Lower Providence Township Montgomery County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XIII
RPW Ridge Pike West District 1
§ 143-75 Legislative intent.
It is the intent of the Ridge Pike West District to provide regulations and standards for new development along Ridge Pike from the Perkiomen Creek to Evansburg State Park and along Germantown Pike from the intersection with Ridge Pike to west of Old Crosskeys Road to improve the overall safety and appearance of the built and natural environments while providing opportunities for well-designed commercial, residential, and limited industrial development with a focus on mixing commercial/retail and residential uses and pedestrian-friendly designs.
A.
Regulate vehicular access to public streets by requiring separation distances from intersections, cross-access easements with neighboring properties, shared parking areas and driveways, and the closure of redundant access points.
B.
Increase the number of pedestrian and vehicular connections between adjacent properties to provide complementary and coordinated development of adjacent properties.
C.
Provide reasonable standards for the development and continued use of commercial, retail and office uses to serve the needs of Township residents and workers.
D.
Promote the reuse of existing buildings and expansion of existing businesses while requiring new additions and development to be in accordance with selected standards of this section.
E.
Regulate the design and form of buildings to establish community identity.
F.
Regulate businesses that require outdoor storage of vehicles, equipment, and merchandise.
§ 143-76 General regulations.
Where standards of this article differ from standards found elsewhere in this chapter, the standards herein shall apply to properties located in this district.
§ 143-77 Use standards.
A.
Uses permitted by right.
(2)
On lots with frontage along Ridge Pike or Germantown Pike, the following nonresidential uses are permitted individually or combined within a building.
(a)
Retail store, including baked goods store, bookstore, children's and infants' clothing store, clothing accessories store, convenience store, meat and seafood market and butcher shop, produce shop, and specialized retail store.
(b)
Personal services, including funeral establishment and repair service shop.
(c)
Dry-cleaning drop-off establishment.
(d)
Offices.
(e)
Restaurant, including drive-in and fast-food.
(f)
Hobby school/studio.
(g)
Municipal use.
(h)
Financial institution.
(i)
Medical office or clinic; pharmacy.
(j)
Veterinary office, with no outdoor facilities, except by conditional use approval.
(k)
Commercial indoor recreation, commercial outdoor recreation, public swimming pool, and open space.
(l)
Child day-care facility.
(m)
Educational use.
(n)
Community center, cultural center, or place of worship.
(o)
A gasoline filling station, public garage, car wash, and auto service center.
(p)
Parking areas, including structures for parking.
(q)
Hotel, motor court/motel, tourist home, and bed and breakfast.
(r)
Theater.
(s)
Lumber yard/building supply.
(t)
Mixed use buildings containing any combination of by-right residential, retail, commercial, financial, or office uses within a building, excluding automobile-oriented uses, parking, and light industrial uses. The first floor of the building can only be occupied by nonresidential use(s), and residential uses shall only be located on the second, third, and/or fourth floor(s). Offices may be located on the upper floors of a building, but they may not occupy the same floor as any residential use. These buildings shall comply with all standards for nonresidential buildings.
B.
Conditional uses. The following conditional uses are permitted when authorized by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to the procedural requirements set forth in § 143-212, the performance standards set forth in this article, and in compliance with all other applicable regulations of this chapter:
(1)
Drive-through service facility.
(2)
Light industrial uses.
(3)
Supermarket.
(4)
Life-care facility, subject to the following additional requirements:
(a)
Minimum lot size of 10 acres.
(b)
The proposed use shall be served by public sewer and public water facilities.
(c)
Parking requirements. One space for every two dwelling units plus one space for each employee on the largest work shift.
(d)
The maximum density may not exceed eight dwelling units per gross acre. No units may be larger than 850 square feet in size.
(e)
At least 20% of the proposed site of a life-care facility, not including land subject to flooding or on slopes in excess of 5%, shall be developed for passive recreation, including, but not limited to, outdoor sitting areas, decks, patios, gazebos, picnic areas, and pedestrian walks.
(f)
Proximity of services.
