Lower Pottsgrove Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVII
SV Sanatoga Village District Overlay
[Added 9-26-1996 by Ord. No. 199]
[1]
Editor's Note: This article (originally Part 28 of Ch. 27 of the 1995 Code) was renumbered 12-3-2007 by Ord. No. 276 as Part 17.
§ 250-124 Declaration of legislative intent.
In addition to the goals and objectives stated in the declaration of legislative intent found in Article I, § 250-3, and the statement of community objectives, found in Article I, § 250-5, of this chapter, the intent of this article shall be to conserve and enhance the historic, aesthetic and social value of the Sanatoga Village District (SVD) as determined in the "Sanatoga Crossroad — High Street Corridor Design Guidelines" community designed collaborative, Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as the "Design Guidelines"). Specifically, it is the intent of this article to:
A.
Encourage new development that harmonizes with the visual and functional character as well as the historic value of the Sanatoga Village District by using the existing scale and building placement along High Street as a model and by acknowledging the importance of such relevant design considerations as entry and window placement, relationships to neighboring buildings and relationships with High Street.
B.
Improve pedestrian circulation and safety for people of all abilities along High Street and throughout the Sanatoga Village District by not only requiring new sidewalks of appropriate design but by encouraging pedestrian amenities such as courtyards, seating areas and pocket parks where people may casually meet.
C.
Reduce certain specific zoning and land development requirements more appropriate for less dense areas outside the Sanatoga Village District in order to encourage development in the SVD. These regulations include, but are not limited to, steep slope regulations and landscape buffer regulations.
D.
Provide certain additional development requirements to protect and enhance the historic, aesthetic and social value of the SVD. These include, but are not limited to, restrictions on type and size of signs and limitations of building scale.
E.
Reduce traffic congestion and the physical and visual impact of paved parking areas by encouraging alternative means of access such as shared driveways and/or parking and alleys.
F.
Provide a framework of reasonable design regulations which permits a great deal of flexibility for the individual tenant, stimulating the local business environment while at the same time improving the quality of life for all residents of Lower Pottsgrove Township.
§ 250-125 Overlay concept.
The SVD shall combine with other zoning regulations as an overlay district. The SVD regulations shall apply in any zoning district now or hereafter enacted within the mapped boundaries of the SVD (see Zoning Map[1]) and shall not be affected by changes to the underlying districts:
A.
The SVD regulations shall have no effect on the permitted uses in the underlying zoning districts.
B.
The SVD regulations shall supersede only the building setback, building scale, parking and sign regulations in the underlying zoning district. All other regulations in the underlying zoning district shall remain in effect.
C.
Should any part of the SVD regulations or boundaries be changed or declared invalid as a result of legislative, administrative or judicial action, the requirements of the underlying zoning districts shall be unaffected.
D.
Should any part of the underlying zoning district regulations or boundaries be changed as a result of legislative, administrative or judicial action, the requirements of the SVD shall be unaffected.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Zoning Map is included in a pocket at the end of this volume.
§ 250-126 Utilities.
Public sewer and water shall be required upon the recommendation of the Lower Pottsgrove Authority for all major land developments (as defined in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247) and village conversions.
A.
Public sewer and water shall be required for all land developments, subdivision and conversions, unless the applicant can demonstrate to the Board of Commissioners that the installation of public utilities would pose an undue hardship.
B.
Other utilities, such as gas, telephone and electric, shall be based upon the recommendation of the responsible utility for all land developments and village conversions.
§ 250-127 Uses, lot sizes, densities and impervious coverage.
[Amended 10-26-2000 by Ord. No. 224; 12-3-2007 by Ord. No. 276]
Uses, lot sizes, density and impervious coverage shall remain the same as in the underlying zoning district.
§ 250-128 Historic building impact study requirements.
A.
Objectives.
(1)
To provide enough information for the Planning Commission and Lower Pottsgrove Township Commissioners to evaluate the impact of the site planning for a proposed land development or village conversion on the historic buildings in the proposal and on the general character of the SVD as determined in the Design Guidelines.
(2)
To evaluate any architectural improvements in a proposed land development or village conversion that impact on the existing historic buildings of the proposed project and the general SVD character.
(3)
To evaluate how proposed new buildings will express the historic context and the general SVD character.
B.
Minimum contents. The applicant shall provide the following information for a proposed land development or conversion:
(1)
Approximate date or period of construction of all existing historic buildings.
(2)
Brief description of the existing and proposed site plan characteristics, including location of buildings, setbacks from High Street, side yard dimensions and other relevant site plan features.
(3)
Brief description of the architecture of historic buildings, including, but not limited to, such items as building height and massing, roof characteristics, building materials, window and door arrangement.
(4)
Brief description on the site context, including, but not limited to, information on the neighboring building's architectural style and materials and building setbacks.
(5)
Evaluation of historic or architectural significance of historic buildings.
