A detached building or structure which is customarily associated with and customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal building or structure and which is located on the same lot with such principal building or structure.

A use customarily associated with and customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal use and located on the same lot with such principal use.

An enterprise that is actively engaged in the commercial production and preparation for market of crops, livestock, and livestock products and in the production, harvesting, and preparation for market or use of agricultural, agronomic, horticultural, silvicultural, and aquacultural crops and commodities. The term includes an enterprise that implements changes in production practices and procedures or types of crops, livestock, livestock products, or commodities produced consistent with practices and procedures that are normally engaged by farmers or are consistent with technological development within the agricultural community.

An airport which is privately owned and which is not open or intended to be open to the public, as defined in 74 Pa.C.S.A. § 5102.

An airport which is either publicly or privately owned and which is open to the public, as defined in 74 Pa.C.S.A. § 5102.

A private right-of-way which provides a secondary access to a property or properties and which is not the only means of access to the property or properties.

As applied to a building or structure, any enlargement or addition to an existing building or structure that increases the height, volume, lot coverage, or gross floor area of the building or structure.

Any change in the supporting members of a building or structure, such as bearing walls, columns, beams, girders, or foundations.

A facility within an enclosed building which provides amusement or entertainment activities for a fee or admission charge, including such establishments as indoor theaters, concert halls, dance halls, skating rinks, bowling alleys, billiard and pool halls, video and game arcades and similar establishments.

A room or a suite of rooms in a multiple-family structure which is used as a single housekeeping unit and which contains complete, permanently installed kitchen, bath, and toilet facilities.

A building containing three or more independent dwelling units.

The site area, less any portions of the site located in environmentally sensitive areas, and areas designated for nonresidential uses, including but not limited to common open space and areas set aside for streets and utilities.

The total area of the lot or lots comprising a site.

A structure or area of land or water for the temporary or occasional assembly of people.

Engine rebuilding, major reconditioning of worn or damaged motor vehicles, collision services, including body, frame, or fender straightening or repair, and overall painting of vehicles.

Incidental repairs; replacement of parts; motor service to automobiles; state inspections; but not including any operation specified under "automobile repair, major," above.

A story partly underground, but having at least one-half of its height above the average level of the adjoining ground. A basement shall be counted as a story for the purpose of height measurement if the vertical distance between the ceiling and the average level of the adjoining ground is five feet or more or if the basement is used for business or dwelling purposes.

Structure, building wall, or other outdoor surface used to display advertising, whether of a stabled or changeable copy nature, which pertains to a business, organization, event, person, place, service, or product which is not principally located or sold on the premises upon which the billboard is located.

A strip of land which is planted and maintained in shrubs, bushes, trees, grass, or other landscaping material and within which no structure is permitted, except a retaining wall or fence.

Any structure having a roof supported by columns or walls intended for supporting or sheltering any occupancy. When separated by walls which are common with the walls of adjoining dwellings, each portion of such structure shall be considered a separate building.

The total of areas taken on a horizontal plane at the main grade level of the principal building and all accessory buildings, exclusive of uncovered porches, terraces, and steps.

The vertical distance measured from the average elevation of the proposed finished grade at the front of the building to the highest point of the roof for flat roofs, to the deckline of mansard roofs, and to the mean height between eaves and ridge for gable, hip, and gambrel roofs.

The line describing the extent of the area in a lot on which construction can occur. The setback distance from the front, side and rear property lines determines the building line. The building line shall limit the location of porches, patios, and similar construction but does limit walkways, steps, or terraces.

The building or structure, or group of buildings or structures, in which is conducted the principal or primary use of the lot on which it is located.

A place for storage of petroleum and other fuels usually transported in tanker trucks, rather than in boxes, drums, or packages.

A seasonal recreational facility, operated for profit, which offers spaces for rent for overnight occupancy by campers utilizing trailers or recreational vehicles and which includes sanitary facilities and recreational facilities for the use of the campers.

A development design technique that concentrates buildings in specific areas on a site to allow the remaining land to be used for recreation, common open space, or preservation of environmentally sensitive features.

A parcel or parcels of land or an area of water, or a combination of land and water within a development and designed and intended for the use or enjoyment of residents of a development, not including streets, off-street parking lots, and areas set aside for public facilities.

A use authorized by this chapter in a particular zoning or overlay district, granted only by the Board of Supervisors following a public hearing, subject to the express standards and criteria in this chapter.

