[Added 12-14-2009 by Ord. No. 02-2009]
The purpose of the Town Center (TC) District is to:
A.
Create a mixed-use zoning district designed to be the heart of the
community that provides a sense of place, pedestrian-oriented development
and community-oriented living.
B.
Encourage the development of a mixed-use neighborhood by encouraging
places of work, including research and development and commercial
establishments, in close proximity to convalescent-care type residences
and service-oriented establishments through the integration of the
following land uses into a single, cohesive district.
(1)
Nonresidential development: lots developed for commercial, research
and development or office purposes.
(2)
Residential development: lots and/or buildings developed for
assisted living or life-care type residential purposes only.
(3)
Mixed-use development: buildings designed to accommodate a combination
of residential and nonresidential uses or any combination of nonresidential
uses. Mixed-use development should generally front on a centrally
located area or occupy other prominent central locations.
(4)
Civic amenities: centrally located areas of private and public
improvements for the intended purpose of accommodating cultural, educational
and municipal activities.
(5)
Open space: undeveloped land that provides green space and passive
recreational needs for the workers and residents of the Town Center
and the overall Township.
C.
Strengthen the local economy by providing a district for business
expansion and employment opportunities.
D.
Establish pedestrian-oriented development by encouraging the provision
of streetscape amenities and landscaping.
In the TC District, the following uses are authorized:
A.
Permitted uses.
(1)
Principal uses.
(a)
Appliance, home furnishing stores.
(b)
Assisted living/life care facility.
(c)
Bank/financial institution.
(d)
Bakery, including processing.
(e)
Business services.
(f)
Call center.
(g)
Catering service.
(h)
Commercial-office, mixed use.
(j)
Dry-cleaning pickup store.
(k)
Emergency service facility.
(l)
Essential services.
(m)
Food and grocery store.
(n)
Forestry.
(o)
Funeral home.
(p)
Garden center.
(q)
Home-based business, no-impact.
(r)
Hotel/motel.
(s)
Manufacturing, research and development.
(t)
Manufacturing, pilot.
(u)
Office, business and professional.
(v)
Office, medical (high-intensity).
(w)
Office, medical (low-intensity).
(x)
Park and playground (public).
(y)
Personal services.
(z)
Pharmacy.
(aa)
Place of assembly.
(bb)
Place of worship.
(cc)
Planned office park.
(dd)
Planned research and development park.
(ee)
Planned shopping center.
(ff)
Private club.
(gg)
Public building (municipal building, library and
fire station).
(hh)
Recreation, commercial.
(ii)
Recreation, private.
(jj)
Eating and drinking establishment.
(kk)
Retail store (less than 5,000 square feet).
(ll)
Retail store (5,000 square feet to 20,000 square
feet).
(mm)
Self-service laundry.
(nn)
School, private/commercial.
(oo)
School, public.
(pp)
Theater.
(qq)
Transfer facility.
(rr)
Warehouse (less than 10,000 square feet).
(ss)
Wholesale business.
B.
Conditional uses.
(1)
Principal uses.
(a)
Automobile service station.
(b)
Beer distributor or liquor store.
(c)
Building material and contractor's supply yard.
(d)
Cabinet making.
(e)
Car wash.
(f)
Clinics.
(g)
Commercial-office-residential, mixed use.
(h)
Commercial-residential, mixed use.
(i)
Convenience store.
(j)
Home occupation, low-impact.
(k)
Hospital.
(l)
Machine shop.
(m)
Oil and gas drilling.
(n)
Retail store (more than 20,000 square feet).
(o)
Vehicular repair garage.
(p)
Veterinary clinic.
(q)
Winery, subject to § 250-110A(48).
[Added 5-9-2016 by Ord.
No. 01-2016]
C.
Uses by special exception.
(1)
Principal uses.
(a)
Day-care center or nursery school in a church or school, subject to § 250-110A(8).
(b)
Temporary use or structure, other than a temporary dwelling or construction trailer, subject to § 250-110A(39).
In the TC District, all uses shall be subject to the following regulations, except as they may be modified by the express standards and criteria for specific conditional uses or uses by special exception contained in Article XIV:
A.
