Lower Providence Township Montgomery County
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXX
MU Mixed-Use District
§ 143-244 Intent.
In expansion of the community development objectives of Lower Providence Township, it is the intent of this article to:
A.
Provide for a balanced, interrelated combination of light industrial uses, offices and commercial stores in a setting which will be harmonious.
B.
Encourage new development which will continue the mixed-use character found in the corridor along Ridge Pike.
C.
Provide a transition from county institutional uses to light industrial and commercial uses.
D.
Limit the adverse impact of future commercial and light industrial facilities on roads by controlling access and orienting development toward appropriate road systems.
§ 143-245 Permitted uses.
A lot may be used for one or more of the following uses, in combination with the performance standards and dimension standards contained in this article. In mixed-use developments, the following uses are permitted:
A.
Commercial uses.
(1)
Retail establishment of sale of dry goods, variety merchandise, clothing and food, including supermarkets, beverages, flowers, plants, including garden centers and nurseries, drugs, hardware, books, furnishings and sale and repair of jewelry, optical goods, cameras, home appliances and similar uses.
(2)
Personal service shop, provided that at least 30% of the gross floor area is devoted to customer service.
(3)
Dry-cleaning dropoff establishment; copy center.
(4)
Sales of small automotive accessories (no automobile service work permitted).
(5)
Job printing.
(6)
Business or professional offices, including:
(a)
Operations designed to attract and serve customers or clients on the premises, such as the offices of physicians, lawyers, other professions (excluding veterinarians), insurance and stock brokers, travel agents and governmental entities, provided that an office or clinic of doctors or dentists shall not exceed 10,000 square feet of gross floor area; and
(b)
Operations designed to attract little or no customer or client traffic other than employees of the entity operating the principal use.
(7)
Banks and financial institutions, not to include banks with drive-in windows.
(8)
Restaurant, bar or tavern, not to include fast-food or drive-in restaurants.
(9)
Theaters, cinemas or similar recreational, amusement or cultural uses, excluding sexually oriented uses.
(10)
Indoor amusement facility, such as a bowling alley, billiard room, indoor court for racket sports or similar uses.
(11)
Exercise or fitness facilities.
(12)
Studios for dance, music, art, photography and radio and television.
(14)
Hotels, motels or inns.
(15)
Bed-and-breakfast establishments or the conversion of a single-family residence into a tourist home, rooming or boarding house.
(16)
Not-for-profit museums, libraries or other educational, religious, cultural or philanthropic uses of a similar nature.
(17)
Transit stations.
(18)
Public buildings or structures owned or operated by the Township or an authority organized by the Township.
(19)
Accessory uses on the same lot customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses.
(20)
Any one use of the same general character as those listed above, when approved by the Zoning Hearing Board as a special exception.
§ 143-246 General requirements for mixed-use developments.
A.
Minimum original tract size: 40 acres; subdivided lots within the original tract shall be not less than two acres each, notwithstanding any smaller lot size requirements as set forth in the Limited Industrial District.
B.
Mixed-use development may be executed in phases according to a phasing plan submitted by the applicant and approved by the Board of Supervisors.
C.
No more than 75% nor less than 25% of the original tract in the MU Mixed-Use District may be used for commercial uses. No more than 75% nor less than 25% of the original tract which is in the MU Mixed-Use District may be used for limited industrial uses.
D.
An application for land development or subdivision in the MU Mixed-Use District shall be accompanied by a plan showing the proposed construction of public improvements for that phase of the original tract being developed and a concept plan showing possible uses for the remainder of the original tract, subject to future change, in compliance with the use mix and other applicable requirements of this district. Each application for land development or subdivision must be accompanied by a certification setting forth the square footage and acreage area of the original tract which is the subject of the land development or subdivision application; the designation of the area which is the subject of the application for land development or subdivision as limited industrial or commercial; and a calculation of the total area (acreage) of the original tract which has been developed (including that area which is the subject of the current application) for limited industrial and commercial development. All applications for land development shall be accompanied by architectural plans of the proposed building(s). Each phase of development in the original tract shall be constructed in accordance with a development agreement to be executed by the developer and Lower Providence Township.
