Swatara Township Lebanon County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 10A
R-4 - HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT
§ 27-10A01 Intent.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003]
The regulations of this district are designed to promote the development of subdivisions of higher-density residential housing and manufactured homes, grouped in a homogeneous community-type setting, to accommodate a variety of residential uses, including retired and senior citizens residential communities.
§ 27-10A02 Permitted Uses.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003; as amended by Ord. 2006-73, 4/13/2006]
1.
Certain permitted uses set forth in the R-2 Medium Residential District, subject to the requirements and restrictions set forth in R-2 Medium Residential District, Part 9, § 27-902, Subsection 1, as set forth below.
A.
The R-2 District permitted uses in an R-4 District include:
(1)
Single-family detached and semidetached dwellings.
(2)
Churches and similar places of worship and parish houses.
(3)
Public parks and public playgrounds.
(4)
Municipal buildings and community facilities, such as police and fire-protection facilities, museums, libraries, etc., provided that they do not contain restaurants, cafes, membership clubs or other places offering food, beverages, dancing or entertainment.
(5)
Publicly owned nursery, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools.
(6)
Bed-and-breakfasts, subject to the conditions set forth in § 27-1423, Subsection 1B, of this chapter.
B.
Subdivisions of single-family dwellings or manufactured home lots on not less than 25 acres, provided that either the lots are held by a single proprietor or group of proprietors strictly for the purpose of lot rentals to individual owner/occupants, or if such lots are sold to individual owners, the lots are subject to a declaration of covenants, conditions and restrictions which establishes a homeowners' association. Such subdivisions are referred to as "communities" under this Part, unless specified otherwise.
(1)
A manufactured home shall be, upon assembly, at least 18 feet wide throughout 80% of its length, containing not less than 600 square feet of floor area. A mobile home is not a manufactured home for the purpose of this Part. A manufactured home shall be treated the same as a single-family dwelling and referred to as a "residential dwelling" in this Part, unless specified otherwise.
(2)
These communities shall be subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Scope. All communities established in the R-4 District and all expansions thereof are subject to all applicable regulations of this subsection and all other Township, county or state ordinances, regulations and guidelines which would be applicable.
(b)
Community Size. Each community shall be located on a tract of not less than 25 contiguous acres. It shall not be bisected or divided by any public street, right-of-way or alley but must have direct access onto a public street or a private street meeting Township standards.
(c)
Density. No individual lot for single-family, duplexes or end units of multifamily dwellings shall be less than 6,000 square feet. Lots for interior dwellings in a multifamily dwelling unit may be less than 6,000 square feet, provided that the width, depth, and yard requirements are met as more fully described in this Part.
(d)
Multiple-Family Dwelling Use. A community may have multiple-family dwelling development, including but limited to duplexes, triplexes, quadruplexes, and hexoplexes, subject to the following limitations:
1)
No community shall have multiple-family dwelling development in excess of 50% of the total number of residential dwelling units.
2)
No community may have triplex dwelling development in excess of 20% of the total number of multiple-family dwellings permitted within in a community.
3)
No community may have quadruplex dwelling development in excess of 20% of the total number of multiple-family dwellings permitted within in a community.
4)
No community may have hexoplex dwelling development in excess of 20% of the total number of multiple-family dwellings permitted within in a community.
5)
No interior lot of a multiple-family dwelling shall be less than 24 feet in width nor less than 100 feet in depth.
(e)
Yard Requirements, Single-Family Dwellings. A single-family residential dwelling shall have:
1)
A minimum of 50 feet from any perimeter street line or 20 feet from any perimeter lot lines.
2)
A minimum front yard setback of 30 feet, measured from the edge of a community street.
3)
A minimum back yard setback of 25 feet from any other residential dwelling.
4)
A minimum side yard setback of 10 feet from interior lot lines.
(f)
Yard Requirements, Multiple-family Dwellings. A multiple-family residential dwelling shall have:
1)
A minimum of 50 feet from any perimeter street line or 20 feet from any perimeter lot lines.
2)
A minimum front yard setback of 30 feet, measured from the edge of a community street.
3)
A minimum backyard setback of 25 feet from any other residential dwelling.
4)
A minimum side yard setback of 25 feet from any other multiple-family dwelling or other residential dwelling.
(g)
Yard Requirements, All Other Buildings. No service building or accessory building for community residents, common or general use shall be located at less than the following:
(h)
Community Streets and Sidewalks or Walkways. A street and sidewalk or walkway installed exclusively for community residents' use shall have a durable surface capable of supporting residential traffic and shall conform to the following regulations:
1)
A community street for two-way traffic shall be at least 24 feet wide. A traffic pattern in the community shall allow for efficient access to all points.
2)
A community street for one-way traffic shall be at least 12 feet wide.
