A.
The Corridor Enhancement Overlay is designed to foster improved traffic
and pedestrian circulation and safety as well as consistency in lot
layout and design along the Township's busiest transportation corridors.
The Comprehensive Plan concluded that past development along these
corridors has led to increased traffic congestion, large expanses
of parking, inadequate pedestrian access, and unappealing visual clutter.
The Township desires that new construction and redevelopment of existing
sites will enhance the function and appearance of these corridors
by incorporating access management and design principles.
B.
This overlay implements the Comprehensive Plan's specific recommendations that a Corridor Enhancement Overlay District and access management requirements be added to the Township's Zoning Ordinance. Moreover, it is consistent with the community development objectives established in Article I in that it seeks to "create a safe and well-planned traffic circulation pattern" and to "promote consistent and compatible land use patterns . . . to preserve suburban residential character and quality of life."
The Corridor Enhancement Overlay District encompasses all parcels
adjoining the following principal routes in the Township as shown
on the Zoning Map:
A.
Route 30 in its entirety.
B.
Route 119 between Greensburg and Youngwood.
C.
Route 119 northeast of Greenburg to Hannastown.
D.
Business Route 66 between Greenburg and Toll Road 66.
E.
Mt. Pleasant Road.
F.
George's Station Road from Route 30 to the intersection with Donohoe
Road.
[Added 7-27-2020 by Ord.
No. 2020-03]
G.
Donohoe Road from Route 30 to the intersection with George's Station
Road.
[Added 7-27-2020 by Ord.
No. 2020-03]
All permitted uses, accessory uses, and special exceptions within
the Corridor Enhancement Overlay District shall be the same as those
in the underlying district.
Unless specifically provided in §§ 87-103 and 87-104 below, the minimum lot area, minimum width at building line, minimum front yard setbacks, minimum rear yard, minimum side yard, maximum impervious surface, and maximum building height for principal buildings shall be the same as those established by this chapter for the underlying zoning districts and enumerated in Table 3.[1] Similarly, accessory uses in the Corridor Overlay District
shall adhere to the dimensional requirements set forth in Table 4.
[1]
Editor's Note: Table 3 is included as an attachment to this chapter.
A.
Traffic impact study.
(1)
A traffic impact study shall be required and submitted to the Township
if:
(a)
The development is expected to generate average daily traffic
(ADT) of 750 vehicles or more;
(b)
During any one-hour time period, the development is expected
to generate 80 new vehicle trips either entering or exiting the development;
or
(c)
The Township or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation determines that a traffic study is warranted due
to existing traffic problems on adjacent or surrounding streets or
proximity to other access driveways or intersections.
(2)
For purposes of determining the need for a traffic study, the Township
and the applicant shall assume that the development shall have one
access driveway at one location. Traffic volume shall be estimated
based on full build-out and occupancy of the entire development parcel.
(3)
In estimating traffic volumes, the applicant and the Township shall
refer to the most-recent edition of the Institute of Transportation
Engineers' Trip Generation Report.
(4)
The traffic impact study shall include, at a minimum, the following
information:
(a)
The estimated number of additional average daily traffic (ADT)
and a.m. and p.m. peak-hour vehicle trips that would be generated
by the proposed use or uses when fully occupied and operational. Such
estimates shall be calculated using the most-current edition of the
Trip Generation Report.
(b)
The current levels of service of intersections within a one-half-mile
radius of the subject site.
(c)
The projected levels of service of the same intersections when
the proposed use is fully occupied and operational.
(d)
A queuing analysis demonstrating that any queuing or staging
of vehicles will take place entirely on the development site.
(5)
The Township shall use the information presented in the traffic impact
study to determine how best to implement the access management provisions
of this article.
B.
Driveways.
(1)
Number of driveways.
(a)
Only one access driveway (excluding emergency access) shall
be permitted for each development parcel, provided that a maximum
of two driveways shall be permitted for major planned shopping centers,
large retail businesses, gas stations or any principal building or
group of buildings greater than 100,000 square feet.
(b)
An additional access driveway shall be permitted for developments
other than those enumerated in the previous subsection if the applicant
demonstrates that it is necessary to accommodate traffic to and from
the site and it can be achieved in a safe and efficient manner. In
making such a determination, the Township shall consider the traffic
volumes established by the traffic impact study; the existing and
projected levels of service of adjacent and surrounding streets and
intersections; the location and density of the proposed development;
and such other factors as the Township deems appropriate.
