vertical members should be employed and shall be located in such a manner as to match the locations of existing/original horizontal and vertical elements of the dwelling.
(f)
The enclosed porch shall be constructed in such a manner that it shall appear to remain a porch, not an enclosed room.
(9)
The enclosure shall be compatible with the character of the immediate neighborhood.
(10)
The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to multifamily dwellings or nonresidential conversions of dwellings.
E.
Flexible carport. A flexible covering over a vehicle that serves as a garage or carport shall be regulated as a building. It shall only be allowed if it is maintained in good condition.
§ 319-23 Maximum building setback; reduction in front setbacks; main door facing street.
A.
Maintaining predominant front setback. In the NCD, RHD or CBD Districts, where a clear majority of the existing principal buildings on the same side of a block are already developed with buildings, and where the Zoning Officer determines that more than 60% of such buildings have a front yard setback of 30 feet or less along such side of the block, then if a new principal building is proposed, then at least a portion of the front building wall of such new building shall have a front yard building setback along a majority of the front building wall that is not more than five feet larger and not less than five feet smaller than such predominant front yard setback. A building shall not be built with front-facing garage door(s) that have a smaller setback than the non-garage portion of the building. The maximum front yard setback may be met with an attached front porch or a building wall. A maximum building setback shall not apply where the area between the building and the curb is only occupied by an outdoor cafe or pedestrian plaza.
B.
Maximum front setback. Where § 319-23A. does not apply, in the NCD, RHD and CBD Districts, any new principal building shall have a maximum front building setback along a street of 25 feet. This maximum building setback shall not apply in areas occupied by an outdoor cafe or pedestrian plaza. The intent is to have new parking to the side and rear of the building. This provision shall not prevent the construction of an access driveway in the front. On a corner lot, this provision shall only apply to one of the two abutting public streets.
C.
Similar front setbacks. Where a subject lot has two abutting lots on the same side of the street along the same block, and both of these lots have an existing front yard building setback that is smaller than the setback that would be required on the subject lot, then the subject lot may have a minimum front yard setback that is equal to the average of those two abutting lots.
D.
Main door facing onto a street. In all residential and commercial districts, the main pedestrian exterior door of the principal building shall face a street. If a lot includes two or more principal buildings, multiple street-level principal uses or multiple dwelling units, this provision shall only apply to those buildings, uses and dwellings that are adjacent to a street. If such main pedestrian door of a principal building would be granted a zoning variance to face onto an abutting side residential lot line, then the side yard shall be increased to a minimum of 25 feet.
§ 319-24 Dimensional provisions for solar energy collection devices.
A.
Articles III and IV list where solar energy collection devices are allowed, and the maximum percentage of lot area that can be covered.
B.
See § 319-21, which allows solar energy collection devices to exceed the maximum height. Solar screens, awnings, or solar panels that extend over building windows and that do not include any signage may intrude into a building setback area by up to 10 feet.
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C.
This section applies where ground-mounted solar systems are allowed under Articles III or IV. Ground-mounted and other solar energy collection devices that are not located above a building roof shall not: 1) be located in a minimum front yard; and 2) have a total height above the ground of more than 15 feet, unless they meet minimum setbacks for a principal building.
D.
When an applicant owns two or more adjacent lots, and at least one of those lots is proposed to utilize solar energy collection devices, the applicant is requested to consider establishing a solar access easement or a similar legal mechanism to make sure that structures or vegetation on one lot do not unreasonably obstruct solar access for the solar energy collection devices on the adjacent lot.
E.
Where solar energy collection devices are being placed on a building roof, they must be set back a minimum of three feet from the side and bottom edges of the roof to allow for safer access by and less risk of electrical shock to emergency responders.
[Amended 10-9-2023 by Ord. No. 1578]
