Leacock Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
Rural Village R-V Zone
§ 310-46 Purpose.
The purpose of the Rural Village (R-V) Zone is to provide for medium-density residential development in Village growth areas in the Township where public sewers are existing or are anticipated to be available in the future. This zoning district includes areas that are characterized by a historic mix of residential and commercial uses, as well as areas that rely on nonmotorized means of transportation.
§ 310-47 Permitted uses.
A.
Any form of agriculture, subject to the requirements under Article IV, § 310-17, and §§ 310-150 and 310-165; and further provided that the commercial keeping and handling of poultry, livestock, bees and other domestic or wild animals shall not be maintained on tracts of less than 10 acres in size. The construction or enlargement of livestock and cattle houses shall also be subject to § 310-179.
B.
Single-family detached dwellings.
C.
Single-family semidetached dwellings.
D.
New dwellings when in combination with a business use.
E.
School uses, public or private, on lots of two acres or less, subject to the provisions of § 310-217.
F.
Expansions of existing school uses, public or private, on lots of greater than two acres, up to 10% of the original building floor area, subject to the provisions of § 310-217.
G.
Expansion of the site area of existing school uses, public or private, on lots of greater than two acres, up to one additional acre of the site area, subject to the provisions of § 310-217.
H.
Municipal buildings and uses, subject to the provisions of § 310-202.
I.
Firehouses and similar public buildings, subject to the provisions of § 310-202.
J.
Carriage barns, subject to the requirements of § 310-169.
K.
Vacation rental houses, subject to the provisions of § 310-225.
L.
Elder cottage housing units on lots of five acres or greater, subject to § 310-183.
M.
No-impact home-based businesses, subject to the provisions of § 310-204.
N.
Family group homes and group homes, subject to the provisions of § 310-184.
O.
Domestic pets; provided, however, that kennels shall not be permitted.
P.
Alternative energy sources, subject to the provisions of § 310-125.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
Q.
Forestry, subject to the provisions of § 310-153.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
R.
Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental to the above permitted uses.
S.
Signs, subject to the provisions of Article XX.
§ 310-48 Special exceptions.
The following uses are permitted when special exceptions are granted by written approval of the Zoning Hearing Board. In granting any special exceptions, the Board may attach such reasonable conditions and safeguards, in addition to those expressed in this chapter, as it may deem necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter.
A.
Townhouses, subject to the provisions of § 310-224.
B.
Conversion apartment houses, not to exceed three units in the structure, subject to the requirements of § 310-181.
C.
Bed-and-breakfast establishments, subject to the requirements of § 310-170.
D.
Boardinghouses, subject to the requirements of § 310-172.
E.
Nursing, rest or retirement homes, subject to the requirements of § 310-215.
F.
Elder cottage housing units on lots of less than five acres, subject to the provisions of § 310-183.
G.
Family day-care facilities, subject to the provisions of § 310-182.
H.
Bus shelters, related uses, subject to the provisions of § 310-173.
I.
Churches, synagogues and other places of worship and any associated cemeteries, provided that the use does not exceed three acres, subject to the provisions of § 310-176.
J.
Church-related uses, such as social halls, picnic grounds, etc., subject to the provisions of § 310-176.
K.
Expansions of existing school uses, public or private, on lots of greater than two acres, between 10% and 30% of the original building floor area, subject to the provisions of § 310-217.
L.
Expansion of the site area of existing school uses, public or private, on lots of greater than two acres, in excess of one additional acre of the site area. All site area expansions in excess of one acre shall also require the preparation of a land development plan in accordance with Chapter 265, Subdivision and Land Development, subject to the provisions of § 310-217.
M.
Double-family dwellings, subject to the provisions of § 310-130.
N.
Home occupations, subject to the provisions of § 310-193.
O.
The following uses are permitted by special exception, provided that such uses: 1) are contained within a building that existed on August 5, 2003; or 2) are contained within a building with a building footprint of no more than 1,500 square feet and an overall size of no more than 3,600 square feet of floor area:
(1)
Stores for the commercial retailing of food, clothing, drugs, confectionery, hardware, sporting goods, household appliances, flowers, antiques, etc.
(2)
Personal services shops, including barbershops, beauty parlors, tailors, shoe repair, dry cleaning (excluding dry cleaning plants), laundromats, etc.
(3)
Sit-down restaurants, tearooms, cafes and other places serving food and drink, but not including drive-in, drive-through or fast-food restaurants.
(4)
Business and professional offices.
(5)
Medical and/or dental offices or clinics and associated pharmacies.
(6)
Banks and other similar financial institutions.
(7)
Funeral homes.
(8)
Shops for contractors of plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical, roofing, flooring, glass and windows, installation, carpentry, cabinetmaking, and other structural components of buildings.
All such uses shall comply with the applicable requirements of Article XVII, Supplemental Regulations, Article XVIII, Criteria for Special Exceptions, Conditional Uses and Other Selected Uses, Article XIX, Parking Regulations, and Article XX, Sign Regulations.
P.
Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental to the above uses.
§ 310-49 Conditional uses.
The following uses are permitted when conditional uses are granted by written approval of the Board of Supervisors. In granting any conditional uses, the Board may attach such reasonable conditions and safeguards, in addition to those expressed in this chapter, as it may deem necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter.
A.
Expansions of existing school uses, public and/or private, on lots of greater than two acres, in excess of 30% of the original building floor area, subject to the provisions of § 310-217.
B.
New school uses, public or private, on lots of greater than two acres, subject to the provisions of § 310-217.
C.
Mobile home parks, subject to the provisions of § 310-200.
D.
Family support and care center, subject to the provisions of § 310-236.1.
