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Etna City Zoning Code

ARTICLE II

Form and Function

§ 615-10 Zoning Map.

A. 
The Zoning Map is composed of a series of zoning districts. The boundaries between zoning districts are, unless otherwise indicated, either the center lines of streets, alleys, rights-of-way, lot lines, railroads, rivers or such lines extended.
B. 
The water surface and the land under the water surface of all waterways not otherwise zoned are placed in the same zoning district as the land which it abuts as shown on the Zoning Map. Where the zoning districts shown on the Zoning Map are different on opposite sides of the water area, then the zoning district on each side extends to the center line or midpoint of the water area.
C. 
Where zoning district boundaries are not clearly fixed by the above methods, they will be determined by the use of the scale of the Zoning Map.
D. 
Where a street or alley shown on the Zoning Map is officially vacated by replatting or otherwise, the land formerly in such street or alley right-of-way is included within the zoning district of adjoining lot(s) on either side of the vacated street or alley. Where the street or alley was a district boundary between two or more different zoning districts, the district boundary is the former center line of the vacated street or alley.
E. 
When there is disagreement on the location of zoning district boundaries, the Zoning Hearing Board will decide, as the Board has the power and duty of interpreting the intent of the Zoning Map in accordance with the spirit and purpose of the Zoning Ordinance of Etna Borough.
F. 
Records of all Zoning Map amendments are located on file in Etna Borough's Municipal Building Administrative Office.
G. 
Etna Borough is divided into zoning districts as shown on the Zoning Map of Etna Borough, which is referred to as the "Official Zoning Map," together with all explanations on it, and is adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this chapter.
H. 
The Zoning Map of Etna Borough is identified by the signature of the President of the Borough Council, attested by the Borough Manager/Borough Secretary and bears the seal of Etna Borough under the following words: "This is to certify that this is the Zoning Map of Etna Borough, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania," together with the date of adoption of this chapter.
I. 
No changes of any nature are made in the Official Zoning Map except in conformity with the procedures set forth in this chapter. Any unauthorized change will be considered a violation of this chapter.
J. 
The Official Zoning Map, located in Etna Borough's Municipal Building Administrative Office, is the final authority as to the current zoning status in Etna Borough.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: A copy of the Zoning Map is included as an attachment to this chapter.
K. 
Any amendments, legally adopted to change any zoning district boundaries of the Zoning Map, are to be noted on the Map by ordinance number and date of adoption of the amendment.
L. 
Borough Council may by ordinance update the parcel lines as available from Allegheny County on the Zoning Map, noting the applicable date and source on the Map.

§ 615-11 Zoning districts and land uses.

