Part 5
Supplementary Lot Regulations
§27-501 Purpose.
The provisions of this Part represent standards and regulations that shall be applied to all uses in addition to those established for the applicable zoning district. These regulations are to be used either in common within all zoning districts or are to be applied to specific situations as may be otherwise stated throughout this Chapter.
(Ord. 3/13/1995, Article 5, §500)
§27-502 General Lot Requirements.
1. No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this Chapter shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this Chapter shall meet at least the minimum requirements established by this Chapter.
2. No part of a yard, or other open space, or off-street parking area or loading space required in connection with any building for the purpose of complying with this Chapter shall be included as part of a yard, open space or off-street parking or loading space similarly required for any other building. (See also §27-505.1.)
3. The minimum lot width of any lot shall be measured along the minimum building setback line as required for that district. Lots located on cul-de-sac turnarounds or curves in the road or lots of unusual shape may have lot widths of less than those required provided that the average of the front and rear lot line is equal to or greater than the required lot width. In no case, however, shall the front lot line have a width of less than 75 feet.
4. No portion of a lot included in a street right-of-way shall be included in calculating the lot’s area.
(Ord. 3/13/1995, Article 5, §501; as amended by Ord. 2011-01, 1/3/2011, §1)
§27-503 Yard Requirements.
1. Projections.
A. Chimneys, flues, cornices, eaves, gutters, steps, or bay windows may project into any required yard, but not more than 24 inches.
B. Porches, patios, decks and attached carports, whether enclosed or unenclosed, shall be considered part of the main building and shall not project into any required yard.
2. Front Yards.
A. Front yard setbacks shall be as set forth in the district regulations and shall be measured from either the centerline of the adjoining street or from the edge of the adjoining street right-of-way, as provided in the district regulations. Where a lot has no road frontage, the front yard setback shall be equal to 1/2 of the required yard dimension for the district in which the lot is located and shall be measured from the edge of the front property line.
B. Accessory buildings or structures may not be erected within any required front yard.
C. When an unimproved lot is situated between 2 improved lots, each having a principal building which extends into the front yard, the front yard of such unimproved lot may be the same depth as the average of the 2 adjacent improved lots.
D. Off-street parking and loading areas may be located within a required front yard, but only as may be provided by the district regulations.
E. Signs may be erected within a required front yard in accordance with the requirements set forth in Part 10.
[Ord. 2013-01]
3. Side Yards.
A. On a corner lot, the side yard abutting the street shall have a depth equal to the required front yard for the district in which the lot lies. The remaining two yards shall constitute a side yard and a rear yard.
B. Accessory buildings or structures may not be constructed within a required side yard, except as may be provided in the district regulations.
C. Signs may be erected within a required side yard in accordance with the requirements set forth in Part 10.
4. Rear Yards.
A. Accessory buildings or structures may not be constructed within a required rear yard, except as may be provided in the district regulations.
B. Signs may be erected within a required rear yard in accordance with the requirements set forth in Part 10.
5. Existing Buildings.
A. Where an addition is proposed for an existing principal or accessory building which extends into the required front, side or rear yard, the addition may be authorized by the Zoning Officer so long as the addition extends no further into the required yard than the existing structure.
[Ord. 2013-01]
(Ord. 3/13/1995, Article 5, §502; as amended by Ord. 2013-01, 6/10/2013; and by Ord. 2017-03, 7/10/2017, § 1)
§27-504 Height Regulations.
The vertical distance measured from the average ground elevation to the highest point on such building or structure. The following shall apply for floodplain management purposes: The vertical distance measured between the top of the first enclosed floor to the highest point on such building or structure. The architectural features listed in subsection .A remain exempt for this definition.
A. Height regulations shall not apply to spires, belfries, cupolas, penthouses (not used for human occupancy), nor to chimneys, ventilators, skylights, utility poles, solar collectors or related equipment, and ornamental or other necessary mechanical appurtenances normally associated with homes, churches and similar establishments. Such appurtenances shall, however, be erected only to such height as necessary to accomplish their intended purpose.
