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Norristown City Zoning Code

ARTICLE IV

R-1 Residence District

§ 320-25 Legislative intent.

The purpose of the R-1 District is to apply compatible zoning regulations to areas of the Municipality that are developed for single-family detached dwellings on large lots. This district is intended to preserve the unique character of these areas.

§ 320-26 Use regulations.

A. 
Permitted uses. A building may be erected or used and a lot may be used or occupied by any of the following purposes and for no other:
(1) 
Single-family detached dwelling.
B. 
Accessory uses. Accessory uses on the same lot with and customarily incidental to any principal use permitted by this section, including no-impact home-based business, except for the following:
(1) 
Bed-and-breakfast, only as an accessory use to a single-family detached dwelling on a property that fronts onto DeKalb Street and pursuant to § 320-237.
C. 
Special exceptions. The following uses and no others when authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board pursuant to Article XXI, Special Exceptions, and the criteria contained herein:
(1) 
Neighborhood playgrounds and parks.
(2) 
Public/private/parochial schools.
D. 
Signs. Unless otherwise noted, when erected and maintained in accordance with the provision of Article XXVII, Signs.
E. 
Parking. Off-street parking pursuant to the standards in Article XXVI, Off-Street Parking and Loading.

§ 320-27 Dimensional criteria.

A. 
Front yard. Each property shall have one front yard, and in the case of a corner lot two front yards. Distance shall be determined by measuring from the curbline of the street to the front facade of the principal building, excluding bay windows, stoops or other similar projections, on the property immediately to the right or to the left. Either measurement may be used and shall constitute the required build-to line, but in no case shall be less than 15 feet (20 feet along principal arterial roads). On corner lots, the front facade shall constitute the facade that is facing the greater of the two streets (as determined by road classification or traffic volume if both roads are the same classification). When bordered by vacant property on one side, the front yard setback established from the adjoining developed property shall apply. For a property that is bordered on both the left and right by vacant property, the minimum front yard shall be 30 feet but shall not exceed 35 feet.
B. 
Area, width, yard, height and impervious coverage.
(1) 
Lot area. Shall be the established median value of the single-family dwelling lots on the block (see § 320-11 for definition of "block"), and shall constitute the minimum allowable lot area but in no case shall be less than 5,000 square feet.
(2) 
Lot width. Shall be the established median value of the single-family dwelling lots on the block and shall constitute the minimum allowable lot width but in no case shall be less than 25 feet per single-family detached building lot.
(3) 
Side yard. Shall be established by the side yard setbacks of the principal building(s) on property immediately adjacent to the left and right (either dimension may be used). The measurement shall be from the side wall, exclusive of bay windows, porches, chimneys or other similar projections to the side property line. In no case shall an individual side yard setback be less than 10 feet. When bordered by vacant property on one side, the setback established from the adjoining developed property shall apply to both sides. If bordered on both sides by vacant property, the minimum side yard shall be 20 feet.
(4) 
Rear yard. Shall be established by the rear yard setbacks of the principal building(s) on property immediately adjacent to the left and or right (either dimension may be used). The measurement shall be from the rear facade, exclusive of bay windows, porches, decks, chimneys or other similar projections to the rear property line. In no case shall the individual rear yard setback be less than 20 feet. When bordered to the rear and side by vacant property, the minimum rear yard setback shall be 25 feet.
(5) 
Building height: 35 feet.
(6) 
Impervious surface. Shall not exceed 40% of the lot.
(7) 
Building coverage. Shall not exceed 25% of the lot.
C. 
Special exception uses.
C
Special Exception Uses
Neighborhood Play Grounds/Parks
Schools
1
Minimum lot size (net square feet)
10,000
43,560
2
Minimum lot width (feet)
75
100
3
Minimum front yard (feet)
See § 320-27A
50
4
Minimum side yard setback (feet)
25*
25
5
Minimum rear yard setback (feet)
25*
25
6
Maximum building height (feet)
25
35
7
Maximum impervious surface (percent of net lot area)
Not applicable
30%
8
Maximum building coverage (percent of net lot area)
Not applicable
20%
NOTES:
*
A minimum setback for all side and rear yards of 50 feet for all active play areas and/or open air structures such as pavilions.

§ 320-28 General development regulations.

A. 
Supplemental regulations. The relevant provisions found in Article XXIII, Supplemental Regulations, shall apply.
B. 
Design standards. All new homes shall conform to the following basic design standards:
(1) 
New homes shall be consistent with the pattern of size, mass and footprint, as with other similar homes on the block.
(2) 
New homes shall be consistent with the proportion of height and width of similar homes on the block.
(3) 
New homes shall have front porches or house stoops if the majority of homes of the same housing type on the block have those features.
(4) 
New homes shall either have flat or pitched roofs consistent with other similar homes on the block.