[Added 7-7-2020 by Ord. No. 145; amended 9-21-2020 by Ord. No. 147]
E.
Medical clinic and research facility with laboratory services, subject to the provisions of § 310-236.2.
[Added 7-7-2020 by Ord. No. 145; amended 9-21-2020 by Ord. No. 147]
§ 310-50 Height and area regulations of principal buildings.
A.
Maximum height: 35 feet.
B.
Minimum lot area. Minimum lot area is as follows, unless a different minimum lot size is required for a use permitted by right, by special exception or by conditional use:
(1)
The minimum lot area per dwelling unit or other principal nonresidential building when not served by public sanitary sewer shall be one acre, unless a larger lot area is required to meet all applicable setbacks and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requirements for the location of on-site water supply and sewage disposal facilities, including replacement system location.
(2)
The minimum lot area per dwelling unit or other principal nonresidential building when served by public sanitary sewer shall be 15,000 square feet.
(3)
The minimum lot area for semidetached dwellings shall be 7,500 square feet for each dwelling unit, if served by public sanitary sewer facilities.
(4)
The minimum lot area for townhouse dwellings shall be 4,000 square feet for each dwelling unit, if served by public sanitary sewer facilities.
(5)
The minimum lot area for conversion apartment houses shall be based on a minimum of 5,000 square feet per dwelling unit, if served by public sanitary sewer facilities, and provided that the minimum lot size shall be 20,000 square feet.
C.
Minimum lot width.
(1)
The minimum lot width for those lots that are served neither by public sanitary sewers nor public water facilities shall be 150 feet at the building setback line.
(2)
The minimum lot width for single-family detached dwellings and other principal nonresidential buildings served by public sewers shall be 90 feet at the building setback line.
(3)
The minimum lot width for semidetached dwellings served by public sewers shall be 40 feet at the building setback line for each dwelling unit.
(4)
The minimum lot width for townhouse dwellings served by public sewers shall be 24 feet at the building setback line for each dwelling unit.
(5)
The minimum lot width for conversion apartment houses served by public sewers shall be 100 feet at the building setback line.
(6)
Specific uses may require a greater minimum lot width.
D.
Minimum lot depth: 125 feet.
E.
Front yard minimum depth.
(1)
The minimum building setback line from all streets shall be in compliance with the requirements of Article XVII, § 310-127; provided, however, that the minimum distance shall be 50 feet from the center line of the street.
(2)
In developed areas, the minimum building setback line requirements may be reduced in order that the building may be in proper relation to adjacent buildings, subject to § 310-127D.
F.
Minimum side yard.
(1)
Single-family detached dwellings and other principal nonresidential buildings shall have two side yards, neither of which shall be less than 10 feet in width.
(2)
Semidetached dwellings shall have one side yard per dwelling unit, which shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width.
(3)
Townhouse dwellings shall have a side yard not less than 14 feet on each end house in a row.
(4)
Conversion apartment houses shall have two side yards, neither of which shall be less than 14 feet in width.
G.
Interior yards (open space between groups of townhouses) shall be provided, as follows:
(1)
When front to front, rear to rear, or front to rear, parallel buildings shall have 50 feet between faces of the building. If the front or rear faces are obliquely aligned, the above distance may be decreased by not more than 10 feet at one end, if increased by similar or greater distance at the other end.
(2)
A yard space of 50 feet is required between end walls of buildings. If the buildings are at right angles to each other, the distance between the corners of the end walls of the building may be reduced to a minimum of 25 feet.
H.
Rear yard. Rear yards shall be a minimum of 35 feet in depth.
I.
Maximum lot coverage. Not more than 50% of the area of the lot shall be covered by buildings.
J.
Maximum impervious coverage. Unless otherwise provided for in this chapter, in all other instances not more than 65% of the area of the lot shall be covered by impervious surfaces.
§ 310-51 Height and yard requirements of accessory buildings with building footprint not exceeding 200 square feet.
The following regulations apply to unattached buildings for accessory uses with a building footprint not exceeding 200 square feet.
A.
Maximum height: 20 feet.
B.
Front yard minimum depth. The minimum building setback line from all streets shall be that distance as required for principal buildings, plus an additional 15 feet.
C.
Minimum side yard: 10 feet.
D.
Minimum rear yard: six feet.
§ 310-52 Height and yard requirements of accessory buildings with building footprint of 200 square feet or greater.
The following regulations apply to unattached buildings for accessory uses with a building footprint of 200 square feet or greater.
A.
Maximum building height: 26 feet from the lowest finished floor elevation. In the case of a sloping lot, this maximum building height may be increased by special exception, subject to the following considerations:
(1)
The proposed building shall not be offensive to any adjacent residential uses; and
(2)
In no case shall the height of the building exceed 35 feet from the lowest finished floor elevation.
B.
Minimum yard setbacks.
(1)
Front: the minimum front yard setback shall be equal to the distance required for principal buildings.
(2)
Side: 15 feet.
(3)
Rear: six feet.
(4)
Where the proposed accessory building will be located adjacent to an existing residential use or a residential zoning district boundary line, the side and/or rear yard setback shall be the required minimum or a distance equal to the height of the accessory building, whichever is greater.
§ 310-53 Vegetation setbacks for lots abutting Agricultural Zone.
The purpose of the Agricultural Zone is to encourage and protect productive farming and agricultural practices. The growth of large trees and shrubs adjacent to the Agricultural Zone may result in excessive shading and, therefore, reduce the growth of valuable crops. Therefore, no tree or shrub which may attain a height of 20 feet or more shall be planted or allowed to grow within 10 feet of any lot line which abuts an area within an Agricultural Zone.
