The following additional requirements shall apply for each of the following uses. Where two or more provisions apply to the same matter or use, the more restrictive provision shall apply. See the buffer yard requirements of § 503, which requires a landscaped area between certain uses.
A. Agricultural Uses.
(1) A-1 General Agriculture. Agriculture shall include uses such as horticulture; tilling of soil; raising of livestock or poultry that is not a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) or Concentrated Animal Operation (CAO); growing nursery trees, shrubs, fruits, grains, flowers, Christmas trees or vegetables; raising of insects; one single-family detached dwelling on the same lot as an allowed agricultural use unless otherwise stated; and customary farm buildings, provided:
(a) One single-family detached dwelling shall be allowed on each farm. The Township may require that the applicant prove compliance with any conservation easement that pertains to the property.
(b) Buildings and structures used for the keeping of animals shall not be located closer than 50 feet to the lot line of a lot that is not in common ownership. Manure shall be stored and spread in a manner that conforms to Pennsylvania State regulations. Fences shall not be installed within the legal right-of-way of a public road.
(Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(c) The keeping of livestock or poultry shall be limited to lots of 5 or more acres and shall be limited to a density of 0.5 animal equivalent units per acre, unless an approved Natural Resource Conversation Service (NRCS) Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) or certified Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) allows greater density. Riding academies/boarding stables and kennels shall not be considered part of Use A-1, and instead shall meet the respective requirements for such uses (see Sections 404.A.(8) and 404.A.(6), respectively).
(d) A landscape contracting business that involves storage of vehicles and non-plant materials for off-site use shall not be allowed as an agricultural use.
(e) Minimum parking–no less than two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit and one space per on-site employee shall be provided.
(f) If tractors and similar farm machinery are stored outdoors for more than 20 days, they shall be setback a minimum of 100 feet from the lot line of a principally residential lot.
(g) Beekeeping operations shall post warning signs between the beekeeping areas and street lot lines.
(2) A-2 Accessory Agricultural Sales. Sales of agricultural products may be conducted from all or part of a portable or permanent structure not exceeding 2,000 square feet in floor area, under the following conditions:
(a) Only agricultural products, dairy products, home-made crafts and homemade baked goods may be sold.
(b) A minimum of 25 percent of the products must be grown, produced or raised on the property, in a 50-mile radius, or on other property controlled by the operator or his/her relatives.
(c) Access to the lot must be controlled by physical means to limit access to two points. The access point shall be no more than 24-feet wide. The access shall be able to meet safe sight distance requirements along a public street.
(d) Any new or expanded area of a building shall comply with the minimum setback requirements of the district.
(e) Minimum parking–no less than one off-street parking space for each 200 square feet of building floor area or a minimum of four spaces, whichever is greater. All parking shall be provided behind the legal right-of-way.
(f) The use shall be accessory to a principal agricultural use that is on the same lot or an adjoining lot.
(g) In addition, “pick your own” fruits and vegetables shall be allowed as a by right use without having to meet the requirements of this Use A-2.
(h) If an operator is only selling products produced by their own family, then a temporary farm stand with a maximum floor area of 150 square feet may also be placed within the minimum front yard.
(3) A-3 Forestry. See definition in § 202. Note: all tree trunk diameters in this Section shall be measured at 4.5 feet above the ground level.
(a) Forestry is the management of forests and timberlands through developing, cultivating, harvesting, transporting and selling trees for commercial purposes, beyond tree cutting that is necessary and approved as part of development of land or uses. These provisions are intended to ensure that forestry occurs in accordance with accepted silvicultural practices, as provided in § 107 of the State Municipalities Planning Code.
(b) Forestry is permitted by right, provided that a zoning permit shall be required for forestry. The following activities shall not need a zoning permit and are not required to comply with clauses (c) and (d):
1) Removal of dead or diseased trees adjacent (within the fall zone) to occupied structures or public rights-of-way.
2) Removal of trees with a trunk diameter of less than 6 inches.
3) Removal of up to five trees with a trunk diameter greater than 6 inches on each acre of land per calendar year, provided such tree removal does not exceed 20 trees with a trunk diameter of 6 inches or more per lot per calendar year, and provided that such tree removal does not involve trees: a) on slopes of greater than 25 percent or b) on areas within 40 feet from the bank of a perennial stream/watercourse or intermittent stream/watercourse, and 10 feet from the centerline of an ephemeral stream/watercourse. The removal allowed by this subparagraph (4) shall be in addition to trees allowed to be removed under the other subsections of this clause.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
4) For removal of trees as part of a development, § 509.2.G and .H shall apply in place of this subsection.
5) Christmas tree farms in which trees are regularly replanted. This exception shall only apply to trees that were planted for harvest.
6) Tree nurseries in which live trees are removed for replanting on another site. This exception shall only apply to trees that were planted for harvest.
8) Fruit tree orchards.
(c) A zoning permit application for forestry shall be accompanied by a forestry plan prepared by a forester, forest technician, or forest plan preparer. The Zoning Officer shall consult with the Township Engineer or a forester retained by the Township to determine the adequacy of the forestry plan. Each plan must contain the following components:
1) The criteria for selection of trees to be removed must be clearly stated and must conform to a plan for sustainable use of the forest resource. Such plan shall describe how the health and diversity of the forest will be protected and the potential for future timber harvests maintained.
2) The forestry plan shall address all applicable erosion and sedimentation control and stream crossing regulations under Chapter 102, Erosion Control Rules and Regulations and Chapter 105, Dam and Waterway Management Rules and Regulations.
3) Forestry activities located within or discharging to any exceptional value or high quality watershed as classified by PA DEP shall comply with all requirements of the Pa.Code, Chapter 92 and 93. The forestry plan shall specifically state how the applicant intends to comply with these regulations, and shall show the location of all perennial and intermittent watercourses.
4) The forestry plan shall address, at a minimum, the following:
a) Design, construction, maintenance, and retirement of the access system, including haul roads, skid roads, skid trails, and landing.
b) Design, construction, and maintenance of water control measures and structures such as culverts, broad-based dips, filter strips, and water bars.
c) Design, construction, and maintenance of stream and wetland crossings.
d) Property boundary of the tract on which the logging will occur and boundary of the proposed harvest area.
e) A stand description for each stand located in the proposed harvest area including number, species, and diameter of trees to be removed.
f) Copies of all required permits shall be submitted as an appendix to the forestry plan.
5) Each forestry plan shall include a site map containing the following information:
a) Site location and boundaries, including both the boundaries of the property on which the timber harvest will take place and the boundaries of the proposed harvest area within that property.
b) Significant topographic features related to potential environmental problems.
c) Location of all earth disturbance activities such as roads, landings and water control measures and structures.
d) Location of the crossings of all water bodies, including but not limited to, waters of the Commonwealth.
e) The general location of the proposed operation to municipal and State highways, including any accesses to those highways.
6) Proof of current general liability and/or worker’s compensation insurance.
7) Proof of PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit or Township Driveway Permit for temporary access, as applicable. The application shall only be approved if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Township that the area street system is suitable in terms of structure, cartway width, geometry, safety, and capacity to accommodate the additional truck traffic.
8) Copy of County Conservation District “Letter of Adequacy” for the proposed erosion control facilities, including associated plans, reports and other permits as required.
(d) The following requirements shall apply to all forestry operations, in addition to the requirement for a zoning permit:
1) The Township shall be notified at least 5 working days prior to the commencement of operations and upon completion of all work prescribed under the forestry plan.
2) The forestry plan and all related permits shall be available at the forestry operation site.
3) Before any permitted logging operation begins, all trees which are to be felled in connection therewith, shall be clearly marked on the trunk and stump.
4) General Operational Requirements. The following requirements shall govern all forestry operations:
a) A “no logging” buffer zone with a width of 25 feet shall be maintained on the property on which the logging operation is to be conducted along all public streets. The buffer shall be measured from the legal right-of-way. No trees shall be cut, removed, skidded or transported within the “no logging” buffer zone except as necessary for access to the site from the public street.
b) A “no logging” zone with a width of 40 feet shall be maintained as measured from the bank of perennial streams/watercourses and intermittent streams/watercourses; and 10 feet from the centerline of an ephemeral stream/watercourse. All earth disturbance related to forestry within this zone shall be prohibited with the exception of temporary stream/watercourse crossings permitted by PADEP.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
c) No equipment, skidders, dozers, or tracked or tired machines or vehicles, shall be permitted within a no logging buffer zone except to permit crossing pursuant to items a) and b) above. No trees shall be felled into a no logging buffer zone.
d) A “limited logging” zone with a width of 50 feet shall be maintained on the boundary of the site on which the logging operation is to be conducted along abutting properties and with a width of 60 feet measured from the edge of the “no logging” zone around streams. Uneven-age management shall be practiced within the limited logging zone where the residual stand must contain at least 70 square feet of basal area per acre consisting of trees 10 inches or greater in diameter at breast height. The limiting logging zone on a property boundary shall not apply in cases where the adjoining property owner has consented, in writing, to logging activities being conducted closer than 50 feet from the property boundary.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
e) All temporary stream/watercourse crossings of a perennial or intermittent stream/watercourse shall be made with a temporary bridge. Skidding of trees, and the operation of any vehicle and equipment thru a perennial or intermittent stream/watercourse shall be prohibited.
f) Felling or skidding on, or across, any public street is prohibited without written approval of the Township or Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, whichever is responsible for maintenance of said street.
g) No tops or slash shall be left within 25 feet of any public roadway.
h) All tops and slash shall be lopped to a maximum height of 6 feet above the surface of the ground.
i) No tops or slash shall be left on or across a property boundary without the consent of the adjoining landowner.
j) Litter (trash) resulting from any forestry operation shall be cleaned up and removed from the site before it is vacated by the operator.
k) Any soil, stones and/or debris carried onto public street must be removed immediately.
l) On slopes of greater than 25 percent, uneven-age management shall be practiced where the residual stand must contain 70 square feet of basal area per acre consisting of trees 10 inches or greater in diameter at breast height. No equipment, skidders, dozers, or tracked or tired machines or vehicles shall be permitted on slopes greater than 25 percent.
m) When the harvest is completed, both dirt roads used by the trucks and skid roads used to drag the logs from the woods to the loading area must be graded approximately to original contours, and be seeded and mulched (hardwood or straw mulch) as necessary to establish stable groundcover.
n) Temporary stone tire cleaning entrance (when required as part of an approved erosion and sedimentation control plan) must be removed with the area graded to approximate original contour and seeded and mulched to establish stable groundcover.
o) The no logging zone required by subsection item c) above along streams/watercourses shall be marked with survey tape, temporary nondestructive fencing or similar demarcation to prevent accidental incursion into the no logging zone with heavy equipment.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
p) Snags shall not be cut down unless the snag is a potential hazard to improvements (e.g., dwelling, outbuilding, etc.) on the property.
5) No tops or slash shall be left within a drainage swale.
6) The use of clear-cutting must be fully justified by a forestry plan prepared by a qualified professional, and shall comply with clause (c)1). Detailed information concerning increased stormwater runoff, erosion control and a plan to assure regeneration shall be provided. Clearcutting shall not be allowed on contiguous areas greater than ½ acre. A full set of stormwater calculations shall be submitted to show that post-development peak runoff will not exceed pre-development peak runoff.
7) If forestry involves more than 2 acres, a minimum of 30 percent of the forest cover (canopy) shall be kept and the residual trees shall be well distributed to promote reforestation. The forestry plan shall provide for replanting where necessary to continue proper forest management.
8) Financial Security. Financial security shall be established in a manner acceptable to the Township to guarantee repair of all damage that may occur to public streets due to the forestry/logging operations, and to guarantee compliance with erosion and sedimentation control plans, compliance with stormwater management plans and restoration of the site upon completion of logging operations. Pursuant to 67 Pennsylvania Code, Chapter 189, the Township may also require the landowner or operator to furnish a bond to guarantee the repair of roads. Financial security shall not be released until the Zoning Officer issues a written notification that all provisions of this Ordinance and the permit have been complied with.
(e) Enforcement.
1) Inspections. The Township Zoning Officer or other Township designated employee or consultant, may go upon the site of any forestry/logging operation before, during or after active forestry to: a) review the forestry plan or any other required documents for compliance with this Ordinance; and b) inspect the operation for compliance with the forestry plan and other on-site requirements of this Ordinance.
2) Violation Notices; Suspensions. Upon finding that a forestry/logging operation is in violation of any provisions of this Ordinance, the Township Zoning Officer shall issue the operator and the landowner a written notice of violation describing each violation and specifying a date by which corrective action must be taken. The Township Zoning Officer may order the immediate suspension of any operation upon finding that: a) corrective action has not been taken by the date specified in a notice of violation; b) the operation is proceeding without a forestry plan; or c) the operation is causing an environmental risk. Suspension orders shall be in writing, shall be issued to the operator and the landowner, and shall remain in effect until, as determined by the Township Zoning Officer, the operation is brought into compliance with this Ordinance, or other applicable statutes or regulations. The landowner or the operator may appeal an order or decision of the Zoning Officer in accordance with the provisions of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
3) Penalties. Any landowner or operator who: a) violates any provision of this Ordinance, or who fails to comply with a notice of violation or suspension order issued under subclause 2) of this subsection, shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500, nor more than $1,000, plus costs and attorneys’ fees, in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. Each day of continued violation of any provision of this Ordinance shall constitute a separate offense.
4) Any operator who knowingly and willfully removes trees not designated for removal in the approved forestry plan or removes trees outside of the areas designated for removal by the forestry plan shall be subject to a civil penalty in the amount of $1,000 per tree removed in violation of the provisions of the forestry plan and this Ordinance. An operator that violates the riparian buffer (no logging/limited logging zones) Sections of this Ordinance, when that action results in damage to the streambank, shall be required to restore the streambank in a manner approved by the Township.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(Ord. 149, passed 4-29-2008)
(4) A-4 Greenhouse. Buildings and structures associated with interior vegetable production and/or horticultural or nursery uses, including permanent, temporary or portable, cold sheds and the like provided:
(a) This use is required to include a plan for the recycling of some or all fertilizers, pesticides and other organic or inorganic chemicals used in or associated with the use.
(b) Minimum lot area–5 acres.
(c) The maximum permitted building surface ratio shall be 0.20, unless a more restrictive requirement is established by the district regulations.
(d) Retail sales shall be permitted in association with the greenhouse provided that retail sales shall be limited to items that were primarily grown on the premises, unless a retail store is allowed in that District.
(e) Parking–one space for each 200 square feet of area devoted to servicing customers.
(5) A-5 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAGOs) as currently defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
(a) Minimum lot area–25 acres.
(b) All of the requirements for Use A-1 shall also be met.
(c) Operation shall obtain all necessary permits from Department of Environmental Protection and shall meet all required regulations of Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and its State Conversation Commission.
(d) Copies of all permits and associated plans shall be submitted to the Township.
(6) A-6 Kennel. The keeping of more than six dogs that are more than 6 months old on a lot as part of a commercial use or a dog breeding or dog boarding activity, and which may also include the keeping of other household pets, which shall meet the following conditions:
(a) Minimum lot area–5 acres.
(b) No animal shelter or runway shall be located closer than 300 feet to any residential building other than the owner’s. No animal shelter or runway shall be located less than 100 feet from a lot line of another lot. Buildings shall be soundproofed to avoid nuisances to neighbors. The noise regulations of § 508 shall apply.
(c) The kennel shall be constructed so that the animals cannot stray therefrom.
(d) The permanent capacity of the kennel shall not exceed 10 dogs or other animals per acre.
(e) The property shall have a buffer yard of 20 feet in width containing a dense screen of plantings, planted in accordance with the buffer requirements of this Ordinance, along all property and street lines.
(f) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for each employee plus space for each 10 animals in capacity, except for training where one space shall be provided for each three animals involved in such training at one time.
(7) A-7 Nursery. The outdoor raising of plants, shrubs and trees for sale and transplantation.
(a) Retail sales shall be permitted in association with the nursery provided that the sales facilities meet the requirements of Use A-2. Any nursery which has associated with it retail sales shall have a lot area not less than 15 acres.
(b) Any building or structure associated with the nursery shall meet the yard, lot width and setback requirements for single-family detached dwellings for the district in which the use is located. One single-family detached dwelling shall be permitted on the property.
(c) Parking–one space for each 200 square feet of area servicing customers.
(8) A-8 Riding Academy/Boarding Stable. Equestrian riding academy, livery or boarding stable, subject to the following provisions:
(a) Minimum lot area–10 acres.
(b) Dwellings and accessory farm buildings shall be permitted in accordance with the regulations for agriculture, Use A-1.
(c) Horses pastured at a stable or riding academy shall be limited to a density of 0.5 animal equivalent units per acre, unless an approved Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Management Plan or certified Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) allows greater grazing density. The number of horses not pasturized (i.e., stabled or boarded) shall be limited by a Manure Management Plan certified by the Bucks County Conservation District or an approved Nutrient Management Plan.
(d) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space shall be provided for every three persons present at such facilities when they are used to capacity. Parking facilities and driveways shall be able to accommodate the largest vehicles used on the lot.
(9) A-9 Accessory Farm Business. An accessory farm business is a low-intensity business use as provided below that is conducted on a lot containing a principal agricultural or plant nursery use.
(a) The following requirements apply to accessory farm businesses:
1) The purpose of these regulations is to encourage the continuation of farming and the preservation of farmland in the Township by allowing working farms to market their products and services directly to the public as an accessory use and in a manner that is compatible with the rural/residential character of the Township and with the Comprehensive Plan.
2) Accessory agricultural sales are also allowed under Use A-2.
3) All accessory farm businesses shall meet the requirements for water supply, sewage disposal and restroom facilities of the Township, DEP and County.
4) The accessory farm business is permitted as an accessory use only. The principal use of the property shall be agricultural. If any of the conditions to which the use is subject cease to be met, such as the lot not including a minimum of 15 acres with a principal agricultural use, then the accessory farm business use shall also cease.
5) This use shall include the following as permitted by right uses:
a) Sale and service of farm equipment and the sale and supply of farm supplies, such as feed, grain, fertilizer, and related accessory products.
b) Accessory farm entertainment uses if the requirements of clause (b) are also met.
c) Pony/horseback rides.
d) Educational tours.
e) Boarding of horses and similar animals.
f) Small engine repair.
g) Blacksmithing or sharpening services.
h) Rental storage in a pre-existing building.
6) Other accessory uses that the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board are closely similar to uses provided above may be approved as a special exception.
7) The use shall be conducted by a resident and owner of the property, his/her relatives, and a maximum of two other persons working on-site at one time, in addition to persons employed for agricultural uses. In addition, a farm building that existed prior to the adoption of this Section may be leased to a nonresident for a use meeting these standards.
8) An accessory farm business shall not occupy more than 5 percent of the lot area, and shall not involve construction of more than 5,000 square feet of building floor area for the use after the adoption of this Section. Any newly built or expanded building shall maintain a residential or agricultural appearance.
9) Any manufacturing use shall be of a custom nature, be conducted completely indoors, and not require daily service by tractor-trailer trucks.
10) The use shall not generate noises, odors, nuisances, nighttime lighting, or hazards beyond what is typical for an agricultural use.
11) Minimum tract area–15 acres.
(b) Accessory Farm Entertainment Use. This is a type of accessory farm business that involves the use of a farm for certain entertainment uses, as provided below, such as festivals related to products grown on the farm. In addition to complying with clause (a) above, an accessory farm entertainment use is subject to the following additional requirements:
1) Minimum tract area–15 contiguous acres.
2) The accessory farm uses permitted under this clause are limited to seasonal festivals related to products grown on the farm, craft fairs, sleigh rides, corn mazes, hayrides, petting zoos, horse shows, and closely similar activities. Food and nonalcoholic beverages may be sold to persons attending the activities on the site. This use shall not include racing of motorized vehicles or sale of alcoholic beverages, other than wine produced on the premises.
3) No activity or event or building used for an activity or event shall be located within 100 feet of a lot line of a lot containing an existing dwelling, unless the owner of that dwelling provides a written waiver to the Zoning Officer. Parking shall not occur within a street right-of-way or within 25 feet from a lot line of an existing dwelling and 100 feet from an existing dwelling, unless the owner of that dwelling provides a written waiver to the Zoning Officer.
4) The use shall not be open to the public between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., except that the use may be open to the public until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. No one accessory farm entertainment use shall be open to the public for more than 31 days per calendar year. All accessory farm entertainment uses on a lot shall not be open to the public on a total aggregate of more than 90 days per calendar year, unless such time periods are increased as a special exception use. A zoning permit shall be required for an accessory farm entertainment use.
5) The following types of activities shall not be permitted:
a) Activity that exceeds the noise limits of § 508.
b) Mechanical amusement rides that involve moving persons around by mechanical means.
c) Flea markets involving sales by multiple households or vendors.
d) Musical concerts involving amplified music that attracts more than 100 spectators.
6) Parking–off-street parking areas shall be provided in designated areas to accommodate attendees. The driveway used by the public shall have sufficient sight distances at entrances onto a street/road.
7) A traffic control plan and a parking control plan must be submitted to and approved by the Township Police Department prior to the events other than educational tours. Two access points onto a road shall be possible to allow for emergencies.
8) The traffic access points shall be subject to approval by the Township.
9) Lighting shall meet requirements of § 502. All event-related lighting is to be turned out 30 minutes after the event has concluded.
