[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
The purpose of the Wescosville Commercial District is to provide
a place where Township residents and others can purchase goods and
services or reside in a compact, pedestrian-oriented neighborhood
setting respecting the regional Hamilton Boulevard Corridor. Development
standards will be applied to ensure compatibility with the adopted
Southwest Lehigh Comprehensive Plan and the Hamilton Boulevard Corridor
Plan and to encourage a mix of uses including residential, business,
commercial, etc., in a traditional neighborhood setting. Design in
the district should be reflective and respect historic Wescosville
and Lower Macungie Township by utilizing architectural excellence
in new buildings, restoration of existing structures and generous
landscaping and streetscape treatments. The Wescosville Commercial
District will strive to create a Main Street setting for both Lower
Macungie Township and for Western Lehigh County.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
The uses listed as "Permitted Uses" in the WC District in Exhibit
1: Zoning Use Matrix[1] are permitted by right in this zoning district and conditioned on meeting the requirements of Part 24 and other applicable provisions of this chapter, provided the use type, dimensional, and all other requirements of this chapter are met.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said exhibit is included as an attachment to this chapter.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
The following conditional uses listed as "Conditional Uses" for the WC District in the Exhibit 1: Zoning Use Matrix may be permitted following review and recommendation by the Planning Commission and a hearing and approval by the Board of Commissioners in accordance with the procedures and criteria in Part 24, provided all provisions of this chapter are met.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
The following uses may be permitted when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board, subject to the provisions of Part 24, provided all provisions of this chapter are met:
A.
Any use of the same general character as those uses permitted by
right or condition in this district. Evidence shall be submitted documenting
the degree to which the proposed use will emit smoke, dust odor or
other air pollutants, noise, vibration, light, electrical disturbances,
water pollutant, chemical pollutants, increased storm runoff, and
the additional traffic generated by the proposed facility. Such evidence
may include the proposed use of proven special structural or technological
innovations.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
Tent sales.
2.
Carnivals.
3.
Outside of the building storage.
4.
Trailer storage.
5.
Campground parking.
6.
Adult bookstore, adult movie/picture theater, or cabaret.
7.
Store or other retail establishment at which modeling of exotic or
adult/intimate-oriented clothing is exhibited by live male or female
models.
8.
Any drive-through or fast food use.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
Accessory uses on the same lot and customarily incidental to the
permitted uses are permitted by right. The term "accessory use" may
include the following uses which shall comply with all applicable
provisions stated for them:
A.
Accessory buildings such as garages and ancillary buildings related
to the proposed use and meeting the same yard requirements as the
principal buildings.
B.
Temporary structures or uses, per this chapter.
C.
Outdoor storage use areas for equipment, supplies and materials provided
that they are screened from view of adjacent properties and streets.
D.
Amateur radio antennas.
E.
Home occupations.
F.
Solar panels.
G.
Recreation facility, private.
H.
Outdoor dining for any restaurant or dining/food establishment.
I.
Residential apartments above first floor commercial uses.
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
The following dimensional requirements (minimums or maximums)
shall apply to uses in the WC-Wescosville Commercial Zoning District
subject to new subdivision and/or land development and to further
applicable provisions of this chapter. The most restrictive dimensional
requirements for each use shall apply. However, adaptive reuse, change
of use or fit-outs for existing structures in the zone shall have
no minimum lot area, minimum lot width, maximum lot or building coverage
if no subdivision or land development actions are initiated.
|
Principal Use
|
Minimum Lot Area
(acres)
|
Minimum Lot Width
(feet)
|
Maximum Lot Coverage
|
Maximum Building Coverage
|
Maximum Building and Structure Height Unless Otherwise Specified**
(feet)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Places of worship
|
0.5
|
100
|
70%
|
35%
|
50
|
|
Life care center
|
0.5
|
100
|
70%
|
35%
|
50 (maximum gross density of 5 dwelling units per acre)
|
|
Restaurant
|
0.5
|
100
|
70%
|
35%
|
50
|
|
Retail store
|
0.5
|
100
|
70%
|
35%
|
50
|
|
All other uses
|
0.5
|
100
|
70%
|
35%
|
50
|
|
NOTE:
| |
|
**
|
Excluding architectural features such as parapets, pitched roofs,
clock towers or steeples and utility features such as elevator shafts
and HVAC units not to exceed an additional 10 feet in height.
