Concord Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXXI
PBPD Planned Business Park District
§ 210-260 Purpose.
It is the purpose of the Planned Business Park District to provide for the combining of offices, stores and shops, service establishments, hotels and inns, conference facilities and limited industrial uses in a planned development alongside the principal arterial streets within the Township, which are U.S. Route 1, PA Route 202 and PA Route 322. It is the purpose of these regulations to encourage a diversification of uses in a unified project and, through interrelationship of uses and structures, to promote innovative design, efficient and effective circulation systems and to encourage the conservation of land and energy resources, minimization of auto travel and the location of employment, hotels and inns and retail centers in proximity to one another. In addition, the specific intent of the district is:
A.
To encourage the development of land and buildings along U.S. Route 1, PA Route 202 and PA Route 322 for a variety of uses, either individually or within the same building, for compatible mixed-use developments.
B.
To permit the development of functionally related land uses in a manner that is more efficient, environmentally sensitive and mutually supporting than conventional lot-by-lot independent development of each use.
C.
To minimize potential traffic hazards along U.S. Route 1, PA Route 202 and PA Route 322 by encouraging planned, physically integrated, multiple-use facilities which are easily accessible from those principal arterial streets and which utilize a reduced number of access driveways along those principal arterial streets when compared to conventional strip-type development.
D.
To minimize auto travel by maximizing opportunities for pedestrian movement and patronage of multiple facilities in a development which emphasizes the interrelationship of uses and structures.
E.
To establish a procedure that provides for:
(1)
The overall design and approval of the roads, streets, sewer, water, stormwater control facilities and common open space to be included in a planned business park at the inception of the business park; and
(2)
The phased design, approval and construction of some or all of the buildings to be included in the planned business park at a later date or dates.
§ 210-261 Use regulations.
A building or combination of buildings may be erected, altered or used and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes or a combination of the following purposes:
A.
Uses by right.
(1)
Hotel, motel or inn.
(2)
Conference facility.
(3)
Restaurant.
(4)
Retail shops and services; however, such uses shall not be permitted at a distance in excess of 1,000 feet from U.S. Route 1, PA Route 202 and PA Route 322 unless permitted as a conditional use subject to the provisions of Article XXVII.
(5)
Bank or financial institution.
(6)
Office building or buildings; offices for administrative, executive, professional or similar use.
(7)
Governmental or public service corporation building, grounds or facility or any other similar use, including utility office.
(8)
Health center, health club or juvenile or adult day-care facility.
(9)
Light industrial uses permitted by right in the LI Light Industry District pursuant to § 210-152A of this chapter; provided, however, that all such light industrial uses shall be set back at least 600 feet from U.S. Route 1, PA Route 202 and PA Route 322.
(10)
Parking structures which are accessory to the principal use or uses of the property.
(11)
Independent living facilities.
[Added 6-16-2015 by Ord. No. 364]
B.
Uses by special exception.
[Amended 1-2-2001 by Ord. No. 255]
(1)
Any nonresidential use of the same character as any of the uses herein before specifically permitted.
(2)
Outside treatment or storage of materials or waste products, where such materials are adequately enclosed by a fence erected of substantial materials conforming to the design of the building and where such use is accessory to a permitted use.
(3)
Commercial greenhouse or nursery.
(4)
Motor vehicle sales/rental.
(5)
Cellular towers.
(6)
Religious institution.
(7)
Educational institution.
C.
Conditional uses, subject to the provisions of Article XXVII.
[Amended 1-2-2001 by Ord. No. 255]
(1)
Indoor or outdoor place of amusement, recreation or assembly (not including drive-in theater).
(2)
Drive-through restaurants.
(4)
Retail shops and services in excess of 1,000 feet from U.S. Route 1, PA Route 202 and PA Route 322.
(5)
Any establishment that receives a transfer of a liquor license.
[Added 1-2-2007 by Ord. No. 309]
D.
Prohibited uses. Gasoline service stations.
§ 210-262 Yard and area regulations.
A.
Tract area: the minimum size of a tract for which the Planned Business Park District may be used shall be 25 acres.
B.
Minimum tract frontage on U.S. Route 1 or PA Route 322: 1,000 feet.
C.
Maximum building coverage: not more than 30% of the area within a planned business park may be occupied by buildings.
D.
Maximum impervious surface coverage: not more than 70% of the area within a planned business park may consist of impervious surface coverage.
E.