Minimum lot area: The minimum lot size shall be 43,560 square feet.
B.
The minimum lot width shall be 150 feet.
C.
Maximum lot coverage:
(1)
The percentage of lot coverage for development or redevelopment
shall not be more than 50% of the lot area.
(2)
The maximum amount of impervious surface shall be 80% of the
lot area.
(3)
Stormwater runoff reduction measures. Upon incorporating any
two of the following stormwater runoff reduction measures into a land
development, a developer and/or landowner shall receive a maximum
lot coverage increase of 10%.
(a)
Provide area(s) for groundwater recharge through on-site stormwater
infiltration for an amount of impervious area equal to one times the
net buildable area increase. The minimum required recharge volume
shall be equal to 1.5 inches of runoff for the area defined.
(b)
Preserve existing trees whose combined canopy area is equal
to one times the net buildable area increase. A preserved tree shall
be a minimum of 12 inches in diameter at breast height (dbh).
(c)
Install additional landscaping area(s) equal to 1.5 times the
net buildable area increase. This additional landscaping may be used
to treat any cut or fill slopes; to increase the habitat value of
any on-site stormwater management facility; to reestablish stream
side buffers or for other on-site uses. Lawn or turf areas shall not
constitute additional landscaping.
(d)
Propose on-site environmental mitigation of equal or greater
environmental value. Mitigation shall include but may not be limited
to the removal of landfilled hazardous materials, the remediation
and treatment of abandoned mine drainage, or the establishment of
quality wetlands. When such mitigation measures are proposed, the
Zoning Officer and the Township Engineer shall review the proposed
mitigation measures and shall make a recommendation on the relative
value of the proposed mitigation to the Planning Commission and the
Board of Supervisors.
(4)
Green roof construction.
(a)
A developer and/or landowner that utilizes green roof construction
in a building design may receive a lot coverage increase equal to
a maximum of 20% of the total surface area of the green roof.
(b)
Prior to receiving Township Board of Supervisors' approval
of a green-roof-related lot coverage increase, the developer and/or
landowner shall complete a preliminary and/or final slope stability
investigation report in conformance with Township standards. The Zoning
Officer and Township Engineer shall review the report and shall make
recommendations to the Township Board of Supervisors.
(c)
The Township Board of Supervisors may require additional conditions
or may reduce the net buildable area increase in accordance with the
results of the slope stability investigation report(s).
(d)
Green roof construction shall be in accordance to the standards
defined by the United States Green Building Council's Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program.
(e)
All green roofs shall be incorporated into the principal building
of the lot.
(5)
Porous asphalt and pavers. Parking lots and internal vehicular
use areas may be constructed of porous asphalt or pavers. Developments
utilizing such material may receive a lot coverage increase equal
to a maximum of 5% of the total surface area of both paved areas and
building roofs.
D.
Floor area ratio. The maximum floor area ratio (F.A.R.) for all uses
shall be 0.60.
E.
The maximum density of assisted living/life care facility uses shall
be eight dwelling units (or sleeping units) per acre.
F.
Principal building height. The maximum height of buildings within
the TC District shall be 50 feet or four stories.
H.
Principal building roofs and eaves. The roof(s) of a building (infill,
redevelopment, development and/or addition) shall be visually compatible,
by not contrasting greatly, with the roof shape, orientation, and
pitch of surrounding buildings. With the exception of chimneys and/or
steeples, rooftop equipment and roof penetrations shall be located
so as to minimize their visibility from the street.
The following land use adjacencies shall require the following
setbacks.
|
Existing Development
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Proposed Development
|
Research and Development
(Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks)
(feet)
|
Office
Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks)
(feet)
|
Retail and Restaurant
(Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks)
(feet)
|
Assisted Living/Life Care Facility
(Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks)
(feet)
|
Single- Family Dwelling
(Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks)
(feet)
|
|
Research and development
|
50/35/50
|
65/40/50
|
65/40/50
|
75/40/50
|
85/40/70
|
|
Office
|
65/40/50
|
50/20/40
|
50/20/40
|
65/40/40
|
75/40/50
|
|
Retail and restaurant
|
50/20/40
|
50/20/40
|
50/20/40
|
65/40/40
|
75/40/50
|
|
Assisted living/life care facility
|
75/40/50
|
65/40/40
|
65/40/40
|
50/30/40
|
60/30/50
|
A.
