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Perkiomen Township City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XV

R-4 Residential District

§ 310-107 Legislative intent.

It is the specific intent of this article to:
A. 
Encourage an appropriate mix of dwelling types and densities in Perkiomen Township.
B. 
Promote a variety of income levels, age groups and lifestyles within the Township.
C. 
Protect the Township from challenges to the Zoning Ordinance and Map by providing for a diversity of housing types.
D. 
Encourage innovative residential development and use of a variety of building configurations.
E. 
Establish standards of performance and promote the desirable benefits which planned mobile home parks and garden apartments may have upon the community.

§ 310-108 Permitted uses.

A building may be erected, altered or used and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes and no other:
A. 
Single-family detached dwelling;
B. 
Single-family semidetached dwellings (twins);
C. 
Agricultural uses, buildings and structures, provided that they are on lots not less than two acres.
D. 
Accessory uses and buildings in accordance with § 310-44 of Article VIII of this chapter.

§ 310-109 Conditional uses.

The following may be permitted as a conditional use in the R-4 District by the Board of Supervisors in accordance with § 310-53 of Article VIII and any additional requirements referred to below.
A. 
Townhouses, in accordance with § 310-111 of this article.
B. 
Mobile home park, in accordance with § 310-113 of this article.
C. 
Garden apartments, in accordance with § 310-114 of this article.

§ 310-110 Dimensional standards.

A. 
Minimum lot area, lot width and yards.
(1) 
Minimum lot area.
(a) 
Single-family detached dwelling:
[1] 
One acre (43,560 square feet), if on-site water and sewage systems are used.
[2] 
One acre (43,560 square feet), if either public water or public sewer is used.
[3] 
Ten thousand square feet, if both public water and public sewer are used.
(b) 
Single-family semidetached dwelling (twin): 6,000 square feet per individual dwelling. Public sewer and water must be provided.
(2) 
Minimum lot width.
(a) 
Single-family detached dwelling: 70 feet, to be measured at the building line.
(b) 
Single-family semidetached dwelling: 35 feet, per individual dwelling unit, to be measured at the building line.
(3) 
Front yard: 30 feet.
(4) 
Rear yard: 40 feet.
(5) 
Each side yard.
(a) 
Single-family detached dwelling: 10 feet for each side yard.
(b) 
Single-family semidetached dwelling: 15 feet for the required side yard.
B. 
Maximum permitted height for buildings: 35 feet.
C. 
Maximum lot coverage.
(1) 
Building coverage: 20%.
(2) 
Impervious coverage: 35%.

§ 310-111 Townhouse requirements.

A. 
Minimum gross lot area: 10 acres.
B. 
Minimum lot width at building line: 16 feet. (Minimum width of a townhouse dwelling unit is 16 feet per unit.)
C. 
Maximum building coverage of gross land use: 15%.
D. 
Minimum side yard: 30 feet. (Applies to end building only.)
E. 
Minimum rear yard: 30 feet.
F. 
Minimum front yard: 50 feet.
G. 
Distance between buildings: pursuant to § 310-112, Additional regulations, below.
H. 
Parking area setback from lot line or street ultimate right-of-way: 50 feet. (Applies only to parking lots and joint parking areas, not to separate parking areas for individual townhouses.)
I. 
Maximum dwelling units per gross acre: eight.
J. 
Minimum usable open space (not including parking or driveway areas) devoted solely to recreational use activities: 10% of the tract. (Usable open space shall not include front and/or rear yards of an individual townhouse.)
K. 
Maximum height: three stories or 35 feet.

