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Upper Allen Township Cumberland County
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE V

Residential Districts

§ 245-5.1 Area of application.

The following regulations shall apply to the areas designated as Low-Density Residential (R-1), Medium-Density Residential (R-2), and High-Density Residential (R-3) Districts on the Zoning Map.

§ 245-5.2 Permitted uses.

[Amended 2-7-2018 by Ord. No. 776; 10-4-2023 by Ord. No. 828; 3-5-2025 by Ord. No. 844]
The following table (Table V-1) lists all permitted, special exception, and conditional uses in the Low-Density Residential (R-1), Medium-Density Residential (R-2), and High-Density Residential (R-3) Districts. Permitted, special exception, and conditional uses shall meet the requirements of Article XIV, § 245-14.1, and specific regulations for each use.
Table V-1
Residential Districts
Use Regulation
Use #
Use
R-1
R-2
R-3
Specific Criteria
Agriculture and Conservation Uses
1
Active and low-impact passive commercial recreation areas (greenway area only)
P
N
N
§ 245-14.5
2
Agriculture, excluding confined livestock operations (greenway area only within the R- 1 District)
P
P
P
§ 245-14.8
3
Agriculture, excluding confined livestock operations (greenway area only)
P
N
N
§ 245-14.8
4
Conservation of open land in its natural state (for example, woodland, fallow field, timber harvesting, or managed meadow)
P
N
N
5
Pasture land for horses used for recreational purposes (greenway area only)
P
N
N
6
Timber harvesting
P
N
N
§ 245-16.3
Residential Uses
7
Conservation subdivision
P
P
N
Article XI
8
Continuing care retirement community
N
C
SE
§ 245-14.18
9
Conversion apartments
N
N
SE
§ 245-14.20
10
Group homes and family care facilities
P
P
P
§ 245-14.26
11
Group quarters
N
N
SE
§ 245-14.27
12
Halfway house
N
N
P
§ 245-14.28
13
Long-term-care nursing center and personal care centers
N
C
SE
§ 245-14.36
14
Mobile/ manufactured home park
N
N
SE
§ 245-14.40 and Chapter 220
15
Multifamily
N
N
P
§ 245-14.43
16
Single-family, attached (townhouse, max 8 du per building)
N
P
P
§ 245-14.61
17
Single-family, detached
N
P
P
§ 245-14.61
18
Single-family, semidetached (duplex, 2 du)
N
P
P
19
Student housing (in a permitted residential unit)
N
SE
SE
§ 245-14.65
20
Two-family detached
N
P
P
§ 245-14.61
Nonresidential Uses
21
Adaptive reuse of federally or locally designated historic building
P
P
P
§ 245-14.6
22
Animal hospital
C
N
N
§ 245-14.11
23
Bed-and-breakfast home
SE
SE
N
§ 245-14.12
24
Camp and campgrounds
C
N
N
§ 245-14.14
25
Child-care centers and older adult living centers
N
N
SE
§ 245-14.25
26
Cultural facilities
P
N
N
§ 245-14.51
27
Farmers market
P
N
N
§ 245-14.23
28
Golf course (greenway or conservation area)
C
N
N
§ 245-14.24
29
Hospitals
N
N
SE
§ 245-14.30
30
House of worship
P
P
P
§ 245-14.51
31
Kennel
C
N
N
§ 245-14.11
32
Landscaping and garden service, nonretail
P
N
N
§ 245-14.35
33
Library
P
P
P
§ 245-14.51
34
Mixed uses
N
P
P
§ 245-14.39
35
Municipal uses and buildings
P
P
P
§ 245-14.51
36
Public parks and recreation areas
P
P
P
37
Public uses and buildings
P
P
N
§ 245-14.51
38
Public utility buildings and structures (R-1 only: greenway or conservation area)
C
N
SE
§ 245-14.52
39
Resort
C
N
N
§ 245-14.54
40
Riding academy and boarding stable
SE
N
N
§ 245-14.55
41
School, public or nonpublic
SE
P
P
§ 245-14.50
42
Special occasion facility
P
N
N
§ 245-14.63.5
43
Wireless communications facilities (greenway area only)
C
N
N
§ 245-14.16
Accessory Uses
44
Accessory buildings, structures and uses, including timber harvesting
P
P
SE
§ 245-16.2 and § 245-16.3
45
Agricultural uses, including uses on the farmstead (farmhouse, accessory apartment, barns), outbuildings and farm structures, (greenway/ conservation area)
P
P
P
§ 245-14.2
46
Apartments, accessory
SE
SE
P
§ 245-14.3
47
Day care, accessory (for principal nonresidential uses only)
SE
SE
SE
§ 245-14.25
48
Family child-care home
P
P
P
§ 245-14.25
49
Group child-care homes
SE
SE
SE
§ 245-14.25
50
Honeybee apiaries
P
P
N
§ 245-14.29
51
Keeping of animals and animal structures for noncommercial use
P
N
N
§ 245-14.32
52
Keeping of chickens or poultry
P
P
P
§ 245-14.33
53
Professional and other home occupations, no-impact
P
P
P
§ 245-14.49
54
Professional and other home occupations, other than no-impact home-based businesses
P
P
P
§ 245-14.48
55
Sale of agricultural products
P
P
P
§ 245-14.56
56
Solar energy systems
P
P
P
§ 245-14.62
57
Special occasion home
SE
N
N
§ 245-14.64
58
Water supply and sewage disposal systems and stormwater detention areas, designed, landscaped, and available for use and an integral part of the greenway
P
N
N