A. 
Table 1 identifies which land uses are permissible in each of the Borough's zoning districts. After locating the zoning district in which the lot is located, use the listing of uses described in the table below to determine what uses are permissible by right, by conditional use and as a use by special exception. If no letter denotation exists, the use is not permissible in that zoning district. In accordance with Article VIII-A of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), the Borough shares some land uses with Millvale and Sharpsburg Boroughs. See the Zoning Ordinances of Millvale Borough and/or Sharpsburg Borough for any land use and corresponding definition that is not noted as permissible in any zoning district of Etna Borough.
Primary District Character
R1: Lower to medium density residential uses
R2: Moderate to higher density residential uses
C1: Locally oriented retail, office and support business uses in a traditional downtown setting
C2: Locally and regionally oriented businesses servicing a variety of nonresidential activities
I: Industrial and supporting nonresidentially geared uses servicing local and regional needs
RO: District that promotes locally and regionally geared civic spaces and additional redevelopment opportunities generally along the Allegheny River
Table 1: Principal Land Uses
R = Use by right; C = Conditional; S = Use by special exception
Land Use
Zoning District
R1
R2
C1
C2
I
RO
Residential Uses
1
Single-family dwelling
R
R
C
C
2
Two-family dwelling
R
R
C
C
3
Townhouse
R
R
C
C
4
Apartment
R
C
R
C
5
Mobile home park
6
Hi-rise residential
C
C
C
C
7
Boarding-house
8
Group care facility
9
Personal care boarding-home
10
All other residential uses
C
Land Use
Zoning District
R1
R2
C1
C2
I
RO
Nonresidential Uses
1
Amusement arcade
2
Animal hospital
C
3
All other nonresidential uses
4
Artisan workspace/sales
C
C
C
C
R
R
5
Auto sales/service and repair
R
R
6
Auto wrecking/vehicle salvage yard
7
Bakery/confectionery
R
R
8
Banks and financial institutions
C
C
9
Bed-and-breakfast
C
C
C
10
Brewery/brew pub/tap room
C
C
C
11
Building material yards or establishments
R
12
Catering service
R
13
Clinic, large-scale
14
Clinic, small-scale
C
15
Club/lodge
C
C
C
16
Commercial greenhouse
R
R
17
Community center
C
C
R
R
18
Community garden
C
C
C
R
19
Convenience store
C
R
20
Day-care facility
C
C
R
21
Day-care home
R
R
22
Emergency services
R
23
Essential services
R
R
R
R
R
24
Farmers' market
R
R
R
25
Forestry
R
R
R
R
R
26
Fuel/service stations
R
27
Funeral home
C
28
Grocery store/butcher shop/green grocer
C
C
29
Health/fitness club
C
R
30
Home-based business, no-impact
R
R
R
R
R
31
Home occupation
C
C
C
C
32
Hospital
33
Hotel/motel
C
34
Laundromat
R
R
35
Laundry and/or dry cleaning plant
36
Library
R
R
R
R
R
37
Light manufacturing
R
C
38
Livery
C
C
39
Manufacturing, processing, producing or fabricating operation
R
40
Marina, docks, portals for water access
R
C
41
Market garden
R
42
Medical office
C
R
R
43
Mixed nonresidential/residential
R
R
44
Municipal building
R
R
R
R
R
R
45
Noncommercial greenhouse
R
R
R
R
46
Parking lot or facility, public
R
R
R
47
Parking lot, private
C
C
48
Personal services
R
R
R
49
Pharmacy
C
C
50
Place of assembly/worship
C
C
C
51
Planned mixed use development
52
Printing, publication, and engraving plants
53
Professional and business offices
R
C
R
R
R
54
Public park, recreation area, playground
R
R
R
R
R
C
55
Public utility building
C
C
56
Research and development establishment
C
C
C
C
57
Restaurant, sit-down
C
R
58
Restaurant, take-out
C
C
59
Retail, small-scale
R
R
60
Retail, large-scale
C
61
Riverboat gambling
R
R
62
School, academic
R
R
R
R
63
School, commercial/other
R
C
64
Scrapyard
65
Sewage treatment facility
66
Sexually oriented business
67
Storage building for retail on premises
C
68
Storage firm
R
69
Tattoo shop
R
70
Terminal facility
R
71
Tower, communications
C
72
Tower, noncommuni- cations
R
73
Theater
R
74
Warehouse
R
C
75
Wholesale business
R

§ 615-12 Lot dimension and building type standards.

615 Lot Dim and Bldg Type Stds.tif
A. 
Dimensional criteria per street type and lot type (Code).
Street Type
Code
S1 Arterial
S2 Coll- ector
S3 Local
S4 Alley
S5 Way
S6 Lane
S7 No Outlet
A
Depth (min. feet)
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
B
Front lot line width (min. feet)
35
20
25
25
25
25
25
C
Principal struct- ures setbacks
Front
Min. feet
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
D
Max. feet
0 - Butler Street; average of adjacent lots - all others
Average of adjacent lots
E
Side
Min. feet
2
0
0
2
2
2
0
F
Max.
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
G
Rear
Min. feet
10
25
25
25
25
25
25
H
Setbacks
Parking setback
Front (feet)
NA
NA
NA
5
5
5
NA
Side (feet)
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Rear (feet)
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
Fences on side yard
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Accessory structure
NA
NA
NA
5
5
5
5
Building height (max. feet)
50
50
50
40
50
40
40
NOTE:
Accessory structure height shall be limited to 1 1/2 stories to a maximum of 20 feet: accessory structures shall be located no closer than five feet from any side lot line (denoted as letter H in above diagram) and five feet from any lot line on an alley, way and/or lane; See also § 615-13E(1)(b)[5]. No accessory building/structure, carport, parking pad or parking area will be permitted to be constructed unless there is at least 10-foot distance from the outer edge of the said carport parking pad or parking area to a building or structure of the abutting lot.
B. 
Building and street type schedule.
615- Bldg and Street Type Sched.tif

§ 615-13 General application types/submission items.

