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Lower Mount Bethel Township
City Zoning Code

PART 6

MD - MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT

§ 27-601 Purpose.

[Ord. No. 2022-02, 7/11/2022]
The purpose of the MD - Medium Density Residential District is to maintain and promote residential growth in that part of the Township, notably the village of Martins Creek, which already exhibits a traditional village development character with a variety of dwelling unit types and is sufficiently compact to potentially be serviced by public sewage and/or water facilities in the future. The MD District also contains few physical limitations that would be unsuitable to accommodate the highest permissible residential densities.

§ 27-602 Use Regulations.

[Ord. No. 2022-02, 7/11/2022]
1. 
Uses Permitted by Right. A building or other structure may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot may be used or occupied by right, for any one of the following principal uses, together with permitted accessory uses, in accordance with the terms of this chapter:
A. 
Any use permitted by right in the LD District, except that conservation uses permitted in the LD District pursuant to § 27-502, Subsection 1.F. and agricultural uses otherwise permitted pursuant to § 27-502, Subsection 1.H., are not permitted in the MD District.
B. 
Multifamily dwellings provided with centralized water supply and centralized sewage system.
2. 
Uses Permitted by Approval of Special Exception. A building or other structure may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot may be used or occupied, for any one of the following principal uses, together with permitted accessory uses, where approved by the Zoning Hearing Board as a special exception pursuant to Part 18:
A. 
Public utility building, structure or facility, other than municipal use.
B. 
Rooming house and/or boardinghouse limited to no more than eight occupants.
3. 
Uses Permitted as Conditional Use. A building or other structure may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot may be used or occupied, for any one of the following principal uses, together with permitted accessory uses, where approved by the Board of Supervisors as a conditional use pursuant to § 27-1705:
A. 
Single-family attached dwellings provided with on-site water supply and/or on-site sewer systems.
B. 
Multifamily dwellings provided with on-site water supply and/or on-site sewer systems.
C. 
Bed-and-breakfast subject to the standards of § 27-1508.
D. 
Short-term lodging facilities within single-family detached dwellings subject to the standards of § 27-1527.
E. 
Cultural or historical facilities.
F. 
Church or other place of worship subject to the standards of § 27-1512.
G. 
Public or private academic schools approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and subject to the standards of § 27-1516.
H. 
Outdoor recreation uses such as parks, playgrounds, picnic grounds, swimming clubs, golf courses or country clubs, all subject to the standards of § 27-1524, and excepting municipal uses.
I. 
Adult or child day-care center subject to the standards of § 27-1514.
4. 
Accessory Uses. The following accessory uses shall be permitted, where in compliance with all applicable provisions of Part 15 and provided that they shall be incidental to any of the uses permitted by right, special exception or conditional use in this MD - Medium Density Residential District:
A. 
Private garage or private parking area.
B. 
No-impact home-based business.
C. 
Home occupation subject to the standards of § 27-1518 where permitted as a special exception.
D. 
Yard or garage sale, subject to the standards of § 27-1519 where applicable pursuant to the definition in Part 2.
E. 
Accessory dwelling unit where permitted as a conditional use subject to the standards of § 27-1503 and § 27-1705.
F. 
Uses or structures customarily incidental to a permitted outdoor recreation use such as parking areas, refreshment stands, concessions, fireplaces, pavilions, and picnic tables, provided that such accessory uses are operated only when the main use is open and are being used in conjunction with the main use.
G. 
Signs, pursuant to § 27-1413.
H. 
Customary private, noncommercial swimming pool.
I. 
Alternative or renewable energy systems accessory to a permitted use and not for commercial energy production subject to the provisions set forth in Part 12.
J. 
Keeping of animals subject to the standards of § 27-1415.
K. 
Other customary accessory structures and uses.

§ 27-603 Area and Bulk Regulations.

