Riverside City Zoning Code

For the purpose of this chapter, Riverside Borough is hereby divided into the following zoning districts, with the following abbreviations:

For the purposes of this chapter, the zoning districts named in Subsection A shall be of the number, size, shape and location shown on the Official Zoning Map.[1]

Overlay districts. The Floodplain Area, as defined in Chapter 163, Floodplain Management, shall serve as an overlay district to the applicable underlying districts. The MHP District shall serve as an overlay district to the underlying A-R District.

Purposes of each district. In addition to serving the overall purposes and objectives of this chapter and the Comprehensive Plan, each zoning district is intended to serve the following purposes:

The regulations set by this chapter shall apply uniformly to each class or kind of structure or land, except as provided for in this chapter.

No structure shall hereafter be erected, used, constructed, reconstructed, structurally altered or occupied, and no land shall hereafter be used, developed or occupied, unless it is in conformity with the regulations herein specified for the use and district in which it is located.

No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this chapter shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this chapter shall meet at least the minimum requirements established by this chapter.

Boundary change. Any territory which may hereafter become part of the Borough through annexation or a boundary adjustment shall be classified as the A-R Zoning District of Riverside Borough until or unless such territory is otherwise classified by the Borough Council.

A map entitled "Riverside Borough Zoning Map" accompanies this chapter and is declared a part of this chapter. The Official Zoning Map, which should bear the adoption date of this chapter and the words "Official Zoning Map," shall be retained in the Borough building.[1]

Map changes. Changes to the boundaries and districts of the Official Zoning Map shall only be made in conformity with the amendment procedures specified in the State Municipalities Planning Code.[2] All changes should be noted, by date, with a brief description of the nature of the change, either on the map or within an appendix to this chapter.

Replacement map. If the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret because of changes and additions, or needs to have drafting errors or omissions corrected, the Borough Council may, by resolution, adopt a new copy of the Official Zoning Map, which shall supersede the prior Official Zoning Map. Unless the prior Official Zoning Map has been lost or has been totally destroyed, the prior map or any remaining parts shall be preserved, together with all available records pertaining to its previous adoption or amendment.

District boundary lines are intended to follow or be parallel to the center line of street rights-of-way, streams and railroads, and lot lines as they existed on a recorded deed or plan of record in the County Recorder of Deed's office at the time of the adoption of this chapter, unless such district boundary lines are fixed by dimensions as shown on the Official Zoning Map.

Where a district boundary is not fixed by dimensions, and where it approximately follows lot lines, such boundary shall be construed to follow such lot lines unless specifically shown otherwise.

The location of a district boundary on unsubdivided land or where a district boundary divides a lot shall be determined by the use of the scale appearing on the Zoning Map unless indicated otherwise by dimensions.

Where a municipal boundary divides a lot, the minimum lot area shall be regulated by the municipality in which the principal uses are located, unless otherwise provided by applicable case law. The land area within each municipality shall be regulated by the use regulations and other applicable regulations of each municipality.

Intent: to continue the objective of compatible land uses across municipal boundaries.

This chapter requires additional setbacks and the provision of buffer yards when certain uses would abut an existing dwelling or a residential zoning district. These same additional setback and buffer yard provisions shall be provided by uses proposed within Riverside Borough, regardless of whether such abutting existing dwelling or principally residential zoning district is located in an abutting municipality and/or in Riverside Borough.

For the purposes of this section, the following abbreviations shall have the following meanings:

Unless otherwise provided by state or federal law or specifically stated in this chapter (including § 285-10B), any land or structure shall only be used or occupied for a use specifically listed in this chapter as permitted in the zoning district where the land or structure is located. Such uses shall only be permitted if the use complies with all other requirements of this chapter. See § 285-10B, which generally provides a process for approval of a use that is not listed based upon similarity to permitted uses and other criteria. Except as provided in such § 285-10B, any other principal use that is not specifically listed as P, C or SE in the applicable district in this table is prohibited in that district.[1] For temporary uses, see § 285-8.

