Madison City Zoning Code
§ 195-32.7
OR Office-Research Zone regulations.
[Amended 7-12-2010 by Ord. No. 35-2010]
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this zone is to permit a wide range of office and research and development uses in accordance with current best practices of green building and sustainable site design to minimize impacts on adjacent residential areas to the maximum extent possible. This purpose encompasses the rehabilitation and reuse of existing site improvements and infrastructure, as well as any future new construction within the zone.
C.
Accessory uses.
(1)
Uses which are customarily incidental and accessory to the principal uses as permitted herein.
E.
Supplemental requirements.
(1)
All pervious areas in the required front yard and/or between the front building facade and the street right-of-way shall be fully planted and maintained in a combination of lawn area or ground cover with a mix of native deciduous and evergreen shrubbery and trees. Landscaping around any parking areas shall contain a mix of deciduous and evergreen plantings sufficient to screen the view of vehicles in all seasons from adjacent residential uses. The landscape plan shall be prepared by a licensed landscape architect and reviewed by the Madison Shade Tree Management Board.
(2)
No chain-link or vinyl fencing shall be permitted along any public street frontage nor adjacent to any residential use.
(3)
The selection of building design elements, such as materials, fenestration, color and texture, should balance the needs of the proposed uses of the site with elements to achieve harmony with the neighborhood and Borough.
(4)
Site lighting should be harmonious with the building style and design and shall use only downward-facing fixtures to minimize spillage and glare. Lighting intensities shall be the minimum required to adequately light the site and shall consider the proximity and nature of adjoining uses. See also § 195-25.6 for additional standards.
(5)
All building facades shall be treated as front facades in terms of architectural detailing and treatments.
(6)
Buildings are required to incorporate vertical and horizontal articulation through variations in build-to lines, incorporation of entry treatments and pergolas, careful selection of materials, the use of projections and fenestration, and/or similar architectural treatments to improve the visual appearance of the buildings.
(7)
Applicants for development in the OR Zone shall submit photo simulations showing the massing, scale, materials and finishes proposed for the project from various viewpoints in context with surrounding properties. These simulations shall be submitted at the time of the initial application for site plan approval.
(8)
All proposals for development in this zone shall be required to prepare a traffic impact statement in accordance with § 195-20G that shall consider increases in cut-through traffic through neighboring local streets.
(9)
For the purpose of calculating impervious coverage and to encourage the use of sustainable site design components that increase groundwater recharge, all pervious pavement and engineered green roof systems shall receive a credit towards the calculation of impervious coverage. These areas, provided they are designed and maintained in accordance with best engineering practices, shall receive deductions for purposes of calculating impervious coverage in the OR Zone, as follows:
(a)
Green roof. Engineered green roofs may be considered for a reduction in impervious coverage, provided they cover a minimum of 500 square feet of contiguous roof area. Deductions shall be as follows:
[1]
A reduction of 20% in impervious coverage for systems with unit weights of 10 to 25 pounds/square foot saturated and vegetated;
[2]
A reduction of 35% in impervious coverage for systems with unit weights of 25 to 40 pounds/square foot saturated and vegetated;
[3]
A reduction of 50% in impervious coverage for systems with unit weights of 40+ pounds/square foot saturated and vegetated;
[4]
Additional coverage reduction for system designed to retain entire one-hundred-year design storm may be granted based on review and determination by the Board Engineer.
(b)
Pervious paving systems. Pervious paving systems may be considered for a reduction in impervious coverage, provided they cover a minimum of 5% of all parking stalls or 2.5% of total paved area of the site and provided they demonstrate compliance with design criteria of Chapter 9.7 of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Best Management Practices Manual, latest version, in order to qualify for coverage credits. Deductions shall be as follows:
[1]
Twenty percent reduction in impervious coverage for impervious concrete pavers without storage bed;
[2]
Forty percent reduction in impervious coverage for impervious concrete pavers with stone storage bed;
[3]
Fifty percent reduction in impervious coverage for porous paving systems;
[4]
Additional coverage reduction may be granted for storage bed designed to retain the entire one-hundred-year design storm based on review and determination by the Board Engineer.
(10)
Standards related to site design and layout, including, but not limited to, landscaping, stormwater management, lighting, parking, etc., outlined in other sections of Chapter 195, Land Development, shall apply. In the event of inconsistencies between standards elsewhere in Chapter 195 and in this section, the more restrictive standard shall apply.
(11)
Accessory uses, including shared conference rooms for use by multiple tenants, cafeterias, fitness facilities, and similar amenities designed for the sole use of building occupants shall not exceed 15% of a building's gross floor area.
(12)
Laboratory floor area shall not exceed 25% of a building's gross floor area.