Exciting enhancements are coming soon to eCode360! Learn more 🡪
Township of Solebury, PA
Bucks County
By using eCode360 you agree to be legally bound by the Terms of Use. If you do not agree to the Terms of Use, please do not use eCode360.
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 1000; as amended by Ord. 2007-6, 9/4/2007, § 03]
1. 
The Traditional Neighborhood Commercial District is designed to enhance the rural and historic context of the community by encouraging protecting natural resources while promoting a unified development theme with consideration of retaining an appropriate streetscape along the Route 202 corridor. The TNC District provides for a mix of commercial and office uses and allows for a dwelling in combination with business use. The District is also designed to include standards to ensure that the district does not detract from adjoining residential districts.
2. 
Specific objectives include:
A. 
Protect, conserve and enhance the quality of Solebury waterways and groundwater supplies.
B. 
Maximize ground water recharge.
C. 
Maintain the free flow of traffic/promote vehicular and pedestrian safety and access management.
D. 
Promote sustainable development.
E. 
Offer diverse economic activity, employment opportunities and commercial services.
F. 
Link development intensity with the provision of water conservation measures and sustainable design techniques.
G. 
Implement design standards to mitigate effects of stormwater runoff.
H. 
Promote the use of community-based architectural design standards including signage that is integrated with both buildings and site.
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 1001; as amended by Ord. 171, 7/7/1998, § I.2, .3; by Ord. 2005-6, 7/5/2005, § 2; by Ord. 2006-3, 2/21/2006, Art. IV; by Ord. 2007-6, 9/4/2007, §§ 03, 09; and by Ord. 2014-5, 5/22/2014, Arts. XXV, XXVI]
1. 
A building may be erected, altered or used, and land may be used or occupied, subject to the provisions of Parts 25, 26, 31, for any of the following uses and no other:
A. 
Permitted Principal Uses.
(1) 
Office.
(2) 
Bank.
(3) 
Medical office/wellness center/health clinic.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
(4) 
Retail sales.
(5) 
Village service.
(6) 
Convenience store.
(7) 
Restaurant.
(8) 
Tavern.
(9) 
Bed-and-breakfast inn/small short-term lodging facility.
[Amended by Ord. 2018-005, 6/19/2018]
(10) 
Athletic facility.
(11) 
School.
(12) 
Library.
(13) 
Commercial school.
(14) 
Cultural.
(15) 
Municipal use.
(16) 
Emergency service.
(17) 
Funeral home.
(18) 
Wireless telecommunications facilities (possibly permitted by right or as a conditional use pursuant to the conditions and requirements contained in § 27-2611).
(19) 
Hospital.
[Added by Ord. 2018-004, 3/6/2018]
(20) 
Banquet, catering, or event use.
[Added by Ord. 2018-005, 6/19/2018]
B. 
Permitted Accessory Uses.
(1) 
Accessory uses on the same lot and customarily incidental to the permitted principal uses in Subsection 1A.
(2) 
Parking in accordance with Part 23.
(3) 
Signs in accordance with Part 24.
(4) 
Banquet, catering, or event use (accessory only to bed-and-breakfast inn/small short-term lodging facility; hotel, motel, or inn/large short-term lodging facility; or restaurant; accessory uses must still comply with the principal use standards in § 27-2602, Subsection 1QQ).
[Added by Ord. 2018-005, 6/19/2018]
(5) 
Temporary facilities for sale of consumer fireworks (accessory to commercial uses only).
[Added by Ord. No. 2018-006, 7/17/2018]
C. 
Conditional Uses. (Refer to Part 26 for special provisions and Part 29 for standards and criteria).
(1) 
Hotel, motel, or inn/large short-term lodging facility.
[Amended by Ord. 2018-005, 6/19/2018]
(2) 
Shopping center.
(3) 
Automobile service station.
[Amended by Ord. 2018-004, 3/6/2018]
(4) 
Private recreational facility.