10) Signs will be subject to the requirements of Article 9 of this Ordinance.
(c) Accessory Mineral Extraction Use. This is a type of accessory farm business that involves the use of not more than 5 acres of a farm for the extraction of materials from the ground, such as sand, clay, shale, gravel, topsoil, stone and other similar materials. Like other accessory farm businesses, this use is permitted as an accessory use only. The principal use of the property shall be agricultural. If any of the conditions to which this use is subject cease to be met, such as the lot not including a minimum of 25 acres with a principal agricultural use, then the accessory mineral extraction use shall cease. This use is subject to the following additional requirements:
1) This use shall be permitted as a special exception.
2) The minimum tract area of the farm on which this use is conducted shall be 25 acres.
3) Extraction shall occur from no greater area than 5 contiguous acres, regardless of the size of the farm on which this accessory use is conducted.
4) Prior to the grant of a special exception, an applicant for approval of an accessory mineral extraction use shall establish the following:
a) All required permits from applicable Federal, State and local agencies have been obtained.
b) Compliance with those provisions contained at paragraph .G(7) G-7 Quarry (a) through (f) deemed relevant by the Zoning Hearing Board to an accessory mineral extraction use of the size proposed given the size of the farm on which the use is proposed.
(Ord. 144, passed 12-11-2007)
B. Residential Uses. All dwelling units shall provide a minimum of two off-street parking spaces per dwelling unit.
(1) B-1 Boarding House. A residential use in which the entire building houses more than four unrelated persons and that includes two or more rental units that do not meet the definition of a dwelling unit. This use may or may not involve provision of meals to persons residing on the premises.
(a) Minimum lot area–1 acre, unless a larger lot area is required by the applicable district.
(b) If an existing building is converted into a boarding house, the provisions for a residential conversion in subparagraph (9) shall also be met.
(c) Parking–one space per rental unit plus one space per nonresident employee.
(2) B-2 Group Housing.
(a) B-2a Group Home. See definition in § 202.
1) If a group home use will need Federal, State or county permits, certifications or licenses, then the operator shall provide evidence of such permits, certifications or licenses to the Township prior to receiving an occupancy permit. Any revocation or suspensions of such permits, certifications or licenses shall be reported to the Zoning Officer in writing within 7 days.
2) Parking–one parking space shall be provided for each employee plus one space for each two residents. The Zoning Hearing Board may remove a requirement for resident parking if the applicant proves that the residents will not be permitted to have vehicles. Said parking spaces shall be constructed so that no more than two spaces are located in the minimum front yard.
3) The applicant shall prove that there will be adequate on-site supervision, considering the type and number of residents.
4) The use shall occupy a lawful dwelling unit. If a new detached group home is built, it shall meet the same lot area and dimensional requirements as a single-family detached dwelling in that district.
5) A group home shall not involve more than six residents, in addition to bona fide paid staff. A larger facility is defined as a halfway house, unless a modification is granted under § 1010.2.
6) A group home shall not include a “treatment center” or a “halfway house,” although such uses may be included within a group home land development.
7) See also § 1010.2, which allows modifications of requirements where necessary to comply with Federal law.
(b) B-2b Halfway House. See definition in § 202.
1) A halfway house shall meet the requirements for Use B-2a in addition to the requirements of Use B-2b.
2) The applicant shall prove to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board that adequate safety and security measures will be in place.
(c) B-2c Group Home Land Development. See definition in § 202.
1) Each principal building shall be laid out in a manner that the lot area and dimensional requirements could be met for each building as if the building was a single-family detached dwelling in a single-family cluster development. However, each building is not required to be on its own lot, and multiple buildings may be located on one lot. The open space requirement for a single-family cluster development shall also apply. A 100 feet minimum setback shall apply from all perimeter lot lines of another lot occupied by an existing single-family detached dwelling.
2) The requirements for Use B-2a shall also be met, in addition to the provisions for Use B-2b if applicable.
3) An administrative building, counseling facilities, community center, classrooms, recreation building and outdoor recreation facilities shall be allowed. No commercial uses shall be allowed. The use of any recreation building shall be limited to residents and clients of the facility and their relatives and invited guests. A retail store shall not be allowed.
(3) Reserved.
(4) B-4 Duplex. A building including two dwelling units, and that does not meet the requirements for a twin dwelling.
(5) B-5 Mobile (Manufactured) Home Park. A parcel or contiguous parcels of land which has been so designated and improved that it contains two or more mobile home lots for the placement thereon of mobile homes.
(a) Mobile (manufactured) home parks are permitted in the HC and DD districts.
(b) Minimum lot area - 5 contiguous acres.
(c) Minimum lot width - 100 feet at building set back line.
(d) Minimum open space ratio - 0.20. Open space shall conform to the requirements of Section 512.
(e) Maximum impervious surface ratio for the site - 0.40.
(f) All mobile (manufactured) homes shall be:
1) Set back not less than 25 feet from the existing street right-of-way of an existing public street and not less than 25 feet from any lot line.
2) Located not less than 30 feet from an adjacent mobile home or service building.
3) One-story or < 20 feet in height, whichever is more restrictive.
(g) Parking - Off-street parking for two motor vehicles shall be provided at each mobile home site. In addition, 0.5 parking space for each unit shall be provided in common parking areas distributed throughout the development. Parking may not exceed 10 percent of the base site area.
(h) Service Buildings. Within a mobile (manufactured) home park, nonresidential uses such as management office, storage facilities for the park residents or for park maintenance equipment, laundry facilities, maintenance buildings, and a community building for the use of the park residents may be constructed subject to the following standards:
1) All nonresidential buildings must be set back 15 feet from interior street right-of-ways in the mobile (manufactured) home park.
2) Maximum height - three stories or 35 feet, whichever is more restrictive.
(i) Internal streets - Safe and convenient vehicle access shall be provided to public streets.
1) All vehicle traffic exiting a mobile home park shall access a private street before accessing a public street. Each mobile (manufactured) home shall be setback a minimum of 10 feet from an accessory building or raised deck of a different mobile (manufactured) home.
2) All streets and parking areas shall be improved within bituminous asphalt or concrete or other hard surface materials pre-approved by the Township. Any private street serving eight or more dwelling units and any public street shall meet the requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance for a public street. Street trees are required on all streets.
(j) A convenient system of sidewalks shall be provided throughout the park to every residence and recreational areas. The sidewalks shall meet accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
(k) The development shall be furnished with sufficient outdoor lighting to provide safe vehicle and pedestrian movement at night, at no cost to the Township, Regulations of Section 502 apply.
(l) All utilities shall be placed underground within the mobile (manufactured) home park.
(m) Each dwelling unit shall be served with Township-approved and County-approved central water and central sewage systems, unless the average density is less than one dwelling unit per acre.
Minimum Open Space Ratio for the Site | Maximum Impervious Surface Ratio for the Site | Minimum Gross Site Area | |
B-5 Mobile (Manufactured) Home Park** | .20 | .40 | 5 acres |
** Township-approved central sewage and central water services shall both be provided. | |||
Minimum Lot Width at Minimum Bldg. Setback Line (feet) | Minimum Yards on Park Perimeter: Front/Each Side/Rear (feet) | Minimum Distance Between Buildings (feet) | |
B-5 Mobile (Manufactured) Home Park** | 100 | 15/15/15 | 30 |
(6) B-6 Apartment. An apartment dwelling is an attached dwelling within a three-unit to 16-unit dwelling building and which does not meet the definition of a townhouse or a residential conversion. The building has setbacks on all four sides.
(a) The maximum length of such a building shall be 120 feet.
(b) Apartments shall be arranged in groups or clusters, not in long rows.
(c) To create architectural interest in the layout and character of housing fronting streets, variations in setbacks, rooflines and details shall be required. In any case, a minimum of 6-foot variation in setback or rooflines shall occur at least every 60 feet.
(d) The following building layout regulations shall apply:
1) The minimum spacing between apartment buildings shall be equal to the height of the tallest building.
2) The minimum setback from the right-of-way of a public street shall be 50 feet.
3) The minimum setback between an apartment building and a lot line of a lot occupied by an existing single-family detached dwelling shall be twice the height of the apartment building, unless a larger width is required by another Section of this Ordinance.
4) The minimum setback from any other street, parking court or lot line shall be 40 feet.
(e) Parking–in addition to the two parking spaces per dwelling, there shall be an additional one-half parking spaces per unit to be located in common parking areas that are distributed throughout the development, or through suitable on-street spaces on newly built streets.
(7) B-7 Performance Subdivision. A performance subdivision is a development that allows a mix of housing types, provides a variety of housing choices, and involves clustered development with common open space.
(a) General Regulations.
1) Each dwelling unit shall be served with Township-approved and County- approved central water and central sewage systems, unless the average density is less than one dwelling unit per acre.
2) A minimum setback of 100 feet shall be required between any new apartment building and any abutting lot line of a pre-existing single-family detached dwelling that is not part of a performance subdivision.
3) The development shall consist of a harmonious grouping of buildings, service and parking area circulation, and open spaces, planned as a single unit, in such manner as to constitute a safe, efficient and convenient residential site.
4) The development shall make the maximum feasible use of access onto new local streets as opposed to having driveways entering onto pre-existing public streets.
5) Provision shall be made for safe and efficient ingress and egress to and from public streets and highways serving the site without undue congestion to or interference with normal traffic flow within the region.
6) If the development is to be carried out in progressive stages, each stage shall be so planned that the foregoing requirements and intent of this Ordinance shall be fully complied with by the development at the completion of any stage. For example, maximum density and minimum open space shall be met with each phase.
7) The provisions for open space shall meet the requirements of § 512.3.
(b) A performance subdivision shall comply with the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, as amended.
(c) Required Dwelling Unit Mix. All performance subdivisions shall conform to the minimum standards for a mix of dwelling unit types as set forth below:
Number of Dwellings In Development | Minimum Required Number of D.U. Types | Maximum Percent Any D.U. Type |
1 to 60 | 1 | 100 |
61 plus | 2 | 70 |
Note: D.U. = Dwelling Unit. | ||
(d) Dwelling Unit Types. The following dwelling unit types shall be permitted in a performance subdivision: Single-Family Detached Use B-11a and B-11b; Duplex Use B-4; Twin House Use B-15; Village House Use B-16, Townhouse Use B-14; and Apartments Use B-6.
(e) Each dwelling unit shall also meet the requirements of this paragraph for that use type (such as the requirements for Use B-14 Townhouses).
(f) A convenient system of sidewalks or other approved pedestrian walkways shall be provided throughout the development. The walkways shall meet accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Where this walkway system serves the same purpose as regular sidewalks, then sidewalks shall not be required.
(g) A minimum of two deciduous shade trees shall be planted or preserved on the site on the average for every dwelling unit. These trees shall have a minimum trunk diameter of 2 inches measured 6 inches above the ground.
(h) Parking–in addition to the two parking spaces per dwelling, there shall be an additional one-half parking spaces per unit to be located in common parking areas that are distributed throughout the development, or through suitable on-street spaces on newly built streets.
(8) B-8 Private Camp or Cottage Development. A use planned in a unified manner for seasonal primarily outdoor recreational use and that includes two or more cottages for sleeping purposes for guests, in addition to recreational buildings and facilities.
(a) See separate provisions for Use E-16 Recreational Campsites. Recreational vehicles shall only be allowed for overnight sleeping purposes within Use E-16.
(b) The cottages shall serve seasonal purposes. No person shall reside on the premises for more than 180 days in any calendar year, except for a caretaker and his/her family.
(c) Minimum lot area–25 acres.
(d) Maximum density–a maximum sleeping capacity of 10 persons per acre.
(e) Minimum building setback from exterior lot lines–75 feet. To the maximum extent feasible, any forested land within this perimeter setback shall remain preserved.
(f) A minimum of 75 percent of the total site area shall be maintained in open space, with any existing forest land preserved within such area, except at trail, driveway and utility crossings.
(g) To provide access for firefighting, each detached building shall be setback a minimum of 20 feet from any other building.
(9) B-9 Residential Conversion. Such use shall include the conversion of an existing dwelling into two or more dwelling units or the conversion of a nonresidential or accessory building into no more than one dwelling, provided:
(Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(a) The yard requirements for the district in which the use is located shall be met.
(b) The following minimum floor areas per unit shall be required:
1) Efficiency or one bedroom–600 square feet.
2) Two bedrooms–750 square feet.
3) Three or more bedrooms–900 square feet.
(c) All conversions must comply with all applicable construction codes.
(d) If a one-family dwelling is converted, it shall maintain the appearance of a one- family dwelling as viewed from the street.
(e) Exterior fire escapes and stairways shall only be used when the need cannot be met with interior stairways. Where needed, exterior fire escapes shall be located at the rear or side of the building.
(f) Documentation is required that any existing well and septic system can accommodate additional demands, after any upgrades or replacement by the applicant.
(g) Parking–no additional off-street parking shall be permitted in the minimum front yard. Parking in the side and rear yards shall be visibly buffered from the street and the adjacent yards.
(10) Reserved for future use.
(11) B-11a (Less than 5 lots) and B-11 Single-Family Detached Dwellings. A single-family detached dwelling involves a single dwelling unit with a front, rear and two side yards. The following additional requirements shall apply for a single-family detached dwelling which is a mobile (manufactured) home and that is placed outside of a mobile home park:
(a) An enclosure shall be erected around the entire base of each mobile (manufactured) home that has the appearance of a perimeter foundation. Such enclosure shall provide sufficient ventilation to inhibit decay and deterioration of the structure. The hitch and wheels shall be removed.
(b) Each mobile (manufactured) home shall be set level and anchored on a concrete pad, piers or other approved installation system. The installation shall meet the Township Construction Codes (including the One- and Two-Family Code and the Plumbing Code) and the recommendations of the manufacturer.
(c) No mobile (manufactured) home shall be placed, erected or relocated in the Township unless it was certified as meeting U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development construction and safety standards for manufactured homes. (Note: such standards applied to homes built in 1976 or later.)
(12) B-12 Single-Family Detached Cluster. A single-family detached cluster use shall include single-family detached dwellings on individual lots that are clustered to preserve open space. See also § 512.3 and the cluster provisions in applicable districts in Article 6.
(a) Cluster developments shall be located and designed to minimize intrusion of development upon the productive agricultural soils and protected natural resources. The development shall be kept in tight configuration to minimize the edge of the development that abuts active farmland.
(b) Each dwelling unit shall be served with Township-approved and county-approved central water and central sewage systems, unless the average density is less than one dwelling unit per acre.
(13) B-13 Subdivision Creating Large Lots. This Use B-13 applies when an applicant proposes that every lot within a subdivision include a lot area that is at least three times the minimum lot area in the applicable district.
(a) If Use B-13 applies, the applicant may request modifications or waivers to requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance in recognition of the decreased impact of the proposed development. These modifications may include, but are not limited to, reduced road widths, the allowance of shared driveways, and reduced submission requirements. As a condition of such modifications or waivers, the Board of Supervisors may require that lots not be further subdivided, with enforcement through a deed restriction or conservation easement.
(b) Private streets and shared driveways may be approved as part of Use B13.
(14) B-14 Townhouse. A townhouse dwelling is a one-family attached or semi-detached dwelling within a building that involves three or more dwelling units attached side-by-side or back-to-back, with only one dwelling unit from ground to roof. No more than two vertical walls of each dwelling are in common with other such dwellings, provided:
(a) A maximum of five dwelling units shall be permitted in a row, with no more than eight dwelling units connected in any manner.
(b) Townhouses shall be arranged in groups or clusters. The total length of a row of townhouses shall not exceed 160 feet.
(c) To create architectural interest in the layout and character of housing fronting streets, variations in setbacks, rooflines and details shall be required. In any case, a minimum of 2 feet variation in setback or rooflines shall occur at least every third dwelling.
(d) Each townhouse dwelling shall have a minimum building width of 18 feet. However, if a townhouse dwelling has garage door(s) entering onto the front of the dwelling, then the minimum building width shall be 20 feet. If more than 50 percent of the front yard would be paved, then the minimum building width shall be 24 feet.
(e) Parking–in addition to the two parking spaces per dwelling, there shall be an additional one-half parking spaces per unit to be located in common parking areas that are distributed throughout the development, or through suitable Township-approved on-street spaces.
(f) Reserved.
(15) B-15 Twin House. A twin house involves two single-family semi-detached dwelling units, with the dwelling units completely separated by one vertical wall.
(16) B-16 Village House. A village house is a single-family detached dwelling on a separate lot. It differs from other forms of single-family detached housing in its placement on the lot, which are similar to houses found in the historic villages and towns. The unit is intended to be located at the building setback line and is additionally distinguished from other single-family houses by planting or architectural treatment.
(a) Each unit shall include a minimum of two of the following characteristics:
1) An unenclosed front porch with a minimum length of 8 feet and a minimum width of 6 feet.
2) A front yard enclosed by a decorative masonry wall or fence of wood, vinyl post or masonry construction at least 30 inches in height or a continuous hedge at least 24 inches in height.
3) Off-street parking and driveways shall be located outside of the minimum front yard, such as by having a driveway and garage or parking pad access a rear alley or side street, or having a narrow driveway that widens to enter a garage towards the back of the dwelling.
(b) A village house shall include a minimum of one canopy tree or two flowering trees within the front yard.
(c) Garages must be at least 20 feet back from the front of the dwelling unit. Garages may be placed within 5 feet of the side or rear yard property lines.
(d) The architecture of the village house shall be compatible with and reflect architecture that is common within Bucks County villages, including pitched roofs, window sizes, and a front door facing onto the front of the lot.
(e) If there is no vehicle parking in the front yard, then the minimum front yard may be reduced to 15 feet and the minimum side yard may be reduced to 6 feet, unless a less restrictive requirement is established in the applicable district.
(Ord. 144, passed 12-11-2007)
C. Religious, Educational, Recreational and Institutional Uses.
(1) C-1 Cemetery. A cemetery shall include a burial place for persons or pets, including a mausoleum, provided:
(a) The minimum lot area shall be 5 acres. A cemetery may be accessory to a place of worship, provided the regulations for each are met.
(b) If the cemetery area exceeds 20 acres, one dwelling to be used for custodial personnel may be permitted. If the cemetery area is less than 20 acres, there shall be no dwellings.
(c) Maximum impervious coverage–10 percent.
(d) Cemetery Design Standards.
1) The maximum height of buildings and structures shall be three stories or 35 feet, whichever is more restrictive.
2) Entrance features such as gates, fountains, statuary, and identification signs shall meet the principal front yard building set back for the zoning district. No such entrance feature shall exceed 12 feet in height.
a) There shall be not more than two one-sided identification signs or one two-sided identification sign at each entrance, each with a maximum sign area of 10 square feet and a maximum height of 8 feet. No sign shall be illuminated. The number and size of signs within the interior of the cemetery that are not readable from the lot line or a street are not regulated.
3) Parking–parking along a driveway or parking on a stabilized shoulder shall be provided such that traffic can still reach a public street while the parking is being used.
(e) A crematorium shall need special exception approval and be set back a minimum of 250 feet from any lot line of a dwelling. A crematorium shall only be allowed within the PI District.
(f) Any building other than a crematorium shall be setback a minimum of 75 feet from any residential property line.
(2) C-2 Commercial School. Such use shall include a trade, professional, music, karate, dancing or similar school, provided:
(a) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space per employee, plus two spaces per three students on-site during peak periods. Parking areas shall be adequately screened when situated next to land zoned for or in residential use.
(b) The use shall not be open for business between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
(3) C-3 Day Care Center. Such use shall include providing day care or nursery school to persons under age 16 for portions of the day, but not including care by a relative or care provided by places of worship during worship services, and not including care of six or fewer children at a time which is considered an accessory use. This use shall also include providing care and supervision during portions of the day to three or more adults who need such a facility because of developmental or physical disability or because of old age or illness, but which does not routinely provide overnight housing or skilled nursing care.
(a) The minimum lot area shall be equivalent to the minimum lot area for a single- family detached dwelling for any district that allows such dwelling.
(b) The use may be an accessory use to a place of worship.
(c) For a child day care center, an outdoor recreation area shall be provided and be enclosed with a secure minimum 48 inch high fence. The recreation area shall be screened in accordance with § 503 so as to protect adjoining dwellings and shall provide adequate shade for the clients.
(d) Such use shall show proof that it meets State regulations and has a State license, as applicable.
(e) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for each employee plus one parking space per five persons cared for at peak times. Parking shall be buffered and screened in accordance with § 503 when situated next to land in a residential use.
(f) In a residential district, the use shall not be open for business between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
(4) C-4 Golf Course. A golf course may include a clubhouse, restaurant, and other accessory uses, provided these are clearly accessory to the golf course.
(a) Minimum lot area–50 acres.
(b) No building or parking lot shall be closer than 100 feet to any residential lot line. No building shall be less than 50 feet from any other lot line.
(c) Primarily evergreen trees shall be planted where necessary between portions of the golf course and adjacent homes to reduce the potential of golf balls hitting homes.
(d) Parking.
(e) Two off-street parking space per golf hole, plus parking required by any restaurant/meeting facility, plus one additional space per one and two-tenths employees.
(f) Driving Range. No less than one off-street parking space for every tee, plus one space for each employee.
(g) A driving range shall not be lit for nighttime use.
