For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ACCESSORY USE OR BUILDING. A use or building customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal use or building, and located on same lot with such principal use or building and shall not contain more than 200 square feet.
ALTERATION. Any change, rearrangement or addition to, or any relocation of, a building or structure; any modification in construction or equipment.
ATTIC. Any area under a roof, with or without a finished floor, which does not meet other requirements for livable floor area.
BUILDING. A combination of any materials, whether portable or fixed, having a roof, to form a structure affording shelter for persons, animals or property.
BUILDING, COMPLETELY ENCLOSED. A building separated on all sides from the adjacent open area, or from other buildings or other structures, by a permanent roof and by exterior walls or partial walls, pierced only by windows or normal entrances or exit doors.
BUILDING HEIGHT. The vertical distance measured from the average elevation of the proposed finished grade of the building to the highest point of the roof for flat roofs, to the deck line of mansard (a roof with a double pitch on all sides) roofs, and to the mean height between eaves and ridge for gable, hip and gambrel roofs. For the purpose of determining maximum permitted HEIGHT, for principal buildings, such measurement shall be made from the average finished grade at the front setback. For the purpose of side yard or rear yard determination, such measurement shall be made from the average finished grade of the wall extending along such side yard or rear yard.
DWELLING. A building for one or more families, but not including a building of mixed occupancy.
A. DWELLING UNIT. One or more rooms designed for occupancy by one family for cooking, living and sleeping purposes.
B. MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING. A building or portion thereof containing three or more dwelling units and designed or used for occupancy by three or more families living independently of each other.
C. SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING. A dwelling or housing unit designed for or occupied exclusively by one family.
D. TWO-FAMILY DWELLING. A building containing two dwelling units and designed or used exclusively for occupancy by two families living independently of each other, or two one-family dwellings having a party wall in common.
DWELLING GROUP. A group of two or more dwellings located on the same lot and having any yard or open space in common.
ENLARGEMENT. An increase in floor area of an existing building or an increase in size of an existing structure, or an increase in the area of land used for an existing open use.
EXTENSION. An increase in the amount of existing floor area used for an existing use in an existing building.
FAMILY. One or more persons living as a single housekeeping or dwelling unit, and individuals who have not attained the age of 18 years being domiciled with a parent as distinguished from a group occupying a hotel, club, nursing home, dormitory, fraternity or sorority housing unit, including domestic servants and gratuitous guests, together with boarders, roomers and lodgers not in excess of the number allowed by this Chapter as an accessory use.
FARM STRUCTURE. Any structure necessary to the operation of a farm and for the storage of farm equipment, except dwellings, garages used for the storage of non-farm vehicles and roadside stands used for the sale of products raised on the premises.
GARAGE, PRIVATE. A detached building or portion of a main building designed or used for the parking or storage of self-propelled vehicles, including commercial vehicles having a rated capacity of not more than one ton, owned and used by the occupants of the premises, and which may include space for not more than three passenger vehicles used by others and which is not a separate commercial enterprise available to the general public.
A. ATTACHED GARAGE. A garage which is structurally attached to a principal building and which may have livable floor area adjoining not more than one wall of such garage.
B. INTEGRAL GARAGE. A garage which is structurally attached to a principal building and which has livable floor area above or adjoining one or more walls of such garage.
GASOLINE SERVICE STATION. Any area of land, including structures thereon, that is used primarily for the sale of gasoline or other motor vehicle fuel; accessory uses may include the sale of oil, other lubricating substances or motor vehicle accessories, or facilities for lubricating, washing or for the incidental replacement of parts, or motor services to passenger automobiles or trucks not exceeding one and one-half tons rated capacity, but shall not include general repair, rebuilding or reconditioning of engines, motor vehicles or trailers, or collision service, body repair, frame straightening, painting, undercoating, vehicle steam cleaning or upholstering.
HOME OCCUPATION. Any use customarily conducted entirely within a dwelling and carried on only by the residents thereof, and which is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for living purposes and does not change the character thereof, provided that:
A. Only customary home appliances are used;
B. There is no exterior evidence of such home occupation other than a permitted identification sign;
C. No article is sold or offered for sale except such as may be produced by members of the family residing on the premises; and
D. Any use first permitted in the C or M Districts shall not be interpreted as being a
HOME OCCUPATION.
HOTEL. A building containing sleeping rooms in which lodging is provided primarily for transient guests for compensation and which may include public dining facilities.
JUNKYARD. A place where junk, waste, discarded or salvaged materials are bought, sold, exchanged, sorted, stored, baled, packed, disassembled, handled or abandoned; but not including pawn shops, antique shops, establishments for the sale, purchase or storage of used furniture, household equipment, clothing, used motor vehicles capable of being registered or machinery to be re-used for the purpose for which originally manufactured.