B. Agricultural or industrial structures, such as barns, silos, grain elevators, storage tanks or similar types of structures, and windmills used for converting wind energy to electrical or mechanical energy for use on the premises, may be erected above the height limits specified in the district regulations. [Ord. 2011-01]
C. The height of all exterior antennas shall be governed by the provisions of §27-610 of this Chapter.
D. Notwithstanding any of the exceptions outlined above, the location and height of all structures shall be in accordance with all applicable rules, regulations, standards and criteria of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration.
(Ord. 3/13/1995, Article 5, §503; as amended by Ord. 2011-01, 1/3/2011, §1; and by Ord. 2017-03, 7/10/2017, § 1)
§27-505 Miscellaneous Provisions.
1. Two or More Principal Uses in the Same Building. When 2 or more principal uses occupy the same building (not including home occupations as defined in §27-609), sufficient parking spaces, lot area, open space, etc., shall be provided so that the standards pertaining to each use will be met in full, unless provided otherwise in this Chapter or as part of an authorized land development.
2. Fences and Walls.
A. No fence or wall exceeding 6 feet in height shall be erected within any of the yards required, by this Chapter, except in the Commercial or Industrial Districts or for a contractor’s shops and yards where security fences may be up to 10 feet in height. (See also subsection .C below.)
B. Fences or walls not exceeding 6 feet in height may be permitted to be located within any of the required yards, but shall be set back at least 5 feet from all property lines and from the edge of any adjoining street, road, or alley right-of-way. Where, however, there is written mutual consent between adjoining property owners, a fence or wall may be placed on a property line. A copy of such mutual consent shall be submitted to the Township along with the application for placement of the fence or wall. (See also subsection .C below.)
C. In no case shall a fence or wall be erected which could cause danger to traffic on a street or road (whether public or private) by obscuring a driver’s view or which does not comply with the clear sight triangle requirements contained in subsection .3 below.
D. Fences having only 1 finished side shall be installed so that the finished side faces out or away from the subject property.
E. All fences shall be maintained in good condition and shall not be allowed to become dilapidated.
3. Obstructions to Vision at Street or Driveway Intersections.
A. No fence, wall, sign or other structure shall be erected or altered and no hedge, shrub, tree, or other growth shall be maintained which may cause danger to traffic on a street or road by obscuring a driver’s view at a street or driveway intersection.
B. At all street and/or driveway intersections, no obstruction or planting measuring higher than 30 inches or hanging lower than 8 feet above road grade shall be permitted within the clear sight triangle. A clear sight triangle shall be defined as that area of unobstructed vision at street intersections formed by lines of sight between points which are a specified distance from the intersection of the street centerlines. These distances shall be as follows:
(1) For the intersection of two streets, the distance from the intersection of the street centerlines shall be 75 feet.
(2) For the intersection of a street and a driveway, the distance shall be 25 feet.
4. Maximum Building Coverage. The percentage of land covered by principal and accessory buildings or structures on each lot shall not be greater than is permitted in the district regulations, Part 3, for the district in which the lot is located.
5. Erosion and Sedimentation Control. All erosion and sedimentation control requirements set forth in the Wolf Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22] or DEP, Pa.Code, Title 25, Chapter 102, “Erosion Control,” shall be met to the satisfaction of the Township Zoning Officer before the issuance of a zoning permit. [Ord. 2011-01]
6. Drainage and Stormwater Management. All drainage and/or stormwater management standards set forth in the Wolf Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22] and Act 1978-167, the Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Act, 32 P.S. §680.1 et seq., shall be met to the satisfaction of the Township Zoning Officer before the issuance of a zoning permit. As per the requirements of Act 167, the post-development runoff rate of the site shall not exceed the tract’s pre-development runoff rate. [Ord. 2011-01]
7. Outdoor Lighting on Private Premises. All outdoor flood lighting and spot lighting on private premises shall be mounted and shielded to effectively eliminate direct glare on adjacent properties or on public streets.
