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Lower Salford Township
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE VIA

LPOD Land Preservation Overlay District

[Added 10-6-1999 by Ord. No. 99-12]

§ 164-28.1 Intent.

In expansion of the purpose found in Article I, § 164-1 of this chapter and the statement of community development objectives found in Article II of this chapter, it is the intent of the Land Preservation Overlay District (LPOD) to:
A. 
Create an open space/parkland greenbelt around the Harleysville growth area and Lederach Village which will create a growth boundary for the more urbanized portions of the Township.
B. 
Preserve open space, sensitive natural areas and rural community character that would be lost under conventional development.
C. 
Allow the limited and controlled expansion of public facilities from the Harleysville growth area and Lederach Village to adjacent residential development when this expansion will improve public safety, welfare and well-being.
D. 
Preserve scenic views and elements of the Township's rural character and to minimize perceived density by minimizing views of new development from existing roads.
E. 
Provide greater design flexibility and efficiency in the siting of services and infrastructure, including the opportunity to reduce length of roads, utility runs and the amount of paving required for residential development.
F. 
Implement the goals of the Township's Comprehensive Plan and Open Space Plan.

§ 164-28.2 Overlay concept.

The LPOD Land Preservation Overlay District is an overlay of all other zoning districts that fall within the bounds of the LPOD District as delineated on the Township Zoning Map.[1] Any lot, land or tract of ground within the bounds of the LPOD District may be developed in accordance with the underlying district or in accordance with the LPOD District.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Zoning Map is included in a pocket at the end of this volume.

§ 164-28.3 Conditional uses.

As a conditional use, land may be used for the following purposes:
A. 
Single-family detached dwellings with 55% open space and clustered in accordance with standards of the LPOD District.
B. 
Common open space comprising a portion of an LPOD residential development, in accordance with the requirements of § 164-22 of Article V, General Provisions, and the requirements of § 164-28.7 of this article.

§ 164-28.4 Conditional use standards.

The Township Board of Supervisors may authorize LPOD development as a conditional use if it complies with all requirements of § 164-25 of this Code, all requirements of this article and the following specific standards:
A. 
The proposed LPOD development must be served by public water and municipally owned and operated public sewage facilities.
B. 
The common open space within the LPOD development helps create an open space/parkland greenbelt around the Harleysville growth area or Lederach Village.
C. 
The Township Board of Supervisors determines that the design, location and layout of common open space meets Township goals and requirements.
D. 
Existing woodlands are preserved to the greatest extent possible, and woodlands on the tract have not been significantly altered for at least five years prior to the request for conditional use approval.
E. 
Views and vistas are preserved to the greatest extent possible.

§ 164-28.5 Density and dimensional standards.

All development and use of land under the LPOD District shall meet the following density and dimensional standards:
A. 
Density. The following two steps shall be used to calculate density:
(1) 
A yield plan, showing the maximum number of lots that could be developed in accordance with the underlying zoning district(s), shall be prepared for the tract proposed for subdivision. This yield plan shall be equivalent to a plan submitted for regular subdivision approval; shall meet all requirements of the underlying zoning district(s), the net lot area calculation and all other applicable standards of this chapter and Ch. 142, Subdivision and Land Development; and must be deemed acceptable by the Township Board of Supervisors, in consultation with the Township Engineer.
(2) 
The number of residential lots permitted under LPOD zoning shall equal the number of residential lots permitted under the yield plan except as set forth herein. Where an applicant proposes a single-family detached residential development on a property of which only a portion is eligible for development under LPOD zoning, the applicant shall submit a yield plan for the entire property. The total number of lots permitted on the portion of the property proposed to be developed under LPOD zoning may be increased by up to 5% of the total number of single-family detached residential lots permitted under the yield plan for the entire property so long as the total number of residential lots proposed for development on the entire property does not exceed the total number of residential lots permitted under the yield plan for the entire property.
[Amended 7-11-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-3]
B. 
Dimensional standards.
(1) 
Dimensional standards of tracts proposed for LPOD development:
(a) 
Minimum tract size.
[1] 
Regular LPOD development: 25 acres.
[Amended 7-11-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-3]
[2] 
Village LPOD development, which is permitted when land abuts land zoned village commercial and proposed homes are clustered next to the village commercial area: 10 acres.
(b) 
Minimum-common open space (percentage of gross tract acreage): 55%.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection B(1)(c), regarding minimum average net lot size, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 8-17-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-6.
(2) 
Dimensional standards for single-family detached residential lots.
(a) 
Minimum net lot size: 24,500 square feet.
[Amended 8-17-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-6; 7-11-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-3]
(b) 
Minimum lot width (that width at the point of the proposed building closest to the street and extending the full depth of the building): 100 feet.
[Amended 8-17-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-6]
(c) 
Minimum front yard setback: 30 feet.
(d) 
Minimum side yard setback: 20 feet.
(e) 
Minimum rear yard setback: 30 feet.
(f) 
Minimum building setback from existing external road rights-of-way, when hedgerows are not provided: 200 feet.
(g) 
Minimum building setback from existing external road rights-of-way when hedgerows are provided in accordance with § 164-28.6B: 75 feet.
(h) 
Minimum building setback from existing external road rights-of-way for village LPOD homes: 30 feet.
(i) 
Minimum building setback from tract boundaries: 50 feet.
(j) 
Minimum building setback from floodplain and wetlands: 25 feet.
(k) 
Minimum building setback from slopes of 25% or greater that have a vertical distance of eight feet or more: 15 feet.
(l) 
Maximum building coverage (percentage of lot area): 15%.
(m) 
Maximum impervious coverage (percentage of lot area): 25%.

