Cheltenham Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XII
C2 Commercial Districts
§ 295-1200 Legislative intent.
A.
In expansion of the declaration of legislative intent and the statement of community development objectives found in Article I of this chapter, the intent of the C2 Commercial District is to:
(1)
Encourage a broad range of commercial uses in the Township that will serve residents and complement existing businesses.
(2)
Provide appropriate locations in the Township for neighborhood-scale commercial developments such as shopping centers, services, offices, auto-oriented businesses and other uses that rely traditionally on vehicular access and parking.
(3)
Provide regulations to minimize congestion and ensure safe traffic conditions within and near commercial centers.
(4)
Allow existing commercial properties to be appropriately redeveloped.
(5)
Encourage commercial development design that will reflect community identity and protect and enhance the character and property values of adjacent and nearby neighborhoods.
(6)
Provide safe and attractive access to shopping areas for pedestrians and provide for convenient use of public transit and bicycles.
(7)
Minimize the impacts of commercial parking and loading areas and buildings with mitigation measures such as landscaping, fencing, and buffering between commercial uses and neighboring residences.
(8)
Promote the principles of sustainable development by encouraging energy efficient buildings, environmentally sensitive site design, and walkable shopping districts.
§ 295-1201 Permitted uses.
[Amended 12-16-2020 by Ord. No. 2416-20; 7-16-2025 by Ord. No. 2492-25]
A.
A building may be erected or used and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes and no other, subject to the guidelines herein:
(1)
Class 1 uses permitted by right. The following uses are permitted by right, and shall not include A-12: Drive-Through Facility as an accessory use:
(a)
Use B-3: Banks and Financial Institutions.
(b)
Use B-4: Bed-and-Breakfast.
(c)
Use B-7: Clubs or Fraternal Organizations.
(d)
Use B-8: Commercial School.
(e)
Use B-9: Convenience Store.
(f)
Use B-10: Dry Cleaner (Dropoff only).
(g)
Use B-14: Funeral Home.
(h)
Use B-16: Laundry (Self-Service).
(i)
Use B-17: Mixed Use Building.
(j)
Use B-20: Personal Care Business.
(k)
(Reserved)
(l)
Use B-21: Professional Service Business.
(m)
Use B-25: Restaurant, to include outdoor dining facilities.
(n)
Use B-26: Retail Take-Out Foods.
(o)
Use B-28: Retail Store.
(p)
Use B-29: Supermarket.
(q)
Use B-34: Studios for Dance, Art, Music, Photography, Yoga, or Similar Arts.
(r)
Use B-35: Tavern/Bar.
(s)
Use B-36: Veterinary Clinic.
(t)
Use B-38: Pet Grooming.
(u)
Use D-4: Adult/Child Day Care.
(v)
Use E-1: Office Building.
(w)
Use E-3: Medical Office.
(x)
Use E-5: Professional Services.
(y)
Use H-2: Emergency Services facilities, including but not limited to ambulance and fire stations.
(z)
The following accessory uses on the same lot which are with and customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses and as provided for in Article IV herein:
[1]
Use A-2: Nonresidential Accessory Structure.
[2]
Use A-4: Commercial Vehicle.
[3]
Use A-5: Antenna Systems.
[4]
Use A-6: Fences and Walls.
[5]
Use A-8: Storage (Outdoor).
[6]
Use A-19: Accessory Ground-Mounted Solar System.
[7]
Use B-19: Parking Lot.
[8]
Use C-21: Microbrewery/Microdistillery/Microwinery.
(aa)
Use B-40: Short-Term Transient Lodging or Vacation Rental.
(2)
Class 1 uses permitted by special exception.
(a)
Use A-19: Accessory Ground-Mounted Solar System.
(3)
Class 2 uses permitted by right. In addition to all of the preceding Class 1 uses, the following uses are permitted by right on lots with a minimum of 30,000 square feet of lot area and 100 feet of lot width at the building line.
(a)
Use B-1: Automotive Sales.
(b)
Use B-2: Automotive Service.
(c)
Use B-5: Building Materials.
(d)
Use B-23: Rental Agencies (Vehicles).
(e)
Use B-31: Shopping Center.
(f)
Use F-1: Amusement Arcade.
(g)
Use F-2: Athletic/Health Club and other exercise facilities greater than 8,000 square feet of floor area.
(h)
Use F-6: Indoor Recreation.
(i)
The following accessory uses on the same lot which are with and customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses and as provided for in Article IV herein:
[1]
Use A-2: Nonresidential Accessory Structure.
[2]
Use A-4: Commercial Vehicle.
[3]
Use A-5: Antenna Systems.
[4]
Use A-6: Fences and Walls.
[5]
Use A-8: Storage (Outdoor).
[6]
Use A-12: Drive-Through Facility.
[7]
Use A-19: Accessory Ground-Mounted Solar System.
[8]
Use B-19: Parking Lot.
[9]
Use C-21: Microbrewery/Microdistillery/Microwinery.
(4)
Class 2 uses permitted by special exception. The following uses are permitted by special exception on lots with a minimum of 30,000 square feet of lot area and 100 feet of lot width at the building line:
§ 295-1202 Dimensional standards.
A.
Class 1 uses permitted by right. Lots proposed for Class 1 uses shall comply with the following dimensional requirements:
(1)
Minimum lot area and width. A lot area of not less than 2,500 square feet and a lot width of not less than 25 feet at the street line and extending from the street line to the depth of the rear yard shall be provided for every building or group of buildings hereafter erected, altered, or used in this district.
(2)
Maximum building coverage. No more than 60% of the total lot area shall be covered with buildings.
(3)
Maximum impervious coverage. No more than 75% of the total lot area shall be covered with impervious surfaces.
(4)
Minimum green area. Not less than 25% of the total lot area shall be grass or landscaped.
(5)
Minimum building setbacks:
(a)
Front yard. There shall be a front yard the depth of which shall be at least 15 feet, provided that, in the case of a lot extending through from one street to another, the street lines of which are not more than 150 feet apart, the depth of the front yard on the rear street line may be decreased when authorized as a special exception. In the case of a corner lot, a front yard shall be required on each street on which the lot abuts, provided that, in the case of a corner lot held in single and separate ownership at the effective date of this chapter of a width less than 50 feet, the depth of the front yard on the long side may be decreased when authorized as a special exception.
(b)
Side yard(s). There shall be two side yards, one on each side of the principal building, each at least 10 feet wide, provided that, in the case of a lot held in single and separate ownership at the effective date of this chapter of a width of less than 50 feet, a building may be built thereon with side yards of less width when authorized as a special exception. If a building is over 40 feet high, the width of both side yards shall be increased five feet for each 12 feet, or portion thereof, by which the building exceeds 40 feet in height.
(c)
Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard, the depth of which shall be at least 25 feet, provided that, in the case of a lot held in single and separate ownership at the effective date of this chapter of a depth less than 100 feet, the depth of the rear yard may be decreased to not less than 15 feet.
(6)
Maximum building height. No building shall exceed 50 feet in height.
(7)
Minimum parking setback. Parking areas shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the ultimate street right-of-way or property line for the entire perimeter of the property. Parking and loading areas shall comply with all applicable requirements of the parking and loading section of this chapter.
(8)
Minimum landscaped buffer to residential districts. There shall be maintained a buffer area, except where a public right-of-way intervenes, the depth of which shall be at least eight feet measured from the district boundary line on a lot area of not more than 5,000 square feet. For each additional 1,000 square feet of lot area, there shall be an additional foot of depth of buffer area up to 15,000 square feet; thereafter, for each additional 1,000 square feet of lot area, there shall be 1/2 foot of depth of buffer area required. Buffers adjacent to a residential use shall be continuously screened by a combination of a six-foot high solid wall/fence and screen plantings. Use of native species is encouraged; invasive species identified by the Township shall be prohibited. Screen plantings shall include a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, and may include noninvasive vines, ornamental plantings, and grasses.
B.
Class 2 uses permitted by right. Lots proposed for Class 2 uses shall comply with the following dimensional requirements:
(1)
Minimum lot area and width. A lot area of not less than 30,000 square feet and a lot width of not less than 100 feet at the street line and extending from the street line to the depth of the rear yard shall be provided for every building or group of buildings hereafter erected, altered, or used in this district.
[Amended 6-20-2018 by Ord. No. 2371-18]
(2)
Maximum building coverage. No more than 50% of the total lot area shall be covered with buildings.
(3)
Maximum impervious coverage. No more than 65% of the total lot area shall be covered with impervious surfaces.
(4)
Minimum green area. Not less than 35% of the total lot area shall be grass or landscaped.
(5)
Minimum building setbacks:
(a)
Front yard. There shall be a front yard the depth of which shall be at least 25 feet, provided that, in the case of a lot extending through from one street to another, the street lines of which are not more than 150 feet apart, the depth of the front yard on the rear street line may be decreased when authorized as a special exception.
(b)
Side yard(s). There shall be two side yards, one on each side of the principal building, each at least 15 feet wide, provided that, in the case of a lot held in single and separate ownership at the effective date of this chapter of a width of less than 100 feet, a building may be built thereon with side yards of less width when authorized as a special exception. If a building is over 40 feet high, the width of both side yards shall be increased five feet for each 12 feet, or portion thereof, by which the building exceeds 40 feet in height.
(c)
Rear yard. There shall be a rear yard, the depth of which shall be at least 25 feet, provided that, in the case of a lot held in single and separate ownership at the effective date of this chapter of a depth less than 100 feet, the depth of the rear yard may be decreased to not less than 15 feet.
(6)
Maximum building height. No building shall exceed 50 feet in height.
(7)
Minimum parking setback. Parking areas shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the ultimate street right-of-way or property line for the entire perimeter of the property. Parking and loading areas shall comply with all applicable requirements of the parking and loading section of this chapter, except § 295-2301C(5), in "Location of surface parking," which shall not apply to Class 2 uses within this district.
(8)
Minimum landscaped buffer to residential districts. There shall be maintained a buffer area, except where a public right-of-way intervenes, the depth of which shall be at least 25 feet measured from the district boundary line on a lot area of not more than 30,000 square feet. For each additional 1,000 square feet of lot area, there shall be an additional foot of depth of buffer area up to 15,000 square feet; thereafter, for each additional 1,000 square feet of lot area, there shall be 1/2 foot of depth of buffer area required. Buffers adjacent to a residential use shall be continuously screened by a combination of a six-foot high solid wall/fence and screen plantings. Use of native species is encouraged; invasive species identified by the Township shall be prohibited. Screen plantings shall include a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, and may include noninvasive vines, ornamental plantings, and grasses.
§ 295-1203 Design standards.
[Added 6-20-2018 by Ord. No. 2371-18]
A.
Architectural design standards have been incorporated into this district to ensure that the size and proportions of development create a pedestrian-friendly shopping environment at the street level within and around the project. Requirements in this section apply to all building facades of Class One and Class Two uses.
(1)
Building massing. The massing of all buildings shall be de-emphasized in a variety of ways to enhance the visual quality of the development and contribute to a human-scaled environment at the street level. Large building shall include vertical and horizontal elements such as facade jogs, towers, balconies, bays, roof gables, and dormers to create the appearance of smaller-scale buildings. All buildings shall feature a proportionate and distinct base, middle, and top. Multistory buildings shall articulate the line between the ground and upper levels with a cornice, canopy, arcade, balcony, material change, or similar three-dimensional visual device.
(2)
Outdoor spaces around buildings. Buildings shall include elements such as courtyards, balconies, arcades, terraces and plazas to create and interact with pedestrian-oriented outdoor spaces.
(3)
Facade articulation and composition. The facade(s) of buildings fronting on public streets and public parking areas shall include design elements to break up the appearance of blank walls, such as awnings, setbacks, window bays, and other vertical elements and openings. Setbacks shall be of a depth adequate to create visually distinct sections of the building. Individual storefronts shall be defined and articulated through distinct architectural elements, provided that all storefronts in a building or related group of buildings create an architecturally cohesive whole.
(4)
Building entrances. Principal buildings shall have clearly defined, highly visible customer entrances, accentuated with appropriate architectural features, lighting and landscaping elements. All public entrance doors shall be at least 50% transparent.
(5)
Windows. The ground floor of all building facades fronting on a public street or parking area shall be at least 50% clear windows and doors. At least 50% of each window surface shall be fully transparent. Every storefront shall include at least one display window that allows customers to see activity and lights inside the building. Windows on upper floors or any other tier of windows on a building's facade shall be vertically aligned with the location of windows and doors on the ground floor to the greatest extent.
(6)
Use B-31: Shopping centers exceeding 50,000 square feet in gross leasable floor area shall also comply with the following standards:
(a)
Ground-floor facades that face public streets or public parking areas shall have display windows, awnings, arcades, or other such features along not less than 60% of their horizontal length.
(b)
All sides of a shopping center that front on a public area or public street shall have at least one customer entrance that is clearly defined by architecture and landscaping.
(7)
Exterior lighting. All exterior lighting shall be designed to prevent glare onto adjacent properties. Pedestrian pathways outside of buildings need to be clearly marked and well lit. Lighting shall be sufficient for safety, security and identification without allowing light to trespass onto adjacent sites. The height of fixtures shall be 24 feet for parking lots and a maximum of 16 feet for pedestrian walkways.