A dwelling unit added to, or created within, an existing structure utilizing space previously used as part of an established dwelling unit or some other use.

An establishment containing a furnace designed to cremate or reduce to ashes the remains of deceased humans or animals.

A facility, licensed by the commonwealth, located within a building which is not used as a dwelling unit, for the care on a regular basis during part of a twenty-four-hour day children under the age of 16, or mentally or physically challenged, or elderly persons.

A unit of measurement of the intensity (loudness) of sound. Sound-level meters which are employed to measure the intensity of sound are calibrated in decibels.

A measure of the intensity of the use of land, measured by the number of dwelling units per gross acre of site area.

Any man-made change to land or water areas, including, but not limited to, buildings, structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation, drilling operations, or, in the case of floodplain regulations, the storage of materials and equipment.

An area accurately defined as to boundaries and location on the Official Zoning Map and within which area only certain types of structures and land uses are permitted and within which other types of structures and land uses are excluded, as set forth in this chapter.

A building or other structure used primarily for human habitation whether permanent or seasonal that includes separate kitchen and bathroom facilities and a separate entrance for each unit. Includes, but is not limited to, single-family dwelling, two-family dwelling (or duplex), and multifamily dwellings. Specifically excludes hotels, motels, fraternity or sorority houses, boardinghouses, assisted living facilities, group residential facilities, group homes, rooming houses, tourist houses, and similar uses.

A group of two or more rooms designed for or occupied by one family only and containing cooking and food storage facilities and, in a separate room, toilet and tub or shower, with hot and cold water supply, all for the exclusive use of the family occupying the dwelling unit.

A multiple-family residential building, not exceeding three stories in height, in which units are arranged side to side, back to back or one above another, which may have either private external entrances or common hall access, and which may have a private exterior yard area for each unit.

A group of two or more single-family, two-family, or multifamily dwellings having a yard in common on a single, commonly owned lot.

A building designed and built to contain three or more dwelling units, whether side by side or above one another, each an independent dwelling unit relative to utilities, facilities, and access.

A multiple-family dwelling of more than three stories.

A multiple-family dwelling divided by party walls into distinct units, each dwelling unit of which has direct access to the outdoors.

A detached building designed and built to contain one dwelling unit; includes mobile homes on a permanent foundation not located in a mobile home park.

A building designed and built to contain two dwelling units, whether side by side or above one another, each an independent dwelling unit relative to utilities, facilities, and access.

Notice given by a municipality through the Internet of the time and place of a public hearing and the particular nature of the matter to be considered at the hearing, pursuant to 53 P.S. § 10109.

An area with one or more of the following environmental characteristics:

One or more persons who live together in a single housekeeping unit and maintain a common household, as distinguished from a group occupying a boardinghouse. A family may consist of a single person or of two or more persons, whether or not related by blood, marriage or adoption. For purposes of this chapter, the term "family" shall not include, nor shall it be interpreted to include, a group care facility or similar activities which provide room and/or board to one or more persons who are residents by virtue of receiving services such as health, social rehabilitative, general supervision or similar services, irrespective of whether or not they are provided by governmental agencies, their licensed or certified agents, responsible nonprofit social service agencies or corporations, profit-oriented organizations or businesses, or private individuals.

A structure utilized to store farm implements, hay, feed, grain, or other agricultural or horticultural produces, or to house poultry, livestock, or other farm animals, a milk house, and structure used to grow mushrooms. The term shall not include habitable space or spaces in which agricultural products are processed, treated, or packaged, and shall not be construed to mean a place of occupancy by the general public.

A structure, including entrance and exit gates or openings, designed and constructed for the purpose of enclosing space or separating parcels of land, screening, protection, confinement and/or privacy. The term "fence" or "wall" shall not include a retaining wall. The permitted height of a fence shall be governed by the zoning district of the property as follows:

A relatively flat or low land area which is subject to partial or complete inundation from an adjoining or nearby stream, river, or watercourse and/or any area subject to the unusual and rapid accumulation of surface waters from any source.

The sum of the gross horizontal areas of the several floors of a building, measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls, or from the center line of common walls separating buildings. For purposes of determining parking and loading space requirements, the following areas shall not be included: cellar storage space, elevator shafts and stairwells, floor space for mechanical equipment to service the building, uncovered steps, open terraces, breezeways, and unroofed open spaces, unless specifically required in the parking regulations herein.

