The A-2 Rural Conservation District is intended to complement to the Agricultural Conservation District. It is established as a means of preserving the integrity of the Agricultural Conservation area where farming activity is viewed as the primary and permanent use to be encouraged during the planning period.

This zoning district, while encompassing many active farms, is designed to serve as a buffer area between the more intensively developed residential districts and the Agricultural Conservation District. The lot sizes and uses allowed within this district are intended to accommodate the demand for rural residences while also recognizing that farming activity will remain a major use in the area. Within this area it is expected that the majority of persons desiring to reside in a rural setting on one to ten acres of land will be accommodated without negatively impacting the Township's most desirable and productive farmland.

The characteristics utilized in establishing the general boundaries and extent of the rural conservation district includes soils that are generally unsuitable to support intensive development due to severe septic system limitations, large areas of farm land and open space and a mixture of parcel sizes and soils that make the majority of the area suitable for farming but not to the same extent as the majority of the areas included in the agricultural conservation district.

The primary objectives of this District are:

1. To provide a buffer between the more exclusive agricultural conservation district and the areas intended to accommodate more intensive development.
2. To preserve woodlands and wetlands which are useful as water retention and ground water discharge areas and which have important aesthetic and scenic value.
3. To encourage the continued use of valuable farm land while accommodating rural estate types of residential development and to accommodate a wide variety of non-farm uses that require large land areas.
4. To provide a "land bank" for areas of land that could be allowed to develop more intensively when the Township determines that more intensive development is appropriate and when the necessary public facilities and infrastructure is in place to support it.

Land in this District may be used for the following permitted uses: (Amended Ord. 2003-1, Adopted 5/1/03, Effective 5/20/03)

1. Commercial Agriculture
2. Game and Wildlife Preserves
3. Dairy Farms
4. Single Family Non-Farm Dwellings
5. Nature Preserves
6. Farm Buildings
7. Greenhouses, Nurseries, Orchards, Blueberries and Vineyards
8. Apiaries, Hatcheries
9. Roadside Market Stands as defined in Section 3.32
10. Essential Service utilities, poles and fixtures
11. Private Stables and Commercial Boarding, Breeding and Animal Training Stables not involving riding or riding or training lessons
12. Uses Customarily Accessory to Farm Operations
13. Uses Customarily Accessory to Non-Farm Dwellings
14. Cemeteries, Public and Private
15. Real Estate Signs, Name Plate Signs, Identifying Signs
16. The conversion of existing older single family dwellings for two (2) family purposes. Older shall be defined as dwelling units totally constructed prior to 1950, and which exceed fifteen hundred (1,500) square feet of usable floor area
17. Home Occupations, Type I (Ref. Section 22.15)
18. Day Care - Family and Group Homes
19. Religious Institutions and Places of Religious Assembly subject to the following standards.
    1. Facilities shall be located on a lot or parcel of land having a minimum area of five (5) acres and a minimum lot width of three hundred (300) feet as measured at the front property line. (Amended Ord. 2007-3Z, effective 10-23-07)
    2. There shall be side and rear yard building setbacks of at least fifty (50) feet and a front yard setback of at least one hundred (100) feet.
    3. All parking areas shall be setback at least ten (10) feet from each front, side and rear property line.
    4. The provisions of Chapter 18 "Parking and Loading" and Chapter 16 "Signs" shall apply.
    5. Site plan review and approval under the procedures and standards of Chapter 14 is required.
20. Open Space Preservation Projects as regulated under Chapter 12
21. Public Schools
22. Mobile Homes for Temporary Accessory Dwellings in accordance with Section 15.04 q. (Amended Ord # 06012017-Adopted 6/1/2017-Effective 6/16/2017)

No building or structure shall exceed thirty-five (35) feet in height or two and one half (2-1/2) stories. All other buildings and structures shall not exceed their usual and customary heights.

No building, lot or structure, nor any enlargement thereof, shall be hereafter erected (or created) except in conformance with the following yard, lot area, and building coverage requirements.

1. Front Yard. The minimum required front yard building setback shall be 50 feet. Buildings and structures existing at the date of adoption of this Ordinance amendment which have a front yard building setback of less than 50 feet shall be permitted to expand provided such expansion is no closer to the street right of way line than the existing building or structures. Corner lots and double frontage lots shall comply with the front yard requirements of each street (ref. Section 22.11). (Amended Ord. 2023, effective 11-18-24)
2. Side Yard. There shall be a total side yard of not less than twenty (20) feet; provided however, that no yard shall be less than seven (7) feet.
3. Rear Yard. There shall be a rear yard of not less than twenty-five (25) feet; provided, however, that in the case of lakefront lots, the rear yard shall be not less than fifty (50) feet.
4. Lot Area. Unless a lot is an existing legal lot of record created prior to October 23, 2007 the minimum lot area for all uses created in this district shall be five acres (217,800 square feet) excluding area devoted to street right of way. (Amended Ord. 2007-3Z, effective 10-23-07)
   1. Road Frontage Parcels. Parcels with less than 5 acres (217,800 square feet) of area may be created, provided that they meet the following requirements:
      1. The parent parcel must be at least 5 acres in area.
      2. The parcel in question shall be no less than 1 acre in area.
      3. The parcel in question shall have at least 100 feet of frontage on a public roadway.
      4. The number of lots allowable under this section shall be based on the area of the parent parcel., as described in Section 6.09.
5. Lot Width. All lots shall have a minimum width of three hundred (300) feet as measured at the point of building setback, except as described in Section 6.04.4.1.The minimum lot width required at the street frontage of a cul-de-sac or curvilinear street shall be seventy-five (75) feet. The required lot width shall abut a public road or street. (Amended Ord. 2023, effective 11-18-24)
6. Existing Lots of Record. Any lot classified as a legal conforming lot of record prior to (the effective date) shall continue to be classified as a legal conforming lot of record even though its lot area, lot width and/or street frontage does not comply with the above lot area, lot width and street frontage requirements. (Amended Ord. 2007-3Z, effective 10-23-07)
   
