A.

Purpose

The Institutional District (I) is established to permit community-serving institutional and cultural facilities. These uses benefit the surrounding residential community and may in some locations provide a transition between residential neighborhoods and retail activity centers. The Institutional District is an Overlay District. Uses allowed in the underlying district may be established prior to approval of a Preliminary Development Plan for institutional district development.

B.

General Provisions

1.

An I District requires a Preliminary Development Plan be approved by the Zoning Board in accordance with the procedures established in Section 113.3.F prior to the submission and consideration of development plans for institutional district development.

2.

The minimum size of any I District shall be 5 contiguous acres. Land which is divided by utility rights-of-way or street rights-of-way shall be considered contiguous for purposes of this section.

3.

Any development in an I District must be served by public water and public sewer.

4.

Development within the I District shall be consistent with the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations as approved by the Department of Planning and Zoning.

5.

Prior to approval of a Preliminary Development Plan, use or development of I-zoned land shall be subject to all regulations applicable to the underlying zoning district. After a Preliminary Development Plan is approved, existing uses which were established pursuant to the underlying zoning district may continue. Such uses shall not be expanded to occupy additional land area, and principal structures related to such uses shall not be constructed or expanded. No new principal use shall be established after a Preliminary Development Plan is approved except in accordance with the requirements of the I District.

C.

Uses Permitted as a Matter of Right

1.

Athletic facilities, commercial.

2.

Carnivals and fairs sponsored by and operated on a nonprofit basis for the benefit of charitable, social, civic or educational organizations, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.D.

3.

Conservation areas, including wildlife and forest preserves, environmental management areas, reforestation areas, and similar uses.

4.

Government structures, facilities and uses, including public schools and colleges.

5.

Housing Commission Housing Developments, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.J.

6.

Museums and libraries.

7.

Nonprofit clubs, lodges and community halls.

8.

Religious facilities, structures and land used primarily for religious activities.

9.

Rooftop solar collectors.

10.

Underground pipelines; electric transmission and distribution lines; telephone, telegraph and CATV lines; mobile transformer units; telephone equipment boxes; and other similar public utility uses not requiring a Conditional Use.

11.

Volunteer fire departments.

(Bill No. 17-2021(ZRA-197), § 1, 5-6-2021)

D.

Accessory Uses

1.

Any use normally and customarily incidental to any use permitted as a matter of right in this district.

2.

Communication towers and antennas which are accessory to a principal use on the lot and which exclusively serve that use. Towers are subject to the requirements of Sections 128.0.E.2 and 128.0.E.3.

3.

Private parks, swimming pools, playgrounds, athletic fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and similar private, noncommercial recreation facilities.

4.

Small Wind Energy System, building mounted, subject to the requirements of Section 128.0.L.

5.

Accessory ground-mount solar collectors.

(Bill No. 17-2021(ZRA-197), § 1, 5-6-2021)

E.

Bulk Regulations

(Also See Section 128.0.A, Supplementary Bulk Regulations.)

1.

Maximum building height .....40 feet

2.

Minimum structure or use setback:

a.

From residential districts .....75 feet

b.

From any other zoning district .....30 feet

c.

From public street right-of-way .....30 feet

d.

If a residential district is separated from the I District by a public street right-of-way, only the setback from the public street right-of-way shall apply.

F.

Preliminary Development Plan

1.

Petitions

A petition for approval of a Preliminary Development Plan shall be submitted by person(s) owning an interest in the land included in the plan.

2.

Pre-Submission Community Meeting

Prior to the submission of the Preliminary Development Plan, the petitioner shall hold a pre-submission community meeting in accordance with the requirements in Section 16.128 of the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations.

3.

Submission Requirements

The Preliminary Development Plan shall consist of a generalized layout plan of the I Development, as well as other supporting drawings, giving the following information:

a.

A boundary survey of the property covered by the petition.

b.

A vicinity map showing the context of the I Development including existing land uses, the off-site road network, parks, streams, and open space corridors.

c.

The major existing built and environmental features of the site and its immediate environs within 500 feet from the site (including existing topography, 100-year floodplain, wetlands, streams and required environmental buffers).

d.

The location of proposed development, landscaping and green spaces, including the approximate acreage of each.

e.

If outside of the PSA, the general location of proposed wells and septic system percolation areas.

f.

The proposed circulation system, including the general location of proposed points of access to existing roads, and any existing or proposed public transit facilities.

g.

The major planning assumptions and development phasing.

h.

A generalized traffic analysis for the proposed I Development.

4.

Decision by the Zoning Board

The Zoning Board shall hold a public hearing on the petition and may approve, approve with modifications or deny the Preliminary Development Plan, stating the reasons for its Decision. The Zoning Board's Decision shall be based on the Criteria for Approval given below.

5.

Criteria for Approval of Preliminary Development Plan

The Preliminary Development Plan shall be approved if the Zoning Board concludes that it will satisfy all of the following criteria:

a.

The plan will allow community serving uses consistent with the purposes of the I District.

b.

Adequate sight distance along roads can be provided at proposed points of access to the site;

c.

The roads providing access to the site are appropriate to serve the traffic generated by the proposed uses;

d.

The plan is consistent with applicable environmental policies and requirements.

e.

The intensity and scale of the proposed institutional uses will be appropriate in relation to the environmental constraints of the site and the character of development in the vicinity.

f.

The development will be compatible with vicinal land uses based on site lay-out, building design and landscaping.

G.

Conformance with Preliminary Development Plan

No Site Development Plan shall be approved for the I District unless the Site Development Plan conforms substantially to the Preliminary Development Plan. The Department of Planning and Zoning may approve minor modifications to the configuration of buildings or other improvements as long as they do not move closer to abutting properties that might be adversely impacted, unless the Zoning Board revokes this administrative authority in the Decision and Order. More significant modifications to the uses or the development area shown on the Preliminary Development Plan must be approved by the Zoning Board.

H.

Conditional Uses

Conditional Uses in the I District are subject to the detailed requirements for Conditional Uses given in Section 131.0. For the list of permitted Conditional Uses, refer to the chart in Section 131.0.