See "timber harvesting," below.

A building used for the embalming of deceased human beings for burial and/or for the display of the deceased and ceremonies connected therewith before burial or cremation and the display and sale of caskets, urns, and other burial items.

An accessory building or portion of the principal building enclosed on not fewer than three sides, designed or used for shelter or storage of private vehicles and personal property of the occupants of the principal building, and not accessible to the general public.

A building, other than a private garage, containing two or more parking spaces accessible to the general public and used for the temporary parking or storage of motor vehicles, where such vehicles are kept for remuneration. The term shall not include the temporary or long-term storage of damaged, dismantled, junked, or wrecked motor vehicles.

A structure, whether permanent or temporary, for the sale of plants, nursery products and stock, potting soil, hardware, power equipment, machinery, hoes, rakes, shovels, and other garden- and farm-variety tools and utensils.

A business or commercial activity administered or conducted as an accessory use which is clearly secondary to the use as a residential dwelling and which involves traffic generated by less than five customers, clients or patients per day (whether vehicular or pedestrian), or pickup, delivery or removal functions to or from the premises in excess of those normally associated with residential use.

A business or commercial activity administered or conducted as an accessory use which is clearly secondary to the use as a residential dwelling and which involves no customer, client, or patient traffic (whether vehicular or pedestrian), and no pickup, delivery or removal functions to or from the premises in excess of those normally associated with residential use.

An establishment licensed by the commonwealth for the care of human patients suffering from physical or mental illness, and which may or may not include facilities for major surgery, laboratories, outpatient facilities, training facilities, medical offices, and staff residences.

An establishment which provides transient lodging accommodations to the general public in sleeping units which have independent access to a common interior corridor or which have independent access directly to the outside and which may provide additional supporting services such as restaurants, meeting rooms, recreational facilities, and living quarters for a resident manager or proprietor.

A public or private benevolent establishment devoted to the shelter, maintenance, or education and care of minor children, or homeless, aged, or infirm persons, or members of a religious community.

A structure and/or premises where four or more dogs or cats or similar domestic animals which are six months or older are nurtured, kept, bred, trained, or boarded at any one time, whether or not for profit. For purposes of this chapter, the keeping of five or more such animals for economic gain shall be deemed a "commercial kennel."

Includes any of the following activities:

A disposal site in which refuse and earth, or other suitable cover material, are deposited and compacted in alternative layers of specified depth in accordance with an approved plan.

A space inside or outside a structure used exclusively for the temporary standing of motorized vehicles while loading or unloading merchandise or materials. The space shall be on the same lot with the use or structure to which the space is being provided.

A designated parcel, tract or area of land established by a plat or otherwise as permitted by law and to be used, developed or built upon as a unit.

The area of a horizontal plane measured at grade and bounded by the front, side and rear lot line as measured from the street right-of-way line, not including any part of an alley, or public or private street right-of-way.

A lot at the junction of two or more intersecting streets and having frontage on two or more such streets. Corner lots shall be considered to have a front yard on each street and side yards on the remaining property lines.

That percentage of the plot or lot area covered by the principal building and all accessory buildings and structures, including, but not limited to, decks, swimming pools, storage sheds, garages, and similar structures.

The mean horizontal distance between the front lot line and rear lot line, measured midway between the side lot lines.

That portion of a lot which joins the street right-of-way or through which access is provided to a public street.

A lot other than a corner lot or a through lot, with only one frontage on a street other than an alley.

A line of record bounding a lot which divides one lot from another lot or from a public or private street or other public space.

That lot line that is contiguous with the street center line or the street right-of-way line or, in the case where the lot does not abut a street, that lot line through which access to a street is provided.

That lot line which is generally opposite the front lot line.

Any lot line which is not a front lot line or a rear lot line.

A lot having frontage on two parallel or approximately parallel streets and which is not a corner lot.

The total horizontal distance between the side lot lines measured along a line parallel to the front lot line.

Notice given by a municipality by first-class mail of the time and place of a public hearing and the particular nature of the matter to be considered at the hearing, pursuant to 53 P.S. § 10109.

A structure, subject to federal regulation, which is transportable in one or more sections; is eight body feet or more in width and 40 body feet or more in length in the traveling mode, or is 320 or more square feet when erected on site; is built on a permanent chassis; is designed to be used as a single-family dwelling, with or without a permanent foundation, when connected to the required utilities; and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and electronic systems contained in the structure.

