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Conemaugh Township Zoning Ordinance

ARTICLE V - MINIMUM YARD REGULATIONS

REWRITTEN AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCES 413, 414, 423, 442, 443, 555, 557, 560, 569, 569A, 582, 583, 593, AND 594, AND AS ACCEPTED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 12, 1995 AND THE SUPERVISORS ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1995.

TERMS RELATING TO "YARDS" ARE DEFINED

* ALLEY OR SERVICE DRIVE - A minor right-of- way providing secondary vehicular access to the side or rear of abutting property.
* AREA, BUILDING - The total area taken on a horizontal plane at the main grade level of the main building and all accessory buildings, exclusive of uncovered porches, terraces and steps.
* AREA, LOT - The total area within the lot lines.
* CENTERLINE - is a line halfway between the street right-of-way lines.
* CORNER LOTS - Lots abutting on two or more streets at their intersection; front yards shall be provided on both streets as required for the District.
* DRIVEWAY - A minor vehicular right-of-way providing access to five (5) or fewer properties of separate ownership, not dedicated to public use, the maintenance being provided by the property owners served.
* FRONTAGE - means the distance along a street line between two intersecting streets or from one intersecting street to the end of a dead end street.
* LOT - A portion of a subdivision, intended as a unit of transfer of ownership, use development, improvement and/or dedication.
* LOT, INTERIOR - A lot other than a corner lot.
* OT LINES - The lines bounding a lot as defined herein.
* LOT WIDTH - is the width of lot as the front yard line.
* BUILDABLE WIDTH - is the width of lot left to be built upon after the side yards are provided.
* MAIN BUILDING - is the building occupied by the primary use.
* RIGHT-OF-WAY - Land reserved for the public or the abutting owners for use as a street, alley, interior walk or for other public purposes.
* STREET - A strip of land, including the entire right-of-way, intended for use as a means of vehicular and pedestrian movement.
* STREET, MAJOR - "Major Streets" are those serving or anticipated to serve in excess of 4,000 vehicles daily, a large proportion thereof generally being through traffic.
* STREET, COLLECTOR - "Collector Streets" are those which intercept minor streets, provide access to abutting properties and serving or anticipated to serve between 750 and 4,000 vehicles daily.
* STREET, MINOR - "Minor Streets" are those used primarily to provide access to abutting properties and serving or anticipated to serve up to 750 vehicles daily.
* STREET, PUBLIC - A street dedicated to general public use, or abutting property owners use, or dedicated exclusively to the use of all owners of lots within a specified subdivision.
* SUBDIVISION - For the purpose of this Ordinance, "Subdivision" shall be defined as as follows:
o a. The division or redivision of the lot, tract, or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land , including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, transfer of ownership or building or lot development.
o b. Any development of a parcel of land (including shopping centers, industrial parks, and multiple dwelling projects) which involves the installation of streets even though the streets may no be dedicated to general public use and the parcel may not be divided immediately for purpose of conveyance, lease, transfer or sale.
o c. The term, subdivision, includes re-subdivision, and, as appropriate in this Ordinance, shall refer to the process of subdividing land or to the land subdivided.
* YARD, FRONT - The required area from any building or structure to the front lot line.
* YARD, REAR - The required area from any building or structure to the rear lot line.
* YARD, SIDE - The required area from any building or structure to any side lot line.

 

502 EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 503 AND 504 AND ARTICLE VIII, MINIMUM YARDS SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR BUILDINGS AS SHOWN IN THE FOLLOWING TABULATION:

 

MINIMUM SETBACK DISTANCES (IN FEET)
ZONING DISTRICT	FRONT YARD SETBACK (ONE MINIMUM):	EACH SIDE YARD SETBACK (TWO MINIMUM):	REAR YARD SETBACK (ONE MINIMUM):
C	100	100	100
R-R	30	20	20
R-1	25*	10*****	25**
R-2	25*	15****	25**
R-3	25*	10	25**
C-N	25	10	20
C-T	50	25	25***
I-L	50	25	30***
I-H	25	25	30***
PRD	35	15	50
* Front yard shall be increased to 30 feet if not served with centralized water supply and sewage disposal.
** Rear yard shall be increased to 50 feet if not served with centralized water supply and sewage disposal.
*** Rear yards shall be required only where they are adjacent to a "C", "RR", "R", or "C-N" District.
**** Side yards will not exist when dealing with row or townhouses.
***** Side yards can be reduced to 7.5 feet if the residence is connected to a centralized water supply and sewage disposal system.

 

503 THESE GENERAL RULES FOR YARDS SHALL ALSO BE OBSERVED:

503.01.On lots fronting on two non-intersecting streets, front yards must be provided on both streets.

503.02 Where a frontage is divided among districts with different front yard requirements, the deepest front yard required shall apply to the entire frontage.

503.03 In the "C-N", "C-T", and "I-L", and "I-H", Districts there may be more than one commercial or industrial building on a lot or tract provided that the required yards be maintained around the group of buildings.

503.04 Dwelling uses, except hotels and motels, located in the "C-N", "C-T", "I-L", and "I-H" Districts must provide the yards required in the R-2 Districts.

503.05 Those parts of existing buildings that violate yard regulations may be repaired and remodeled but not reconstructed or structurally altered unless made to conform to these requirements.

503.06 In a Planned Residential Development yard areas may vary consistently with the requirement applicable to the type of planned development.

 

504 THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS MAY BE MADE IN YARD REGULATIONS

504.01 Where on the effective date of this Ordinance, forty (40) percent or more on a frontage was occupied by two or more buildings, then the front yard shall be established in the following manner:

* a. Where the building farthest from the street provides a front yard not more than ten feet deeper than the building closest to the street, then the front yard for the frontage shall be the average of the then existing front yards.
* b. Where "a." above does not apply and a lot is within one hundred (100) feet of a building on each side, then the front yard shall be a line drawn from the closest front corners of these two adjacent buildings.
* c. Where neither "a." or "b." above applies and the lot is within one hundred (100) feet of an existing building on one side only, the front yard shall be the same as that of the existing adjacent building.

504.02 Sills, belt courses, cornices and ornamental features may project one-half the yard depth but not more than five feet into a required yard.

504.03 Open fire escapes, fireproof outside stairways and balconies opening from fire towers, and the ordinary projection of chimneys and flues into a rear yard for a distance of not more than five feet when so placed as to not obstruct light and ventilation may be permitted by the Zoning Officer.

504.04 Open, unenclosed porches (not glassed in) may extend ten feet into a front yard.

504.05 Terraces which do not extend above the level of the ground (first) floor may project into a required yard, provided these projections shall be distant at least three feet from the adjacent side lot line.

504.06 If side yards are provided where not required (i.e., in "C-N", "C-T", and "I", Districts) they must be at least five feet wide.

504.07 Not withstanding other provisions of this Ordinance, no building or structure shall be erected, reconstructed, or structurally altered as follows:

* a. Within forty (40) feet of the right-of-way line of a major street.
* b. Within the limits of the yard lines tabulated in Section 502 herein for collector and local streets and alleys.