Manor City Zoning Code
PART 5
AREA AND BULK STANDARDS
§ 27-501 Lot and Yard Requirements.
[Added by Ord. No. 605-25-02, 4/9/2025]
The minimum lot area, minimum width of lot, minimum depth of front and rear yards and minimum width of each side yard shall be as shown on the Use Table and Yard, Area and Bulk Requirements Table attached to this chapter.
1.
Lots Fronting on Two or More Streets. Lots which abut on more than one street shall provide the required front yard along each and every street.
2.
One Principal Structure Per Lot. One and only one principal structure, together with permitted accessory structures, may be located on any lot; except that two or more principal structures may be permitted as part of a PRD or Condominium Development under the terms of the Pennsylvania Uniform Condominium Act.
3.
No Projection into Required Yards. No structure, whether attached to the principal structure or not including porches, carports, balconies and platforms above basic grade level, whether open or enclosed, shall project into any minimum front, side or rear yard; except as may be permitted pursuant to this chapter.
4.
Trailers. Trailers, including utility, commercial or travel trailers and motorized recreational vehicles, may be stored in the driveway, but shall be operational, duly inspected and registered with the appropriate agency.
5.
Nonresidential Structures. Nonresidential structures or uses in any district shall not be located or conducted closer to any lot line of any lot in any R, C or A District than the distance specified in the following schedule:
Minimum Side or Rear Yard Abutting any Lot in any R, C or A District (feet) | Nonresidential Structures or Uses |
|---|---|
20 | Off-street parking spaces, signs and access drives for nonresidential uses |
30 | Churches, schools, public or semipublic structures |
60 | Recreation facilities, amusement facilities, motels, all business uses and all industrial uses |
6.
Projections Authorized by Zoning Officer. The Zoning Officer may authorize the projection of a principal structure into a required front yard on a lot located between two structures which are nonconforming with respect to the front yard, provided that the resulting front yard shall not be less than the median front yard of the two adjacent structures.
7.
Calculation of Lot Area. No portion of a lot counted in whole or in part as a yard or as lot area for a structure in compliance with the area requirements of this chapter shall be taken into consideration or used again in the calculation of any other required yard or lot area for another structure.
9.
Dwelling Units in Separate Ownership.
A.
Where a property line divides a structure along a common wall, as in a townhouse or two-family dwelling, a side yard is not required as to the property line dividing the structure.
B.
Two-family dwelling units or townhomes situated in residential zones may be subdivided along party walls without further approval by the Zoning Board, provided there is no alteration of any other existing side, front or rear yards.
§ 27-502 Density Regulations for Single-Family Residential Developments.
[Added by Ord. No. 605-25-02, 4/9/2025]
1.
The minimum lot area for each single-family residential dwelling and the maximum coverage ratios for single-family residential dwellings shall be in conformance with the following schedules:
A.
The minimum lot area per single-family dwelling (in square feet) shall follow the yard, space, area and bulk requirements set forth in Appendix B[1] in the A, R-1 and R-2 Districts.
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix B is attached to this chapter.
B.
Single-family dwellings in the C-1, I-1 and FP Zoning Districts shall follow and comply with the yard, space, area and bulk requirements set forth for all structures in Appendix B for the zoning district in which the single-family dwelling is located.
2.
In calculating lot area for density purposes, any areas having a slope greater than 25% shall be subtracted from the lot area. For such calculations, the slope shall be measured between contours having vertical intervals no greater than 20 feet.
3.
In the R-1 District, the minimum lot area for single-family dwellings shall be 40,000 square feet for lots where no public water or sewage is provided; 30,000 square feet where either public water or public sewage is provided; and 20,000 square feet where both public water and sewage are provided. In the R-2 District, multifamily dwellings such as duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes outside a planned residential development with access to public water and sewage shall maintain a minimum lot area of not less than 10,000 square feet.
4.
The foregoing applies to single-family residential uses only. Other uses permitted in each zoning district must follow the yard, area and bulk requirements set forth in Appendix B for the zoning district in which they are located.
§ 27-503 Height Regulations; Exceptions.
[Added by Ord. No. 605-25-02, 4/9/2025]
1.
No structure shall exceed the maximum height above basic grade specified in the yard, space, area and bulk requirements contained in Appendix B, provided that:
No accessory structure shall exceed a height of 15 feet. The height regulations of this chapter shall not apply to television and radio towers. An applicant may request a special exemption from the Zoning Hearing Board to construct church spires, belfries, monuments, tanks, water or fire towers, ornamental towers, spires, chimneys, elevator bulkheads and smokestacks in excess of the maximum height requirements of a district. The Zoning Hearing Board shall only grant such special exception if it finds the proposed construction will not adversely impact or devalue surrounding properties, or otherwise be detrimental to public health, safety and well-being.
2.
