The RD-C, Residential Development-Conservation District is designed to provide a variety of housing types, flexibility of design, conservation of agricultural lands and open space, and reservation of historic areas. The RD-C District provides densities lower than the RD District and serves as a transitional zone between RD Districts and conventional single-family districts in areas proximate to the Borough of New Hope and accessible from Route 202, the principal highway through the Township.
Specifically, it is the intent and purpose of this section to create a zoning district that would permit the planning of large land areas in one or more designated sites and in proper locations, so as to:
A. Conserve Agricultural Lands and Open Space
Encourage the conservation of existing farm lands and prime agricultural soils especially where such lands have the ability to be preserved in their entirety or as large tracts both on the parcel being developed and on adjacent parcels by the use of conservation easements and deed restrictions.
B. Protect Natural Environmental Features
Preserve and protect significant environmental and natural landscape features especially stream valleys and associated flood plains and wetlands, lakes and ponds, significant hedgerows, rare vegetation or habitats of endangered wildlife, viewsheds, and significant scenic routes.
C. Preserve Historic Districts
Enhance the opportunity to preserve historic districts from significant development and control any new structures so that historic development patterns are respected and preserved.
D. Provide for a Variety of Housing Types
Provide the opportunity for the creation of a wider variety of housing types in the Township, ranging from single-family detached to age-qualified detached dwelling units to single-family attached units (townhouses).
E. Promote the Creative Use of Large Tracts
Encourage the creative use of large tracts of residential land in excess of one hundred (100) contiguous acres located on Route 202 so as to promote the establishment of a more desirable living environment than would be possible through their subdivision and in accordance with the conventional standards established elsewhere.
F. Permit Flexibility of Design and Development
Permit flexibility of design and development in such a way as to promote superior land planning design, greater economy, efficiency and convenience in the arrangement of land uses and their supporting infrastructure, to preserve open space, and to protect flood plains and other natural features.
G. Allow Well Planned Services and Utilities
Encourage orderly and well-planned development of a scale and location that will make it feasible to construct a comprehensive package of supporting utilities, services and facilities, active and passive recreation facilities, a storm water control and retention system, and other facilities so as to achieve developments which are environmentally, physically, visually and economically superior.
H. Allow Safe Traffic Circulation
Encourage orderly development of sites with substantial frontage on federally designated highways so as to provide safe, efficient access and traffic circulation.
I. Recognize Master Plan Objectives
Promote a development pattern in harmony with the objectives of the Township's Master Plan.
A.building may be erected, altered or used, and land may be used or occupied, subject to the provisions of Articles 14, 15 and 19, for any of the following uses and for no other:
A. Permitted Principal Uses
1. Single-family detached dwellings (except in designated conservation area[s]).
2. Single-family semi-detached dwellings (except in designated conservation area(s)).
3. Single-family attached dwellings (except in designated conservation area[s]).
4. Age-Qualified Detached Dwellings (except in the designated conservation area(s)).
5. Forestry/Timber Harvesting.3
B. Permitted Accessory Uses
1. Except as provided in Section 701 C. 1, the following shall apply:
a. Accessory uses on the same lot and customarily incidental to the principal residential uses permitted above.
b. Parking space in accordance with Article 16, Section 1600.
c. Signs in accordance with Article 17.
d. Decks provided that they are not in front yards, within five (5) feet of a lot line or in a designated conservation area.
e. No-Impact Home-Based Business [sic]
C. Conditional Uses (Refer to Article 21 for Standards and Criteria)
1. Home Occupation; Home Professional Office which are accessory.
2. Open space for recreational and conservation purposes, subject to Article 20.
The maximum density of development, including both the conservation and development districts, shall not exceed an average of 0.33 units per acre, provided, however, that the developer shall be entitled to a density bonus when a contiguous residentially zoned lot or group of lots which taken together are contiguous with the proposed development which lot is or lots are currently maintained as open space, i.e., each lot contains less than one (1) dwelling unit per ten (10) acres, shall be permanently designed with a restriction against further subdivision and development so that the lot(s) remains as open space by conservation easements and/or deed restrictions in a form acceptable to the Township. The bonus shall be calculated as follows:
Within an RD-C District, a site shall be divided into Development Area(s) and Conservation Area(s). Development Areas shall comprise those lands to be served by public or community utility systems. Road access to the designated Development Area(s) shall only be from the principal highway through the Township, U.S. Route 202. The gross density of any Development Area shall not exceed two (2) units per acre.