A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent occupancy, contained in one group or two or more units designed to be joined into one integral unit capable of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives at the site complete and ready for occupancy, except for minor or incidental unpacking and assembly, and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation.

See "hotel," above.

The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247 of 1968, as amended (53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.).

Facility for teaching music skills to more than three students at one time.

A lot the area or dimension of which was lawful prior to the adoption or amendment of this chapter, but which fails to conform to the requirements of the zoning or overlay district in which it is located by reason of such adoption or amendment.

A structure or part of a structure which does not comply with the applicable area or bulk provisions of this chapter or amendment, where such structure lawfully existed prior to the enactment of this chapter or amendment, or prior to the application of this chapter or amendment to its location by reason of annexation. Such nonconforming structures include, but are not limited to, nonconforming signs.

A use, whether of land or of a structure, which does not comply with the applicable use provisions in this chapter or amendment, where such use was lawfully in existence prior to the enactment of this chapter or amendment, or prior to the application of this chapter or amendment to its location by reason of annexation. The term "permitted use" or its equivalent shall not be deemed to include any nonconforming use.

An establishment which offers private daytime care or instruction for two or more children of preschool age.

An institution, licensed by the commonwealth, for the inpatient, overnight care of human patients requiring skilled nursing or intermediate nursing care, but not including surgical procedures, or care and treatment of drug or alcohol addiction.

A permit issued by the Township indicating that the property is in compliance with the approved zoning and building permits and is ready to be used and occupied for the approved use.

The storage, whether temporary or permanent, of equipment, materials, containers, vehicles, or trailers outside of a completely enclosed structure.

A parking area for vehicles, operated by a public agency or private entity, whether for profit or not, which is available to the general public.

An off-street space having an area of not less than 200 square feet exclusive of passageways and driveways appurtenant thereto, whether inside or outside a structure, available for the temporary standing of automotive vehicles to be used exclusively as a parking stall for one motor vehicle.

A single-family detached dwelling sitting on land owned by a condominium group.

A facility, licensed by the commonwealth, located within a dwelling where room and board is provided to more than three permanent residents who are not relatives of the operator and who are mobile or semi-mobile and require specialized services in such matters as bathing, dressing, diet and medication prescribed for self-administration for a period exceeding 24 consecutive hours, but who are not in need of hospitalization or skilled nursing care or intermediate nursing care.

An area of land, controlled by a landowner, to be developed as a single entity for a number of dwelling units, or combination of residential and nonresidential uses, the development plan for which does not correspond in lot size, bulk, type of dwelling, or use, density, or intensity, lot coverage and required open space to the regulations established in any one district created, from time to time, under the provisions of this chapter.

The Lancaster Township Planning Commission.

An energy conversion center that combusts coal, fuel oil, wind, solar, nuclear, or natural gas to produce electricity, designed on a large scale for continuous operation.

All production, storage, transmission, and recovery facilities (underground, surface or overhead) for water, sanitary, sewerage, telephone, gas, electricity, steam, stormwater drainage, communications systems, and similar utilities owned or operated by any public agency or any utility subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission. The utility itself does not include business offices, yards or buildings for the storage or maintenance of equipment used by the utility, unless such structures are expressly permitted in the zoning district, and does not include transmission facilities that are not subject to the Public Utilities Commission's jurisdiction, and does not include facilities for fire protection, emergency medical services or other services designed to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Township.

The building or structure in which the principal use is conducted.

The primary, main, or predominant use to which the property is or may be devoted to and to which all other uses on the premises are accessory.

An establishment offering recreation, sports, games of chance or skill, or leisure time activities to the general public or private membership for a fee or charge. Commercial recreation facilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Facilities offering leisure time activities and recreation to the general public or private membership without a fee or charge. Noncommercial recreation facilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

An enterprise devoted wholly or in part to the storage, buying or selling, salvaging, recycling, or otherwise handling or dealing in salvageable materials.

Any scrap metal, or scrapped, abandoned, or junked motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts, machinery, machinery parts, equipment, paper, glass, or containers, or abandoned, dilapidated, or partially dismantled structures, or similar materials, except refuse or garbage kept in a proper container for the purpose of prompt disposal.

A business that provides home-type washing, drying, or ironing machines, or dry-cleaning machines for hire to be used by customers on the premises.

