[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Riverton 3-8-1984 by Ord. No.
3-84. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as the "Borough of Riverton Site
Plan Review Ordinance."
A.
The purpose of site plan review is to determine whether the proposed
use, building, structure or addition to any building, structure or
use will conform to the revised statutes, the Zoning Ordinance, the
Land Subdivision Ordinance and other applicable ordinances and requirements
of the Borough. Site plan review shall work toward the development
of an aesthetically acceptable and well-ordered community serving
the interest of the public health, safety and general welfare of the
Borough residents.[1]
B.
Prior to the excavation, grading or clearing of land for construction
or issuance of any permit, said construction or permit pertaining
to any building, structure or use within the Borough, with the exception
of a single-family dwelling, in a residential zone, by the Construction
Official or Zoning Officer of the Borough, site plan approval for
the proposed grading, building, structure or use must be obtained
from the Planning Board, and no certificate of occupancy shall be
issued or occupancy take place until and unless all construction and
required improvements shall have been completed in conformity with
the approved site plan.
C.
All construction and improvements shall be in accordance with the
standards of the Land Subdivision Ordinance.
[Amended 12-12-1985 by Ord. No. 9-85; 3-9-2000 by Ord. No.
3-00]
With the exception of single- or multifamily dwelling units,
any change of use, ownership, proprietorship or occupancy will void
the previously issued certificate of occupancy and require the issuance
of a new certificate of occupancy. A site plan approval is required
for all developments which do not meet the definition of an exempt
site plan. An exempt site plan includes:
A.
An applicant shall submit to the Planning Board for approval a site
plan that also includes a request for a variance from lot area, lot
dimensional setbacks and yard requirements. The Planning Board shall
either approve or deny the application.
B.
All applications containing a request for a conditional use shall
be submitted to the Planning Board.
C.
An applicant shall submit to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for approval
a site plan that also includes a request for a use variance.
D.
An applicant shall complete each application for each request for
relief, i.e., site plan, subdivision, variance and conditional use,
regardless of to which board it is submitted, and the applicant shall
pay each fee.
E.
All applications that include a request for a variance shall require
a public hearing.
A.
The applicant shall submit six copies of the final site plan to the
Administrative Officer. If the application is complete, the Administrative
Officer shall transmit the site plans to the appropriate municipal
agencies for review. They shall prepare reports containing recommendations
and/or conditions of approval and a certification as to completeness.
The Administrative Officer shall advise the applicant of the certification
within 45 days of submission. The applicant is not required to amend
the plan until after Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment
action at a public meeting.
B.
The Planning Board or Zoning Board shall take action on the site
plan at a public meeting of the board within 45 days of the certification
if the site plan contains 10 acres or less of land or 10 or less dwelling
units. If the plan exceeds the above acreage or number of units, the
Planning Board shall take action within 95 days of the certification.
C.
The Municipal Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment shall
condition any approval that it grants upon timely receipt of a favorable
report on the application by the Burlington County Planning Board,
where applicable, or approval by the Burlington County Planning Board's
failure to report thereon within the required time period.
D.
The Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment shall either approve,
approve with conditions to which the Planning Board Engineer can certify
compliance or disapprove the site plan. In the event of a disapproval,
the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment shall set forth its
reasons for the rejection of the plan by resolution.
E.
After Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment approval, the
applicant shall submit three sets of the site plan to the Planning
Board Engineer for certification. Such plans shall conform to the
Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment approvals and approvals
of any other agencies. No building permit shall be issued or construction
commenced unless the final site plan has been certified by the Planning
Board Engineer. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued nor shall
occupancy take place until and unless all construction and required
improvements shall be completed or bonded for in conformity with the
approved site plan and all conditions required as a part of said approval.
Site plan review shall consider but not be limited to the following:
A.
The height, bulk, area and setback distances of all building structures.
B.
The architectural design, including the appearance of and materials
used on the exterior facades.
C.
The architectural design, location, height and width, appearance
and materials used in all signs.
D.
Parking and traffic control, including location and material, requirements
for curbing, driveways, parking areas, pedestrian walks and other
requirements to protect the public health, safety and welfare.
E.
