Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania

Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, population 15,647 (2016), lies 60 miles west of New York City along the western bank of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania. Middle Smithfield is popular for vacations and second homes given its access to the eastern megalopolis and its numerous outdoor recreation opportunities including ski resorts and a portion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.  In September 2005, Middle Smithfield adopted a TDR ordinance which was subsequently amended.

Sending sites can be any parcel at least ten acres in size located within the CON or RR zones. In the CON district, 0.1 TDRs are available per preserved acre of sending area. In the RR district, 0.2 TDR are available per acre. The applicant can decide whether to preclude some or all of the site’s development potential via a permanent conservation easement. Sending site owners can sell or donate severed rights directly to a developer, to the Township or to a non-profit corporation with a preservation mission.

Receiving sites can be located within the R2, R3, C1, C2, or I zoning districts. Baseline density is the number of units that the site could accommodate without the use of TDR. Transfers can exceed these baselines at the ratio of one additional unit per TDR. On receiving sites without both central water and sewer, the maximum with-TDR density is one unit per acre and minimum of 100 feet of the lot width. Residential receiving sites with both central water and sewer can increase density to single family dimensions of minimum 21,780 square foot lots with 100 feet minimum lot width in the R-2 and 10,000 square foot lots with 80 minimum lot width in the R-3. In non-residential receiving areas, each TDR allows 3,000 extra square feet of impervious lot coverage up to a maximum of 10 percent coverage. Otherwise, receiving site projects must comply with all Township requirements.