[1]
Due to the dependence of the elderly on alternate means of transportation and the need for acquiring access to primary services, a life-care facility's proximity to the following services shall be considered by the Township in considering conditional use approval:
[2]
As an alternative to be considered, the developer of a life-care facility may submit a plan outlining a transportation service for the residents of the facility, providing access to these services at reasonable intervals.
C.
Special standards for existing nonconforming uses, lots, buildings, and parking areas. The following provisions shall establish additional flexibility for properties rendered nonconforming by the creation of this Ridge Pike West District. Where Article XX, Nonconforming Uses, and this section apply to the same property, the nonconforming use provision that is less restrictive upon development, permitting, and use of the property shall apply.
(1)
A lawful, existing nonconforming use in existence prior to the adoption of this article shall be allowed to continue and/or be changed or expanded to include any use permitted by right within the Ridge Pike West District.
(2)
Expansion of legal nonconforming nonresidential uses up to 100% of the gross square feet at the time of adoption of this article or 7,500 square feet, whichever is greater, shall be permitted.
(3)
Any expansion of a legal nonconforming use or building or a change of such a use, regardless of the amount proposed, shall provide all cross-access easements required by this article.
(4)
Any expansion of a legal nonconforming nonresidential use or building shall comply with at least two of the following conditions, as chosen by the applicant:
(a)
New buildings and additions shall occupy the front yard setback area in accordance with the standards of § 143-78B(4).
(b)
Parking shall not be located within the front yard setback area.
(c)
Sidewalks and planting areas shall be provided along Ridge Pike or Germantown Avenue in accordance with § 143-78C(2).
(d)
Additional parking lot and sidewalk landscaping shall be provided to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors to include but not be limited to trees in parking lots, stormwater facility plantings, tract buffers, and street trees.
(e)
All existing access points to Ridge Pike or Germantown Avenue shall be consolidated into one entrance with a maximum of 30 feet in width.
(f)
A connection to one or more neighboring properties shall be constructed for the purpose of shared parking and shall be recorded as a permanent easement guaranteeing mutual access to the satisfaction of the Township solicitor and Board of Supervisors.
(5)
Where existing buildings are demolished as a result of land development plans, new development shall comply with this article in its entirety.
§ 143-78 Dimensional standards.
A.
Residential uses.
(1)
Single family detached residential development shall be developed in accordance with either the R-2 Residential District zoning standards in Article VI, R-2 Residential District or the Village House development option in Article XVII, Professional and Business Office District. The developer must comply with the standards of the chosen zoning district development requirements in their entirety and cannot combine standards from multiple zoning districts.
B.
Nonresidential uses. All nonresidential uses shall conform to the following standards:
(2)
Building setbacks.
(a)
Maximum front yard: 25 feet (allowing a front yard setback of zero feet to 25 feet, as measured from the front lot line).
(b)
Minimum side yard: 20 feet.
(c)
Minimum rear yard: 30 feet.
(d)
Minimum distance between buildings on a lot or lots: 30 feet.
(e)
Buildings containing light industrial uses shall be set back no less than 100 feet from the ultimate right-of-way of Ridge Pike and/or Germantown Pike.
(3)
Building height. Total building height shall be a maximum of three stories or 45 feet, whichever is lower. Where a building's footprint is wholly located within a circle with a five-hundred-foot radius centered on of the centerline intersections of Ridge Pike and Germantown Pike, Crosskeys Road, or Level Road, the maximum building height of such a building shall be four stories or 60 feet, whichever is lower.
(4)
Ratio of building facade width to lot width.
(a)
All new buildings and additions shall have facades located within the front yard setback and can comprise up to 75% of the lot width along Ridge Pike and Germantown Pike. If the width of the existing front facade of a building(s) equals or exceeds 75% of the lot width, all new buildings or additions shall be constructed behind the front facade. See the following exhibits.
 Building location in conformance with zoning code. The new building has its facade within the front lot setback area and is situated in a horizontal linear fashion along the road frontage. The buildings comprise 50% of the linear distance of the lot so further additions would also have to be built along the linear distance of the lot, up to 75% at which time buildings may be built to the rear of the property. |
 Building location not in conformance with zoning code. The new building does not have its facade within the front lot setback area and since the existing building comprises less than 75% of the linear distance of the lot, the new building cannot be built to the rear of the property. |
(b)
Courtyards in the fronts of buildings surrounded by building walls on at least two sides shall count towards the cumulative building facade width of all buildings on a lot.