(6)
Evaluation of structural, engineering and general physical condition of historic buildings, including safety and compliance with codes.
(7)
Conclusion as to reuse of historic buildings.
(8)
Description of any proposed architectural improvements to historic buildings.
(9)
Description of the architecture of any new buildings and how these relate to the existing historic buildings, to the neighboring architectural context and to the general character of the SVD.
§ 250-129 Steep slope requirements.
The steep slope requirements shall not apply to proposed land developments or conversion on slopes of 25% or less in the SVD, provided that the applicant can prove to the Township Commissioners' satisfaction that the proposal:
A.
Complies with all applicable federal, state and local building codes, including, but not limited to, sediment and soil erosion control regulations, stormwater management regulations and wetlands regulations.
B.
Minimizes the loss of existing vegetation over the entire proposal as required in Chapter 215, Subdivision and Land Development, Article X, Landscape Regulations, of this Code.
[Amended 12-3-2007 by Ord. No. 276]
C.
Does not create any unsafe or unstable improvements as determined by the Township Engineer, such as buildings, walls, paved areas or stormwater management areas. For developments or conversions on slopes greater than 25%, conditional use approval shall be required according to the standards for approval under § 250-34E(2) of Article IV, General Regulations, of this chapter.
§ 250-130 Building setbacks and yard requirements.
A.
The front yard building setback line shall be not less than 20 feet from the ultimate right-of-way line or the average building setback line of adjacent buildings, whichever is less, except where the front yard setback is required to be less in the underlying zoning district. The legal and ultimate right-of-way with the SVD shall be 60 feet.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B.
A minimum of one significant building in a land development shall be placed at the front yard building setback line.
C.
The side yard building setback line shall not be less than 15 feet, except for shopping center and garden apartments which shall remain as in the underlying zoning district.
D.
The rear yard building setback line shall be not less than 30 feet, except for shopping center and garden apartment land developments which shall remain as stated in the underlying zoning district.
§ 250-131 Building scale.
A.
The maximum height of buildings shall be 40 feet.
B.
The greatest dimension of a structure measured parallel to exterior building walls shall be 125 feet. For circular and partially circular buildings, the diameter or assumed diameter shall not exceed 150 feet.
C.
Buildings may exceed the maximum length as a special exception, given:
(1)
The building is located at least 100 feet from the front yard setback line and there is no parking in front of the building.
(2)
The building is located behind buildings that are conforming in height or length.
(3)
A paved and landscaped pedestrian plaza of at least 1,000 square feet is located at the main entrance containing various pedestrian amenities such as benches, trash receptacles, shade trees, etc.
(4)
The building front facade is articulated with significant plane changes of at least 10 feet in depth, e.g., the building's front wall is not straight but is broken by angle changes of 45° to 90° at least 10 feet in depth. Plane changes must occur every 125 feet.
§ 250-132 Parking.
A.
Parking is prohibited in the front yard.
B.
Shared parking lots are encouraged and shall follow the regulations set forth for shared parking in § 250-104F for the Limited Commercial and Office District.
C.
Use of the reserve parking standards (§ 250-203) is recommended.
D.
Side and rear yard setback requirements for parking may be reduced or eliminated, at the discretion of the Township Commissioners, for shared or reserved parking lots.
E.
Driveways connecting adjacent parking lots are encouraged given they are not located in the front yard. The Township Commissioners may require the establishment of an access easement on a land development plan to permit shared parking.
F.
The number of off-street parking spaces shall follow the provisions of Article XXVII of this chapter of the Lower Pottsgrove Township Code of Ordinances.
G.
Minimum parking stall size in the SVD shall be nine feet by 18 feet.
§ 250-133 Sidewalks.
A.
A continuous pedestrian system of sidewalks, with accessible routes connecting major use areas such as parking, buildings and recreational areas, shall be required for all land developments.
B.
Sidewalks shall be required along all public or private street frontages and, in particular, sidewalks shall be required along High Street.
C.
Sidewalk escrow fund. Where the Township Commissioners agree with the developer that it is impractical at the time of approval to build the sidewalk along High Street because of imminent road or utility construction which would require the removal of the sidewalk if built, or because physical features of the land create insurmountable difficulties to constructing a sidewalk along High Street in a particular land development, the Township Commissioners shall require a payment of a fee in lieu of sidewalk construction.
(1)
The amount of the fee shall be equal to the cost to construct the otherwise required sidewalk at the time of plan approval, based on a documented cost estimate for the developer considered reasonable to the Township.
(2)
The entire fee shall be paid to the Township prior to the approval of the final plan.
(3)
All monies paid to the Township pursuant to this article shall be kept in a capital reserve escrow fund. Monies in this fund shall be used only for the construction or maintenance of the sidewalk along High Street within the SVD.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 2811, Signs, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 11-15-2007 by Ord. No. 275.