8. Stripping of Top Soil. No person, firm or corporation shall strip, excavate or otherwise remove top soil, shale or gravel for sale or for use other than on the premises from which the same shall be taken, except in connection with the construction or alteration of a building or structure on such premises and the excavation or grading incidental thereto.
(Ord. 3/13/1995, Article 5, §504; as amended by Ord. 2004-1, 3/8/2004; by Ord. 2011-01, 1/3/2011, §1; and by Ord. 2016-05, 11/14/2016, §1)
§27-506 Buffer Yards.
1. Where a commercial or industrial use abuts a residential district, residential use or a public street, a buffer yard of at least 25 feet shall be required. The buffer yard shall be a part of the commercial or industrial installation and shall be maintained by that property owner.
2. Where a commercial or industrial use abuts a stream, drainage channel, or delineated wetland area, a buffer yard of at least 50 feet shall be required. The yard shall be measured from the nearest edge of the stream, channel or wetland. For residential uses, a buffer of at least 25 feet shall be provided where such use abuts a stream, drainage channel or delineated wetland.
3. Buffer yards required for residential uses shall be not less than 15 feet in width, unless provided otherwise in Part 4, the supplementary use regulations, of this Chapter.
4. All buffer yards shall be planted and maintained with vegetative material, such as grass, sod, shrubs, or other evergreens. Where required within buffer yards, screening shall be accomplished in accordance with §27-507 below.
5. A buffer yard may be considered as part of the required yard space.
6. No structure, storage of materials, or parking of vehicles shall be permitted in a required buffer yard; however, access drives, as well as utilities, may cross buffer yards.
(Ord. 3/13/1995, Article 5, §505)
§27-507 Screen Planting.
1. Screen planting may be required for various uses found in Part 4 of this Chapter, the supplementary use regulations or where determined necessary by the Township Supervisors or Zoning Hearing Board, as appropriate, to serve as a barrier to visibility, glare, and noise between adjacent properties.
2. Plant or vegetative materials, including shrubs or evergreens, used in screen planting shall be of such species as will produce, in 2 years, a complete visual screen 6 feet in height and of such density as is necessary to achieve the intended purpose.
3. Screen planting shall be maintained permanently by the lot owner, and any plant material which does not live shall be replaced within l year.
4. Screen planting shall be placed so that, at maturity, it will be no closer than 3 feet to any street or property line.
5. In accordance with the provisions of §27-505.3, a clear sight triangle shall be maintained at all street intersections and where driveways or private accessways intersect public streets.
6. Screen planting shall be broken only at points of vehicular or pedestrian access or utility easements.
(Ord. 3/13/1995, Article 5, §506; as amended by Ord. 2016-05, 11/14/2016, §1)
§27-508 Property Trees.
Property owners may plant trees where sufficient trees do not exist or where trees need to be replaced due to age, disease, or other natural causes. Such trees shall be set back at least 10 feet from the edge of any adjoining street right-of-way or property line. At maturity, property trees shall be no closer to a property line than 3 feet. No plantings measuring higher than 30 inches or hanging lower than 8 feet above road grade shall be permitted within a clear sight triangle of 75 feet measured along the centerline at all street intersections. Shrubs or evergreens shall be placed so that, at maturity, they are no closer than 3 feet to any street or property line.
(Ord. 3/13/1995; as added by Ord. 2011-01, 1/3/2011, §1)
§27-509 Junked or Abandoned Motor Vehicles.
1. No junked or abandoned motor vehicle (motor vehicle which is in inoperable condition or bears no current license or inspection) may be stored outside of an enclosed structure in any district, unless such vehicle is associated with an existing or proposed legitimate business operation or is completely covered by a non-transparent or an opaque tarp. [Ord. 2011-01]
2. Disabled or unusable farm-related vehicles and equipment shall be exempt from these regulations, provided that they are set back a minimum of 50 feet from all residential structures and public rights-of-way and are screened from view by the use of a fence or screen planting as set forth in §27-507 of this Chapter.
(Ord. 3/13/1995, Article 5, §510; as amended by Ord. 2011-01, 1/3/2011, §1)