Utility connections and equipment, such as gas meters, electric meters,
phone, cable, and HVAC condenser units, should be located on the lot
or integrated into the building design so as to minimize their visibility
from the street.
B.
When a lot is adjacent to a private road or street, utilities on
said lot shall be located within or adjacent to the yard which abuts
the private road or street.
C.
All utilities shall be required to be placed underground.
A.
Streets.
(1)
To minimize pedestrian and vehicle conflicts, the street system
within the TC District shall act as a functional and visual link between
residential neighborhoods, open spaces, civic and nonresidential uses.
(2)
The circulation system of a land development shall include streets,
service/access drives and parking aisles.
(3)
All streets within the TC District shall be publicly dedicated.
Service/access drives and parking aisles shall be privately constructed
and maintained.
(4)
No street shall be less than 250 feet in length.
(5)
Minimum block length shall be 500 feet. The maximum distance
between two intersections sharing the same side of the right-of-way
shall be 1,200 feet.
(6)
Developments greater than 25 acres in size shall delineate a
minimum of two fifty-foot rights-of-way to the periphery of the property
boundary of the subject lot. Such dedications shall serve as connections
to either the existing street network or future/potential street network
on adjacent lots.
(a)
If developing adjacent to an undeveloped lot, the developer and/or property owner of the subject lot shall construct roadways within the delineated rights-of-way, defined in Subsection A(6) above, to the adjacent property lines so that future roadway connections can be made.
(b)
If developing adjacent to a developed lot, the developer and/or
property owner of the subject lot shall be responsible for delineating
a right-of-way that connects to the existing development and shall
construct a roadway within said right-of-way.
(7)
Service/access drives shall be private and wholly contained
within easements constructed to Allegheny Township road standards
and maintained by the developer and/or property owner.
(8)
Traffic increases.
(a)
Future developments within the TC District may not increase
a.m. and p.m. peak traffic volumes on School Road by more than 5%
of the established a.m. and p.m. peak traffic volumes measured at
the time of the development plan application.
(b)
A traffic study, to evaluate current and proposed traffic volumes, as required by § 223-19O and P of the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, will be required from the developer or property owner in order to provide clear evidence that the proposed development will comply with the above provision.
(c)
Developments that increase the a.m. and p.m. peak traffic volumes
by more than 5% on the above-mentioned roadway must present a plan
to the Township Board of Supervisors that will effectively divert
traffic away from said road.
B.
Driveways. In order to provide the maximum safety for pedestrians
with the least interference to the traffic flow on public streets,
and to provide ease and convenience in ingress to and egress from
private property, the number and location of driveways shall be regulated
relative to the intensity or size of the property served as follows:
(1)
Shared access with adjoining lots shall be required where practical
and possible.
(2)
A twenty-five-foot access easement shall be granted between
the parties involved in the shared access and shall conform to the
requirements of the Township Board of Supervisors.
(3)
Two driveways entering on a particular street from a single
nonresidential lot may be permitted if the minimum driveway spacing
between the two driveways equals or exceeds 150 feet; and the minimum
spacing between driveways on abutting lots is 50 feet.
(4)
Any parcel equal to or greater than 20 acres in size shall be
required to provide a minimum of two points of access to either a
public or private roadway.
C.
Parking.
(1)
Parking areas shall be constructed within centralized location(s)
accessible to multiple land uses. If said layout can be demonstrated
not to be physically feasible, then said parking areas shall be located
to the rear or side of the lot's principal building(s) as is
practical. Multiple parking areas shall be interconnected with parking
aisles and sidewalks to the greatest extent possible.
(2)
In order to maintain the continuity of an established street
facade and to promote pedestrian-oriented development, no more than
75% of the required off-street parking shall be located between the
right-of-way line and the principal facade of a building.