(h) The applicant shall present a plan for protecting the water quality of watercourses and groundwater, which shall include proper management of pesticides and fertilizers that is acceptable to the Township. When conditional use approval is required, the Board of Supervisors may place conditions on the approval to protect water quality. Perennial watercourses and wetlands shall be surveyed and shown on the plan.
(i) Maximum impervious coverage–10 percent, unless a more restrictive requirement is established by another Section of this Ordinance.
(j) Changes to the property that will impact stormwater runoff within or from the property or into any watercourse shall not occur unless a stormwater management plan has been submitted to and found to be acceptable by the Township. Such stormwater plan shall be consistent with Township stormwater regulations. Plantings and buffer strips are encouraged to be placed along watercourses to minimize erosion and filter out pollutants.
(5) C-5 Hospital. An establishment, licensed by the State Department of Health, which provides health services for in-patient and out-patient medical care of the sick or injured, and which may also include related facilities, such as laboratories, training facilities, central service facilities, and staff offices as an integral part of the establishment.
(a) Lot and yard requirements.
1) Minimum lot area–10 acres.
2) Minimum lot width–500 feet.
(b) A hospital shall be located along an arterial or major collector street.
(c) Parking–one space for every one and one-half in-patient or out-patient treatment beds plus one space per one and one-tenths employee on-site during peak periods. Parking areas must be adequately screened with a planted buffer 30 feet in width when situated adjacent to land zoned for or in residential use.
(6) C-6 Library or Museum. Such use shall include a library or museum open to the public that is not operated as a private commercial business, or a museum or library connected with a permitted educational use.
(a) Parking–no less than one space per five seats or one space per 220 square feet of gross floor area where no seats are provided, plus one space for every employee. Parking areas shall be buffered in accordance with § 503 when situated next to land zoned for or in a residential use.
(7) C-7 Municipal Facility. Such use shall include a facility operated by the Township or an authority established by the Township or a nonprofit fire or ambulance/emergency medical services company. This shall include a municipal administration building, fire or ambulance station, police headquarters, water system, sanitary sewage system, stormwater facilities, district justice facility, library, or public works maintenance facility. More than one municipal facility shall be allowed on a lot.
(a) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for every employee on-site during peak periods or one space for every three seats in the largest meeting room, whichever is greater.
(b) The facility shall meet the minimum yard and lot requirements that would apply to a single-family detached dwelling, in a district where such dwelling is allowed. However, a stormwater detention facility or water supply well is not required to meet any lot dimensional requirements.
(c) Parking areas and outdoor storage of equipment and trucks be buffered in accordance with § 503 when situated next to land zoned for or in a residential use.
(8) C-8 Nursing Home. Such use shall include a State-licensed intermediate or skilled nursing facility that provides health care to persons with chronic diseases or disabilities or who are undergoing physical rehabilitation.
(a) The minimum lot area shall be 5 acres. A minimum of 10 percent of the lot area shall be improved for outdoor recreation by the residents, with hard-surface accessible paths, landscaping and benches. Areas that remain in woods may count towards this 10 percent area.
(b) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for every five beds, plus one space per one and two-tenths employees.
(9) C-9 Personal Care Center. An establishment approved by the applicable State agency as a personal care center and which provides housing, meals, supervision and limited types of medical assistance for persons for periods exceeding 1 day, which serves three or more persons, and which serves persons who need such services but do not need skilled nursing home care. A personal care center typically is primarily intended for persons who need such services because of old age, illness, or disability, and may include housing for that person’s spouse. Use C-9 may also include an assisted living center or a hospice.
(a) The minimum lot area shall be 5 acres. A minimum of 20 percent of the lot area shall be improved for outdoor recreation by the residents, with hard-surface paths, landscaping and benches. Areas that remain in woods may count towards this 20 percent area.
(b) Maximum density–20 beds per acre.
(c) Accessory retail stores and personal service facilities shall be allowed, provided they primarily serve residents, employees and guests and are in the same building as the personal care center. Such retail uses shall be limited to sale of household items, cards, beverages, food, drugs, crafts, gifts and similar items. Such service uses shall be limited to a barber/beauty shop and similar services. A restaurant may be open to guests of residents. No signs shall be allowed that advertise the retail or service uses that are visible from the exterior of the lot.
(d) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for every four beds, plus one space per one and two-tenths employees.
(10) C-10 Place of Worship. Such use shall include a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other similar place regularly used for religious worship, and which may include accessory social and meeting rooms and noncommercial recreation facilities that are primarily serving members of the place of worship.
(a) The minimum lot area shall be 2 acres, except 5 acres for a building with seating capacity in one room of more than 600 persons.
(b) A day care center shall be allowed as an accessory use, provided the requirements for a day care center in this Section are met.
(c) Minimum Yards. The minimum yards for the district shall apply, except that where a place of worship abuts a residential use, the minimum side yard shall be doubled.
(d) Parking–a minimum of one off-street parking space for each four seats in the largest room, plus one additional space for each employee on-site during religious services. Parking areas shall be adequately screened when situated next to land zoned for or in residential use.
(11) C-11 Private Organization. A private club is a nonprofit association supported by dues or fees imposed on a uniform basis upon all members and paid at least in part for membership status rather than for periodic use of the club’s facilities; includes, but is not limited to, fraternal, school, athletic, or other associations, with rules, bylaws, charter, or local or national affiliation and is based on membership of persons with common interests, pursuits, or purposes and is subject to the following additional provisions:
(a) The use and each building shall be primarily for bona fide members and their authorized guests.
(b) Outdoor play areas shall be sufficiently screened and isolated so as to provide a buffer to adjacent residences from inappropriate noise, light and other disturbances. See § 503.
(c) In residential districts, any Use C-11 shall be limited to homeowner associations, neighborhood associations and similar organizations that do not provide dining services or the sale of alcohol as part of their regular activities, unless such a club conducted such activities prior to the adoption of this Ordinance.
(d) The use shall not include a tavern, restaurant or vehicle racetrack, unless the requirements for that use are also met. A firearms target range shall only be allowed if the club includes a minimum lot area of 100 acres, or if the firearms target range existed lawfully prior to the adoption of this Ordinance or if the firearms target range is allowed by other provisions of this Ordinance.
(e) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for every five members of total design capacity of the facility or at least one off-street parking space for each 50 square feet of floor area used or intended to be used for service to customers, patrons, guests, or members, whichever requires the greater number of off-street parking spaces, plus one additional space for each employee.
(f) If the use is allowed and located in a residential district, the use shall not be open to the public, patrons or guests between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. and during such hours, the use shall not have exterior lighting turned on, except what is necessary for security. Where special exception or conditional use approval is required, the Board may require limits on hours of operation and lighting, which may be more restrictive than is provided in this subparagraph.
(12) C-12 Recreational Facility or Community Center. A recreational facility shall include recreational facilities other than a municipal or county park. This use shall include a swim club, athletic fields owned by an athletic association, buildings for indoor court games such as racquetball, and facilities related thereto. A community center shall include an educational center or other similar facility operated by an educational, philanthropic or religious institution, Township, or homeowners’ association.
(a) No athletic field or athletic court shall be within 100 feet of an adjacent lot line of an existing dwelling. A minimum lot size of 1 acre is required.
(b) The use shall not permit wild animal parks, zoos, or golf driving ranges.
(c) Outdoor active recreational areas and parking areas shall be screened and buffered from adjacent existing dwellings, with a buffer yard meeting § 503 with a minimum width of 20 feet.
(d) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for each five persons of total design capacity of the facility or at least one off-street parking space for each 50 square feet of indoor building floor area used or intended to be used for service to customers, patrons, clients, guests, or members, whichever requires the greater number of off-street parking spaces, plus one additional space for each employee.
(e) If the use is allowed and located in a residential district, the use shall not be open to the public, patrons or guests between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m., and during such hours, the use shall not have exterior lighting turned on, except what is necessary for security. Where special exception or conditional use approval is required, the Board may require limits on hours of operation and lighting, which may be more restrictive than is provided in this subparagraph.
(13) C-13 Primary or Secondary School or College. This use may include a public or private institution of elementary or secondary school, or a college or university that is authorized to grant degrees of higher education by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
(a) The minimum lot area shall be 8 acres, plus 1 acre for each 100 students of projected maximum enrollment of the institution.
(b) Minimum yards–
1) Front yard–100 feet.
2) Side yard–100 feet.
3) Rear yard–100 feet.
(c) Outdoor active recreational areas and parking areas shall be screened and buffered from adjacent existing dwellings, with a buffer yard meeting § 503 with a minimum width of 20 feet.
(d) Parking.
(e) Elementary School or Middle School. No less than one off-street parking space for each employee plus one space per two classrooms.
(f) High School. No less than one off-street parking space for each employee, plus one additional space per each three students over age 16, or one space for every three seats in the largest capacity gymnasium, stadium or auditorium, whichever is greater.
(g) College and University. No less than one off-street parking space for each employee and one additional space per each two students attending classes on the site at peak times, or one space for every three seats in the largest gymnasium, stadium or auditorium, whichever is greater.
(h) If a school, college or university will have two or more gymnasiums, stadiums or auditoriums in use by spectators or patrons at one time, then the parking requirements for all such facilities in use at one time shall be required to be added together.
(14) C-14 Municipal Passive Recreation Park. Such use shall include a park owned or operated by the Township or a nonprofit organization, provided:
(a) The minimum lot area shall be 1 acre.
(b) The use shall not include any active recreational facilities or athletic fields, but may include a nature preserve, walking trails and other passive recreational activities.
(c) The use shall be open to members of the public at no cost and shall only be open during daylight hours.
(d) Parking shall be provided as determined by the Township.
(e) There shall be no outdoor lighting permitted.
(Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(15) C-15 Detention Facility. Such use, whether owned and operated by the County of Bucks, State of Pennsylvania, or a private entity, shall be limited to the following:
(a) A juvenile detention facility as described and regulated in 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 6327.
(b) A rehabilitation center providing for minimum security detention of prisoners for work release or partial confinement. Such rehabilitation centers shall not include facilities for the total confinement of prisoners who have been sentenced or who are awaiting trial.
(c) A penitentiary, correctional institution or prison.
(d) The following dimensional regulations shall apply:
1) Minimum lot size shall be 10 acres.
2) Minimum lot width at building setback line shall be 300 feet.
3) The minimum front yard shall be 150 feet, and no accessory use may protrude any closer than 75 feet from the front property line.
4) The minimum side yards shall be 150 feet each, and no accessory use may protrude any closer than 75 feet from the side property lines.
5) The minimum rear yard shall be 150 feet, and no accessory use may protrude any closer than 75 feet from the rear property line.
(e) The building locations and spacings shall be as follows:
1) The greatest dimension in length or depth of a building shall not exceed 400 feet, and no more than three buildings may be attached to each other. Furthermore, a building shall include design elements so as to create an architecturally pleasing view of the building, notwithstanding the length and depth of same.
2) The distance at the closest point between any two building or groups of attached buildings, including accessory buildings, shall not be less than 30 feet, but shall be at least as great as the average height of the two adjacent buildings.
3) In no case shall the width of a building or the aggregate widths of buildings fronting on a street on the same lot exceed 80 percent of the width of the lot.
4) These regulations on building location and spacing shall apply to both accessory and principal structures.
(f) The following development regulations shall apply:
1) The tract of land on which each permitted use is conducted shall, in its entirety, be owned and operated as a single or common management and maintenance unit, with common open space, parking, utility, maintenance and service facilities and services.
2) The land surrounded by any C-15, Detention Facility Use shall be landscaped, except for paved areas such as walkways, accessways and play areas.
3) Any accessory building or structure which is industrial or nonresidential in appearance, such as a boiler room or maintenance shop, shall be buffered in conformance with the Type 1 Buffer requirements contained in § 503.4.A.
4) The property boundary line of a detention facility shall not be located within 500 feet of a property boundary line where a school or daycare is located.
5) Parking shall be provided equivalent to two parking spaces for every three employees split between two or more shifts, all accessed from one main drive leading into an arterial road.
(g) Detention facilities shall be permitted to have fences and walls or a combination of fences and walls around the facility in a height not to exceed 20 feet.
(h) A traffic study shall be required to be submitted with a conditional use application.
(Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(16) Continuing Care Retirement Community.
A. A Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is an age- restricted development, approved by the applicable State agency, that provides a continuum of accommodations and care, from independent living to long-term bed care, includes at least 2 of the following 4 primary care levels, and may accommodate temporary respite care:
i. Independent living
ii. Assisted living or personal care
iii. Skilled nursing care
iv. Dementia/memory care
B. Because a CCRC permits multiple buildings and uses on a single lot, Section 513.1 (Residential Planned Group Development) requirements shall apply. Staged development shall begin with the central care facility to accommodate personal care, skilled nursing care, dementia/memory care, and respite care.
C. Residents must be at least 55 years of age, except that spouses or partners of residents may be less than 55 years old, and except that residents of younger age may be permitted if they need such care because of physical disabilities. A CCRC shall not include rehabilitation services for substance abuse or criminal activity.
D. Residences shall be functionally, physically and architecturally integrated with medical services, recreational activity, and accessory uses. Each accessory use shall be located either in a building that includes residential uses or in a community services building.
E. The services and facilities within the CCRC shall be for the exclusive use of the residents, service clients, or guests of the community.
F. Respite care services for non-residential clients shall be integrated within the central care facility.
G. CCRCs shall be allowed as a conditional use in zoning districts DD and VR, and shall accommodate housing types allowed in Performance Subdivisions (B-7), as well as mixed residential/medical/accessory use buildings permitted by use C-16.
H. Minimum lot size = 10 acres.
I. Streets and Parking
i. All CCRC facilities shall adjoin and access either an arterial or a collector road.
ii. Internal streets – Safe and convenient vehicle access shall be provided to internal streets sufficient to accommodate residents, staff, guests, and support services.
a. All vehicle traffic exiting a CCRC shall access a private street before accessing a public street.
b. Parking – no less than one parking space for each independent living unit or equivalent, plus one space for every 1.2 employees on the most populous shift.
c. All streets and parking areas shall meet the requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance for a public street. Parking spaces for persons with disabilities shall meet the requirements of the American Disabilities Act (ADA). Such spaces shall be located throughout the campus so that they are conveniently accessible to the buildings or uses they serve.
d. Street trees are required on all streets.
iii. A convenient system of sidewalks shall be provided throughout the development to every residence and to recreational areas. The sidewalks shall meet accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
iv. The development shall be furnished with sufficient outdoor lighting to provide for safe vehicle and pedestrian movement at night, at no cost to the Township. Regulations of Section 502 apply.
J. Maximum densities, dimensions, open space, and impervious surface ratio requirements shall be those specified for the zoning district in which the CCRC is located, and appropriate to the building type (apartment, single family dwelling, duplex, townhouse, mixed residential/medical/accessory use building, etc.; see Sections 604.B and 606.B).
i. For CCRCs, any two single beds that are not within a dwelling unit (e.g., communal nursing care setting) shall be counted as one dwelling unit when calculating density and parking.
ii. Mixed residential/medical/accessory use buildings within a CCRC may contain up to 200 dwelling units, unless a lesser number of dwelling units is established by application of maximum density requirements for the CCRC use.
K. Independent dwelling units shall be held in common ownership.
L. Independent dwelling unit beds shall not comprise more than 50% of the total number of beds within a CCRC.
M. Open space areas should be developed for both passive and active recreation facilities (pedestrian paths, sports courts, etc.) and arranged to provide access to residents of the community, while preserving natural areas and maintaining buffers along property lines adjacent to private properties. Open space cannot include storm water management impoundment areas (100 year storm event high water limits), parking lots, access drives, buildings, or centralized water/sewer facilities, and is subject to determination of net buildable site area based on requirements of Section 509.B.
N. A Type 1 buffer yard (Section 503) shall be installed where the perimeter of a CCRC property abuts other residential uses.
O. In the VR district Section 607.C.(1) and (2) shall not apply to a CCRC campus development, but other sub-sections are applicable.
P. A continuing care community development shall be served by public water and public sanitary sewer facilities that are adequate to accommodate the additional demand placed upon them by the proposed development.
i. If public sewer facilities are not available, a community sewage disposal plant, approved by the Sewage Enforcement Officer, shall be constructed for sanitary disposal of the sewage to accommodate expected demand.
ii. Sites shall be serviced by public water where the tract is within a designated water franchise area and such service is available.
iii. Where public water does not exist, a community water system that is in compliance with all applicable regulations may be utilized.
iv. Emergency preparations:
a. On-site generator, with sufficient fuel for 10 days operation, capable of providing electricity sufficient to power the sewage disposal plant, the community water system, cooking needs, and air conditioning/heating systems;
b. Holding tank capable of storing 10 days of wastewater volume;
c. Back-up pump for community water system.
D. Office Uses.
(1) D-1 Medical Office. A building or buildings with multiple offices for one or more physicians or dentists for examination or treatment of persons as out-patients and laboratories incidental thereto.
(a) Parking–one space per 150 square feet of floor area.
(2) D-2 Office. A building for business, professional, or governmental offices.
(a) Such use shall be carried on wholly indoors and within the principal building.
(b) No office building shall have as its principal tenant a store, beauty shop, or other personal service shop, and a maximum of 20 percent of an office building may be devoted to such non-office uses.
(c) Parking–one space per 200 square feet of floor area.
(3) D-3 Veterinary Office or Clinic. The office of veterinarian.
(a) Other than the indoor keeping of sick animals, a kennel shall only be allowed if the requirements for Use A-6 are also met.
(b) Parking–one space per 200 square feet of floor area.
(4) D-4 Office Park/Corporate Center. An office park is a planned development of office and related uses which includes improvements for internal streets, coordinated utilities, landscaping and buffering.
(a) The proposed development shall be constructed in accordance with an overall plan and shall be designed as or as part of a single architectural and landscaping theme. Buildings as a unit shall comply with the area and yard requirements of the zoning district in which it is located. The development shall consist of harmonious groupings of buildings, service, and parking areas and open spaces, planned as a single unit. Individual establishments may be in attached structures or detached structures.
(b) Minimum Distance Between Buildings. The distance shall at least equal the height of the taller building.
(c) Outdoor storage or display of materials is prohibited.
(d) To the maximum extent feasible, all uses within the park shall take access from an interior roadway. Access to the park shall be from an arterial or collector roadway.
(e) Parking–one space per 250 square feet of floor area. Parking shall be buffered from an adjacent dwelling in accordance with § 503.
(f) Individual uses may be located in detached and attached structures and may involve condominium ownership.
(g) No parking and loading facilities shall be located within 30 feet from the curb line of a public street at the front of the lot. Where curb does not exist, such distance shall be measured from the street right-of-way.
E. Retail and Consumer Services Uses.
(1) E-1 Adult Entertainment.
(a) Adult entertainment includes any of the following uses:
1) Adult Store. “Adult store” means a commercial establishment in which more than 10 percent of the total floor area of the business is used for sale or rental for any form of consideration of one or more of the following:
a) Books, magazines, periodicals or other printed matter, or photographs, films, videocassettes or other electronic media which are characterized by the depiction or description of “specified sexual activities” or “specified anatomical areas” as defined in § 202.
b) Instruments, devices, or paraphernalia which are designed for use in connection with specified sexual activities.
2) “Adult live entertainment use” means an establishment which features live performances which are characterized by the exposure of “specified anatomical areas” (as defined in § 202).
3) “Adult theater” means a commercial establishment where, for any form of consideration, films, or other electronic media are regularly shown which are characterized by the depiction or description of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.
(b) No adult entertainment use shall be located within any of the following distances:
1) Within 1,000 feet of:
a) A place of worship.
b) A public or private educational facility including, but not limited to, child day-care facilities, nursery schools, preschools, primary or secondary schools, and including the school grounds.
2) On the same lot as premises licensed to allow the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
3) Within 500 feet of:
a) A boundary of a residential zoning district or the lot line of an existing dwelling.
b) A public park or recreational area, including, but not limited, to a park, playground, recreation trails, swimming pool, athletic field, or other similar lands.
c) An entertainment business which is oriented primarily towards children and family entertainment.
(c) No adult materials shall be visible from the exterior of the building.
(d) No persons under the age of 18 years of age shall be permitted within an adult entertainment establishment.
(e) Parking–one space per 40 square feet of building floor area or one space per seat, whichever is more restrictive.
(f) Screening and Buffering. Any lot which is to be used for any adult entertainment use shall contain screening and buffering along property lines adjoining other zoning districts in accordance with the provisions of § 503, except that the minimum buffer yard width shall be 50 feet and the minimum initial height of plantings shall be 6 feet.
(g) To minimize the secondary impacts upon other properties, the use shall not be open for business between the hours of 12 midnight and 6 a.m.
(h) The applicant shall prove compliance with all applicable State laws.
(2) E-2 Vehicle Sales. The sale and lease of motor vehicles, boats, motorcycles, trucks, trailers, recreational vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, or farm machinery, provided that vehicle sales shall be licensed by the State where required.
(a) Lighting. All outside lighting shall be directed in such a way as not to create a nuisance to any adjacent property, and all lighting shall be arranged and shielded so as to protect the street or highway and adjoining property from direct glare or hazardous interference of any kind. When the use is not open to the public, outdoor sign lighting shall be turned off and other lighting shall be limited to what is necessary for security.
(b) All facilities shall be located and all services be conducted within the confines of the lot.
(c) All preparation, lubrication, repair or similar activities shall be accessory to the principal use and shall be conducted within a building.
