Bethlehem Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIII
LI Light Industrial/Office Campus District
[1]
Note: See also LI(P) District standards in Article XXIV.
§ 275-100 Purpose.
The purpose of this district is to:
A.
Provide sufficient space, in appropriate locations, to meet current and anticipated future regional needs for light industries, offices and related types of commercial uses, in a manner that is fully compatible with any nearby homes.
B.
Help generate agglomeration economies that will aid in attracting new industries.
C.
Carefully control the types of uses and use performance standards to protect the public health and safety and avoid nuisances.
D.
Maintain an attractive physical environment that will aid in attracting new employers, including provision of extensive landscaping and the encouragement of attractive masonry facades.
E.
Encourage development to occur within business parks, as opposed to development on scattered individual lots, to encourage the establishment of private deed restriction controls and carefully coordinated interior vehicle access.
F.
Avoid unusually large warehouse/distribution centers that generate very high amounts of tractor-trailer traffic and consume large areas of land, while generating relatively few jobs.
§ 275-101 Definition of planned business development.
Section 275-86 shall apply.
§ 275-102 Permitted-by-right uses.
Only the following are permitted-by-right uses in the LI District, provided that the requirements for specific uses in Article XX are met:
A.
The following uses are permitted by right only within an approved "planned business development":
(1)
Offices.
(2)
Packaging and bottling operations, without on-lot retail sales.
(3)
Manufacture and assembly of electrical and electronic machines, supplies and equipment.
(4)
Finishing, grinding, polishing, stamping or heat-treating of products.
(5)
Manufacture of jewelry, precision instruments, optical goods and similar products.
(6)
Manufacture and assembly of products from wood or previously prepared materials, such as glass, leather, cellophane, textiles, rubber or synthetic rubber.
(7)
Package delivery services.
(8)
Manufacture of textiles, apparel, shoes and apparel accessories.
(9)
Manufacture of food and beverage products (but not including a slaughterhouse, meat-packing plant, stockyard, animal husbandry or animal feed mill).
(10)
Welding.
(11)
Sales and rental of industrial equipment, other than vehicles primarily intended for use on public streets.
(12)
Manufacture of transportation equipment.
(13)
Manufacture of manufactured or modular housing.
(14)
Manufacture of paper and cardboard products (but not including paper mill).
(15)
Manufacture of glass and glass products.
(16)
Finishing of previously prepared resin, vinyl, polymer, plastic or rubber products.
(17)
Manufacture of leather, clay and pottery products.
(18)
Warehousing[1] or distribution, provided that the following additional provisions shall apply:
(a)
Purposes: to meet the objectives of §§ 275-100, 275-213 and the Comprehensive Plan Amendment of 1997; to recognize that trucking company terminals and large distribution/warehouse facilities typically have a different intensity of tractor-trailer traffic and are more likely to involve twenty-four-hour operations than smaller warehouse/distribution uses.
(b)
A trucking company terminal shall not be permitted as a principal use.
(c)
The following maximum total percentages of the floor area of all buildings on a lot shall be occupied by warehousing and distribution uses, as opposed to office, processing, assembly, manufacturing, wholesale sales, raw material storage and other lawful uses:
Total Floor Area of All Buildings on a Lot | Maximum Total Percent of Such Floor Area that May be Occupied by Warehousing and Distribution Uses | |
|---|---|---|
49,999 or less | 90% | |
50,000 to 99,999 | 75% | |
100,000 or greater | 100% |
(d)
Definition. The restrictions on warehousing and distribution uses in § 275-215 shall only limit area used for the indoor storage of products and materials and related loading, unloading and sorting activities, but shall not restrict area used for the storage of:
[1]
Materials that will be used in on-site manufacturing, assembly or significant processing; and/or
[2]
Products that were manufactured, assembled or significantly processed on site.
[1]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
(19)
Manufacture of fabricated metal products (except ammunition or explosives).
(20)
Manufacture of pharmaceuticals.
(21)
Reserved.
(22)
Exercise club.
(23)
Recycling collection center.[2]
[2]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
(24)
Photo finishing labs.[3][4]
[3]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
[4]
Editor's Note: Former § 211, Validity, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 4-7-2008 by Ord. No. 03-08.
(25)
Hotel or motel.[5]
[5]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
(26)
Financial institution.[6]
[6]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
(27)
College, university or trade school.
(28)
Nursery school/day-care center.[7]
[7]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
(29)
Wholesale sales.[8]
[8]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
(30)
Research, engineering or testing laboratory.
(31)
Testing and repair of manufactured products.
(32)
Outdoor storage as accessory to a permitted use.[9]
[9]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-190.
(33)
Manufacture, assembly and testing of electronic, microelectronic and computer products.
(34)
Lumber yard and/or building supply sales (not including asphalt or cement processing).
(35)
Clearly accessory retail sales of products produced on, processed on, or distributed from the premises, provided such retail sales area does not exceed 5% of the floor area of the related principal use, or 5,000 square feet, whichever is more restrictive.
(36)
Orthopedic specialty center.
[Added 3-18-2002 by Ord. No. 03-02]
B.
The following uses are permitted by right, either within or outside of a planned business development:
(1)
The uses listed in § 275-87B shall apply.
(2)
Co-located commercial communications antenna without change in text by reason of the incorporation in Subsection B(1) of the uses listed in § 275-87B, which is amended supra to include co-located commercial communications antenna.[10]
[Added 3-19-2001 by Ord. No. 03-01]
[10]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
§ 275-103 Special exception uses.
The following uses are special exception uses in the LI District, provided that all other requirements of this chapter are met, especially Article XVI, Environmental Protection:
A.
Manufacture of the following products, providing that the manufacturing and storage facilities will be set back a minimum of 400 feet from any existing dwelling or residential district:
(1)
Soaps, detergents, paints, varnishes or enamels.
(2)
Natural or synthetic rubber products.
(3)
Plastics, polymers, resins or vinyl.
(4)
Primary (as opposed to fabricated) metals products.
(5)
Tire retreading.
B.
Other industrial activities involving processing, distribution, recycling, cleaning, assembling, packaging, conversion, production, repair or testing of materials or products provided:
(1)
The applicant clearly proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board that the use would have a character, intensity and impacts similar to permitted-by-right and/or special-exception uses.
(2)
The use is not prohibited in the district.
(3)
The applicant clearly proves to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board that the use will not generate significant nuisances and will not threaten the public health and safety.
C.
Auto service station,[1] provided it is a minimum of 300 feet from the lot line of any existing dwelling or residential district and provided that the use does not have direct vehicle access onto an arterial street. This use shall not include a "truck stop" or other facilities primarily intended to serve tractor-trailer trucks.
[1]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
D.
Heliport.[2]
[2]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
§ 275-104 Conditional uses.
[Amended 3-19-2001 by Ord. No. 03-01; 3-20-2017 by Ord. No. 02-17; 8-16-2021 by Ord. No. 07-21]
The following are conditional uses in the LI District, provided that all other requirements of this chapter are met:
A.
Emergency services station.[1]
[1]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-189.
B.
Planned business development.
C.
Commercial communications tower.[2]
[2]
Note: See additional requirements in § 275-190A(17).
D.
Grower/processor facility.
E.
Medical marijuana delivery vehicle office.
F.
Academic clinical research center.
G.
Dispensary facility.
H.
Delivery vehicle parking lot.
I.
Data center [subject to additional requirements in § 275-189A(77)].
§ 275-105 Specifically prohibited uses.
Section 275-89 shall also apply within the LI District.
§ 275-106 Standards for approval of planned business development.
Section 275-90 shall also apply within the LI District.
§ 275-107 Lot and setback regulations.
[Amended 3-1-1999 by Ord. No. 4-99; 11-18-2024 by Ord. No. 05-24]
A.
Information. The applicant shall present information on the approximate number of employees and shifts that are expected. Also, the applicant shall present information on the approximate amount of heavy truck traffic that is expected.
B.
Minimum lot area. Two acres, except one acre for any lot limited by deed restriction to nonindustrial uses.
C.
Minimum lot width. Two hundred feet, except:
(1)
Three hundred feet at the existing right-of-way line of any arterial street which an individual lot will have a driveway entering directly onto.
(2)
One hundred fifty feet for any lot limited by deed restriction to nonindustrial uses.
D.
Minimum lot depth: 120 feet.
E.
Minimum front yard setback: 50 feet from the future street right-of-way, except as provided for in Subsection M.
F.
Paved area setbacks. See § 275-144G.
G.
Maximum lot coverage: 40% for buildings, 65% for total impervious coverage, except as follows:
(1)
If a planned business development includes landscaped open areas and/or dedication of parkland adjacent to residential districts in a manner generally consistent with the Bethlehem Township Comprehensive Plan Amendment of 1997, then as a condition of approval of the planned business development, the Board of Commissioners may permit certain predesignated lots to have a maximum building coverage of 45% and a maximum impervious coverage of 75%, provided that the applicant provides evidence that the average for all lots and any dedicated parkland will not exceed 40% building coverage and 65% impervious coverage.
H.
Minimum side yard: 20 feet, except as provided for in Subsections L and M.
I.
Minimum rear yard: 30 feet, except as provided for in Subsections L and M.
J.
Maximum height. Whichever of the following maximum heights is most restrictive shall apply:
(1)
Within 300 feet of a residential district boundary, not including a residential district boundary separated by an existing or officially proposed expressway: 25 feet.
(2)
Between 300 feet and 1,000 feet of a residential district boundary, not including a residential district boundary separated by an existing or officially proposed expressway: 45 feet or 4.5 stories.
(3)
All other locations: five stories or 60 feet.
K.
Enclosed structures. All manufacturing shall occur within completely enclosed structures. See also § 275-171D(6).
L.
Setback from expressways: 100 feet minimum from the existing right-of-way of an expressway for all buildings.
M.
Setbacks from dwellings, setbacks from residential and agricultural districts and setbacks from municipal parks; requirements for berms.
(1)
Except as provided in Subsection M(3) below, industrial uses and areas routinely used for the parking storage, loading or unloading of two or more tractor-trailer trucks or refrigerated trucks shall be set back the following minimum distances from any dwelling, any residential or agricultural district boundary and any municipal park. Such setback may be used for private vehicle parking and similar uses within the other requirements of this article.
(a)
Industrial uses: 400 feet from the lot lines of any dwelling and any residential or agricultural district boundary and 300 feet from the lot lines of any municipal park.
(b)
Tractor-trailer truck areas: 400 feet from the lot lines of any dwelling and any residential or agricultural district boundary and 300 feet from the lot lines of any municipal park.
(c)
Refrigerated truck areas: 400 feet from the lot lines of any dwelling, any residential or agricultural district boundary and the lot lines of any municipal park.
(2)
Municipal park defined. For the purposes of this section, the term "municipal park" includes any and all publicly owned land which is designated as park and/or open space and any and all privately owned land which has been designated on the official map or by other formal action by the Board of Commissioners as reserved or intended for future acquisition for park and/or open space; provided, nevertheless, that the "municipal park" does not include:
(a)
Pedestrian, bikepath or similar linear park systems.
(b)
Lands within this district and dedicated to the Township pursuant to the requirements of § 230-60 of Chapter 230, Subdivision and Land Development.
(3)
Exceptions.
(a)
Such setbacks shall not apply if such industrial use, tractor-trailer truck area or refrigerated truck area is separated from such dwelling, residential or agricultural district boundary and municipal park by an existing expressway or a proposed expressway for which primary construction contracts have been awarded by the governmental agency having jurisdiction thereof for the final segment of the construction of all through-traffic lanes for such expressway.