(3)
The minimum parking setback for nonresidential uses shall be
35 feet from any roadway, public or private, and 20 feet from an interior
lot line.
(4)
In order to promote pedestrian-oriented development, service and loading areas shall be located at the rear of the building in order to be shielded from view of streets and/or residential uses. All loading docks and service areas shall be screened with a minimum of an eight-foot masonry wall having a minimum opacity of 80% or a landscaped berm with a minimum height of six feet, as described in § 250-113.
(5)
Parking lot design will utilize landscaped medians and islands
for the on-site retention of stormwater and to create pedestrian-oriented
developments within the TC District.
(a)
Stormwater recharge areas situated within parking medians shall
be utilized for the on-site storage of rainwater during storm events.
The parking medians shall be permitted between parking bays and shall
be a minimum of 15 feet in width. Landscape materials within such
an area shall comply with current PADEP standards.
(b)
Parking medians shall contain one shade tree for every 35 linear
feet of parking median.
(c)
The parking medians, at a minimum, shall be sodded; however,
the use of seasonal planting or other ground cover can be used as
a decorative element.
(6)
Parking lot landscaping.
(a)
In addition to the parking medians, a minimum of one landscape
island per each 20 parking spaces. Each island shall be a minimum
of 180 square feet in area.
(b)
A minimum of one shade tree shall be planted per island.
(c)
Stormwater management recharge areas are permitted the parking
medians; however, parking median landscaping shall not be used to
satisfy any buffer yard landscape requirement that may apply to that
particular lot.
(7)
Drop lots and overflow parking.
(a)
"Drop lots" are parking areas used exclusively for parking of
truck trailers and shall not be used for the outdoor storage of materials
or other items.
(b)
Drop lots and areas used for overflow parking shall be stabilized
with a minimum of gravel.
(c)
Seventy-five percent of the area used for drop lots and stabilized
with gravel shall count towards the maximum impervious area. Drop
lots constructed of concrete or asphalt shall be considered 100% impervious.
D.
Sidewalks shall be constructed along all streets, whether public
or private, including both sides of each access road or driveway that
connects to the public entrance of a building. Sidewalks shall be
interconnected with one another and shall minimize conflicts with
vehicular circulation.
(1)
Either a concrete sidewalk four feet in width on both sides
of the street or a concrete bike/pedestrian path eight feet in width
on one side of the street shall be constructed.
(2)
A system of sidewalks shall be utilized to connect public rights-of-way
and sidewalks to internal development.
(3)
It shall be the responsibility of the developer and/or property
owner to construct the required sidewalk system adjacent to the applicable
development.
(4)
Sidewalk maintenance and replacement shall be the responsibility
of the property owner. The Township reserves the right to perform
required maintenance and bill the applicable property owner(s).
A.
Streetscaping.
(1)
A minimum five-foot wide planting strip shall be provided for
the installation of street trees and lighting along all streets.
(2)
Planting strips shall be placed between the sidewalk and the
roadway.
(3)
A hedge, masonry wall or landscape berm a minimum of three feet
in height shall be placed between all parking areas and all streets.
(4)
Street trees shall be planted at a minimum of forty-foot spacing
along public or private streets or roadways.
(5)
Both vehicular and pedestrian lighting features shall be provided
by the developer and/or property owner.
(a)
Streetlighting fixtures shall be a maximum of 25 feet in height
and shall use a metal halide fixture.
(b)
Pedestrian lighting shall only be required where streetlights
are not effective in providing adequate lighting for pedestrian and/or
bikeways. The developer and/or property owner shall have the burden
of proof in determining adequate light levels.
(c)
Pedestrian lighting shall be required along the sidewalk system
required to connect streets to internal development.
B.
Buffers.
