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Lancaster Township City Zoning Code

ARTICLE VI

Residential District R-3 Regulations

§ 280-601 Intended purpose.

The intended purpose of this zoning district is to provide for high-density residential areas that are consistent with existing development densities in surrounding areas. All types of residential uses are permitted in this zoning district. The highest-density development in this zoning district shall be contingent upon the provision of public sewer and public water.

§ 280-602 Permitted uses.

A. 
Accessory commercial use in conjunction with residential developments, subject to § 280-1501 of this chapter.
B. 
Accessory structures and uses customarily incidental to the uses permitted in this Article VI.
C. 
Communications antenna, subject to § 280-1603 of this chapter.
D. 
Family day-care home, subject to § 280-1511 of this chapter.
E. 
Forestry.
F. 
Group home, subject to § 280-1513 of this chapter.
G. 
Hospital, retirement home, nursing home, personal care home, or similar facility, subject to § 280-1515 of this chapter.
H. 
Medical office.
I. 
Minor home occupation, subject to § 280-1514 of this chapter.
J. 
Noncommercial keeping of livestock, subject to § 280-1521 of this chapter.
K. 
Nonprofit public facility, subject to § 280-1522 of this chapter.
L. 
Place of assembly for worship/education, provided the gross floor area is less than or equal to 40,000 square feet.
M. 
[1]Short-term rental units single room rentals of existing bedrooms.
[Added 11-14-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-02]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection M, regarding public utility corporations and municipal uses, was repealed 10-8-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-05.
N. 
Single-family detached dwelling, single-family semidetached dwelling, two-family dwelling, single-family attached dwelling, and multifamily dwelling. Such residential uses shall comply with the following:
(1) 
Conventional residential development consisting of 10 or fewer dwellings where the total area of the proposed development is equal to or less than 15 acres prior to the proposed subdivision or land development.
(2) 
Open space development, subject to § 280-1523 of this chapter.

§ 280-603 Special exception uses.

A. 
Boardinghouse, subject to § 280-1506 of this chapter.
B. 
Conversion of an existing building to a multifamily dwelling, subject to § 280-1605 of this chapter.
C. 
Group day-care home, subject to § 280-1511 of this chapter.
D. 
Major home occupation, subject to § 280-1514 of this chapter.
E. 
Place of assembly for worship/education, provided the gross floor area is greater than 40,000 square feet, subject to § 280-1525 of this chapter.
F. 
Private club, subject to § 280-1527 of this chapter.

§ 280-604 Conditional uses.

A. 
All residential uses which are permitted uses in this zoning district and which are proposed within conventional residential developments consisting of more than 10 dwellings where the total area of the proposed development is greater than 15 acres, subject to § 280-1510 of this chapter.
B. 
Nonprofit public recreational facility, subject to § 280-1529 of this chapter.
C. 
Residential infill development, subject to § 280-1530 of this chapter.

§ 280-605 Lot, yard and height regulations of principal uses/structures.