§ 310-112 Additional regulations.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the above requirements, the following shall also apply:
A. 
There shall be no group of townhouses consisting of more than six dwelling units.
B. 
The developer should vary architectural treatments between dwelling units in a townhouse development. Variations may include those of exterior elevation, building setbacks, provision of balconies, architectural details, pitch of roof, exterior materials, or use of color. Variety and flexibility in design layout and arrangement of buildings, parking areas, services, recreation areas, common open space and planting that fully considers the particular physical characteristics of the site and natural amenities is highly desired.
C. 
The horizontal distance between groups of townhouses shall be:
(1) 
Two times the average height of the two groups of townhouses and garden apartments for front or rear walls facing front or rear walls;
(2) 
One and one-half times the average height for front or rear walls facing side walls; and
(3) 
Equal to the height of the highest building for side walls facing side walls.
D. 
The minimum width of any side yard abutting the driveway or parking area should not be less than 20 feet.
E. 
Access and service shall be provided in front of each townhouse. Parking may be provided on the lot, as carports, as an integral part of the townhouse, or a joint parking facility for a group of townhouses with such deed restrictions as are necessary to determine ownership and maintenance of common parking facilities and methods of assigning charges for maintaining snow removal and repairs.
F. 
Usable open space devoted to recreational use as herein required shall be designed for use by tenants of the development and shall be improved and equipped by the developer in accordance with plans submitted to and approved by the Board of Supervisors.
G. 
All townhouse developments shall be served by public sewer and public water.

§ 310-113 Mobile home park developments.

