It is the purpose and intent of this zoning district to provide for specific areas in the Town of Oneonta, at points of high auto accessibility, where those uses which mutually serve the community and the highway traveler may be permitted in an orderly and compatible manner. In promoting the general purpose of this chapter, the specific intent of this article is:
A. 
To permit and promote the development of the Susquehanna Expressway (I-88) interchange areas in a safe, convenient, orderly and compatible manner.
B. 
To encourage the development of commercial service and amusement facilities to serve both the community and the traveler, e.g., gas stations, motels, restaurants, commercial recreation facilities, distributing and warehousing establishments and convenience retail shops.
A. 
All of the following uses are permitted, subject to sketch plan review or site plan review, at the discretion of the Planning Board (see Article XVI):
[Amended 9-11-1985; 1-22-1986 by L.L. No. 1-1986; 2-12-1992 by L.L. No. 5-1992]
(1) 
Gasoline service stations, convenience stores.
[Amended 1-10-2007 by L.L. No. 1-2007]
(2) 
Restaurants.
(3) 
Motels and hotels.
(4) 
Warehousing and distribution facilities.
(5) 
Retail stores.
(6) 
Commercial uses.
(7) 
Public recreation uses.
(8) 
Fully enclosed industrial uses.
(9) 
Shopping center.
B. 
The following uses may be undertaken in the HDD Highway Development District only upon a special use permit being obtained:
[Added 1-22-1986 by L.L. No. 1-1986]
(1) 
Drive-in theater.
(2) 
Video arcade.
[Amended 5-13-1987; 7-12-1995 by L.L. No. 7-1995; 8-10-2016 by L.L. No. 1-2016]
General district regulations shall be as follows:
A. 
Minimum lot size: 40,000 square feet.
B. 
Minimum yard requirements.
(1) 
Front yard depth. Each lot fronting on a roadway designated as an arterial or collector shall have a front yard depth of not less than 75 feet. Each lot having frontage or side yards facing a public highway otherwise designated shall have a yard depth of not less than 50 feet. No vehicles shall be parked or structure of any sort be built, including gas station pump islands, within the first 50 feet of the front setback.
(2) 
Side yard depth: 20 feet.
(3) 
Rear yard depth: 20 feet.
(4) 
There shall be a minimum frontage requirement of 100 feet.
C. 
Increasing yard depth when abutting a lot in a residential district. A buffer area of at least 30 feet in width containing evergreen landscaping, fencing or some other method as, in the judgment of the Planning Board, will be adequate to screen the use from the neighboring residential area, shall be required along all adjoining residential property boundaries (hereinafter referred to as the buffer). Where a lot in a highway development district abuts a lot in a residential district, whether the residential lot is vacant or not, the existing vegetation on the highway development district lot within the buffer shall remain undisturbed until site plan approval from the Planning Board has been obtained. The buffer shall not be utilized for roadways, parking or storage of any material or goods on a temporary or permanent basis. Existing vegetation along the property lines and within the buffer shall be preserved and enhanced as deemed appropriate by the Planning Board during site plan review to maintain visual character and reduce impacts to residential lots. The buffer may include fencing, berming, vegetation or a combination thereof to extent necessary to minimize any visual impact to residential lots. The Planning Board may require that any new screening be installed prior to the commencement of construction to protect the residential lots.
D. 
Maximum coverage. The gross area covered by buildings or structures of any sort shall be no more than 50% of the gross site area, and the aggregate total of buildings, structures, parking lots, enclosed storage areas and loading and travel areas shall not exceed 80% of the gross site.
E. 
Off-street parking and loading. Parking and loading areas in this district shall be supplied as designated in Article XIII of this chapter. No open or enclosed parking or loading area shall encroach on any required front yard. Open parking and loading areas may encroach on a required side or rear yard to within three feet of a side or rear lot line, except as provided in Subsections B(1) and C. Open parking and loading areas shall not encroach on one another.
F. 
Signs and displays. See Town of Oneonta Sign Ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 76, Signs.
G. 
Building height. No building shall be erected to a height in excess of 60 feet except upon approval by the Board of Appeals.
H. 
Accessory buildings. All accessory buildings in this district must meet those standards in this article for the principal building.
I. 
Any lot within the HDD district that adjoins a residential property shall not commence any site work or development until an application for site plan review has been approved by the Planning Board. Notice shall be sent to all residential lot owners within 200 feet of the boundary of the lot notifying them of the site plan review and the intended purpose of the work or future use of the lot.