Reasonable screening at all seasons of the year of playgrounds, parking
and service areas.
F.
Lighting of buildings, grounds and signs to assure the elimination
of any adverse effects on adjoining property owners while simultaneously
requiring adequate lighting for the proposed development.
G.
Provisions for necessary utilities such as water supply, sewers,
gas and electric.
H.
Provisions for energy-efficient building and/or site plan design.
I.
The stormwater collection and disposal system.
J.
Noise abatement, odor and rodent control and trash and garbage collection
facilities.
K.
Provisions for incoming raw materials and outgoing finished products,
together with outdoor facilities for storing same.
L.
Provisions for soil erosion and sediment control.
[Added 7-9-2003 by Ord.
No. 8-03]
A.
Much of the Neighborhood Business and General Business Zones is contained
within a State and National Registers of Historic Places District
and also the Borough of Riverton Historic District. The period of
significance for historical development in Riverton was from 1851,
when the village was founded, to approximately 1915. Therefore, the
architectural styles which are considered to be suitable and acceptable
for the Neighborhood Business and General Business Zones of Riverton
Borough are those architectural styles which were employed in America,
and the Riverton region, during the years of 1851 to 1915. Developers
are required to clearly articulate one of these architectural styles
for nonresidential buildings in the redevelopment area of the Borough
of Riverton.
(1)
The required historical architectural styles are as follows:
(a)
Gothic Revival including the substyles of Italianate, Second
Empire, Folk Victorian, Stick Style and Queen Anne.
(b)
Neoclassical including the substyles of Greek Revival, Romanesque,
and Beaux Arts.
(c)
Pre-modern styles, including the substyles of Prairie Style
and Arts and Crafts.
(d)
Historic Commercial Architecture, characterized by the utilitarian,
vernacular lumber, coal, and railroad delivery sheds with appropriate
scale and detail which existed in Riverton particularly near the railroad
station location of Broad and Main Streets. This style is favored
for the areas surrounding the new light rail transit station.
(2)
A bibliography of reference texts, explaining these styles,
is available from the Architect Review Committee of the Borough of
Riverton as an aid to developers designing and constructing new buildings
within the Neighborhood Business and General Business Zones of Riverton.
Copies of these texts are available from their publishers or can be
obtained and copied from the Historic Preservation Commission[1] of the Borough of Riverton. Historical photos of preexisting
buildings in the Neighborhood Business and General Business Zones
can be seen on request from the Historic Preservation Commission or
the Historical Society of Riverton.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended pursuant to Ord. No. O-2023-05A, adopted 10-11-2023,
which replaced the Architectural Review Committee with the Historic
Preservation Commission.
B.
Applications seeking approval of a site plan for nonresidential and
residential structures within the Neighborhood Business and General
Business Zoning Districts must be submitted for review in accordance
with the following architectural design guidelines:
(1)
Site planning.
(a)
Lot coverage and building placement. Building placement in commercial
areas should be pedestrian-friendly, attractive, and accessible. Where
context of existing buildings occurs adjacent to new development,
the existing buildings should be used to determine the front line
of new buildings. Where adjacent buildings do not exist, development
is encouraged to be as close to the street as permitted by the zoning
code for each district.
(b)
Parking. Parking should be as concealed and as unobtrusive as
possible and interconnected with other parking lots to maximize opportunities
for shared parking. Where parking is provided in the rear of a building,
the building should be oriented so that entrances are available from
the rear as well as the front, and the facade presented to the parking
area should be of a similar quality as that presented to the street.
(c)
Hardscaping. Hardscape pedestrian paving should be of varied
materials, exposed aggregate concrete, brick, bluestone and other
historically appropriate materials, and should be continuous from
the building front to the curb with recessed areas for approved street
trees.
(d)
Exterior lighting. Exterior lighting should be minimal and post
mounted. Post and fixture design should be historically appropriate
to the period style of architecture. Cut-off fixtures will direct
light to the ground. Matching existing gas fixtures with low light
levels in place of electrically lit versions with higher light levels
is encouraged.
(e)
Building signage. Building signage should be face-lit painted
signs, preferably using gooseneck lighting, downward-directed. Internally
illuminated signage is not permitted. Creative signage including authentic
typography and icons is encouraged.
