[Amended 10-3-1985; 9-5-2006 by Ord. No. 5-06]
A. 
Prior to the issuance of a permit for development, a site plan shall be submitted to the Land Use Board for the following:
(1) 
In all cases involving the change in the principal intended use of any nonresidential unit, whether or not a building permit shall be required or issued.
(2) 
For any nonresidential off-street parking area.
(3) 
Where a use variance is required.
(4) 
Whenever a nonresidential use is established on a parcel of property or within its structure in the Township of Sandyston, except for home occupations as defined in this Code.
(5) 
Any development proposal with the exception of a detached one- or two-dwelling-unit building must have a site plan approved by the Land Use Board before the grant of a building permit or certificate of occupancy.
(6) 
Prior to the expansion of any nonresidential use and any nonconforming use.
(7) 
Prior to any change or alteration in the exterior of any existing nonresidential structure requiring a construction code permit.
(8) 
Prior to any site clearing, grading, excavating, filling or similar site activities except those approved pursuant to a subdivision approval or those activities being conducted for:
(a) 
Agricultural purposes;
(b) 
Tree thinning;
(c) 
Tree harvesting purposes pursuant to an approved forester's plan;
(d) 
A single-family residential use of a structure; or
(e) 
A use of structure accessory to a single-family use.
B. 
Minor site plan review. Any addition or alteration to an existing, conforming, nonresidential building shall not require formal site plan approval if it meets the provisions of Article V, § 137-19.1.
A. 
In granting site plan approval, the applicant and the Planning Board shall follow the same rules, regulations, standards and procedures applicable to major subdivisions provided in Article II of this chapter, which includes submission of preliminary application, site plan details required in Article V, public hearing, improvement, preliminary approval and final applications, approvals and filing with the county recorder. Site plan application and approvals pursuant to § 150-47, Commercial-Industrial-Service Zones, of Chapter 150, Zoning, and conditional uses pursuant to §§ 150-14, 150-21, 150-28, 150-33 and 150-40 of Chapter 150, Zoning, shall be subject to the same rules and procedures. Preliminary and final approval of a site plan shall have the same effect as accorded applications for major subdivisions.
B. 
The Planning Board or the Board of Adjustment, whichever has jurisdiction, may determine under its own rules that a site plan application shall be construed as a minor site plan, in which case the requirement for public hearing and notice may be waived, provided that the use for which the application is made is not a conditional use and is not a use potentially detrimental to the health or welfare of the citizens of the Township. Such further uses for which public hearings shall be held and notice given shall include, but not necessarily be restricted to, the following uses:
[Added 10-2-1980]
(1) 
The storage, manufacture or handling of:
(a) 
Radioactive materials.
(b) 
Petroleum and other volatile substances.
(c) 
Industrial chemicals of any nature.
(2) 
Operations of any nature which contemplate the employment of more than three persons or require, under Chapter 150, Zoning, more than four off-street parking spaces.
C. 
Subdivision plats and site plans and data for the same development may be combined, whenever feasible, to facilitate review and public hearing, provided that both the applicant and the Planning Board are in agreement, or subdivision plats and site plans may be reviewed simultaneously without separate hearings. For site plans of 10 or fewer acres, approval shall be given within 45 days; for more than 10 acres, within 95 days of submission or within further time consented to by the developer.
[Added 7-14-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-07]
The following architectural design standards shall apply to all new construction or renovation of commercial or mixed-use structures within the Village zones:
A. 
Scale and style. Buildings shall generally relate in scale and design features to the surrounding buildings, showing respect for the local context; except, however, where existing development does not represent a consistent architectural style or does not incorporate a building design that reflects the rural character and architecture of Sandyston Township (See Figure 1.), buildings should instead be designed to improve the overall streetscape, relying on the design standards set forth in this section.
 Figure 1.tif
Figure 1 Scale and Style
B. 
As a general rule, buildings shall reflect a continuity of treatment obtained by maintaining the building scale, by maintaining consistent front setbacks, by maintaining cornice lines in buildings of the same height, by extending horizontal lines of fenestration, and by echoing architectural styles, details, design themes, building materials and colors used in surrounding buildings where such buildings represent the rural character and architecture of Sandyston Township.
C. 
