West Lebanon Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 10
SUPPLEMENTARY DISTRICT REGULATIONS
§ 27-1001 Visibility at Intersections.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.1]
1.
On a corner lot in any district, a clear sight triangle shall be provided at all street and alley intersections. Within such triangles, no vision-obstructing object other than utility poles shall be permitted which obscures vision above the height of 30 inches and below 10 feet measured from the center-line grade of intersecting streets. Such triangles shall be established from a distance of:
§ 27-1002 Fences, Walls, and Hedges.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.2; as amended by Ord. 454, 9/2/2008]
Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, fences, walls, and hedges may be permitted in any required yard, or along the edge of any yard, provided that no fence, wall, or hedge along the sides or front edge of any front yard shall be over 36 inches in height. Fences in side or rear yards may be six feet or more in height, provided that any fence or wall in the side or rear yard exceeding six feet in height shall contain openings therein equal to 50% of that portion of wall or fence exceeding six feet.
§ 27-1003 Accessory Buildings.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.3]
For all uses permitted in the Residential District, no separate accessory building shall be permitted in any required front yard. In side and rear yards, they shall be permitted up to the edge of any lot line, except where abutting a public street or alley. In such case, a garage shall be no less than 10 feet from the right-of-way of said street or alley and any other accessory building shall be no less than three feet from the right-of-way of said street or alley.
§ 27-1004 Erection of More Than One Principal Structure on a Lot.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.4]
In any district, more than one structure housing a permitted or permissible principal use may be erected on a single lot, provided that yard and other requirements of this chapter shall be met for each structure as though it were on an individual lot.
§ 27-1005 Exception to Height Regulations.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.5]
The height limitations contained in the schedule of district regulations or in the height and area regulations do not apply to spires, belfries, cupolas, antennas, water tanks, ventilators, chimneys, or other appurtenances usually required to be placed above the roof level and not intended for human occupancy.
§ 27-1006 Structure to Have Access.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.6]
Every building hereafter erected or moved shall be on a lot adjacent to a public street, or with access to an approved private street, and all structures shall be so located on lots as to provide safe and convenient access for servicing, fire protection, and required off-street parking.
§ 27-1007 Parking, Storage, or Use of Major Recreational Equipment.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.7]
1.
For purposes of these regulations, "major recreational equipment" is defined as including boats and boat trailers, travel trailers, pick-up campers or coaches (designed to be mounted on automotive vehicles), tractor-trailer rigs, motorized dwellings, tent trailers, and the like, and cases or boxes used for transporting recreational equipment, whether occupied by such equipment or not. Major recreational equipment may be parked or stored on any property in a commercial or industrial district subject to the yard requirements of the off-street parking regulations. They may also be parked in residential districts subject to the following regulations:
A.
No major recreational equipment shall be parked or stored on any lot in a residential district except in a carport or enclosed building or in a rear yard.
B.
No such recreational equipment shall be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes when parked or stored on a residential lot, or in any location not approved for such use.
C.
Equipment may not be parked or stored in front yards or within a public right-of-way.
D.
If located in a rear yard they must be no closer than five feet to a property line.
E.
Recreational equipment may be parked anywhere on residential premises for a period not to exceed 24 hours during loading and unloading operations.
§ 27-1008 Parking and Storage of Certain Vehicles.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.8; as amended by Ord. 403, 6/3/2002; and by Ord. 404, 8/5/2002]
1.
Automotive vehicles or trailers of any kind without current license plates, registration, and inspection shall not be parked or stored on any property (or public streets contained therein) and no vehicle at any time shall be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair or in the process of being stripped or dismantled other than in completely enclosed buildings, except on those premises where such storage is absolutely necessary to the operation of a business such as that of an automobile dealer.
2.
Penalty. Violators of this section shall receive a citation from the Township Zoning Officer or a Commissioner requiring the removal of the offending vehicle within 30 days of the date of the citation. Following the expiration of 30 days, if the offending vehicle is not removed, a violator shall be fined $500 per day for each day that the offending vehicle is not removed.
§ 27-1009 Front Yard Exceptions.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.9]
When an unimproved lot is situated between two improved lots with front yard dimensions more or less than those required for the district, the front yard required shall be increased or decreased, as the case may be, to a depth equal to the average of the two front yards of the adjoining lots.
§ 27-1010 Corner Lot Restriction.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.10]
On every corner lot, there shall be provided on the side street a side yard equal in depth to the required front yard of all other properties along said side street, unless such lot is bounded by a public thoroughfare or private road which is less than 20 feet in width (right-of-way). In those cases, then, those requirements indicated for interior lots shall apply.
§ 27-1011 Lot Area and Lot Width for Lots Not Served With Public Water and/or Sanitary Sewers.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.11]
Where a lot is not served by a public water supply and/or sanitary sewer system and state or other local laws or ordinances in force require a higher standard for lot area or lot width than this chapter, the more restrictive regulations of such ordinances or laws shall apply.
§ 27-1012 Projections Into Yards.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.12]
1.
The following projections shall be permitted into required yards and shall not be considered in the determination of yard size or lot coverage:
A.
Terraces or patios, provided that such terraces or patios are not under roof or otherwise enclosed and are not closer than three feet to any adjacent property line.
B.
Projecting architectural features-bay windows, cornices, eaves, fireplaces, chimneys, windowsills, or other architectural features-provided they do not extend more than five feet into any required yard nor closer than three feet to any adjacent property line.
C.
Uncovered stairs and landings.
D.
Open balconies or fire escapes provided such balconies or fire escapes are not supported on the ground and do not project more than five feet into any required yard nor closer than three feet to any adjacent property line.
