Perkasie City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Dimensional Regulations
§ 186-21 Property included in required lot and yard measurements.
The lot area and yards required for any new building or use shall not include any part of a lot that is required by any other building or use to comply with the requirements of this chapter. No required lot area and yard shall include any property, the ownership of which has been transferred subsequent to the effective date of this chapter if such property was a part of the area required for compliance with the dimensional requirements applicable to the lot from which such transfer was made.
§ 186-22 Yards for multiple nonresidential buildings on one lot.
Where two or more principal buildings for other than residential uses are proposed to be built upon property in one ownership, the front, side and rear yards are required only at lot lines abutting other property.
§ 186-23 Compliance to accredited zoning lot requirements.
In addition to other dimensional regulations, a lot or parcel of ground must meet the requirements for an accredited zoning lot.
§ 186-24 Lot area and lot area per dwelling unit requirements.
Where a minimum lot area is specified, no principal building or use shall be erected or established on any lot of lesser area, except as may be permitted in § 186-26.
§ 186-25 Lot width.
Where a minimum lot width is specified, no principal building shall be erected on any part of a lot which has a width of less than is specified, except as may be permitted by § 186-26.
§ 186-26 Existing lawful or approved lots.
B.
This exception shall not apply to any two or more contiguous lots in a single ownership as of or subsequent to the effective date of this chapter in any case where a reparceling or replatting could create one or more lots which would conform to the above provisions, unless said lots were approved under Chapter 164, Subdivision and Land Development, but prior to the enactment of this chapter.
§ 186-27 Accessory structures in required side and rear yards.
A.
Required side and rear yards may be occupied by an accessory residential garage for uses normally associated with residential garage use and other permitted accessory buildings, structures or use, provided that such accessory buildings, structures or use shall be situated not less than five feet from any lot line, that such accessory buildings, structures or use shall be at least five feet from the principal building and that such accessory buildings, structures or use shall not exceed 15 feet in height, except that swimming pools shall be located at least 15 feet from the principal building and they shall not encroach into the required side yards.
B.
A garage constructed as a structural part of a dwelling may extend into a required side yard for a distance not exceeding four feet, provided that it does not exceed 15 feet in height and does not extend nearer any side or rear lot line than five feet.
C.
An accessory structure shall not be located between the front yard setback line and the front facade of a house.
D.
A nonresidential accessory garage or indoor storage facility shall meet the minimum required setbacks for the principal nonresidential use in the subject zoning district.
§ 186-27.1 Patios and decks in required side and rear yards.
A.
Concrete patios and decks may extend into required side and rear yards for a distance not exceeding 50% of the minimum setback requirement, but in no case closer than five feet to any lot line.
§ 186-28 Traffic visibility at corners.
A.
On corner lots in any district, no wall, fence, planting or other structure shall be maintained between a plane two feet above the curb level and a plane seven feet above curb level so as to interfere with traffic visibility across the corner within that part of the required front or side yard which is within a triangle bounded by the street lot line and a straight line drawn between points on each such lot line 25 feet from the intersection of said lot lines or extension thereof.
B.
At each point where a private accessway intersects a public street or road, a clear-sight triangle of 10 feet, measured from the point of intersection of the street line and the edge of the accessway, shall be maintained, within which vegetation and other visual obstructions shall be limited to a height of not more than two feet above the street grade.
§ 186-29 Front and side yards on corner lots.
On a corner lot, the street side shall equal the required front yard for lots facing that street.
§ 186-30 Front yards.
Where a minimum depth of front yard is specified in Article V, Zoning Districts, an open space of at least the specified depth shall be provided between the street line or lines and the nearest point of any building or structure, except as may be permitted hereafter.
§ 186-31 Projections into front yards.
A.
Ground-story bays and porches not over half the length of the front wall of a dwelling may project into any front yard 3 1/2 feet.
B.
Chimneys, flues, columns, sills and ornamental features may project not more than one foot and cornices and gutters not more than two feet over a required front yard.
§ 186-32 Fences, walls and steps in front yards.
§ 186-33 Accessory uses in front yards.
§ 186-34 Front yard reduction to conform to neighboring lots.
When there is an existing building on each of two lots adjacent on either side to a lot on which a proposed building is to be erected, where both such existing buildings have an alignment nearer to the street than the required front depth elsewhere specified in this chapter and when both such existing buildings are within 100 feet of the proposed building, the average of the existing front yard depths of such adjacent lots shall be the minimum required front yard depth of the lot on which the proposed building is to be erected.
§ 186-35 Conformity to side yard requirements.
§ 186-36 Projections into side yards.
Bays, balconies, chimneys, flues and fire escapes may project into a required side yard not more than 1/3 of their width and not more than four feet in any case. Ground-story bays and porches not over 1/2 the length of the side wall may project into any side yard 3 1/2 feet.
§ 186-37 Fences, walls and steps in side yards.
§ 186-38 Rear yards.
§ 186-39 Conformity to building height maximums.
§ 186-40 Measurement of building height.
Height shall be measured from the mean elevation of the proposed finished grade at the front of the building to the highest point of the roof for flat roofs, to the decklines of mansard roofs and to the mean height between eaves and ridge for gable, hip and gambrel roofs.
§ 186-41 Building height for accessory structure or use.
[Amended 4-6-2020 by Ord. No. 1027]
No accessory building, structure or use shall exceed 15 feet in height, except in the TC-Town Center Zoning District, where no accessory building, structure or use shall exceed 20 feet in height.
§ 186-42 Structures excepted from building height limits.
A.
The height limitations specified for each district in this chapter shall not apply to the following: farm buildings, church spires, belfries, chimneys or other structures normally built above the roof and not devoted to human occupancy. Such structures, however, shall be erected only to such heights and of such areas as are necessary to accomplish the purpose they are normally intended to serve.
§ 186-43 Awning or canopy.
A.
Design and construction of awnings and canopies. All fixed awnings, canopies and similar structures shall be designed and constructed to withstand wind or other lateral loads and live loads with due allowance for shape, open construction and similar features that relieve the pressures or loads. Structural members shall be protected to prevent deterioration.
B.
All awnings and canopies shall be constructed of durable, flame-resistant material. Awnings and canopies shall be attached to the building at the inner end.
C.
Awnings and canopies and similar structures shall not be constructed in the public right-of-way unless an easement is obtained from the appropriate governmental entity.
D.
The clearance between the covering and the ground surface shall not be less than seven feet.
§ 186-45 Future right-of-way widths.
A.
Minimum right-of-way widths are established for those roads wherein the existing legal right-of-way is less than that indicated for the particular class of road.
B.
The future rights-of-way shall be measured from the center line of the existing road. The attached Street Classification Map shows the classification for each road. The Street Classification Map (titled Borough Street Map) is included as an attachment to this chapter.
C.
Streets are classified as follows:
(1)
Arterial highways: designed for large volumes and high-speed traffic, with access to abutting properties restricted.
(2)
Collector street: designed to carry a moderate volume of fast-moving traffic from primary and secondary streets to arterial streets, with access to abutting properties restricted.
(3)
Primary street: designed to provide access to abutting properties and carry traffic from secondary streets to collector streets.
(4)
Secondary street: designed primarily to provide access to abutting properties.
(5)
Marginal access street: is a service street which is parallel to and adjacent to an arterial or collector street and which provides access to abutting properties and protection from through traffic.
D.
Widths and standards.
Street Classification | Right-of-Way (feet) | |
|---|---|---|
Arterial | 100 | |
Collector | 80 | |
Primary | 60 | |
Secondary | 50 | |
Marginal access | 30 |