The required minimum horizontal distance that a structure can be located from a right-of-way or property front line, rear line or sideline, thereby creating a required open space on the lot. Where the lot property line and the right-of-way line are not the same, the setback shall be the minimum horizontal distance between the right-of-way line and the building line.

A small, portable (nonpermanent) accessory structure used to store household goods, tools and/or equipment. A shed may not be used as a dwelling. To be considered a movable shed, the structure must not exceed 144 square feet in area, may not exceed 12.5 feet (including roof panels), and shall be limited to one floor. Irrespective of zoning district, a movable shed may be placed within the side or rear yards only and no closer than 10 feet from the property line and never in the front yard setback. A movable shed shall include temporary storage units.

A small, permanent accessory structure used to store household goods, tools and/or equipment. A nonmovable shed may not be used as a dwelling. To be considered a nonmovable shed, the structure must be anchored to the ground or have a foundation or cement or paved floor and the structure must not exceed 144 square feet in area, may not exceed 12.5 feet (including roof panels) and shall be limited to one floor. Irrespective of zoning district, a nonmovable shed may be placed within the side or rear yards only and no closer than 10 feet from the property line.

Any surface, fabric, or device bearing lettered, pictorial, sculptured, or other matter designed to convey information visually and exposed to public view; any structure designed to carry the above visual information; any structure or device designed or installed principally to direct or attract attention, except traffic signs or devices.

An establishment for slaughtering, processing and packing livestock into meat, meat products and by-products.

An accessory building in which horses are kept for private use only, such as riding, driving, and stabling, and not for hire or sale.

An accessory building in which horses are kept for sale or hire, or boarding or training horses owned by persons other than the residents of the lot, or the purpose of providing riding instruction to persons other than residents of the lot.

A building or group of buildings in a controlled access and fenced compound that contains various sizes of individual compartmentalized and controlled access stalls and/or lockers leased to the general public for a specified period of time for storage of personal property.

That portion of a building included between the surface of the floor and the surface of the floor next above it or, if there is no floor above it, the space between the floor and the ceiling next above it.

A strip of land, including the entire right-of-way, utilized as a means for vehicular or pedestrian travel for more than one lot or parking compound. Includes street, avenue, boulevard, road, highway, freeway, parkway, court, cul-de-sac, lane, alley, viaduct, and any other ways used or intended to be used by vehicular traffic or pedestrians, whether public or private; however, shall not include driveway, common driveway or access drive.

Any man-made object having an ascertainable, stationary location on or in land or water, whether or not affixed to the land. However, patios, driveways, walkways, parking pads, and minor decorative structures accessory to a dwelling unit, such as mailboxes, flagpoles, lawn ornaments, and the like, shall not be considered structures for the purposes of this chapter.

The Lancaster Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, as amended.[1]

The management of forests and timberlands when practiced in accordance with accepted silvicultural principles, through developing, cultivating, harvesting, transporting, and selling trees for commercial purposes, which does not involve any land development.

The Township of Lancaster, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

A private facility providing commercial taxicab, limousine, bus service, and similar passenger service.

The specific purpose for which land or a building is designed, arranged, intended, or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained.

Relief from the literal terms of this chapter granted only by the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with the provisions of Article X.

Any premises used primarily for supplying retail gasoline, oil, minor accessories, or minor service or repairs for motor vehicles direct to the consumer, excluding painting.

Any area meeting the criteria of the appropriate state or federal agency to be a wetland.

A plant community composed predominantly of healthy trees and other woody vegetation, well-stocked and growing more or less closely together.

A required open space at grade on a lot between a building and the adjoining lot lines, which is unoccupied and unobstructed by any portion of any structure from the ground upward, other than certain projections expressly permitted by this chapter.

A yard extending along the full length of a front lot line and back to a line drawn parallel to the front lot line at a distance equal to the depth of the required front yard.

A yard extending along the full length of the rear lot line and back to a line drawn parallel to the rear lot line at a distance equal to the depth of the required rear yard.

A yard extending along a side lot line and back to a line drawn parallel to the side lot line at a distance equal to the width of the required minimum side yard, excluding any area encompassed within a front yard or rear yard. Dimensions of minimum side yards specified in the district regulations of this chapter refer to the required width of each side yard rather than to the total width of both side yards, unless otherwise specified.

The Lancaster Township Zoning Hearing Board.