(d) Separate access ways shall be provided for the safe and convenient egress and ingress of motor vehicles. No access way shall exceed 35 feet in width nor be less than 15 feet in width.
(e) A 20-foot wide area maintained in grass or other natural ground cover shall separate the use from the curb line. If no curb is provided, such width shall be measured from the ultimate/future street right-of-way. Such width may be met using green space on one or both sides of any sidewalk.
(f) All automobile parts and similar articles shall be stored within a building.
(g) Storage or display of vehicles, boats, and trailers for sale shall be placed no closer to the ultimate/future street right-of-way line than 25 feet.
(h) There shall be no more than one access point into the facility from each street on which the facility has frontage.
(i) This use shall not include the on-site outdoor storage or sale of three or more wrecked vehicles or parts of such vehicles. See Use G-1 salvage facility.
(j) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for every 25 vehicles on display, plus one space for every employee. Parking spaces for vehicles for sale or rent are not required to meet minimum aisle width and stall sizes.
(3) E-3 Vehicle Repair, Body and Paint Shop, Vehicle Accessory Sales. Establishments doing general motor vehicle repair, paint spraying, body and fender work, custom body work, and/or sale of motor vehicle parts and accessories; but not including the sale of gasoline or diesel fuel unless such use is specifically allowed and approved, and not including a Use G-1 salvage facility unless such use is specifically allowed and approved:
(a) All major vehicle repair work shall be performed within a building.
(b) All related vehicle parts, refuse, and similar articles shall be stored within a building or enclosed area. Storage of same is not allowed within the 100-year floodplain or any riparian buffer or wetland.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(c) No vehicle shall be stored in the open awaiting repairs for a period exceeding 14 consecutive days, unless screened from all adjacent roads and properties by a fence and evergreen plantings each at least 6 feet in initial height, with a mature planting height of at least 8 feet.
(d) A 20-feet wide area maintained in grass or other natural ground cover shall separate the use from the curb line. If no curb is provided, such width shall be measured from the ultimate/future street right-of-way. Such width may be met using green space on one or both sides of any sidewalk.
(e) Storage or display of vehicles, boats, and trailers for sale shall be placed no closer to the ultimate/future street right-of-way line than 25 feet.
(f) Storage of used vehicle batteries and hazardous substances shall meet State and Federal regulations and be located under cover and on a non-impervious surface that does not allow drainage onto soil or streets. Any containment of hazardous materials shall be disposed of in compliance with the law.
(g) This use shall not include the outdoor storage of three or more wrecked vehicles, other than vehicles that are awaiting imminent repair. See Use G-1.
(h) Parking–one space for every two service bays, plus one space per employee, plus one space for every 200 square feet of floor area devoted to retail sales of parts and accessories.
(i) Chemical and chemical waste storage is prohibited within the 100-year floodplain, and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(4) E-4 Car Wash.
(a) A car wash shall include water recycling of the majority of the water that is used.
(b) Car washes shall be designed with a stacking area adequate for six cars so that waiting cars do not interfere with traffic flow.
(c) The facility shall have a drainage system which ensures that water will not collect on driveways, sidewalks, streets or storm drains in a manner that would allow car washing runoff to enter creeks or the ground without treatment specifically designed to remove particulates, nutrients, and other contaminants.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(d) Parking–one space per employee, plus areas for drying of vehicles.
(5) E-5 Convenience Store. A retail store offering primarily groceries, prepared food items, and other small consumer items intended for quick carry-our trade. Liquid fuel sales shall only be allowed if Use E-19 is also allowed and approved.
(a) Separate access ways shall be provided for the safe and convenient egress and ingress of motor vehicles. No access way shall exceed 35 feet in width nor be less than 15 feet in width.
(b) Access to the street shall be physically controlled by a concrete curbing at least 6 inches in height or landscaping that forms a barrier.
(c) The applicant’s site plan shall show how off-street loading will be able to be accomplished without obstructing driveways and without intruding into buffer yards.
(d) The use shall provide a trash storage area which shall be screened from the street and adjacent properties by an enclosed solid fence and/or decorative masonry wall at least 6 feet in height to prevent trash from blowing from the area and to serve as a visual screen for the trash area.
(e) When the use is not open to the public, outdoor sign lighting shall be turned off and other lighting shall be limited to what is necessary for security.
(f) Parking–one space for every 150 square feet of total building floor area.
(6) E-6 Restaurant. A place for the sale and consumption of food and beverage that does not include drive-through service and that is not a “tavern” unless the requirements for such use are also met.
(a) Drive-through service is prohibited unless Use E-7 is allowed and approved.
(b) The applicant’s site plan shall show how off-street loading will be able to be accomplished without obstructing driveways and without intruding into buffer yards.
(c) The use shall provide a trash storage area which shall be screened from the street and adjacent properties by an enclosed solid fence and/or decorative masonry wall at least 6 feet in height to prevent trash from blowing from the area and to serve as a visual screen for the trash area.
(d) When the use is not open to the public, outdoor sign lighting shall be turned off and other lighting shall be limited to what is necessary for security.
(e) Parking–one space per 50 square feet of total building floor area plus one space per employee, or eight spaces, whichever is more restrictive. In addition, if curbside pickup is allowed, then two additional spaces shall be provided for such purpose.
(7) E-7 Restaurant with Drive-Through Service. A place for the sale and consumption of food and beverages that includes ordering and providing of food to customers while they sit in their vehicles on the lot. This shall not include a “tavern” unless the requirements for such use are also met.
(a) The use must abut a collector or arterial street.
(b) There shall be only one point of ingress and only one point of egress per collector or arterial street, unless specifically approved otherwise by the Township.
(c) Where a drive-through window is proposed, a stacking lane shall be provided to serve a minimum of seven cars. The stacking lane shall not be used for parking lot circulation aisles, nor shall it in any way conflict with through circulation or parking.
(d) The use shall provide a trash storage area which shall be screened from the street and adjacent properties by an enclosed solid fence and/or decorative masonry wall at least 6 feet in height to prevent trash from blowing from the area and to serve as a visual screen for the trash area.
(e) The applicant’s site plan shall show how off-street loading will be able to be accomplished without obstructing driveways and without intruding into buffer yards.
(f) Trash receptacles shall be provided outside the restaurant for patron use.
(g) When the use is not open to the public, outdoor sign lighting shall be turned off and other lighting shall be limited to what is necessary for security.
(h) Parking–one space for every two seats or 15 spaces, whichever is more restrictive. In addition, if curbside pickup is allowed, then two additional spaces shall be provided for such purpose.
(8) E-8 Entertainment Facility. An entertainment facility shall include a bowling alley, skating rink, billiard hall, indoor movie theatre, live theatre, miniature golf course, arcades, or other similar uses, but not including a use which meets the definition of adult entertainment, Use E-1.
(a) Parking–one space per three seats of capacity of the facility or one space per 250 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater. However, the following parking shall apply instead for a bowling alley: two spaces per bowling lane, plus parking for other uses in the building.
(9) E-9 Financial Establishment. A financial establishment shall include a bank, savings and loan association, credit union, or other financial establishment.
(a) If a drive-in window is provided, a stacking area to accommodate at least six vehicles shall be provided for each drive-in window.
(b) Where automated teller machines are provided, such facilities shall be adequately lighted for security and safety.
(c) Parking–one space per 300 square feet of floor area, plus one space per employee.
(10) E-10 Funeral Home. A funeral home where bodies are prepared for burial and which is also used for visiting hours as part of a funeral. This shall not include a cemetery, crematorium or mausoleum, unless the requirements for such use are also met.
(a) Parking–one space for every four seats in the largest room, plus one space per employee.
(11) E-11 Bed and Breakfast Inn. The use and occupancy of a detached dwelling shall be permitted for accommodating transient guests for rent subject to the following additional restrictions:
(a) Minimum lot area–1 acre for the first two guest rooms and 20,000 square feet for each additional guest room. In no case shall the lot area be less than that required for single-family detached dwellings in which the proposed guest house is located.
(b) At least one bathroom shall be provided for each two guest rooms.
(c) External alterations, additions or changes to the exterior structure shall be minimized except where required by any governmental agency for safety reasons.
(d) The use shall be carried on primarily by members of the immediate family which must reside on the premises.
(e) There shall be no separate kitchen or cooking facilities in any guest room.
(f) The use of any amenities provided by the guest house such as swimming pool or tennis courts shall be restricted in use to guests of the bed and breakfast inn. The serving of meals shall be restricted to the guests of the bed and breakfast inn, unless a restaurant use is also allowed in the district and is approved.
(g) There shall be no use of show windows or display or advertising visible outside the premises to attract guests other than a single, non-internally illuminated sign which meets the regulations set forth in this Ordinance and has a maximum sign area of 6 square feet per side, and a maximum height of 6 feet.
(h) If the facility is served by an on-lot water supply system and/or an on-lot wastewater disposal system, the applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the County Health Department and the Board of Supervisors that these on-lot facilities are adequate to serve the maximum number of guests which could be housed at the facility at any one time.
(i) Only one principal building shall be allowed on the lot.
(j) Parking–one space for each rental room plus one space per employee.
(k) Any outdoor trash dumpster shall be screened from view of a street or a dwelling on another lot.
(12) E-12 Retail Store over 10,000 Square Feet. A retail establishment with greater than 10,000 square feet of indoor building floor area. If a lot also is regulated as Use E-20, then the requirements for a shopping center shall also be met.
(a) Minimum lot area–3 acres, unless clause (b) below applies.
(b) If the lot includes more than 100,000 square feet of indoor retail building floor area, then the following additional requirements shall be met:
1) A minimum 60-feet wide buffer yard meeting § 503 and a 150 feet minimum building setback shall be maintained adjacent to a lot line of an existing dwelling and any residential zoning district. Areas used for the movement, loading or unloading of trucks between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. shall be separated by a minimum of 150 feet of distance and a landscaped berm with a minimum height of 4 feet, on the residential side, from any lot line of an existing dwelling or a residential district.
2) A professional traffic study shall be required, meeting the traffic study requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
3) A 10 acre minimum lot area shall be required.
(c) The use shall provide a trash storage area which shall be screened from the street and adjacent properties by an enclosed solid fence and/or decorative masonry wall at least 6 feet in height to prevent trash from blowing from the area and to serve as a visual screen for the trash area.
(d) The applicant’s site plan shall show how off-street loading will be able to be accomplished without obstructing driveways and without intruding into buffer yards.
(e) The applicant shall provide evidence that any nighttime loading and unloading operations will be able to comply with the noise regulations of § 506.
(f) During hours when the use is not open to the public, sign lighting shall be turned off and other lighting shall be limited to an intensity necessary for security purposes.
(g) Parking–four and one-half spaces per 1,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor retail floor area.
(13) E-13 Mini-Warehouse. A use involving the storage of primarily household items and personal property of a type typically stored within a home, within a building that is divided into numerous rental units.
(a) Such use shall be surrounded by a physical barrier, such as a fence, measuring at least 6 feet in height and by a buffer strip at least 15 feet in width. The buffer strip shall be planted outside of the fence or other barrier and shall consist of plants which will hide the fence from view from the street or other properties. The buffer strip shall be maintained at all times so that dead or diseased plants are replaced. The standards for buffer yards as stated in Article 5 shall apply to the maintenance and guarantee for the buffer strip.
(b) The minimum driveway width between buildings shall be 25 feet.
(c) No business activity other than leasing of storage units shall be permitted.
(d) All storage shall be within enclosed buildings, except that no more than 10 percent of the total storage area may be devoted to outdoor parking spaces for boats, cars, recreational vehicles, or other noncommercial vehicles. Stored vehicles shall not interfere with traffic movement through the complex.
(e) Explosive, radioactive, or highly flammable materials and chemicals shall not be stored within the units.
(f) Parking–one space for each employee, plus one space per 25 rental units, plus spaces for storage of vehicles and boats.
(g) Outdoor lighting during hours when the facility is not open to customers shall be limited to lighting necessary for security.
(h) Any outdoor trash dumpster shall be screened from view from a dwelling or street.
(14) E-14 Motel or Hotel. A building or group of buildings containing rooms for rent for the accommodation of transient guests plus a restaurant.
(a) The use must have direct access to a collector or arterial street.
(b) Units in such facilities shall contain a minimum of 200 square feet of floor space, with a minimum of two rooms; a bedroom and a separate bathroom equipped with a flush toilet, a lavatory basin, and a bathtub or shower.
(c) Parking–one space per rental unit, plus one space per one and one-tenths employee. If there is an associated public restaurant, the parking requirements for eating place shall also be met.
(d) Any outdoor trash dumpster shall be screened from view from a dwelling or street.
(15) Reserved.
(16) E-16 Recreational Campsites. A lot on which two or more campsites are located, established or maintained for occupancy as temporary living quarters for recreation or vacation purposes. A campsite shall be a plot of ground intended for the accommodation of either a recreational vehicle, tent, or other individual camping unit on a temporary basis. Such campsites shall be rented by the day, week or month only and no person can reside in any campsite anywhere in the camp for more than 120 days per year.
(a) Minimum lot area–10 acres.
(b) Maximum density–10 campsites per acre.
(c) Sewage disposal facilities shall be satisfactory to the Bucks County Department of Health.
(d) A minimum of 40 percent of the site shall be kept as open space, exclusive of buffer yards. A buffer yard meeting § 503 shall be provided adjacent to any dwelling. Vehicles, buildings and vehicle parking shall be 100 feet from all street and property lines.
(e) Parking–one space per campsite.
(17) E-17 Repair Shop. Any business for the repair of consumer goods, not including repair of automobiles, vehicles, or motorcycles, and not including the repair of other items which, as part of the repair process, causes noise, fumes, or other disturbances to emanate to the property line of the establishment. Upholsterer shall be included within this use.
(a) Parking–one space per 300 square feet of floor area.
(b) Chemical and chemical waste storage is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(18) E-18 Retail Trade and Retail Services. This shall include an establishment engaged in selling goods or merchandise to the general public for personal or household consumption and rendering services incidental to the sale of such goods and which has an indoor building floor area of 10,000 square feet or less per establishment; or establishments primarily engaged in providing services involving the care of a person or his or her apparel. Such use may include barber, beautician, laundry and dry cleaning, shoe repair, tailor, photographer and travel agency.
(a) Products produced on the premises shall be sold primarily on the premises.
(b) Taverns, eating places, and stores with a gross floor area in excess of 10,000 square feet are not included in Use E-18.
(c) A retail facility may have associated with it as an accessory use a warehouse for the storage of goods and supplies which are sold or used at the retail facility. The amount of warehouse space to be permitted shall be in accordance with the needs of the retail use and shall not detract from the retail nature of the use or from the area in which it is located.
(d) Parking–one space per 250 square feet of floor area.
(e) Any outdoor trash dumpster shall be screened from view of a dwelling or street.
(19) E-19 Gas Station. A service station shall be limited to a building or group of buildings for the sale of petroleum products, tires, and automotive service. If a convenience store is also included, then the requirements for Use E-5 shall also be met.
(a) Minimum lot width–200 feet shall be provided along each street on which the lot abuts.
(b) Minimum lot area–1 acre.
(c) Access to roads shall be at least 50 feet from the intersection of any streets.
(d) Such use may only be located on an arterial road or collector road.
(e) All pumps, lifts, and other service facilities shall be located not closer than 35 feet to any property or street line.
(f) No vehicle shall be stored in the open for a period exceeding 7 consecutive days, unless screened from adjacent roads and residential properties.
(g) All lubricating, making of minor repairs, or similar activities shall be performed in an enclosed building.
(h) Separate accessways shall be provided for the safe and convenient egress and ingress of motor vehicles. No accessway shall exceed 35 feet in width nor be less than 15 feet in width.
(i) Access to the street shall be physically controlled by a concrete curbing at least 8 inches in height and by a 10-feet wide landscaped strip separating the street from the service station parking area.
(j) All automobile parts and similar articles shall be stored within a building.
(k) Junk vehicles or wrecked vehicles shall not be stored within view of a dwelling or public street for more than 24 hours.
(l) The sale or rental of automobiles, trucks, or other motor vehicles shall be prohibited.
(m) Convenience shopping shall be permitted as an accessory use to the sale of petroleum products, provided that it does not involve more than 1,000 square feet of indoor retail floor area. The use may be combined with a restaurant, provided the requirements for a restaurant are also met.
(n) Service stations designed to offer to the public self-service facilities for dispensing of gasoline and other motor vehicle fuels shall meet the following conditions:
1) At least one qualified attendant shall be on duty while the station is open to the public, whose primary function shall be to supervise, observe and control dispensing of flammable or combustible liquids.
2) The attendant shall be situated so as to have a clear view of the dispensing operations.
3) A voice communication system such as, but not limited to, an intercom system shall be provided so as to allow direct voice communications at all times between the person dispensing flammable or combustible liquids and the attendant.
4) Emergency controls, including the main power shut-off shall be conspicuously posted in the immediate vicinity of the principle control or the dispenser island.
5) Instructions for the operation of the dispensers shall be conspicuously posted on either the dispenser or the dispenser island.
6) A list of emergency procedures and instructions shall be conspicuously posted in the immediate vicinity of the principal control location of the attendant.
7) At least one fire extinguisher shall be provided for each pump island and the extinguisher shall be located within 25 feet of each pump island.
8) Warning signs with the following messages or closely similar text shall be placed in a conspicuous place with each sign indicating “Warning: a) It is unlawful to dispense gasoline into any portable container unless the container meet standards of the Fire Marshal; b) No smoking; c) Stop motor.”
(o) Parking–two spaces for each service bay plus one space per employee. If there is retail sales, there shall be one space per 200 square feet of floor area devoted to sales. Any restaurant shall also meet parking requirements for a restaurant. Retail parking spaces shall be located to minimize interference with ingress and ingress to the site and with stacking at fuel pumps.
(p) Chemical and chemical waste storage is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(20) E-20 Shopping Center. A building or a group of buildings that primarily includes retail sales with a minimum of three retail establishments, and which may include offices, day care centers, financial institutions and personal care uses, and which may also include other commercial uses allowed in the applicable district if such other uses are allowed and approved. Use E-20 shall be designed as a planned complex of related structures with fully coordinated interior and exterior traffic and pedestrian circulation patterns, and shall be subject to the following additional criteria:
(a) Minimum lot area–3 acres.
(b) Minimum lot width building measured at the front yard minimum setback line–300 feet.
(c) Shopping centers may only be located on an arterial or collector road.
(d) The shopping center shall be constructed in accordance with an overall plan and designed with a single architectural style appropriate to traditional historic styles of Upper Bucks County and coordinated styles of signs.
(e) The distance, at the closest point, between any two buildings or groups of units of attached buildings shall not be less than 20 feet.
(f) Regulations dealing with lighting, parking, outdoor storage, buffering, points of access, signs, landscaping, and other applicable regulations set forth herein shall be met.
(g) All establishments in the shopping center must have vehicular service access either from an individual service yard or from a common service area serving several establishments. All such service areas must be segregated from public areas and screened from public view.
(h) Within a tract to be used for a shopping center, subdivision of the tract into individual lots is not permitted.
(i) All structures in a shopping center shall be connected either as part of one large structure or by means of pedestrian ways or walkways on which pedestrians can move from one building to another without interference from vehicular traffic.
(j) A minimum 60 feet wide buffer yard meeting § 503 and a 150 feet minimum building setback shall be maintained adjacent to a lot line of an existing dwelling and any residential zoning district. Areas used for the movement, loading or unloading of trucks between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. shall be separated by a minimum of 150 feet of distance and a landscaped berm with a minimum height of 4 feet, on the residential side, from any lot line of an existing dwelling or a residential district.
(k) A professional traffic study shall be required, meeting the traffic study requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
(l) The use shall provide trash storage areas which shall be screened from the street and adjacent properties by an enclosed solid fence and/or decorative masonry wall at least 6 feet in height to prevent trash from blowing from the area and to serve as a visual screen for the trash area.
(m) The applicant’s site plan shall show how off-street loading will be able to be accomplished without obstructing driveways and without intruding into buffer yards.
(n) The applicant shall provide evidence that any nighttime loading and unloading operations will be able to comply with the noise regulations of § 506.
(o) During hours when the use is not open to the public, sign lighting shall be turned off and other lighting shall be limited to an intensity necessary for security purposes.
(p) Parking–four and one-half spaces per 1,000 square feet of total indoor and outdoor floor area.
(21) E-21 Parking Lot or Garage. A lot with or without a structure utilized for off-street parking by motor vehicles for a principle use located on an adjacent parcel, or parcel located not more than 300 feet from the lot.
(22) E-22 Mobile Home and Accessory Sales. Sale of mobile/manufactured homes and related parts, accessories, and other supplies.
(a) Parking–one off-street parking space for each 100 square feet of floor area devoted to retail sales of parts and accessories, plus one additional space for each full time employee.
(b) A mobile/manufactured home offered for sale or lease shall meet principal building setbacks around the edges of the lot.
(23) E-23 Tavern. This use means an establishment which sells alcoholic beverages for on- premises consumption and off-premises consumption, and which is licensed by the State of Pennsylvania for such purpose, and which involves alcoholic beverage sales making up a majority of the business’ total sales. This use shall meet the following additional requirements:
(a) Minimum building setback from residential districts–100 feet. Minimum parking lot setback from residential districts–50 feet, unless a more restrictive provision is established by another Section of this Ordinance.