Conservation Areas shall comprise areas where agricultural lands, historic districts and sensitive environments are to be preserved through deed restriction, covenants, easement or other methods acceptable to the Township. The maximum density of any Conservation Area shall not exceed 0.025 units per acre.
The designated Development Area (excluding required buffer strips) of any RD-C site shall not comprise more than twenty-five (25) percent of the total site area. Development Areas shall not include any historic district as designated under any local, state or federal statute.
Except as specified in Article 19 relative to setbacks, the following shall apply:
A. Minimum Site Size
The minimum site size needed for an RD-C zone to apply shall be 100 acres.
B. Minimum Lot Sizes
Minimum lot sizes within an RD-C site shall vary depending on location (within a designated Development Area or a designated Conservation Area) and depending upon utility services.
1.Single-family detached dwellings
a. Within a Conservation Area, each lot shall be a minimum of 20 acres.
b. Within a Development Area, each lot shall be a minimum of one-quarter (1/4) acre.
2. Single-family semi-detached and attached dwellings
a. Within a Conservation Area, such dwellings are prohibited.
b. Within a Development Area, such dwellings shall require lots of at least two thousand (2,000) square feet per unit No more than twelve (12) dwelling units shall be shared by a common driveway.
a. Within Conservation Area, such dwellings are prohibited.
b. Within a Development Area, such dwellings shall require each lot to be a minimum of 7,000 square feet. Utility easements for lot yard drains, underground electric, gas, telephone and cable television may be included as part of the lot area.
1. Single-family detached dwelling units with on lot sewage disposal and water supply systems shall meet the requirements of the RD zoning district.
2. Single-family detached dwelling units with community or public sewerage and water supply systems shall meet the following standards:
a. Min. lot width at building line 75 feet
c. Max. impervious surface coverage 35%
d. Max. building coverage 15% or 2000 sq. ft.
e. Min. depth of front yard 25 feet
f. Min. depth of rear yard 35 feet
g. Min. side yard (individual) 8 feet
h. Min, side yard (aggregate) 20 feet
3. Single-family attached or semi-detached dwelling units shall meet the following standards:
a. Max. impervious surface coverage 60%
b. Max. building coverage 45% or 1500 sq. ft.
c. Min. depth of front yard 10 feet
d. Min. depth of rear yard 20 feet
e. The length of any row of dwellings shall not exceed six (6) dwelling units in any direction
f. No principal building shall be closer than 35 feet from any other principal building
g. No building shall be closer than 35 feet from the street line
h. No building shall be closer than ten (10) feet from a driveway that serves as a cul-de-sac.
4. The maximum impervious surface coverage for the Development Area shall not exceed forty (40) percent.
5. Age-Qualified Detached Dwelling Units shall meet-the following standards:
a. Min. lot width at building line 65 feet
c. Max. lot impervious surface coverage 60%
D. Height Regulations
The maximum height of dwellings and other structures erected, enlarged, altered or used shall be thirty-five (35) feet, except as provided in Article 18, Section 1804.
E. Frontage
Any RD-C site shall have a minimum of five hundred (500) feet of road frontage along the designated development area Route 202.
No building shall be less than one hundred (100) feet from any RD-C district boundary line which abuts an RA, RB and VR district, and fifty (50) feet from the perimeter property line of any tract within the RD district; and no accessory structure shall be less than twenty-five (25) feet from such line, except for signs and those structures associated with ingress and egress, lighting standards, benches and the like.
* Whichever is greater.
In designated development areas, new homes shall not be located closer than four hundred (400) feet from any existing and occupied primary residences in the RA or RB districts as of the effective date of this amendment.
The setback and buffer areas shall be landscaped or left in their natural state. Where an existing hedgerow remains, evergreen species shall be incorporated into the hedgerow in a pattern that will:
a. Preserve mature trees, and
b. Ensure a continuous healthy evergreen planting upon maturity.
Rapid growing Spruces and Pines will be used as major trees and early successional species such as Red Cedar will be used as infill plantings. Native deciduous species will be introduced at regular intervals to provide seasonal interest and improved wildlife habitat.
Setback and buffer areas shall not be utilized for active recreation facilities.
G. Open Space
At least forty (40) percent of the gross land area of an RD-C site shall be left in permanent open space status (subject to the provisions of Article 20). Water bodies, wetlands, flood plains and slopes over twenty-five (25) percent shall be preserved and may be counted as part of the total open space requirement by fifty (50) percent of the total open space requirement. up to a maximum of f
H. Recreation
Recreation facilities must be provided in accordance with the Park and Recreation Ordinance, Section 6.19 of the Solebury Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. Such recreation lands may be counted as part of the open space requirement, described in Section 709A G. above.