E.
No limited industrial use in a tract which is the subject of a mixed-use development application shall be within 300 feet of Ridge Pike.
F.
All mixed-use developments must be served by public water and public sewer service.
§ 143-247 Mixed-use requirements.
A.
The gross acreage of the original tract shall contain the following mix of lots usage:
Type of Lot/Usage | Minimum Percentage of Original Tract Area | Maximum Percentage of Original Tract Area | |
|---|---|---|---|
Commercial | 25% | 75% | |
Limited Industrial | 25% | 75% |
B.
At the time of its initial occupation, and annually thereafter, property owners within a mixed-use development shall submit a report to the Township indicating the apportionment of the various uses within the development.
§ 143-248 Performance, design and general regulations.
A.
Commercial uses. Any lot or lots within the original tract designated for commercial uses shall meet the general regulations, mixture of uses, development and performance standards, dimensional standards, building size and spacing, open space areas and pedestrian circulation and landscape plan requirements set forth below:
(1)
General regulations.
(b)
Outdoor display regulations. The following regulations shall apply to all outdoor displays:
[1]
Outdoor display is intended to comprise samples or examples of the goods, merchandise or equipment available for purchase, rather than the entire stock of any item.
[2]
Displayed items may not be permanently affixed in front yards.
[3]
Outdoor display areas may not encroach upon any required parking areas.
[4]
Outdoor display areas may not exceed 50% of the required front yard area.
[5]
Outdoor display areas shall be considered to be sales floor area for the purpose of computing parking requirements.
[6]
Outdoor display areas shall be separated from the ultimate right-of-way of any street by a twenty-foot landscaped buffer, planted in grass, ground cover or low shrubs.
(c)
Outdoor storage. Any commercial use which includes outdoor storage of merchandise shall conform to the following standards:
[1]
No vehicles, equipment or merchandise shall be parked, stored or displayed within the ultimate right-of-way of any street or any other areas intended for pedestrian use.
[2]
Outdoor storage shall be permitted only to the rear of buildings and shall be set back at least 30 feet from the property boundaries.
[3]
All storage areas shall be screened from public view by an opaque fence or wall at least six feet high. Stored materials may not exceed the height of the fence.
(d)
Refuse areas. All commercial uses shall provide for storage of refuse either inside the building(s) or within an outdoor area enclosed by walls or opaque fencing, at least six feet and no more than 12 feet high. Refuse shall be kept within one or more lidded container(s) not to exceed six feet in height. All refuse areas shall meet the following requirements:
[1]
The refuse area shall not interfere with circulation within the parking lot.
[2]
The refuse area shall be shielded from direct view of any adjacent property.
[3]
The refuse area shall be located at least 10 feet from any adjacent nonresidential property line and 50 feet from any residential property line or ultimate right-of-way line.
(e)
Buffers. Where a commercial use abuts a residential use or district, a landscaped screen at least 15 feet wide shall be provided along the property boundary between the districts or uses. Where a district boundary divides a single lot, the buffer shall be placed along the nearest property boundary between commercial and residential uses. The buffer shall be designed according to the requirements of § 123-50C of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
(2)
Development and performance standards. The following development and performance standards shall apply to the portion of the original tract of land to be developed for commercial usage:
(a)
Maximum building coverage: 25% of the tract area.
(b)
Maximum impervious coverage: 75% of the tract area, including buildings, driveways, parking and storage areas, but excluding qualifying landscaped pedestrian walkways, courtyards and plazas as described in Subsection A(5)(b) of this section.
(c)
Maximum height. The maximum height for buildings and other structures erected or enlarged in this district shall be three stories but not to exceed 35 feet.
(d)
Minimum open space or landscaped areas: 25% of the tract area.
(h)
Satellite uses. Satellite uses, such as drive-in banks, fast-food restaurants, tires, batteries and accessory stores and similar freestanding uses, are not permitted in this district.
(3)
Dimensional standards for lots.
(4)
Building size and spacing.
(a)
Maximum building size. In no case shall the greatest horizontal length of a structure exceed 300 linear feet. For the purposes of this subsection, covered, open walkways less than 10 feet in length shall be excluded from dimensional calculations.
