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Douglass Township City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XVII

Route 100/County Line Road Intersection East Shopping Center Overlay District

§ 265-142 Purpose.

In addition to the general goals listed in the statements of purpose, and elsewhere throughout the ordinances of Douglass Township, the purpose of this overlay district is:
A. 
To promote and maintain the safe, efficient circulation through the eastern portions of the Route 100 and County Line Road intersection area for commercial development by requiring such development to improve the existing roadways within and adjoining the district and to provide safe access to development sites.
B. 
To provide a suitable location for commercial development of food stores and related convenience retail to meet the growing needs of the Township's current and future residents, strategically located to reduce travel times and the need to access regional roadways.
C. 
To provide for the long-term development of the lands of the district to ensure that interconnectedness of roads, access points, pedestrian ways and other infrastructure results from the separate developments within and abutting the district.
D. 
Make sure that the new commercial development is served by sufficient public improvements to offset the possible negative impacts through sufficient infrastructure improvements and otherwise to allow for the proper development of the area.

§ 265-143 Applicability within boundaries.

The Route 100/County Line Road Intersection East Shopping Center Overlay District ("Intersection Overlay District") shall alter the uses permitted in the base GC General Commercial zone to the extent set forth herein if development is elected to proceed within the district pursuant to the terms under this overlay district.

§ 265-144 Establishment of Intersection Overlay District.

The Intersection Overlay District shall comprise the land areas within the General Commercial GC District immediately east of the Route 100/County Line Road Intersection, as indicated on the Douglass Township Zoning Map.

§ 265-145 Prerequisites to application of Intersection Overlay District.

To appropriately benefit from the requirements of this district, development applications shall be limited to the following:
A. 
Tract size. A minimum of four developable acres.
B. 
Access. The tract must provide frontage suitable for access purposes on two collector roads.
C. 
No retail strip. To avoid the development of a retail strip, a tract developed pursuant to the Intersection Overlay shall not directly abut a tract to which this overlay has been applied.

§ 265-146 Use regulations.

A. 
The following uses are permitted by right:
(1) 
Use D-4: Bank/Financial Institution.
(2) 
Use D-8: Convenience Store.
(3) 
Use D-24: Retail Establishment.
(4) 
Use D-22: Restaurant, Dine-In.
(5) 
Use D-23: Restaurant, Take Out.
(6) 
Use D-29: Supermarket/Grocery Store.
(7) 
Use E-2: Business/Professional Office.
(8) 
Use D-16: Microbrewery/Microwinery/Microdistillery.
(9) 
Use F-5: Parkland.
B. 
The following uses are permitted by conditional use:
(1) 
Use D-25: Shopping Center, to include any of the uses listed above in 265-146A.

§ 265-147 Dimensional standards.

Unless otherwise modified within this section, the standards of the GC General Commercial District shall apply. However, where the following standards are applicable, the standards as set forth herein shall supersede and apply:
A. 
The maximum individual retail use footprint shall be 85,000 square feet. The total combined use footprint area in all structures shall not exceed 120,000 square feet.
B. 
The minimum setbacks for buildings shall be 75 feet.

§ 265-148 Traffic movement.

A circulation plan shall be approved during the land development process to assure appropriate and safe access to the shopping center and all structures planned for the development. The following standards in addition to any other standards provided in any ordinance or applicable governmental regulation shall apply:
A. 
Where appropriate measures are taken to allow for safe and efficient internal and external traffic circulation around a commercial use structure is provided, direct access from an abutting road or street to said structure shall be permitted.
B. 
Where appropriate measures are taken to allow for safe and efficient internal and external traffic circulation, common driveways for internal circulation and parking aisles shall be permitted.
C. 
Appropriate pedestrian walkways, clearly marked and safely situated, shall be provided, including perimeter sidewalks where appropriate or necessary.

§ 265-149 Parking facilities.

Parking spaces shall be 10 feet by 20 feet with at least four parking spaces for each 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area (gross leasable area shall not include mezzanine areas which are not for use by the public), including all proposed uses.
A. 
Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with Article XXV, Off-Street Parking.
B. 
Landscaping shall be provided in accordance with §§ 230-43 through 230-52 of the Township's Subdivision and Land Development[1] Ordinance.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 230, Subdivision and Land Development.

§ 265-150 Structural design criteria.

Consistent with the intent of the district, and in order to mitigate the impact of various uses contemplated within the Intersection Overlay District, the following additional design criteria shall apply:
A. 
The development shall exhibit a consistent architectural style throughout, including the main and satellite buildings and structures. Primary building materials shall include brick, decorative masonry block, siding, stucco or comparable materials that shall be subject to the review and recommendation of the Planning Agency and the approval of the Board of Supervisors.
B. 
All building facades that face any public street, road or the on-site public parking areas will be treated as "front."
C. 
Facades and shall include the architectural elements common to the site.
D. 
Roof lines or parapets shall be varied and include peaks, towers or copulas at least every 200 feet in length or less if an appropriate architectural design cannot be obtained.
E. 
All air conditioning and other equipment that shall be roof-mounted shall be screened from public view.
F. 
Variations in color, materials, textures, overhangs, and setbacks of the building shall be provided to avoid an appearance of a large monolithic structure.
G. 
The site shall provide public gathering areas outside of the structures. Such areas may include seating areas near entrances to major stores, outdoor eating areas for customers related to retail uses and areas suitable for employees on meal breaks, and sitting areas where the pedestrian circulation system links to public transportation stops, or other appropriate locations. These public gathering areas may include elements such as shade trees, benches, tables, special paving surfaces, and other elements suitable to the specific purpose of each location. Public art is encouraged.
H. 
Architectural renderings shall be submitted with the plans.

§ 265-151 Public improvements and infrastructure.

A. 
Provisions shall be made for appropriate public improvements, including but not limited to street, road and utility improvements that are deemed necessary by the Township Board of Supervisors.
B. 
The applicant shall submit, at the applicant's expense, a traffic study prepared by a qualified professional containing an analysis of the transportation impacts of the proposed development and recommendations of appropriate alternatives for mitigating the impacts. The applicant may be required to submit, as part of or as a follow-up to the traffic study, preliminary designs for highway improvements deemed appropriate or desirable by the Township Board of Supervisors. The traffic study shall be considered, and the applicant shall mitigate significant transportation impacts to the satisfaction of the Township Board of Supervisors.

§ 265-152 Alternative development layouts and phased construction.

A. 
Development may proceed in phases that provide for uniform and regular expansion of the development in accordance with the criteria and standards for this district.
B. 
If the applicant is considering construction and operation of the development in phases, the applicant must present land development plans showing the full and final built-out of the development along with separate plans showing all site details at the completion of each phase. The final plan set to be approved as well as the record plans shall include each phase and the full and final built-out and shall be approved and recorded allowing for each phase, when completed, to operate as an approved development. All public improvements necessary for the planned shopping center shall be completed during the first phase and prior to use and occupancy of any structure.