Zoneomics Logo
search icon

Washington Township Franklin County
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE X

R-2 Medium-Density Residential District

§ 360-69 Purpose.

The purpose of an R-2 Medium-Density Residential District is to provide standards for certain residential types and to provide for the safety, health, and welfare of the community by applying density control while excluding uses not compatible with residential uses.

§ 360-70 Permitted uses.

A. 
Single-family detached dwellings.
B. 
Two-family detached dwellings, provided the lot area is 25% larger than the minimum required for single-family detached dwellings and in compliance with the yard and setback requirements for single-family detached dwellings.
C. 
Single-family semidetached dwellings (duplex).
D. 
Townhouse dwellings not exceeding three stories in height or six dwellings per structure.
E. 
Multifamily dwellings, apartment buildings not exceeding three stories in height and 12 dwelling units per structure.
[Amended 3-21-2016 by Ord. No. 254]
F. 
Conversion apartments, conversions of existing single-family detached dwellings to two-family dwellings, provided each unit has two points of entrance/exit and a minimum of two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit. Conversions of existing single-family detached dwellings to three or more family dwellings, provided that each dwelling unit has two points of entrance/exit and a minimum of two off-street parking spaces per dwelling. The minimum lot area shall be determined by the applicable single-family detached dwelling lot size required in this section for the first dwelling unit and additionally 3,000 square feet for each subsequent dwelling unit. Setback requirements shall comply with the applicable provisions of this chapter for single-family detached dwellings. In the event of any conversion project which is subject to approval of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, such approval must be obtained prior to the issuance of the Township land use permit.
G. 
Parks, playgrounds, and recreation areas when owned or operated by the municipality.
H. 
Federal, state, and local municipal buildings and uses, essential services, and essential municipal services facility.
I. 
Signs when erected and maintained in accordance with the applicable provisions of Article V, Signs, of this chapter.
J. 
Planned residential developments on tracts in excess of 20 acres in accordance with the provisions of this chapter regarding such developments.
K. 
Accessory buildings and uses on the same lot with and customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses and which may include a home occupation.

§ 360-71 Conditional uses.

A. 
Neighborhood outdoor recreational facilities and organizations when not operated for gain or profit.
B. 
Public utility facilities.
C. 
Public, private and parochial schools, and day-care centers for the educational needs of the community, provided all outside active play areas are screened from adjacent residential properties.
D. 
Churches or similar places of worship, including parish houses and parsonages.
E. 
Boarding, lodging or rooming houses.
F. 
In-home day care in single-family semidetached (duplex) and single-family attached (townhouse) dwellings, provided that the following precursory conditions have been met:
[Added 1-17-2011 by Ord. No. 231]
(1) 
Written consent of all adjacent and adjoining property owners and/or tenants and, in the case of single-family attached (townhouse) dwellings, written consent from the property owners of each dwelling unit in that section of townhouses which share a common wall with one another.
(2) 
The conditional use applicant shall be the owner of the property in which the in-home day care shall be provided. If the applicant is not the property owner, they must provide written consent of the property owner.
(3) 
All state required regulations are met.

§ 360-72 Minimum area and density requirements.