Minimum setbacks from streets:
(1)
Any building face to a principal arterial street: 75 feet; except that all buildings adjacent to U.S. Route 1, PA Route 202 or PA Route 322 shall be set back at least 100 feet from said principal arterial streets.
(2)
Any building face to a collector street located at the perimeter of the tract: 60 feet.
(3)
Any building face to a private street located in the interior of a tract: 15 feet.
(4)
Any building face to a parking space: 10 feet.
(5)
Surface parking areas to a principal arterial street: 40 feet; except that all parking adjacent to U.S. Route 1, PA Route 202 or PA Route 322 shall be set back at least 50 feet from said principal arterial street.
(6)
Surface parking areas to a collector street: 30 feet.
(7)
Surface parking areas to a private street: 15 feet.
F.
Minimum setback requirements for buildings and parking structures, measured from the tract perimeter: any building or parking structure shall be set back at least 50 feet from the tract boundary; except where the tract boundary abuts a residential district, in which case the building or parking structure setback requirement shall be increased to 150 feet.
G.
Minimum setback requirements for surface parking areas and interior roads, measured from the tract perimeter: any surface parking area or interior road shall be set back at least 30 feet from the tract boundary; except where the tract boundary abuts a residential district, in which case the setback requirement shall be increased to 50 feet.
H.
Minimum distance between buildings: all buildings shall be arranged in a group or groups of buildings, and the distance, at the closest point between any two buildings, or groups of attached buildings shall be not less than 25 feet, except where such auxiliary building shall be used for housing a transformer(s), tank(s) or is to be used as a hose house or for other items which are to be used within the building it serves.
I.
Maximum heights: no building shall exceed 40 feet in height; except that the building setback from the right-of-way line of a street shall be increased by four feet for every one foot of building height above 40 feet, up to a maximum height of 84 feet.
§ 210-263 Performance requirements.
See § 210-154.
§ 210-264 Waste storage and disposal.
See § 210-155.
§ 210-265 Other development requirements.
A.
All spaces between buildings and all parking, loading and unloading, access and service areas shall be adequately illuminated at night. Such illumination, including sign lighting, shall be arranged so as to protect the surrounding streets and adjoining property from direct glare or hazardous interference of any kind.
C.
Water towers, storage tanks, processing equipment, stand fans, skylights, cooling towers, vents and any other structures or equipment which rises above the roof line shall be architecturally compatible or effectively shielded from view from any public street by an architecturally sound method to be submitted by the developer. In addition, any satellite dishes, whether mounted on the ground or rooftop, shall be architecturally compatible or effectively shielded from view from any public street by an architecturally sound method to be submitted by the developer.
D.
Interior drives providing access to each building within a planned business park shall be designed with a minimum paved width of 24 feet and with curvatures so as not to prevent blockage of vehicles entering and leaving the site.
E.
All utility lines servicing the buildings shall be placed underground within the lot lines of the property.
F.
All trash, garbage, rubbish and debris of every kind shall be stored within the building in fireproofed rooms or containers, or in a screened and shielded courtyard area, and shall be collected and disposed of on a frequent basis as acceptable to the Township code enforcement official, by private collectors and at no cost to the Township. Refuse collection containers shall be provided at each bus stop within the proposed development.
§ 210-266 Landscaping regulations.
A landscape plan prepared by a registered landscape architect shall be submitted with each plan application. The plan shall identify existing and proposed trees, shrubs, ground cover, natural features such as rock outcroppings and other landscaping elements. The plan shall show the planting and/or construction details. When existing natural growth is proposed to remain, the applicant shall include in the plans proposed methods to protect existing trees and growth during and after construction. Other regulations that apply are:
A.
Areas to be landscaped. All areas of the site not occupied or to be occupied by buildings and required improvements shall be landscaped by the planting of grass or other ground cover, shrubs and trees.
C.
Tract buffer: along all tract perimeter boundary lines which abut any residential district, buffers shall be provided in accordance with the following regulation:
(1)
The owner shall place and maintain a planting area 25 feet in width containing hedge, evergreens, shrubbery or suitable vegetation of sufficient planted density to produce a visual screening appropriate to the topography, the existing vegetation and the use of adjacent land. Whenever possible, the owner shall make every effort to retain existing natural screening, such as vegetation and topography. Earth berms and/or fencing may be used in combination with vegetation to achieve the buffer but may not be used alone.
(2)
As an alternative to the possibly linear appearance of the minimum requirements above, applicants are encouraged to provide innovative, free-form buffers which need not be located entirely within the minimum required twenty-five-foot width. Such alternative buffers shall be subject to approval by the Township Council, who may seek the advice of technical experts in the review of the alternative plans.