(5) 
Religious.
(6) 
Veterinary office.
(7) 
Water storage facility.
(8) 
Drive through facilities for banks, restaurants, pharmacies and other permitted principal uses.
(9) 
Wireless telecommunications facilities (possibly permitted by right or as a conditional use pursuant to the conditions and requirements contained in § 27-2611).
(10) 
Medical marijuana dispensary facility, as defined in and further regulated by § 27-2602, Subsection 1KK.
[Added by Ord. 2017-6, 8/15/2017]
(11) 
Kennel.
[Added by Ord. 2018-004, 3/6/2018]
(12) 
Dog daycare.
[Added by Ord. 2018-004, 3/6/2018; amended by Ord. No. 2018-010, 12/11/2018]
(13) 
Permanent facilities for sale of consumer fireworks.
[Added by Ord. No. 2018-006, 7/17/2018]
(14) 
Long-term residential health care facility.
[Added by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
(15) 
Short-term residential health care facility.
[Added by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
(16) 
Nonfamily community residential facility.
[Added by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
D. 
Number of Permitted Principal Uses per Lot. As per § 27-2502, Subsection 3, and § 27-202, shopping center, except additional principal uses up to a maximum of four principal uses may be permitted with the inclusion of sustainable development methods as defined in this chapter.
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 1002; as amended by Ord. 2007-6, 9/4/2007, § 03]
The maximum height of buildings and other structures erected, enlarged, altered or used shall be 45 feet. Church spires, steeples, belfries, cupolas, domes, solar panels, clock towers, chimneys, ventilating fans, air conditioning equipment, structures for the housing of elevator and or stairways, fire or parapet wall, skylights, flagpoles, water towers or water tanks, other utilities, windmills, and other structures not used for human occupancy may exceed the height limitation, in accordance with § 27-2505. However, additional building setbacks from the property line do not need to be provided, except for property lines abutting other zoning districts. These structures shall meet the design guidelines for the Traditional Neighborhood Commercial District.
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 1003; as amended by Ord. 2007-6, 9/4/2007, § 03]
1. 
Except as provided in § 27-1605, Subsection 6, of this part, the following shall apply:
A. 
All permitted uses and conditional uses, except private recreational facilities, short-term residential health care facilities, long-term residential health care facilities, nonfamily community residential facilities and dog daycares.
[Amended by Ord. 2018-004, 3/6/2018; and by Ord. No. 2018-010, 12/11/2018]
(1) 
Minimum lot area: one acre. (Shopping center 15 acres).
(2) 
Minimum lot width at building line: 100 feet.
(3) 
Minimum lot width at street line: 100 feet.
(4) 
Maximum impervious surface coverage: 60%.[1]
[1]
Note: Except as provided for in § 27-1605, Subsection 6.
(5) 
Maximum building coverage: 20%.
(6) 
Depth of front yard building setback:
(a) 
Minimum: 30 feet.
(b) 
Maximum: 95 feet.
(7) 
Minimum depth of rear yard building setback to other TNC lots: 30 feet.
(8) 
Minimum depth of rear yard building setback to other districts: 75 feet.
(9) 
Minimum width of side yard building setback to other TNC lots: 25 feet.
(10) 
Minimum width of side yard building setback to other districts: 75 feet.
(11) 
Maximum building height: 45 feet.
(12) 
Minimum required parking: four parking spaces per 1,000 square feet gross building area.[2]
[2]
Note: Supersedes Part 23, Off-Street Parking and Loading.
(13) 
Maximum permitted parking: 4.25 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet gross building area.[3]
[3]
Note: Supersedes Part 23, Off-Street Parking and Loading.
