Lower Frederick Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE X
CC Community Commercial District
§ 170-71 Declaration of legislative intent.
In expansion of the declaration of legislative intent and community development objectives contained in Article l of this chapter, the primary purpose of this district is to allow small-scale, low-intensity commercial uses that are compatible with the dominant rural land use pattern and help preserve the rural character of the region. This district is intended to be consistent with the Rural Resource Conservation Area category as designated in the Central Perkiomen Valley Regional Comprehensive Plan and is intended to implement the applicable goals and objectives of the regional plan. In addition, the Community Commercial District is intended to achieve the following specific objectives:
A.
To provide reasonable standards for the development and continued use of commercial and office uses to primarily serve the needs of residents of the region's rural areas.
B.
To minimize the potential conflicts between the nonresidential uses permitted in this district and abutting residential uses and rural character.
§ 170-72 Uses permitted by right.
In the CC Community Commercial District, a building may be erected, altered or used, and a lot may be used or occupied for any one or more of the following uses:
A.
Retail establishment for the sale of dry goods, variety and general merchandise, clothing, food, drugs, household supplies, beverages, hardware, furnishings, antiques, baked goods, books, greeting cards. plants and flowers; and the sale and repair of jewelry, watches, clocks, optical goods, musical, professional or scientific instruments.
B.
Business office, such as real estate sales, travel agency, insurance sales, advertising, or retail copying and printing services.
C.
Professional office, such as those for the practice of medicine or other health services, or for law, engineering, architecture, or accounting.
D.
Personal service shop, such as tailor, barber, beauty salon, shoe repair, dry cleaner, or dressmaker.
E.
Establishment serving food or beverages to the general public, such as restaurant, cafe, taproom, tavern, retail baker, confectionery or ice cream shop, which shall not include drive-through facilities.
F.
Studio for dance, music, fitness, art or photography.
G.
Government uses, post office, community center, public library in compliance with the standards and criteria of Article XIII, Institutional and Recreational Overlay District, when approved by the Board of Supervisors.
H.
Farm stand, garden supply.
I.
Inn and/or bed-and-breakfast facility.
J.
Offices, shops, and storage for building, plumbing, electrical or other contractors.
K.
Single-family detached dwellings in compliance with the requirements of the R-1 Rural Residential District for single-family detached dwellings under conventional lotting.
[Amended 2-7-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01]
§ 170-73 Conditional uses.
In support of the legislative intent and statement of community development objectives of this article, uses determined by the Board of Supervisors to be of similar nature to the permitted uses listed in § 170-72 may be permitted by conditional use by the Board of Supervisors, in compliance with the standards and criteria in § 170-76, Development regulations, § 170-77, General conditional use standards and criteria for all conditional uses, and § 170-31, Conditional use application, of this chapter.
§ 170-74 Prohibited uses.
In support of the legislative intent and statement of community development objectives of this article, the following uses are prohibited in the CC Community Commercial District:
§ 170-75 Dimensional regulations.
A.
The following regulations apply to all permitted uses except single-family detached dwellings, government uses, post offices, community centers, and public libraries:
[Amended 6-2-2015 by Ord. No. 15-04; 2-7-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01]
(1)
Minimum lot area: 87,120 square feet (two acres).
(2)
Minimum lot width: 200 feet.
(3)
Minimum front yard building setback: 75 feet.
(4)
Minimum side yard building setback: 40 feet each.
(5)
Minimum rear yard building setback: 75 feet.
(6)
Maximum building coverage: 10%.
(7)
Maximum building footprint: 5,000 square feet.
(8)
Maximum impervious surface coverage: 50%.
(10)
Minimum parking and driveway setback from buildings and property lines: 10 feet. This setback shall not be paved, and shall be landscaped with lawn, trees, or shrubs. The setback shall not be required from a property line between two lots that share a common parking area along or crossing the property line.
(11)
(12)
Maximum length of a building: 100 feet, as measured along any street or parking area.
(13)
Minimum distance between buildings: 25 feet.
§ 170-76 Development regulations.
A.
Parking, loading, and signs.
(2)
All service and loading areas, dumpsters, and similar site elements shall be in the rear of the property and shall be adequately screened from view.
(3)
All parking and loading areas shall not interfere with driveways, accessways, sidewalks, or pedestrian walkways.
(4)
For all uses, all required parking spaces shall be located in the side or rear yard areas.
B.
Pedestrian circulation. All uses shall be provided with a safe and convenient pedestrian circulation system, which shall connect buildings with sidewalks along streets, parking areas, common areas, and other buildings. Pedestrian connections may not be required if the applicant can show why such connections are impractical to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors.
C.
Vehicular connections. Safe and convenient vehicular connections between parking areas on adjacent lots used for nonresidential purposes shall be required for all uses except where impracticable because of environmental constraints (such as steep slopes or wetlands), other site constraints (such as existing buildings or structures), or incompatible land uses.
§ 170-77 General conditional use standards and criteria for all conditional uses.
A.
The proposed use shall not cause undue noise, glare or pollution of the surrounding areas, as determined by the Board of Supervisors, upon recommendation by the Township Engineer and Township Planning Commission.
B.
Anticipated levels of traffic congestion, noise, glare, and pollution created by the proposed use will be similar to the levels created by uses permitted under § 170-72 of this article.
C.
Any visual or functional conflicts between the proposed use and surrounding existing uses shall be kept to a minimum. Increased setbacks, planted buffers, wooden fences or other measures may be required by the Board of Supervisors to minimize potential conflicts, or to reduce anticipated levels of noise. Visual and functional conflicts include, but are not limited to, loading docks, parking lots, service driveways, or large nonresidential buildings adjacent to residential neighborhoods or open space areas, without adequate buffering.