(b)
Minimum spacing between buildings. The minimum distance between buildings on a single lot shall be 15 feet, except that all structures connected by a common roof line or covered walkways shall be considered as one building.
(5)
Open space areas and pedestrian circulation.
(a)
At least 25% of the tract area shall be devoted to open space. Open space shall predominantly consist of natural environmental features or planted and maintained vegetation, but up to 20% of the total open space area may also consist of exterior common use areas such as pedestrian paths, sidewalks, plazas, courtyards and recreational amenities. Whenever practicable, these common use areas shall be constructed of pavers in a sand setting bed with permeable joints or of similar partly pervious surface treatments.
(b)
Pedestrian access between buildings and between principal uses in a commercial development shall be accommodated by means of continuous all-weather, lighted pedestrian paths and sidewalks which, except for occasional crossings of driveways and internal streets, shall be for exclusive pedestrian use. These paths and sidewalks shall be extended to the tract boundaries, where appropriate, to allow for pedestrian connections to and from off-site community facilities and major pedestrian traffic-generating uses. Where public transit is to be available, a shelter with benches shall be provided.
B.
Limited industrial uses. Any lot or lots within the original tract designated for limited industrial uses shall meet the general provisions, use prohibitions, general performance standards, general design requirements, procedural requirements and additional requirements for the LI District set forth in Article XVIII, §§ 143-124, 143-125, 143-126, 143-128, 143-129, 143-131 and 143-132 of the Lower Providence Township Zoning Ordinance. In applying the requirements of § 143-132C pertaining to buffering, the requirements in § 123-50C of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance shall be applicable.
C.
Parking and loading. Parking for the development shall meet the requirements of Article XII, Off-Street Parking Standards. The shared parking concept may be utilized where appropriate. Off-street parking areas may be located within the setback areas between the commercial uses on the original tract and the limited industrial uses on the original tract; however, no parking shall be permitted within the required minimum front yard of any lot in this district, nor closer than 100 feet to a residential district. Adequate off-street loading facilities shall also be provided for all buildings in this district.
D.
Access and circulation design standards. Vehicular access to the development from external roadways shall be located no closer than 300 feet from any existing major intersection. Access driveways shall be spaced according to sound traffic engineering practice and no closer than 300 feet apart along any external roadways. A maximum of two curb cuts for vehicular access shall be permitted for the entire development on any single arterial or collector street on which the tract has frontage, should traffic safety considerations warrant, based on the evaluation and recommendation of the Township Engineer. Modifications to these requirements may be permitted by the Board of Supervisors based upon evaluation and recommendation of the Township Engineer. Access to lots from interior roadways to be constructed within the original tract shall comply with the standards of the Lower Providence Township ordinances and shall be designed in accordance with recommendations of the Lower Providence Township traffic consultant.
E.
Traffic impact study. An application for development in this district shall be accompanied by a traffic impact study, demonstrating the manner in which projected traffic flows will be accommodated and proposed road improvements to be undertaken in conjunction with development of the tract. The traffic impact study shall be prepared by a professional traffic engineer or transportation planner and shall include the following elements:
(1)
A description of existing traffic characteristics of the proposed development.
(2)
Traffic volumes for the average daily traffic at peak hours, before and after the proposed development.
(3)
Source of the trip generation rates used.
(4)
Assessment of traffic impact on all roadways, intersections and interchanges within a half-mile radius of the site.
G.
Lighting. All lighting, including sign lighting, shall be arranged so as to protect adjoining properties from direct glare. No lighting standard shall exceed 25 feet in height.
H.
Unified architectural design. All uses, whether in a single building or in several buildings, shall be designed according to a unified architectural scheme, including treatment of building facades, signs, lighting, landscaping and circulation. In order to avoid a monolithic appearance, variations in roof lines, facades and building materials are encouraged. In addition, facades of all buildings within the limited industrial phases of the original tract which are in view from external roadways adjacent to the original tract shall contain materials and architectural detailing which are compatible with facades in the commercial buildings in the Mixed-Use District.