Whitpain Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XV
R-8 Residential District
§ 160-86 Legislative intent.
In expansion of the community development objectives contained in Article III, § 160-8, it is hereby declared to be the intent of this article to establish reasonable standards of performance and promote the desirable benefits which low-density single-family attached dwellings will have in the Township. Furthermore, it is the intent of this article to encourage a creative approach to the use of the land in order to preserve desirable open space, tree cover, historic sites, scenic vistas, stream valleys and other lands in furtherance of the general welfare of Whitpain Township.
§ 160-87 Permitted uses.
In an R-8 Residential District, a building may be erected, altered or used and a lot may be used or occupied for any one of the following uses and no other:
A.
Attached single-family dwellings (townhouses, twins, triplexes and quadriplexes) which are attached side to side, back to back or side to back, provided that at least 1/3 of the floor area of each unit shall be at ground level.
B.
Recreation areas, common deed-restricted open space areas and indoor recreation facility, community center or similar use, provided that it is intended solely for the prospective residents of the development.
§ 160-88 Acreage and density requirements.
The following minimum tract size and maximum density of the tract shall apply in the R-8 District:
§ 160-89 Ownership of land.
The tract of land to be developed shall be in one ownership or shall be the subject of an application filed jointly by the owners of the entire tract, and it shall be agreed that the tract will be developed under single direction in accordance with an approved plan.
§ 160-90 Maximum height of buildings or structures.
The maximum height of buildings or structures erected or enlarged within this district shall be 40 feet or a maximum of three stories.
§ 160-91 Development requirements.
The following development requirements shall apply in the R-8 District:
A.
Minimum setback of buildings from boundaries of the tract: 75 feet. However, the minimum setback of buildings from the boundaries of the tract which do not coincide with an existing street right-of-way may be reduced to 40 feet, provided that a screen buffer is provided.
(1)
The screen buffer shall include the following:
(a)
An arrangement of planting materials, i.e., trees, shrubs and other plants, as well as other features such as fences, earth mounds, etc., which as the plant materials mature is intended to provide a visual barrier between the structures within a development and the surrounding area. Generally, a screen buffer includes but is not limited to selected species of pine, spruce, small maples and taller hedge plants. To enhance the screening effect, the use of mounding in combination with plant materials is encouraged.
(b)
Evergreen trees which are at least four feet in height at the time of planting and which can be expected to reach a height of 25 feet or more upon maturity. A maximum of 10% of the trees included in a screen buffer may be deciduous; planted size shall be a minimum of 2 1/2 inches' caliper five feet above the ground.
(2)
All components of the screen buffer shall be maintained by the developer, with the prompt replacement of dead or unsalvageable plants until such time as a condominium or homeowners' association shall assume responsibility for the care and replacement of screen buffer components.
B.
Minimum setback of buildings from interior street right-of-way, cluster access drive, solid waste collection station or common parking area (or access drive thereto): 20 feet.
C.
Minimum distance between buildings.
D.
Parking requirements. A minimum of two off-street parking spaces shall be required for each dwelling unit. Additional parking shall be in compliance with Article XXVII of this chapter.
E.
No more than eight dwelling units may be contained within one building except under the following conditions:
(1)
Townhouse buildings may be attached to one another to form court areas, but no more than 24 dwelling units may be included in any grouping of dwelling units (except for those developments under the standards of the R-1 District).
F.
Accessory uses.
[Added 4-18-2000 by Ord. No. 4-172; amended 8-18-2015 by Ord. No. 4-240]
(1)
Where individual lots have been created, except for single-family detached dwellings, which shall be governed by the provisions of § 160-21, accessory buildings, structures or uses having a maximum height of 10 feet, but not exceeding 15 feet measured from grade to the highest point of such building or structure may be located within the rear yard only, but no closer to the side or rear line of the lot than five feet. The height of the accessory building or structure and the maximum dimension from grade to the highest point may be increased an additional one foot for each additional two feet of required setback from both the side and rear lines of the lot, to a maximum accessory building or structure height of 16 feet, but not to exceed 25 feet measured from grade to the highest point of the building or structure. All measurement from grade to the highest point of the building or structure shall include any chimneys, spires, towers, elevator penthouses, tanks and similar projections. The provisions of this section shall not apply to community cable television antennas.
(2)
Where individual lots have not been created, only those accessory buildings, structures or uses as specifically shown on the land development plans for, the development may be constructed or installed, and an accessory building, structure or use not specifically shown on the land development plans for the development shall not thereafter be permitted.
§ 160-92 Open space requirements.
For all tracts developed in the R-8 District, except for those developed under the standards of the R-1 District, a minimum of 60% of the tract shall be kept in undeveloped and deed-restricted open space. Such open space is defined by the following:
A.
Required deed-restricted open space may not include areas essentially surrounded by residential buildings on three sides.
B.
Whenever possible, deed-restricted common open space areas shall be designed as a continuous system of usable areas which are interspersed among clusters of residential dwelling units.
C.
For the purpose of this article, land on which historic buildings are located and the lands comprising the landscape entity of historic sites may be included in the required open space, provided that the buildings are to be restored and/or maintained as nonresidential structures as part of the development.