Downingtown City Zoning Code
ARTICLE X
C-2 Central Commercial District
§ 287-41 Intent.
The purpose of the C-2 Central Commercial District is to reflect and support the maintenance of existing properties, and to assure that future development and redevelopment are compatible with the downtown character of the Borough's central shopping area. Land within this district is expected to remain intensely developed and any changes or new uses, therefore, must be an integral part of a central business district system of parking, circulation and commercial activities.
§ 287-42 Use regulations.
[Amended 12-1-1999 by Ord. No. 99-14; 8-6-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-05]
A.
Uses by right. In the C-2 District, land, buildings and premises may be used by right for any one or more of the following principal purposes and no other, subject to Article IV and Article XIA:
(1)
Retail sales, except vehicular sales and/or service.
(2)
Personal service establishment, such as barbershop, beauty salon, shoe repair, tailor or cleaning and pressing.
(3)
Restaurant, tearoom, cafe, bar, retail bakery, confectionary or other places preparing, selling and/or serving food or beverages.
(4)
General business, professional, governmental and administrative offices.
(5)
Bank or similar financial institution.
(6)
Convenience stores.
B.
Accessory uses. The following accessory uses shall be permitted in accordance with the terms described herein:
(1)
Any accessory use on the same lot with and customarily incidental to any of the principal uses permitted under the terms of this article.
(2)
A helistop, as a use accessory to a principal permitted use in the C-2 District, when granted conditional use approval by the Borough Council in accordance with the terms of § 287-97 of this chapter.
C.
Uses by special exception. The following uses shall be permitted only upon the grant of a special exception from the Zoning Hearing Board, subject to the terms of this article and § 287-145, and subject to Article IV and Article XIA:
(1)
Dwelling unit or units in structures existing at the time of enactment of this chapter, when arranged to form an integral part of a building in which the ground floor or, at minimum, the front portion thereof is constructed and maintained, for any use permitted under Subsections A(1) through A(5) herein, and when in compliance with § 287-43I.
(2)
Any use of the same general character as the uses permitted in Subsection A above.
§ 287-43 Area and bulk regulations.
[Amended 12-1-1999 by Ord. No. 99-14]
Except as otherwise noted in § 287-42 above, the following regulations shall apply to all uses in the C-2 District, except as provided for in Article XIA:
A.
Minimum lot size: 2,500 square feet.
B.
Minimum lot width: 25 feet at the street line.
C.
Minimum front yard: none required.
D.
Minimum side yard: none required.
E.
Minimum rear yard: 25 feet.
F.
Maximum building coverage: 80%.
G.
Maximum other impervious surface coverage: 20%.
H.
Maximum building height: three stories or 35 feet, whichever is less; except as shown on the Zoning Map for Zone 1 and Zone 2 of the Height Option Overlay Districts, taller buildings may be permitted in accordance with § 287-51D. Zone 1 buildings may be built by right up to five stories to a maximum of 75 feet; and up to seven stories to a maximum of 90 feet as a conditional use. Zone 2 buildings may be built by right up to four stories to a maximum of 60 feet to the extent shown in the Height Option Overlay Districts Map.
[Amended 8-1-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-10]
I.
Minimum building height: two stories and a minimum of 30 feet.
[Added 8-1-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-10[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the redesignation of former Subsection I as Subsection J.
J.
Dwellings in combination with nonresidential use: the standards in § 287-38K shall apply.
§ 287-44 Design standards.
The following design standards of this chapter shall, as applicable, govern all uses within the C-2 District:
A.
Signs: as required by Article XIX.
B.
Parking: as required by Article XVIII.
C.
Loading: as required by § 287-111.
D.
Access and traffic control: as required by § 287-80.
E.
Storage: as required by § 287-79.
F.
Interior circulation: as required by § 287-81.
G.
Lighting: as required by § 287-82.
H.
Central Business Revitalization Overlay District design standards: as required by § 287-51.1.
[Added 12-1-1999 by Ord. No. 99-14[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the relettering of former Subsection H as Subsection I.
I.
Any use within the C-2 District shall comply with the applicable requirements of Chapter 109, Building Construction, Article I, Building Code.
[Amended 12-1-1999 by Ord. No. 99-14]
§ 287-45 Plan submission requirement.
A.
In order to demonstrate compliance with the terms of this article, an applicant proposing any use authorized within the C-2 District shall submit a plan (map and text) to the Borough Zoning Officer, describing specifically how each standard in §§ 287-43 and 287-44 shall be addressed.
B.
Where the proposed use constitutes a subdivision or land development, as defined by the Borough Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance,[1] the plan submission requirement of that ordinance shall supersede the provisions of this section.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 256, Subdivision of Land.