(5)
Coverage limits.
(a)
Maximum building coverage ratio: 50% of the lot area.
(b)
Maximum impervious coverage ratio: 60% of the lot area, except that impervious coverage may be increased to a maximum of 75% through the cooperative actions by the property owner or land development applicant to comply with the subsections described below. In order to take advantage of this additional bonus provision of 15%, as well as, to further meet the intent of the Ridge Pike West District, an applicant must provide the Township with three of the four following bonus provision options, listed below:
[1]
Pedestrian and vehicular connections between adjacent properties to facilitate circulation.
[2]
Consolidation of two or more parcels, under separate ownership, prior to development, with the purpose of providing a more unified development.
[3]
Renovation of existing building facades along Ridge Pike to conform to SLDO § 123-142, Design standards for all uses within the Ridge Pike Business District, or § 143-78C, Nonresidential development standards, whichever is more strict.
[4]
Where existing use is to remain, bring facade wall and sidewalk into conformity with SLDO § 123-142, Design standard for all uses.
C.
Nonresidential development standards.
(1)
Parking lots and driveways.
(a)
Parking areas.
[1]
New parking areas shall not be constructed within the front yard setback.
[2]
Parking areas shall be set back a minimum of eight feet from all buildings.
[3]
Parking areas shall be set back 12 feet from all property boundaries, except for property boundaries adjacent to single-family detached residential uses where the setback shall be 20 feet.
[4]
Parking areas for nonresidential uses shall be permitted beyond the three-hundred-foot commercial limit from the centerline of Ridge Pike or Germantown Pike when located on the same lot.
(b)
The following driveway standards shall apply. Properties fronting state roads controlled by PennDOT will be required to apply for a highway occupancy permit.
[1]
A maximum of one curb cut of no more than 30 feet in width is permitted for each lot.
[2]
One additional access shall be permitted if the applicant demonstrates that it is necessary to accommodate traffic to and from the site and it can be achieved in a safe and efficient manner.
[3]
The Board of Supervisors may restrict access, at its sole discretion, to right turn only ingress and egress or to another road if safe and efficient movements cannot be accommodated.
[4]
For a property that abuts two or more roadways, the Board of Supervisors may restrict access, at its sole discretion, to only that roadway that can more safely and efficiently accommodate traffic.
[5]
Driveway accesses shall be at least 200 feet apart except when it is not feasible given the location of a driveway on a neighboring property.
(c)
Clearance.
[1]
Driveways shall be located so that the point where the center lines of the driveway and street is a minimum of 200 feet from any intersections of the centerlines of streets.
[2]
Where this setback requirement cannot be met due to the size of the applicant's property or the inability to create a cross-access easement with another property in the district, driveways may be located closer than 200 feet, but in no case shall the intersection of driveway and street centerlines be located less than 100 feet from any intersections of the centerlines of streets.
[3]
If no other reasonable access to the property is available, and no reasonable alternative is identified, the driveway shall be located the farthest possible distance from the intersecting roadway. In such cases, directional connections such as right-in and right-out only movements may be required at the sole discretion of the Board of Supervisors.
(d)
Driveway channelization. Where driveway volume is expected to exceed 500 vehicles per day, a raised median of a minimum length of 50 feet shall be installed in the driveway to separate entering and exiting traffic.
(e)
Joint and cross-access easements.
[1]
At time of land development or subdivision, an applicant shall record cross-access easements for its parking areas and aisles with all neighboring properties in the district. Such access need not be explicitly located or constructed at the time of recording the easement.
[2]
At the time of land development or subdivision, applicants shall take advantage of any existing cross-access easements to eliminate driveways on their lot, reducing the aggregate number of curb cuts between neighboring properties. At its sole discretion, the Board of Supervisors alternately, may authorize the elimination of an access driveway on a property neighboring the applicant's property where conditions warrant.