Permitted accessory uses in all districts. An accessory use of a dwelling is only permitted if such use is customarily incidental to the residential use and is specifically permitted by this chapter. The following are permitted by right as accessory uses to a lawful principal use in all districts, within the requirements of § 285-36 and all other requirements of this chapter:

Permitted accessory uses to business and institutional uses. The following are permitted by right accessory uses only to a permitted by right, special exception or conditional commercial, industrial or institutional use, provided that all requirements of this chapter are met:

The following area, yard and building requirements shall apply for the specified zoning district, unless a more restrictive requirement for a specific use is required by § 285-35 or 285-36 or another section of this chapter.[1] All measurements shall be in feet unless otherwise stated. See definitions of terms (such as "lot width") in § 285-24. Each dwelling unit and each principal building shall be served by Borough-approved central sewage service, unless the dimensional requirements of the A-R District are met per dwelling unit.

Height. Except as provided in § 285-62, or as specified otherwise in this chapter for a particular use, the following maximum structure height shall apply in all zoning districts:

Accessory structures and uses.

Rear yard abutting a street. If a new principal building is constructed with its rear lot line abutting a public street, a row of landscaping shall be placed between such street and the rear yard, and any fencing shall be placed on the inside of such landscaping. This requirement shall not apply where the landscaping would interfere with required sight distances or a vehicle driveway or garage.

Subdivisions of developed industrial lots. In instances where an owner of a developed industrial lot or two or more contiguous developed industrial lots proposes to subdivide and thereby create a developed industrial lot measuring 10 acres or greater and leaving a residue developed industrial lot or contiguous residue developed industrial lots of 50 acres or greater, the following shall apply:

Wetland studies. It shall be the responsibility of each applicant to determine whether land areas proposed for alteration meet the federal or state definition of a "wetland" prior to submittal of development plans to the Borough. If the Zoning Officer has reason to believe that wetlands may be present on a site proposed for development or subdivision, the Zoning Officer may require that the applicant provide a suitable wetland delineation study prepared by a qualified professional.

Wetland and lake setbacks. A minimum setback of 20 feet shall be required between any new principal building for which a construction permit is issued after the effective date of this chapter and any wetland or natural lake or pond.

Setback from waterways. No new principal building, no new off-street parking spaces and no new commercial or industrial outdoor storage shall be allowed within 75 feet of the average water level of the Susquehanna River or Kipps Creek. Where trees and other natural vegetation are removed within this setback, they shall be replaced with new trees and vegetation that serve the same environmental purposes.

Vehicle parking and any garage doors should be placed to the rear of buildings, as opposed to between buildings and the street. Where rear parking is not practical, then parking should be provided to the side of a building. Where a driveway needs to enter from the front, the garage should be set back further from the street than the house, and the driveway should be as narrow as practical through the front yard.

New construction should have a front yard setback that is similar to adjacent older buildings.

On historic buildings, modern additions and features should be placed towards the rear of the property.

New construction should have rooflines that are similar to adjacent older buildings. Flat roofs should be avoided, except when a decorative cornice is used. Where a pitched roof is not practical, then the roof should at least appear to have angles and a pitch when viewed from the street.

On sides visible from a street, new construction should use building materials that are similar to the appearance of older buildings, such as decorative masonry.

Blank walls without door and window openings should be avoided along a street.

Parking. See §§ 285-44 and 285-45, which allow some flexibility in parking requirements. Shared parking among property owners and businesses is encouraged where adequate parking spaces exist for shared usage. Landscaping should be used to buffer parking lots from streets.

Pedestrians. Pedestrian traffic should be separated from major vehicle routes. Developments should be designed in such a way as to be inviting for pedestrian traffic. The development should not be surrounded by parking lots and driveways, but should be placed on the site in such a way that it relates to adjacent properties and streets.

Porches. Existing older porches should be maintained, and new porches should be considered on the front of new buildings.

Site features. Parking areas, garages or storage buildings (particularly the prefabricated metal type) should not be built near the front or in areas visible from the street.

Fences. Chain-link metal fences should be avoided in the front yard. Picket or ornamental fences are encouraged. Solid wooden or vinyl plank fences should be placed in rear and side yards only. Highway-style metal guide rails should not be used.

Utilities. New utilities should be placed underground. Where that is not practical, they should be placed in less visible parts of the site. For example, new utility lines should be extended from the rear of the property instead of the front.

HVAC. Commercial HVAC systems should be screened from view from the front of a lot using walls, fencing, roof elements or landscaping. Noise or odor-producing ventilation equipment should be placed as far away from dwellings as is feasible.

Fire escapes. New exterior fire escapes should not be constructed on the front facade of a building.