(14) 
Maximum permitted parking for freestanding restaurants-restaurants — that are the only permitted use on a lot and/or where there exists no opportunities for shared parking with adjacent parcels shall be permitted to increase the maximum permitted parking spaces provided that the restaurant incorporates at least three of the four sustainable design initiatives listed in Table 27-16-1, § 27-1605, of this chapter. The amount of additional parking shall be determined by the Board of Supervisors; however, maximum parking shall not exceed 10 spaces per 1,000 square feet gross building area.[4]
[4]
Note: Supersedes Part 23, Off-Street Parking and Loading.
(15) 
Maximum permitted parking for shopping centers — 5.0 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet gross building area provided that the shopping center incorporates at least two of the four sustainable design initiatives listed in Table 27-16-1, § 27-1604, of this chapter.[5]
[5]
Note: Supersedes Part 23, Off-Street Parking and Loading.
(16) 
Parking Setbacks.
(a) 
Front yard: 20 feet.
(b) 
Side yard to TNC lot: 10 feet.
(c) 
Side yard to TNC lot with shared parking: zero feet.
(d) 
Side yard to other districts: 75 feet.
(e) 
Rear yard to TNC lot: 10 feet.
(f) 
Rear yard to TNC lot with shared parking: zero feet.
(g) 
Rear yard to other districts: 75 feet.
B. 
For private recreational facilities, refer to § 27-604, Subsection 1C(4).
[Added by Ord. 2018-004, 3/6/2018]
C. 
For dog day care, refer to § 27-404, Subsection 1B(1).
[Added by Ord. 2018-004, 3/6/2018]
D. 
For short-term residential health care facilities, long-term residential health care facilities, and nonfamily community residential facilities, these shall comply with § 27-1605, in addition to the standards in §§ 27-1004 and 27-1005, and the applicable use standards in § 27-2602.
[Added by Ord. No. 2019-002, 1/15/2019]
[Ord. 94, 6/8/1988, § 1004; as amended by Ord. 153, 5/3/1994, § 1; and by Ord. 2007-6, 9/4/2007, § 03]
1. 
All proposed buildings in the TNC zoning district shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the design guidelines for the Traditional Neighborhood Commercial District that are a part of this chapter. Proposed land development applications submitted under this chapter shall seek to attain the design guideline goals and meet the recommendations for construction as outlined in the design guidelines for the Traditional Neighborhood Commercial District.
2. 
In order to reflect traditional development patterns and enhance pedestrian/motor vehicle safety, consideration shall be given to providing coordinated access management and shared parking between adjacent lots in the TNC District. These access management and shared parking techniques will include:
A. 
Shared Parking Between Lots That Are Held in Separate Ownership. Shared parking requirements shall be based on a parking study conducted by a transportation planner/engineer and shall be based on the latest application standards and recommendations by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). Shared parking between lots held in separate ownership shall be established through owner cross access agreements in a format acceptable to the Township. Provisions for the reduction of the total number of parking spaces required and for placing some required number of parking spaces in reserve, as governed by other sections of this chapter shall still be applicable.
B. 
Shared Access Driveways. All proposed developments in the TNC District shall provide for shared access driveways between adjacent lots. Applicants shall work cooperatively with the Township and adjacent property owners to the fullest extent possible to design and construct shared access driveways between properties that promotes and enhances safe and efficient vehicular circulation in the TNC zoning district.
3. 
All signs in the TNC District shall comply with the regulations provided for same in Part 24 hereof.
4. 
Required shade trees may be planted in landscaping "islands" as per Part 26 or they may be planted in four-foot by four-foot tree pits located at the junction of parking space lines between parking bays. These tree pits may include expanded tree root zones with pervious paving and/or unit pavers to allow air and water to reach expanded tree root zones. All required trees shall be in a healthy and vigorous condition perpetually. Any trees judged by the Township not to be in a healthy and vigorous condition shall be immediately replaced by the owner, whether original owner or new owner.
5. 
Drive-through facilities for bank, restaurants, pharmacies or other permitted principal uses are allowed only by conditional use and in compliance with the following standards and criteria:
A. 
