Trappe City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
R-3 High-Density Residential District
§ 340-40 Intent.
The R-3 Residential District is intended to allow a diversity of housing types and densities in suitable locations, and establish standards of design.
§ 340-41 Use regulations.
A building may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot or premises may be used for any of the purposes listed in the Use Table[1] and no other.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Use Table is included as an attachment to this chapter.
§ 340-42 Development regulations.
The following regulations shall govern all development sites within the Residential District:
A.
The tract of land to be developed shall be in one ownership or shall be the subject of an application jointly filed by the owners of the entire site, and it shall be agreed that the tract will be developed under single direction with an overall plan. The plan shall be designed as a single architectural scheme.
B.
The development of a tract carried out in either a single phase or in stages shall be executed in accordance with a development agreement. The owner, developer, and Borough shall enter into said agreement embodying all details regarding compliance with this article to assure the binding nature thereof on the overall tract and its development. Approval of the development shall not be given until a development plan has been submitted, reviewed and found to comply with this article and other local ordinances. A public hearing shall be held to assure strict compliance and invite public comment. The approved plan, along with the development agreement, shall be recorded and a copy of said plan shall be retained in the Borough office.
C.
Public utilities. All new development shall be required to connect to public sewer and water, and provide the necessary infrastructure to do so.
D.
Open space. A minimum of 20% of the land area in a development must be used for open space purposes. Provisions for location, appropriateness, dedication, etc., are found in § 340-44E, Open space requirements and standards, herein.
E.
The provision of additional facilities serving the entire development site, such as parking lots, interior pedestrian ways, landscape planting areas, and recreation facilities, etc., are encouraged. If they are provided in common areas, provisions must be made for their maintenance and care. Such provisions shall be found satisfactory to the Borough Council, in accordance with § 340-44E, Open space requirements and standards, herein.
F.
Reservation of a 100-foot-by-100-foot site for future water well purposes with access to a public road on subdivision or land developments of 29 units or more shall be required in accordance with the Trappe Borough Well Site Ordinance.
§ 340-43 Dimensional regulations.
A.
As indicated in the Dimensional Table.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Dimensional Table is included as an attachment to this chapter.
§ 340-44 General regulations.
A.
Number of accessways. For any development in this district, there shall not be more than two access roads to any one public road on which the development abuts (minimum 25 feet apart). In the case of adjacent developments, the use of common access roads shall be encouraged to minimize the total number of access roads onto any public road.
B.
Parking regulations. The following standards shall apply to all parking needed to serve any development proposed within this district:
(1)
Number of spaces. Reference the parking table.
C.
Parking area setbacks. Any common parking area, together with accessways leading thereto, shall adhere to the following minimum standards:
(1)
Setback from any interior or exterior property line adjacent to a single-family detached residential district: 50 feet.
(2)
Setback from exterior property line adjacent to a non-single-family detached residential or nonresidential district: 30 feet.
(3)
Setback from ultimate right-of-way area: 25 feet from a major road, 10 feet from all others.
D.
Buffer requirements. Along all exterior property lines, screening buffers shall be provided in accordance with the following regulations, except when dwelling units in a proposed development shall abut dwellings of the same use and density.
(1)
The owner shall place and maintain a planting area 25 feet in width containing deciduous trees, evergreen trees, evergreen and/or deciduous shrubs, flowering trees and/or shrubs and ground cover of sufficient planted density to produce a total visual screening consistent with the topography, the existing vegetation and the use of adjacent land. Wherever possible, the owner shall make every effort to retain existing natural screening, such as vegetation and topography. The purpose of this planting is to block objectionable views, enhance good views, provide seasonal color, add texture and aroma, ameliorate possible noise and generally enhance the limits of the property.
(2)
All evergreen trees to be installed shall not be less than five feet in height at the time of planting and shall be of such species that expected height at maturity shall not be less than 15 feet. All evergreen shrubs to be installed shall not be less than 18 inches in height at the time of planting and shall be of such species that expected height at maturity shall not be less than six feet for screening shrubs.
(3)
All deciduous trees to be installed shall not be less than 12 feet in height and two-and-one-half-inch caliper at the time of planting. Deciduous trees shall be of such species that expected height at maturity shall not be less than 50 feet. Flowering trees shall have expected height of not less than 20 feet.
(4)
Applicants are encouraged to provide informal, free-form screening buffers when appropriate, which need not be located entirely within the minimum required twenty-five-foot width. Such alternative buffers shall be subject to approval by the Borough Council, upon recommendations of the Borough Planning Commission, either or both of whom may seek the advice of a licensed landscape architect in the review of the alternative plans.
(5)
Planting plan prepared by a licensed landscape architect in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shall be required for all screening buffers, which shall clearly show and list the locations, size, species, and number of plant material proposed to be used.
(6)
All plant material shall be guaranteed for two years. All plant material which dies within that time shall be replaced by the applicant at his cost.
E.
Open space requirements and standards.
(1)
Twenty percent of the land area in a development shall be used for active and passive open space purposes.
(2)
The Planning Commission and Borough Council shall consider the following criteria in determining whether to approve the location of open space areas in a proposed subdivision or development plan.
(a)
Open space areas shall be developed to complement and enhance the man-made environment. In the selection of the location of such areas, consideration shall be given to the preservation of natural and man-made features which will enhance the attractiveness and value of the remainder of the property to be subdivided or developed. Such features are floodplains, including streams and ponds; slopes equal to or greater than 15%; natural, permanent vegetation, historical amenities and other community assets.
(b)
Wherever possible, open space areas shall be designed as a contiguous system of usable areas, which are interspersed among groupings of residential dwelling units. Such areas shall be coordinated with other common open spaces within a development, as well as with surrounding public open space, existing or planned, and open space areas within contiguous developments. In those instances in which the total minimum required open space is less than two acres in size, said areas shall be located in one parcel, and shall not be broken up unless the development site or its physical constraints dictate otherwise, with the concurrence of the Planning Commission and Borough Council.
(c)
The area shall be located and designed so that it is easily accessible to all people within the development, including the handicapped. Safe and easy access to common open space areas shall be provided either by adjoining public road frontage, public easements or paths.
(d)
The areas may be offered for dedication to the Borough. If it is to be held privately, then the maintenance of private open space, common areas, or a recreational use shall be guaranteed by homeowners' association, trust indenture, or other mechanism approved by the municipality. The legal instrument creating same shall be recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds' of Montgomery County simultaneously with the recording of the final plant of the subdivision. Such common land shall be set aside by deed restrictions.
(e)
Said areas specifically designed for open space shall be usable and suitable for that purpose and shall have all improvements as required by this chapter.
(f)
Accessways to the site shall be sufficiently wide so that maintenance equipment shall have reasonably convenient access to said areas. In all instances, said open space areas shall be maintained in a careful and prudent manner.
F.
Refuse areas. The design of buildings in the R-3 Residential District shall include either a provision for the storage of refuse inside the building(s) or within an area enclosed by either walls or opaque fencing outside the building(s) designed to be architecturally compatible with the building(s). Such walls or fencing shall be designed to shield the refuse areas from direct view of any adjacent property.