(b) Parking–no less than one off-street parking space for every two seats intended for use by patrons, plus one space for every employee.
(c) Outdoor lighting shall be limited to what is necessary for security purposes during hours when the tavern is not open to customers.
(d) Any outdoor trash dumpster shall be screened from view of a street or dwelling.
(24) E-24 Treatment Center. This use shall include a facility involving overnight housing of any of the following: (a) persons undergoing criminal rehabilitation (such as a criminal halfway house), and which is not a prison, or (b) persons undergoing treatment for a current addiction to a controlled substance that was used in an illegal manner or alcohol, or (c) persons with a type of mental illness or other behavior that causes the person to be known to be a threat to the physical safety of others.
(a) The applicant shall provide a written description of types of conditions that will cause persons to be housed and/or treated within the facility. Any future additions to this list shall require an additional Township zoning approval.
(b) The applicant shall prove to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors that the use will involve adequate on-site supervision and security measures to protect public safety.
The Board of Supervisors may place reasonable conditions upon the use to protect public safety, such as conditions on the types of residents, types of persons who receive counseling or treatment on-site or who are not residents, and security measures.
(c) A minimum of one parking space shall be required per on-site employee plus one space for every two residents.
(d) Any outdoor trash dumpster shall be screened from view of a street or dwelling.
(25) E-25 Betting Use. This use shall mean a facility where legalized gambling occurs, beyond the State lottery and beyond “small games of chance” that are allowed under State law.
(a) A minimum 60 feet wide buffer yard meeting § 503 and a 150 feet minimum building setback shall be maintained adjacent to any existing dwelling and any residential zoning district.
(b) A professional traffic study shall be required, meeting the traffic study requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
(c) A 10 acre minimum lot area shall be required.
(d) The use shall need conditional use approval from the Board of Supervisors, and approval by the applicable agencies/boards of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
(e) A minimum of one parking space shall be required for every gambling machine plus parking required for each other use on the lot, such as a restaurant.
(f) Outdoor lighting shall be limited to what is necessary for security purposes during hours when the betting facility is not open to customers.
(g) Any outdoor trash dumpster shall be screened from view of a street or dwelling.
(26) E-26 Motor Vehicle Racetrack. This use shall include a course or track that is used by persons in two or more motor vehicles at a time to competitively race.
(a) Motor Vehicle Racetracks shall be permitted by conditional use in the PI Zoning District in accordance with (b), (c) and (d) below.
(c) Minimum lot size requirements:
(i) Go cart and quarter midget–20 Acres
(ii) Motor cycle and motocross–50 Acres
(iii) Stock car oval track–100 Acres
(iv) Quarter mile drag strip–120 Acres
(v) All other types of motor vehicle drag racing not listed above–100 Acres.
(d) Parking sufficiency shall be demonstrated at the Conditional Use hearing.
(27) E-27 Firearms Target Range. Reserved for future use.
F. Utilities and Public Services.
(1) F-1 Utility Operating Facility. A transformer station, pumping station, relay station, electrical substation, telephone substation, water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, and any similar public service or private utility, or a building needed for utility, but not including solid waste facilities. This use shall not include any use that is regulated under Use F-5.
(a) The following minimum setbacks from all property lines shall be provided:
1) Water tower–not less than one and one-half times the height of the tower, except such additional setback shall not apply if the adjacent lot is in a HC or PI District, then the principal building setback shall apply.
2) Electrical substation–50 feet.
3) Water supply well–25 feet.
4) Sewer pumping station–
a) Front yard–legal right-of-way.
b) Side and rear yard–15 feet.
5) Water treatment facility–100 feet.
6) Water pumping station–
a) Front yard–legal right-of-way.
b) Side and rear yard–15 feet.
7) Sewage treatment plant–200 feet.
8) All other utility operating facility uses–50 feet.
(b) Minimum lot sizes shall be adequate to accommodate the above setbacks, parking requirements, and other building requirements, but shall not be less than the minimum lot size required for the zoning district within which the utility operating facility is located, except that a lot that only includes a water supply well or stormwater facility and has a deed restriction against other uses shall have no minimum lot area and no minimum lot width.
(c) No public business office or any storage yard or storage building shall be operated in connection with the utility operating facility use within the WS, AD, RP, RR, DD, VC, or VR Zoning Districts.
(d) No parking shall be permitted within the required setbacks.
(e) No zoning permit shall be required for utilities to be located in public streets or rights-of-way.
(f) A buffer area meeting § 503 at least 25 feet in width shall be required for electric substations, water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, and sewage pumping stations between such facility and any: 1) street, and 2) abutting lot line.
(g) If a sewage treatment plant will have a wastewater effluent discharge into the Cooks Creek or its tributaries, a special exception shall be required. To obtain the special exception, the applicant shall prove that all reasonable alternatives to a stream discharge have been considered and found to be infeasible, such as spray or drip irrigation, and that all State and Federal water quality requirements will be met. It is not permissible to degrade the water quality of the receiving stream. The Zoning Hearing Board may require monitoring of the effluent and water quality of the receiving body.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(2) F-2 Emergency Services. Shall include police, fire, ambulance, rescue, and similar emergency services.
(a) Minimum lot area–1 acre for facilities without a community room.
(b) Minimum lot area–2 acres for facilities with a community room.
(c) Parking–two spaces for each fire truck; if community room, one space for every four seats of capacity in main meeting room.
(3) F-3 Terminal. A railway station or bus station/terminal.
(a) Parking to be determined by the Board of Supervisors.
(4) F-4 Essential Services. Essential services shall include the erection, alteration or maintenance by public utilities or by municipal or other governmental agencies of structures, ponds, spillways, drainage swales, underground, surface or overhead gas, electrical, steam or water transmission systems, including poles, wire, mains, drains, sewers, pipes, conduits, cables, traffic signals, telephone lines, fire hydrants, railroad lines and other similar equipment and accessories reasonably necessary for the furnishing of adequate service by such public utility or governmental agency or facilities for the public health, safety and welfare. This term shall not include any use that is regulated under Use F-1 Utility Operating Facility or Use F-5 and shall not include any use that includes a building.
(5) F-5 Commercial Communications Antennas/Towers. Shall mean structures and accessory equipment buildings for the delivery of wireless telecommunications or the broadcasting of radio or television signals.
(a) An applicant to construct a new commercial communications tower shall present documentary evidence regarding the need to locate the facility to provide service within the Township. For cellular communications, this shall include showing the coverage areas of existing towers.
(b) An applicant proposing to erect a new commercial communications tower shall provide documentary evidence that a legitimate attempt has been made to locate the antennas on existing towers, buildings or structures. Such evidence shall include a radio frequency engineering analysis of the potential suitability of existing buildings or structures in the search area for such antennas. The applicant shall document that reasonable efforts have been made to secure use of such existing towers, buildings or structures before proposing a completely new tower.
(c) When an applicant to construct a new commercial communications tower demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors that suitable locations on existing buildings or structures either do not exist or are not available, the applicant may erect a new telecommunications tower. Any new tower shall meet the following requirements:
1) Minimum lot size–3 acres. An antenna/tower may be on the same lot as lot as another principal use.
2) Minimum setback of tower and equipment from any property line–one and one-half times height of tower.
3) Maximum total height above the ground–200 feet.
4) An 8-foot high security fence shall completely surround the tower/pole (and guy wires, if used) and any ground level equipment building.
5) The following buffer plantings shall be located around the perimeter of the security fence:
a) An evergreen screen shall be planted, unless existing trees and shrubs will be preserved that will serve the same purpose. Existing trees shall be preserved to the maximum extent possible, unless such species are on a State list of invasive species.
b) Screening shall conform to § 503 of this Ordinance.
6) A new freestanding tower shall not be allowed in the SD Scenic Overlay District.
(d) The Township shall periodically require the applicant to provide a certification from a professional engineer certifying the structural integrity of the tower, considering its ability to resist high winds as provided in the Township Construction Codes.
(e) A commercial communications tower or antenna that have not been in use for commercial communications purposes for 6 months shall be removed completely within 90 days afterwards. Upon removal, the site shall be cleaned, restored, and revegetated to blend with the existing surrounding vegetation. A tower owner shall post a bond or other financial security in a form acceptable to the Township at time of zoning approval to cover the cost of tower removal. Any and all additional or unanticipated costs of the tower removal, including the full cost in the event the bond has expired or insufficient, shall be the responsibility of the owner of the tower.
(f) Collocation Required. Authorization for the construction of any new commercial communications tower shall be conditioned on agreement by the tower owner that other commercial communications service providers will be permitted to collocate antennas on the proposed tower and to collocate equipment buildings within the limits of structural and radio frequency engineering requirements and at rates which reflect the fair market value for such services. As part of any application for new tower approval, the applicant shall document the extent to which additional antennas which could be accommodated as well as the ability to accommodate the equipment building(s) for such antennas within the equipment compound.
1) Once a tower is approved, additional antenna and equipment cabinets/buildings may be added as a by right use, provided that the height of the tower does not exceed the height that was approved.
(g) The equipment compound shall have access to a public street by means of a driveway, which may be stone.
(h) Security lighting shall be shielded downward and inward toward the equipment compound to prevent direct light or glare for encroaching onto neighboring properties and streets.
(i) All equipment, including emergency generators, shall be located within a soundproofed structure, such that there will be no impact on existing sound levels measured at a residential property lines.
(j) Antennas may be attached to existing nonresidential buildings and structures as a permitted by right use, provided the following requirements are met. Otherwise, antennas shall be regulated in the same manner as a tower:
1) An equipment building or cabinet shall be allowed for each provider. Any building shall meet minimum setbacks for a principal building.
2) Antenna may extend 20 feet from an existing building, water tank, agricultural silo, electric transmission tower, steeple of a place of worship, or similar structure, other than a dwelling. An antenna that is visible from a street and is taller than 10 feet shall not be located on a building or structure that is listed on a historic register or eligible for listing on a historic register.
3) Landscaping shall buffer any equipment building that is at ground level and is visible from a dwelling.
(k) In addition, an amateur “ham” radio antenna shall be a permitted by right use in all districts and shall not be required to meet the other requirements of Use F-5. The maximum height above the ground of an amateur ham radio antenna shall be 75 feet. The antenna shall be setback from property lines a distance that is equal of the height of the antenna itself.
(6) F-6 Airport or Heliport. A facility for the takeoff and landing of airplanes or helicopters, other than ultralight aircraft which are not regulated by this Ordinance.
(a) Facilities for aircraft must meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Aviation.
(b) Minimum lot area–
1) Heliport–10 acres.
2) Airport–100 acres.
(c) The applicant shall prove that runways will be oriented to minimize hazards and risks to buildings on other lots. Each end of the runway shall be setback a minimum of 300 feet from the lot line of any dwelling and 100 feet from a street or any other lot line. Each landing area of a heliport shall be setback a minimum of 300 feet from the lot line of any dwelling and a minimum of 150 feet from any street or any other lot line.
(d) Parking to be determined by the Board of Supervisors.
(7) F-7 Commercial Solar-Powered Generating Facilities. Solar power operations designed to produce electrical energy primarily for the transmission and off-site consumption of electricity, provided:
(a) Such uses shall have a minimum lot size of 5 acres.
(b) All structures and elements associated with the facilities shall be setback from property lines by at least 70 feet.
(c) The maximum height of any ground-mount solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays or solar thermal (ST) heliostat facilities shall not exceed 20 feet. The maximum height of a solar thermal (ST) receiver tower (power tower) shall be limited by setbacks equal to one and one-tenths times total height measured from the tower base to lot lines, power lines, and road right-of-ways.
(d) All on-site electrical distribution lines shall be placed underground.
(e) The array field shall be bordered by a Type 4 Buffer (see § 503), where the fence shall provide not only a visual barrier but also a barrier to prevent public intrusion.
(f) A commercial solar-powered generating facility, and all materials, structures, and accessory equipment installed with that facility, that has not been in use for commercial generation purposes for 6 months shall be removed completely within 90 days of the issuance of an enforcement action. The Township may require evidence of energy production upon request. Upon removal, the site shall be cleaned, restored, and revegetated to blend with the existing surrounding vegetation. A commercial solar-powered generating facility owner, shall post a bond or other financial security in a form acceptable to the Township at the time of conditional use approval to cover the cost of equipment removal. Any and all additional or unanticipated costs of the facility removal, including the full cost in the event the bond has expired or is insufficient, shall be the responsibility of the owner of the solar facility.
(g) Arrays of PV panels or mirrored heliostats shall not constitute impervious surface, unless the underlying ground is covered with impervious surface.
(h) Engineering plans/specifications shall be submitted for review by the Township Engineer prior to issuance of a building permit.
(i) Applications for commercial solar-powered generating facilities shall be accompanied by an impact analysis with the criteria set forth in § 806 of this Ordinance.
(j) Such uses shall not include small (<1kW) panel installations erected to power a single device.
(Ord. 173, passed 1-5-2015)
(8) F-8 Commercial Wind-Powered Generating Facilities. A facility designed to produce electrical energy primarily for transmission and off-site consumption.
(a) Minimum lot size–5 acres.
(b) A commercial wind turbine, and all materials, structures, and accessory equipment installed with that turbine, that has not been in use for commercial generation purposes for 6 months shall be completely removed within 90 days of the issuance of an enforcement notice. The Township may require evidence of energy production upon request. Upon removal, the site shall be cleaned, restored and re-vegetated to blend with the existing surrounding vegetation. A turbine owner shall post a bond or other financial security in a form acceptable to the Township at the time of zoning approval to cover the cost of equipment removal. Any and all additional or unanticipated costs of the turbine removal, including costs in the event the bond has expired or is insufficient, shall be the responsibility of the owner the commercial wind-powered generating facility.
(c) Applications for commercial wind-powered generating facilities shall be accompanied by an impact analysis with the criteria set forth in § 805 of this Ordinance.
(d) A commercial wind-powered generating facility is permitted to have turbines that have a swept area greater than 200m2.
(e) There shall be no power (kW) limit on the rated power output of a turbine.
(f) Setbacks shall equal one and one-tenths times total height (hub height + one blade length) measured from the tower base to lot lines, power lines, and road right-of-ways.
(g) The system components and structure shall meet applicable State and Federal (including FAA) regulations. The lowest point of the swept area shall be at least 30 feet above grade.
(h) To prevent unauthorized climbing, climbing pegs shall be removed from the lower 10 feet of the tower, or ladder access shall be physically restricted.
(i) A “danger, high voltage” sign shall be installed where it is clearly visible by persons standing near the tower base. No other signs shall be allowed on towers or turbines, other than the manufacturer’s name.
(j) Noise associated with wind turbines shall not exceed the noise levels as listed in § 508 of this Ordinance, except that, designated sound levels may be exceeded during short-term events, such as utility outages and storms. Wind turbine systems shall comply with all other performance standards as set forth in § 508 of this Ordinance.
(k) Engineering plans/specifications shall be submitted for review by the Township Engineer prior to issuance of a building permit. Tower and foundation drawings and specifications shall be submitted to the Township by the manufacturer and certified to meet Telecommunications Industry Association Standard ANSI/TIA-222-G (as amended, updated, or supplanted) or equivalent standards. Foundation specifications are to be designed for the least suitable soil type within 500 feet of the proposed tower location.
(l) All wind turbine energy systems shall be equipped with over-speed controls.
(m) Applications must include descriptions of the safety features and sound emissions of the turbine and show compliance with IEC61400-12-1 and IEC61400-11, as amended, updated, or supplanted.
(n) Installation of a wind turbine system shall comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC). Applications must be accompanied by a single-line drawing of the electrical components in sufficient detail to allow for a determination that the manner of installation conforms to the NEC.
(Ord. 173, passed 1-5-2015)
G. Industrial Uses.
(1) G-1 Salvage Facility. An area of land that involves outdoor storage of two or more discarded, junked, inoperable or disassembled motor vehicles, appliances, boats, mobile homes, similar items and/or bulk outdoor storage of parts thereof, and which may include the salvage of parts from such items for resale, but which shall not regulate routine accessory outdoor storage of agricultural tractors and implements.
(a) Minimum lot area–7 acres.
(b) Minimum lot width–200 feet at street line.
(c) Minimum setback from all property lines–100 feet.
(d) All storage and all activities shall be entirely enclosed by a solid fence or wall, at least 8 feet high set back at least 25 feet from all property boundaries and street rights-of- ways and constructed of weather-resistant plank boards or decorative masonry, with access only through solid gates. Such fence or wall shall be kept in good repair and neatly maintained. This 25-feet setback shall be increased to 60 feet if it is adjacent to a residential district. Fencing and walls shall not be constructed of sheet metal or junk.
(e) A dense evergreen buffer shall be provided on the outside perimeter of the fenced area. Evergreens shall have an initial height of 5 feet and be planted in staggered rows to allow room for future growth, in such a manner as to create a solid visual screen at least 7 feet in height within 3 years.
(f) The contents of such use shall not be placed to a total height greater than the 12 feet.
(g) The storage of toxic chemicals shall be prohibited. Batteries, fuel and similar hazardous substances shall be kept on an impervious floor that prevents spills or runoff into the ground. All fuel, antifreeze, air conditioner fluid, oil and similar toxic chemicals shall be removed from vehicles or parts separated from vehicles.
(h) Dumping of trash or land fill operations and burning of any materials is specifically prohibited.
(i) The applicant shall prove that sufficient measures will be in place to prevent groundwater contamination.
(j) Parking–one space per employee plus five additional spaces per acre.
(k) Each tire storage area shall be separated from each other tire storage area by a minimum of 100 feet. Each tire storage area shall not have a height greater than 12 feet and shall not cover more than 100 square feet of ground area.
(l) Driveways shall be kept clear at all times throughout the salvage facility that are appropriate for use by fire trucks. Such driveways shall have a minimum width of 15 feet.
(m) Any crushing operation shall require a distinct special exception approval and shall meet the noise requirements of § 508.
(n) Vehicles and other material shall not be stored within the 100-year floodplain, any riparian buffers or wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(o) The Township shall have the right to inspect the premises annually and can require the owner to provide an assessment of possible environmental contamination if the Township has reasons to believe that environmental hazards may exist.
(p) Surface water shall not be allowed to stand in a manner that would harbor insects.
(q) A traffic impact study shall be required, meeting the requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
(r) Chemical and chemical waste storage is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain, all riparian buffers, and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(2) G-2 Building Materials Sale and Equipment Storage Yards. Establishments such as lumber yards and those offering for sale finished products used in building construction such as concrete and metal pipes and rental and storage of construction equipment:
(a) The rental of construction equipment is permitted.
(b) Millworking is permitted as an accessory use.
(c) Storage yards shall be fully enclosed by fencing and landscaped according to the buffer yard requirements of § 503.
(d) The storage of flammable or toxic gases and liquids and the production and mixing of asphalt and concrete are prohibited. Material shall not be stored in the 100-year floodplain or in any riparian buffers or wetland.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(e) Parking–one space per 250 square feet of floor area devoted to sales, plus one space per on-site employee.
(3) G-3 Contractor Services. Offices and shops for contractors such as builders, electricians, plumbers, masons, painters, landscapers, roofers, or similar contractors.
(a) Parking–one space per employee, plus one space per company vehicle that is parked on-site.
(b) Storage and/or discharge of waste or by-products is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(4) G-4 Food Processing. Establishments engaged in food processing, packing, canning of meat, fish, dairy and other food products as well as the manufacture and packaging of nonalcoholic beverages.
(a) The use shall not result in discharge of effluent to the Cooks Creek or its tributaries. No discharge of wastewater or effluent from food processing shall be permitted off of the lot without all applicable approvals.
(b) Parking–one space per 500 square feet of floor area.
(c) Storage and/or discharge of waste or by-products is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(5) G-5 Fuel Storage and Distribution. Establishments primarily engaged in fuel storage and distribution, not including gas service stations:
(a) Minimum lot area–5 acres.
(b) The facility and accessory storage areas shall be setback a minimum of 100 feet from the ultimate street right-of-way and from all other property lines.
(c) No retail sales will be permitted on the premises.
(d) Parking–one space per employee, plus one space per company vehicle stored on the premises.
(e) This use shall be setback a minimum of 1,000 feet from a residential district.
(f) The applicant shall provide an impact study analyzing the measures that will be used to protect groundwater, surface water and to avoid nuisances and hazards.
(g) Storage and/or discharge of waste or by-products is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(6) G-6 Manufacturing. Establishments engaged in the mechanical production, processing, cleaning, and testing of finished goods or the chemical transformation of materials or substances into new products, including the assembling of component parts, manufacturing of products, and the blending of materials such as lubricating oils, plastics, resins, or liquors. This shall include a Machine Shop. This use shall not include any use that is listed as a separate use.
(a) Parking–one space per 500 square feet of floor area.
(b) The environmental, hazard, nuisance and noise requirements of this Ordinance shall apply.
(c) The use shall not result in discharge of effluent to the Cooks Creek or its tributaries. No discharge of effluent, wastewater or rinse water shall be permitted off of the lot without all applicable approvals.
(d) No storage, use, loading or unloading of hazardous substances and no manufacturing shall occur within the 100-year floodplain, any riparian buffers or wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(7) G-7 Quarry. Shall include extraction of materials from the ground, such as sand, clay, shale, gravel, topsoil, stone and similar materials.