[Ord. No. 2022-02, 7/11/2022]
1. 
Where sewage disposal is supplied by an individual on-site system, regardless of water supply:
A. 
Minimum lot area: one acre.
B. 
Minimum lot width at street line: 50 feet.
C. 
Minimum lot width at front yard setback, except for flag lots where permitted pursuant to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance,[1] in which case the front yard setback shall be measured from the end of the flag: 120 feet.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 22 of this Code.
D. 
Minimum front yard setback from ultimate right-of-way for all structures, except in the case of permitted flag lots where the setback shall be measured from the end of the flag: 30 feet.
E. 
Minimum side yard, principal structures (each side): 25 feet. For attached structures, no side yard is required where there is a common property line at the attached portion of the buildings. The minimum side yard is required between any non-attached side of any structure and any adjacent, non-common, side lot line.
F. 
Minimum side yard, accessory structures (each side): 25 feet except, where the height of the accessory structure is less than 25 feet, the minimum side yard may be reduced to a distance not less than equal to the height of the accessory structure. No side yard shall be reduced to less than five feet nor shall any accessory structure be placed in any perimeter drainage or utility easement.
G. 
Minimum rear yard, principal structures: 50 feet.
H. 
Minimum rear yard, accessory structures: not less than equal to the height of the accessory structure. No rear yard shall be reduced to less than five feet nor shall any accessory structure be placed in any perimeter drainage or utility easement.
I. 
Maximum percentage of impervious surface: 25%.
J. 
Maximum building height, principal structures: 35 feet, except as provided in § 27-1403.
K. 
Maximum building height, accessory structures: 25 feet.
2. 
Where Sewage Disposal is Centralized and Water is Supplied by an Individual On-Site System:
A. 
Minimum lot area:
(1) 
Single-family detached dwelling: 15,000 square feet;
(2) 
Two-family dwelling, per dwelling: 9,500 square feet;
(3) 
Single-family attached dwellings where permitted: 25,000 square feet;
(4) 
Multifamily dwellings where permitted (per building): 25,000 square feet;
(5) 
All other uses: 25,000 square feet.
B. 
Minimum lot width at street line, all uses: 50 feet.
C. 
Minimum lot width at front yard setback, except for flag lots where permitted pursuant to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance,[2] in which case the front yard setback shall be measured from the end of the flag:
(1) 
Single-family detached dwelling: 100 feet;
(2) 
Two-family dwelling, per dwelling: 60 feet;
(3) 
All other uses: 120 feet.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 22 of this Code.
D. 
Minimum front yard setback from ultimate right-of-way for all structures, except in the case of permitted flag lots where the setback shall be measured from the end of the flag: 30 feet.
E. 
Minimum side yard, all detached principal structures (each side): 15 feet. For attached structures, no side yard is required where there is a common property line at the attached portion of the buildings. The minimum side yard is required between any non-attached side of any structure and any adjacent, non-common, side lot line.
F. 
Minimum side yard, accessory structures (each side): 15 feet except, where the height of the accessory structure is less than 15 feet, the minimum side yard may be reduced to a distance not less than equal to the height of the accessory structure. No side yard shall be reduced to less than five feet nor shall any accessory structure be placed in any perimeter drainage or utility easement.
G. 
Minimum rear yard, principal structures: 40 feet.
H. 
Minimum rear yard, accessory structures: not less than equal to the height of the accessory structure. No rear yard shall be reduced to less than five feet nor shall any accessory structure be placed in any perimeter drainage or utility easement.
I. 
Maximum percentage of impervious surface, all uses: 35%.
J. 
Maximum building height, principal structures: 35 feet, except as provided in § 27-1403.
K. 
Maximum building height, accessory structures: 25 feet.
3. 
Where sewage disposal and water are both supplied by centralized systems:
A. 
Minimum lot area:
(1) 
Single-family detached dwelling: 7,500 square feet;
(2) 
Two-family dwelling, per dwelling: 6,000 square feet;
(3) 
Single-family attached dwellings: 15,000 square feet;
(4) 
Multifamily dwellings (per building): 15,000 square feet;
(5) 
All other uses: 15,000 square feet.
B. 
Minimum lot width at street line, all uses: 50 feet.
C. 
Minimum lot width at front yard setback, except for flag lots where permitted pursuant to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance,[3] in which case the front yard setback shall be measured from the end of the flag:
(1) 
Single-family detached dwelling: 60 feet;
(2) 
Two-family dwelling, per dwelling: 60 feet;
(3) 
All other uses, per building or attached row: 100 feet.
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 22 of this Code.
D. 
Minimum front yard setback from ultimate right-of-way for all structures, except in the case of permitted flag lots where the setback shall be measured from the end of the flag: 25 feet.
E. 
Minimum side yard, all detached principal structures (each side): 10 feet. For attached structures, no side yard is required where there is a common property line at the attached portion of the buildings. The minimum side yard is required between any non-attached side of any structure and any adjacent, non-common, side lot line.
F. 
Minimum side yard, accessory structures (each side): 10 feet except, where the height of the accessory structure is less than 10 feet, the minimum side yard may be reduced to a distance not less than equal to the height of the accessory structure. No side yard shall be reduced to less than five feet nor shall any accessory structure be placed in any perimeter drainage or utility easement.
G. 
Minimum rear yard, principal structures: 30 feet.
H. 
Minimum rear yard, accessory structures: not less than equal to the height of the accessory structure. No rear yard shall be reduced to less than five feet nor shall any accessory structure be placed in any perimeter drainage or utility easement.
I. 
Maximum percentage of impervious surface, all uses 45%.
J. 
Maximum building height, principal structures: 35 feet, except as provided in § 27-1403.
K. 
Maximum building height, accessory structures: 25 feet.

§ 27-604 Other Standards.

[Ord. No. 2022-02, 7/11/2022]
All uses shall comply with all other applicable standards in this chapter and all other applicable ordinances or regulations.