Upper Moreland Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XX
RC Recreation Conservation District
§ 350-123 Declaration of legislative intent.
RC Recreation Conservation Districts are designed to provide primarily for the special needs of large streams, valleys, wooded and open areas of the Township, and to encourage the preservation of appropriate areas for recreation, conservation, and other open space purposes. Specifically, the intent of the RC Recreation Conservation District is to:
A.
Protect the Township's natural resources, such as stream valleys, floodplains, steep slopes, woodlands, and historic and scenic open sites;
B.
Encourage environmental conservation, floodwater management, groundwater recharge, and other open space conservation purposes;
C.
Provide reasonable regulations for areas within the Township that can be used by residents for recreational uses.
§ 350-124 Uses.
A building may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot may be occupied or used, in whole or in part, for any of the uses permitted, as shown in the Use Matrix,[1] and no other, with uses allowed to be mixed within a building or mixed in separate buildings on a property, provided that such uses shall comply with the district regulations established in this article and all other applicable sections of this chapter. Such uses shall comply with the district regulations established in Article IV, Use Regulations (in the event of a conflict between district and use regulations, the more stringent regulation shall be applicable), and all other applicable sections of this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Table of Uses is included as an attachment to this chapter. See also Art. IV, Use Regulations.
§ 350-125 Conditional use standards.
A.
Use D-4, Health club. A health club is permitted by conditional use under the following conditions:
(1)
A lot area of at least 25 acres;
(2)
Maximum 40% building area coverage;
(3)
Maximum 60% impervious surface coverage;
(4)
Maximum principal building height shall not exceed 55 feet; accessory structures shall not exceed 25 feet;
(5)
Yards:
(a)
There shall be a front yard on each street on which a lot abuts which shall not be less than 100 feet in depth;
(b)
For any building or parking lot there shall be a side yard of 40 feet on each side and a rear yard of 40 feet;
(c)
Provided, however, that driveways, bus parking and trails may be located in the required yards; but driveways shall be no closer than 20 feet to a property line;
(6)
Where grading and development occurs, slopes may not exceed a 33% grade when finished;
(7)
In lieu of the dedicated open space, parks and recreation required under § 350-172, at least five acres of the lot must be maintained as open space, and trails shall be made available to the general public;
(8)
In addition to any required stormwater management, stormwater management measures which offer a measurable benefit to regional stormwater flows shall be provided on the lot or within the vicinity of the lot. Such additional stormwater measures shall not be required to comply with the requirements of Article XXI, Steep Slope Conservation Overlay District;
(9)
Signage for a recreation/fitness use shall not exceed 1/4 of the area of each wall of the building to which the sign is attached, parallel to the wall, and one freestanding sign, which shall not exceed 40 square feet per side for two sides only; and
(10)
A Use D-4, Health club, is required to obtain land development approval under the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, by compliance with the provisions of Chapter 300, unless waived by the Board of Commissioners. A health club use permitted under § 350-124 shall demonstrate its ability to meet its parking requirements at the conditional use hearing and shall provide.
§ 350-126 Area, yard and height regulation.
Except for public parks and recreation areas owned and operated by the Township, or development associated with Use D-7, Recreational facility, as permitted under § 350-124, the following area, yard, and height regulations shall apply to all uses in the RC Recreation Conservation Districts:
Minimum Lot Dimensions | |
Lot area | 5 acres |
Lot width (measured at street line) | 500 feet |
Minimum Yard Dimensions | |
Front | 100 feet |
Side (2) | 40 feet |
Rear | 40 feet |
Coverage | |
Maximum impervious coverage | 15% |
Building | |
Maximum height | 35 feet |
§ 350-127 Development regulations.
A.
Design. It is recommended that all uses and building designs be context sensitive, and compatible with the natural character of the area and conservation intent of the district.
B.
Parking. Adequate on-site all-weather parking shall be provided for the accommodation of all persons customarily using the facilities afforded, such determination to be made by the Board of Commissioners. The approval of the applicant's plan shall in no way limit the privileges of the Board of Commissioners to demand the installation of additional parking facilities subsequent to the recording of said plan in the event the applicant's experience with the use of the premises indicates such additional parking facilities to be reasonably required.
§ 350-128 Special requirements.
In the case of RC Recreation Conservation Districts, as permitted herein, the following specific regulations shall apply in addition to the other applicable regulations of this chapter.
A.
The application for a permit shall be accompanied by a plan, which shall include, among other things, the information required below:
(1)
The boundaries of the area, the nature of the recreational facility, an outline of existing or proposed buildings, the parking area, the means of ingress and egress, the sanitary arrangements, and the provision for surface water drainage.
(2)
The shape and dimensions of all the buildings or structures, together with plans and specifications thereof.
(3)
The appearance, preferably in color, of the buildings or structures on conversion or completion and of any signs to be attached thereto or to be located on the premises.
(4)
The landscaping of the premises.