In the AD District, the following regulations shall apply:
A. Use Regulations.
(1) Permitted by Right Uses. Only the following uses shall be permitted by right within the AD District: (See also Article 4, “Use Regulations.”)
(a) A-1 Agriculture.
(b) A-2 Accessory Agricultural Sales.
(c) A-3 Forestry.
(d) A-4 Greenhouse.
(e) A-7 Nursery.
(f) A-8 Riding Academy/Boarding Stable.
(g) A-9 Accessory Farm Business.
(h) B-2a Group Home.
(i) B11 Single Family Detached Dwelling.
(j) B-12 Single-Family Detached Cluster.
(k) B-13 Subdivision Creating Large Lots.
(l) C-1 Cemetery.
(m) C-14 Municipal Passive Recreation Park. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(n) F-4 Essential Services. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(o) H-1 Accessory Apartment. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(p) H-4 Home Based Business. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(q) H-3 Family Day Care. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(r) H-5 Livestock and Horses as an Accessory Use. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(s) H-7 Recreational Vehicles. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(t) H-8 Residential Accessory Structure or Use. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5- 2014)
(u) H-9 Spa/Hot Tubs. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(v) H-10 Swimming Pool. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(w) H-11 Temporary Structures and Vehicles. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5- 2014)
(x) H-12 Outdoor Wood Fired Boiler per § 404.H.(12). (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(y) H-13 Customarily Accessory Use or Structure. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5- 2014)
(z) H-14 Accessory Solar-Powered Generating Facilities. (Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2014)
(aa) H-16 Accessory Geothermal Heat Pump. (Ord. 203, passed 2-28- 2023)
(2) Conditional Uses. Only the following uses shall be conditional uses within the AD District: (See also Articles 4 and 8.)
(a) C-4 Golf Course.
(b) C-13 Primary or Secondary School or College.
(c) D-3 Veterinary Office.
(d) E-16 Recreational Campsites.
(e) E-11 Bed and Breakfast and certain other additional specified uses if approved under § 515 in an historic structure.
(f) H-15 Accessory Wind-Powered Generating Facility. (Ord. 203, passed 2-28-2023)
(3) Special Exception Uses. Only the following uses shall be special exception uses within the AD District: (See also Articles 4 and 10.)
(a) A-5 Intensive Agriculture.
(b) A-6 Kennel.
(c) C-7 Municipal Facility.
(d) C-10 Place of Worship.
(e) F-1 Utility Operating Facility.
(f) F-5 Commercial Communications Antenna/Tower, except such use is prohibited within the scenic overlay district.
(g) H-4 Home Occupations, other than home occupations that are permitted by right.
(Ord. 144, passed 12-11-2007)
(h) H-17 Emerging Alternative Energy Generation Systems. (Ord. 203, passed 2-28-2023)
(4) Signs in accordance with Article 9.
B. Dimensional, Open Space and Coverage Regulations for Uses Other than Single-Family Detached Cluster Development. The following regulations shall apply within the AD District unless a more restrictive provision is established by another section of this Ordinance (such as, but not limited to, Articles 4 and 5):
(1) Maximum height–see §
603
.F.
(2) Single-family detached dwelling–B-11a and B-11b:
(a) The following provisions shall apply if a site included 10 or more acres of site area as of the effective date of this Ordinance:
1) Site capacity calculations shall be required as provided in § 510.B.
(Ord. 144, passed 12-11-2007)
3) Minimum lot area–1 acre.
4) Maximum impervious surface ratio–.25.
5) Minimum lot width at minimum building setback line–150 feet.
6) Minimum yards (in feet)–50 front, 15 each side, 35 rear.
7) Maximum density–0.33 dwelling unit per acre of base site area.
(b) The following provisions shall apply if clause (a) above does not apply:
1) Minimum lot area–3 acres.
2) Maximum impervious surface ratio–0.15.
3) Minimum lot width at minimum building setback line–200 feet.
4) Minimum yards (in feet)–75 front, 30 each side, 75 rear.
(3) Intensive Agriculture–A-5.
(a) Minimum lot area–25 acres.
(b) Maximum impervious surface ratio–.10.
(c) minimum lot width at minimum building setback line–400 feet.
(d) Minimum yards (in feet)*–100 front, 100 each side, 100 rear.
*In addition to the yards, a 300-feet minimum building setback shall apply from a building that is used to house an intensive agriculture use to any lot line of a lot that is zoned VC, VR or DD or from any dwelling that is in another district.
(4) Other Allowed Use.
(a) Minimum lot area–3 acres.
(b) Maximum impervious surface ratio–.15.
(c) Minimum lot width at minimum building setback line–200 feet.
(d) Minimum yards (in feet)–75 front, 30 each side, 75 rear.
C. Dimensional, Open Space and Coverage Requirements for Single-Family Detached Cluster Development (“SFDC”), Use B-12.
Maximum Building Coverage | Maximum Impervious Surface Ratio | Minimum Lot Area (one dwelling unit per lot) | Minimum Open Space Ratio | |
SFDC Option 1 | .25 | .35 | 0.5 acre | .70 |
SFDC Option 2 | .20 | .30 | 0.75 acre | .60 |
SFDC Option 3 | .15 | .25 | 1 acre | .45 |
Minimum Lot Width at Minimum Building Setback Line (feet) | Maximum Building Height* | Minimum Yards: Front/Each Side/Rear (feet) | |
SFDC Option 1 | 90 | 35 | 50/15/35 |
SFDC Option 2 | 120 | 35 | 50/15/35 |
SFDC Option 3 | 130 | 35 | 50/15/35 |
*Or three stories, whichever is more restrictive. | |||
(1) Maximum density–0.33 dwelling units per acre of base site area.