A. 
Residential uses. A mobile home park may include single- or double-width mobile homes, single-family detached modular homes, conventional single-family detached dwellings, or a combination of these, but shall not include travel trailers or motor homes.
(1) 
No more than 40% of the total number of dwelling units in a mixed mobile home park may consist of conventional single-family detached dwellings. All conventional single-family detached dwellings within a mobile home park shall meet the standards of the R-4 District of this chapter, including standards set forth for lot area, setbacks, building coverage and height.
(2) 
Customary accessory structures shall be permitted on individual lots according to the standards of this section.
(3) 
Nothing in this section shall be considered to prohibit the rental, sale or resale of a mobile home located on a mobile home stand and connected to all utilities. Similarly, a model or display area is permissible on a temporary basis, provided that models are developed in accordance with all applicable regulations of this article and that use of the models for sales or rental promotion ceases when the project is fully developed.
(4) 
All mobile home parks shall have a minimum tract size of 20 acres.
(5) 
All mobile home lots shall have a minimum of 5,000 square feet when on-lot parking is provided. Where common parking is provided, this may be reduced to 4,500 square feet.
(6) 
All mobile home lots shall be at least 55 feet wide at the building setback line. All mobile home lots shall have at least 25 feet of frontage to a public street or equivalent right-of-way line or edges of pavement, as applicable.
(7) 
No mobile home or accessory building shall be located closer than four feet to the side or rear lot line of an individual mobile home lot. Accessory buildings may be located on the lot line if physically joined to each other with a common wall located on the property line.
(8) 
Mobile homes are encouraged to use the minimum setback and to be placed off-center on the lots so as to provide a large, usable open yard space in one section of the lot.
(9) 
Mobile homes and roofed structures or areas attached thereto shall be separated from each other and from other buildings and structures, other than accessory structures, at their closest points by a minimum of 20 feet; provided, however, that whenever two mobile homes have their longest sides parallel or essentially parallel to each other for more than 25% of the length of either the minimum distance between the mobile homes shall be 30 feet. The sides shall be considered to be essentially parallel if they form an angle of less than 45° when extended to intersect.
(10) 
The maximum coverage of any individual mobile home lot by primary and accessory buildings and structures, such as decks or patios, shall be 25%.
(11) 
The maximum density of any mobile home park shall be five units to the acre, regardless of housing type.
(12) 
No mobile home shall exceed a height of one story or a maximum of 25 feet.
(13) 
In order to allow clustering of lots designed to encourage flexibility in site design, preservation of natural features, and to maximize creation of accessibility of recreation areas, distance between structures, minimum lot width and minimum lot size may be reduced up to a maximum of 10% upon approval of the Board of Supervisors, provided that at least 50% of all lots so reduced shall directly abut part of the common open space for a distance of at least 20 feet. An area equal to that by which each lot is reduced shall be added to the minimum common open space specified in this section.
(14) 
All access drives or roads shall be set back 20 feet from any property line.
B. 
Common open space. At least 15% of the site area of the mobile home development shall be held as common open space, as defined in this section. No more than 1/3 of the common open space may be the required buffer area. The permanent open space shall comply with the following standards:
(1) 
Ownership. The open space shall be conveyed in accordance with one or more of the following methods, as approved by the Board of Supervisors:
(a) 
Offered for dedication in fee-simple ownership to Perkiomen Township. If the Board of Supervisors refuses the offer for dedication, then any one of the following listed in Subsection B(1)(b) below shall apply.
(b) 
Conveyance of title (including beneficial ownership) to an association, condominium, conservancy, corporation, funded community trust, individual or other legal entity for maintenance purposes.
(c) 
Fee-simple ownership with conveyance of restrictive covenants, conservation easements or other suitable legal device to an association, condominium, conservancy, corporation, funded community trust, individual or other legal entity for maintenance purposes. The terms of such instrument of conveyance shall include provisions to the Township for guaranteeing the continued use of such land for open space and recreation.
(2) 
Design. The open space shall not include stormwater basins, shall have adequate pedestrian and vehicular access, and shall be designed in one or more of the following ways, as approved by the Board of Supervisors:
(a) 
Buffer area, to buffer the impact of new development from existing adjacent development.
(b) 
Preservation of natural features, such as woodlands, stream valleys, wetlands or steep slopes.
(c) 
Central green or parkway, which shall be located in a central position in the neighborhood, surrounded by streets and/or building lots on at least three sides, and designed and landscaped as a space for common neighborhood use.
(d) 
Recreation area provided to meet the anticipated needs of the residents of the development. Recreation areas should be of a size, shape and relief that is conducive to active and passive recreation.
C. 
Buffers.
(1) 
Buffers. A landscaped buffer at least 20 feet in width shall be provided along all property boundary lines, except those that abut another mobile home park. This buffer shall be designed pursuant to the landscaping and buffering standards of Chapter 264, Subdivision and Land Development.
(2) 
Street boundaries shall be buffered with a single row of deciduous shade trees pursuant to Chapter 264, Subdivision and Land Development.
(3) 
All common refuse facilities shall be screened pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 264, Subdivision and Land Development.
(4) 
Any outdoor lighting proposed for common areas or parking lots shall not cast glare onto adjacent properties or cause a traffic hazard.
D. 
Additional requirements.
(1) 
Roadways. All Township standards for the construction of streets contained in Chapter 264, Subdivision and Land Development, shall be adhered to for all public streets in and abutting mobile home parks.
(2) 
Access limitations. Mobile home lots may have direct access only onto streets internal to the development. Direct access from a mobile home lot shall not be permitted onto the streets from which the mobile home park gains primary access.
(3) 
Open space and recreation. The common open space shall be designed as a contiguous area unless the applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Township that two or more separate areas would be preferable. The open space shall also have easily identifiable pedestrian and visual accessibility to all residents of the mobile home park, although all units do not have to abut the open space.
(4) 
Mobile home stands. A concrete pad, properly graded, placed and compacted so as to be durable and adequate for the support of the maximum anticipated loads during all seasons, shall be used for all mobile homes.
(5) 
Public water and sewer. All mobile home parks shall be served by public sewer and water systems.
(6) 
Anchoring. Every mobile home placed within a mobile home development shall be anchored to the mobile home stand where it is located prior to the unit being occupied or used in any other way. The anchoring system shall be designed to resist a minimum wind velocity of 90 miles per hour.
(7) 
Skirts. All mobile homes placed within a mobile home development shall, prior to the occupancy or other use, have skirts installed to protect the utility connection and to complement the appearance of the mobile home.
(8) 
Preservation of natural features. No multifamily development shall be located in any of the following areas:
(a) 
Within the Floodplain in Perkiomen Township.
(b) 
On land having a natural grade of 15% or greater.
(c) 
On land that formerly had a natural slope of 15% or greater but has been graded to a lesser percentage slope.
E. 
Registration and administration.
(1) 
Registration. It shall be unlawful to operate a mobile home park within the Township unless it has been registered with the Code Enforcement Officer, who may inspect the premises with reasonable notice.
(2) 
Transfer of registration. Registration is not transferable. The Board of Supervisors shall be notified, in writing, within 10 days after the sale, transfer, lease or other change in the controlling interest of a mobile home park, and the registration shall be renewed following inspection.

§ 310-114 Garden apartment developments.