Land use applications to the Borough shall, at a minimum, contain:
A. 
Residential land use applications.
(1) 
Application form.
(2) 
Site plan with utilities.
B. 
Nonresidential land use applications
(1) 
Application form.
(2) 
Building elevation (at street).
(3) 
Parcel map.
(4) 
Site plan with utilities.
(5) 
Cross-section front yard to rear yard.
(6) 
Copies of highway occupancy permit, national pollutant discharge elimination system submissions, as well as Department of Environmental Protection and municipal authority application submissions.
C. 
Applications for land within the Riverfront Overlay shall follow a two-step process.
(1) 
Step 1: Development Overview. In accordance with the Borough Application Form for Land within the Riverfront Overlay, the development overview shall present the overall proposed development, relationship(s) of land uses, the scale, quantity and density of development, generally anticipated phasing and vehicular/pedestrian circulation.
(2) 
Step 2: Immediate Phase-Specific Plan. Following Borough Planning Commission review and recommendation associated with the development overview; the immediate phase-specific plan shall present the portion(s) of development that is proposed for Borough Planning Commission review and Borough Council approval.
D. 
Applications for land within the design overlay as submitted for Borough staff review.
(1) 
Application form and site plan package.
(2) 
Design overlay checklist. To uphold the intent of the community planning and development objectives and policies, these design standards are intended to apply to all development in the C1 District, including those proposed as part of building permit.
(3) 
Application review and approval process.
(a) 
These standards apply to the formal review of proposed development within the design overlay. The application review process is triggered for any applicant seeking new construction or exterior changes or alteration to an existing building. Conformance with the design overlay standards may be reviewed concurrently with development, change of land use or building permit application.
(b) 
Any application identifying a proposed request for modification to these standards shall be subject to Borough Planning Commission review and recommendation. Borough Council reserves the right to grant modifications to these standards based upon findings from application review and subsequent Planning Commission recommendation.
(4) 
The purpose of these standards is to provide regulations and written and graphic standards to:
(a) 
Implement the Borough's Comprehensive Plan and related planning documents.
(b) 
Create standards that are sensitive to the context of the Borough and architectural character of the community's traditional neighborhoods and downtown.
(c) 
Address the legislative intent of each design standard within this article.
(d) 
Promote general consistency of the built environment within the Borough. Buildings play a critical role in defining and activating streets which in turn define the Neighborhood Development Overlay area.
(5) 
Overall intent for general consistency.
(a) 
Borough intent.
[1] 
These standards are enabled by Section 708-A of the MPC, titled "Manual of Written and Graphic Design Guidelines."
[2] 
The sense of place within the neighborhood is intended to create a more functional and attractive outcome for the quality of life in the Borough.
[3] 
Images provided are intended to represent general applications of design or preferred examples, not specific details to specific sites.
(b) 
Standards.
[1] 
Planning design, construction and maintenance of new and/or redeveloped buildings, structures, public realm, landscapes and hardscapes are to be generally consistent with this article.
E. 
Criteria.
(1) 
Building location (build-to line).
(a) 
Objective.
[1] 
Buildings are intended to be located close to sidewalks, with parking located in the rear and/or side.
[2] 
Traditional development in the Borough's downtown is intended to form a continuous street wall along all streets.
(b) 
Standards.
[1] 
Buildings shall be located on a build-to line adjoining the sidewalk.
[2] 
New buildings on a block shall be located in alignment with existing buildings.
[3] 
For a lot with a front lot line of 30 feet or greater in width, a maximum of 25% of the front face of the building may be set back a maximum of three feet from the front line of the building.
[4] 
Buildings shall be located to anchor street corners, except where a Borough open space may be located.
[5] 
No accessory structure, utilities or dumpsters shall be located between the front line of a building and the front lot line.
615 Bldg Location.tif
(2) 
Building size and types.
(a) 
Objective.
[1] 
Smaller footprint mixed-use buildings are intended to predominate the building stock found in the overlay area.
[2] 
Maintain a diversity of building types based on the character of the overlay area and adjoining neighborhoods.
(b) 
Standards.
[1] 
New buildings shall be designed to be compatible in size with the predominate size of buildings on the same block.
[2] 
Vertical mixed-use buildings shall be maintained and created in the overlay area.
615 Bldg Size and Types.tif
(3) 
Building height.
(a) 
Objective.
[1] 
Redeveloped and infill buildings are intended to reflect the predominate height pattern of established development within the overlay.
[2] 
New buildings shall be at least two stories.
615 Bldg Height.tif
(b) 
Standards.
[1] 
The minimum height of principal buildings in the overlay shall be 20 feet.
[2] 
The maximum height of buildings shall be 50 feet unless otherwise defined by this chapter.
[3] 
Additional height is encouraged at gateway and corner locations for architectural features, such as designated entrances.
(4) 
Building frontage.
(a) 
Objective.
[1] 
Building configuration must reinforce the urban character of the Borough.
[2] 
Buildings must be designed to reinforce public streets and open spaces.
[3] 
Facade composition helps establish the visual interest of a building and determine how it blends in with its surroundings.
(b) 
Standards.
[1] 
Primary entrances of buildings must be located on public streets or open spaces and must be easily identifiable; buildings must not be oriented to front on parking or service areas.
[2] 
A minimum of 60% of the square footage of the facade adjacent to the right-of-way on the ground floor shall be window surface area. On each story above the ground floor, the facade of said story shall have a transparency of at least 35% of the gross square footage of said facade.
[3] 
No more than 30% of the window surface area for the ground-floor facade shall be blocked by interior fixtures, opaque surfaces and/or signs unless such a fixture is used for the display of merchandise visible to patrons from the street.
615 Bldg Frontage.tif
(5) 
Building massing.
(a) 
Objective.
[1] 
Vertically proportioned buildings are to predominate neighborhood development.
615 Bldg Massing.tif
(b) 
Standards.
[1] 
Buildings are to be taller than they are wide or have a facade design that emphasizes vertical proportions.
[2] 
Building massing should reflect human-scaled elements.
[3] 
Any new or redeveloped existing building visible from the public right-of-way shall contain a minimum of two stories from grade. Each story shall be capable of occupancy by a use as permitted within the underlying zoning district/overlay.
(6) 
Building materials.
(a) 
Objective.
[1] 
Common architectural language is encouraged.
[2] 
Building materials must reinforce the sustainable attitudes the Borough upholds.
(b) 
Standards.
[1] 
Building facades visible from Borough streets should use durable, high quality materials with brick and finished wood preferred. Masonry, stone and terra cotta along with detailing are acceptable secondary materials.
615 Bldg Materials.tif
[2] 
The following materials are prohibited on all facades visible from public streets: particle board, plywoods and plastic sheathing; asphalt and fiberglass shingles as siding, vinyl siding, mirrored glass, industrial metal panels, concrete masonry units, including prefinished types, exposed aggregate pre-cast concrete block, exterior finish insulation systems and simulated brick.
[3] 
Use of the following materials is discouraged: vinyl siding, wood roof shingles, split-faced concrete, reflective glass and imitation stone.
[4] 
Roofscapes must be considered as important aspects of building design, as they are visible from the higher elevations of surrounding communities and Route 28. Roofing materials must be selected to be visually pleasing. Arrangement of mechanical equipment must be orderly and either screened or painted.
(7) 
Lighting.
(a) 
Objective.
[1] 
Lighting must create a safe, attractive nighttime environment.
[2] 
Lighting must express a hierarchy of pedestrian and vehicular zones.
615 Bldg Lighting.tif
[3] 
Lighting must define building entrances as well as highlight architectural and landscaping features.
[4] 
Lighting must provide the required functional lighting for safety and clarity of movement.
[5] 
Lighting must minimize negative impacts, such as high illumination levels, distracting glare and spillover into surrounding areas.
(b) 
Standards.
[1] 
Building illumination. Illumination must be indirect (no light source visible). Indirect wall lighting, overhead downlighting, or interior illumination which spills outside is encouraged.
[2] 
Building entrance and architectural features should be clearly highlighted and defined.
[3] 
Parking areas should be well lit and accented to provide a safe environment. Fixtures should be selected to minimize distracting glare and hazardous interference of any kind while complementing the scale of surrounding buildings.
[4] 
Open spaces. Maximum pole height of 14 feet should be used.
F. 
Building permit form: On file at the Etna Borough Municipal Building administrative offices.