Upper Dublin Township
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XVII

MHD Mobile Home Development District

§ 255-118. Intent.

[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 4]

In addition to the purpose set forth in § 255-2 of Article I of this chapter, it is hereby declared to be the specific intent of this article with respect to the MHD Mobile Home Development District to establish standards of performance and promote the desirable benefits which planned and other types of may have upon the community and the residents within them. It is further the intent of this article to ensure the interdependency and compatibility of these types of proposed with essential utilities and surrounding land in the Township. It shall further be the intent of this district: [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

A. To reflect the changes in the technology of home and land so that resulting economies may insure to the benefits of those who need homes.

B. To further the general welfare by extending greater opportunities for better housing to all citizens and residents of Upper Dublin Township.

C. To provide for better quality and greater variety in type, design and layout of and other types of , than has been evident in many parks or other residential in the past by enforcing uniform standards, desirable design criteria and encouraging innovative design approaches. [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

D. To provide for a diversity of housing types and prices.

E. To encourage and other types of that are not detrimental to property values and the general welfare of the area in which they are proposed. [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

F. To enable alternative housing types in the form of , compatible in and scale with the MHD and be in close proximity and have direct pedestrian connection to support such as shopping, personal services and dining, that create, in total, a village center environment. [Added 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

§ 255-119. Definitions.

[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 5]

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

COMMON AREA — Any area or space designed for joint of tenants occupying .

COMPACT, PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT — A self contained residential community consisting of , and , or a combination thereof. The shall be designed as a compact, human scaled environment that is pedestrian friendly and it shall provide multiple routes for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. The shall also provide for internal and adequate perimeter buffering from adjacent . [Added 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188; amended 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 22-1375]

DENSITY — The number of or per .

DEVELOPABLE ACRE — All land is defined as except land area located within existing rights-of-way of and utility lines, water bodies, , (as defined in § 255-161 of Article XXII, Floodplain Conservation District) and land area with slopes of 15% or greater. is used in calculations.

DOUBLE-WIDE UNIT — A constructed from two sections delivered separately to the site that, when attached, form on integral unit. [Added 4-16-2002 by Ord. No. 1088]

MOBILE HOME — A single-family intending for permanent occupancy, contained in one unit or in two or more units designed to be joined into one integral unit capable of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation. Further, shall meet Township, state and federal regulations, such as the Building Officials and Code Administrators, Inc. (BOCA) Codes, Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs standards, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, as well as those of the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

MOBILE HOME DEVELOPMENT — A parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned and improved for the placement of for nontransient , consisting of two or more .

MOBILE HOME LOT — A parcel of land in a , constructed with the necessary utility connections, patio and other appurtenances necessary for the erection thereon of a single and for the exclusive of its occupants.

MOBILE HOME STAND — That part of an individual which has been reserved and prepared for the placement of the .

PUBLIC NOTICE — Notice published once each week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. Such notice shall state the time and place of the hearing and the particular nature of the matter to be considered at the hearing. The first publication shall be not more than 30 days nor less than 14 days from the date of the hearing.

SERVICE BUILDING — A containing the management office and other for the . [Added 4-16-2002 by Ord. No. 1088]

SINGLE-WIDE UNIT — A constructed from one section. [Added 4-16-2002 by Ord. No. 1088]

TRACT AREA — Total acreage of the .

§ 255-120. Use regulations.

[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 6]

A. Permitted . Any zoned MHD shall be used exclusively for either a (s) or a . [Amended 11-13- 2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

B. Conditional . The following are permitted as a conditional by the Board of Commissioners in accordance with the provisions of Article XXV:

(1) .

C. .

(1) and customarily incidental to the maintenance, servicing and well-being of residents living in or shall be permitted only as part of an approved plan for the site. [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

(2) on individual , customarily incidental to , such as storage sheds, shall be permitted on the individual , provided that the provisions of § 255-122 and other applicable sections of this chapter are complied with.

(3) Added rooms and other additions may be joined onto a , provided that all requirements of § 255-122 are met.

D. Areas for nonresidential . No part of any or shall be used for nonresidential purposes, except, in a such that are required for the direct servicing, recreation and well-being of the residents and for the management and maintenance of the are permitted. However, nothing in this article shall be deemed as prohibiting the sale or resale of a located on a and connected to the pertinent utilities. [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

§ 255-121. Development requirements.