(a) General Requirements.
1) All applications for zoning permits or annual renewal permits for quarries shall be made in writing by the owner, tenant, vendee under contract of sale on a form supplied by the Township, which shall be filed with the Zoning Officer. The applications shall be accompanied by plans and other materials to show compliance with the following provisions and regulations:
a) There shall be a berm of minimum height of 15 feet and maximum height of 50 feet surrounding the entire property site. Berms will be required along existing quarry faces to the extent which the Board of Supervisors determines is feasible. The slope of the sides of the berm shall not exceed a 3:1 ratio. Berms shall be planted and dusted, and erosion control measures shall be taken as may be approved by the County Conservation District. Berms shall begin at a point no closer to a street than the ultimate right-of-way line. No berms shall be constructed closer than 15 feet to a district in which extraction operations are not permitted. Planting of the berms and yard areas shall be sufficient to screen the quarry extraction operations. Both planting and berm construction shall be according to a plan approved by the Board of Supervisors which shall include a reasonable timetable for completion. Such planting shall consist of evergreens of such species and size as will produce, within 3 years, a complete all season visual screen of at least 8 feet in height.
b) A chain link type fence at least 8 feet in height surmounted by three strands of barbed wire, shall be required to surround the entire within the setback area at a point no closer than the ultimate right-of-way line to be maintained in a constant state of good repair. Appropriate warning signs shall be mounted or posted along the fence at intervals of not more than 100 feet.
c) An adequate internal circulation pattern of driveways shall be maintained between the excavation sites and processing areas. Use of public streets shall not be permitted for hauling between extractive and processing areas except where required in connection with such pattern, or for weighing or for access of vehicular traffic originating from or destined to points beyond the limits of such excavation sites and processing areas. Access shall be regulated in accordance with the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
d) No slope shall be maintained exceeding the normal limiting angle of slippage of the material in which the excavation or extraction is being made. No undercutting shall be permitted within the setback area.
e) All operations shall be conducted with sufficient lateral support to be safe with respect to: (i) hazard to persons, (ii) physical damage to adjacent lands or improvements, or (iii) damage to any street, sidewalk, parking area, or utility by reason of slide, sinking, or collapse.
f) Stock piles shall not exceed 75 feet in height from the original ground surface and shall not be located within the setback provided for in this Ordinance. All reasonable precautions shall be taken to prevent any materials or waste deposited upon any stock pile from being washed, blown, or otherwise transferred off the site by normal causes or forces.
g) All drainage from the site of extraction operations shall be controlled by dikes, barriers, or drainage structures sufficient to prevent any silt, debris, or other loose materials from filling any existing drainage course or encroaching on streets or adjacent property, or entering into any stream, pond, well, subterranean stream or other body of water.
h) The use shall prove compliance with State blasting regulations.
i) All off-street parking spaces shall be provided as the Township Board of Supervisors shall determine as adequate to serve customers, employees, visitors, and vehicles normally parked on the premises. No parking shall be permitted in the front, side or rear yards except parking shall be permitted behind any berm.
j) All trucks carrying stone which travel on public roads shall be covered so as to prevent stones from falling onto and damaging public roads.
2) Any application for a zoning permit or an annual renewal permit as hereinafter provided shall be accompanied by plans and other information to satisfy the criteria set forth in clause (a) above and in addition shall depict:
a) Plan of general area within a ½ mile radius of the site at scale of 500 feet or less to the inch with a 50-foot or less contour interval to show:
i. Existing data, including location of proposed site.
ii. Land use pattern including building locations and historical site of buildings, if any.
iii. Roads, indicating major roads and showing width, weight loads, types of surfaces and traffic data.
iv. Existing and proposed uses of neighboring facilities including:
v. Subdivisions.
vi. Parks, schools and places of worship.
vii. Streets (new and reconstructed).
viii. Other uses potentially affecting or affected by the proposed extraction operation.
b) Plan of proposed site at the scale of 100 feet or less to the inch with a 10 feet or less contour interval to show:
i. Basic data.
ii. Soils and geology, with particular attention to carbonate geology, if present.
iii. Groundwater data and water courses.
iv. Vegetation–with dominant species.
v. Wind data–directions and percentage of time.
vi. Proposed usage.
vii. Final grading by contours.
viii. Interior road pattern, its relation to operation yard and points of ingress and egress to State and Township roads.
ix. Location and estimated amount and description of aggregate and overburden to be removed.
x. Location of stock piles and present or proposed heights.
xi. Ultimate use and ownership of site after completion of operation.
xii. Source and amount of water if the proposal will use water, as well as water pumping rates and associated cones of depression.
xiii. Plan of operation showing–proposed tree screen locations. Soil embankments for noise, dust and visual barriers and heights of soil mounds method of and provision for disposition of excess water during operation location and typical schedule of blasting machinery–type and noise. Safety measures–monitoring of complaints.
3) Any application for an initial permit or for an annual renewal permit as hereinafter provided shall be initially referred to the Planning Commission for review and to the Township Engineer for review prior to final action by the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors in acting upon any original permit application or annual renewal permit application shall take into account the following:
a) Compliance with the requirements set forth in subclause 1)a) and b) above.
b) The impact that the proposed operations would have upon the health, safety and welfare of the community including specifically the finding that the use will not impact adversely upon the following.
c) Ground water and surface water supply impacts outside the subject property.
d) Ground vibrations.
e) Noise.
f) Dust dissemination.
g) Ground, ground water, surface water and air contamination by toxic, hazardous or other deleterious substances.
4) No permit for any extraction operation shall issue until the applicant shall have first demonstrated to the Board of Supervisors that it has obtained all other permits and approvals required from any other regulatory agencies to conduct the extraction operation.
(b) Annual Renewal Permit.
1) Each operator/owner of extraction operations within the Quarry District shall be required to apply for and obtain an annual renewal permit during each year of its operation.
2) The renewal permit application must be received by the Township along with the appropriate fee not less than 45 days prior to the expiration of the then current permit.
3) The application shall include updated plans and other materials showing the information required for the issuance of an original permit.
4) The annual renewal permit shall issue upon the Board of Supervisors’ being satisfied that the applicant has satisfied all of the obligations required of the owner/operator for an original issue permit and provided further that the criteria set forth in subclause 1) above are satisfied.
(c) Fees. Applicants for zoning permits and annual renewal permits for extraction operations shall pay a fee which shall be in accordance with the fee schedule as may be from time to time adopted and amended by the Township, provided, however, that the fee for the zoning permit or annual renewal permit for extraction operations may not be increased by more than 10 percent per annum over the fee in effect during the previous year.
(d) Rehabilitation and Conservation Requirements. The following provisions shall apply to all extraction operations:
1) The owner, operator, lessee of any extraction operation shall, at the time of application for a zoning permit submit to the Township its reclamation plan as submitted to DEP. No permit shall issue where said reclamation plan provides for quarrying in areas of the site not permitted by this Ordinance.
2) Along with said plan, the applicant shall include a timetable for the reclamation proposed for the site in general with an actual timetable for the reclamation proposed for the site in general with an actual timetable for reclamation of slopes as may be found reasonable by the Board of Supervisors within the setback areas.
3) The owner, lessee, or operator of any extraction operation within the Township shall, within 6 months from the date of this Ordinance or receipt of a zoning permit authorizing said extraction operation, whichever is the latter, submit a plan which shall include descriptions and plans for suitable after-conditions or after-uses for all the land affected.
4) Plans for the rehabilitation uses may include the following after-uses among others:
a) Open areas suitably graded and covered with suitable shrubs, grasses, or trees.
b) Recreational land, ponds, and lakes.
c) Agriculture of any type.
d) Sites for residential use.
5) Rehabilitation shall commence within 1 year following the completion or the discontinuance for a period of 1 year of any extraction operation (or the completion of the excavation of a portion of an entire operation which can feasibly be restored separately from other portions of the operation and which is not necessary to the operation). Such rehabilitation shall be completed within 5 years from the date rehabilitation commenced except where a longer period of time is specifically authorized as part of the rehabilitation program. Normal benching operations for sloping purposes shall not be construed as requiring the commencement of rehabilitation.
6) Rehabilitation shall include removal of all debris, temporary structures, and stock piles.
7) A layer of arable soil of sufficient depth to sustain grass, shrubs, and trees shall be provided. Grass, shrubs, and trees native to the area shall be planted thereon within 6 months after the providing of arable soil.
8) Where the extraction operations are to be filled as part of the rehabilitation process, no material shall be used for fill purposes other than earth, stone, sand or concrete.
9) Water accumulation upon the site may be retained after the completion of such operations where the excavation cannot be reasonably drained by gravity flow, provided that adequate provision shall be made to avoid stagnation, pollution and the danger of improperly controlled release of such waters from the site.
10) Upon receipt of the rehabilitation plans, the Township shall review the plans to insure compliance with all provisions of this performance standard. Upon approval thereof, the Township shall issue a certificate indicating approval of the plans as submitted or amended, and the approved plans shall be permanently filed in the official records of the Township.
11) Plans may be amended from time to time by approval of the Township upon application of the owners.
12) Environmental Impacts. An environmental impact assessment shall be submitted to the Township that details potential impacts to human health and the environment from all aspects of the use, including, but not limited to:
a) Ground water and surface water.
b) Air quality (particulate and toxic substances).
c) Noise and odor beyond the property line.
d) Vehicle traffic, particularly to consider the ability of the road system to handle the truck traffic.
e) Soil quality.
13) A performance bond or other financial security acceptable to the Township shall be required by the Township. The amount of such security shall be determined by the Township to be sufficient to insure the rehabilitation of the affected site in accordance and compliance with the standards for the issuance of any original permit or annual renewal permit in accordance with the provisions of the plan of rehabilitation as submitted pursuant to this Ordinance, if the bond posted with DEP or other agency is not kept in force or if the Township is not named therein. The Township may require that the bond posted with any State agency may not be withdrawn or reclaimed without Township approval.
14) A traffic impact study shall be submitted at the time of the conditional use application. Such study shall meet the requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and shall analyze the ability of the road base and widths of existing public streets to handle the resulting traffic.
15) If blasting will be used, a pre-blast survey shall be conducted of existing conditions of buildings and streets in the vicinity. A copy of such survey shall be submitted to the Township.
(e) Inspection. To insure that the provisions of the above Sections of this Ordinance are strictly satisfied, the Township shall have the right to inspect any extraction operation within its boundaries. Such inspection or inspections, as the Township may deem necessary, may be conducted on any working day of the year, during regular business hours.
(f) Hours of Operation. No extraction operation or machinery connected with processing, shipping or crushing shall operate between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
(g) Area and Dimensional Requirements.
Minimum lot area | 25 acres |
Maximum building coverage | .25 |
Maximum impervious surface ratio | .25 |
Minimum lot width at building setback line | 300 feet |
Yards: | |
Front | 125 feet* |
Side (each/total) | 125 feet** |
Rear | 125 feet** |
Maximum building height | 40 feet*** |
Notes: | |
*The front yard shall be measured from the ultimate right-of-way line. No part of the front yard may be sloped or cut in any fashion except as necessary for access roads. | |
**The side and rear yard setbacks may be sloped beginning at a point no closer than 50 feet from any boundary line to a point 125 feet from said boundary line. The slope shall not exceed a 3:1 slope and shall be reclaimed by seeding and planting in accordance with a plan and timetable approved by the Board of Supervisors. | |
***Building height shall be applicable only to those buildings or structures having a permanent fixed foundation or location on the ground and shall not include machinery or other temporary structures necessary to the operation of extraction operations, asphalt plants, or ready mix concrete plants. | |
(h) Asphalt plants and ready mix concrete plants are permitted as accessory uses to quarries, provided that the following standards are met:
1) Hereafter an asphalt plant or ready mix concrete plant may not be established until a zoning permit is issued from the Board of Supervisors. In determining whether a zoning permit shall issue for an asphalt plant or a ready mix concrete plant, the said application shall be referred to the Planning Commission and the Township Engineer for review. The Planning Commission and Engineer shall make a report to the Township Supervisors who shall then issue a permit upon its finding that the regulations pertinent to the said use have been satisfied and its further finding that the said use meets the criteria set forth herein.
2) Any application for a use permit for an asphalt plant or ready mix concrete plant shall be accompanied by the following plans and materials:
a) Plot plan of the site at a scale of 100 feet to the inch showing the location and dimensions of the plant in relation to the operation and boundaries.
b) Any and all permits necessary from any State or other governmental agency which may now or in the future regulate such operation.
c) Satisfactory proof that all State and other governmental regulations and guidelines pertinent to the use have been satisfied.
d) A plan demonstrating or illustrating the methods by which noise, dust, and the spread of toxic or hazardous waste will be controlled to meet the requirements of this Ordinance and to control nuisances.
3) Regulations for Asphalt Plant and Ready Mix Concrete Plants.
a) No asphalt plant or ready mix concrete plant or related processing, shipping or crushing shall operate between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
b) The asphalt plant or ready mix concrete plant shall be located such that the land surrounding the plant shall be bermed in such a fashion that the asphalt plant or ready mix concrete plant is not visible at the property line.
c) Prior to commencement of asphalt plant and/or ready mix concrete plant operations, all screening and berming shall be completed to totally screen the operation from view at the property line.
4) Environmental Impacts. An environmental impact assessment shall be submitted to the Township that details potential impacts to human health and the environment from all aspects of the use, including, but not limited to:
a) Ground water and surface water.
b) Air quality (particulate and toxic substances).
c) Noise and odor beyond the property line.
d) Vehicle traffic, particularly to consider the ability of the road system to handle the truck traffic.
e) Soil quality.
(i) See the carbonate geology requirements in § 509.2.I of this Ordinance.
(8) G-8 Recycling Facility. Such use shall be limited to an area of land, with or without buildings, that is used for the storage, sorting and compaction of used or discarded paper, cardboard, plastic, metal cans, glass and similar materials for the purpose of recycling, but which does not involve industrial processing and is not a salvage facility.
(a) The proposed use shall not create nuisances or hazards to adjacent land users. Crushing machinery shall not be operated and trucks shall not load collected materials between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
(b) Maximum land area occupied by the use–2 acres.
(c) Such use shall be a minimum of 200 feet from any public road as measured from the street line.
(d) The land area used for such purposes shall be hidden from public view by an evergreen buffer.
(e) The storage of paper shall be within a building or a closed container.
(f) The storage of toxic chemicals shall be prohibited.
(g) Dumping of trash or land fill operations and burning of any materials shall specifically be prohibited.
(h) The use shall not cause groundwater contamination.
(i) Parking–one space per employee plus five additional spaces.
(j) Storage and/or discharge of waste or by-products is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(9) G-9 Research. Shall mean a scientific or industrial research, testing or experimental laboratory research, animal research, or similar establishment for research or product development.
(a) No research facility shall be a commercial production facility.
(b) No research facility shall be permitted which constitutes a danger to the community because of combustible, chemical, or radioactive materials.
(c) Parking–one space per 500 square feet of floor area.
(d) Storage and/or discharge of waste or by-products is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(10) G-10 Solid Waste Facility. Such use shall be limited to those uses meeting the definition of solid waste facility as set forth in Article 2.
(a) Landscaping shall be provided to buffer and screen the use from surrounding properties, to compliment buildings and other structures on the site, and to enhance the overall character of the facility. A buffer zone of 50 feet in width shall be established from the property line to a line of evergreen trees which shall be planted around the perimeter of the site in accordance with the buffer standards of Article 5 herein.
(b) The facility shall be screened by fencing, walls, berming and other site improvements features to compliment the proposed landscaping buffer, and shall be surrounded by adequate fencing to prevent unauthorized entry.
(c) The facility shall provide adequate signage which shall be in accordance with Article 9 and which shall be crafted to be attractive and of the highest graphic quality in keeping with the character of surrounding properties.
(d) The facility shall provide adequate exterior lighting for the safe and efficient operation and security of the facility but as minimal and subdued as possible using light posts and fixtures complimentary to the proposed architecture and the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
(e) The facility shall provide for adequate environmental controls to minimize noise, vibration, glare, heat, odor, smoke, dust, fumes, vapors, gases, air emissions, and water effluents, as required under appropriate and relevant Federal and State environmental laws and Article 5 of this Ordinance.
(f) The facility shall include efficient mitigation of potential adverse environmental impacts as described in the environmental impact assessment requirements of the Township as provided in clause (p) below.
(g) The facility shall not include any building with a height in excess of 35 feet, provided however that for every foot that any building might necessarily be constructed in excess of 35 feet (exclusive of any exhaust stacks) in order to operate properly and safely, 5 additional feet of front, side and rear yard setback shall be provided, but in no case shall the overall height exceed 55 feet.
(h) The facility shall not include any exhaust or other stack with a height in excess of 100 feet, except as required under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or other Federal or State regulations, and shall provide safeguards and meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations regarding limitations relative to airport safety and sound engineering practices.
(i) The facility shall provide adequate storage, loading and unloading facilities and sufficient paved turning areas to permit unobstructed maneuvering room for trash, transfer and ash trucks; and shall provide adequate automobile parking as required by Article 5 herein.
(j) The facility shall have a contract with a pest and rodent control company for the regular elimination and control or rats, flies, vermin and other rodents, insects and pests that might become vectors for carrying disease.
(k) The facility shall not intrude upon, nor provide storage for any waste in the 100- year floodplain, any riparian buffer or wetland.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(l) No use shall emit odorous gasses or other odorous matter in such quantities as to be humanly perceptible at any point beyond its lot lines.
(m) Dimensional Requirements for Landfill (Municipal or Sanitary), Resource Recovery Facilities or Waste to Energy Plants.
Minimum lot size | 50 acres |
Maximum building coverage | 10 percent |
Minimum lot width | 900 feet |
Maximum building height | 35 feet |
Minimum front yard | 200 feet (400 feet if adjacent to residence or residential districts) |
Minimum side yard | 100 feet (200 feet if adjacent to residence or residential districts) |
Minimum rear yard | 100 feet (200 feet if adjacent to residence or residential districts) |
(n) Dimensional Requirements for Solid Waste Facilities Other than Landfills, Resource Recovery Facilities or Waste-to-energy Plants (Such as Composting Plants and Transfer Stations).
Minimum lot size | 10 acres |
Maximum building coverage | 10 percent |
Minimum lot width | 300 feet |
Maximum building height | 35 feet |
Minimum front yard | 150 feet (300 feet if adjacent to residences or residential districts) |
Minimum side yard | 50 feet (75 feet if adjacent to residences or residential districts) |
Minimum rear yard | 100 feet (200 feet if adjacent to residences or residential districts) |
(o) Parking–one space per employee plus additional spaces as required by the Board of Supervisors.
(p) See the carbonate geology requirements in § 509.2.I of this Ordinance.
(q) The following additional requirements shall apply for a solid waste transfer facility.
1) There shall be compliance with all applicable Federal and State regulations. Township zoning approval shall be conditioned upon compliance with such Federal and State regulations.
2) A copy of all written materials and correspondence that the applicant sends and receives regarding compliance with Federal and State environmental requirements shall also be provided to the Township by the applicant, unless a copy is provided to the Township by the agency.
3) All transfer, loading, unloading or storage of solid waste shall occur within an enclosed building. The floor of the building shall be an impervious surface that acts as a containment area for any spills.
4) The air quality in the building shall be monitored for gas accumulation using analytic procedures. Test results shall be recorded and submitted to the Township.
5) The building air shall discharge through a filter/wet scrubber system with the capacity to remove noxious chemicals (such as chlorine, ammonia and methane) as well as particulate matter.
6) All leachates or liquids from vehicles as well as from wash down of equipment shall drain to a containment area that is periodically treated on-site or off- site in accordance with State regulations for wastewater treatment. No direct discharge of wastewater, either treated or untreated, is allowed within the Cooks Creek Watershed.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(r) Environmental Impacts. An environmental impact assessment shall be submitted to the Township that details potential impacts to human health and the environment from all aspects of the use, including but not limited to:
1) Ground water and surface water.
2) Air quality (particulate and toxic substances).
3) Noise and odor beyond the property line.
4) Vehicle traffic, particularly to consider the ability of the road system to handle the truck traffic.
5) Soil quality.
(s) The overnight parking of trucks containing sewage sludge or septage shall also be regulated as a solid waste facility.
(11) G-11 Truck Terminal. Establishments used for the storage of trucks and/or the transfer of freight, other than solid waste, from one truck to another, and which primarily involves tractor-trailer trucks bring goods to the site and tractor-trailer trucks bring goods from the site, and which is not a manufacturing use as a principal use.
(a) Warehousing may be permitted.
(b) All areas used for the overnight storage of two or more tractor-trailer trucks or trailers of such combinations shall be separated by a street or lot line by a landscaped buffer yard meeting § 503.
(c) Parking–one space per employee plus one space per truck bay, plus one space for each company vehicle typically parked on the lot.
(d) The use, including the noise from any refrigerated trucks, shall comply with the noise requirements of this Ordinance. See § 508.
(e) Areas use for the parking, loading, or unloading of tractor-trailer trucks shall be setback a minimum of 100 feet from any residential district.
(12) G-12 Wholesale. Establishments engaged primarily in the selling of merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional users, or to other wholesalers.
(a) Parking–one space per employee, plus one space for each company vehicle typically parking on the site.
(b) A buffer yard meeting § 503 shall be required adjacent to a residential lot or residential district.