[3]
Parking areas connected through a crosss-access easement need not satisfy the requirements for tract boundary setback between the sharing properties and shall be designed in a way to maximize parking opportunity on both parcels.
[4]
Shared access may be located entirely on one lot or may be split along a common property line.
[5]
Where unique topography or conditions exist that make cross-access easements and the construction interconnected parking areas impossible or prohibitive, the Board of Supervisors, at its sole discretion, may approve plans that do not comply with this section.
(2)
Design standards.
(a)
Building form standards. The applicant shall submit sufficient information in the form of architectural elevations or sketches of building(s) and restoration of existing structures, so that the Township can determine the extent to which the following building form standards are being complied with:
[1]
First floor standards. The following standards apply to the facades of new buildings located within the front-yard setback and to existing buildings where a change of use is proposed. Buildings built before 1950 need not comply with the following first floor design standards when used in compliance with the remaining standards of this chapter.
[a]
The first floor of any facade located in the front yard setback shall be composed of between 40% and 75% transparent glass located between two and one-half feet and eight feet above sidewalk grade. Glass may be tinted but may not be opaque or reflective. Signs, merchandise, or other temporary fixtures shall not greatly obscure the view into the building.
[b]
The first floor shall have a primary entrance located in a facade facing a street connected via an uninterrupted pathway for walking to the sidewalk.
[c]
Shop front awnings may intrude upon the pedestrian area at or into the ultimate right-of-way up to four feet, provided that the height of such awnings is no less than eight feet above the sidewalk.
(b)
Building massing.
[1]
Any facade greater than 40 feet long located in the front yard setback along any public or private road shall be interrupted by changes in surface materials and depth of facade such that no uninterrupted portion of the facade be longer than 30 feet.
[2]
For buildings taller than one story, a change in dimension of surface materials that separates the ground floor of the building from upper floors shall accent this boundary.
(c)
Building design.
[1]
Buildings located wholly or partially within the three-hundred-foot radius of the intersection of the centerlines of Ridge Pike and Germantown Pike or within the three-hundred-foot radius of the intersection of the centerlines of Ridge Pike and Level/Evansburg Road shall use surface materials such as stucco, brick, or clapboard siding in accordance with the prevailing pattern of neighboring properties within the district.
[2]
Buildings located wholly or partially within a three-hundred-foot radius of the intersection of the centerlines of Ridge Pike and Germantown Pike or within the three-hundred-foot radius of the intersection of the centerlines of Ridge Pike and Level/Evansburg Road shall have pitched roofs in accordance with the prevailing pattern of neighboring properties within the district.
[3]
Buildings located wholly or partially within a three-hundred-foot radius of the intersection of the centerlines of Ridge Pike and Germantown Pike or within the three-hundred-foot radius of the intersection of the centerlines of Ridge Pike and Level/Evansburg Road shall have windows in the primary facade whose ratio of length to width are similar to the prevailing pattern of neighboring properties within the district.
[4]
Buildings located wholly or partially within three-hundred-foot radius of the intersection of the centerlines of Ridge Pike and Germantown Pike or within the three-hundred-foot radius of the intersection of the centerlines of Ridge Pike and Level/Evansburg Road shall have frontage features such as porches, porticos, terraces, or awnings in accordance with the prevailing pattern of neighboring properties within the district.
[5]
The prevailing pattern shall be defined as the type of building material or architectural style used in other properties within the Ridge Pike West District that also meet the building form standards found in this section.
(d)
Public area standards. Trash cans or dumpsters that cannot be located within a building shall be placed to the side or in the rear of the building and shall be fenced and/or screened from view. The location of these areas shall not interfere with any aspect of normal activities on the site.
(e)
Landscaping.
[1]
Requirements.
[a]
Nonresidential developments shall be screened from residential areas when on the same lot, or when a nonresidential use is directly adjacent to a residential use on an adjoining lot. The buffer area of the site shall contain a planted screen to act as a visual barrier unless, upon approval of the Board of Supervisors, equivalent screening is provided by natural areas or topography. The planted screen shall be composed of plants and trees arranged to form both high-level and low-level screening.
[b]
The high-level screen shall be composed of a row of evergreen trees at least eight feet in height and planted 15 feet apart on center.