[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 7]

A. The of land to be developed shall be in one ownership or shall be the subject of an application filed by the owner of the entire , and it shall be agreed that the shall be developed under single direction and in the manner approved. [Amended 4-16-2002 by Ord. No. 1088]

B. Any area to be used as a or a must have a minimum gross area of 10 contiguous acres of land. [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

C. Every area to be used as a or a must be served exclusively by the municipal sanitary waste disposal system and a public water supply system. [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

D. The applicant shall demonstrate to the Board of Commissioners that he has complied with all requirements of Chapter 179 of Title 25, Part I, Subpart D, Article II, of the Rules and Regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources and with all other pertinent regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

E. Any site proposed for a or a shall not be subject to flooding or other adverse environmental influence, such as swamps, marshes, garbage or rubbish disposal areas or other potential breeding places for insects or rodents. [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

F. Any site proposed for a or a shall not be subject to any hazard or nuisance, such as excessive noise, vibration, smoke, toxic matter, radiation, heat, odor or glare. Odor and excessive noise will be determined in accordance with Chapter 158 of this Code. [Amended 5-13- 1997 by Ord. No. 943; 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

G. Any intended for a or a must have direct access to (or a of a higher classification), as defined by this chapter which the Board of Commissioners deems capable of accommodating the transport of units, after approval of the Township Engineer. [Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

H. Plans evidencing provision for safe and efficient ingress and egress to and from the public and highways servicing the district without causing undue confusion or interference with the normal traffic flow shall be submitted to the Board of Commissioners and must be approved by the Township Engineer, who shall make a determination by concerning himself with the adequacy of the thoroughfare to carry the additional traffic generated by the , as well as to the frontage of the proposed district.

I. Any site proposed for a or a shall include area(s) to stockpile snow along any or that ends in a cul-de-sac, court or dead-end. Area(s) shall be provided and shown on the preliminary plan. The Township Engineer shall approve any proposed location(s). [Added 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

J. Because of the unique design elements which will distinguish a from other forms of residential the following design standards shall apply:

(1) Architectural features, such as gables, dormers, shed roofs and porticos, shall be utilized on all .

(2) Entry and garage doors shall be insulated, with raised panels and sidelights or glass inserts.

(3) Windows shall have integrated, detailed mullions and shutters with hardware when these types of architectural feature are employed.

(4) The roof shall be designed with either overhangs eaves, bargeboards or cornices on all sides.

(5) Roof material may include natural slate, shakes, shingle (either wood or asphalt composition), or fiberglass architectural shingles that represent slate or wood.

(6) materials. Exterior walls shall be high quality and include a combination of materials including, for example: architectural or real stone, stucco or brick and wood or vinyl siding. [Amended 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 22-1375]

(7) The following materials are prohibited: exterior insulation and finishing systems (EiFS), aluminum siding, aluminum shutters, T-111 or other similar plywood siding. Metal are also prohibited.

[Added 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188]

§ 255-122. Lot, yard and bulk requirements.

[Amended 4-16-2002 by Ord. No. 1088; 11-13- 2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 8]

A. .

(1) . The total number of in a shall not exceed a maximum of five per acre. All areas not contained in (as defined in § 255-119) shall be excluded from calculations.

(2) Height. No built in a shall exceed a height of one story or a maximum of 22 feet, except those permitted as .

(3) size. in a shall have a minimum size of 4,500 square feet.

(4) width. No individual double-wide shall be less than 50 feet in width at the . No individual single-wide shall be less than 40 feet in width at the . No individual shall be less than 25 feet in width at the of an or the edge of the pavement of a private .

(5) Distance between . shall have side to side separation of not less than 30 feet. shall have rear to rear separation of not less than 20 feet.

(6) Mix of unit types. A minimum of 50% of units shall be .

(7) Setback from boundary. No mobile home or other primary may be located closer than 50 feet from any boundary of a , regardless of whether that boundary abuts a , water body, or other . In the event that a abuts another such , this provision will not apply; however, all other applicable setbacks prescribed herein shall apply.

(8) Setbacks from . No mobile home, other primary or shall be located closer than 25 feet to the of any or to the edge of the cartway of any in a .

(9) setbacks. on individual shall be set back a minimum of five feet from side or rear or lease line and a minimum of 10 feet from any on adjacent .

(10) Side and rear setbacks. No or may be located closer than 10 feet to any rear or lease line or five feet to any side or lease line of an individual ; provided, however, that all minimum requirements of Subsection A(5) of this section must be met.

(11) Unit location on individual . placed on individual are encouraged to utilize the minimal setbacks specified in Subsection A(10) of this section and to be placed off-center on the so as to provide a large usable open space and outdoor living area in one area of the .

(12) Surface area.

(a) . The maximum coverage of any individual by all primary and and shall be no greater than 35%.

(b) . The maximum of any individual or any improved with a park shall not exceed 60%.

(13) . shall be set back a minimum of 24 feet from front , 10 feet from side , and 10 feet from rear property lines, but in no case shall be less than 50 feet from any other . Parking for a shall be provided at a rate of four spaces per 1,000 square feet of floor area. Parking areas for the shall be set back 40 feet from any , 50 feet from site property lines, 25 feet from cartways, and 10 feet from the .

