Bridgeport City Zoning Code
ARTICLE III
Districts
§ 560-19 Designation of Districts and Purposes.
A.
For the purpose of this chapter, Bridgeport Borough is hereby divided into the following zoning districts, with the following abbreviations:
OS | Open Space District | |
R1 | Low Density Residential District | |
R2 | Medium Density Residential District | |
R3 | High Density Residential District | |
INR | Institutional/Residential | |
NC | Neighborhood Commercial District | |
GC | General Commercial District | |
LIC | Light Industrial Commercial District | |
LIC(R) | Light Industrial Commercial District (Residential Option) | |
GIC | General Industrial Commercial District | |
MUR | Mixed Use Riverfront District |
C.
Overlay districts: The Floodplain Area, as defined by Article V, shall serve as an overlay district to the applicable underlying districts.
D.
Purposes of each district: In addition to serving the overall purposes of this chapter, the specific purposes of each zoning district are summarized below.
(1)
OS Open Space District. To provide for very low-intensity development in areas with significant important natural features, such as wetlands, flood-prone lands and very steeply sloped areas. To assist in protecting the water quality and habitats along creeks. To recognize the larger parks open to the public.
(2)
R1 Low Density Residential District. To provide for low-density residential neighborhoods that are primarily composed of single-family detached dwellings. To protect these areas from incompatible uses. To encourage owner occupancy and neighborhood stability.
(3)
R2 Medium Density Residential District. To provide for medium-density residential neighborhoods. To protect these areas from incompatible uses. To encourage "one home, one lot" development in order to promote home ownership and neighborhood stability. To make sure that infill development is consistent with neighboring development.
(4)
R3 High Density Residential District. To provide for medium-high-density residential neighborhoods with a mix of housing types. To protect these areas from incompatible uses.
(5)
INR Institutional Residential District. To provide for places of worship and selected similar institutional uses that are compatible with nearby neighborhoods. To also provide for medium-density residential uses.
(6)
NC Neighborhood Commercial District. To promote pedestrian-oriented activities in the downtown. To strengthen the downtown and commercial areas that are close to homes. To recognize commercial areas that are close to residential areas, as opposed to commercial areas that are more highway-oriented. To promote an appropriate mix of retail, service, office, public, institutional and residential uses. To avoid heavy commercial uses that are most likely to conflict with nearby neighborhoods and which are most likely to spur demolition of historic buildings. To primarily provide for smaller-scale uses that utilize existing buildings, as opposed to uses that would involve substantial demolition. To recognize that the availability of off-street parking at the former Bridgeport Elementary School makes it more suitable for commercial reuse than other institutional buildings in the Borough.
(7)
GC General Commercial District. To provide for a wide mix of commercial uses in areas that are not historic and not surrounded by many homes. To recognize commercial areas that are more highway-oriented. To provide for uses that are more auto-related than uses in the NC Districts.
(8)
LIC Light Industrial Commercial District. To provide for light industrial, office and related commercial development in a manner that is compatible with any nearby homes. To carefully control the types of industrial operations to avoid nuisances (such as excessive noise) and hazards. To encourage the preservation of key historic buildings.
(9)
LIC(R) Light Industrial Commercial District (Residential Option). To serve the same purposes as the LIC District. To also provide for historic rehabilitation of large older industrial buildings for use as apartments or condominiums.
(10)
GIC General Industrial Commercial District. To provide for a wide variety of industrial and commercial uses in locations that are not adjacent to neighborhoods. To meet requirements of state law to provide opportunities for a wide range of business uses. To carefully control industrial uses to avoid significant nuisances and hazards, particularly to neighboring residences.
§ 560-20 Application of district regulations.
A.
The regulations set by this chapter shall apply uniformly to each class or kind of structure or land, except as provided for in this chapter.
B.
No structure shall hereafter be erected, used, constructed, reconstructed, structurally altered or occupied and no land shall hereafter be used, developed or occupied unless it is in conformity with the regulations herein specified for the use and district in which it is located.
C.
No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this chapter shall be reduced in dimension or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this chapter shall meet at least the minimum requirements established by this chapter.
D.