Corner lots. Buildings on corner lots shall be considered significant structures, given that they have at least two front facades visibly exposed to the street. If deemed appropriate by the Planning Board in its design review, such buildings may be designed with additional height and architectural embellishments, such as corner towers, steeples or other features to emphasize their location and serve as a visual focal point for the area.
D. 
Walls and planes. Buildings shall avoid long, monotonous uninterrupted walls or roof planes. Offsets, including projections, recesses and changes in floor level, shall be used in order to add architectural interest and variety and to relieve the visual effect of a simple, long wall. Similarly, roofline offsets shall be provided in order to provide architectural interest and variety to the massing of a building and to relieve the effect of a single, long roof. Flat roofs should be avoided in favor of pitched roofs.
 Figure 2.tif
Figure 2. Walls and Planes
E. 
Buildings with more than one facade facing a public street or internal open space shall be required to provide multiple front facade treatments.
F. 
The architectural treatment of the front facade shall be continued, in its major features, around all visibly exposed sides of a building. All sides of a building shall be architecturally designed to be consistent with regard to style, materials, colors and details. Blank wall or service area treatment of side and/or rear elevations visible from the public viewshed is discouraged.
G. 
Roofs. Gable roofs with a minimum pitch of 9/12 should be used to the greatest extent possible. Where hipped roofs are used, it is recommended that the minimum pitch be 6/12. Both gable and hipped roofs should provide overhanging eaves on all sides that extend a minimum of one foot beyond the building wall. Flat roofs should be avoided on one-story buildings, but may be used on buildings with two stories, provided that all visibly exposed walls shall have an articulated cornice which projects horizontally from the vertical building wall plane. Other roof types should be appropriate to the building's architecture. Mansard roofs are generally discouraged. Architectural embellishments that add visual interest to roofs, such as dormers, belvederes, masonry chimneys, cupolas, clock towers and other similar elements are encouraged.
 Figure 3.tif
Figure 3. Roofs
H. 
Windows/fenestration. Fenestration shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of the building and appropriate to a rural setting. Windows shall be vertically proportioned wherever possible. To the extent possible, upper-story windows shall be vertically aligned with the location of windows and doors on the ground level, including storefront or display windows. Blank, windowless walls are discouraged. Storefronts are an integral part of a building and shall be integrally designed with the upper floors to be compatible with the overall facade character. Ground-floor retail, service and restaurant uses should have large-pane display windows, framed by the surrounding wall, and shall not exceed 75% of the total ground-level facade area.
 Figure 4.tif
Figure 4. Windows
I. 
Entrances. All entrances to a building shall be defined and articulated by architectural elements such as lintels, pediments, pilasters, columns, porticoes, porches, overhangs, railings, balustrades and other features, where appropriate. Any such element utilized shall be consistent with the style, materials, colors and details of the building as a whole, as shall the doors. Awnings are permitted where they complement the building's architectural style.
J. 
Light fixtures. Light fixtures attached to the exterior of a building shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials, colors and details of the building and shall comply with local building codes. The type of light source used on the exterior of buildings, signs, parking areas, pedestrian walkways and other areas of a site, and the light quality produced, shall be the same or compatible. Facades shall be lit from the exterior, and, as a general rule, lights should be concealed through shielding or recessed behind architectural features. The use of low-pressure sodium, fluorescent or mercury vapor lighting, either attached to buildings or to light the exterior of buildings, shall be prohibited. Mounting brackets and associated hardware should be inconspicuous. All lights shall be shielded to reflect downward and prevent sky glow.
K. 
Lighting. Street lights shall be decorative and shall blend with the architectural style of the community. Along all commercial or mixed-use streets, parking areas, sidewalks and walkways, decorative light posts shall be provided at regular intervals. Posts shall be spaced at no greater than 80 feet on center on both sides of a commercial or main street. Light posts should be at least 10 feet high. In parking areas, post heights may extend to a maximum of 16 feet.
 Figure 5.tif
Figure 5. Light Fixtures
L. 
Air conditioners and other fixtures. All air-conditioning units, HVAC systems, exhaust pipes or stacks, elevator housing and satellite dishes and other telecommunications receiving devices shall be thoroughly screened from view from the public right-of-way and from adjacent properties by using walls, fencing, roof elements or landscaping. In no case will chain link fencing be permitted.