3)
Each residential dwelling site shall be accessible from a community street; however, designated parking for a residential dwelling site may be provided off the home site if it is in a group parking facility as provided herein.
4)
Each community shall be provided with at least two points of ingress/egress for vehicular traffic from public streets.
5)
No more than two community streets shall intersect at any one point.
(i)
Off-Street Parking.
1)
Each residential dwelling site shall be provided with two parking spaces, excluding garage, as defined in § 27-1602 of this chapter. An additional space for each residential dwelling site shall be provided for in community parking areas.
2)
Parking spaces for a given residential dwelling site shall be adjacent to each other, except that they may be in tandem when neither parking space is located directly in front of any residential dwelling.
3)
On-street parking is prohibited along all community streets within the community, and all streets shall be posted "no parking."
4)
As to each residential dwelling site, enclosed parking areas shall not be permitted within five feet of interior lot lines; open parking areas or adjacent enclosed parking areas shall not be permitted within five feet of any interior lot lines, provided that the foregoing sentence shall not apply to interior lot lines which also contain common walls of multifamily dwellings.
5)
Each subdivision plan shall prohibit or provide specifications for overflow common area parking and designate areas for parking of buses, boats, motor homes, recreational vehicles and other larger motor vehicles.
(j)
Utility Services.
1)
Each residential dwelling site shall be served by a public water system.
2)
Each residential dwelling site shall be served by a connection to the public sewer system approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
3)
Each residential dwelling site shall be serviced by a connection to an electrical-distribution system.
4)
Any transmission line within the limits of the community for telephone service, electricity or centralized television reception shall be buried.
(k)
Common Open Space Areas.
1)
The community shall be provided with common open space areas not less than 10% of the gross community area, excluding stormwater management areas, which are for the enjoyment of all park residents. The areas may include but are not limited to such facilities as service buildings for meeting rooms, laundromats, storage cubicles for residents, either individually or collectively, playgrounds, swimming pools, fields and courts for various organized team sports, and landscaped areas for passive recreation.
2)
The community shall have at least half its common area at one continuous location, and not more than half its common area may be in a buffer yard.
3)
No interior play area for children shall be less than 1,000 square feet.
4)
The community open space areas may contain a wide variety of facilities, at the discretion of the owner and approved by the Township; however, it is the intent of this Part that all parks contain well-maintained improvements for recreation for all ages served by the community.
(l)
Fences within any land development proposing any community shall meet the following requirements:
1)
The developer of any land development proposing any community project shall be required to specify the design, material, construction and installation and maintenance responsibilities of fencing to be installed in the project, if any.
2)
All fencing within any community project shall be of the same design, materials and construction. The fence design, material, construction and installation and maintenance responsibilities shall be specified upon the plan to be recorded and as a restriction on the deed for each dwelling unit within the project.
3)
No fence shall be installed between the front building line and the right-of-way of the adjoining street. For through (reverse-frontage) lots, no fence shall be installed within five feet of the right-of-way of the reverse frontage street.
4)
No fence within a side yard between dwelling units in any community project shall exceed a height of three feet, and no fence within the rear yard shall exceed a height of six feet, from grade to the top of the fence. For the purposes of this section, posts shall be included in the measurement of the height of the fence.
2.
Conditional uses. Upon approval by the Board of Supervisors, the following conditional uses are permitted, provided that the uses comply with the conditions listed herein and the applicable requirements specified in Parts 14 and 20 of this chapter:
A.
Hospitals, nursing or convalescent homes, provided that they meet and comply with all federal, state and local laws and obtain all necessary licenses, certifications, and/or licenses.
B.
Clinics, professional offices and banks, subject to these requirements:
C.
Nonprofit, church-related homes for the elderly, including: 1) custodial or sanitarium type of care; 2) intermediate care involving dormitory areas with common meal facilities; and 3) individual residential living quarters with separate cooking facilities, provided that the following conditions are met:
(1)
A subdivision and/or land development plan shall be filed in accordance with the Swatara Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
[Amended by Ord. 2015-05, 8/13/2015]
(2)
Self-sufficient dwelling units for permanent guests of the home, which are separate and detached from the principal care facility, shall conform in all respects with the requirements for such dwelling units specified in Part 9 of this chapter. Although they maybe planned as clustered housing, such residential development shall be designed to facilitate subdivision or sale of individual units in accordance with the applicable lot area, lot width, and yard requirements of § 27-903 of this chapter.
D.
Semipublic and private recreation uses, such as golf courses, country clubs, swimming and/or tennis clubs, provided that no principal building, accessory structure, pool, tennis court, or parking area is located within 100 feet of any street right-of-way line or lot line. Additionally, swimming pools associated with these uses shall be completely enclosed with a continuous, impenetrable fence no less than six feet in height above the ground level, and the fence shall be equipped with a lockable gate.