§ 245-5.3 Low-Density Residential (R-1) District.

A. 
Permitted uses. See Table V-1 for a complete list of allowed uses within the R-1 District.
(1) 
No more than one principal use shall occupy a lot in the development area. The following standards shall apply to developments where both residential and nonresidential lots are occupying the development area.
(a) 
No more than 20% of the development area on the tract shall be devoted to lots with nonresidential uses.
(b) 
The maximum permitted residential dwelling units shall be reduced by two units for each nonresidential acre.
(c) 
The nonresidential development shall meet all buffering requirements in Article XVI, § 245-16.5, herein.
(2) 
More than one principal use shall be allowed in the greenway area.
(3) 
Uses within conservation subdivision developments that maintain existing historic, cultural or environmentally sensitive resources may reduce minimum open space requirements by a maximum of 5% with approval by the Board of Commissioners of Upper Allen Township.
B. 
Development options. Three conservation subdivision development options are provided to retain greenways and provide development potential for permitted, special exception, and conditional uses.
(1) 
Option 1, Basic Density and Conservation, provides for a minimum of 50% of the tract to remain in open space and allocates the remaining lands for the development of moderate-density residential and nonresidential uses.
(2) 
Option 2, Enhanced Density with Greater Conservation, provides for a larger percentage of the tract to remain in conservation use, a minimum of 60%, in exchange for higher densities of residential uses.
(3) 
Option 3, Estate Lots, provides for rural residential uses at a reduced density on larger lots in conventional layouts, where homes and streets are located carefully to minimize impacts on resource lands.
(4) 
Combining the design options. The various layout and density options described in this article may be combined, at the discretion of the Board, based upon demonstration by the applicant that such a combination would better fulfill the intent of this chapter, in particular, the stated purposes of this article, as compared with applying a single option to the property. The developer shall delineate clearly the tract area to be utilized for each option and the applicable density calculations in accordance with § 245-5.3C.
C. 
Each tract shall have a minimum greenway (open space) area and a maximum development area. Determination of the minimum greenway area and the maximum development area, including the maximum permitted residential density, shall be by the adjusted tract method or the yield method in accordance with § 245-11.7 herein. The greenway requirement shall be the minimum open space requirement (percentage of the adjusted tract area) plus all of the constrained land.
(1) 
The minimum open space requirements shall be as follows:
(a) 
Option 1: 50%.
(b) 
Option 2: 60%.
(c) 
Option 3: 0%. Open space is considered to be a part of each estate lot.
(2) 
The density factor to be applied for the calculation of the maximum residential density in the development area shall be in accordance with the following standards. To provide space for parking, stormwater management and buffering, each acre of nonresidential use shall be equal to two residential development rights and shall be subtracted from the maximum residential density.
(a) 
Option 1: 80,000 square feet/dwelling unit.
(b) 
Option 2: 60,000 square feet/dwelling unit.
(c) 
Option 3: 217,800 square feet/dwelling unit (five acres).
D. 
Lot requirements.
(1) 
On tracts of less than six acres existing on the effective date of this chapter, single-family detached dwellings are permitted on conventional sixty-thousand-square-foot lots with no required greenway land. The following dimensional requirements shall apply to these conventional lots and to Option 3, Estate Lots:
(a) 
Minimum street frontage: 125 feet.
(b) 
Minimum setbacks:
[1] 
Front yard: 50 feet.
[2] 
Side yard: 30 feet.
[3] 
Rear yard: 30 feet.
(c) 
Maximum impervious coverage: 30% of the lot area.
(d) 
Flag lots shall only be permitted when they will enable the preservation of some important natural or cultural feature (including productive farmland), which would otherwise be disturbed by conventional lotting techniques. Flag lots shall be permitted with a minimum street frontage of 50 feet, and then only in compliance with the specifications in Chapter 220, Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
[Added 10-7-2020 by Ord. No. 797]
(2) 
Lot size. To maximize flexibility in design, no minimum lot sizes shall be required in the development area for Option 1 and Option 2, with the exception that, for lots using on-lot wastewater disposal systems, the minimum lot size shall be the size required by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer. The septic field may be located on the conservation area if it is held as common open space in the development.