§ 210-267 Permitted signs.
In any Planned Business Park District, signs shall be permitted subject to the following regulations:
A.
Entrance signs: entrance signs displaying the name of the planned business park development, developer, owner or operator, but not building tenants, shall be permitted at the intersection of an entrance drive and a public right-of-way or two public rights-of-way, provided that the following regulations are met:
(1)
The maximum surface display area of the sign shall not exceed 75 square feet on any one face.
(2)
The maximum height shall not exceed 20 feet.
(3)
The sign shall be set back a minimum of 25 feet from the existing curb line or edge of paving of the entrance drive or public roadway (not right-of-way), measured from the vertical plane established by the leading edge of the sign. In no event shall the sign overhang any parking area, drive or pedestrian walkway or be closer than five feet to a public street right-of-way or be installed in sight triangles necessary for the clear view of traffic.
B.
Freestanding signs for individual buildings or tenants or multiple tenants: freestanding signs identifying individual buildings, individual tenants or multiple tenants within a planned business park development or portion of a planned business park development shall be permitted, subject to the following regulations:
(1)
One freestanding sign shall be permitted for each individual building within a planned business park development.
(2)
The maximum surface display area of any one face of the sign shall not exceed 50 square feet, unless there are three or more occupants, in which case 80 square feet shall be permitted.
(3)
The maximum height shall not exceed 25 feet.
C.
Wall signs: signs mounted on the walls or facades of a building shall be permitted, provided that the following regulations are met:
(1)
The total area of all wall signs may not exceed one square foot of sign area per linear foot of wall, including windows, doors and cornices.
(2)
Wall-mounted signs shall be installed parallel to the supporting wall and project no more than 18 inches from the face of such wall and shall not extend above the roof line of such building. Chimneys, spires, towers, elevator penthouses and similar projections shall be considered above the roof line of buildings.
D.
Under-canopy signs: under-canopy signs not to exceed 10 square feet in aggregate sign area per tenancy or occupancy shall be permitted.
E.
Parking structure signs: no exterior signs identifying or advertising the name of the building, the name of the development, owner, operator or principal user of the building shall be permitted on any parking structure, excepting directional signs for traffic control.
F.
Directory signs: at each of the major entrances to the tract, signs for the direction of traffic to, or identification of, individual buildings or tenants within the development shall be permitted, provided that the following regulations are met:
(1)
The maximum surface display area of each sign shall not exceed 40 square feet on any one face.
(2)
The maximum height shall not exceed 12 feet.
(3)
Each sign shall be set back a minimum of five feet from the curb line or edge of paving of any public or private drive or collector drive, measured from the vertical plane established by the leading edge of the sign. In no event shall the sign overhang any parking area, public right-of-way or pedestrian walkway or be installed in a sight triangle necessary for the clear view of traffic.
(4)
Any directory sign may identify only the development's subarea name, building name and/or tenants.
G.
Traffic-control and directional signs: signs for the control of vehicular traffic shall be permitted, provided that the area of each sign shall not exceed four square feet in size. Except for street signs approved for use on public streets by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, no sign shall exceed three feet in height.
H.
Flags: flags of the United States of America, other sovereign nations, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Concord Township and the corporate flags of the planned business park development or its tenants shall be permitted, provided that the total number and location of such flags shall be subject to the review and approval of the Township Council.
I.
Calculation of sign area: for the purposes of this section, "surface display area" or "sign area" shall mean the entire area within a continuous perimeter formed by straight lines joined at right angles which enclose the extreme limits of the writing, background, representation or display of the sign face. The supports, uprights or structure on which any sign is supported shall not be included in determining the surface display area unless such supports, uprights or structure is designed in such a manner as to form an integral background of the display or conveys meaning. For the purpose of computing the allowable area of a double-faced sign, one sign face shall be considered.
§ 210-268 Off-street parking and loading requirements.
A.
Every planned business park shall provide adequate parking facilities, including but not limited to accessways, driveways, drive aisles, collector drives, loading areas, parking spaces, parking structures and pedestrian walkways to ensure the efficient circulation of vehicles and pedestrians in conformance with the requirements of this section. Where the permitted use of the development contains more than one parking use category, the parking requirements shall be the sum of the individual uses computed separately in accordance with this section. The number of parking spaces that shall be required is as follows:
(1)
Retail sales and service uses: 5.5 spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
(2)
Office uses: five spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
(3)
Restaurant uses: one space for each 50 square feet dedicated to patron use.