B. .

(1) . The total number of in a shall not exceed a maximum of five per , as defined in § 255-119.

(2) Height. No built in a shall exceed a height of 3 stories or a maximum of 35 feet.

(a) If the architectural style of each unit’s top floor is the same, such as for example, if each unit has a dormered third floor, then no more than two adjoining shall have the same height.

(3) length. No shall exceed 140 feet in length or contain more than 4 individual .

(a) The front facade of any containing three or more individual shall articulate each unit by providing a minimum two foot offset between at least one of the units.

(b) Other alternative designs may be utilized, if approved by the Board of Commissioners as part of a land application, provided the applicant demonstrates that the facade of each unit is visually differentiated in an architecturally significant fashion.

(4) . If residential units are placed on individual , the following standards apply:

(a) for interior , those units in the center of a with 3 or more individual units shall have a minimum size of 3,300 square feet.

(b) for end units, those at either end of a multi-dwelling , shall have a minimum size of 4,400 square feet.

(5) Separation requirements. All primary and accessory shall be separated by the following minimum distances. In no case may one be closer than 20 feet to another .

(a) front to front: 60 feet

(b) front to side: 60 feet

(d) side to rear: 35 feet

(e) rear to rear: 32 feet

(6) setbacks. The shall be 50 feet.

(7) setbacks. No residential shall be located closer than 10 feet to the of an . No residential or accessory shall be located closer than six feet to the cartway of the nearest .

(8) Surface area.

(a) . The total of any developed as a shall be no greater than 25% of the ’s , as defined in this article.

(b) . The maximum of any developed as a shall be no greater than 55% of the , as defined in this article.

§ 255-123. Common areas.

[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 9]

A. .

(1) At least 10% of the site area of the must be in common space other than parking and roadways, including recreation space, space for laundry and storage facilities. Buffer areas may not count toward the minimum common space requirements.

(2) The common space shall be designed as a contiguous area unless the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Board of Commissioners that two or more separate areas would be preferable. The open space shall also have paved pedestrian and visual accessibility to all residents of the .

(3) Recreation areas and facilities shall be provided to meet the anticipated needs of the residents of the . Not less than 5% of the usable site area exclusive of lands within the required setback area shall be devoted to recreation. Recreation areas should be of a size, shape and relief that is conducive to active and passive recreation.

(4) . The or containing the management office and other shall be conveniently located for the intended. Consolidation of laundry, recreation, management and other in a single and location is encouraged, if the single location will adequately serve all .

(5) Maintenance. After the successful completion of the , provision acceptable to the Township Board of Commissioners and Solicitor for the maintenance and/or ownership of the common open space, service and recreational facilities shall be established.

B. .

(1) Open space. A minimum of 25% of the of the shall be preserved as common open space, not a part of any privately owned . The open space shall be an undeveloped , the of which shall be limited to landscaping and the following:

(a) A walking/biking trail that will serve to connect the proposed with adjacent residential communities and other surrounding land . The trail(s) shall comply with current Township standards. The Board of Commissioners may authorize an alternative trail design as a conditional provided the applicant demonstrates the meet or exceed the Township’s standards.

(b) Open space may contain areas within the boundary setbacks, provided it is not improved for vehicular parking or circulation. It may also contain any required utility services and stormwater management facilities, provided the utilities are below ground and the facilities are designed using best management practices, such as, for example, naturalized basins, ponds and/or rain gardens.

(c) Open space shall include, to the greatest extent practical, any existing environmentally sensitive . Such include, but are not limited to, , wetlands, streams, slopes greater than 15%, and areas of mature woodlands.

(d) Recreational area. At least 10% of the open space shall be consolidated in one centrally located area, such as a common green or pocket park, for the residents’ active or passive .

(2) Maintenance and operation of and .

(a) The applicant shall, at the time of preliminary plan submission, provide a plan for maintenance and operation of . Such plan shall:

(i) Define ownership.

(ii) Establish necessary regular and periodic operation and maintenance responsibilities.

(iii) Estimate staffing needs, insurance requirements, and associated costs and define the means for funding on an ongoing basis from year to year. Such funding plan shall include means for funding long-term capital as well as regular yearly operating and maintenance costs.

(iv) At the Township’s discretion, the applicant may be required to escrow sufficient funds for the maintenance and operation costs of for up to one year from the date the residents assume majority control of the .

(b) Failure to maintain; corrective action. In the event that the organization established to maintain , or any successor organization thereto, fails to maintain all or any portion of the in reasonable order and condition, the Township may enter the premises and take corrective action.

(i) The costs of such corrective action may be charged to the property owner or and may include administrative costs and penalties as stipulated in Article XXVI of this chapter. Such costs shall become a lien on said properties. Notice of such lien shall be filed by the Township in the office of the Prothonotary of Montgomery County.