§ 27-1013 Accessory Uses.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.13]
1.
Private, non-commercial swimming pools which are designed to contain a water depth of 24 inches or more must be located in a rear or side yard only. Such pools shall be not less than 10 feet from side and rear property lines, with a continuous impenetrable fence not less than four feet in height above the ground level.
2.
Private tennis courts shall be permitted within side or rear yards provided that such facilities shall not be less than 10 feet from side or rear property lines.
3.
Patios, paved terraces, or open porches that are not under roof or otherwise enclosed shall be permitted in all yards provided that no impermeable surface shall be within three feet of any property line.
4.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit other uses not mentioned so long as they are clearly accessory to the principal permitted use of the land and do not create a threat to the public health, safety, and/or welfare of the community.
§ 27-1014 Municipal Uses.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.14]
In any district, a building may be erected, altered, or extended and land may be developed which is arranged, intended or designed for municipal uses, including municipal recreation uses.
§ 27-1015 Public Utilities Exempt.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.15]
The regulations of this chapter shall not apply to any existing or proposed building, or extension thereof, used or to be used by a public utility corporation, if, upon petition of the corporation the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission shall, after a public hearing, decide that the present or proposed situation of the building in question is reasonably necessary for the convenience or welfare of the public.
§ 27-1016 Home Occupation Regulations.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.16]
1.
In any district, any occupation that is in the nature of a service rather than of the selling of a commodity or commodities may be conducted by a member of the immediate family owning and residing on the premises, in portions of a dwelling for a home occupation; provided, that the following conditions are met and a permit is issued by the Zoning Officer:
A.
Such occupation shall be clearly incidental or secondary to the use of the property as a residence and the use of the dwelling shall not change the character thereof or show any exterior evidence of such secondary use other than one small nameplate as provided in Part 12, "Signs and Advertising Structures."
B.
Home occupations shall be limited to the employment of the principal operator.
C.
The home occupation shall be conducted wholly within the dwelling and shall not occupy more than 25% of the area of the first floor of the dwelling nor more than 500 square feet.
D.
All parking shall be off-street and two off-street spaces shall be provided in addition to that required of the residence unit.
E.
Any home occupation which may create objectionable noise, fumes, odor, dust, electrical interference, or more than normal residential traffic shall be prohibited.
§ 27-1017 Exceptions to Minimum Lot Sizes.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.17]
In view of recent amendments to the Pennsylvania Sewerage Facilities Act (Act 537), 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq., minimum lot sizes for on-lot sewage disposal shall be one acre unless the proposed development falls within an area encompassed by the official sewer plan of West Lebanon Township. If the proposed development is included within the sewer plan or the sewer plan is amended by the Township Commissioners to include said development, the lot sizes listed in the district regulations shall apply.
§ 27-1018 Gasoline Pumps and All Other Service Equipment.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976, Art. X, § 10.18]
Gasoline pumps and all other service equipment shall be set back not less than 25 feet from any lot line and/or street right-of-way and located so that vehicles stopped for service will not extend over the property line.
§ 27-1019 Adult Book Stores, Adult Theaters.
[Ord. 281, 1/5/1976; as added by Ord. 388, 3/6/2000, § 51-5; and as amended by Ord. 454, 9/2/2008]
1. ADULT BOOK STORE ADULT THEATER PURPOSE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT ACTIVITIES SPECIFIC HUMAN ANATOMY
Definition and Purpose.
A commercial operation with a significant portion of its goods, inventory, or merchandise consisting of books, magazines, photographs, videotapes, CD ROM's and/or other materials which are characterized by their emphasis on "sexually explicit activities" (as defined below) or the depiction of "specific human anatomy" (as defined below) or a commercial operation with a portion of its goods, inventory, and product dedicated to the sale of such materials.
A commercial operation that provides for its patrons motion pictures or other video productions, topless or completely nude dancers, strippers, simulated sex acts, actual sex acts or similar entertainment depicting or relating to "sexually explicit activities" or depicting or relating to "specific human anatomy."
It is the intention of the West Lebanon Township Board of Commissioners to prevent the deterioration and decay of residential neighborhoods which follows the introduction of adult book stores and adult theaters into such residential neighborhoods. The Board also seeks to protect school children from exposure to such materials and provide appropriate protections for churches as such materials may be offensive to church congregations.
2.
Prohibition in Residential Zone. It shall be unlawful to establish an adult book store or adult theater in any location zoned for residential purposes.
3.
One Thousand Foot Separation Required. It shall be unlawful to establish and adult book store or adult theater at any location within 1,000 lineal feet of any school, church or any location zoned for residential purposes or within 1,000 lineal feet of any existing adult bookstore or adult theater.
4.
Special Exception. The Zoning Hearing Board of West Lebanon Township may authorize the establishment of an adult book store or adult theater by allowance of a special exception pursuant to the procedure set forth in, § 27-1502, "Special Exceptions; Conditions Governing Application; Procedures."
5.
Penalty for Violation. Any person or persons, corporation or other business entity found to be in violation of this Part shall upon conviction thereof by the appropriate magisterial district judge be sentenced to pay a fine not to exceed $300 for each day the establishment operates in violation of this Part.
§ 27-1020 Transient Rentals.
[Ord. 517, 6/3/2019]
1. TRANSIENT RENTAL
Definitions.
A short-term (less than 30 days) rental agreement between a property owner and a tenant. Examples include, but are not limited to, hotels, Airbnb-type rentals and similar uses.
2.
Prohibition. Transient rentals are prohibited within all zoning districts of West Lebanon Township.