(c)
The municipality shall restrict access to right-turn-only ingress
and egress if safe and efficient movements cannot be otherwise accommodated.
(d)
For a development parcel that abuts two or more streets, the
Township may restrict access to only that street which can more safely
and efficiently accommodate traffic.
(e)
If the Township anticipates that a development parcel may be
subdivided and the subdivision will result in an unacceptable number
or configuration of driveways, or both, the Township shall require
the owner of the development parcel to enter into an access covenant
to restrict future access.
(2)
Distance from intersections.
(b)
If the development parcel abuts two streets, access shall be
provided to the street where the distance requirements from intersections
can be best achieved.
(c)
If the driveway cannot meet the aforementioned distance requirements
and no other reasonable access is available, the driveway shall be
located at the farthest possible distance from the intersection. The
Township Engineer shall have the right to impose directional or other
restrictions on ingress and egress where the Township determines that
such driveway will create safety or operational problems.
(3)
(4)
Sight distance. All driveways shall be designed to provide safe sight
distance for all permitted turning movements. In making such a determination,
the Township and the applicant shall reference relevant PennDOT publications
such as Pub. 441, Pub. 282 and Pub. 70, as amended.
(5)
Joint and cross access.
(a)
The Township may request the developer to provide for a joint
driveway in order to achieve the intersection or driveway spacing
standards required above or if the Township determines, based on information
provided in the traffic study, that permitting a new driveway will
hinder ingress or egress to one or more neighboring driveways due
to the volume of vehicles either entering or leaving the proposed
new driveway. Joint access may only be requested where the development
parcel is adjacent to one or more nonresidential parcel(s) and access
between the parcels can be achieved without requiring excessive earth
movement as determined by the Township Engineer.
(b)
Where the developer is able to reach agreement with the adjacent
property owner regarding a joint driveway, the following requirements
shall apply:
[1]
The driveway shall have a design speed of 10 miles per hour
and have sufficient width to accommodate two-way traffic.
[2]
The applicant shall submit a circulation plan that includes
a cross-access driveway between the parcels and a cross-access pedestrian
walkway and may include a plan for shared parking.
[3]
Property owners sharing a joint and/or cross-access driveway
shall record an easement with their respective deeds preserving the
right to, from and over their respective parcels. Such easement shall
be accompanied by a joint agreement among the property owners defining
the maintenance responsibilities for the driveway(s).
[4]
The property owners shall record an agreement with the Township
that provides that any future access rights to the joint and/or cross-access
driveways shall be granted at the discretion of the Township upon
approval by the Township Engineer.
(6)
Driveway design. The required driveway design shall be a factor of
projected traffic volume determined by the traffic impact study or
the Township Engineer (if no traffic impact study was required) as
follows:
(a)
Length shall be determined according to the following criteria:
|
Table 6
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Driveway Length
| ||
|
Driveway Type/Volume
|
Length
(feet)
| |
|
Residential or other driveway used by not more than 100 vehicles
per day
|
25 (minimum)
| |
|
More than 100 vehicles per day
|
As determined by the traffic study
| |
|
The required length may be modified by the Township if a queuing
analysis determines that another length is needed to avoid back-up
of vehicles onto adjacent streets.
|
(b)
Width.
[1]
The width of driveways without a curb shall be calculated as
follows:
|
Table 7
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Driveway Width
| ||
|
Driveway Type/Volume
|
Width
(feet)
| |
|
Residential or other driveway used by not more than 100 vehicles
per day
|
10 (1-way)
20 (2-way)
| |
|
More than 100 vehicles per day
|
As determined by the traffic study
| |
[2]
For driveways with a curb, a minimum of two feet shall be added
to the widths determined in accordance with the table above.
[3]
The Township may require additional driveway width to provide
for turning lanes when the Township Engineer determines they are needed
for adequate traffic flow and safety.
[4]
The Township may require a median at the Township Engineer's
discretion to control turning movements. Any median shall have a minimum
width of four feet to provide adequate clearance for signs.
[5]
Driveways consisting of a continuous curb cut along the property
boundary adjoining the right-of-way shall be prohibited. No driveway
shall exceed the width requirements calculated under this section
by more than 10%.
(c)
Driveway radius.