(1)
Buffer yards shall be required in conjunction with the development
of any lot, as defined by the table below:
|
KEY:
| |
|---|---|
|
A = Buffer Yard A
| |
|
B = Buffer Yard B
| |
|
C = Buffer Yard C
|
|
Existing Development
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Proposed Development
|
Research and Development
Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks
|
Office
Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks
|
Retail and Restaurant
Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks
|
Assisted Living/Life Care Facility
Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks
|
Single-Family Dwelling
Front/Side/ Rear Setbacks
|
|
Research and development
|
A/B/A
|
A/B/A
|
A/B/B
|
A/A/A
|
A/A/A
|
|
Office
|
A/B/A
|
B/B/B
|
B/B/B
|
A/B/A
|
A/A/A
|
|
Retail and restaurant
|
A/B/B
|
B/B/B
|
B/C/C
|
B/B/B
|
A/A/A
|
|
Assisted living/life care facility
|
A/A/A
|
A/B/A
|
B/B/B
|
B/C/C
|
A/B/B
|
(2)
The minimum spacing and quantity of vegetation planted within a buffer yard shall be as prescribed in § 250-113.
(3)
All trees required to be planted within the buffer yard shall
be a minimum of 2.5 inches in diameter at breast height (dbh). All
required trees shall be a minimum of eight feet in height at the time
of planting.
(4)
It shall be the responsibility of the owner/applicant to assure
the continued growth of all required landscaping and/or to replace
the same in the event of freezing, drought, vandalism, disease or
other reasons for the discontinued growth of the required trees, shrubs
and bushes.
Any development over 15 acres in size shall contain a minimum
of 5% open space for civic amenities located adjacent to the public
right-of-way. Acceptable improved open space shall consist of either
a public plaza, a public square or usable green space. Usable green
space consists of vegetated land less than 10% in gradient. Parking
medians, landscaped islands within parking areas and stormwater recharge
and/or management facilities shall not be permitted for inclusion
within said minimum calculation.
A.
B.
Only one of the following signs plus one of the signs listed in Subsection A(1) above are permitted:
(3)
Ground signs.
(a)
Ground signs should be constructed out of materials that complement
the principal building.
(b)
The sign face shall not exceed 40 square feet.
(c)
The sign structure, including sign faces shall not exceed five
feet in height.
(d)
Ground signs shall have landscaping around the sign base equal
to twice the square footage of the sign face.
C.
Sign illumination.
(1)
The use of flashing, pulsating, or moving lights shall be prohibited.
(2)
Back-lit, halo-lit illumination, or reverse channel letters
with halo illumination are recommended.
(3)
External illumination should be unobtrusive.
(4)
Full cut-off fixtures shall be utilized for external sign illumination
to avoid glare.
A.
A Master Plan shall be submitted to the Township for review for any
development 10 acres or greater in size. The components of said Master
Plan shall consist of:
(1)
An overall Master Plan for the entire lot at a minimum scale
of one inch equaling 100 feet and narrative documentation, as appropriate,
depicting the following:
(a)
The general layout and intended character of development areas
and open spaces.
(b)
The proposed locations of all public and private rights-of-way,
including streets, parking areas, water lines, sewage conveyance,
treatment and disposal facilities, stormwater management facilities,
etc.
(c)
The density of each land use to be allocated to each part of
the site.
(d)
The location, size and uses of the open space and the form or
organization proposed to own and maintain the open space.
(e)
The location, species and size of required landscaping.
(f)
The use and approximate height, bulk and location of buildings
and other structures.
(g)
The feasibility of proposed water supply and the disposition
of the sanitary waste and stormwater.
(h)
The substance of covenants, grants of easements or other restrictions
proposed to be imposed upon the use of the land, buildings and structures
including proposed easements of grants for public utilities.
(i)
The provisions for parking of vehicles and the location and
width of proposed streets and public ways.
(2)
Plan(s) at a scale of no less than one inch equaling 100 feet showing the significant natural and man-made features of the lot, including streams, floodplains, wetlands, woodlands, topography and soil types. Submitted plan(s) should be at the same scale as those submitted in accordance with Subsection A(1) above.
(3)
A plan depicting location and size of the lot and the nature
of the applicant's interest in the land proposed to be developed.
B.
The landowner and/or developer shall submit individual development
phases for each phase of proposed development. Submissions shall follow
the provisions of the Township's final land development approval
requirements.