|
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
The following minimum dimensional requirements shall apply to all uses in the WC-Wescosville Commercial Zoning District, subject subdivision and land development standards to further applicable provisions of this chapter. The most restrictive dimensional requirements for each use shall apply unless otherwise noted. All required front, side, and rear yards are in addition to buffers, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in § 27-1803 or this section. Any required buffers shall be maintained along all front, side, and rear yards. However, adaptive reuse, change of use or fit-outs for existing structures that do not increase building size footprint more than 10% in the zone shall have no yard requirements if no subdivision or land development actions are initiated.
|
Principal Use
|
Maximum Front Yard*
(feet)
|
Minimum Side Yard (Each)
(feet)
|
Minimum Rear Yard
(feet)
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Places of worship
|
15
|
15
|
25
|
|
Life care center
|
15
|
15
|
25
|
|
Restaurant
|
15
|
15
|
25
|
|
Office or clinic
|
15
|
15
|
25
|
|
Retail store
|
15
|
20
|
25
|
|
All other uses
|
15
|
20
|
25
|
|
NOTE:
| |
|
*
|
All buildings shall have the appearance of a traditional storefront
or other structure facing the public road. No mechanical equipment,
storage, trash, loading docks, garage bay doors, or drive-through
windows may be located within the front yard.
|
 | |
[Ord. No. 2019-10, 8/1/2019]
1.
All required buffers as set forth in § 27-1803 shall apply and be maintained along all side and rear yards unless specified differently in this section, in which case the more liberal shall apply. Any adaptive reuse, change of use or fit-out to existing structures in this zone shall not have buffer screen requirements other than a eight-foot-tall privacy fence between a commercial and residential use on side yards where uses abut and a fifteen-foot buffer screen in the rear yard that abuts a residential use without an alley, street or public way also at the rear of the lot.
2.
Buffers are not required between abutting commercial or nonresidential
uses. Buffers shall be required anytime a newly constructed commercial
or nonresidential use abuts any residential use, a school, a day-care
center, a place of worship or life care center.
3.
A project design companion, including a coordinated set of drawings,
reference photographs and notes, shall be prepared for buildings,
landscaping, pedestrian circulation and public spaces within any proposal.
The project design companion shall be submitted with land development
plans, during the conditional use or preliminary plan process, whichever
comes first. In the case where no procedures listed above occur, the
project design companion shall be submitted with any zoning permits
for review and approval. The document shall be reviewed, approved
and binding to all Township-related permitting activity. The project
design companion shall include, but not be limited to:
A.
Architectural treatment including design, building materials and
facades.
B.
Signage.
C.
Landscaping standards for all plantings and parking area designs
and fences or walls.
D.
Streetscape enhancements including sidewalks, crosswalks, street
trees, buffer fencing per the Hamilton Boulevard Corridor Study and
Plan.
E.
All site lighting and fixtures.
F.
Public spaces including pedestrian amenities, pavilions, plazas and
gazebos, street and plaza furniture, water features, rain water harvesting
and other amenities.
4.
Any new land development or subdivisions shall utilize architectural-grade
cladding and enhanced architectural features on all newly constructed
or renovated buildings.
5.
All roof-mounted or nonresidential HVAC systems or building machinery
shall be shielded from view utilizing appropriate screening as displayed
in the Lower Macungie Township Design Guidelines.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said Design Guidelines are included as an attachment to this chapter.
6.
All new land development or subdivisions shall include illuminated
monument entrance signs per this chapter and the Lower Macungie Township
Design Guidelines with associated seasonal landscaping beds and plantings.
7.
All new land development or subdivisions shall naturalize all aboveground
stormwater management features per this chapter and to the satisfaction
of the Township.
8.
Any office or clinic for medical or dental examination or treatment
of persons as out-patients, including laboratories incidental thereto,
may have a total floor area less than or equal to 30,000 square feet
and shall have a building footprint of less than or equal to 15,000
square feet.
9.
Any office for business or nonprofit organization may have a total
floor area less than or equal to 30,000 square feet, and a building
footprint of less than 15,000 square feet.
10.
A temporary parking lot may only accommodate passenger vehicles for
a period of no longer than 24 hours in whereby patrons of local businesses
or establishments in the Wescosville Commercial Zone are served. There
shall be no parking of recreational vehicles, tractor trailers, service
vehicles or machinery vehicles or unregistered vehicles of any kind
within this parking lot use. Said parking lot shall conform to all
design standards of this chapter and the Lower Macungie Township Design
Guidelines.
