Lower Allen Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XX
General Standards
§ 220-211 Height regulations.
Height regulations shall not apply to spires, belfries, cupolas or domes not used for human occupancy, chimneys, ventilators, skylights, water tanks, silos, utility poles, towers, flagpoles, solar collectors and ornamental or necessary appurtenances.
§ 220-212 Yard regulations.
A.
Where the street or streets upon which the lot abuts are less than 50 feet in width, the front yard depth and the width of the side yard abutting the street shall be measured from a line parallel to 25 feet from the center line of the street. In no case shall any structure interfere with the individually designated clear sight triangles for lots and/or tracts at street intersections.
B.
Front yards.
(1)
Where buildings exist in the same block, the setback line of the building to be constructed shall be at least the average of buildings constructed within the same block. In measuring to determine said building line, open porches shall not be construed as part of the building.
(2)
On multiple frontage lots, front yards shall be required for such sides facing the street rights-of-way.
C.
Side yards.
(1)
On multiple frontage lots, a side yard shall be provided for any lot line that is not a front line.
D.
Interior yards (open space between principal structures).
(1)
Front-to-front, rear-to-rear or front-to-rear parallel principal structures shall have 50 feet between faces for one story in height, 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 similar or greater distances at the other end. Where service drives or bank grade changes or collector walks are introduced in this space, the distance between structures shall be at least 50 feet.
(2)
From end to end, there shall be a distance of 25 feet between principal structures for a one-story structure, plus five additional feet for each story in excess of one.
(3)
From end to front or from end to rear, there shall be a distance of 30 feet between principal structures for each one-story structure, plus five feet additional for each story in excess of one.
(4)
When adjacent principal structures differ in the number of stories, the required distance between structures shall be calculated based upon the taller of the structures.
§ 220-213 Projections in yards.
A.
Unenclosed terraces, patios, porches and associated stairways at or below ground floor level may project not more than half of the required setback into any required yard setback or no more than 10 feet into any required yard setback, whichever is less. However, in no instance shall a side or rear yard setback be reduced to less than five feet. Ramps for the physically challenged are exempt from this requirement and may project into any required yard setback as necessary.
B.
Chimneys, flues, columns, sills and ornamental architectural features may project not more than two feet into a required yard setback.
§ 220-214 Obstruction to vision.
A.
Walls, fences, signs or other structures shall not be erected or altered, and hedges, trees or other growth shall not be planted or maintained, which may cause danger to traffic on a street or road by obstructing the view.
B.
A clear sight triangle of 25 feet, measured along the street center lines of intersecting streets, shall be maintained, within which such structures or planting shall be limited to a height of not more than three feet or less than 10 feet above the street grade, excepting the trunks of street trees or other ornamental trees whose foliage is kept trimmed to a height of 10 feet above the street grade.
§ 220-215 Fences and walls.
A.
Fences and walls may be erected, altered and maintained in accordance with the following location requirements:
(1)
Fences and walls may only be placed in a public right-of-way by the authority having jurisdiction over the right-of-way, in accordance with generally accepted construction practices. These structures provide functions such as pedestrian and traffic safety, access limitation, retaining walls and noise abatement.
(2)
Fences and walls may not restrict access to easements unless constructed in accordance with guidelines of, and with written permission of, the entity to which the easement rights were granted.
(3)
Fences and walls must be located up to but not across an established property line unless a written agreement exists between the affected property owners, addressing maintenance of the fence and location of actual property lines. Such agreement shall be binding on all future property owners, heirs and assigns of the property, and shall provide for maintenance cross easements of no less than three feet.
B.
Fences and walls may be erected, altered and maintained in accordance with the following height limitations:
(1)
Fences and walls located within a clear sight triangle of intersecting streets shall not exceed three feet in height.
(2)
Fences and walls located outside a clear sight triangle, but within a required front yard for a primary building, shall not exceed 3.5 feet in height, with the following exceptions.
(a)
Fences on farms, as defined herein, may be up to six feet in height if at least 50% of the fence area is open area.
(c)
Retaining walls, constructed to hold back or support an earthen berm, shall not be limited in height.
(d)
Any portion of a retaining wall greater than four feet in height and within five feet of a property line shall be protected by a physical barrier, not less than three feet in height, on the upslope side of the retaining wall.
(e)
Where a public thoroughfare is classified as an alley and its intersection with another public thoroughfare creates a corner lot, fences and walls within the required yard along the alley may be up to eight feet in height if located at least 10 feet from the alley right-of-way, and outside of the required front yard of the intersecting street.
(f)
When two corner lots are situated in the same block in a manner that two houses face streets in opposite directions, and the backs of the two houses face each other, a fence up to six feet in height may be installed in the required front yard along the common street frontage between the two rear building lines.
(3)
Fences and walls located within required side or rear yards shall not exceed six feet in height, however, the height limit may be increased to eight feet if the portion of the fence above six feet in height is at least 50% open area, with the following exceptions:
(4)
Fences and walls located anywhere on a lot where a primary building can be located are limited to eight feet in height, with the following exceptions that are not limited in height:
C.
All fences and walls shall be erected, altered and maintained in accordance with Chapter 70, Building Construction and Safety Standards. Any fence or wall not limited in height by the provisions of this chapter may be limited in height by compliance with structural design criteria of the applicable construction code.
§ 220-216 Space regulations.
No yard or other space provided for any building or structure for the purpose of complying with this chapter shall be considered as a yard or other open space for another building or structure.
§ 220-217 Control of traffic and protection of public safety.
The application for a permit for any and all uses shall be accompanied by a site plan showing building location, service and parking areas and access to highways. Where a driveway or access road gives access to a state road or highway, approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation shall be required.
§ 220-218 Reduction of lot dimensions.
The area, width or depth of any lot shall not be reduced by subdivision, sale or development so that the lot width, lot area, lot area per dwelling unit, and yards or other spaces are smaller or so that the impervious coverage is greater than prescribed in the underlying zoning district regulations.