ARTICLE 1304

R-R RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT

1304.01 Purpose

The purpose of this zoning district is to preserve and to provide low density residential areas within the City, and to encourage the future development of designated areas as predominately low density single family residential areas.

1304.02 Use Regulations

A building may be erected or used, and a lot may be used or occupied, for any of the following purposes, and no other, subject to the applicable provisions of Article 1318 "General Regulations", and other applicable provisions of this and other City Ordinances.

(a) The following uses are permitted by right:

(1) Single family detached dwelling.

(2) Public park or playground.

(3) Farming, including, but not limited to, truck gardening and nursery (horticultural) use and stables, provided that such use must be on a lot having an area of not less than one (1) acre and any buildings or enclosure used for the keeping of livestock, including, but not limited to poultry and rabbits, shall be set back not less than one hundred (100) feet from the front street line and not less than seventy-five (75) feet from any other street and any property line.

(4) Roadside stand for the sale of farm and nursery products produced on the property and offered for sale.

(5) Electric substation or automatic telephone exchange without any rotary converter or generating machinery. Outdoor storage and garaging of motor vehicles shall be prohibited with said use.

(b) The following uses and their accessory uses may be permitted following a review and recommendation by the Planning Commission in accord with the provisions of Article 1322:

(1) Community Center Building, public library, municipal building, fire station, police station and similar municipal uses.
(2) Single family detached dwelling fronting on a common private driveway.

(c) The following uses and their customary accessory uses when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board may be permitted, subject also to the provisions of Article 1325:

(1) Public or private educational institution or use, including an elementary or secondary school or kindergarten, but not a business school, trade school, dance school or similar use.

(2) Church, rectory, parish house or similar religious institution.

(3) Cemetery [See Section 1325.08(a)].

(4) Conversions [See Section 1325.08(b)].

(5) Commercial greenhouse and nursery. [See Section 1325.08(d)].

(6) Residential Treatment Facility [See Sections 1325.08(j) and (k)].

(d) Accessory uses on the same lot and customarily incidental to the permitted use are permitted by right. The term "accessory use" shall not include a business (except as outlined in Section 1318.30) but may include:

(1) Private parking space or private garage, private garden or home swimming pool.

(2) Sign pursuant to Article 1320.

1304.03 Area, Yard and Building Regulations

(See Article 1318).

1304.04 Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations

(See Article 1319).

1304.05 Sign Regulations

(See Article 1320).

1304.06 Site Plan Review Requirements

(See Article 1321).

1304.07 Overlay Zone

(a) Purpose. This overlay recognizes that this specific area is uniquely situated and allows development consistent with such uniqueness. Specifically, portions of Creek Road are rural in nature and have historical significance to the City. At the same time, there are severe development pressures on the overlay area created by the abutting and surrounding residential and commercial uses located along Friedensville Road. In addition, Friedensville Road has a much higher volume of traffic than Creek Road. Moreover, Lower Saucon Township is located across Friedensville Road, which portion of the Township is zoned for higher density uses. The purpose of this overlay is to provide the opportunity to develop the area so that it conforms to certain unique rural residential characteristics of the Creek Road area, including the lessening of the potential impact on Creek Road, yet at the same time recognizes and allows development consistent with certain higher-density characteristics of the area.

(b) This Section creates an R-R Overlay District, which shall consist of the geographic area in the R-R District in Ward 16 of the City, bounded by Creek Road on the East, Friedensville Road on the South, the R-G District to the West and the property identified as Northampton County Tax Map No. Q7-8-6A to the North.

(c) Semi-detached dwelling units shall be permitted following review and recommendation by the Planning Commission in accordance with the provisions of Article 1322, subject to the following requirements:

(1) The overall gross density for such use shall not exceed one (1) dwelling unit per 15,000 sq. ft. of the entire development tract.

(2) The minimum lot area for each semi-detached dwelling unit shall be 7,500 square feet.

(3) The front yard setback for such use shall be 30 feet.

(4) The rear yard setback for such use shall be 20 feet.

(5) Each unit shall be required to meet one side yard setback of 6 feet.

(6) The maximum building coverage for such use shall be 35%.
(7) The minimum lot width per dwelling unit shall be 30 feet.

(8) The maximum height limitations shall be 2.5 stories and 35 feet.

(9) There shall be a 30 foot buffer yard around the entire overlay district, which area shall be measured after the dedication of any rights-of-way to the City. Adequate visual screening approved by the Planning Commission during land development review shall be placed within the buffer area, which may include but is not limited to landscaping, fencing and berms. The buffer yard may include any required setbacks.

(10) The dwelling units shall be designed as a single architectural project and shall not detract from the character of the surrounding neighborhood.

[Section 1304.07 was added by Ordinance No. 4205 on August 19, 2003]