[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Bridgeport 6-8-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-002, approved 6-8-2021. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The intent of the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Zoning
District is to encourage development near the DeKalb Street Station
on the Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL); to increase transit use;
to create an accessible and walkable neighborhood; to attract new
residents to Bridgeport; to encourage residential development with
commercial and retail that support residential; and to enhance the
vibrancy of the Borough.
The requirements of this chapter shall apply to the parcels
highlighted on the Transit-Oriented District Map.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Transit-Oriented District Map is included
as an attachment at the end of this chapter.
A building or lot may be used or occupied for one or more of
the following uses. Uses are allowed to be mixed within a building
or mixed in separate buildings on a property. Table 1 identifies the
uses that are permitted by right, permitted by conditional use, and
uses that are prohibited in the Transit-Oriented Development District.[1]
A.
All properties within the TOD District may provide a mix of residential
and nonresidential uses. Residential use may comprise 100%, but no
less than 80% of the gross floor area.
(1)
A parcel of three or more acres with frontage along DeKalb Street
or Boro Line Road shall have retail on the ground floor fronting the
street, with a floor area that equal to at least 8% of the total lot
area. (Reviewer Note: An illustration of the potential retail configurations
is provided in the Appendix.[2])
[2]
Editor's Note: Appendix is included as an attachment
at the end of this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: Table of Use Types in the TOD is included
as an attachment at the end of this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Outside space with seating to be used for gathering and events.
Common space can be used for the residents of a development or dedicated
as public space.
The percentage of the building that fronts a public street.
This measurement helps to determine the shape of the building and
the relationship between the building and the public streets.
A roof of a building that is partially or completed covered
with vegetation and a growing medium. Requires a high-quality water-proofing
cover, drainage system, and filter cloth. Green roof vegetation can
vary from small shrubs to trees. Basic maintenance involves watering,
weeding, and plant care.
Sometimes referred to as tiered setbacks or wedding-cake
style setbacks. The dimensional requirement that taller buildings
be set back further from the curb, or along the side of the building,
to reduce shadow and cavernous feeling between multiple taller buildings.
A covered structure that provides parking area for vehicles.
A strip of grass or plants (also known as a green verge)
or decorative pavers (also known as a paved verge) located along the
curb between the road right-of-way and sidewalk. A verge may have
alternating green and paved sections.
Pedestrian connections internal to the development; not along
public roads.
A.
General. The lot to be developed shall be under one owner, or shall
be the subject of an application filed jointly by the owners of the
entire tract under consideration.
A.
Lot size. The minimum lot size shall be 30,000 square feet.
B.
Impervious coverage. The maximum impervious coverage shall not exceed
90%.
(1)
Impervious coverage may reach 100%, provided a green roof is constructed
that covers at least 10% of the lot area or 50% of the roof, whichever
is greater.
C.
Building height. Within the TOD District, new development shall have
a minimum height of four stories, and a maximum height of six stories.
(1)
Building stepbacks. If a building is higher than four stories, each
floor above the fourth floor shall have a minimum front stepback of
10 feet.
(2)
For two buildings located on or off site separated by 40 feet or
less, there shall be a side stepback of eight feet for each of the
buildings. (An illustration of the building stepbacks is provided
in the Appendix.[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix is included as an attachment
at the end of this chapter.
D.
Building frontage length. The maximum length of any building along
the public right-of-way shall be 200 feet.
E.
Setbacks.
(1)
Overhangs, balconies, and similar features placed on the street facing
front side of the building may be located within the setback, but
no closer than 10 feet to the curbline.
(2)
Building setbacks.
(a)
Front setback. Buildings shall have a minimum setback of 15
feet and a maximum setback of 20 feet, measured from the street facing
facade of the building to the edge of the cartway along public streets.
[1]
Buildings that are located along DeKalb Street between Crooked
Lane and Boro Line Road shall have a setback of 25 feet, measured
from the street facing facade of the building to the edge of the cartway
along public streets.
(b)
Side setback. Buildings shall have a minimum side setback from
the property line of 15 feet.
(c)
DeKalb Pike building setback. Unless goverened by Subsection E(2)(a)[1] above, where a parcel abuts DeKalb Pike, the building shall be set back at least 80 feet from the property line along DeKalb Pike.
(d)
Industrial use setback. Where a parcel abuts an industrial use,
the building shall be setback 60 feet from the property line along
the industrial use.
(3)
Parking structure setbacks.
(a)
DeKalb Pike setback. Where a parcel abuts DeKalb Pike, the parking
structure shall be setback 40 feet from the property line along DeKalb
Pike.
(b)
Industrial use setback. Where a parcel abuts industrial use,
the parking structure shall be setback 20 feet from property line
along the industrial use.
(4)
Setbacks shall be designed to allow for future vehicular and pedestrian
access to adjacent properties.