A. 
All buildings including accessory buildings shall not cover more than 30% of the area of the lot.
B. 
Minimum required for all uses not otherwise listed:
(1) 
Table of minimums.
On-Lot Water and Sewer
On-Lot Sewer
On-Lot Water
Public Water and Sewer
Lot area
40,000 square feet
40,000 square feet
15,000 square feet
8,000 square feet
Lot width
150 feet
100 feet
80 feet
80 feet
Lot depth
180 feet
150 feet
120 feet
100 feet
Front yard
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
Side yard (each)
15 feet
15 feet
10 feet
10 feet
Rear yard
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
Height (maximum)
40 feet
40 feet
40 feet
40 feet
Off-street parking per dwelling unit
2
2
2
2
Building width
20 feet
20 feet
20 feet
20 feet
(2) 
When on-lot sewer facilities are to be utilized, the minimum lot size may be increased by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer or the Department of Environmental Protection for factors relating to health and sanitation.
C. 
Single-family semidetached dwelling unit (duplex): minimum required for each dwelling unit.
(1) 
Table of minimums.
[Amended 7-6-2011 by Ord. No. 234]
On-Lot Water and Sewer
On-Lot Sewer
On-Lot Water
Public Water and Sewer
Lot area
30,000 square feet
30,000 square feet
10,000 square feet
3,750 square feet
Lot width
125 feet
125 feet
60 feet
30 feet
Lot depth
156 feet
156 feet
100 feet
100 feet
Front yard
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
Each side yard
15 feet
15 feet
10 feet
10 feet
Rear yard
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
Height (maximum)
40 feet
40 feet
40 feet
40 feet
Off-street parking per dwelling unit
2
2
2
2
Building width
16 feet
16 feet
16 feet
16 feet
(2) 
When on-lot sewer facilities are to be utilized, the minimum lot size may be increased by the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer or the Department of Environmental Protection for factors relating to health and sanitation.
D. 
Townhouse dwelling unit: minimum required for each dwelling unit.
(1) 
Each townhouse residential project shall contain a minimum of 50,000 square feet of lot area.
(a) 
Minimum development standards per dwelling unit:
[1] 
Lot area: 2,500 square feet.
[2] 
Interior lot width: 20 feet.
[3] 
Front yard: 30 feet.
[4] 
Side yard for end units: 20 feet.
[5] 
Rear yard: 30 feet.
[6] 
Off-street parking: 20 spaces.
[7] 
Height (maximum): 40 feet.
[8] 
Active play area: 100 square feet.
[9] 
Minimum distance between groups of units: 40 feet.
(2) 
No less than three and no more than six dwellings shall be permitted in a unit or group.
(3) 
Public water supply and sewerage shall be provided.
(4) 
Active play area shall be furnished in townhouse development projects containing 14 or more dwelling units. Such area shall not be less than 2,500 square feet in land area, nor less than 50 feet in its smallest dimension. For each dwelling unit above the minimum number prescribed heretofore, an additional 100 square feet per dwelling unit shall be allocated to the total active play area. The Township may accept a donation in lieu of play area when circumstances warrant. Such donations must be used for Township recreation purposes.
(5) 
Where any townhouse project is proposed to be developed in conjunction with multifamily dwellings, the active play area requirements for the multifamily dwellings shall be designed for and made accessible to all residents. The Board of Supervisors reserves the right to increase the active play area requirements upon recommendation of the Planning Committee when, in its opinion, additional area is necessary to accommodate the needs of the mixed-use development in accordance with the spirit and objectives of this chapter.
[Amended 12-16-2019 by Ord. No. 271]
(6) 
Interior yards and/or structural spacing between dwellings and units shall be provided in accordance with the following minimums:
(a) 
Front to front: 60 feet.
(b) 
Front to side: 40 feet.
(c) 
Front to rear: 60 feet.
(d) 
Side to rear: 40 feet.
(e) 
Side to side: 15 feet.
(f) 
Rear to rear: 50 feet.
(g) 
Corner to corner: 10 feet.
(7) 
Dwelling unit structures shall be located and arranged so as to promote privacy for residents within the development and maintain privacy for residents adjacent to the development. Structures shall be located within the development so that there will be no adverse impact such as excluding natural light or invading the privacy of adjacent structures.
(8) 
There shall be a fifty-foot setback from the property line adjacent to any existing dwelling or residential district.
E. 
Multifamily dwellings: minimum required.
(1) 
Each multiple dwelling residential project shall contain a minimum of 50,000 square feet of lot area in accordance with the following standards.
(a) 
Lot dimensions and setback requirements:
[1] 
Lot width: 150 feet.
[2] 
Lot depth: 150 feet.
[3] 
Each side yard (exterior): 20 feet.
[4] 
Rear yard: 30 feet.
[5] 
Front yard: 30 feet.
[6] 
Off-street parking per dwelling unit: two spaces.
[7] 
Minimum distance between units: 40 feet.
[8] 
Height (maximum): 40 feet.
(b) 
Active play area per dwelling unit:
[1] 
Efficiency: 75 feet.
[2] 
One bedroom: 100 square feet.
[3] 
Two bedroom: 125 square feet.
[4] 
Three or more bedrooms: 150 square feet.
(2) 
The maximum number of dwelling units permitted shall be determined on the basis of 2,000 square feet of lot area exclusive of public rights-of-way for each dwelling unit.
(3) 
The length of any unit shall not exceed 150 feet.
(4) 
Public water supply and sewerage shall be provided.
(5) 
Active play area shall be furnished in multifamily development projects containing 14 or more dwelling units. Such area shall not be less than 2,500 square feet in land area, nor less than 50 feet in its smallest dimension. For each dwelling unit above the minimum number prescribed heretofore, an additional 100 square feet per dwelling unit shall be allocated to the total active play area. The Township may accept a donation in lieu of play area when circumstances warrant. Such donations must be used for Township recreation purposes.
(6) 
Where any multifamily dwelling project is proposed to be developed in conjunction with townhouses, the active play area requirements for the townhouses shall be designed for and made accessible to all the residents. The Board of Supervisors reserves the right to increase the active play area requirements upon recommendation of the Planning Committee when, in its opinion, additional area is necessary to accommodate the needs of the mixed-use development in accordance with the spirit and objectives of this chapter.
[Amended 12-16-2019 by Ord. No. 271]
(7) 
There shall be a one-hundred-foot setback from the property lines adjacent to any existing dwelling or residential district.
(8) 
Interior yards and/or structural spacing between dwellings and units shall be provided in accordance with the following minimums:
(a) 
Front to front: 60 feet.
(b) 
Front to side: 40 feet.
(c) 
Front to rear: 60 feet.
(d) 
Side to rear: 40 feet.
(e) 
Side to side: 15 feet.
(f) 
Rear to rear: 50 feet.
(g) 
Corner to corner: 10 feet.
(9) 
Dwelling unit structures shall be located and arranged so as to promote privacy for residents within the development and maintain privacy for residents adjacent to the development. Structures shall be located within the development so that there will be no adverse impact such as excluding natural light or invading the privacy of adjacent structures.