A. 
Lot requirements. Unless specified elsewhere in this chapter, the lot requirements in Table 6-1 shall apply. Note that the public utilities used for sewage disposal and water supply affect the type of uses permitted as well as certain lot requirements (such as lot coverage and area).
Table 6-1
Minimum Lot Width:
Residential District R-3
Public Utilities
Minimum Lot Area
(square feet)
At Street Right-of-Way Line
(feet)
At Building Setback Line
(feet)
Minimum Lot Depth
(feet)
Maximum Lot Coverage
(impervious surfaces)
Single-family detached dwellings
None or public water only
43,560 per dwelling unit
65
100
150
20%
Single-family detached dwellings
Public sewer only
32,000 per dwelling unit
65
100
150
25%
Single-family detached dwellings
Public sewer and public water
10,000 per dwelling unit
50
75
125
40%
Single-family semidetached and 2-family dwellings
Public sewer and public water
5,000 per dwelling unit
25 per dwelling unit
40 per dwelling unit
125
50%
Multifamily dwellings with 12 or fewer dwellings
Public sewer and public water
3,000 per dwelling unit
65
100
125
65%
Multifamily dwellings with more than 12 dwellings
Public sewer and public water
3,000 per dwelling unit
100
150
200
65%
Single-family attached dwellings
Public sewer and public water
2,500 per dwelling unit
13
20
125
65%
All other uses (unless otherwise specified)
None or with public water and/or public sewer
43,560
65
100
150
50%
B. 
Minimum yard requirements.
(1) 
Unless specified elsewhere in this chapter, the yard requirements in Table 6-2 shall apply:
Table 6-2
Minimum Front Yard
Residential District R-3
Principal Arterial Road
(feet)
Minor Arterial Road
(feet)
Collector Road
(feet)
Local Road
(feet)
Minimum Side Yard
(feet)
Minimum Rear Yard
(feet)
Single-family detached dwellings without public sewer
50
40
30
25
12
35
Single-family detached, single-family semidetached, 2-family dwellings, and single-family attached dwellings with public water and public sewer
50
40
30
25
10 feet; 0-foot common lot line single-family semidetached dwelling or single-family attached dwelling
25
Multifamily dwelling with 12 or fewer dwelling units
50
40
30
25
25
35
All other uses (unless otherwise specified)
50
40
30
25
50
50
(2) 
A building may be permitted closer to the street than required above when there is an adjacent existing principal building on the same side of the street which is closer to the street than the minimum front yard requirement and is within 100 feet of the building to be erected. If the building to be erected is within 100 feet from only one such existing adjacent principal building, the minimum front yard requirement shall not be less than the average of the setback of the existing principal building and the minimum front yard requirement; provided, however, that this formula shall not require the placing of a building more than 10 feet back of the front building line of the existing adjacent principal buildings. If the building to be erected is between two such existing principal buildings within 100 feet of the building to be erected, the minimum front yard shall not be less than the average setback of the two adjacent existing principal buildings.
C. 
Interior yard requirements. Open areas between principal buildings located on a lot shall be provided as follows:
(1) 
Parallel buildings (front to front, rear to rear or front to rear) shall have 50 feet between faces of the buildings for two-story buildings, plus five feet for each additional story. If the front or rear faces are obliquely aligned, the above distances may be decreased by as much as 10 feet at one end if increased by a similar or greater distance at the other end.
(2) 
A yard space of 25 feet is required between end walls of buildings for each two-story building, plus five feet for each additional story. If the buildings are at right angles to each other, the distance between the corners of end walls of the buildings may be reduced to a minimum of 15 feet.
(3) 
A yard space of 30 feet is required between end walls and front or rear faces of buildings for each two-story building, plus five feet for each additional story.
(4) 
When two adjacent buildings differ in the number of stories, the spacing shall not be less than 1 1/2 times the sum of the required distance between two buildings of the lower height, plus the required distance between two buildings of the greater height.
D. 
Maximum building height: 40 feet, except that multifamily dwellings with more than 12 units per building shall not exceed 75 feet.
E. 
Parking and loading regulations. Parking and loading shall be provided as specified in Article XIII of this chapter relating to parking and loading regulations. In addition, no loading facility shall be permitted on any side of a building facing adjoining lands within a residential zoning district nor any side of a building facing an abutting street.
F. 
Sign regulations. Signs shall be permitted as specified in Article XII of this chapter relating to sign regulations.
G. 
Driveway and access drive regulations. All driveways and access drives shall be in accordance with § 280-1606 of this chapter.
H. 
Landscaping and screening regulations. Landscaping and screening shall be provided as specified in Article XIV of this chapter relating to landscaping and screening regulations.
I. 
Nonresidential operations regulations. All nonresidential operations shall be in compliance with any Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and/or federal government regulations, as required by the most-recent regulations made available from these governmental bodies.
J. 
Outdoor storage regulations. Within this zoning district, no outdoor storage or display of merchandise is permitted.
K. 
Waste product regulations. Dumpsters and waste receptacles may be permitted within the side or rear yard, in accordance with § 280-1403C of this chapter. All dumpsters shall be set back a minimum of 50 feet from any adjoining property in a residential zoning district.
L. 
Lighting regulations. Lighting shall be shielded as to not impact adjoining properties. Light emanating from any source on the property shall not be greater than two footcandles measured at a height of three feet at the lot line.

§ 280-606 Lot, yard and height regulations of accessory uses/structures.

A. 
Minimum front yard. With the exception of patios and decks, accessory structures shall not be permitted in the front yard, except for double-frontage lots, where accessory structures shall comply with the front yard requirements for principal structures. Patios and decks shall not encroach upon the minimum front yard specified in § 280-605 of this chapter.
B. 
Minimum setback from front yard. Accessory structures shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from all front yards.
C. 
Minimum side yard.
(1) 
Single-family detached dwelling lots: six feet.
(2) 
Single-family semidetached dwelling lots, two-family dwelling lots, and single-family attached dwelling lots: two feet, and zero feet at the common lot line for single-family semidetached dwellings or single-family attached dwellings.
(3) 
All other lots: 15 feet.
D. 
Minimum rear yard: six feet.
E. 
Maximum height: 25 feet.