Horsham Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE IX
R-3 Low-Density Residential District
§ 230-59 Declaration of legislative intent.
In expansion of the legislative intent contained in Article I, § 230-2, of this chapter, it is hereby declared to be the intent of this article with respect to the R-3 Low-Density Residential development to provide regulations for agricultural and residential uses.
A.
To protect the environmentally sensitive headwaters of the Pennypack and Little Nashaminy Watersheds.
[Amended 8-23-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-6]
B.
To provide a variety of lot sizes to encourage different residential housing styles.
C.
To provide a transition between various types of suburban land uses.
D.
To encourage large open space areas for use by all Township residents when large tracts of land are developed for residential purposes.
[Added 8-23-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-6]
§ 230-60 Use regulations.
[Amended 12-23-2002 by Ord. No. 1153; 3-12-2003 by Ord. No. 1154; 8-23-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-6; 6-14-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-02; 11-12-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-05]
A building or group of buildings may be erected, altered or used, or a lot may be used or occupied for one principal use for any of the following purposes:
A.
Woodland, or other conservation purposes.
B.
Municipal park or recreation area owned and operated by a governmental or quasi-governmental agency.
C.
Single-family detached dwelling.
D.
Utility line, or any necessary governmental or public utility use.
E.
Accessory use on the same lot with and customarily incidental to the above uses.
F.
Municipal building.
G.
No-impact home-based businesses when accessory to a single-family dwelling in accordance with the standards set forth in § 230-23.
H.
Open space preservation alternative (Mandatory for tracts of land of 50 acres or more in existence on or before August 1, 2010, which are proposed for residential development. See § 230-61A.)
§ 230-61 Development regulations.
[Amended 9-16-1998 by Ord. No. 1147; 10-67-1998 by Ord. No. 1148; 6-14-2000 by Ord. No. 1150; 8-23-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-6; 2-13-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-3; 6-14-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-02]
For all permitted buildings and uses, and special exception uses permitted in this district, except the open space preservation alternative (§ 230-60H) and the commercial transition community (§ 230-60I), the following regulations shall apply:
A.
Lot area. A lot area of not less than 32,000 square feet shall be provided for every principal building hereafter erected or used in this district.
B.
Lot width. A lot width of not less than 115 feet shall be provided at the building line. The minimum lot width at the ultimate right-of-way shall be in accordance with the provisions of the minimum lot frontage and flag lot requirements of Article IV.
C.
Building coverage. Not more than 15% of the lot area may be occupied by buildings.
D.
Lot coverage. Not more than 20% of the lot area may be covered by buildings, parking lots, vehicular accessways or other impervious material.
E.
Yard requirements.
(1)
Front yard. There shall be a front yard on each street on which the lot abuts, measured from the ultimate right-of-way to the building, the depth of which shall be at least 50 feet.
(2)
Side yards. There shall be two side yards for any building or use of not less than 35 feet in aggregate width and neither less than 15 feet in width.
(3)
Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard, the depth of which shall be at least 50 feet.
F.
Height requirements. The height of any building shall not exceed 35 feet.
G.
Density. The maximum achievable number of lots on a parcel shall be calculated through the environmental resource protection density determination contained in § 230-49B.
H.
Contiguous building envelope area. The minimum contiguous building envelope area shall consist of not less than 4,000 square feet.
§ 230-61.1 Open space preservation alternative regulations.
[Added 8-23-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-6]
For tracts of land, or contiguous tracts proposed for residential development pursuant to a unified plan of subdivision, containing a combined gross tract area of 50 acres or more, proposed for development subsequent to the date of enactment of this § 230-61.1, the following regulations shall apply for all development of single-family developments and uses accessory to developments of single-family dwellings on tracts of 50 acres or more, which tracts were in existence prior to August 1, 2010. The regulations set forth below, including but not limited to the yard requirements, building coverage and impervious surface requirements, may only be utilized by properties developed under this open space preservation alternative use.
A.
Lot area. A lot area of not less than 15,000 square feet shall be provided for every principal building hereafter erected or used in this district. Utility easements for storm sewer, sanitary sewer or water supply essential for the proposed development may be included as part of the required lot area and minimum average lot area.
B.
Lot width. A lot width of not less than 60 feet shall be provided at the building line (minimum required front yard setback) but not less than 90 feet at the actual building setback line. The minimum lot width at the ultimate right-of-way line shall be 50 feet. Corner lots shall have two front yards, followed by one rear yard and, if applicable, one side yard, each of which shall satisfy the foregoing minimum dimensions.