F.
Building separation. The minimum separation between buildings located
on the same lot shall be 30 feet.
A.
Common space.
(1)
Properties with a lot area of less than two acres shall provide common
space equal to at least 5% of the lot area.
(2)
Properties with a lot area of more than two acres shall provide common
space equal to at least 8% of the lot area.
(a)
At least 5% of the lot area shall be public space along either
DeKalb Street or Boro Line Road. Sidewalk area shall not be counted
towards this requirement. The total amount can count towards the frontage
occupation requirement. (Reviewer Note: An illustration of potential
plaza configurations is provided in Appendix.[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix is included as an attachment
at the end of this chapter.
(b)
If street access is not available, the required common space
shall be provided as a small park within the development with a pedestrian
walkway connection it to the public sidewalk.
(c)
The remaining 3% of lot area designated for common space shall
be located on the rooftop, or within the development in the form of
a small park.
(d)
When located on the front or side of the building, common space
shall include shade trees and seating.
B.
Sidewalks.
(1)
Sidewalks shall be provided along all streets. Sidewalks which are
along the major vehicular and pedestrian traffic areas of a TOD development
(DeKalb Street and Boro Line Road) shall be provided within the minimum
fifteen-foot-wide front setback as follows:
(2)
All other walkways within the TOD development shall be a minimum
of eight feet in width.
C.
Building facade. All visible facades, including side facades, shall
be designed with detail to create visual interest. All buildings shall
provide architectural features, which may be in the form of an articulated
roofline with cornices, corbels, or other similar architectural treatments.
(1)
A section of blank wall shall not exceed five linear feet without
being interrupted by a window, entryway, planter, plaza, or some other
design feature.
(2)
Except where there is ground-floor-level parking, clear retail and
commercial windows shall encompass at least 50% of the building ground-floor
street-facing facade.
(a)
The visibility of commercial and retail windows shall be maintained.
Windows signs cannot cover more than 30% of the window space.
(3)
Corners. Building corners at intersections shall be visually emphasized
through architectural design features.
D.
Street trees. Trees shall be planted along all public rights of way in compliance with § 495-63.
(1)
Street trees shall be planted in the verge along the curb of DeKalb
Street and Boro Line Road.
(a)
Street trees may be planted as part of a green verge, or planted
within a paved verge, provided they are planted in a tree well that
has a capacity equal to at least 1,000 cubic feet.
(2)
Replacement trees. Every effort should be made to avoid removal of
trees having a caliper of six inches or greater from the property
during land development. Where the removal of a tree is unavoidable,
the applicant shall install replacement trees.
E.
Planting beds. Buildings with ground floor parking shall incorporate
a five-foot-deep landscaped planting bed along the entire length of
the building facade that is occupied by parking.
A.
Due to the transit-oriented nature of the TOD development, a reduced
demand for vehicular parking is anticipated. Parking requirements
are as follows:
|
Vehicular Parking Minimum for Residential Uses
| |
|---|---|
|
1 Bedroom
|
1 parking spaces per dwelling unit
|
|
2 Bedroom
|
1.5 parking spaces per dwelling unit
|
B.
Surface parking. Surface parking shall meet the following requirements:
(1)
All surface parking lots shall be located to the rear of the building.
(2)
Surface parking lots shall not be located between a building and
DeKalb Street or Boro Line Road.
(3)
Surface parking lots visible from a public street shall be screened
continuously by a six-foot-high wall, fence, hedge, or combination
thereof.
C.
Structured parking. Structured parking shall meet the following requirements:
(1)
Structured parking should be designed as rear-entry, or side-entry,
when feasible.
(2)
On sloped lots that have a minimum of six feet difference in elevation
between two opposite sides of the lot, the parking level shall be
placed on the lower level of the lot.
(3)
When parking requires excavation or partial excavation, the first
floor elevation of the building shall not be more than five feet above
street level.
(4)
When structured parking is provided within a residential building,
there shall be no more than one level of parking along a public street.
D.
Bicycle parking. Each development shall provide convenient bicycle
parking, subject to the following requirements:
(1)
For residential uses, one bicycle rack for every three dwelling units
shall be provided in a secured location.
(2)
For commercial uses, one bicycle rack for every 15 feet of retail
storefront frontage along a public street.
(3)
Bicycle racks shall be installed in front of neighborhood retail
storefront two feet from, and parallel to, the curb. Bicycle racks
may be located within the verge, provided they are securely anchored.
A.
Loading and service areas shall be integrated into the building,
when feasible. When not feasible, loading and service areas shall
be located to the side or rear of buildings, and shall be screened
from public streets by a three-foot-high wall, fence, hedge, or combination
thereof.
B.
No loading or service area shall be located within 25 feet of any
first-floor residential use.