(13) G-13 Warehouse. A building with a footprint of 25,000 square feet or less that is primarily used for the storage, wholesale, and distribution of manufactured products, supplies and equipment.
(a) Parking–one space per employee, plus one space for each company vehicle typically parking on the site.
(b) A buffer yard meeting § 503 shall be required adjacent to a residential lot or residential district.
(c) There shall be no retail sales permitted in conjunction with the warehouse use.
(d) Applicant shall submit a truck turning radii plan with a zoning permit application. The plan shall sufficiently address on site internal truck turning movements. In addition, the plan shall sufficiently address truck turning movements related to ingress and egress from the property and movements on roadways surrounding the property.
(Ord. 202, passed 2-28-2023)
(14) G-14 Printing. Printing, publishing and binding.
(a) Parking–three off-street parking spaces for each four employees on the largest shift, or one off-street parking space for every 250 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater, plus one space for each company vehicle normally stored on the premises.
(b) A buffer yard meeting § 503 shall be required adjacent to a residential lot or residential district.
(c) Storage and/or discharge of chemicals and/or chemical waste is prohibited from the 100-year floodplain and all riparian buffers and wetlands.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(15) G-15 Planing Mill. Planing mill includes the processing of wood to finish products such as molding, trim, etc.
(a) Parking–three off-street parking spaces for each four employees on the largest shift, or one off-street parking space for every 500 square feet of gross floor area, which is greater, plus one space for each company vehicle normally stored on the premises.
(b) A buffer yard meeting § 503 shall be required adjacent to a residential lot or residential district.
(16) G-16 Large Warehouse/Fulfillment/Distribution Center. A building with a footprint greater than 25,000 square feet, used primarily as a warehouse or for picking, checking, labelling and packing of goods to be redistributed rapidly to retailers, wholesalers, or directly to consumers.
(a) All access points shall be directly connected to an adjacent collector or arterial road.
(b) For buildings in excess of 100,000 square feet, a minimum lot area of 10 acres is required.
(c) Access points shall not be installed within 250 feet of any property line of a property that contains a residence or is within a residential district.
(d) All drive aisles, loading/unloading areas, and parking areas intended for truck use, as well as outdoor storage areas, shall be a minimum of 250 feet from any residence or residential district.
(e) There shall be no retail sales permitted in conjunction with the large warehouse/ fulfillment/distribution center use.
(f) Parking – Off-street parking, loading, and staging spaces and loading docks are required as follows:
1) Off-street parking spaces – one parking space for each employee at peak periods of operation.
2) Staging spaces, loading spaces, and loading docks shall be specified on the initial plan to accommodate the proposed intensity of use and its possible, reasonable expansion.
a. Spaces shall include parking reserved for outbound trucks which are required to layover or rest due to hours-of-service regulations. Such spaces must be accessible during and after the facility's operating hours, as necessary.
3) All areas used for the overnight storage of two or more trucks or trailers or such combinations shall be separated from a street or lot line by a landscaped buffer yard meeting requirements of § 503. In addition, buffer yards shall incorporate a berm (§ 503.4.A.3) and an interior, 8-foot, solid fence (§ 503.4.D.3).
(g) Designated Snow Storage areas shall be provided, at appropriate locations on the site, which are of sufficient size. Snow storage areas shall not include any areas necessary to meet minimum parking, staging, or loading space requirements. Designated Snow Storage areas shall not include stormwater management facilities.
(h) Mechanical scraper systems shall be installed at each truck exit drive for the purpose of removing snow, slush and ice from trailer and truck rooftops. During winter months, all trucks must pass under these mechanical scrapers prior to exiting the facility.
(i) Site Operation.
1) Idling Restrictions. Trucks shall comply with The Diesel-Powered Motor Vehicle Idling Act, PA Act 124 of 2008, as amended.
2) Appropriate signage shall be provided directing trucks to park in designated parking spaces while awaiting access to a loading/unloading dock/doorway.
3) Truck drivers shall be instructed as to travel routes (relative to the class of vehicle) between the facility and the nearest arterial roads by way of on-site and off-site signage and other appropriate means.
(j) Other Requirements.
1) Exterior access to the roof of the building from ground level shall be provided to allow public safety personnel direct emergency access. That access shall meet or exceed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. Final location and specifications for the exterior access shall be subject to review and approval by the township engineer and by the fire marshal having jurisdiction in Springfield Township.
2) Commercial Knox Boxes are required to provide public safety personnel access to any secured areas of the site, the principal building structure, and any accessory structures. The final location(s) and specifications for Knox Boxes shall be subject to review and approval by the Springfield Township police.
(k) Application Requirements.
1) Traffic Study. Applicant shall provide, with the initial application, a Traffic Study prepared by a professional engineer, licensed in the State of Pennsylvania, in accordance with PennDOT "Policies and Procedures for Transportation Impact Studies related to Highway Occupancy Permits", latest edition. The final scope of the study shall be subject to approval by the Township, and PennDOT if the project will impact a state highway.
2) When submitting the conditional use application, the applicant shall provide a written narrative, and additional supporting information, documentation, studies, and reports as necessary or required below, containing detailed descriptions of the proposed use and substantive evidence demonstrating consistency of the proposed use relative to each of the following topics:
a. The nature of all activities and operations to be conducted on the site, including methods for disposal of any surplus or damaged materials.
b. Hours of operation.
c. Consistency of the proposed use with each of the general standards for a Conditional Use as set forth in Article 8.
d. Consistency of the proposed use with the standards set forth in § 508 relative to environmental or other impacts (e.g., odor, noise, smoke, dust, exterior lighting, litter, glare, vibration, electrical disturbance, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, etc.) that are likely to result from the use. The narrative shall delineate specific measures to be employed to mitigate or eliminate any negative impacts.
e. The applicant shall submit a current Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources PNDI environmental review receipt for the project and additional evidence as necessary to demonstrate that no endangered species will be negatively impacted by the proposed development.
f. Adequacy of the number, size, and location of loading and staging spaces provided for trucks to accommodate the expected demand generated by the use, including both pre-loading and post-loading activities.
g. Adequacy of off-street staging spaces available for trucks arriving during non-business hours to prevent vehicles from parking on public streets while waiting to access the facility.
h. Adequacy of off-street staging spaces available at facility entrances to prevent vehicles from queuing on public streets while waiting to access the facility.
i. The applicant shall submit a truck routing map identifying anticipated routes to and from the proposed facility to the Township boundary, consistent with truck routing signage and trip distribution data presented in the required traffic study.
j. In the event that a particular tenant has not been identified for the facility, conditional approval should require a future review that reconsiders all elements for any physical or operational change or expansion not delineated in the original application.
k. Applicant shall submit a truck turning radii plan. The plan shall sufficiently address on site internal truck turning movements. In addition, the plan shall sufficiently address truck turning movements related to ingress and egress from the property and movements on roadways surrounding the property.
(Ord. 202, passed 2-28-2023)
H. Accessory Uses.
(1) H-1 Accessory Apartment. A single apartment, accessory to the primary residence on a lot, is intended to:
(a) Allow sufficient proximity to caregiver(s) when the challenge of aging or other infirmities might otherwise force the primary owners from their home;
(b) Provide accommodations for elderly family members or family members who for other reasons might otherwise require assistance;
(c) Provide a source of income to the owners who might not otherwise be able to maintain their home;
(d) Accommodate guests, or workers employed by the owners.
Only one apartment accessory to a single-family detached dwelling shall be permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
(a) The accessory apartment shall occupy no more than 50% of the primary dwelling.
(Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(b) The accessory apartment shall contain no more than two bedrooms; and one bathroom.
(c) The accessory apartment shall contain separate sleeping, living and bathroom facilities and may contain separately kitchen facilities.
(d) The accessory apartment shall be part of the principle residence, an addition thereto, or may be contained in an existing accessory structure. If a new accessory structure is constructed for this purpose, it must be situated within the building envelope, and is not eligible for the accessory structures exception listed in Section 501.4.A.(3).
(e) A recreational vehicle or mobile home shall not be used an accessory apartment.
(f) The owner of the property shall occupy either the principal dwelling unit or the apartment. For the purpose of this section, the “owner” shall be one or more individuals residing in a dwelling who hold legal title to the residence and for whom the dwelling is primary residence.
(g) There shall be in addition to the required off-street parking for the principal dwelling at least one, but not more than two, additional parking space(s) for the accessory apartment.
(h) The applicant shall provide written documentation from the Bucks County Health Department that the septic system or other sewage disposal system will be adequate to safely treat and dispose of additional wastewater generated by the residents of the accessory apartment. If the Health Department does not or cannot certify the adequacy of the wastewater system for the proposed apartment, the applicant shall provide engineering data to ensure that the system will support the increased load.
(2) H-2 Dwelling in Combination with a Business. One dwelling unit in combination with an existing or permitted office or commercial use is permitted, provided the lot area, setbacks, and parking requirements for the nonresidential uses are met.
(a) Parking–two spaces for the dwelling plus parking requirements for the nonresidential use.
(3) H-3 Family Day Care. Day care service provided on a regular basis for compensation is permitted as a residential accessory use.
(a) The number of persons in the care of the owner/tenant of the residence shall be limited to six.
(b) No outdoor advertising is permitted.
(c) The applicant shall provide written documentation from the Bucks County Health Department that the septic system or other sewage disposal system will be adequate to safely treat and dispose of additional wastewater generated by the residents of lot. If such Health Department fails to respond to the request for certification, the applicant shall provide engineering data to support the assertion that the system can handle the increased load. Creation of an environmental hazard or odor nuisance because of overloading or insufficient maintenance of the sewage system shall be a violation of this Ordinance.
(d) A minimum of one parking space shall be designed for and reserved for the dropping off and the picking up of young persons in a manner that does not obstruct traffic on streets. The lot shall include a turnaround area that allows vehicles to enter a street without backing onto the street.
(4) H-4 Home-Based Business. The home-based business occupation shall be accessory to a residence and carried on wholly indoors and within a dwelling or other structure accessory thereto and shall be clearly incidental and subordinate to its use for residential purposes by its occupants.
(a) A home-based business is permitted if it does not change the character of the neighborhood in which it is located and is not an attempt to avoid locating the business in a zoning district where it is appropriate. To determine whether a particular home-based business is permissible the following factors must be considered:
1) generation of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic;
2) parking of cars, trucks and equipment;
3) storage and delivery of materials related to the occupation;
4) generation of noise, vibration, glare, odors, fumes, and dust;
5) external lighting and displays related to the occupation; or
6) external modification of existing structures, including the primary residence.
(b) There are two classes of home-based businesses: No-Impact Home Based Businesses (PA Municipal Planning Code) which are permitted “by right” and do not require a permit, and Limited-Impact Home-Based Businesses which are permitted “by right” and do require an annual permit. A description of both classes of home occupations follows.
(a) H-4a No-Impact Home-Based Business. A business or commercial activity administered or conducted as an accessory use which is clearly secondary to the use as a residential dwelling and which involves no customer, client or patient traffic, whether vehicular or pedestrian, delivery or removal functions to or from the premises, in excess of those normally associated with residential use. The business or commercial activity must satisfy the follow requirements.
1) The business activity shall be compatible with the residential use of the property and surrounding residential uses.
2) The business shall employ no employees other than family members residing in the dwelling.
3) There shall be no display or sale of retail goods and no stockpiling or inventory of a substantial nature.
4) There shall be no outside appearance of a business use, including, but not limited to, parking, signs or lights.
5) The business activity may not use any equipment or process which creates noise, vibration, glare, fumes, odors or electrical or electronic interference, including interference with radio or television reception, which is detectable in the neighborhood.
6) The business activity may not generate any solid waste or sewage discharge, in volume or type, which is not normally associated with residential use in the neighborhood.
7) The business activity shall be conducted only within the dwelling and may not occupy more than 25% of the habitable floor area.
8) The business may not involve any illegal activity.
No-impact home-based businesses are allowed in all residential zones of Springfield Township as a use permitted “by right”, except that such permission shall not supersede any deed restriction, covenant or agreement restricting the use of land, nor any master deed, bylaw or other document applicable to a common interest ownership community. A home occupation that satisfies all of these conditions does not require a permit.
(b) H-4b Limited-Impact Home-Based Business. A home-based business that does not satisfy the preceding requirements may still be allowed in Springfield Township. Nevertheless, such uses shall be compatible with the residential use of the property and surrounding residential uses. Uses that meet the following requirements are allowed “by right” but require an annual permit from the Township:
1) In no way shall the appearance of the residential structure be altered or the occupation within the residence be conducted in a manner which would cause the premises to differ from the residential character by the use of colors, materials, construction, lighting, show windows or advertising visible outside the premises to attract customers or clients.
2) The home occupation shall be carried on only by the inhabitants of the dwelling and not ore than two non-resident employees working on-site at any one time.
3) Parking – In addition to the requirements for the residence, there shall be one off-street parking space for each non-resident employee and 2 additional off-street spaces for visitors. There shall be no exterior parking of commercial vehicles and equipment associated with the business or commercial activity. Interior parking of commercial vehicles and equipment is permitted, but shall not exceed 1,000 square feet.
4) There shall be no storage of hazardous materials. Exterior storage of non-hazardous materials is limited to 5 cu yds or less.
5) Home-based business activities, including sales and services shall not generate any more trips by residents of the home, employees, and customers in excess of those normally associated with residential uses.
6) Servicing by commercial motor vehicles, other than those that ordinarily deliver consumer goods, for supplies and materials shall not exceed 6 trips per week.
7) The home-based business shall have no show windows, advertising signs or special lighting visible from the exterior of the dwelling, except as provided by Section 905.I.3. It shall not generate noise, vibration, glare, fumes, dust and odors other than what is permitted in the zoning district in which the dwelling is located. It shall not produce any electrical interference and no equipment or process shall be used which creates visible or audible interference in any radio, television or local area network located off the lot. In addition to the primary residence, the business may occupy up to 1,000 sq. ft. of an accessory building. The home-based business shall not generate solid waste in excess of that normally associated with a residential use.
(5) H-5 Livestock and Horses as an Accessory Use. The keeping of livestock on properties less than 5 acres shall be governed by the following regulations:
(a) Livestock (excluding poultry) and accessory buildings for livestock and horse use are permitted as accessory uses to single-family detached dwellings if the lot size is not less than 2 acres.
(b) The number of livestock permitted per acre shall be in accordance with the following:
1) Cows, horses, ponies, mules and animals of similar size - 2 acre minimum for the first animal and 1 animal per acre for each additional acre.
2) Miniature horses, swine, goats, sheep and animals of similar size - 1 acre minimum for the first animal, and 2 animals per acre for each additional acre.
3) Domestic poultry- permitted on lots larger than 0.25 acres, at a maximum density of 20 poults per acre. Roosters are prohibited in the Village Center and Village Residential districts. Also, in those two districts, poultry shall be provided with a covered enclosure and must be kept in the covered enclosure or in a fenced enclosure at all times.
(c) All livestock shall be kept within the property lines and not run at large. Fences shall not be installed within the legal right-of-way of a public road.
(Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(d) No persons owning or keeping livestock shall maintain such so as to create any health, environmental or safety hazard.
(e) Any building used for the shelter or housing of livestock or horses shall be located not less than 20 feet from a lot line of another property.
(f) Manure shall be stored or applied in accordance with Pennsylvania laws and in a manner that prevents pollution of groundwater or surface water. Manure shall not be stored in any riparian buffer or wetland. Manure shall be stored in a manner that does not create a visual, biological or odor nuisance.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
Definitions–Livestock- domesticated animals raised to produce commodities such as food, fiber, and labor, or for recreational use. Livestock include, but are not limited to, cows, horses, poultry, sheep, and pigs.
(6) H-6 Outside Storage. Outside storage necessary but incidental to the normal operation of a primary nonresidential use, subject to the following additional provisions:
(a) No part of the street right-of-way, no sidewalks or other areas intended or designed for pedestrian use, no required parking areas, and no part of the required front yard shall be occupied by outside storage.
(b) Outside storage areas shall occupy an area of less than one-half of the existing building coverage.
(c) Uses requiring more substantial amounts of land area for storage, such as agriculture, nursery, automotive sales, truck terminal, lumber yards, may be exempt from the provisions of clause (b) above. For these and other similar uses, no more than 60 percent of the lot area shall be used for outside storage. Among the uses that shall not be considered appropriate for inclusion under this provision are retail shop, repair shop, service station, automobile and car wash, and trades.
(d) The storage of tractor trailers, panel trucks, vans, and similar vehicles which supply or service establishments in commercial or industrial districts shall be permitted provided that such vehicles shall be used by the establishment in the normal conduct of their business. Any tractor-trailer trucks or trailers of such combinations shall have current registration and shall be intended for transportation purposes, and shall not be used for on- site storage for more than 3 months per vehicle.
(e) Outside storage within the 100-year floodplain shall also comply with § 708 and other provisions of Article 7. No outside storage of chemicals or chemical waste is allowed in the 100-year floodplain or any riparian buffer or wetland.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(7) H-7 Recreational Vehicles. Shall mean campers, travel trailers, recreational vehicles, and boats.
(a) Recreational vehicles may be stored on the premises by the occupant of the premises only.
(b) Storage of any recreational vehicle with a length greater than 22 feet must be behind the building setback line, except that such vehicle may be parked anywhere on residential premises or street for a period not to exceed 24 hours in any 4-day period during loading and unloading. No such vehicle 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 a use.
(8) H-8 Residential Accessory Structure and Use. The following shall be allowed as accessory to a dwelling, within the following the following requirements:
(Ord. 149, passed 4-29-2008)
Parking for motor vehicles, provided that there shall be no parking of commercial motor vehicles, except as provided by Section 404.H.4.(b)3).
(9) H-9 Spa/Hot Tubs. Such pools are permitted on all private lots except multiple outdoor units shall not be allowed for apartment dwellings.
(a) The spa or hot tub shall be located either entirely within the house or if located outside, shall be located within an enclosed patio.
(b) The patio shall be fully enclosed by the rear wall of the housing unit and/or a wall or fence along the rear and/or side of the patio. The height of the walls or fences shall not be less than 4 feet.
(c) The water surface shall be required to have a cover capable of being locked, for the purposes of safety and to cover the water surfaces during the off-season or such other periods of non-use. The water surface cover shall be required to be latched when not in use.
(d) Waste water shall be discharged to a sanitary sewer system only or hauled off-site for disposal at an approved treatment facility. The water shall not be directly discharged into a storm sewer, waterway or swale that runs into a waterway, nor into the 100-year floodplain, riparian buffer or wetland. Only waste water that has been treated such that it contains no chemicals may be discharged on the surface of the land or into the storm sewer system.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(10) H-10 Swimming Pool. The following regulations apply to private swimming pools which are accessory to single-family detached dwellings. No private swimming pools shall be permitted as accessory uses to townhouses, multi-family dwellings, duplexes, or twin dwellings. These regulations also apply to public or semi-public swimming pools.
(a) No person, owner or occupant of land shall install or maintain a swimming pool or other artificial body of water capable of being filled to a depth exceeding 24 inches at the deepest or lowest point unless a permit is first obtained from the Zoning Officer and the required plans and information are filed, together with required permit fees. Ornamental pools and wading pools which do not exceed 24 inches in depth are exempt from these provisions. Swimming pools shall include any pool, regardless of design, or construction materials or the permanency of its location both above and below ground level, which is built, erected or used for the purpose of bathing or swimming and all buildings, equipment, and appurtenances thereto. This Ordinance shall also apply to public or semi-public swimming pools used and maintained by an individual, firm, corporation, club or association of persons for use by the public or members and their invitees or guests.
(b) Each pool area and the paving or coping surrounding it or associated with it shall be located not less than 15 feet back from the front building setback line and not closer than 15 feet to other property lines.
(c) Water shall be regularly treated and filtered, and shall not be allowed to become stagnant or breed vectors.
(d) Construction and Maintenance. The construction and design of all pools shall be such that the same can be maintained and operated as to be clean and sanitary at all times. The owners of every such pool shall be responsible to maintain said pool in such condition as to prevent breaks in the pool chassis or water from the pool overflowing into adjacent public or private property. Public and semi-public swimming pools shall be constructed, equipped and maintained in strict conformity with the provisions of the swimming pool and public health codes issued by the State and the County Health Department.
(e) Outdoor lighting, if used, shall be installed in such a way as to be shielded and not to reflect toward or into the interior of adjacent residential properties.
(f) Electrical work shall comply with the Township Electrical Code.
(g) A minimum isolation distance of 25 feet shall be required between a swimming pool and any sewage disposal system.
(h) Approved filtration systems and circulators must be provided for all pools except such exempt or nonexempt wading pools as are emptied on a daily basis as hereinafter provided.
(i) All pool installations shall conform to all applicable building codes.
(j) In no case shall water in the pool or pool area be permitted to emit an offensive odor or create any unhealthful condition. Further, it shall be a violation of this Ordinance to cause or allow drainage onto land of others in a manner that causes flooding, erosion or damage.
(k) No pool shall be located under any electric power lines (including service lines), and the pool must be located at least 10 feet (measured horizontally) from such power lines.
