West Vincent Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE X
BV Birchrunville Village District
§ 390-47 Purpose.
A.
In addition to the general goals listed in the statements of § 390-3, Purpose, and § 390-4, Community development objectives, it is the purpose of this district to provide for the orderly development of those uses compatible with the village character of Birchrunville; to encourage landscape and architectural innovation that will ensure that the establishment of uses in the BV Birchrunville Village District will be harmonious with the character of the surroundings; and to discourage locally generated automobile trips and encourage nonvehicular travel.
B.
This purpose is to be achieved by employing the following techniques, as permitted by Section 605 of Act 247,[1] the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, to ensure that proposed designs for in-fill development and development on the fringe of the Village is compatible with the planning goals for this area.
(1)
Encourage a compact form of development by allowing lot design alternatives, as permitted by Sections 503(5) and 603(c)(5) of Act 247,[2] which permit the concentration of land use on certain portions of the tract while leaving other portions open so as to promote designs compatible with the Village.
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. §§ 10503(5) and 10603(c)(5).
(4)
Establish a viable network of greenway land areas that complement the land use pattern of the Village and promote pedestrian circulation to reinforce the community character and decrease reliance on the automobile. These greenway land components should link the Village with surrounding areas, including existing recreational facilities, and correspond to the recommendations of the Township Open Space and Recreation Plan.
(5)
Define landscaping, circulation, parking, signage and community facility/services standards that are unique to the village setting and are compatible with its particular design requirements.
(8)
Provide opportunities for the creation of a variety of residential dwelling types and a limited mix of nonresidential uses in keeping with the character, scale, and architecture of the traditional village setting, in accordance with Section 604(5) of Act 247.[7]
[7]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10604(5).
(9)
Allow for the conversion of land uses in the village setting in a manner that identifies the potential impacts and opportunities, ensures compliance with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, and promotes innovative designs that are compatible with and contribute to the village character, as permitted by Sections 603(c)(5) and 603(c)(6) of Act 247.[8]
[8]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10603(c)(5) and (6).
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10605.
C.
In the BV Birchrunville Village District, the following regulations shall apply.
§ 390-48 Use regulations.
A.
Uses by right. A building may be erected, altered or used, and a lot or premises may be used by right for any one of the following uses and no other:
(1)
Single-family detached dwelling.
(2)
Single-family residence as part of a commercial use within the same building, as long as it is occupied by the owner or operator of the business. Such use shall comply with the applicable provisions of § 390-144E of this chapter.
(3)
Woodland preserve, game preserve, wildlife sanctuary or other conservation use.
(4)
Low-intensity recreation use area.
(5)
Municipal building or use.
(6)
Bed-and-breakfast, provided that:
(a)
One improved off-street parking space per guest room shall be provided;
(b)
The building shall be occupied by the owner and operator of the bed-and-breakfast;
(c)
The principal building on the lot shall be a historic resource and shall be an integral component of the bed-and-breakfast; and
(d)
Non-host bed-and-breakfast uses shall be permitted on properties not containing a historic resource, provided that the rental period shall not exceed 15 consecutive days and the number of overnight guest stays shall not exceed 60 nights per year. The owner shall also register with the Township prior to commencement of the use and on or before the end of January of each calendar year, providing the owner's name, the type of bed-and-breakfast use, the number of guest rooms, the number of guest bedrooms, the number of rental nights in the prior year, and the emergency contact information of the property owner.
B.
Conditional uses. Any one of the following uses may be permitted as a conditional use when authorized by the Board of Supervisors, subject to the standards set forth herein and in § 390-219 of this chapter:
(1)
Professional office uses are permitted, provided that they are confined to a maximum of 1,500 square feet of gross area (if on one floor) and 2,500 square feet of gross area (if on more than one floor).
(2)
Restaurant, tearoom, and cafes, provided that food be served at tables by the establishment and that it not be designed for drive-in or take-out business, and provided that the total ground floor area is 2,000 square feet or less.
(3)
Conversion of a single-family detached dwelling in existence at the time of the adoption of this chapter, subject to the provisions contained herein and in § 390-147 of this chapter, except that office uses may be permitted the full use of the existing gross floor area even if such gross floor area exceeds the limitations listed in Subsection B(1) above.
(4)
Accessory dwelling unit, subject to the provisions contained herein and in § 390-144 of this chapter.
(5)
Medium-intensity recreation use, including a park or recreation area owned and operated by a public or private nonprofit agency.
C.
Accessory uses. The following accessory uses shall be permitted, provided that they are customary and incidental to any of the foregoing permitted uses:
§ 390-49 Area and bulk regulations.
A.
Minimum lot areas.
(1)
Adjusted tract area. A minimum adjusted tract area of 30,000 square feet shall be provided for a single use, with an additional 30,000 square feet of gross lot area required for each additional use. Within a mixed-use development on the same lot, an average minimum of 30,000 square feet shall be provided for each use.
C.
Maximum lot length/width ratio: 5/1.
E.
Side yards. There shall be two side yards, neither of which shall be less than 25 feet in width. For developments with a combination of uses on a single lot, the side yards for each building within the development may be reduced to 10 feet in width (i.e., 20 feet of total building separation); side yards of at least 25 feet in width shall be maintained where any of these buildings abut a perimeter property line.
F.
Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard on each lot, which shall not be less than 25 feet in depth.
G.
Lot coverage. Impervious coverage of any lot or tract shall not exceed 50% of adjusted tract acreage. This calculation of lot coverage shall not include impervious coverage attributable to public sidewalks or driveways serving the lot (the scope of such exclusion to include shared driveways but to exclude discrete parking areas other than those directly in front of an approved garage).
H.
Building coverage. Not more than 20% of the adjusted tract acreage may be occupied by buildings.
I.
Accessory buildings. No accessory buildings or structures shall be situated within the front yard nor within 10 feet of any side or rear property line.
J.
Height restrictions. No building or structure, other than farm buildings or farm structures, shall exceed 35 feet in height, except that no accessory building shall exceed 25 feet in height. No farm building or farm structure, except silos and silo-related equipment, shall exceed 65 feet in height.
§ 390-50 Special design requirements.
A.
Each building should be designed so as to harmonize with the character of development in the surrounding Village area. In the case of Birchrunville, the design of any proposed structure shall be compatible with this rural village setting.
B.
Each permitted principal use, other than a parking lot, off-street loading facility or public utility, shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building.
C.
Along each side or rear property line which directly abuts a zoning district boundary line, a buffer area not less than 50 feet in width shall be provided, on which shall be placed hedge, evergreens or other suitable plantings sufficient to constitute an effective screen per § 390-139B of this chapter.
D.
No storage of merchandise, articles or equipment shall be permitted outside a building, and no outdoor vending machine, self-service station, or similar use shall be permitted on a lot.
E.
If there is more than one building or use on a single lot:
(1)
The proposed development shall be designed as, or as part of, a single architectural and landscaping scheme;
(2)
The group of buildings as a whole shall comply with the area and yard regulations of the district; and
(3)
The distance at the closest point between any two buildings or groups of buildings shall be at least as great as the average height of the two buildings but not less than 20 feet.
F.
The restoration or rehabilitation of existing historic sites in this district should, but are not required to, follow the standards contained in the United States Department of the Interior's "The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings."