Ambridge City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
M Manufacturing and Industrial Districts
[Amended 11-13-1990 by Ord. No. 1072]
§ 310-29 Purpose.
It is the intent and purpose of this district to provide suitable locations for industrial, light industrial and manufacturing uses, nonretail commercial uses and business and related uses which do not create a nuisance and which are not noxious or offensive or create a hazard to the safety and welfare of the citizens of the Borough of Ambridge by reason of dust, odor, smoke, noise and/or vibrations generated by such use.
§ 310-30 Permitted uses.
Permitted uses shall be as follows:
A.
Research and development facilities.
B.
Wholesale packaging, storage, warehousing and/or distribution facilities, excluding self-storage.
C.
Wholesale manufacturing, compounding, processing and/or assembly facilities entirely within an enclosed building.
D.
Printing and publishing facilities.
E.
Wholesale supply yards.
F.
General contractor and construction industries, such as general electric, plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning.
G.
Professional office.
H.
Business offices.
I.
Public use buildings.
J.
Public parks and recreational areas.
K.
Waterfront marina and restaurant.
L.
Hotel or motel.
M.
Cafeteria.
§ 310-31 Conditional uses.
[Amended 2-26-2002 by Ord. No. 1167]
A use not expressly listed as permitted in any zoning district may be permitted as a conditional use in the M Manufacturing and Industrial District in accordance with the following procedures and standards. In granting a conditional use, the Borough Council may attach such reasonable conditions and safeguards, in addition to those expressed in this article, as it may deem necessary to implement the purposes of this article and the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
A.
Submission of application. The granting of a conditional use by the Borough Council shall be predicated upon the developer demonstrating that the development for which the conditional use is sought:
(1)
Will not endanger the public health and safety if located where proposed and that the use will not deteriorate the environment or generate nuisance conditions such as traffic congestion, noise, dust, smoke, glare or vibration.
(2)
Meets all other requirements of this article for the M Manufacturing and Industrial District.
(3)
Is in general conformity with the Comprehensive Plan for the Borough of Ambridge and in harmony with the area in which it is proposed.
(4)
Is an appropriate use on the proposed site.
(5)
Is in compliance with all other standards of this article.
B.
The applicant/developer shall submit a deed and drawings to scale. The drawings shall indicate the boundaries of the property, location of adjacent streets, the location and height of proposed buildings on the property, proposed grading and storm drainage, and location and number of proposed parking spaces and proposed curb cuts.
C.
Action by the Planning Commission. Upon the filing of an application for a conditional use, the Borough Council shall submit each such conditional use application to the Planning Commission at least 30 days prior to the hearing on such conditional use to provide the Planning Commission an opportunity to submit recommendations. Such recommendations shall be in writing with copies transmitted to the applicant and to Borough Council.
D.
Public hearing. The Borough Council shall call and hold a public hearing, with proper notice, within 60 days of the filing of the application for conditional use.
E.
Action by Borough Council. Borough Council shall render a decision and inform the applicant of said decision within 45 days of the close of the hearing unless, upon mutual consent of the Borough Council and the applicant, it is agreed to continue the proceedings. If the Borough Council denies the conditional use, the developer may reapply for the same use no sooner than one year after the latter of 30 days after notice of the decision is entered or 30 days after entry of a final decision by the court of competent jurisdiction without further appeal.
§ 310-32 Yard.
Yard space shall be required in cases where an alley abuts the premises, the depth of which shall be not less than 20 feet from the center line of the alley.
§ 310-33 Off-street parking.
Off-street parking shall be provided on the premises at the rate of the greater of one parking space for each employee or one parking space for each 1,500 square feet of gross floor area. Additionally, there shall be one visitor's parking space for each 25 parking spaces.
§ 310-34 Loading and unloading space.
Loading and unloading space shall be provided on the premises in the following schedule:
A.
Under 40,000 square feet of gross floor area shall require one berth.
B.
Forty thousand square feet of gross floor area to 100,000 square feet shall require two berths.
C.
Over 100,000 square feet of gross floor area shall require one additional berth for each 100,000 square feet.
§ 310-35 Buffer zone.
A buffer zone shall be required in this district in order to minimize the effects of glare from headlights of vehicles, lights from structures, noise and to shield activities from adjacent residential and commercial properties. A buffer zone shall comply with the following requirements:
A.
A buffer area shall provide a year-round visual screen and be at least 10 feet in depth where any property in the Manufacturing and Industrial District is adjacent to a property in the Commercial District, and shall be at least 15 feet in depth where any property in the Manufacturing and Industrial District is adjacent to property in the Residential or Historic District. The buffer area may consist of one or a combination of the following:
(1)
Evergreen and deciduous plant material of varying species.
(2)
An existing natural land form or wooded area.
(3)
A fence between five feet and eight feet in height with at least 60% of the surface being opaque.
B.
When a planted buffer is utilized, it shall consist of a mix of evergreen and deciduous plant materials. At the time of planting, the evergreen material shall be sufficient to screen the property visually and shall be a minimum of five feet in height (after planting). The remainder of the plantings may be of varying lesser heights.
C.
The property owner shall be responsible for the continuing maintenance of all buffer areas, including the replacement of any dead plant material. Buffer areas shall be kept clean of all debris, rubbish, weeds and tall grass.
D.
No structure shall be permitted within a required buffer area, except an authorized fence or wall, nor shall a buffer area be used for repairing, loading, vehicular circulation, storage or any other purpose.
E.
The buffer area shall be continuous along property lines where they are required, except for points of vehicular or pedestrian access.
F.
Plans for any buffer area shall be received by the Planning Commission prior to the issuance of the building permit. The Borough Council may authorize a modification in the otherwise applicable buffer area requirements where it determines that the changes in elevation between abutting properties are such that they would eliminate the need for the buffer area at the points where the buffer area is required by this article.