(f)
Fences. Fences should be used for screening and protection of
parking areas with the appropriate design in wrought iron and no higher
than four feet above grade. Fences should be historically appropriate
to the period style of architecture of the building.
(2)
Building design.
(a)
Proportions.
[1]
Massing of building facades should be broken into smaller areas
with frequent offsets in their surfaces to avoid a monolithic appearance.
Proportions of the facade elements on each floor, such as windows,
doors, bays, etc., are encouraged to be vertical in nature as opposed
to horizontal and in context with the surrounding buildings. Massing
of roofs should be varied with broken roof lines to improve visual
interest and have a rhythm with vertical proportions. The facades
of buildings in small downtowns are usually more pedestrian in scale
when the architectural features enhance the first floor and downplay
the upper floors. All elevations should be designed as equally important.
[2]
Buildings must appear to be a minimum of two stories.
[a]
Two-story buildings: The second floor should approach
100% of the first floor area but not exceed it except for bays containing
windows.
[b]
Two-and-one-half story buildings are encouraged.
The second floor should approach 100% of the first floor area but
not exceed it except for bays containing windows.
[c]
Cornices. Fascias, soffits, and cornices should
have appropriate scale, details and color schemes. Cornice design
should be appropriate to the style of the building, and their height
should be in scale with a pedestrian-friendly streetscape.
(b)
Roofs. All mechanical equipment, vents, exhaust fans and ducting
will be screened from view on all sides with appropriate materials
and forms.
[1]
Pitched roofs. For buildings with pitched roofs, a preferred
pitch of 12:12 is expected, a minimum of 9:12 may be accepted. Standing
seam copper, lead-coated copper, and painted tin roofs are allowed
and encouraged along with slate or imitation slate materials that
are historically appropriate. Dimensional fiberglass shingles that
mimic cedar shakes are acceptable.
[2]
Flat roofs. Buildings with flat roofs should have a parapet
wall or a significant cornice that is historically appropriate in
design.
(c)
Glazing, elevation design. Windows should be of historically
appropriate design for the floor of the building on which they occur.
All windows should have appropriately wide trim with cap moldings.
[1]
First floor windows on street frontages should be historically
appropriate storefronts on knee walls with clearly defined entrances
separate from the windows. Individual or paired double-hung windows
may also be used where they are appropriate to the architectural style.
Relief of the wall surface should be encouraged through use of bays
and opaque canvas awnings. No interior illuminated awnings will be
allowed.
[2]
Second floor windows should be double-hung individual windows,
not groupings of windows, arranged to create vertical proportions
and pleasing rhythms in the elevation.
[3]
Doors to businesses should be a minimum halflite with wide stiles
and rails with transom windows above. Secondary customer and client
entrances are required when buildings have elevations facing parking
areas. Doors to spaces above businesses should be solid with raised
panels to distinguish them from business entrances.
(d)
Exterior wall materials. Exterior wall materials should be those
which would have historically been used in the construction of the
historic style chosen for the building by the designer.
[1]
For wood siding, horizontal clapboard siding without false wood
graining is desired. Wall shingling of cedar or cedar-appearing materials
is welcomed. Decorative shingling where historically appropriate is
desired. Vertical board and batten siding on small scaled buildings
or in gables of larger buildings is allowed. Window, door, corner,
water table and belt coursing trim should be a minimum of four inches.
[2]
Where brick is used, common-size brick in common bond coursing
is encouraged, with historically appropriate decorative detailing
around door and window openings, corbeled trim, pilasters, and corner
quoins to create relief of the wall surface and vertical proportions.
(e)
Colors. Historically appropriate colors in multiple color schemes
are encouraged. See Benjamin Moore, Finneran & Haley, and Sherwin
Williams color guides.
A.
All site plans shall contain the following information:
(1)
The name and address of the applicant and the owner of record and
the name, address and title of the person preparing the plan, maps
including appropriate map titles and accompanying data.
(2)
The date of the original plan and each subsequent revision date.
(3)
North arrow and graphic scale.
(4)
Total tract acreage to 1/10 of an acre.
(5)
Existing and proposed streets and street names.
(6)
A key map showing the location of the site within the community.
