Lower Providence Township Montgomery County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE IX
R-4 Residential District
§ 143-51 Declaration of legislative intent; applicability.
[Amended 9-21-2006 by Ord. No. 556]
A.
Declaration of legislative intent of an R-4 Zoning District is:
(1)
To provide for a variety of carefully designed housing types at higher densities.
(2)
To make sure that varied housing types are compatible with any existing single-family detached houses.
(3)
To make sure that the street system of the Township and other community facilities and services are fully able to handle moderately dense growth in an area.
(4)
To work to encourage affordable housing, especially for young families and senior citizens, through the construction of townhouses and multiplexes.
B.
In an R-4 Residential District, the following regulations shall apply.
§ 143-52 Use regulations.
[Amended 9-19-2002 by Ord. No. 472; 10-20-2011 by Ord. No. 602; 1-16-2020 by Ord. No. 662]
A building or group of buildings may be erected or used and a lot may be used or occupied for any one of the following uses and no other:
A.
Uses permitted by right:
(1)
Townhouse and multiplex dwellings, both at a maximum density of 6.0 dwelling units per gross acre.
(2)
Single-family detached, twin, and duplex dwellings; all at a maximum density of 3.0 dwelling units per gross acre.
(3)
Municipal use, governmental offices, emergency services station, and community center for senior citizens.
(4)
Residential accessory uses, buildings, and structures. The following residential accessory uses, buildings, and structures are allowed by right on a lot with a residential principal use in accordance with the applicable requirements of this chapter:
(a)
Accessory building/structure, residential.
(b)
Backup generator.
(c)
Bus shelter.
(d)
Carport.
(e)
Garage, household. No more than one detached household garage is allowed upon a lot.
(f)
Garage/yard sale.
(g)
Home occupation.
(h)
In-law suite.
(i)
Keeping of pets.
(j)
Sale of agricultural products.
(k)
Shed, household storage. One household storage shed shall be permitted with a five-foot setback from the rear and/or side yard property lines, provided said shed or said structure shall not exceed 120 square feet in overall size and shall not exceed 12 feet in height, as measured from the lowest point in the grade at the entrance to the structure to the highest peak of the roof ridge.
(l)
Short-term rental.
(m)
Solar system.
(n)
Swimming pool, household.
(o)
Temporary use or structure.
(p)
Parking or storage of private automobiles owned by the occupants and guests of the attached dwellings in garages or parking lots located on the same lot or site as the dwellings.
(q)
Playgrounds or parks for the use of the occupants and guests of the attached dwellings located on the same lot or site as the dwellings.
(5)
Nonresidential accessory uses, buildings, and structures. The following nonresidential accessory uses, buildings, and structures are allowed by right on a lot with a nonresidential principal use in accordance with the applicable requirements of this chapter:
B.
Uses permitted as a special exception when approved by the Zoning Hearing Board:
(1)
Parkland, private recreation, or wildlife sanctuary.
(2)
Any public utility use other than an airport, public heliport, railway passenger station, or bus passenger station.
(3)
Swimming pool, semipublic for the use of occupants and guests of the attached dwellings located on the same lot or site as the dwellings.
C.
Only one dwelling type shall be allowed on any site or lot. The mixing of permitted dwelling types shall not be permitted on the same site or lot.
§ 143-53 Area, setback, bulk, and height requirements.
[Amended 11-20-2003 by Ord. No. 500; 10-20-2005 by Ord. No. 533; 9-21-2006 by Ord. No. 556; 1-16-2020 by Ord. No. 662]
A.
Dimensional and area requirements for townhouse, multiplex, single-family detached, twin, and duplex dwellings.
(1)
Any project requiring land development or subdivision approval from the Township shall meet the following requirements:
(a)
The site area shall be a minimum of five acres.
(b)
The site shall be separated by a buffer strip of 35 feet from adjacent properties.
(c)
The maximum building coverage shall be 30% of the net site area.
(d)
The maximum impervious surface coverage shall be 45% of the net site area.
(e)
A portion of the site shall be set aside as open space in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, including, but not limited to, § 143-28H.
(f)
Twenty percent of the open space shall be improved as common areas or greens.
(2)
The dimensional and area requirements for individual lots shall be as follows:
Requirement | Townhouse | Multiplex | Twin/duplex | Single family detached |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Minimum lot area | 2,500 square feet | 10,000 square feet | 6,000 square feet | 10,000 square feet |
Minimum lot width | 25 feet | 75 feet | 65 feet | 75 feet |
Minimum setbacks: | ||||
Front yard | 25 feet | 40 feet | 30 feet | 35 feet |
Side yard | 20 feet | 20 feet | 15 feet | 20 feet |
Rear yard | 30 feet | 35 feet | 25 feet | 30 feet |
Maximum building coverage (percentage of lot area) | 45% | 45% | 40% | 40% |
Maximum impervious surface coverage (percentage of lot area) | 60% | 60% | 50% | 50% |
(3)
Buildings. Buildings shall be located and constructed so as to provide:
(4)
All dwellings shall be served by public water and sanitary sewer systems.
B.
Dimensional and area requirements for all other uses. The following requirements apply to all uses other than townhouse, multiplex, single-family detached, twin, and duplex dwellings, unless a more restrictive requirement is set forth elsewhere in this chapter.
Institutional, Recreational, Municipal, and Utility Uses | |
|---|---|
Minimum lot size | 2 acres |
Minimum lot width | 200 feet |
Minimum front yard | 50 feet |
Minimum side yard | 50 feet |
Minimum rear yard | 60 feet |
Maximum building coverage (percent of lot area) | 30% |
Maximum impervious coverage (percent of lot area) | 40% |
C.
Building height. All buildings shall not exceed a maximum height of 35 feet, except as otherwise provided herein.
§ 143-54 Design and development standards and requirements.
Site development within an R-4 District shall be in conformance with an overall plan for locating buildings and structures, providing for safe and efficient circulation of vehicles and pedestrians, preservation and extension of the natural amenities of the site and providing for the continued maintenance of the land and improvements thereon. The design and the operation and maintenance of the site and improvements shall meet at least the minimum standards and requirements set out in § 143-28 of this chapter.