[1]
Any driveway shall be designed to provide an adequate turning
radius to accommodate anticipated vehicles entering and exiting the
driveway. The following minimum radii are required:
|
Table 8
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Driveway Radius
| ||
|
Driveway Type/Volume
|
Radius
(feet)
| |
|
Residential or other driveway used by not more than 100 vehicles
per day
|
15 (uncurbed)
25 (curbed)
| |
|
More than 100 vehicles per day
|
As determined by the traffic study
| |
[2]
For all driveways, the radii shall be designed to accommodate
the largest vehicle (such as buses or tractor trailers) expected to
use the driveway.
[3]
Except for joint driveways, no portion of a driveway radius
may be located on or along the frontage of an adjacent property.
C.
Parking lots.
(2)
Shared parking. The use of shared parking between adjacent properties or among different uses within multiple-building developments is strongly encouraged. The number of shared parking spaces shall be determined in accordance with the ratios established in Article XXI.
(3)
Pedestrian access. Any parking lot having 100 or more parking spaces
shall be designed with one or more pedestrian aisle(s) separated from
vehicular traffic with low barriers or plantings that create a safe
walkway. The pedestrian aisle(s) shall be a minimum of four feet wide
and shall direct pedestrians to sidewalks and/or building entrance(s).
Where pedestrian aisles cross driveways or internal streets, they
shall be clearly marked as pedestrian crosswalks with pavement striping
and signage.
(4)
Use of porous paving material. If the entire parking lot is developed
using porous paving materials in accordance with Chapter 6, Structural
BMPs, of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's
Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual (December
30, 2006, as amended), the applicant shall be permitted to increase
the maximum impervious surface coverage of the site by 10%.
A.
Building orientation and design.
(1)
Orientation. Any individual building developed on a lot shall be
oriented to face the principal street that defines the corridor. For
buildings developed as part of a major or minor shopping center, professional
office park or other multibuilding development, orientation of some
buildings may face a central plaza or parking area, provided that
any wall facing the principal street shall meet all design standards
specified below.
(2)
Building materials. Every portion of any exposed exterior wall surface
shall be composed of durable materials such as brick, stone, decorative
split-face block, marble, glass or wood. Concrete block and corrugated
metal shall be prohibited. The Board of Supervisors may approve alternative
materials only if such material is determined to be equal or superior
compared to the materials enumerated above.
(3)
Building design.
(a)
Building design shall complement surrounding buildings and reflect
the character of the zoning district in which the building is located.
The suitability of materials, architectural elements, features, and
colors shall be determined in consultation with the Township.
(b)
Buildings in multiple-building developments shall possess common
design characteristics, including, but not limited to, consistent
rooflines, use of compatible proportions in building mass and outdoor
spaces, complementary relationships to the street, similar window
and door patterns, and the use of similar building materials in terms
of color, shades and textures.
(c)
No wall surface shall exceed 50 continuous feet without a break.
A break shall consist of either a recess or offset measuring at least
10 feet in depth or 1/4 of the building in length or a series of recesses
or offsets, at intervals of not more than 30 feet, each measuring
a minimum of four feet in depth. The objective of this standard is
to avoid large, undifferentiated wall surfaces.
(d)
Buildings over 30 feet in height shall include architectural
features that mimic two-story structures, such as windows, cornices
or similar components. Buildings with flat roofs shall have mansard
roof facades or gabled roofs over the required offset areas.
B.
Buffering and landscaping.
(1)
Any development within the Corridor Enhancement Overlay shall meet the requirements for buffering and landscaping set forth in Article XXIII.
(2)
In addition, any development shall meet the following requirements:
(a)
All areas not utilized for structures, driveways, planting strips
or parking facilities must be seeded, sodded or landscaped within
a reasonable period of time. The phrase "a reasonable period of time"
shall be interpreted to be within two weeks after construction activities
are completed, unless those activities are completed between November
1 and April 1. In such case, the required sodding or seeding must
occur within two weeks of April 1.
(b)
A bufferyard shall be created within the front setback measuring 25 feet in depth from the street right-of-way. Such bufferyard shall create a visual screen between the street and the development. Plantings shall be consistent with those provided in Subsections B(2)(d) and (e) below. This buffering requirement shall not apply to internal streets within a single development.
(c)
Any nonresidential development in the Corridor Enhancement Overlay
District abutting a residential property shall install a fifty-foot-wide
bufferyard extending the full length of the abutting residential lot
line.