(3) 
Minimum setbacks.
(a) 
Minimum front yard setbacks shall be in accordance with the following standards:
[1] 
Greenway area: 50 feet.
[2] 
Development area: 25 feet.
(b) 
Minimum side yard setbacks shall be in accordance with the following standards:
[1] 
Greenway area: 30 feet.
[2] 
Development area: Distance between residential buildings on adjacent lots shall be not less than 10 feet; however, no residential lot shall have a minimum side setback less than five feet. A nonresidential building shall be no closer than 20 feet to an adjacent building, with no nonresidential lot having a side setback less than 10 feet.
(c) 
Minimum rear yard setbacks shall be in accordance with the following standards:
[1] 
Greenway area: 30 feet.
[2] 
Development area: 15 feet.
(4) 
Lot coverage.
(a) 
Option 1 development areas: not more than 30% for impervious coverage for residential uses; not more than 30% building coverage and 50% impervious coverage for nonresidential buildings.
(b) 
Option 2 development areas: not more than 35% for impervious coverage for residential uses; not more than 35% building coverage and 55% impervious coverage for nonresidential buildings.
(c) 
Conservation area: not more than 10% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings and impervious surface.
(5) 
Buffers. Buffer yards shall be provided in accordance with the requirements contained in § 245-16.5, General buffer regulations. All grazing and pasture area shall be fenced to prevent livestock from roaming.
(6) 
Building height limit. The maximum height of buildings hereafter erected or altered shall be as follows:
(a) 
One- or two-family dwelling: 35 feet.
(b) 
Church or similar place of worship: 45 feet for the principal building.
(c) 
Nonresidential: 35 feet.
(d) 
Other structures shall comply with provisions of § 245-16.6 of this chapter.
E. 
Building height limitations. No principal building or structure shall exceed 35 feet in height; however, this height may be exceeded in accordance with § 245-16.6, Height adjustments, of this chapter. Accessory building or structure heights shall be in accordance with § 245-16.2 herein.
F. 
Development in the R-1 District shall meet the general regulations and design standards for conservation subdivisions in accordance with § 245-11.8 herein.
G. 
Greenway area standards.
(1) 
Greenway lands shall be laid out where possible to form an interconnected network of open space. The required greenway land consists of all constrained land.
(2) 
Options 1 and 2 greenway land shall generally remain undivided and may be owned and maintained by a homeowners' association, land trust, another conservation organization recognized by the municipality, or by a private individual (typically as part of the original farmhouse). However, in no case shall less than 30% of the land comprising the "adjusted tract area" be available for the common use and passive enjoyment of the subdivision residents. These ownership options may be combined so that different parts of the greenway land may be owned by different entities in accordance with Article XI, § 245-11.10.
(3) 
In Option 3 subdivisions, the required greenway may lie within the lots or undivided open space.
(4) 
In accordance with the Township's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[1] and/or the Comprehensive Recreation and Open Space Plan, a portion of the total acreage in any of the options may be subject to the Township's public land dedication requirement (typically to provide potential connections with the Township long-range trail network).
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 220.
(5) 
Buffers for adjacent public parkland. Where the proposed development adjoins public parkland, a natural greenway buffer at least 150 feet deep shall be provided within the development along its common boundary with the parkland, within which no new structures shall be constructed, nor shall any clearing of trees or understory growth be permitted (except as may be necessary for street, trail construction, or woodland management). Where this buffer is unwooded, the Board may require vegetative screening to be planted or that it be managed to encourage natural forest succession through "no-mow" policies and the periodic removal of invasive alien plant and tree species.
(6) 
No portion of any building lot may be used for meeting the minimum required greenway land. However, active agricultural land with farm buildings, excluding areas used for residences, may be used to meet the minimum required greenway land.
(7) 
Greenway easements. Designated greenway areas shall be permanently protected through a conservation easement in accordance with § 245-11.9 herein.
(8) 
Ownership and maintenance of greenway areas and common facilities. The ownership and maintenance of designated greenway areas and common facilities shall be in accordance with § 245-11.10 herein.