All garden apartments shall comply with the following requirements:
A. 
Maximum density: eight units per acre.
B. 
Minimum tract size: each multifamily development shall have a minimum gross area of 10 acres.
C. 
Minimum lot size: 2,500 square feet per dwelling unit.
D. 
Minimum setback from any property line: 50 feet.
E. 
Minimum distance between any two principal buildings: 40 feet.
F. 
Maximum building coverage: 30% of lot area.
G. 
Maximum impervious surface coverage: 50% of lot area.
H. 
Zoning district boundary setback: a minimum setback of 75 feet is required between any principal multifamily building in this district and any Township boundary or boundary of a residential zoning district. This setback may be part of a required yard area and shall include landscaping and/or berming according to the provisions of Chapter 264, Subdivision and Land Development.
I. 
Maximum height: 35 feet for a principal building, 15 feet for any accessory buildings.
J. 
Parking area setback: a minimum thirty-foot setback shall be required between any parking area of six or more spaces and any side or rear lot line or tract boundary. This parking area setback may be part of a zoning district boundary. If the parking area is shared by two or more lots, the setback shall not be required from the common lot line(s).
K. 
Maximum building length: 200 feet.

§ 310-115 Development regulations for multifamily development.

A. 
Preservation of natural features. No multifamily development shall be located in any of the following areas:
(1) 
Within any floodplain in Perkiomen Township.
(2) 
On land having a natural grade of 15% or greater.
(3) 
On land that formerly had a natural slope of 15% or greater but has been graded to a lesser percentage slope.
B. 
All garden apartment developments shall be served by public sewer and water systems.
C. 
Common open space. At least 20% of the site area of the multifamily development shall be held in permanent common open space. No more than 1/3 of the common open space may be part of the required tract boundary setback. The permanent common open space shall comply with the following standards:
(1) 
Ownership. The open space shall be conveyed in accordance with one or more of the following methods, as approved by the Board of Supervisors:
(a) 
Offered for dedication in fee-simple ownership to Perkiomen Township. If the Board of Supervisors refuses the offer for dedication, then any one of the following listed in Subsection C(1)(b) below shall apply.
(b) 
Conveyance of title (including beneficial ownership) to an association, condominium, conservancy, corporation, funded community trust, individual or other legal entity for maintenance purposes.
(c) 
Fee-simple ownership with conveyance of restrictive covenants, conservation easements or other suitable legal device to Perkiomen Township; an association, condominium, conservancy, corporation, funded community trust, individual or other legal entity for maintenance purposes. The terms of such instrument of conveyance shall include provisions to the Township for guaranteeing the continued use of such land for open space and recreation.
(2) 
Design. The open space shall not include stormwater basins, shall have adequate pedestrian and vehicular access, and shall be designed in one or more of the following ways, as approved by the Board of Supervisors:
(a) 
Buffer area, to buffer the impact of new development from existing, adjacent development.
(b) 
Preservation of natural features, such as woodlands, stream valleys, wetlands or steep slopes.
(c) 
Central green or parkway, which shall be located in a central position in the neighborhood, surrounded by streets and/or building lots on at least three sides, and designed and landscaped as a space for common neighborhood use.
(d) 
Recreation area provided to meet the anticipated needs of the residents of the development. Recreation areas should be of a size, shape and relief that is conducive to active and passive recreation.
D. 
All development shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 264, Subdivision and Land Development.
E. 
All development shall comply with the parking requirements of § 310-74 of Article IX of this chapter.
F. 
Parking shall not interfere with driveways, accessways, sidewalks or pedestrian walkways.
G. 
The use of natural building materials, such as brick, stone, stucco or wood, is strongly encouraged.
H. 
All refuse facilities shall be screened pursuant to the requirements of Chapter 264, Subdivision and Land Development.
I. 
Any accessory building shall be set back 20 feet from any property line or street frontage.
J. 
Any outdoor lighting proposed for common areas or parking lots shall not throw glare onto adjacent properties or cause a traffic hazard.
K. 
All access drives or roads shall be set back 20 feet from any property line.
L. 
Street boundaries shall be buffered with a single row of deciduous shade trees, pursuant to Chapter 264, Subdivision and Land Development.