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Londonderry Township Chester County
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE VI

R-1 Residential District

§ 170-28 Purpose.

The purpose of the R-1 Residential District is to provide suitable, centrally located areas for neighborhoods of single-family home development that afford relatively direct highway access. Open space design of dwellings is preferred, to retain open land and minimize impacts on agriculture. Use of individual water and sewer systems is anticipated.

§ 170-29 Permitted uses.

A building or other structure may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot may be used or occupied, for any of the following purposes, and no other:
A. 
Agricultural use, subject to agricultural use regulations (see § 170-117);
B. 
Open space design option, consistent with the terms of Article VIII, § 170-46;
[Amended 7-8-2003 by Ord. No. 4-2003]
C. 
Single-family detached dwelling on an existing lot, or single-family detached dwellings on lots proposed to be created through subdivision of a tract into not more than three lots where the open space design option is not utilized;
D. 
Public use, structure, or building owned or operated by:
(1) 
The Township; or
(2) 
An authority created by the Township, subject to other supplementary regulations set forth in Articles XVII and XVIII;
E. 
Recreational use, subject to standards in § 170-120;
F. 
Accessory use, subject to standards in § 170-121; in no case shall a helistop, as defined by this chapter, be permitted as an accessory use;
[Amended 11-10-2009 by Ord. No. 06-2009]
G. 
No-impact home occupation, as a use accessory to a residential use, in accordance with the terms of § 170-119;
[Amended 10-9-2007 by Ord. No. 6-2007]
H. 
Accessory dwelling unit, subject to standards in § 170-124;
I. 
Forestry, in accordance with the terms of § 170-130.5 of this chapter;
[Added 10-8-2002; amended 1-3-2011 by Ord. No. 01-2011]
J. 
Small-scale keeping of livestock, as a use accessory to a residential use, in accordance with § 170-128 of this chapter.
[Added 5-23-2005 by Ord. No. 7-05]

§ 170-30 Uses permitted as conditional uses.

The following uses shall be permitted when approved as conditional uses by the Board of Supervisors in accordance with the standards of this article and § 170-157:
A. 
Single-family detached dwellings on tracts to be subdivided into more than three lots and not utilizing the open space design option, subject to the standards in §§ 170-47 and 170-157;
[Amended 7-8-2003 by Ord. No. 4-2003]
B. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection B, Church, was repealed 9-25-2006 by Ord. No. 2-06. See now § 170-31D.
C. 
(Reserved)[2]
[2]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection C, Cemetery, was repealed 9-25-2006 by Ord. No. 2-06. See now § 170-31E.
D. 
Major home occupation, in accordance with the terms of § 170-119.
[Amended 10-9-2007 by Ord. No. 6-2007]

§ 170-31 Uses permitted by special exception.

The following uses shall be permitted when approved as special exceptions by the Zoning Hearing Board, in accordance with the standards of this article and § 170-164:
A. 
Hospitals or other health care institutions;[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B, regarding educational uses, which immediately followed was repealed 5-12-2009 by Ord. No. 03-2009. This ordinance also redesignated former Subsections C, D, E and F as Subsections B, C, D and E, respectively.
B. 
Veterinary hospital or clinic;
C. 
Rooming house, subject to the standards in § 170-122;
D. 
Place of religious worship, in accordance with § 170-130.1 of this chapter;
[Added 9-25-2006 by Ord. No. 2-06]
E. 
Cemetery, in accordance with § 170-130.2 of this chapter.
[Added 9-25-2006 by Ord. No. 2-06]

§ 170-32 Area and bulk regulations.

A. 
Development under the open space design option shall be in accordance with § 170-33.
B. 
For other permitted uses, conditional uses, and special exception uses, the following lot area and width regulations shall apply:
[Amended 5-12-2009 by Ord. No. 03-2009]
Gross Lot Area
Net Lot Area
Lot Width, Building Line
Lot Width, Street Line
Single-family dwelling
65,000 sq. ft.
45,000 sq. ft.
125 ft.
50 ft.
Public
3 acres
45,000 sq. ft.
200 ft.
100 ft.
Church, hospital, veterinary use
5 acres
45,000 sq. ft.
200 ft.
100 ft.
Cemetery
10 acres
---
200 ft.
100 ft.
Other uses
2 acres
45,000 sq. ft.
200 ft.
100 ft.
C. 
Minimum yard dimensions:
(1) 
Front yard: 50 feet.
(2) 
Each side yard: 30 feet.
(3) 
Rear yard: 50 feet.
(4) 
No accessory buildings shall be located closer than 15 feet to any side or rear property line or closer than 50 feet to any front property line.
D. 
Lot coverage. No lot shall be covered by more than 10% with impervious surface.
E. 
Building height. Maximum building height shall be 35 feet.
F. 
Uses provided in the R-1 District are under and subject to the supplemental regulations contained in this chapter and all other applicable ordinances, laws, and regulations.

§ 170-33 Open space design option.

[Amended 10-8-2002; 7-8-2003 by Ord. No. 4-2003; 5-23-2005 by Ord. No. 7-05; 9-25-2006 by Ord. No. 2-06; 10-9-2007 by Ord. No. 6-2007; 11-10-2009 by Ord. No. 05-2009]
A. 
Except as noted herein, all standards governing the open space design option contained in § 170-46 of this chapter shall apply to an open design option proposed for development in the R-1 District.
B. 
To be eligible for use under the open space design option in the R-1 District, a tract must contain a net tract area of not less than eight acres.
C. 
The maximum number of lots permitted on the tract shall be a function of the required minimum lot area and restricted open space. The actual number of lots permitted may be less than would otherwise result from these standards where determined necessary to provide adequate lot area to accommodate individual on-lot sewage systems, in accordance with § 170-46C(6).
D. 
Not less than 35% of the net tract area, together with 100% of the area comprised of wetland, slope exceeding 15%, Flood Hazard Conservation District, Riparian Corridor Conservation District, and hydric soils, shall be designated and maintained as restricted open space and shall comply with the standards for restricted open space contained in § 170-46D.

§ 170-34 Specific requirements for single-family residential development not using open space design option.

[Amended 5-23-2005 by Ord. No. 7-05]
A. 
Any application for conditional use approval for single-family detached dwellings not using the open space design option, as provided in § 170-30A, shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of §§ 170-47B and § 170-157 of this chapter.
B. 
Such application shall be evaluated and decided upon by the Board of Supervisors in relation to the requirements of § 170-47B through D and the standards and procedures set forth in § 170-157.