Boundary change. Any territory which may hereafter become part of the Borough through annexation or a boundary adjustment shall be classified as the R1 Zoning District of Bridgeport Borough until or unless such territory is otherwise classified by Borough Council.
§ 560-21 Zoning Map.
A.
A map entitled "Borough of Bridgeport Zoning Map" accompanies this chapter and is declared a part of this chapter. The Official Zoning Map, which should bear the adoption date of this chapter and the words "Official Zoning Map," shall be retained in the Borough Hall.
B.
Map changes: Changes to the boundaries and districts of the Official Zoning Map shall only be made in conformity with the amendment procedures specified in the State Municipalities Planning Code.[1] All changes should be noted by date with a brief description of the nature of the change, either on the Map or within an appendix to this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
C.
Replacement map: If the Official Zoning Map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost or difficult to interpret because of changes and additions, or needs to have drafting errors or omissions corrected, Borough Council may, by resolution, adopt a new copy of the Official Zoning Map which shall supersede the prior Official Zoning Map. Unless the prior Official Zoning Map has been lost or has been totally destroyed, the prior map or any remaining parts shall be preserved, together with all available records pertaining to its previous adoption or amendment.
§ 560-22 District boundaries.
The following rules shall apply where uncertainty exists as to boundaries of any district as shown on the Zoning Map.
A.
District boundary lines are intended to follow or be parallel to the center line of street rights-of-way, streams and railroads, and lot lines as they existed on a recorded deed or plan of record in the County Recorder of Deeds' office at the time of the adoption of this chapter, unless such district boundary lines are fixed by dimensions as shown on the Official Zoning Map.
B.
Where a district boundary is not fixed by dimensions and where it approximately follows lot lines, such boundary shall be construed to follow such lot lines unless specifically shown otherwise.
C.
The location of a district boundary on unsubdivided land or where a district boundary divides a lot shall be determined by the use of the scale appearing on the Zoning Map unless indicated otherwise by dimensions.
D.
Where a municipal boundary divides a lot, the minimum lot area shall be regulated by the municipality in which the principal use(s) are located, unless otherwise provided by applicable case law. The land area within each municipality shall be regulated by the use regulations and other applicable regulations of each municipality.
§ 560-23 Setbacks across municipal boundaries.
A.
Intent: To continue the objective of compatible land uses across municipal boundaries.
B.
This chapter requires additional setbacks and the provision of buffer yards when certain uses would abut an existing dwelling or a residential zoning district.
C.
These same additional setback and buffer yard provisions shall be provided by uses proposed within Bridgeport Borough regardless of whether such abutting existing dwelling or principally residential zoning district is located in an abutting municipality and/or in Bridgeport.
§ 560-24 Table of Permitted Uses by District.
A.
Editor's Note: The Table of Permitted Uses by District is included at the end of this chapter; see Attachments 1 and 2.
B.
Unless otherwise provided by law or specifically stated in this chapter, any land or structure shall only be used or occupied for a use specifically listed in this chapter as permitted in the zoning district where the land or structure is located. Such uses shall only be permitted if the use complies with all other requirements of this chapter.
C.
Permitted accessory uses in all districts. An accessory use of a dwelling is only permitted if such use is customarily incidental to the residential use and is specifically permitted by this chapter. The following are permitted by right as accessory uses to a lawful principal use in all districts, within the requirements of § 560-30 and all other requirements of this chapter:
(1)
Standard antennas, including antennas used by contractors to communicate with their own vehicles*.
(3)
Garage, household.
(4)
Garage sale*.
(5)
Pets, keeping of*.
(6)
Parking or loading, off-street, only to serve a use that is permitted in that district.
(7)
Recreational facilities, limited to use by: residents of a development or students at a primary or secondary school or center for the care and treatment of youth, and their occasional invited guests.
(10)
Swimming pool, household*.
D.
Permitted accessory uses to business and institutional uses. The following are permitted by right accessory uses only to a permitted by right, special exception or conditional commercial, industrial or institutional use, provided that all requirements of this chapter are met:
§ 560-25 Dimensional requirements in each district.
A.