(b)
The setback for tractor-trailer truck areas and refrigerated truck areas shall be a minimum of 200 feet if a principal building will completely separate such areas from any dwelling, residential or agricultural district boundary and any municipal park.
(c)
Where a municipal park is located within a residential or agricultural district and one or more lots lines of such municipal park is coextensive with the boundary of such district, the setback applicable to the lot lines of such municipal park shall apply rather than the setback applicable to such district boundary; provided, nevertheless, that the setback applicable to such district boundary shall continue to apply to the portions of such district not used or proposed for use as a municipal park and for this purpose the district boundary shall be deemed to be relocated within the district to the lot lines of those lots abutting such municipal park.
(4)
Any building that is not regulated under the above Subsection M(1) shall be set back a minimum of 150 feet from the lot lines of any dwelling, any residential or agricultural district boundary and the lot lines of any municipal park. Such setback may be used for private vehicle parking and similar uses within the other requirements of this article.
(5)
An earth berm shall be constructed within the setback areas required by this subsection meeting the following conditions:
(a)
Berm height shall be measured along a series of lines within the setback area perpendicular to the lot line. The height of the berm along each line shall be not less than eight feet above the highest elevation within the setback along such line.
(b)
The maximum slope of the berm shall be three feet measured horizontally for each one foot measured vertically. Therefore, for example, four feet horizontally to one foot vertically shall be permitted, while two feet horizontally to one foot vertically shall be prohibited.
(c)
The minimum width of the top of the berm shall be five feet.
(d)
The toe of the slope of the berm adjacent to the lot line shall be not less than 25 feet from the lot line. The distance from the toe of the slope to the adjacent lot line shall be increased as necessary to ensure than stormwater flows onto adjoining tracts are not altered in severity or flow characteristics from the predevelopment state.
(e)
The screening required by § 275-171 shall be placed towards the top on the residential, agricultural or municipal park side of the berm.
(f)
Any required detention/retention facilities for stormwater control shall be located on the business/industrial side of the berm. In no case shall a detention/retention pond be located between the berm and the lot line which separates the business/industrial district from the dwelling, residential or agricultural district or municipal park.
N.
Facade materials. A minimum of 75% of the facades of buildings facing onto streets consist of glass, brick or other decorative masonry. This provision is intended to avoid metal or cinder block construction, at least as visible from a street.
O.
Landscaped front yards. A maximum of 80% of the required minimum front yard setback area shall be maintained in landscaped green space. The intent is that the remaining 20% would be used for driveways, fire lanes, visitor parking, handicapped parking and walkways. Other vehicle parking is intended to primarily be placed to the side or rear of buildings.
P.
Landscaping. Section 275-172 shall apply.
Q.
Loading docks. An applicant shall prove to the satisfaction of the Township that loading docks routinely serving three or more tractor-trailer trucks have been located within reason to seek to minimize their visibility from dwellings, public streets and existing and planned expressways. No new loading dock routinely served by tractor-trailer trucks shall be located within 75 feet of the existing right-of-way of a public street.
R.
Bikeway. The Board of Commissioners may require that a recreational bicycle path be required to be constructed in place of requirements for sidewalks along streets. The Board of Commissioners may permit such bikeway be located outside of the street right-of-way if there is a satisfactory easement.
S.
Relationship to other districts.
(1)
Where a use is required to provide a buffer yard, berm or setback adjacent to an agricultural or residential district, such requirement shall not apply from a CR District boundary.
(2)
A lot in the LI District may extend into another district. Portions of a lot in the CR District may be used to count towards meeting minimum setbacks, maximum building coverage, maximum impervious coverage and stormwater requirements for a use in the LI district on the same lot if:
(a)
The applicant proves that the preservation of any existing healthy trees in the CR District will be maximized (except for areas utilized for stormwater facilities).
