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Codorus Township City Zoning Code

ARTICLE VIII

General Commercial Districts GC

§ 250-28 Purpose of general commercial districts.

A. 
The purpose of the General Commercial District is to provide logical locations for the orderly development of those uses necessary to meet the community needs of the Township and surrounding area for goods and services of a general commercial nature.
B. 
This district is also intended to permit and encourage limited industrial development that will or can be made compatible with surrounding residential or farm areas. It is further intended that the standards of this district will constitute a harmonious and appropriate development, contribute to the economic base and otherwise carry out the purposes of this district.

§ 250-29 Use regulations.

No building or structure may be erected or used and no land may be used or occupied except for one of the following uses:
A. 
Principal uses:
(1) 
Stores and personal service shops such as barber, beauty, shoe repair, dry cleaning and laundromats.
(2) 
Business, professional and financial office.
(3) 
Restaurant, including both quick-service and sit-down restaurants.
(4) 
Cafe and other places serving food and beverages.
(5) 
Motel, hotel.
(6) 
Studio for teaching dancing, music, art or similar cultural activities.
(7) 
Specialty shops for custom work and articles to be sold on premises such as baking, dress-making, tailoring and printing.
(8) 
Public entertainment facilities, such as bowling alleys, miniature golf courses, golf driving ranges, and haunted houses.
(9) 
Mortuaries.
(10) 
Fraternal clubs, lodges and social recreational clubs.
(11) 
Municipal building.
(12) 
Fire station.
(13) 
Nurseries and greenhouses.
(14) 
Agriculture. (See § 250-77.)
(15) 
Veterinary office, including animal hospital. (See § 250-40.)
(16) 
Vehicle repair garages, sales, washing and storage areas.
(17) 
House of worship.
(18) 
Farm equipment sales, service, repair and storage areas.
(19) 
Apartment in conjunction with a commercial establishment.
(20) 
Medical, dental, research, or similar laboratories and clinics.
(21) 
Heavy storage services.
(22) 
Motor freight depot, truck terminal.
(23) 
Sawmill.
(24) 
Township owned and operated municipal recreation facility or park. (See § 250-68.)
(25) 
Medical center, office or clinic. [See § 250-51B(3).]
(26) 
Child day-care center. (See § 250-56.)
(27) 
Nursery school. (See § 250-56.)
(28) 
Events venue.
B. 
Accessory uses:
(1) 
Signs. (See § 250-83.)
(2) 
Storage. (See § 250-61.)
(3) 
Wind energy conversion systems. (See § 250-76.)
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(4) 
Any other use customarily incidental to any of the uses permitted by this section as principal uses.
C. 
Uses by special exception:
(1) 
Junkyard. (See § 250-33.)
(2) 
Automotive, gasoline or service station. (See § 250-53.)
(3) 
Industrial park. (See § 250-54.)
(4) 
Light manufacturing, including such uses as printing, publishing, soft drink bottling, packaging products, lace manufacturer, sewing apparel, electronic apparatus assembly, instrument making, tool and die making, cabinet making, electroplating metals, and molding plastic. (See § 250-54.)
(5) 
General manufacturing, including such uses as food processing, furniture, textiles, leather, rubber, paper, fabricated metals, machinery, stone, clay, glass, automobile dismantling plants, incineration, baling or treatment of junk, scrap, metals, rags and paper. (See § 250-54.)
(6) 
Extractive operations. (See § 250-43.)
(7) 
Solid waste disposal site. (See § 250-43.)
(8) 
Outdoor recreational use. (See § 250-59.)
(9) 
Trailer camp or campground. (See § 250-60.)
(10) 
Hospital. (See § 250-51B.)
(11) 
Nursing home or convalescent home. (See § 250-51B.)
(12) 
Personal care home. (See § 250-51B.)
(13) 
Adult day-care center. (See § 250-51B.)
(14) 
Rooming house. (See § 250-69.)
(15) 
Bed-and-breakfast inn. (See § 250-63.)
(16) 
Communication, transmitting and receiving facilities. (See § 250-42.)
(17) 
Use and storage of black powder, low and high explosives. (See § 250-64.)
(18) 
Solar farm. (See § 250-74.)
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(19) 
Wind farm. (See § 250-75.)
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
D. 
Accessory uses:
(1) 
Signs. (See § 250-83.)
(2) 
Storage. (See § 250-61.)
(3) 
Any other use customarily incidental to any of the uses permitted by this section as special exception uses.

§ 250-30 Dimensional requirements.

Any structure hereafter erected or any lot hereafter used or occupied for any lawful purpose shall provide for the minimum and not exceed the maximum dimensions as specified below.
A. 
Minimum front yard.
(1) 
For a nonagricultural use: 50 feet from center of road.
(2) 
For a principal or accessory building: 50 feet from center of road.
B. 
Minimum side yard:
(1) 
For a principal building: 15 feet.
(2) 
For an accessory building: 10 feet.
(3) 
For a nonagricultural use: 15 feet.
C. 
Minimum rear yard.
(1) 
For a principal building: 25 feet.
(2) 
For an accessory building: 10 feet.
(3) 
For a nonagricultural use: 10 feet.
D. 
Building height:
(1) 
Buildings devoted to farm use shall be exempted from height regulations excepting that no farm building shall exceed 80 feet in height.
(2) 
Maximum building height for a single-family dwelling shall be 2 1/2 stories or 35 feet, whichever is the lesser; however, no dwelling shall be less that one story in height. For all other structures, see § 250-35.
E. 
Building coverage. No more than 30% of any lot may be covered by buildings or structures.
F. 
Minimum distance from a dwelling not owned by the owner of the proposed building or structure.
[Added 3-13-2019 by Ord. No. 19-02]
(1) 
If the proposed building or structure has a footprint of less than 5,000 square feet: 20 feet.
(2) 
If the proposed building or structure has a footprint of 5,000 square feet or more but less than 20,000 square feet: 50 feet.
(3) 
If the proposed building or structure has a footprint of 20,000 square feet or more: 300 feet.
(4) 
If the proposed building or structure has a footprint of 20,000 square feet or more: 300 feet, except that such setback requirement may not exceed 200 feet from the property line.
(5) 
If the proposed building or structure is to house animals in a large livestock operation: 500 feet, except that such setback requirement may not exceed 200 feet from the property line.

§ 250-31 Lot area and width.

For each use permitted by right or special exception, the following lot area and lot widths are applicable:
Use
Minimum Lot Area
Minimum Lot Width
(feet)
House of worship
2 acres
200
All other uses
40,000 square feet
200
(Unless different requirements are set forth elsewhere in this chapter)