§ 245-5.4 Medium-Density Residential (R-2) District.

[Amended 3-5-2025 by Ord. No. 844]
A. 
Permitted uses. See Table V-1 for a complete list of allowed uses within the R-2 District.
B. 
Dimensional requirements. The following table (Table V-2) shall apply to all areas designated R-2 District on the Zoning Map. The table shows the minimum lot size, setbacks, and street frontage requirements per dwelling unit or nonresidential uses. Requirements represent minimums unless otherwise noted.
Table V-2
Medium-Density Residential (R-2) District
Public Water and Public Sewer
Public Sewer/No Public Water
No Public Water or Public Sewer
Front Yard
Side Yard
Rear Yard
Minimum
Minimum
Minimum
Use #
Use
Minimum Feet
Lot Size
(square feet)
Street Frontage
(feet)
Lot Size
(square feet)
Street Frontage
(feet)
Lot Size
(acres)
Street Frontage
(feet)
Residential Uses
1
Conversion apartments
See § 245-14.20
2
Conservation subdivision1
See Article XI
3
Continuing care retirement community
See § 245-14.18
4
Long-term-care nursing center and personal care centers
See § 245-14.36
5
Single-family, attached (townhouse, max 8 du per building)
25
10 (exterior side)
15
2,000 See § 245-14.61 for max. density
See § 245-14.61
Not permitted
Not permitted
6
Single-family, detached
25
10
15
10,000
75
20,000
75
1
100
7
Single-family, semi-detached (duplex, 2 du)
25
10
15
20,000 See § 245-14.61 for max. density
75
20,000
75
Not permitted
8
Student housing (in a permitted residential unit)
25
10
15
10,000
75
20,000
75
1
100
9
Two-family detached (two dwelling units)
25
10
15
12,000 per building. See § 245-14.61 for max. density
35
10,0002
35
Not permitted
Nonresidential Uses
10
Adaptive reuse of federally or locally designated historic building
25
10
35
10,000
75
20,000
75
1
100
11
Bed-and-breakfast home or inn
25
10
35
1 acre
100
1 acre
100
1
100
12
Group day-care center
25
10
15
1 acre
75
1 acre
75
1
100
13
Group homes and family care facilities
25
10
15
10,000
75
20,000
75
1
100
14
House of worship
50
50
50
2 acres
100
2 acres
100
2
100
15
Library
25
25
25
2 acres
100
2 acres
100
2
100
16
Municipal uses and buildings
See § 245-14.51
17
Public parks and recreation areas
25
25
25
1 acre
100
1 acre
100
1
100
18
Public uses and buildings
See § 245-14.51
19
School, public or nonpublic
50
50
50
2 acres
100
2 acres
100
2
100
NOTES:
1
Tracts of land or parcels containing areas designated for greenway and trail links as shown on the Greenway/Trail Map for Upper Allen Township in the Upper Allen Township Comprehensive Plan Recreation and Open Space Plan, as amended, shall be developed as a conservation subdivision in accordance with Article XI, Conservation Design Overlay District, herein. Conservation subdivisions are permitted by right in other locations within the R-2 District, but are not required.
2
Assumes one on-site water system shall be provided to serve both units, provided ownership and maintenance agreements shall be a part of all sales agreements for the units, including future sales of the units.
C. 
Lot coverage requirements. Not more than 30% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings, and no more than 45% shall be occupied by impervious surface.
D. 
Building height limitations. No principal building or structure shall exceed 35 feet in height; however, this height may be exceeded in accordance with § 245-16.6, Height adjustments, of this chapter. Accessory building or structure heights shall be in accordance with § 245-16.2 herein.