(b)
Parking areas are not placed in the CR portion of the lot to serve a use in another district.
(3)
Portions of a lot in the OB District may be used to count towards meeting minimum buffer, minimum setbacks, maximum building coverage, maximum impervious coverage and stormwater requirements for a use in the LI District on the same lot. Portions of a lot in the OB District may include stormwater basins and vehicle parking to serve a use in the LI District. However, portions of a lot in an OB District shall not include parking of tractor-trailer trucks or trailers to serve a use that is not allowed in the OB District.
(4)
A lot that extends across the LI and OB Districts may include uses allowed in the OB District on the OB portion of the lot, and uses allowed in the LI District on the LI portion of the lot. Therefore, for example, offices and private vehicle parking might be placed on the OB portion of a lot, and a manufacturing facility and trucking operations on the LI portion of that lot.
(5)
See the definition of "impervious coverage" which generally allows common open space to meet the impervious coverage restriction of an adjacent lot.
(6)
Wherever the abbreviation LI appears in this subsection, it shall also apply to the LI(P) District.
§ 275-108 Street access.
A.
No lot, use or planned business development shall have any vehicle access indirectly or directly of any type onto a public street that is classified as a local street if that local street abuts a residential district at or across the street from the point of access.
B.
As an exception to the above section, access to a local residential street shall be allowed for a street that is strictly limited and restricted to only access by emergency vehicles.
§ 275-109 Additional requirements.
[Amended 6-1-2026 by Ord. No. 06-26]
A.
Off-street parking. See Article XVII.
B.
Signs. See Article XVIII.
C.
Site plan review when applicable. See § 275-178.
D.
Buffer yards and screening. See § 275-171D.
E.
Performance standards. See Article XVI, especially § 275-132, Noise control.
F.
Uses with on-lot sewage. See Article XVI.
G.
Multiple use buildings. See § 275-169C.
H.
More than one principal building on a lot. See § 275-169B.
I.
Utilities. All commercial, industrial and institutional uses shall be served by both public water and public sewer service.
J.
Conditional use standards and criteria for delivery vehicle parking lot.
[Added 8-16-2021 by Ord. No. 07-21]
(1)
Minimum lot size for the delivery vehicle parking lot: two acres.
(2)
Maximum number of vehicles to be parked: 300, including electric vehicle charging stations.
(3)
Perimeter screening and buffering: along side and rear property lines: fence or evergreen hedge with minimum height of five feet within a ten-foot-wide buffer strip.
(4)
Lighting: All security and safety lighting shall be shielded to prevent off-site glare.
(5)
Location: A delivery vehicle parking lot shall be located within two miles of an interchange of Route 22 at Route 191 in a GI or LI District.
(6)
Site plan: A site plan shall be submitted to illustrate that all applicable setbacks have been met.
(7)
Streetscape enhancement plan: A plan shall be submitted to illustrate compliance with the provisions of Article XXXII, relative to the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District.
(8)
All design standards for off-street parking in § 275-144 shall be met, except that delivery vehicle parking spaces shall be at least 11 feet wide and 22 feet deep, and the lane width shall be at least 25 feet.
(9)
Land development requirements: All applicable impervious surface coverage, grading, soil erosion and sedimentation control, floodplain, wetland, woodland protection and other environmental regulations shall be met.
(10)
The parking lot for delivery vehicles shall be exclusive of all other parking for any other uses that may be located on the property.
(11)
Vehicle fueling and other vehicle services such as repairs shall not be permitted in a delivery vehicle parking lot, except for electric charging stations.
(12)
If a delivery vehicle parking lot is created within an existing parking lot, all other uses that utilize the parking lot shall meet the minimum parking requirements.
(13)
All other applicable provisions of Article XVII, Off-Street Parking and Loading, shall apply.
(14)
No storage of out-of-service vehicles.