E.
Privately owned nursery, elementary, middle and high schools.
F.
Private institutions of higher education, convents and monasteries provided that the following conditions are met:
G.
Group home dwellings, subject to the conditions listed in § 27-1423, Subsection 2E, of this chapter.
[Amended by Ord. 2017-07, 9/14/2017]
H.
Day-care centers, provided that the following conditions are met:
(1)
The property shall be served by public water and sewer facilities.
(2)
The applicant shall obtain written approval or licensure of the day-care center from the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare.
(3)
Plans for the construction or modification of the facility shall be reviewed/approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and written proof of said review/approval shall be provided.
(4)
Unloading and loading of children from vehicles shall only be permitted on the driveway or on the approved parking area.
(5)
Off-street parking shall be provided at the rate of one space for each employee, plus four spaces for the first 10 licensed capacity slots for children, plus one space for each additional 10 slots for children approved for the center. Off-street parking shall also be provided for vehicles owned and operated by the facility as a part of its day-care services.
(6)
Play areas for children shall be fenced and shall be located no closer than 50 feet to any lot line or street right-of-way, except that play area setbacks may be reduced to 25 feet from side and rear lot lines when a dense screen planting is established and maintained within the setback area.
§ 27-10A03 Lot Requirements.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003; as amended by Ord. 2006-73, 4/13/2003]
1.
Lot and Yard Requirements. A lot area, lot width, lot coverage, yard depths and building height satisfying the requirements of the following table shall be provided for every dwelling unit and/or principal nonresidential building or use hereafter erected, altered or established in this zoning district, except as otherwise specified in § 27-10A03, Subsections 2 and 3 below.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2022-9, 7/14/2022]
Lot and Yard Requirements in the R-4 High-Density Residential District | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lot Requirements | Yard Requirements | |||||||
Use | Minimum Lot Area | Minimum Lot Width | Maximum Lot Coverage | Front | One Side | Total Sides | Rear | |
Nonresidential | 3 acres | 250 feet | 20% | 100 feet | 20 feet | 40 feet | 75 feet | |
Single-family detached | ||||||||
No public utilities | 1 1/2 acres | 150 feet | 25% | 30 feet | 15 feet | 30 feet | 30 feet | |
Public sewer/on-lot water | 21,780 feet | 75 feet | 30% | 30 feet | 10 feet | 20 feet | 25 feet | |
Public water/on-lot sewer | 1 1/2 acres | 150 feet | 25% | 30 feet | 10 feet | 20 feet | 25 feet | |
Public sewer and water | ||||||||
Single-family detached | 7,500 feet | 75 feet | 30% | 30 feet | 10 feet | 20 feet | 25 feet | |
Single-family semi-detached | 6,500 feet | 65 feet | 40% | 30 feet | 10 feet | 20 feet | 25 feet | |
§ 27-10A04 Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003]
Consistent with the requirements listed in this Part, the off-street parking regulations of Part 16 shall apply where applicable to the uses permitted in this district.
§ 27-10A05 Signs and Advertising Structures.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003]
Signs shall be permitted in accordance with Part 17 of this chapter.
§ 27-10A06 Supplementary District Regulations.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003]
The supplementary district regulations in Part 14 shall apply, where applicable, as additional requirements for this district.
§ 27-10A07 Environmental Improvements and Energy Conservation Requirements.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003]
The environmental and energy requirements in Part 15 shall apply, where applicable, as additional requirements for this district.
§ 27-10A08 Accessory Buildings.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003]
Any building or structure attached to a principal building in any manner shall comply in all respects with the provisions of this Part for a principal building. No separate or detached building or structure of any kind shall be permitted in any required front yard. Accessory buildings shall not be permitted within five feet of any side or rear lot line. No accessory building shall be used for human habitation, and the total square feet of all accessory buildings on each manufactured home site shall not exceed 500 square feet.
§ 27-10A09 Projections Into Yards.
[Ord. 2003-59, 9/11/2003]
1.
The following projections shall be attached to a building, may be permitted in required yards and shall not be considered in the determination of yard size:
A.
Patios, paved terraces, decks or open, unroofed porches shall be permitted in all yards, provided that such structures shall be no closer than five feet to any lot line and not greater than five feet above finished grade in the front and 10 feet in the rear.
B.
Projecting Architectural Features. Bay windows, cornices, eaves, fireplaces, chimneys, windowsills or other architectural features, provided that they do not extend more than five feet into any required yard nor closer than three feet to any adjacent property line; however, any canopies, porte cocheres or other roofs that extend more than five feet from the building line, as defined in Part I of this chapter, except as provided in § 27-10A02, Subsection 1B(7)(e), shall be subject to the yard requirements applied from the lot line to the edge of the roof.