Springfield Township Montgomery County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIIIB
Cluster Residential District
§ 114-8B0 Purpose.
A.
It is the intent of this Article to encourage the creative use of varied housing types and clustering of homes so as to preserve natural features of irreplaceable value, retain ground cover and foliage to prevent erosion and flooding and maintain air quality, avoid building on steep slopes or floodplains and to preserve historic sites.
B.
A developer of a site in a Cluster Residential District may develop a plan for the site utilizing a variety of building types, clustering without regard to lot criteria, utilizing contemporary planning and building technology and preserving common open space and natural terrain features, provided that such a plan meets the requirement of this Article.
§ 114-8B1 General requirements.
A.
The tract to be developed shall have a minimum of 10 acres, shall be in one ownership or shall be the subject of an application filed by owners of the entire tract, and it shall be agreed that the tract shall be developed under single direction and in the manner approved under the requirements of this Article.
B.
The maintenance of land for open space or recreational use shall be guaranteed by deed restriction, trust indenture, conveyance of the land to or for the benefit of all individual lot owners within the tract, by compliance with the Pennsylvania Unit Property Act, or by other procedures for the management and maintenance of the common elements as may be approved by the Township Commissioners. Any or all such plans, agreements or instruments shall be filed with the Recorder of Deeds of Montgomery County simultaneously with the recording of the final plan of the subdivision.
C.
In the event of a material default in the preservation or maintenance of land used for open space or recreational use, the Township shall have the right to enter, preserve and maintain such lands and assess the costs thereof on the trustee(s) or the owners of the open space or recreational land.
D.
In the event of a material default in the preservation or maintenance of land used for roadways, walkways, parking lots or curbs, the Township shall have the right to enter, preserve and maintain such facilities and assess the costs thereof on the trustee(s) or the owners of such facilities.
§ 114-8B2 Drawings and plans.
Preliminary and final plans shall contain those items required under the Springfield Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance,[1] but additionally shall be accompanied by a general development plan showing the use of or uses, dimensions and locations of proposed areas to be reserved for recreation, playgrounds, landscaping and other open spaces and by detailed architectural drawings and sketches demonstrating the design and character of the development and the proposed open space as well as other data demonstrating compliance with the required area and design regulations.
§ 114-8B3 Area and design regulations; permitted uses.
A.
Single overall plan. The proposed development shall be constructed in accordance with an overall plan and shall be designed as a single architectural unit with appropriate landscaping.
B.
Density. The overall density of the area to be developed shall be no greater than 3.5 units per gross acre.
C.
Density bonus. Developers in the Cluster Residential District who build a minimum of 20% of one- or two-bedroom units will be permitted to increase the number of units by an additional 10%.
D.
Land coverage. Buildings, roads and other impervious surfaces may occupy no more than 25% of the gross land area.
E.
Steep slopes. No buildings, roads, other impervious surfaces or pervious paving may be installed within the Cluster Residential District on steep slopes, which are those areas having slopes of 15% or more as delineated by the Soil Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture, in the Soil Survey of Montgomery County, 1967, unless the Township Engineer certifies that such construction will not result in drainage problems or safety hazards.
F.
Floodplains. No structures of any kind may be built in a floodway as defined in the Code.
G.
Permitted uses. A building may be erected, altered or used and a lot or premises may be used for any of the following purposes and for no other:
H.
Lot size. Single-family homes are required to have a minimum lot size of 8,000 square feet, and each half of a semidetached home must have a minimum lot size of 4,000 square feet. The minimum lot size for a townhouse shall be 2,000 square feet per dwelling unit.
I.
Structure size. Maximum structure dimensions for townhouses shall be as stipulated in § 114-85B(5) of the Code.
J.
Building height. No structure may exceed 35 feet in height. For the purposes of the Cluster Residential District, "height of the building" shall be defined as the building's vertical measurement from the mean level of the ground surrounding the building to the highest roof level, provided that chimneys, spires, towers, elevator housing, tanks and similar projections shall not be included in calculating the height.
K.
Building separation.
(1)
Single homes and the open side of semidetached homes shall have side yards of not less than 10 feet and front and rear yards, each of which shall be not less than 25 feet.
(2)
Townhouses shall be separated from other buildings as specified in § 114-88B(2) of the Code. The greatest dimension in length or depth shall not exceed 160 feet. No more than two contiguous dwelling units shall have a uniform (less than a three-foot variation) front setback from a right-of-way line or parking area, and the structure shall encompass a maximum of eight dwelling units.
L.
Setbacks. Single and semidetached homes shall be set back a distance of not less than 50 feet and townhouses a distance of not less than 75 feet from any property line, including the buffer area required in Subsection M below, and 50 feet from the right-of-way line, including the buffer area.
M.
Buffers. For all types of dwelling units in the Cluster Residential District, buffers shall be provided along property boundaries, buffers or street trees shall be provided along all streets and all parking areas shall be landscaped in accordance with the requirements of § 95-11I of Chapter 95, Subdivision of Land. Existing landscape material may be used to meet these requirements.
[Amended 7-8-1992 by Ord. No. 786]
N.
[1]Open space and conservation.
(1)
A minimum of 30% of the total site area, exclusive of the required public improvements and private streets and parking areas, shall be provided for open space and recreation. Private yards associated with individual dwelling units are not considered a portion of open space, but buffers may be included. Private yards may extend beyond the building envelope.
(2)
Open space shall be planned and located to preserve and, where possible, enhance natural and significant architectural features.
(3)
The finished topography of the site shall be such as to facilitate the proposed development without excessive earth moving, tree clearance and destruction of natural amenities. Natural features, such as lakes, streams, topsoil, trees and shrubs, shall be preserved and incorporated into the final landscaping of the development. The location of trees shall be considered when planning the open space, location of buildings, underground areas, walks, paved areas, playgrounds, parking areas and finished grade levels.
(4)
The developer shall protect trees and other natural features during construction. Construction of buildings shall commence within 30 days after clearing the site of topsoil, trees and natural features.
(5)
Recreational or service structures, such as a club- or pool house, may be located in the open space area, but the land coverage of the structures may not be counted toward the required 30% of the land devoted to open space and will be counted as part of the permitted 25% of land coverage.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection N, concerning off-street parking, was repealed 4-8-1981 by Ord. No. 702, which ordinance also relettered former Subsections O, P and Q as N, O and P.
O.
Utilities.
(1)
The Cluster Residential District must be served by public water and sanitary sewers.
(2)
Where adequate surface drainage is not possible by grading alone, a supplementary drainage system, including but not limited to retention and/or detention facilities, approved by the Township Engineer shall be required.
(3)
Underground utility lines, including telephone and electric systems, are required within the limits of the Cluster Residential District. Appurtenances to these systems which can be effectively screened may be exempted from this requirement.
(4)
Requirements of the subdivision regulations pertaining to sidewalks and street width may be waived by the Board of Commissioners if it can be demonstrated that adequate pedestrian and vehicular circulation is provided and unique design features preclude the necessity for standard street width.
§ 114-8B4 Prohibited uses.
The Cluster Residential District is limited to residential use. So-called convenience stores and professional offices or institutional, philanthropic or any other nonresidential use is specifically prohibited within the district.