(2) For SFDC Option 1, the Board of Supervisors may approve providing central sewage treatment services for this option as an amendment to its Act 537 Plan where it is demonstrated that this option will maximize the amount of protective agricultural soils preserved while meeting the other objectives of the AD Agricultural District as stated in § 305 hereof. Central water may also be provided where it is established that central water will assure the protection of maximum amount of protected agricultural soils and will have no greater impact on groundwater resources than individual wells. Such facilities shall be in compliance with the provisions of § 512.3.B of the Township Zoning Ordinance.
(3) For SFDC Option 2 and Option 3, individual on-lot sewage disposal facilities and individual wells shall be required.
(Ord. 144, passed 12-11-2007)
D. Farmland Lot. If a site included 10 or more acres of site area as of the effective date of this Ordinance (October 7, 2007), then one farmland lot shall be provided. The farmland lot shall encompass the “agricultural soils, productive” that are required to be protected pursuant to §§ 509.2.J and 510.2 of this Ordinance.
(2) A lot or tract of land in existence as of October 7, 2007, (the “parent tract”) which contains soils required to be protected hereunder may be subdivided to create one additional lot (the “exempted lot”) without creating a farmland lot under the following conditions:
(a) Only one exempted lot is permitted to be created out of a parent tract.
(b) The area of the exempted lot shall not exceed 5 acres.
(c) The exempted lot shall be deed restricted from further subdivision.
(d) Any further subdivision of the parent tract shall provide a farmland lot containing the amount of productive agricultural soils required to be protected pursuant to the requirements of §§ 509.2.J and 510.2 of this Ordinance based upon the size and area of the parent tract as it existed prior to the subdivision creating the exempted lot.
(e) A note shall be placed on the record plan of subdivision stating substantially as follows: “any future subdivision of the parent tract shall provide a farmland lot containing the amount of productive agricultural soils required to be protected pursuant to §§ 509.2.J and 510.2 of the Township Zoning Ordinance as these Sections existed on the date this plan is recorded.”
(3) The farmland lot shall be subject to a deed restriction or conservation easement that assures that productive agricultural soils required to be protected hereunder are not built upon and are not otherwise disturbed such that their character as productive agricultural soils is adversely impacted. Areas of the farmland lot that are protected by a deed restriction or conservation easement against additional subdivision, building, and development shall count toward the required amount of open space, as applicable.
(4) The farmland lot shall be a contiguous area within a minimum dimension of 200 feet and which has a shape that is suitable for modern agriculture and horticulture uses.
(5) The farmland lot may include one dwelling unit and agricultural buildings, but no other nonagricultural structures.
(6) If a new dwelling is proposed, the farmland lot shall contain a building envelope of not greater than 2 acres for the proposed dwelling as long as the Productive Agriculture Soils that are required to be protected pursuant to §§ 509.2.J and 510.2 remain undisturbed. The portion of the farmland lot to be utilized for new residential purposes shall be delineated by metes and bounds on the subdivision plan and deed restricted in a manner acceptable to the Township.
(7) The farmland lot shall be readily accessible to a public street or street constructed to provide convenient access by farm machinery to the site but shall not be divided by new subdivision street or lot that would interfere with its suitability for farming.
(Ord. 154, passed 11-24-2009)
E. Right to Farm.
(1) In order to protect and encourage the development and improvement of farmland within the Township for the production of food and other agricultural products, this Ordinance strives to protect and encourage a positive agricultural business climate by protecting commercial farms operated in accordance with acceptable methods and techniques of agricultural production from unnecessary regulation or unreasonable nuisance actions.
(2) This Ordinance recognizes the protection that is provided for normal farming practices under the Pennsylvania Right to Farm Act, being 3 P.S. §§ 951 - 957.
(3) This Ordinance recognizes that certain regulatory matters may be preempted by the Pennsylvania Right to Farm Act being 3 P.S. §§ 951 - 957 or the Pennsylvania Nutrient Management Act, 3 P.a.C.S.A. §§ 501 et seq.
(4) Current and prospective residents are hereby placed on notice that noise, dust and odors and use of pesticides and herbicides and the spreading of nutrients are a typical part of normal farming practices and that these practices may create nuisances and impacts that may be noticeable and objectionable to residents, and that the resident’s ability to file a nuisance action and the Township’s ability to control nuisances concerning agricultural activities is limited by State law.
F. Maximum height for all uses–three stories or 35 feet, whichever is more restrictive. See exceptions in § 501.8, including for agricultural buildings.
(Ord. passed 10-2-2007, § 601; Ord. 144, passed 10-11-2007, §§ 06, 07; Ord. 154, passed 11-24-2009, § 01; Ord. 173, passed 1-5-2015, § 11; Ord. 176, passed 1-5-2015, § 08; Ord. 191, passed 1-8-2019; Ord. 203, passed 2-28-2023)