(4)
Hotel uses: 1.1 spaces for each rental room or suite. If a restaurant in connection with such a use is open to the public, the off-street parking facilities for such restaurant shall not be less than those required for a restaurant.
(5)
Conference facilities: one parking space for every four persons who may legally be admitted therein at one time under the state fire prevention laws.
(6)
Light industrial uses: 1.5 spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
(7)
Entertainment uses: one space for every three fixed seats or, where capacity is not determined by the number of fixed seats, four spaces for each 1,000 square feet of floor area devoted to patron use.
(8)
Other uses not specified herein: four parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
(9)
Independent living facility: 0.6 spaces per independent living unit.
[Added 6-16-2015 by Ord. No. 364]
B.
Each surface parking space shall consist of a rectangular area having dimensions not less than nine feet in width and 18 feet in length. Aisles serving such surface parking areas shall have a minimum width of 24 feet.
C.
In addition to the required off-street parking areas, there shall be provided off-street areas for the loading and unloading of delivery trucks and for the servicing of the buildings by refuse collection, fuel and other service vehicles, which areas shall be located at the side or rear of the building, shall be adequate in size and shall be so arranged that each may be used without blockage or interference with the use of the accessways or the automobile parking facilities.
§ 210-269 Special development regulations.
A.
Unified plan. Any development in a planned business park development shall consist of a unified, harmonious grouping of buildings, service and parking areas and landscaped spaces, planned and designed as an integrated unit.
B.
Ownership. The tract of land to be developed shall be in one ownership or shall be the subject of an application filed jointly by the owners of the entire tract, and in which it shall be agreed that the tract will be developed under single direction in accordance with an approved master development plan.
C.
Preliminary master development plan. The initial application for the approval of the development of a planned business park shall be accompanied by a preliminary master development, plan, or plans, containing all of the information required for preliminary land development plan submission under § 160-12 of Chapter 160, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Code. The preliminary master development plan shall depict the proposed road network; accesses to the proposed business park; off-site improvements (including the timing of such improvements); sewer collection, transportation and treatment facilities; water facilities; fire-protection facilities; stormwater control facilities; site landscaping; and common open space, if any. The preliminary master development plan may, but shall not be required to, show the location of proposed buildings on the site, but it shall show the location of any existing buildings.
E.
Application and review of final master development plan.
(1)
Within one year after the date of approval of the preliminary master development plan, the applicant shall file a final master development plan and all supplementary information, data and documents required by § 160-13 of Chapter 160, Subdivision and Land Development. The final master development plan shall conform in all respects to the preliminary master development plan.
(3)
Where the construction of the proposed planned business park is to take place over a period of time, the Township Council shall authorize submission of the final master development plan by section or stages of development, subject to the requirement that improvements in future sections or stages of development shall be constructed at the same time as the phase(s) for which such improvements are essential to the proper functioning of any aspect of a finally approved earlier section of the planned business park development.
F.
Application and review of land development plans for buildings within the planned business park.
(1)
Prior to the construction of any new buildings within a planned business park, the applicant shall file and obtain approval of a final land development plan depicting the location of such new building or buildings and all improvements associated with such new building or buildings, including landscaping. All final land development plans for buildings within the planned business park shall conform in all respects to the final master development plan.
(2)
Each final land development plan shall be prepared, submitted, reviewed and acted upon in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 160-13 of Chapter 160, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Code; except that the requirements for submission of final plans set forth in § 160-13A, B, and C of Chapter 160, Subdivision and Land Development, shall not be applicable to final land development plans submitted for a building or buildings within a planned business park.
G.
Further subdivision of tract. After the Township Council approves the final development plan for the development of a lot in the planned business park containing approval for the construction of more than one building, the subsequent division of that lot into a separate lot for each building for purposes of financing and/or conveyancing shall be permitted and is exempted from additional plan review requirements and/or the lot design criteria requirements of Chapter 160, Subdivision and Land Development, provided that the deeds conveying such separate lots for each building depicted on said final development plan contain covenants requiring the purchasers to, at all times, operate and maintain such lots in good order and repair and in a clean and sanitary condition; that cross-easements for parking areas and all appurtenant ways, pedestrian access and utilities shall be maintained between such lots; and that such covenants shall be subject to the approval of the Township Solicitor. The purchaser of any such lot shall so covenant and agree thereby to be bound by such conditions as set forth herein.