   (Editor's note: Lots of record are considered conforming in lot area if the minimum lot area for lots a created between the above effective date and May 23, 2000 is 43,560 square feet excluding area dedicated to public and private street right-of-way. The minimum required lot area for lots created between May 23, 2000 and March 21, 1991 must be at least 43,560 square feet including area dedicated to public or private street right-of-way. Lots created prior to March 21, 1991 are considered conforming if they contain a minimum lot area of 15,000 square feet, excluding area dedicated to public or private street right-of-way. From a lot width standpoint, any lot created prior to May 23, 2003 having a lot width of at least 100 feet and lot frontage that is at least 50 feet, is considered conforming.)
7. Driveways. Driveways serving a lot shall be at least eight (80) feet from the intersection of two or more roads.
8. RoadsPrivate . Private Roads shall be subject to the standards of Chapter 20.

Single family dwelling units in the "A-2" District shall have a minimum of nine hundred sixty (960) square feet of usable floor area. (Amended Ord. 2003-1, Adopted 5/1/03, Effective 5/20/03)

The following uses may be permitted as special land uses when approval is obtained from the Planning Commission. Such uses are subject to the provisions of Chapter 15 and all general and specific standards contained or referenced therein: (Amended Ord. 2003-1, Adopted 5/1/03, Effective 5/20/03)

1. Agricultural Service Establishments such as feed and fertilizer sales, farm equipment sales and services
2. Agricultural Labor Housing
3. Commercial Stables that include riding and/or riding lessons
4. Home Occupations, Type II (Ref. Section 22.15)
5. Towers and Communications Facilities subject to Chapters 15 and 21
6. Kennels (5 or more animals)
7. Animal Hospitals and Veterinary Clinics
8. Mineral Extraction, Sand, Gravel and Soil Removal And Processing subject to Chapters 15 and 17.
9. Two Family/Duplex Dwellings
10. Archery and fire arm practice ranges, outdoor
11. Libraries, museums, art galleries, community centers and similar uses, when operated by a governmental agency or non-profit organization
12. Private Schools, Non-Profit
13. Post Office, Governmental, Administration or Service Buildings when operated by a governmental agency or a non-profit organization
14. Campgrounds, recreation vehicle and travel trailer parks, public and private
15. Sawmills
16. Tack Shops
17. Self-storage, mini-storage facilities
18. Contractors Yards, Equipment Storage Yards
19. Towers and Communications Facilities, subject to Chapters 15 and 21
20. Essential Service Structures such as telephone exchange and/or repeater buildings, electrical sub-stations, gas regulator stations and buildings, subject to the provisions of Section 22.04
21. Public or private outdoor recreation uses such as parks, playgrounds, golf courses, athletic fields and educational, recreational or religious camps and retreats used for educational, recreational or religious purposes, including dormitory housing
22. Private Roads subject to Chapters 15 and 20
23. Airports and Landing Fields
24. Conservation Subdivision Planned Unit Developments subject to the additional provisions of Chapter 28. (Amended Ord. 2007-3Z, effective 10-23-07)
25. Mobile homes for Temporary Accessory Dwellings in accordance with Section 15.04 q. (Ordinance # 06012017 - Adopted 6/1/2017 - Effective 6/16/2017)

1. The number of parcels, lots or building sites created to support building development within the A-2 District shall be limited. Except as indicated below the maximum number created from or within any parent parcel or parent tract shall be less than or equal to the same number permitted under Section 108 of the State Land Division Act, PA 288 of 1967 as amended. This limitation extends to platted subdivision lots created under the State Land Division Act as well as lots or building sites created under the State Condominium Act (Act 59 of 1978). For the purpose of this ordinance, the parcels or building sites that are permitted shall be those which, together with any previous divisions of the same parent parcel or parent tract subsequent to March 31, 1997, result in a number of parcels or building sites no greater than the sum of the following, as applicable: (Amended Ord. 2007-3Z, effective 10-23-07)
   1. Two (2) lots or parcels for the first 10 acres or fraction thereof in the parent parcel or parent tract, plus; (Amended Ord. 2007-3Z, effective 10-23-07)
      1. One (1) additional lot or parcel for each whole 10 acres in excess of the first 10 acres in the parent parcel or parent tract, for up to a maximum of eleven (11) additional parcels.