(l) Fencing of Pools. The requirements of the Township Construction Codes shall apply. In the event that an existing or proposed pool is not regulated under such Construction Codes, then the following shall apply: permanent swimming pools above or below grade must be completely enclosed with a minimum 4 feet high chain link, stockade, picket (not exceeding 3-inch spacing), solid wooden fence, building wall, sides of an aboveground pool, or such other material as may be acceptable, at the discretion of the Zoning Officer, to carry out the intent of this Ordinance. All gates or doors opening through such enclosure shall be kept securely closed and locked at all times when the pool is not in actual use. No water shall be placed in the pool until a fence, as required by this Ordinance, has been completed.
(m) Waste water shall be discharged to a sanitary sewer system only or hauled off-site for disposal at an approved treatment facility. The water shall not be directly discharged into a storm sewer, waterway or swale that runs into a waterway, nor into the 100-year floodplain, riparian buffer or wetland. Only waste water that has been treated such that it contains no chemicals may be discharged on the surface of the land or into the storm sewer system.
(Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010)
(11) H-11 Temporary Structures and Vehicles. A permit may be issued for temporary structures, office trailers, construction trailers, or vehicles necessary during construction or other special circumstances of a nonrecurring nature, subject to the following:
(a) The above use shall only be permitted upon the issuance of a temporary zoning permit by the Zoning Officer. Such permit shall set forth that the use proposed is intended to be a temporary use and that the owner, by applying for such a temporary permit, agrees and acknowledges that the use is not and will not become a recognized nonconforming use. Each temporary permit so issued shall expire 1 year after its issuance. Each permit may be renewed for a single additional 6-month period.
(b) Upon failure of the lot owner to renew the permit, the uses provided in this Section shall be immediately discontinued by the lot owner and any structure located on the property pursuant to the expired permit shall be removed from the property within 30 days without cost to the Township.
(c) Any permit issued pursuant to this Section shall be issued only to those persons who are the lot owners of record at the time the application is submitted. Any temporary zoning permit issued pursuant to this Section shall be non-assignable and shall immediately expire upon the purchase, sale, or other transfer of the lot or any portion of the lot. Any subsequent lot owner may make a new application for a temporary zoning permit upon compliance with the requirements of this Section.
(d) No retail sales shall be permitted from a temporary structure or vehicle, except for accessory agricultural sales as provided for herein.
(e) No structure permitted under this use may be constructed with a foundation or be connected to an on-lot sewage disposal system.
(f) In addition, a temporary modular or manufactured/mobile home may be placed on a lot for a maximum total period of 1 year while a site-built home is actively under construction on the same lot. Such dwelling shall be completely removed after 12 months have passed or within 30 days after the site-built dwelling is occupied, whichever occurs first.
(12) H-12 Outdoor Wood Fired Boilers per the performance standards of Chapter 91 of this Code.
(Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(13) H-13 Customarily Accessory Use or Structure. A use or structure shall only be allowed as an accessory use or structure if it is customarily incidental to the principal use on the same lot.
(14) H-14 Accessory Solar-Powered Generating Facility. A solar photovoltaic (PV) generator or a solar thermal (ST) generator that is designed to produce not more than 1.5 times the projected annual energy consumption of proposed residential, nonresidential, or accessory uses on a single lot, provided:
(a) The applicant shall provide a site plan which identifies property lines, lot area, location of existing natural and manmade features, location of the proposed solar energy system, ownership information for adjoining properties, and setback measurements from property lines, street lines, and occupied buildings. The solar installer shall provide drawings and specifications for the solar array itself.
(b) The installation or expansion of off-site transmission lines equipment or electrical substations shall not be permitted related to the above use.
(c) A residential or non-residential accessory solar facility shall be considered a discontinued facility after 2 years without energy production. The township shall be permitted to require an owner of a residential or nonresidential energy facility to supply evidence of energy production upon request. Renewed operation of a discontinued facility shall not commence until a new application has been submitted and the system inspected and approved.
(d) Roof-top panels associated with a residential or nonresidential solar facility shall not extend more than 7 feet above the roof plane.
(e) Ground-mount panels shall not constitute impervious surface, unless the ground underlying the ground-mount panels is covered with impervious surface.
(f) A solar energy system may exceed applicable maximum accessory structure height if it will cover an impervious surface parking area. Minimum height of the parking canopy must allow clearance for emergency and service vehicles.
(g) Residential and nonresidential accessory solar-powered generating facilities shall be prohibited from being installed between the front lot line and the primary residential or nonresidential building on the lot, unless the lot is greater than 5 acres. If the solar facilities are to be installed between the front lot line and the primary residential or nonresidential building, the solar facilities must still be installed outside of the front yard.
(h) The minimum setback from property lines shall be the minimum setback designated for structures by this Ordinance for the district in which the array is to be constructed. Ground-mount panels do not qualify for the accessory structures exemption to principal building setbacks as listed in § 501.4.A(3) of this Ordinance.
(i) The maximum height of any portion of a ground-mount solar photovoltaic (PV) panel array shall be less than or equal to 20 feet.
(j) All on-site electrical distribution lines for ground-mount panels shall be installed underground in conduit, except where subsurface installation is impractical to cross streams, riparian buffers, wetlands, ponds, or other sensitive natural features.
(k) Solar energy panels erected on a roof or within an impervious surface area must be placed in accordance with all applicable codes and practices related to firefighting.
(l) Accessory solar-powered generating facilities serving non-residential uses which are to be located next to a residential property or within a residential district, must provide a Type 1 Buffer that shall be installed pursuant to § 503.3 of this Ordinance.
(m) Owners of accessory solar energy systems are encouraged, but not required, to obtain solar access easements from neighboring landowners to ensure solar access. Springfield Township does not guarantee and will not protect any individual property rights with respect to solar access. If such action or event should occur, the matter shall be resolved as a civil dispute between the landowners, and Springfield Township shall not be held liable.
(Ord. 173, passed 1-5-2015; Ord. 203, passed 2-28-2023)
(15) H-15 Accessory Wind-Powered Generating Facilities. Include residential and non-residential wind turbines and windmills, each with less than 200m2 swept area, that provide for on-site demand as an accessory use, provided:
(a) Wind energy systems shall be permitted by conditional use in all zoning districts as an accessory use provided that such systems are located on a lot with a permitted use in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Chapter.
(b) Horizontal axis wind turbines attached to roofs or walls of an occupied building are prohibited. Only vertical axis wind turbines specifically designed for building installation shall be approved.
(c) Maximum height of the structure, including all moving and rotating pans, shall be 100 feet, measured from the undisturbed ground elevation at the base of the device, to the highest point of the arc of the blade, helix, or to the top of the tower, whichever is greater.
(d) There shall be no power (kW) limit on the rated power output of a turbine. However, wind turbines for on-site demand shall be designed to produce not more than 1.5 times the projected annual consumption (in kWh) of a new, existing or expanded on-site use.
(e) The wind turbine system shall not require installation or expansion of offsite transmission lines, equipment, or electrical substations.
(f) Setbacks for both wind turbines and windmills shall equal 1.10 times total height (hub height + one blade length) measured from the lower base to lot lines, power lines, and road right-of-ways.
(g) The system component and structure shall meet applicable State and Federal (including FAA) regulations. The lowest point of the area swept by a horizontal axis turbine shall be at least 30 feet above grade. The lowest point of the swept area of a vertical type shall be at least 15 feet above grade or shall be surrounded by a cage or fence.
(h) No permanent features that aid in climbing a wind turbine tower are allowed below 15 feet.
(i) Permitted only on lots of at least the minimum lot size permitted in the zoning district.
(j) No artificial lighting (unless required by the Federal Aviation Administration or a landowner's insurance carrier), signage, forms of advertising shall be utilized or attached to the wind energy system.
(k) Design and location of a wind energy system shall consider, to the greatest extent possible, the aesthetics of surrounding environment. Springfield Township may require submission of illustrations and photos depicting the color, size, shape, and architectural features of the proposed device; and submission of color photographs of the proposed tower location taken from view of all adjoining properties and roads. The wind generator and the tower shall remain painted or finished in the color or finish that was originally applied by the manufacturer unless a different color of finish is approved by Springfield Township.
(l) All appropriate warning signs shall be installed on all wind turbines where they are clearly visible by persons standing near the tower base. No other signs shall be allowed on towers or turbines, other than the manufacturer's name.
(m) All utility lines, including electrical wires other than wires necessary to connect the wind generator to the tower wiring, the tower wiring to the disconnect junction box, and the grounding wires, must be installed underground in accordance with National Electric Code (latest edition) and the prevailing standards of the servicing utility company.
(n) Noise associated with wind turbines and windmills shall not exceed the noise levels as listed in § 508 of this Ordinance, except that, designated sound levels may be exceeded during short-term events, such as utility outages and storms. Wind turbine systems and windmills shall comply with all other performance standards as set forth in § 508 of this Ordinance.
(o) Facility shall be considered a discontinued use after 2 years without energy production. The Township may require evidence of energy production upon request. Renewed operation of a discontinued facility shall not commence until a new application has been submitted and the system inspected and approved.
(p) A wind energy system, including tower, shall comply with all applicable state construction and electrical codes, and the National Electrical Code. Prior to issuance of a building/zoning permit for installation of the device, applicant must submit to Springfield Township all documentation required by the Springfield Township Building Code Official to verify that the design of the device complies with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC), including, but not limited to, documentation of the structural integrity of the foundation, base, tower, guy wires, and all appurtenant structures, and electrical design. Design information must be signed and sealed by a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and/or equipment manufacturer.
(q) Engineering plans/specifications shall be submitted for review by the Code Enforcement Officer prior to issuance of a building permit. Tower and foundation drawings and specifications shall be submitted to the Township by the manufacturer and certified to meet Telecommunications Industry Association Standard ANSI/TIA-222-G (as amended, updated, or supplanted) or equivalent standards. Foundation specifications are to be designed for the least suitable soil type within 500 feet of the proposed tower location. Independent engineering review or wet-stamped drawing shall not be required except for roof-mounted (or other non-traditionally mounted) turbines or windmills. For non-traditionally mounted turbines or windmills, applications shall include a wet stamped structural engineering analysis for the turbine mounting system and for suitability of the building to which the turbine is to be mounted
(r) The use shall not interfere with the reception of any radio, television, or other communication equipment or inhibit solar access to adjacent properties.
(s) Visible, reflective, colored objects, such as flags, reflectors, or tape shall be placed on the anchor points of guy wires and along guy wires up to a height of 10 feet from the ground.
(t) All wind turbine systems and windmills shall be equipped with over-speed controls.
(u) All accessory wind energy systems shall serve on-site generation needs unless otherwise approved by Springfield Township. If a hookup to a public or community utility system is proposed, electrical plans must be signed and sealed by an electrical engineer certified in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, at the applicant's expense, and submitted to the utility company and Springfield Township for approval.
(v) A nonparticipating landowner shall not intentionally block, interfere, or disrupt the functional operation of an existing wind energy system. If such action or event should occur, the matter shall be resolved as a civil dispute between the landowners and Springfield Township shall not be held liable.
(w) Wind turbines with swept areas up to 200m2 shall be certified to the most current version of AWEA 9.1 by the Small Wind Certification Council or equivalent.
(x) Installation of a wind turbine system shall comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC). Applications must be accompanied by a single-line drawing of the electrical components in sufficient detail to allow for a determination that the manner of installation conforms to the NEC.
(Ord. 173, passed 1-5-2015; Ord. 203, passed 2-28-2023)
(16) H-16 Accessory Geothermal Heat Pump. A ground-integrated facility to provide heating and cooling to structures on a lot. Springfield Township residents depend on ground water as a water supply source. Because geothermal systems are constructed in the ground or use ground water, these systems create a potential for water supply and quality degradation. Therefore, the installation, use, and maintenance of geothermal systems are subject to the following regulations:
(a) It shall be unlawful to install a new geothermal subsurface facility (wells, horizontal or sub-aqueous tubing emplacements) or modify an existing subsurface facility without a valid permit.
(b) Prior to constructing a new geothermal facility or modifying an existing system; property owner shall file all appropriate applications with Springfield Township, Bucks County, or other regulating agency and pay all applicable fees.
(c) The application to construct or alter a geothermal facility must be filed on behalf of the current owner or equitable owner.
(d) Springfield Township shall approve or deny the application within 15 working days of receipt of a complete application and fee. Springfield Township must field verify the location of the proposed geothermal installations and all applicable isolation distances. When Springfield Township has found an application to be incomplete, or is unable to verify the information submitted, the applicant shall be notified in writing that additional information or clarification is required. Springfield Township's time for acting upon a permit shall be extended 15 days beyond the date of receipt of the supplementary or amendatory information.
(e) Any relocation of the proposed geothermal installation site from the permitted location must be submitted in writing and approved by Springfield Township.
(f) If the geothermal facility construction is not completed in two years of the permit issuance date, the approval to construct shall expire.
(g) All geothermal installation applications must be completed and include the following information:
1. Applicant name and signature, address, and telephone number.
2. Site address, subdivision name, and lot number.
3. Driller and/or Installer's name, PA DEP license number, and telephone number.
4. Tax parcel number.
5. Description or construction.
6. Plot plan to include:
a. Property lines, lot dimensions, slope direction, adjacent streets, and reference to North.
b. Marked distances from the proposed geothermal subsurface installation to any existing and proposed water supplies, buildings, driveways, parking areas, two (2) non-parallel property lines, retention areas, surface waters, chemical/fuel storage areas, and any other feature that requires an isolation distance as defined in this ordinance.
(h) Geothermal Heat Pump Regulations – Only closed loop systems or standing column well systems are allowed. Open loop systems with separate supply and reinjection wells or surface discharge sites are prohibited.
1. Standing Column Well (SCW)
a. Standing column wells shall be installed to potable water well standards.
b. Isolation distances for potable water wells shall be required.
c. The standing column well geothermal system, including heat pump exchanger, piping, and all other related systems shall be installed by a geothermal well installation contractor who is certified in the proper installation methods as specified by the manufacturer.
2. Location of Geothermal System
a. Minimum isolation (setback) distance. Wells, boreholes, and trenches regulated by this ordinance shall be located using the minimum isolation (setback) distances to existing or potential sources of pollution or protected lands listed in Table 1 below.
Table 1
Setback From | Borehole and Geothermal Supply and Geothermal Return Well (feet) |
Setback From | Borehole and Geothermal Supply and Geothermal Return Well (feet) |
Delineated wetlands, flood plains, lakes, ponds, or other surface waters | 10-25 feet |
Storm drains, retention basins, stabilization ponds, or stormwater management facilities | At least 10 feet |
Preparation area of storage area of hazardous spray materials, fertilizers of chemicals, or salt piles | 300 feet; 100-150 feet (if borehole is cased and grouted inside and out) |
Gravity sewer lines and drains carrying domestic sewage or industrial waste | 5-15 feet or according to easement |
Existing water and forced sewer buried utilities and/or utility trenches | At least 15 feet or outside easement |
Septic tanks, aerobic tanks, or holding tanks | At least 25 feet |
Subsurface sewage disposal systems, elevated sand mounds, or other sewage disposal fields | 25-50 feet |
Sewage seepage pits and cesspools | At least 25 feet |
Farm silos, barnyards, privies, and fuel tanks | At least 25 feet |
Spray irrigation sites, sewage sludge, and septage disposal sites | At least 25 feet |
Dedicated public right-of-way and property lines | At least 10 feet |
Building foundations (except for buildings enclosing water wells and/or water well pumps and any other source of pollution as approved) | At least 10 feet |
Identified NPL Site (Superfund) plume area | At least 300 feet |
Any other source or potential source of pollution | At least 100 feet |
b. All geothermal systems in areas underlain by carbonate bedrock (e.g., Leithsville and Allentown formations) must be vertical loop systems. If the closed loop geothermal borehole penetrates bedrock, it must be grouted from a depth of fifteen feet (15') into the bedrock to the top of the borehole. Outside the Allentown and Leithsville formation areas, either a vertical, horizontal, or subaqueous closed loop geothermal system may be used, subject, however, to the review and approval of the plans for same by the township engineer and zoning officer.
3. Geothermal Heat Pump System Standards
a. Only a PA DEP-licensed well driller or an International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA)-accredited geothermal system installer shall conduct trench excavation or drilling of a geothermal well. In all cases, the well drilling rig must also be approved by PA DEP.
b. The well contractor or excavator shall be responsible for ensuring that the borehole or trench is installed in the permitted location. Deviation from the permitted location must receive prior written approval from Springfield Township. The well contractor or excavator shall be responsible for drilling the borehole/excavating the trench and the final backfilling after the pipe loop has been installed.
c. A closed-loop geothermal system must be installed, maintained, and decommissioned in compliance with standards conforming to IGSHP A Closed-Loop/Geothermal Heat Pump Systems Design and Installation Standards as same may be amended and updated from time to time.
d. Closed-Loop Geothermal Boreholes or trenches shall be located, drilled, and finished in a manner that will protect the borehole or trench structure from damage due to surface activities or other natural occurrences so that the quality of the local groundwater cannot be affected. For a trench system, a minimum of six inches of sand or screenings is to be added to the bottom of the trench and over the top of the piping to prevent the loop piping from rubbing on stones.
e. Pipe loops must be in intimate contact with soil or grout to minimize air pockets.
f. The pipe loop is to be installed by a contractor who is certified in the proper method of heat fusion specified by the pipe manufacturer and shall be responsible for ensuring that the pipe loop is installed in accordance with the specifications of the ground specification of the ground source heat pump manufacturer.
g. All pipe and heat fused material shall be manufactured to outside diameters, wall thickness and respective tolerances as specified in ASTM D 3035, or D 2447, as specified in the PPI handbook of Polyethylene Pipe HVAC Applications (each, as amended, updated, or supplanted).
h. Copper piping is not acceptable for heat transfer use.
i. Casings are not required. Casings may be necessary to hold a borehole open during the drilling process. Casings may be left in the borehole at the discretion of the well contractor. When a casing is used, grouting the annular space is required.
j. The minimum required backfilling material for boreholes is bentonite. Bentonite grout shall be pure, with at least 20 percent solids by weight when mixed with water. Hydration of the bentonite must be delayed until the bentonite has been placed down the well. It is recommended that the vertical bore holes are grouted from the bottom of the well to the top using an appropriate grout with thermal transfer properties. If the borehole penetrates bedrock, it must be grouted from a depth of fifteen (15) feet into the bedrock to the top of the borehole.
k. The IGSHPA recommendation that the heat exchanger be isolated and tested to 150 percent of design pressure or 300 percent of system operating pressure shall be followed. No leaks shall occur within a 30-minute period.
l. Only water, propylene glycol (PG) and water, or other fluid specifically approved by Springfield Township may be used as a circulating fluid for closed loop geothermal systems.
(i) Maintenance of Geothermal Heat Pump.
1. All ground source heat pump systems shall be properly maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, the installer's specifications, and any applicable PA DEP or federal regulations.
2. A person who owns a lot upon which a ground source heat pump system is installed, and any person who occupies a structure which is served by a ground source heat pump system, shall be responsible for maintaining the ground source heat pump system in working order to design specifications.
3. Any geothermal heat pump system leaks or releases shall be reported by the applicant (and subsequent owners) to Springfield Township within 24 hours of the discovery of same, and the applicant and subsequent owners of the property shall take all appropriate action to minimize any fluid release to the ground and to promptly repair any system leak.
4. In the event of the proposed discontinuance of the use of the ground source heat pump system, a system closure plan will be prepared and submitted to Springfield Township for its approval.
(j) Abandonment of Geothermal Heat Pump System.
1. A geothermal system shall be abandoned in a manner acceptable to Springfield Township and shall comply with the laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the abandonment of water wells. Any and all heat transfer fluid must be removed by displacement with grout in a manner acceptable to Springfield Township. The top of the borehole must be uncovered and capped with grout in a manner acceptable to Springfield Township.
(17) H-17 Emerging Alternative Energy Generation Systems.
1. Emerging alternative systems which generate power or displace existing fossil-fueled heating/cooling systems, other than those specifically defined elsewhere in this ordinance, shall be permitted by special exception as an accessory use provided that such systems are located on a lot with a permitted use in accordance with the applicable provisions of this ordinance.
2. Emerging alternative energy systems may be located on or attached to an occupied building provided that the structural components of the emerging energy systems do not exceed the permitted building height requirements of the zoning district to which it is located.
3. Emerging energy systems may be located on a lot with a permitted use provided that all structural components comply with the building setback requirements and lot coverage requirements of the zoning district on which it is located. An emerging energy system installation shall also meet all of the requirements of §§ 502, 503, and 509 of the Springfield Township Zoning Ordinance. Appropriate buffer yards (§ 503) may be mandated as a condition of special exception approval.
4. A site plan shall be submitted, which identities property lines, lot area, location of existing natural and manmade features, location of the proposed emerging energy system, ownership information for adjoining properties, and setback measurements from property lines, street lines, and occupied buildings.
5. A clearly visible warning sign concerning voltage must be placed at the base of all pad-mounted transformers and substations
(Ord. 203, passed 2-28-2023)
(Ord. passed 10-2-2007, § 403; Ord. 144, passed 10-11-2007, §§ 03, 07; Ord. 149, passed 4-29-2008, Arts. III, IV; Ord. 156, passed 4-27-2010, §§ 05–26; Ord. 173, passed 1-5-2015, §§ 03–07; Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014, §§ 02–06, 19; Ord. 191, passed 1-8-2019; Ord. 202, passed 2-28-2023; Ord. 203, passed 2-28- 2023)