KENNEL. The keeping of more than two dogs that are more than six months old.
LIVABLE FLOOR AREA. The area of finished floors of a dwelling, excluding cellars, garages, breezeways, unenclosed porches, attics, or basements, not designed for human occupancy, and including only such floor area under a sloping roof for which the headroom is not less than five feet and then only if at least 65% of such floor area has a ceiling height of at least seven feet six inches and if any such floor that is situated above another story has access to the floor area shall be made from exterior faces of exterior walls or from center lines of party walls.
LOT. A parcel of land occupied or capable of being occupied by a principal building or use, or a group of principal buildings or uses that are united by a common interest or customary accessory buildings or uses, and including such open spaces to be used in connection with such building or uses. A LOT may or may not be a lot of record.
A. LOT, CORNER. A lot at the junction of and fronting on two or more intersecting streets.
B. LOT, INTERIOR. A lot other than a corner lot.
C. LOT, THROUGH. A lot in which the front lot line and rear lot line abut a street.
LOT DEPTH. The mean horizontal distance between the front and rear lot lines.
LOT LINES. The property lines bounding the lot. Where any property lines parallel a street and is not coincident with the street line, the street line shall be construed as the property line for the purpose of complying with the area and setback regulations of this Chapter.
A. LOT LINE, FRONT. Where a lot abuts upon only one street, the street line shall be the front lot line. Where a lot abuts upon more than one street, the assessment roll of the township shall determine the front lot line.
B. LOT LINE, REAR. Any lot line which is opposite and more or less parallel with the front lot line. In the case of a lot which comes to a point at the rear, the REAR LOT LINE shall be an imaginary line, ten feet in length, entirely within the lot parallel to and most distance from the front lot line.
C. LOT LINE, SIDE. Any lot line which is not a front lot line or a rear lot line.
LOT WIDTH. The least horizontal distance across the lot between side lot lines, measured at the front setback of a main building erected, or to be erected, on such lot or at a distance from the front line equal to the required depth of the front yard.
MIXED OCCUPANCY. Occupancy of a building in part as a dwelling and in part for some other use not accessory thereto.
MOBILE HOME. A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent occupancy, office or place of assembly contained in one unit, which arrives at a site complete and ready for occupancy, except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations, and constructed so that it may be used without a permanent foundation. MOBILE HOME is not here defined to include units which have many of the same characteristics, but are constructed so that they must be used on a permanent foundation and are often referred to as module or sectional units.
MOBILE HOME PARK. A parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned and improved for the placement of mobile homes for non-transient use, consisting of two or more mobile home lots.
MOBILE HOME LOT. A parcel of land in a mobile home park, improved with the necessary utility connections and other appurtenances necessary for the erection thereon of a single mobile home, which is leased by the park owner to the occupants of the mobile home erected on the lot.
MOTEL. A building or group of buildings, whether detached or in connected units, used as individual sleeping or dwelling units designed primarily for transient automobile travelers and providing accessory off-street parking facilities. The term MOTEL includes buildings designated as motor lodges, auto courts and similar appellations.
NONCONFORMING USE. Any lawful use of land, premises, building or structure which does not conform to the regulations of this Chapter for the district in which such use is located either at the effective date of this Chapter or as a result of subsequent amendments thereto.
NURSING OR CONVALESCENT HOME. Any building where persons are housed or lodged and furnished with meals and nursing care for hire.
OIL STRUCTURE. Any structure necessary to or customarily used in the production, storage or transportation of crude oil or for the storage of equipment used for such production, storage or transportation.
PUBLIC GARAGE or REPAIR GARAGE. A building used primarily for making repairs to motor vehicles, especially automobiles, motorcycles, and/or snowmobiles including overhauling, body work, refinishing, and upholstering, as well as incidental servicing, including greasing, washing adjusting or equipping of automobiles or other motor vehicles, or which is used for storage or rental purposes.
REPAIR. Replacement or renewal, excluding additions, of any part of a building, structure, device or equipment, with like or similar materials or parts, for the purpose of maintenance of such building, structure, device or equipment.
RESERVOIR SPACE. A temporary storage space for a vehicle waiting for service or admission.
RESIDENTIAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT FACILITIES. Those facilities as regulated by the Commonwealth, and as regulated pursuant to 28 Pa. Code, Part V or successor regulations.
SATELLITE DISH ANTENNA. Any accessory structure capable of receiving radio or television signals from a transmitter or transmitter relay located in planetary orbit.
SETBACK. The least horizontal distance from any existing or proposed building or structure to the nearest point in any indicated lot line or street line.
