Lower Providence Township Montgomery County
City Zoning Code

Discourage an encroachment by unrestricted commercial or industrial establishments or other uses which might adversely affect the specialized office, service and residential character of the district.

Encourage the conversion of existing buildings to office use in order to encourage the preservation of sound structures which maintain the visual character and architectural scale of existing development.

Attract professional office and service uses which do not generate large volumes of traffic and continuous customer turnover.

Encourage the orderly, well-planned development of professional and business offices and limited service establishments within the district when a proliferation of unrestricted commercial usage would be undesirable.

Professional offices for doctors, dentists, chiropractors or any other licensed practitioner of the healing arts for humans, lawyers, engineers, architects, urban planners, accountants, economic consultants, business and management consultants.

Business offices, including labor unions, credit services, financial investments and commodity brokerages, real estate sales, employment counseling, insurance sales, advertising, mailing and stenographic services.

Single-family dwellings in accordance with the requirements of the R-2 Residential District with respect to area and height regulations as set forth in Article VI, § 143-37.

Mixed use structures containing any combination of permitted uses as set forth in the above Subsections A, B and C.

Communications antennas and communications buildings, in accordance with the requirements of § 143-250 of this chapter.

Communications towers shall be permitted by special exception, in accordance with the requirements and standards of § 143-250 of this chapter.

Service activities and/or establishments which directly serve the needs of the permitted uses in § 143-116A and B herein, including but not limited to such uses as pharmacy, optometrist, dental equipment laboratory, employee cafeteria or snack bar, conference rooms or union hall, including ancillary kitchen facilities, copy center and any other use of a similar nature; provided, however, that any such use shall be ancillary to the primary use of the district, intended to provide services to the permitted uses and not intended to serve the general public. No external signs advertising said use(s) shall be permitted.

Professional or business offices similar to those permitted in § 143-116A and B upon a showing that their function and usage is substantially the same as those uses specifically enumerated in § 143-116A and B.

Day-care center. A facility which is licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and in which care is provided for seven or more children, 16 years old or younger, at any one time.

Village House development option in compliance with the following design standards and the procedural requirements set forth in § 143-118, Subsection B through E.

The use is ancillary to the primary use of a permitted use set forth in § 143-116A or B and that it directly serves the needs of said use(s).

The use will not generate a significantly greater amount of traffic volume than those uses permitted in § 143-116, herein, in the judgment of the Township Board of Supervisors upon recommendations of the Township Engineer.

The use shall not generate noise, noxious odors, air pollution or glare nor result in pedestrian-vehicular conflict or other safety hazards.

Any necessary loading and unloading operations shall be carried on within or contiguous to the facade of any conditional use structure.

Appropriate conditions can be designed, imposed and enforced which will alienate any difficulties or concerns brought by the proposed use.

Applications for day-care center uses shall document compliance with the following requirements, in addition to the other requirements of this article:

Lot area. A minimum of one acre (43,560 square feet) shall be provided for every principal building erected or used for any use permitted in this district. In addition, a lot width of not less than 150 feet at the right-of-way shall be provided. Conversion of an existing structure to any use permitted according to § 143-116 on a lot smaller than one acre (43,560 square feet) may be permitted as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board, provided that all required parking can be properly located, on the same lot or on an adjacent lot to which access is legally guaranteed. All additions to principal buildings shall be located at least 20 feet from all property lines, and all parking shall be located at least 15 feet from all property lines. The Zoning Hearing Board may, to encourage conversion of an existing viable building, permit a bonus of not more than 10% impervious coverage above that permitted in Subsection B herein. In allowing any conversion, the Zoning Hearing Board shall attach any reasonable standards it deems appropriate to ensure said use(s) are developed in a manner consistent with other uses in the district and are compatible with said uses.

Building coverage. Not more than 25% of the area may be covered by buildings, and total impervious coverage shall not exceed 65%.

Yard requirements.

Height. The maximum height of buildings or structures hereinafter erected or enlarged in a Professional Business Office District shall be 35 feet, not to exceed three stories, exclusive of basements. For any accessory building or structure, the maximum height shall be 15 feet.

Maximum building dimension. The greatest dimension of a structure measured parallel to exterior building walls shall be 200 feet. For circular or partially circular buildings, the diameter or assumed diameter shall not exceed 225 feet.

Accessways leading onto a public street shall be built to the dimensional requirements specified in the design standards of the Lower Providence Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1]

Spacing of access drives should be 200 feet.

All evergreen vegetation to be installed shall not be less than 5 feet in height at the time of planting and shall be of such species that expected height at maturity not be less than 15 feet.

All deciduous material to be installed shall not be less than eight feet in height or two-inch caliper.