In determining the height of a structure in stories, a basement shall be counted as a story when more than 60% of its aggregate wall surface, measured between the floor and top of the wall, is or will be above grade as shown on construction plans. The height exceptions set forth herein shall not apply to any communications antennas or communications towers.
3.
Cell towers shall be permitted to have the same height limitation and other controlling conditions as provided in industrial districts.
§ 27-504 Permitted Variations from Required Lot Areas, Setbacks and Dimensions.
[Added by Ord. No. 605-25-02, 4/9/2025]
The minimum lot, yard and height requirements set forth in Appendix B to this chapter shall be controlling in all zoning districts, except as follows:
1.
Front Yard Exception. When an unimproved lot is located between two improved lots, each having a principal building within 25 feet of the side lot line of the unimproved lot, the front yard of the unimproved lot may be reduced to a depth not less than the median front yard of the two adjacent structures; provided, however, that it may not be reduced to less than 15 feet in residential districts.
2.
Projections Into Yards. The following projections into required yards may be authorized by the Zoning Officer, provided that no projection shall be located closer than three feet to any side or rear lot line or 10 feet to any front lot line:
A.
Fire escapes, uncovered stairs and landings, canopies, eaves or other architectural features not required for structural support may project into the required side, front or rear yard not more than a total of three feet.
B.
Accessory structures may project into yards as set forth herein.
C.
Patios may be located in the required yard area not closer than the following to any property line:
D.
Notwithstanding any of the above provisions, the Zoning Officer may authorize handicapped access ramps to project into required yards to an extent necessary to make such handicapped access ramps safe and accessible in compliance with the standards established by the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code.
E.
Projections which are incidental or accessory to preexisting nonconforming structures as set forth hereafter.
3.
Changes to Conforming Uses and Buildings. Any repair, maintenance, restoration, reconstruction or enlargement of a structure of any conforming use on the same lot must comply with all regulations of this chapter.
4.
Legally Encroaching Nonconforming Structures. Except as may be otherwise governed or prohibited by the terms of this chapter, any legally encroaching nonconforming structure, including an accessory structure, as defined herein, may be expanded, enlarged, restored or reconstructed as provided below:
A.
Where the existing encroachment is into the required side yard, the building or structure may be expanded, enlarged, restored or reconstructed vertically and laterally even though part of the expansion, enlargement, restoration or reconstruction is located in the required side yard, so long as the expanded, enlarged, restored and/or reconstructed structure does not encroach further into the required side yard than the previously existing legally encroaching structure.
B.
Where the existing encroachment is into the required rear yard, the building or structure may be expanded, enlarged, restored or reconstructed vertically and laterally even though part of the expansion, enlargement, restoration or reconstruction is located in the rear yard, so long as the expanded, enlarged, restored and/or reconstructed structure does not encroach further into the required rear yard than the previously existing legally encroaching structure.
C.
Where the existing encroachment is in excess of the height limitations, the building or structure may be expanded, enlarged, restored or reconstructed horizontally at the same height so long as the expanded, enlarged, restored and/or reconstructed structure does not exceed the height of the previously existing legally encroaching structure.
E.
For purposes of determining the extent of any permitted encroachment, the point of encroachment of an "existing legally encroaching structure" shall be the point at which any expanded, enlarged, restored or reconstructed building attaches to the existing or preexisting legally encroaching structure. It is the intent of this section to permit enlargement, expansion, restoration and reconstruction of a nonconforming building along the common line of the area of the existing building to which it is attached.
F.
An encroachment into any required rear, front or side yard, or an encroachment in excess of any height limitation, created by or through the grant of a variance, special exception or conditional use, may be restored or reconstructed to the extent of such grant, but not expanded or enlarged beyond same without the approval of the Zoning Hearing Board or Borough Council, as the case may be.
§ 27-505 Traffic Impact Studies.
[Added by Ord. No. 605-25-02, 4/9/2025]
A traffic impact study shall be submitted to the Borough when:
1.
A proposed development is expected to generate, on average:
A.
100 or more new peak hour trips on any adjacent street; or
B.
1,000 or more average daily trips (ADT) on any adjacent street. The estimated number of trips shall be determined by an analysis of similar uses through data collected by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) or through similar uses acceptable to the Borough.
2.
A proposed development or change in use is expected to generate less than the trip criteria referenced in Subsection A 1 above, but known traffic deficiencies exist in the area of the proposed development or change in use, as determined by the Borough Traffic Engineer. The Borough may waive the study requirement for an individual development or change in use where the ITE traffic generation of data of said development or change in use documents a de minimis increase in the number of trips generated.
4.
When specifically required by this chapter.
5.
When required, a traffic impact study shall be submitted as part of any application for a permit or approval under this chapter. The scope of work for the study shall be first submitted to the Borough for approval. The study shall be performed by a qualified professional traffic engineer with experience preparing traffic impact studies.