The following area, yard and building requirements shall apply for the specified zoning district, unless a more restrictive requirement for a specific use is required by § 560-29 or 560-30 or another section of this chapter. All measurements shall be in feet unless otherwise stated. See definitions of terms (such as lot width) in § 560-18. Editor's Note: The Table of Dimensional Requirements in Each District is included at the end of this chapter; see Attachment 3.
B.
Height: The following height provisions shall apply unless specifically stated otherwise for a specific use.
(1)
Within the OS, R1, R2, R3 and INR Districts:
(a)
The maximum height for structures that are accessory to dwellings shall have a maximum height of 1.5 stories (with the half-story limited to nonhabitable storage areas) or 25 feet, whichever is more restrictive; and
(b)
The maximum height for other structures shall be three stories or 40 feet, whichever is more restrictive.
(2)
The maximum height of senior housing within the R3 District may be increased under footnote "5" as provided in the Table of Dimensional Requirements.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said Note 5 states: "The lot area per dwelling unit may be reduced to 1,200 square feet and the maximum height may be increased to six stories or 72 feet, whichever is more restrictive, if a lot includes six or more dwelling units and all the units are permanently restricted by deeds and leases to persons age 62 and older, the physically handicapped and their spouses."
(3)
Within all other districts, the maximum height for all buildings shall be six stories or 72 feet, whichever is more restrictive, provided that the maximum height shall be 40 feet within 40 feet of an existing primarily residential use within a residential district.
§ 560-26 Residential uses in the LIC(R) District.
A.
Purposes: to provide an alternative use for large older industrial buildings within selected areas; to minimize conflicts between business and residential uses.
B.
Uses: Rental, condominium or cooperative apartments shall be allowed in the LIC(R) District as a special exception use, provided that all of the following requirements are met:
(1)
Apartments shall only be allowed as a conversion of a building(s) that existed prior to the adoption of this chapter and shall not be allowed within any building constructed after the adoption of this chapter.
(2)
The applicant shall prove to the satisfaction of the Zoning Hearing Board that the residential uses will be able to occur in a manner that will not create conflicts with nearby business uses. Particular attention shall be paid to potential safety hazards regarding proximity of any hazardous material handling or storage and conflicts involving truck traffic and unloading operations.
(a)
To address potential conflicts, the Zoning Hearing Board may, as a condition of the special exception, require limitations on the location of trucking operations and/or hazardous material operations and use of noise control measures on property under the control of the applicant.
(3)
The applicant shall provide evidence that professional analysis has been conducted of possible environmental contamination of the building and land area proposed for residential use. The applicant shall also, in writing, describe:
(a)
Any past and proposed remediation measures; and
(b)
The level of compliance with any applicable state and federal remediation regulations. However, zoning approval under this chapter shall not constitute any guarantee or warranty by the Borough of Bridgeport that the property is suitable for residential use from an environmental perspective.
(4)
The residential use shall be limited to within existing buildings, except that minor additions may be constructed to improve emergency exits and handicapped access, add architectural interest and accommodate amenities, provided that setback requirements are met for new construction.
(5)
The residential use may occur within the same building as permitted uses that do not involve manufacturing or bulk storage of hazardous materials. Such permitted uses include, but are not limited to, offices, retail sales, exercise clubs and restaurants.
§ 560-27 Mixed Use Riverfront District.
[Added 8-26-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-003, approved 8-26-2003]
A.
Purposes: The Mixed Use Riverfront District provides flexibility in land use planning by providing criteria that allow a mix of uses in a designated area. The district is intended to achieve the following purposes:
(1)
Provide for a mix of uses that will meet community planning goals and objectives.
(2)
Provide for orderly and creative arrangement of land uses with respect to each other within the district, those on adjoining properties and to the entire community.
(3)
Provide adequate and well designed open space for the use of district residents and the community.
(4)
Provide a means for review and mitigation of potential community and environmental impacts.
(5)
Provide for innovative design and zoning techniques.
(6)
Encourage innovative transportation strategies to reduce transportation impacts, improve safety, reduce congestion and provide adequate access.
(7)
Provide for a Mixed Use Riverfront District that is flexible and responsive to changes in land use market demands.
B.
Uses. Table 1 identifies the uses that are permitted by right or by conditional use in the Mixed Use Riverfront District. The uses in the Mixed Use Riverfront District are to include: open space, medium- and high-density housing, retail/commercial/business/light industrial workplaces, civic buildings, and parking.
NOTE: The section numbers in parentheses refer to additional requirements for specific uses in §§ 560-29 and 30 of this chapter. |
Table 1 Types of Uses in the Mixed Use Riverfront District [Amended 6-27-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-004, approved 6-27-2017] | ||||
Types of Uses (see Definitions in Article II) | Permitted Use | Conditional Use | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Residential uses: | ||||
Single-family detached dwelling | X | |||
Twin dwelling, side by side, with each new dwelling unit on its own fee-simple or condominium lot | X | |||
Townhouse/row house [§ 560-29A(34)], with each new dwelling on its own fee-simple or condominium lot | X | |||
Apartment [§ 560-29A(34)] | X | |||
Group home within a lawful existing dwelling unit [§ 560-29A(14)], not including a treatment center | X | |||
Commercial uses: | ||||
Bakery, retail (if less than 15,000 square feet) | X | |||
Bed-and-breakfast inn [§ 560-29A(9)] | X | |||
Catering, custom, for off-site consumption | X | |||
Communications tower/antennas, commercial | X | |||
Conference center | X | |||
Crafts or artisans studio (see also as "home occupation") | X | |||
Custom printing, photocopying, faxing, mailing or courier service | X | |||
Exercise club | X | |||
Financial institution (includes banks) | X | |||
Laundromat | X | |||
Massage therapy, certified, see "personal services" | X | |||
Mixed-use buildings | X | |||
Motel or hotel [§ 560-29A(15)] | X | |||
Office | X | |||
Personal services (includes tailoring, custom dressmaking, haircutting/styling, dry cleaning, shoe repair, and "message therapy, certified" (see also "home occupation") | X | |||
Picnic grove, private [§ 560-29A(24)] | X | |||
Recreation, indoor (includes bowling alley, roller or ice skating, batting practice; other than uses listed separately) | X | |||
Recreation, outdoor [§ 560-29A(26)], including miniature golf course, golf driving range, boating, fishing; not including uses listed separately | X | |||
Restaurant [§ 560-29A(28)] or banquet hall, without drive-through service | X | |||
Retail store (not including individual uses such as firearm sales and adult uses) (if less than 15,000 square feet) | X | |||
Retail sales as accessory to items manufactured, assembled or processed on the premises, providing the retail sales area does not exceed 5% of the total floor area of the use (if less than 15,000 square feet) | X | |||
Tavern which may include a state-licensed microbrewery (not including after-hours club) | X | |||
Theater, indoor, other than adult use | X | |||
Trade/hobby school | X | |||
Industrial uses (if less then 20,000 square feet): | ||||
Assembly or finishing of products using material produced elsewhere (such as products from plastics manufactured off site) | X | |||
Manufacture and/or bulk processing of the following, provided manufacturing occurs only indoors: | ||||
Apparel, textiles, shoes and apparel accessories (see also "craft studio") | X | |||
Ceramics products (other than crafts studio) | X | |||
Computers and electronic and microelectronic products | X | |||
Electrical equipment, appliances and components | X | |||
Jewelry and silverware | X | |||
Medical equipment and supplies | X | |||
Pharmaceuticals and medicines | X | |||
Scientific, electronic and other precision instruments | X | |||
Sporting goods, toys, games and musical | X | |||
Wood products and furniture (not including raw paper pulp) | X | |||
Packaging | X | |||
Photo processing, bulk | X | |||
Printing or bookbinding | X | |||
Research and development, engineering or testing facility or laboratory | X | |||
Warehousing or storage as an accessory use to a permitted principal use on the same lot or an adjacent lot or located in the same zoning district | X | |||
Institutional uses: | ||||
College or university; educational and support buildings | X | |||
Community center or library | X | |||
Cultural center or museum | X | |||
Day-care center, adult [§ 560-29A(2)] | X | |||
Day-care center, child [§ 560-29A(13)] | X | |||
Hospital | X | |||
Membership club meeting and recreational facility, not including an "after-hours club" or "tavern" | X | |||
Nursing home or personal care home/assisted living [§ 560-29A(22)] | X | |||
Place of worship [§ 560-29A(25)] | X | |||
Public/semipublic uses: | ||||
School, public or private, primary or secondary [§ 560-29A(29)] | X | |||
Borough-owned uses | X | |||
Emergency services station, which may include a supporting social club building or facility | X | |||
Publicly owned or publicly operated recreation or closely similar park open for public recreation use without charge | X | |||
Public utility facility (see also § 560-13) (not including commercial communications antennas) | X | |||
Swimming pool, nonhousehold [§ 560-29A(32)] | X | |||
U.S. postal service facility, which may include a leased facility | X | |||
Accessory uses: | ||||
Day-care center accessory to a lawful place of worship | X | |||
Day care, child [§ 560-30D(3)]: | X | |||
Group day-care home | X | |||
Family day-care home | X | |||
Helipad | X | |||
Miscellaneous uses: | ||||
Nature preserve, wildlife sanctuary or environmental education center | X | |||
Parking lot as the principal use of a lot | X | |||
C.
Procedures for development.
(1)
Development within the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall be consistent with the Master Plan for the Mixed Use Riverfront District as prepared by the Borough. The master plan shall contain the following information:
(a)
Perimeter boundaries of the district.
(b)
Land uses of adjacent properties.
(c)
Natural features that may impact development or should be incorporated into the district's development plan.
(d)
Proposed land uses for the district, including open space areas with approximate location and boundaries.
(e)
Proposed streets within the district and access areas into the district.
(2)
Preapplication meeting and sketch plan: A preapplication meeting and sketch plan of a proposed subdivision/land development plan within the Mixed Use Riverfront District is required of any applicant. This preapplication meeting and sketch plan shall be regarded as informational only where the major elements of any proposed plan can be reviewed and discussed. The preapplication meeting/sketch plan shall not be regarded as a formal application for the district nor shall the Borough take any formal action on the sketch plan.
(3)
Subdivision and land development plans submitted to the Borough for the Mixed Use Riverfront District must be consistent with the Master Plan for the Mixed Use Riverfront District and meet the applicable requirements of the master plan, and the Bridgeport Borough Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[1] in addition to the requirements of this article or any other provisions of the Bridgeport Borough Zoning Ordinance. In the event of a conflict between the requirements contained in this article and any other ordinance, the requirements of this article will apply.
(4)
The Master Plan for the Mixed Use Riverfront District may be revised by the Borough. Any subdivision/land development plans would be consistent with the revised plan.
D.
Design standards and provisions.
(1)
Area, setback and bulk requirements:
Standard | Dimensions | |
|---|---|---|
Minimum lot area | 8,000 square feet (1,600 square feet for twin dwelling and townhouse/row house) | |
Maximum building coverage/ impervious cover | 90% | |
Front setback | 0/10 feet, minimum/maximum | |
Side setbacks | 10/25 feet, minimum/maximum | |
Rear setback | 10/25 feet minimum/maximum | |
Maximum building height (for all uses) | 72 feet (see definition of "height" in Article II) |
(2)
Open space requirements:
(a)
A minimum of 25% of the gross land area of the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall be devoted to public and/or common open space. The areas set aside for open space areas shall be consistent with areas identified in the master plan for the district.
(b)
Borough Council may require dedication of part of the open space shown on the plan in one or several locations according to the following standards:
[1]
The land so dedicated is large enough to support active and passive recreation facilities for the proposed population densities and housing characteristics.
[2]
The land is accessible to the public and is viewable from a public street.
[3]
The land is located along the Schuylkill River and is accessible to the public.
(3)
Development requirements: Development within the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall be consistent with the master plan for the district and shall also meet the minimum/maximum requirements established by this section.
(a)
Open space/recreation.
[1]
A minimum of 25% of the gross area of the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall be designated for public recreation/open use.
(b)
Commercial.
[1]
A minimum of 5% and a maximum of 30% of the gross area of the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall be designated for commercial uses.
(c)
Residential.
[1]
A minimum of 15% and a maximum of 30% of the gross area of the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall be designated for residential use.
