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Washington Township Lehigh County
City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XI

R-3 Medium-Density Manufactured Home Residential District

§ 360-73 Purpose.

[Amended 12-21-2020 by Ord. No. 280]
The purpose of an R-3 Medium-Density Manufactured Home 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.

§ 360-74 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 two stories in height and eight dwelling units per structure.
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 unit. 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 Township land use permit.
G. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection G, Individual independent mobile homes, was repealed 12-21-2020 by Ord. No. 280.
H. 
Parks, playgrounds, and recreation areas when owned by the municipality.
I. 
Federal, state, and local municipal buildings and uses, essential services and essential municipal services facility.
J. 
Signs when erected and maintained in accordance with the applicable provisions of Article V, Signs, of this chapter.
K. 
Planned residential developments on tracts in excess of 20 acres in accordance with the provisions of this chapter regarding such developments.
L. 
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.
M. 
The keeping of chickens, ducks, and/or other poultry, subject to the following regulations:
[Added 3-21-2016 by Ord. No. 255; amended 8-17-2020 by Ord. No. 276]
(1) 
The minimum lot size of any property where chickens, ducks, and other poultry may be kept shall be 40,000 square feet.
(2) 
No male chickens (roosters) shall be permitted.
(3) 
No more than eight total birds shall be permitted, per property.
(4) 
The keeping of chickens, ducks, and other poultry shall be an accessory use on the same lot with and customarily incidental to the primary use as a residence.
(5) 
All items and materials produced, including eggs, offspring, or compost containing manure, shall be solely for the use of the persons residing on the property and shall not be offered for sale or sold.
(6) 
Housing for chickens, ducks, and/or other poultry:
(a) 
Chickens shall be housed at all times in a chicken coop which has access to a chicken pen. During non-daylight hours, chickens shall be secured in the chicken coop.
(b) 
Ducks and/or other nonchicken poultry shall be housed in such a manner as to prevent them from leaving the property.
(c) 
New structures and alterations to existing accessory structures for the purpose of use as housing for chickens, ducks, and/or other poultry shall be subject to land use permit requirements as per § 360- 120.
(d) 
Housing for chickens, ducks, and/or other poultry (including chicken coops and chicken pens) shall be located at a minimum of 50 feet from any side or rear property line and shall not be located within any front yard.
(e) 
No more than one structure for housing ducks and/or other poultry, or one chicken coop and one chicken pen, shall be kept on any property.
(7) 
Manure shall be removed from the housing for chickens, ducks, and/or other poultry in a timely manner and disposed of by appropriate methods, including composting.

§ 360-75 Conditional uses.

A. 
Public utility facilities.
B. 
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.
C. 
Churches or similar places of worship including parish houses and parsonages.
D. 
Boarding, lodging or rooming houses.
E. 
Manufactured home parks on tracts of land in excess of three acres in size served by public water and sewer, in accordance with the requirements of Article XII of this chapter and Chapter 310, Subdivision and Land Development.
[Amended 12-21-2020 by Ord. No. 280]
F. 
Neighborhood outdoor recreational facilities and organizations when not operated for gain or profit.
G. 
In-home day care in single-family detached dwellings.
[Added 1-17-2011 by Ord. No. 231]
H. 
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 adjoining property owners 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) 
All state required regulations are met.

§ 360-76 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
(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.
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
7,500 square feet
Lot width
125 feet
125 feet
60 feet
50 feet
Lot depth
156 feet
156 feet
100 feet
100 feet
Front yard
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
30 feet
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
(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: two spaces.
[7] 
Height (maximum): 40 feet.
[8] 
Active play area: 100 square feet.
[9] 
Minimum distance between groups or 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 donation 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 the residents. The Board of Supervisors reserve the right to increase the active play area requirements upon recommendation of the Planning Commission 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.
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) 
Measurements and parking.
[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 donation 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.
(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.