§ 164-28.6 Design standards.

The following standards apply to all LPOD development:
A. 
Views of residential buildings from exterior roads and abutting properties shall be minimized by the use of changes in topography, existing vegetation or additional landscaping.
B. 
When hedgerows are proposed, the following requirements shall be met:
(1) 
Proposed hedgerows must comply with the design and planting standards in Ch. 142, Subdivision and Land Development.
(2) 
The proposed hedgerows shall be located between the buildings with reduced setbacks and the existing, external street right-of-way. Any proposed hedgerows must be at least 200 feet in length and designed to minimize the view of the proposed building from the existing road.
(3) 
Hedgerows must be maintained by future owners of buildings with reduced setbacks or by a homeowners' association for the LPOD cluster development.
C. 
All lots in a regular LPOD development shall take driveway access from new interior roads, rather than existing roads exterior to the tract; however, lots in a village LPOD development may take driveway access from existing, exterior roads.
D. 
Streets within LPOD developments shall be interconnected with each other and with streets on abutting properties.

§ 164-28.7 Common open space standards.

A. 
General requirements for all common open space.
(1) 
At least 55% of the gross tract area shall consist of common open space, which shall be comprised of conservation open space, central open space and/or access open space.
(2) 
Common open space shall meet the requirements of § 164-22 of Article V, General Provisions.
(3) 
No portion of any building lot may be used for meeting the minimum required amount of common open space.
B. 
Conservation open space requirements.
(1) 
Conservation open space shall be located and designed to meet one or more of the following criteria, listed in order of priority, from highest priority to lowest priority. All LPOD developments shall meet the highest level criteria for which they qualify.
(a) 
Highest priority criteria: land that is identified in Lower Salford's Open Space Plan as Township parkland that needs to be preserved.
(b) 
Second highest priority criteria: land that is needed for Lower Salford's community path, as identified in the Township's Community Path Plan.
(c) 
Third highest priority criteria: land that is adjacent to or directly across the street from Lower Salford Township parkland or state parkland.
(d) 
Fourth highest priority: land that preserves road right-of-way for a new road alignment or proposed road alignment, as identified in the most recent version of the Lower Salford Township Comprehensive Plan.
(e) 
Fifth highest priority criteria: land that is intended to preserve scenic views and is located between existing public roads and the proposed homes in a LPOD development, with proposed homes located as far from public roads as building setbacks and environmental conditions will allow.
(2) 
Conservation open space shall consist of large area(s) of open space designed to conserve open space character, rather than small or narrow areas used for street buffers, property line buffers, stormwater control or other purposes. To be counted as conservation open space, any area of proposed open space must measure at least 100 feet for its full width and length and must be part of a larger, contiguous open space area consisting of at least three acres.
(3) 
Within conservation open space, natural features shall generally be maintained in their natural condition, but may be modified to improve their appearance, functioning, or overall condition, as approved by the Township Board of Supervisors and in accordance with generally accepted best management practices. Permitted modifications may include:
(a) 
Reforestation.
(b) 
Woodland management.
(c) 
Meadow management.
(d) 
Buffer area landscaping.
(e) 
Streambank protection.
(f) 
Wetlands management.
C. 
Central open space requirements.
(1) 
Central open space shall be provided in all LPOD developments at a rate of at least 1,000 square feet of central open space per lot but no more than 6,000 square feet of central open space per lot.
(2) 
The open space shall be centrally located within the development.
(3) 
The open space shall be configured as a village green, parkway, eyebrow or cul-de-sac island, in accordance with the following standards:
(a) 
Village green. Each village green shall be at least 20,000 square feet in size, shall be surrounded along at least 45% of its perimeter by roads and shall be configured so that a circle with a radius of 50 feet can fit within the confines of the green.
(b) 
Parkway. Each parkway shall have a minimum width of fifteen feet, shall have a length of at least 150 feet, shall be surrounded by streets on all sides and shall have an average width of 35 feet.
(c) 
Eyebrow. Each eyebrow shall be surrounded by streets on all sides, shall be generally configured as a semicircle and shall be configured so that a circle with a radius of 30 feet can fit within the confines of the eyebrow.
(d) 
Cul-de-sac island. Each cul-de-sac island shall be located in the bulb of a cul-de-sac, shall have a radius of at least 50 feet, and shall be surrounded by streets on all sides.
(4) 
The central open space may contain stormwater detention basins or parking areas, but, except for permanent wet ponds, these shall not be included in the required 1,000 square feet per lot.
D. 
Access open space requirements.
(1) 
Access open space shall consist of open space providing pedestrian access from proposed streets within an LPOD development to conservation open space.
(2) 
Access open space shall be at least 25 feet in width.
(3) 
Pedestrian access through access open space shall be provided from proposed streets within an LPOD development to all areas of conservation open space.

§ 164-28.8 Ownership and maintenance of common facilities and open land.

All open land shall meet the requirements of § 164-22G of Article V, General Provisions.

§ 164-28.9 Sewage and water facilities.

All LPOD cluster developments must be served by public water facilities and municipally owned and operated public sewage facilities.