C.
Building coverage. Not more than 35% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings.
D.
Lot coverage. Not more than 45% of the lot area may be covered by buildings, parking area, vehicular accessways or other impervious material.
E.
Yard requirements.
(1)
Front yard. There shall be a front yard on each street which the lot abuts, measured from the ultimate right-of-way to the building, the depth of which shall be at least 30 feet.
(2)
Side yard. There shall be two side yards for any building or use not less than 35 feet aggregate width and neither less than 10 feet in width. For lots abutting an existing public street, there shall be a minimum side yard of at least 50 feet.
(3)
Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard, the depth of which shall be at least 30 feet. For lots abutting an existing public street, there shall be a minimum rear yard of at least 50 feet. Decks or patios, when not greater than five feet in elevation above ground level, may extend a maximum of 20 feet into the minimum required rear yard. Any deck or patio greater than five feet in elevation above ground level may extend not more than 10 feet into the minimum required rear yard.
F.
Height regulations. The height of any principal building shall not exceed 35 feet and, notwithstanding § 230-16, the height of any accessory structures or buildings shall not exceed one story in height and in no event greater than 14 feet. Accessory structures shall be permitted in rear yards only not less than seven feet from a side or rear lot line.
G.
Density. The maximum achievable number of lots on a parcel shall be calculated through the environmental resource protection density determination contained in § 230-49B.
H.
Contiguous building envelope. The minimum contiguous building envelope area shall consist of not less than 2,000 square feet.
I.
Common open space. The minimum open space requirements shall be 35%; provided that the Township Council may, in its sole discretion, reduce to not less than 25% the minimum required open space if Council determines that the plan implements significant park and recreation improvements, including pedestrian trails identified in either the Township Open Space Plan or the Township Park and Recreation Plan. Common open space shall be contiguous and shall be located adjacent to other established open space areas or Township-owned park and recreational properties.
§ 230-61.2 Commercial Transition Community (CTC) regulations.
[Added 6-14-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-02]
A.
A commercial transition community ("CTC") shall be permitted in the R-3 Zoning District on tracts of land adjacent to commercially-zoned property (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-5, SC-1, and GC-2 Zoning Districts) to allow single-family attached dwellings to serve as a transition between a commercially zoned district and a low-density residential area. Notwithstanding the dimensional requirements of § 230-61, the regulations for a CTC shall be as follows:
(1)
Tract area. A parcel of land with a minimum gross tract area of not less than 12 acres gross.
(2)
Dwelling units. Only single-family attached dwellings shall be permitted in a CTC.
(3)
Density. The maximum density permitted shall be 3.75 dwelling units per acre as determined by utilizing the base site area as calculated pursuant to § 230-49.
(4)
Access. A CTC must take direct access from an arterial or minor arterial street.
(5)
Building coverage. Not more than 15% of the base site area of the tract of land.
(6)
Maximum impervious coverage. Thirty-five percent of the base site area of the tract of land.
(7)
Open space. A minimum of 30% of the base site area of the tract shall be designated as open space and held for the use and enjoyment of the community within a development, or the public at large, as Council may determine appropriate. The open space area shall consist of one or more land areas, provided that no individual land area which comprises the open space shall be smaller in size than 2,000 square feet. The open space area shall not include the area of any building lot, but may include environmentally sensitive areas and stormwater facilities, and shall be permanently restricted against development.
B.
Building separation. There shall be a building-to-building separation which shall measure at least 25 feet.
C.
Decks shall not extend into the perimeter buffer.
D.
Environmentally sensitive areas identified in Zoning Ordinance § 230-49 within 50 feet of a dwelling unit shall be fenced in a manner directed by Horsham Council during the land development review process. Fencing shall be installed prior to the issuance of any building permits.
E.
Perimeter buffer requirements. There shall be a perimeter buffer of 30 feet where a CTC abuts land zoned residentially or improved with single-family dwellings. Except in areas where the perimeter buffer is located in an environmental resource protection areas (See § 230-49), the perimeter buffer shall include a berm and dense vegetation sufficient to prevent the use of the perimeter buffer by homeowners in the CTC. Any and all required yard setbacks may be contained within the perimeter buffer requirements and shall not be required to be in addition thereto.
F.
No residential accessory structures, including sheds and play areas, shall be permitted in a CTC.
G.
Height requirement. The height of any principal building shall not exceed 35 feet, provided that no principal building shall exceed two stories, not including walk-out basements in the rear of the building.
H.
Public water and sewers. A CTC shall be serviced by public water and public sanitary sewers.