[c]
The low-level screen may be any plant materials approved by the Planning Commission. Plants shall be not less than two feet in height and spaced at intervals of no more than five feet.
[2]
Any area not used for buildings, structures, paved areas, or screening shall be planted with an all-season ground cover and other landscaping materials in accordance with the landscaping and screening plan. Existing vegetative materials shall be preserved wherever possible.
[3]
Parking and sidewalks.
[a]
Sidewalks shall be required along all public frontages and be a minimum six feet in width. Sidewalks shall be located so that they are entirely within the ultimate right-of-way and the greatest distance from the road centerline.
[b]
For properties at least 40 feet wide, a planting area in the form of a continuous trench of minimum four-foot width shall be located within the ultimate right-of-way between the edge of the cartway and the sidewalk for the installation of street trees as required in § 123-50 and § 123-52, except where utilities or driveway entrances prohibit the creation of such an area. For properties less than 40 feet wide, a minimum of one street tree shall be provided within the ultimate right-of-way between the edge of the cartway and the sidewalk.
[c]
Where parking areas abut a sidewalk along a public road, a low wall, fence, landscape plants that form a hedge, or earthen berm of 24 to 42 inches in height shall be provided between the parking area and the sidewalk. Fences and walls shall comply with the standards and permitting requirements of Chapter 81, Fences and Walls, of the Township Code.
(3)
Design criteria for drive-through facilities.
(a)
Any of the permitted uses in this article, when established in combination with drive-through facilities, shall conform to the following standards and all applicable procedures and standards of Article XXII, Zoning Hearing Board, of this chapter.
[1]
A minimum twelve-car stacking area shall be provided which can include the space at the drive-up window(s).
[2]
Any and all drive-up windows shall be located in the rear or side of the principal building.
[3]
The stacking area shall not interfere with parking spaces or the internal circulation of the site.
§ 143-79 Performance standards for specific uses.
A.
Gasoline filling station, public garage, car wash, and auto service center.
(1)
Servicing and repair of vehicles shall be within an enclosed building only.
(2)
Storage of parts or vehicles shall be to the rear of all principal buildings and must be enclosed.
(3)
Shall conform to all applicable state and federal environmental standards regarding emissions and storage of hazardous materials.
(4)
Fuel pumps shall be set back at least 25 feet from the ultimate right-of-way.
(5)
Only passenger autos, vans, and trucks rated equal or less than Class 5 according to the United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (having a gross vehicles weight rating of no more than 19,500 pounds) can be serviced at stations in the district.
B.
Child day-care facility.
(1)
Shall conform to all state standards and maintain a current license with the Department of Public Welfare in accordance with Title 55 Public Welfare, Part V Children, Youth, and Families.
(2)
Outdoor play areas shall be located to the side or rear of principal buildings.
(3)
A driveway and parking area with a drop off zone shall be provided off street.
C.
Light industrial uses.
(1)
Only the following activities/uses shall be permitted by right as acceptable light industrial uses in the district.
(a)
Electronics and small parts assembly and/or manufacture.
(b)
Scientific or industrial research, engineering laboratory, testing or experimental laboratory, or similar establishment for research or product development.
(c)
Light manufacturing of beverages (including brewery and distillery), cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, printing and publishing, confections, food products (exclusive of meat and fish packing, sauerkraut, vinegar, yeast and the rendering or refining of fats and oils), ceramics, clothing, plastics, electrical goods, furniture and wood products, hardware, tools, dies, patterns, professional and scientific instruments, and handcraft products.
(d)
Accessory uses normally and customarily associated with the above principal uses, including cafeteria and/or recreational facilities for employees and storage within a completely enclosed building. Such accessory uses shall not be detrimental to the neighborhood.
(3)
Light industrial uses shall be entirely contained within buildings on the lot.
(4)
Additional buildings on the lot shall be located between these uses and Ridge Pike in accordance with all standards of this article; or as an option, an architectural element such as a plaza, or a landscaped area shall be located between the building(s) and the ultimate right-of-way.
D.
Hotel, motor court/motel, tourist home, and bed and breakfast.