[2]
All residential units in the district must include a minimum of 1,000 square feet of living space.
[3]
Maximum permitted dwelling units may not exceed 28 units per acre.
(4)
Parking requirements.
(a)
Parking standards.
[1]
Townhouses: two per dwelling unit; apartments: 1.5 per dwelling unit.
[2]
Flexibility in the amount of parking provided is allowed, providing that the applicant sufficiently proves to Borough Council that the minimum off-street parking should be modified because of one or more of the following standards:
[a]
The applicant proves that parking will be shared with another use that will reduce the total amount of parking needed because the uses have different peak times of parking need and there is a legally guaranteed method to make sure that the parking will continue to be available during all the years that the use(s) are in operation.
[b]
The applicant proves that the parking demand for a particular use is unusually low because of some unusual and peculiar characteristic of the use.
[3]
Surface parking shall not occupy any part of any front yard. With the exception of corner lots, parking areas must be located to the rear or side of new or existing buildings. If an applicant can demonstrate to the Borough that parking in the rear is not feasible, the Borough may amend this requirement by conditional use. Off-street parking must be screened from views on public streets, according to screening standards in § 495-63 of the Borough's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
[4]
Where access is through the frontage, garages or carports shall be located a minimum of 30 feet behind the front facade of the structure.
[5]
Parking lots should be designed to facilitate interconnectivity between parcels in order to create comprehensive and efficient banks of rear parking areas and to eliminate the need for redundant accessways. The Borough may require access easements through parking areas to provide access to existing or future adjacent parking areas.
(5)
Landscaping.
(a)
Landscaping and buffering shall be in accordance with § 495-63 of the Borough's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
(b)
Buffer requirements will be determined by the Borough based upon the Master Plan for the Mixed Use Riverfront District.
(c)
Precise landscaping and buffering requirements may be adjusted to allow views of and access to the riverfront.
(7)
Utilities.
(a)
Sewage disposal: Development within the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall utilize public sewer service.
(b)
Water supply: Development within the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall utilize public water service. All water mains constructed shall meet the design and installation specifications of the public water supplier.
(c)
Other utilities: All other utilities servicing the Mixed Use Riverfront District shall be provided underground.
(8)
Pedestrian design standards:
(a)
Sidewalks are required along all existing and proposed streets (minimum four-foot width).
(b)
Paved pedestrian walkways, sidewalks or equivalent shall connect road frontage sidewalks to building entries, parking areas, open spaces and other significant pedestrian destination areas.
(c)
Public pedestrian access shall be provided between distinct uses through pedestrian access easements with a minimum width of 15 feet. Walkways between office buildings, retail establishments, housing areas and open spaces shall facilitate "walkability" in the Mixed Use Riverfront District. Direct pedestrian connections to public transit stops, retail uses and adjacent properties shall be accommodated, where feasible, within the overall land use plan.
(9)
Traffic and access standards:
(a)
Public right-of-way access with a minimum width of 25 feet shall be provided for all subdivided lots.
(b)
In the event that a commercial use with a traffic-generating business is designated for any lot, that lot must have adequate access and frontage along an existing or proposed public right-of-way.
(c)
The applicant shall demonstrate to the Borough Council that satisfactory provisions are made to prevent traffic congestion and hazards to the surrounding area. Provisions shall be made for safe and efficient ingress and egress to and from the development. The Borough Council may require a traffic impact study for any use in the Mixed Use Riverfront District when it determines that such a study is necessary to demonstrate the adequacy of the access points and streets for accommodating the traffic generated by the proposed use. Existing residential areas shall not be infringed upon by the significant volumes of traffic from the proposed use.
(10)
Sewer and water:
(a)
Borough Council may require a sewer and water impact study to determine the effect of the proposed use on capacity and operations.
(11)
Neighborhood impact:
(a)
The impact of the proposed use on the surrounding properties and neighborhood shall be considered. The use shall not adversely affect the general welfare or orderly development of the general neighborhood in which it is proposed. The scale, form and appearance of structures and open space should be compatible with the general character of the master plan. The applicant is encouraged to present evidence on the need for the proposed use, including data on the location of other similar uses in the Borough and surrounding areas.