The vehicular circulation for any drive-though use shall be designed by a Professional Engineer specializing in transportation engineering. Proposed vehicular circulation shall be shown to be safe to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors and the Township Engineer.
B. 
Stacking spaces and drive through lanes shall not impede on and off site traffic movement, shall not cross or pass through off street parking areas, and shall not create a potentially unsafe condition for pedestrians.
C. 
Stacking spaces and drive through lanes shall not impede the use of or be directly adjacent to passenger or materials or trash loading and unloading areas. Where stacking spaces or drive through lanes are near to loading areas, they must be physically separated by a landscaped and curbed island at least five feet in width and be equal to the length (or longest dimension) of the loading area.
D. 
Stacking spaces and drive through lanes shall be separated from off-street parking areas. Individual drive through lanes shall be striped and clearly marked on the pavement. Additionally, signage that clearly delineates use of the stacking spaces and drive through lanes must be a part of the site improvements.
E. 
Stacking spaces and drive through lanes shall be located toward rear yard of the property. If for some reason, stacking spaces and drive through lanes cannot be located toward the rear yard of a property, they may be located toward the side yard of a property. In no case shall stacking spaces and drive through lanes be permitted between the front of the building and the front yard property line. In the case of corner lots, the stacking spaces shall be located toward the side yard not facing a street (if placement in the rear yard is not possible).
F. 
Approach lanes for drive through facilities shall have the following minimum widths:
(1) 
One lane = 12 feet.
(2) 
Two or more lanes = 10 feet per lane.
G. 
All drive through facilities shall be provided with a bypass lane with a minimum width of 10 feet.
H. 
Each stacking space shall measure no less than 10 feet wide by 20 feet long.
I. 
Stacking spaces shall not be counted toward required parking spaces.
(1) 
Stacking spaces shall be provided as follows:
(a) 
Banks-eight stacking spaces for the first drive up window and six staking spaces for each additional window. If there is an ATM (automatic teller machine) only, then three stacking spaces for each ATM are required.
(b) 
Restaurant: eight stacking spaces to the order box and four stacking spaces from the order box to the pick up window.
(c) 
Pharmacy: four stacking spaces.
(d) 
All other permitted uses: three stacking spaces.
6. 
Sustainable Design Incentives.
A. 
In an effort to encourage the implementation of sustainable design measures aimed primarily at conserving water and at maximizing groundwater recharge the following sustainable design measures are encouraged with corresponding development bonuses.
B. 
The use and cumulative use of sustainable design incentives provide for development bonuses as relates to:
(1) 
Maximum number of principal uses per lot.
(2) 
Maximum disturbance of prime agricultural soils.
(3) 
Maximum disturbance or woodland.
(4) 
Maximum allowed number of parking spaces (§ 27-1604).
(5) 
Maximum site coverage.
Table 27-16-1
Sustainable Design Incentives
Max. Uses
Max. Disturbance
Max. Disturbance
Max Site
Per Lot
Ag. Soils
Woodlands
Coverage
Standards with no sustainable design incentives
1
20%
20%
60%
Traditional Neighborhood Commercial (TNC)
Sustainable Design Incentives
1.
Water Recycling
1
40%
20%
60%
Incorporation of at least two of the following systems:
a.
At least 50% waterless toilets or urinals
b.
Gray-water reuse for site irrigation or toilet flushing
c.
Rainwater harvesting for irrigation or toilet flushing
1. and 2. Porous Paving
2
70%
20%
60%
Porous pavement for all parking (aisles may be impervious); and dry laid unit pavers or pervious pavement for all walkways
1., 2., and 3. vegetated roof (as defined)
3
100%
70%
65%
1, 2, 3., and 4. Stormwater detention/infiltration
4
100%
80%
70%
Water quality volume (WQv) needed to treat stormwater runoff produced by 2.5 inches of rainfall (90% rule) from the developed areas of the site