I.
Community improvements. CTCs are permitted in qualifying areas within the R-3 Residential District in order to improve public safety and provide community facilities. A CTC must create and construct at least one major infrastructure improvement that, in the sole discretion of the Township Council, benefits stormwater management or traffic flow in a large portion of the Township. Examples of such improvements are as follows:
(1)
The construction of off-site intersection improvements to mitigate existing traffic congestion in the area of the CTC.
(2)
The construction of significant recreational improvements available for use by the public.
(3)
The provision of stormwater management improvements that, in the sole discretion of Horsham Council, provide a significant improvement to the regional stormwater management systems.
J.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, parking shall be as follows in a CTC: two spaces per unit, not including garages unless deed restricted from being finished for living space, plus overflow guest parking of one space per unit.
§ 230-61.3 Base Revitalization Community (BRC) regulations.
[Added 11-12-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-05]
A.
A Base Revitalization Community ("BRC") shall be permitted in the R-3 Zoning District only on tracts of land designated by the Final Preferred Land Use Plan and Horsham Township Comprehensive Plan as part of the redevelopment of the former Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove ("Base") to allow single-family detached dwellings to serve as a transitional use between open space and low-density residential housing to medium density housing uses as part of the implementation of the base redevelopment plan.
(1)
Minimum gross tract area: 15 acres
(2)
Dwelling units: Only single-family detached dwellings shall be permitted in a BRC.
(3)
Public water and sewers: A BRC shall be serviced by public water and public sanitary sewers.
(4)
Density. The maximum density for the number of lots on a parcel shall be calculated through the environmental resource protection density determination contained in § 230-49B.
(5)
Minimum lot area. A lot area of not less than 23,000 square feet shall be provided for every principal building hereafter erected or used in this district. Utility easements for storm sewer, sanitary sewer or water supply essential for the proposed development may be included as part of the required lot area.
(6)
Minimum lot width. A lot width of not less than 60 feet shall be provided at the building line (minimum required front yard setback). The minimum lot width at the ultimate right-of-way shall be in accordance with the provisions of the minimum lot frontage requirements of Article IV.
(7)
Maximum building coverage. Not more than 35% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings.
(8)
Maximum lot coverage. Not more than 45% of the lot area may be covered by buildings, parking area, vehicular accessways or other impervious material.
(9)
Yard requirements:
(a)
Front yard. There shall be a front yard on each street which abuts, measured from the ultimate right-of-way to the building, the depth of which shall be at least 30 feet.
(b)
Side yard. There shall be two side yards for any building or use not less than 35 feet aggregate width and neither less than 10 feet in width. For lots abutting an existing public street, there shall be a minimum side yard of at least 50 feet.
(c)
Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard, the depth of which shall be at least 30 feet. For lots abutting an existing public street, there shall be a minimum rear yard of at least 50 feet. Decks or patios without roofs, when not greater than five feet in elevation above ground level, may extend a maximum of 20 feet into the minimum required rear yard. Any deck or patio without a roof greater than five feet in elevation above ground level may extend not more than 10 feet into the minimum required rear yard.
(10)
Height regulations. The height of any principal building shall not exceed 35 feet and, notwithstanding § 230-16, the height of any accessory structures or buildings shall not exceed one story in height and in no event greater than 14 feet. Accessory structures shall be permitted in rear yards only not less than seven feet from a side or rear lot line.
(11)
Contiguous building envelope. The minimum contiguous building envelope area shall consist of not less than 2,000 square feet.
(12)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, parking shall be as follows in a BRC: two spaces per unit, not including garages unless deed restricted from being finished for living space, plus overflow guest parking of one space per unit.
(13)
Common open space. The minimum open space requirements shall be 25%. Common open space may contain stormwater management facilities, and passive and active recreation spaces (tot lots, playgrounds, walking trails, sports courts, etc.) as approved by Township Council during the subdivision/land development process.
(14)
Perimeter buffer requirements. There shall be a perimeter buffer of 30 feet where a BRC abuts land zoned residentially or improved with single-family dwellings. Except in areas where the perimeter buffer is located in an environmental resource protection area (See § 230-49), the perimeter buffer shall include a berm and dense vegetation sufficient to prevent the use of the perimeter buffer by homeowners in the BRC. Any and all required yard setbacks may be contained within the perimeter buffer requirements and shall not be required to be in addition thereto. In the case where residential units or lots are proposed to be located adjacent to an existing public right-of-way or street, the provisions of Article V, Section 230-31.B shall be applicable.