(1)
These uses shall only serve temporary guests. A facility that is routinely inhabited by persons for periods longer than 30 days shall be considered a boardinghouse and regulated as such.
(2)
Recreational facilities shall be limited to guests. All pools must be appropriately fenced or be entirely indoors.
(3)
Public restaurants are allowed within a hotel or motor court/motel by special exception approval only and shall meet all requirements generally applicable to restaurants. Drive-throughs are not allowed. Guest-only restaurants are permitted by right in any of these uses.
(4)
Meeting rooms are permitted as an accessory use to hotels. Total capacity of all the rooms shall be limited to 40 persons. Capacities above 40 persons shall be regulated as an auditorium and must be approved by special exception only.
E.
Theater.
(1)
A theater shall have no more than 1,000 seats or a freestanding capacity of 500 persons.
(2)
The property upon which the theater structure is located must be adjacent to a semicontrolled access highway and must directly access such highway.
(3)
A pedestrian circulation plan, including sidewalks, bikeways, bike paths, and other facilities, shall be submitted to the Township for review and approval. Such pedestrian facilities shall be placed and designed to adequately separate vehicular movements from pedestrian traffic within the site.
(4)
A traffic impact study must be submitted which clearly identifies the proportion of the development traffic attributed to the theater and shall demonstrate that the use will not adversely impact traffic safety and/or traffic levels of service in the surrounding neighborhoods.
(5)
A patron pickup and dropoff area shall be provided adjacent to the building facade containing the main theater entrance in a location which does not interfere with the vehicular or pedestrian circulation that would otherwise be required.
F.
Car wash.
(1)
On-lot traffic circulation channels and parking areas shall be clearly marked and a 10 vehicle stacking area shall be provided. Vehicles waiting to be washed or waiting to be picked up after washing shall not interfere with traffic circulation on the site or on neighboring properties or streets.
(2)
Water used in the operation shall be collected and recycled, and shall not flow into any storm sewers.
(3)
Water from the car wash operation shall not flow onto sidewalks or streets.
(4)
Any car wash that is located within 200 feet of an existing residence shall not operate between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
(5)
Any chemicals that may be hazardous to aquatic life shall be stored within an area that will completely contain any leaks or spills.
G.
Life-care facility.
(1)
Support facilities shall be limited to the following:
(a)
Limited retail facilities, e.g., barber shop, beauty parlor, commissary, gift shop, newsstand, optician, pharmacy, snack bar/coffee shop, thrift shop, theatre, post office, and other similar uses or any combination thereof. Such facilities shall be for use of residents and their guests only. There shall be no separate outside entrances to any of the permitted service facilities, and no outside advertising is permitted.
(b)
Kitchen and food preparation facilities and congregate dining areas.
(c)
Auditoriums, places of worship, activity and craft rooms, libraries, lounges, reading rooms, recreational rooms, fitness facilities, swimming pools, and other similar recreational/social facilities to provide services to the residents.
(d)
Parking garages and/or lots for resident vehicles, staff vehicles, guest vehicles, and other vehicles providing transportation services to residents.
(e)
Medical offices, examination rooms, therapy rooms, and treatment facilities.
(f)
Laboratories and dispensaries.
(g)
Administrative offices, staff training facilities, staff lounges, staff residences, and maintenance facilities.
(2)
Independent living areas within a life-care facility shall consist of private residential dwelling units and common facilities which provide services such as meals, laundry, housekeeping, social recreational activities, and transportation. Each such dwelling unit shall be limited to no more than two bedrooms.
(3)
The proposed site of a life-care facility should have direct access to a collector or higher classification street and should not have driveway access to local or residential streets whenever possible.
(4)
All rooms in the life-care facility shall be provided with sprinkler systems for fire protection and shall contain and be served by wet charged stand pipes to the top floor.
(5)
Care shall be taken to locate emergency and service entrances where they are not offensive to adjoining neighbors.
(6)
Existing residential areas shall not be infringed upon by significant increases in traffic volumes from the proposed facility as determined by the Board of Supervisors.
(7)
A life-care facility shall comply with all state regulations and licensing requirements.