1220 Birmingham Rd, West Chester, PA 19382

Residential-Agricultural District

In addition to the general goals listed in the statements of purposes and community development objectives, it is the purpose of this article to encourage and promote continued agricultural uses in the R-A Zone while also permitting low-density residential development which will blend with existing agricultural uses and perpetuate the rural atmosphere of the area; and also, by providing the option of utilizing the provisions in Article XV, Transferable Development Rights, to enable landowners within the R-A Zone to elect not to develop all or a portion of their land but instead to obtain, by the use thereof, the economic benefits of development while at the same time covenanting to leave all or a portion of their land undeveloped in perpetuity.; It is further the purpose of this article to promote agricultural uses while still permitting the population density as envisioned through farmside village development in appropriate areas of the district associated with maintaining the bulk of such tracts as agricultural lands in perpetuity.; Accordingly, the district incorporates a density standard which, among other things, provides for farm and low-density dwelling uses, discourages isolated higher-density development and facilitates the conservation of agricultural and woodland areas, surface and underground water supplies and the control of soil erosion and surface water flooding.