SHOPPING CENTER. An area developed for major commercial purposes which adhere to unified architectural, building and land use standards. Such a development shall be a contiguous land area of not less than 25 acres in size, shall adjoin at least one major highway, and shall be located in proximity to major arterial highway systems. Such a development shall be designed to contain multi-facility structures used for cultural, commercial, entertainment and/or recreational purposes with adequate parking facilities as provided in this Chapter or as determined by the Zoning Hearing Board through its special exception review and approval procedures. Overall appearance and control mechanism to assure compatibility with surrounding areas are also to be reviewed and approved by the Zoning Hearing Board.
SIGN. Any structure or part thereof, or any device attached to, painted on, or represented on a building or other structure, upon which is displayed or included any letter, work, model, banner, flag, pennant, insignia, decoration, device or representation used as, or which is in the nature of, an announcement, direction, advertisement, or other attention-directing device. A SIGN shall not include a similar structure or device located within a building except for illuminated signs within show windows. A SIGN includes any billboards, but does not include the flag, pennant or insignia of any nation or association of nations, or of any state, city or other political unit, or of any political, charitable, education, philanthropic, civic, professional, religious, or like campaign, drive, movement or event.
A. SIGN, ADVERTISING OR BILLBOARD. A sign which directs attention to a business, commodity, service or entertainment conducted, sold or offered elsewhere than upon the same zoning lot.
B. SIGN, FLASHING. A moving or animated sign or any illuminated sign on which the artificial or reflected light is not maintained stationary and constant in intensity and color at all times when in use. Any revolving illuminated sign shall be considered a FLASHING SIGN.
C. SIGN, ILLUMINATED. Any sign designed to give forth any artificial light, or designed to reflect light from one or more sources, natural or artificial.
SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTORS. A component of an active solar system used to collect heat from the sun of the heating of space or water in the structure or structures occupying the lot.
STABLE, PRIVATE. An accessory building in which horses are kept for private use and not for hire, remuneration or sale.
STABLE, PUBLIC. A building in which any horses are kept for remuneration, hire or sale.
STORY. That portion of a building between the surface of any finished floor and the surface of the finished floor next above it, or if there be no floor above it, then the space between any floor and the ceiling next above it.
STREET. Any road, avenue, lane, alley or other way which is an existing public way, or which is shown on an approved plat, or any private right-of-way or easement approved by the Board of Township Supervisors.
STREET LINE. A line separating a lot from a street. In any case where a future street line has been established or approved by the Board of Supervisors, such future street line shall be considered as a STREET LINE for the purpose of determining lot area and setback requirements.
STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS. Any change in the supporting members of a building or other structure, such as bearing walls, columns, beams or girders.
STRUCTURE. Anything constructed or erected including, but not limited to, buildings, fences, pools (above- and in-ground), and satellite dishes, which require permanent location on the ground or attachment to something having such location, but not including a trailer.
TRANSIENT LODGING FACILITIES. A building or group of buildings under single management, containing both rooms and/or dwelling units available for temporary rental to transient individuals or families for up to six months, such as fraternity, sorority, dormitory or hotel.
TRAVEL TRAILER. A vehicular portable structure built on a chassis (pick-up camper, converted bus, tent-trailer or similar device) designed to be used as a temporary dwelling for travel and recreational purposes, having a body width of not exceeding eight feet.
USE. The specific purpose for which land or a building is designed, arranged, intended, or for which it is or may be occupied or maintained.
YARD. The portion of a lot extending open and unobstructed from the ground upward along a lot line.
A. YARD, FRONT. A yard extending the full length of the front line between the side lot lines. The front yard depth of a lot located on a curve shall be measured from the chord connecting the arc of the front lot line.
B. YARD, FRONT EQUIVALENT. The portion of a rear yard of a through lot extending along a street line and from the street line for a depth equal to a required front yard. Any FRONT YARD EQUIVALENT shall be subject to the regulations of this Chapter which apply to front yards.
C. YARD, REAR. On an interior lot, a yard extending for the full length of the rear lot line between the side lot lines. On a corner lot, a yard extending along a rear lot line between an interior side lot line and an exterior side yard.
D. YARD, REQUIRED. A yard having a depth or width set forth in the applicable district regulations. Such width or depth shall be measured perpendicular to lot lines.
E. YARD, SIDE. A yard extending along a side lot line from the required front yard to the required rear yard, except that, on a corner lot where the side lot line abuts a street, the SIDE YARD shall extend from the required front yard to the rear lot line.
(1) EXTERIOR SIDE YARD. A side yard extending along a street line.
(2) INTERIOR SIDE YARD. A side yard extending along a lot line of an adjoining lot.
(Ord. 1983-2B, passed 4-30-1984; Ord. 1989-1, passed 3-13-1989; Ord. 1991-6, passed 4-29-1991; Ord. 2012-12-02, passed 12-12-2016)