§ 245-5.5 High-Density Residential (R-3) District.

[Amended 3-5-2025 by Ord. No. 844]
A. 
Permitted uses. See Table V-1 for a complete list of allowed uses within the R-3 District.
B. 
Dimensional requirements. The following table (Table V-3) shall apply to all areas designated R-3 District on the Zoning Map. The table shows the minimum lot size, setbacks, and street frontage requirements per dwelling unit or nonresidential uses. Requirements represent minimums unless otherwise noted. All R-3 Districts shall be in the service area of public water and public sewer.
Table V-3
High-Density Residential (R-3) District
Front Yard
Side Yard
Rear Yard
Minimum
Use #
Use
Minimum Feet
Lot Size
(per unit)
(square feet)
Street Frontage
(feet)
Residential Uses
1
Conversion apartments
20
15
15
10,000
75
2
Continuing care retirement community
See § 245-14.18
3
Long-term-care nursing center and personal care centers
See § 245-14.36
4
Mobile/ manufactured home park
In accordance with § 245-14.40 of this chapter and Upper Allen Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (Chapter 220)
5
Multifamily dwelling
50
50
50
1 acre per develop-ment area and 2,000 square feet per unit
100
6
Single-family, attached (townhouse, max 8 du per building)
20
15 exterior sides
15
2,000
20 interior units; 35 exterior units
7
Single-family, detached
20
15
15
8,000
60
8
Single-family, semidetached
20
15 exterior sides
15
4,000
30
9
Student housing (in a permitted residential unit)
Shall be allowed in a permitted residential unit in accordance with § 245-14.65
10
Two-family detached
20
15
15
4,000
60
Nonresidential Uses
11
Adaptive reuse of federally or locally designated historic building
20
15
15
10,000
75
12
Group day-care homes and older adult living centers
20
15
35
1 acre
100
13
Group homes and family care facilities
20
15
15
10,000
75
14
Group quarters
25
15
15
10,000
75
15
Hospitals
50
50
50
5 acres
200
16
House of worship
50
50
50
2 acres
100
17
Library
50
50
50
2 acres
100
18
Municipal uses and buildings
See § 245-14.51
19
Public parks and recreation areas
25
25
25
1 acre
100
20
Public utility buildings and structures
75
75
75
See § 245-14.52
Accessory Uses
21
Accessory buildings, structures and uses, including timber harvesting
See § 245-16.2 and § 245-16.3
22
Day care, accessory
Setback per primary use - house of worship, etc., as defined under accessory day care
See house of worship, etc. and § 245-14.51
23
Professional and other home occupations, no-impact
To be part of the primary use. See § 245-14.49
C. 
Lot coverage requirements. Not more than 35% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings, and no more than 55% shall be occupied by impervious surface.
D. 
Building height limitations. No principal building or structure shall exceed 35 feet in height; however, this height may be exceeded in accordance with § 245-16.6, Height adjustments, of this chapter. Accessory building or structure heights shall be in accordance with § 245-16.2 herein.
E. 
Buffer and screening requirements. Buffer and screen planting areas and buffer yards shall be provided in accordance with the requirements contained in § 245-16.5, General buffer regulations, herein.

§ 245-5.6 Sign requirements.

Signs shall be permitted in accordance with Article XVIII, Signs, of this chapter.

§ 245-5.7 Off-street parking requirements.

Off-street parking and access requirements shall be provided in accordance with Article XVII, Off-Street Parking and Loading, of this chapter.

§ 245-5.8 Agricultural nuisance disclaimer.

Lands within the Residential Districts are located within an area where land is used for commercial agricultural production. Owners, residents and other users of this property may be subjected to inconvenience, discomfort and the possibility of injury to property and health arising from normal and accepted agricultural practices and operations, including, but not limited to, noise, odors, dust, the operation of machinery of any kind, including aircraft, the storage and disposal of manure, the application of fertilizers and soil amendments. Owners, occupants and users of this property should be prepared to accept such inconveniences, discomfort and possibility of injury from normal agricultural operations and are hereby put on official notice that Section 4 of the Pennsylvania Act 133 of 1982, as amended, otherwise known as the "Right to Farm Law,"[1] may bar them from obtaining legal judgment against such normal agricultural operations used in a prudent manner.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 3 P.S. § 951 et seq.