§ 255-124. Access and circulation.

[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 10]

A. Access limitations. No or built as part of a shall have direct access to any existing public .

(1) If garage apron/driveways are served by , the aprons and/or shall be located a minimum of 25 feet from the point where the intersects the nearest . If the is located on a one-way , this requirement shall only apply to that end where vehicles can enter. [Amended 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 22-1375]

B. Pedestrian circulation. All and shall provide safe, convenient, all-season pedestrian access of adequate width for intended , durable and convenient to maintain, between individual residential , and all community facilities provided for the resident.

(1) Sidewalks, with a minimum width of four feet, shall be installed along in . Sidewalks, with a minimum width of six feet, shall be installed along adjacent, existing public .

(a) A grass planting strip for trees, with a minimum width of five feet, shall separate the sidewalks from the adjacent .

(b) A grass planting strip, with a minimum width of four feet, shall separate sidewalks from adjacent public .

C. Vehicular circulation.

(1) Design standards for in shall comply with the standards provided in the Subdivision and Land Development Code, § 212-15, Streets, except as otherwise provided herein. In lieu of the requirements of Chapter 255, Article III, § 255-18, and Chapter 255, § 212-15, individual lots of a proposed may access private without a defined when developed in accidence with the Planned Community Act of Pennsylvania. [Amended 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 22-1375]

(2) Where the design of is such that yield movement conditions are created the applicant shall demonstrate that for each block of more than 100 feet in length there will be at least one break in the on-street parking sufficient for a passenger vehicle to pull out of the path of an approaching vehicle.

(a) Driveway curb cuts, to intersections, fire hydrant “no parking zones” and the like are all acceptable breaks in on-street parking for the purposes of this section.

§ 255-125. Parking.

[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 11]

A. .

(1) Space required. Two paved off-street shall be provided for each either on the same therewith or in common parking facilities, provided that parking areas contained therein are within 150 feet of the for which they are intended.

(2) Required green areas. Ten percent of all common parking areas on each shall be devoted to green areas which must be interspersed within the paved parking areas to channel traffic or divide parking areas. The green areas required by this section shall not constitute a portion of any green area otherwise required by this chapter or any other ordinance or regulation of the Township. The exact design and location of the green areas required by this section shall be disclosed on a or or other similar plan and be permanently maintained as such.

B. .

(1) Space required. A minimum of two off-street shall be provided on each , for each . There shall also be a minimum of 0.5 on-street guest provided for each . Guest spaces shall be within 250 feet of the residential being served.

(2) If are provided and there are places where it is not possible to provide parking for a in a from an , then curb cuts onto may be permitted, provided that the garage door of each affected conforms to one of the design options described below, in order of preference [Amended 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 22-1375]:

(a) The garage is rear entry, such that garage door(s) is on the opposite side of the from the front facade and it is not directly visible from sidewalks along the .

(b) The garage is located behind the rear facade of the . Such garage may be detached from or attached to the , and the garage doors may face any direction.

(d) The garage is front-entry and recessed at least 10 feet from the principal front facade. This rule shall not apply to located on corner .

(e) The garage is side entry, such that garage doors are perpendicular or radial to the or open space which the front facade faces.

(3) Parallel on-street .

(a) Parallel on-street are prohibited on with a cartway width less than 24 feet.

(b) Parallel on-street may be located on one side of an if the cartway width is 24 feet or wider.

(d) Parallel parking stalls shall have a minimum length of 22 feet.

§ 255-126. Buffers.

[Amended 11-13-2007 by Ord. No. 1188, § 12; amended 5-10-2022 by Ord. No. 22-1375]

A. .

(1) Supplementing the landscaping provisions of Chapter 212, a permanent buffer shall be maintained along all exterior property boundary lines, other than those adjacent to a , designed to provide screening between the and its abutting . The depth of the buffer shall be 40 feet where the boundary line abuts another , a commercial district or an industrial district. In all other cases the depth of the buffer shall be 50 feet.

(2) The primary component of this buffer screen shall be a row of evergreen trees, at a height of not less than six feet when planted, spaced not more than eight feet apart on- center, and these trees shall be of such species as to attain a height at maturity of not less than 20 feet. The buffer must also include an opaque fence six feet in height. The of mounding is also encouraged, provided that the slopes shall be a maximum of 3:1. Along all property boundaries which abut a public , the of a single row of deciduous trees with a spacing of not more than 40 feet on-center shall be placed at the edge of the , subject to the approval of the Shade Tree Commission.

(3) In cases where an edge(s) of a borders which function as buffers, including but not limited to mature woodland, severe grade changes or stream valleys, buffering may not be required along that edge(s) if approved as a conditional by the Board of Commissioners.