(d)
Within any such required bufferyard, the following plantings
shall be required: for every 100 linear feet, a minimum of five large
canopy trees, six understory or small canopy trees, 12 evergreen trees
and 30 evergreen shrubs.
(e)
Planting specifications. All plantings required in the bufferyard shall meet the planting specifications set forth in Article XXIII, Table 15.
(f)
Existing vegetation. Developments shall be encouraged to preserve
trees and shrubs which exist within the required bufferyard area of
the development parcel. The existing trees and shrubs may be utilized
to satisfy the required buffer area planting required herein; provided,
however, that the performance standards regarding height and mix of
types of plantings are met. In the event the existing trees and shrubs
do not satisfy the buffer requirements, the applicant shall use new
plantings in combination with the existing plantings to satisfy the
buffer requirements.
(g)
No structures or uses, including, but not limited to, buildings,
accessory structures, parking spaces, curbs, access drives and lighting
devices, but excluding fences and screening walls, may be located
in any required bufferyard. Any fence or screening wall shall be erected
at least six feet from the lot line, shall not exceed six feet in
height, and shall be screened from view by shrubs and other plantings.
(h)
In addition to the other requirements of this section, no nonresidential
building in the Corridor Enhancement Overlay District shall be located
within 100 feet of any residentially zoned property.
(i)
Bufferyard maintenance. The owner of the development or such
owner's agent shall be responsible for the maintenance, repair and
replacement of all screening and buffer plantings required under this
section. All plant materials shall be maintained in a healthy condition
and kept free of refuse and debris.
C.
Signs.
(2)
A sign plan shall be submitted with the first land development application.
Said plan shall include all wall, ground, and directional signs along
with construction details for each sign. Said plan shall be evaluated
using the following criteria:
(5)
The amount of information on signs shall be no more than is necessary
to provide reasonable identification of the name and nature of the
business to the passerby.
(6)
An integrated sign system design shall be required for all new commercial
and residential subdivisions, office complexes and shopping areas.
The establishment of integrated sign systems for existing developments
is strongly encouraged. These systems shall be reviewed for materials,
colors, shapes, sizes, compatibility with architecture and overall
unity of design for the development.
(7)
Size and proportions of signs shall not be a dominant feature of
the site and shall be judged by sizes and proportions of signs on
adjacent and nearby properties.
(8)
Spotlighting of signs shall be restricted to not more than one one-hundred-fifty-watt
light per side for sign faces up to 40 square feet and no more than
two one-hundred-fifty-watt lights per sign for sign faces over 40
square feet. The sign base and/or proposed landscaping shall be designed
to shield the light from oncoming motorists and to conceal the light
fixture.
D.
Lighting.
(1)
Site lighting shall be designed and installed to provide no more
than 2.0 footcandles of light at any point on the property. Any lighting
shall be from a concealed source, shall be of a clear white light
that does not distort colors and shall not spill over into adjoining
properties or streets or in any way interfere with the vision of oncoming
motorists.
(2)
No light fixtures shall exceed 25 feet in height.
In addition to the other requirements of this article, any planned
shopping center shall meet the following requirements:
A.
The site shall have frontage on or direct vehicular access to an
arterial or collector street as defined by this chapter.
B.
The minimum lot size of the parent tract required for a major planned
shopping center shall be 10 acres. The minimum lot size of the parent
tract required for a minor planned shopping center shall be five acres.
C.
The plan for a major and/or minor shopping center shall designate
all proposed lots to be used as part of the development.
D.
Once the improvements are completed in an approved and recorded planned
shopping center, lots may be sold or leased and developed as independent
entities for any authorized use in the district. All lots sold or
leased and developed as independent entities shall meet the minimum
bulk, setback, parking and area requirements of the underlying zoning
district.
E.
Only the uses permitted by right or authorized as special exceptions
in the district in which the planned shopping center is located shall
be permitted.
G.
The land development plan shall be planned as a unit with uniform
signage, landscaping and a common design theme.
B.
Nonconforming lots.
(1)
When an existing lot does not conform to the requirements of this
Corridor Enhancement Overlay, any new construction, expansion or change
in use shall only be permitted if the applicant agrees to bring the
lot into compliance with the following requirements of this chapter:
(2)
Any new construction on a nonconforming lot shall be required to meet the building design and orientation requirements of § 87-104. Existing buildings on the parcel which do not meet the building orientation and design requirements may remain unchanged but shall not be expanded or redesigned to make them more nonconforming with such requirements.