(7)
The zoning of the site and adjacent lots and the Tax Map plate, block
and lot numbers.
(8)
A true and accurate survey of the site.
(10)
The exact size, shape and location of all existing and proposed
buildings, structures, parking areas and open spaces.
(11)
All setbacks, lot and right-of-way lines and the dimensions,
locations and purpose of all easements.
(12)
An indication of a solution for the stormwater drainage.
(13)
A statement of how the sewer, water and all utilities to service
the project will be designed.
(14)
Pavement construction detail.
(15)
The location and arrangement of vehicular accessways and the
location, size and capacities of all parking areas and curbs, sidewalks,
walkways and all other areas devoted to pedestrian use.
(16)
The building floor plans and finished grade elevations at all
building corners.
(17)
Design concerns of any topographic problems.
(18)
Covenants and deed restrictions.
(19)
A proposed contour grading plan with intervals of one foot where
slopes are less than 15% and five feet when 15% or more, only where
deemed necessary by the board. Spot elevations shall be required at
building corners and other points where contours do not adequately
define the proposed elevation of the site.
(20)
Front, rear and side elevations of all proposed buildings.
(21)
A landscape plan.
(22)
Proposed signs, including type, facade, location, size and materials.
(23)
Other information as required by the Planning Board or Zoning
Board of Adjustment.
The proposed construction receiving final site plan approval
must be completed in all respects within two years from the date of
final approval. Failure of the applicant to complete construction
within such periods will nullify and void the site plan, and said
applicant will be in violation of this chapter if any construction
or excavation is undertaken or continued after the expiration date.
Time period extensions may be granted by the approving body as provided
by law.
[Amended 5-13-2009 by Ord. No. 3-2009]
B.
Minimum starting escrow fee.
(1)
Nonresidential change of use application reviewed by the Planning
Board Chairman and Zoning Officer: no escrow required.
(2)
Site plan, floor area less than 1,000 square feet: $1,000.
(3)
Site plan, floor area between 1,000 square feet and 9,999 square
feet: $3,000.
(4)
Site plan, floor area 10,000 square feet and over: $5,000.
(5)
Inspection escrow shall be 6% of the bonded amount.
C.
Variances and conditional use. A request for variance or conditional use accompanying site plan will require the payment of the appropriate fee, as enumerated in the Zoning Ordinance of the Borough of Riverton, Chapter 128 of the Code of the Borough of Riverton, in addition to the site plan application and fee.
D.
Other sums. Sums not utilized in the review and inspection process
shall be returned to the applicant. If additional sums are deemed
necessary for professional reviews or inspection, the applicant shall
be notified of the required additional amount and shall add such sum
to the escrow. An application for development will not be considered
by the Planning Board or Zoning Board unless the applicant's escrow
account is current on the date of the scheduled hearing. Each applicant
who shall submit a plan for site approval shall agree in writing and
shall pay all reasonable costs for professional review of the said
site plan and for inspection of improvements required by the Planning
Board or Zoning Board. Such costs must be paid in full before any
occupancy of the premises is permitted or occupancy permit issued.
E.
Site plan waiver. An escrow fee of $100 and a filing fee of $50 shall
be submitted with each application for site plan waiver. Said fees
shall be applied toward the fee required for site plan in the event
that the waiver is not granted.
[Amended 5-15-2018 by Ord. No. O-2018-02]
In approving the site plan, the Planning Board shall require
that the applicant furnish a performance, maintenance, and related
guarantees in accordance with the requirements of this Code at Chapter
22-39, et seq.
[Deleted 5-15-2018 by Ord. No. O-2018-02]
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions
of this chapter shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $500 and/or
imprisonment in the County Jail for a term not exceeding 90 days.
Each and every violation of this chapter, and each day that a violation
of this chapter continues, shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct
violation thereof.
If for any reason any section or part of any section of this
chapter shall be declared unconstitutional or illegal by any court
of competent jurisdiction, the remaining sections thereof shall remain
in full force and effect.
All ordinances or parts thereof inconsistent with the terms
of this chapter are hereby repealed insofar as inconsistency exists.
This chapter shall take effect immediately after final passage
and approval as provided by law.
