Palmyra City Zoning Code
ARTICLE V
Development Standards
§ 158-35 Purpose.
The purpose of this article is to ensure that the development and use of property are functional and attractive, are assets to the Borough, and minimize adverse impacts upon the site and surroundings. The statewide site improvements standards adopted pursuant to the authority of N.J.S.A. 40:55D-40.1 et seq. shall supersede any site improvement standards incorporated within Article V of this chapter.
§ 158-36 Applicability.
The standards contained in this section apply to all developments undertaken and use of all lands in the Borough and are intended to be met as conditions to the issuance of subdivision and site plan approvals, construction and zoning permits, certificates of occupancy, and such other permits and approvals as may be required by this code.
§ 158-37 Site design standards.
A.
General.
(1)
Design of the development shall take into consideration all existing local and regional plans for the surrounding community.
(2)
Development of the site shall be based on an analysis of the site. To the maximum extent practicable, development shall be located to preserve the natural features of the site, to avoid areas of environmental sensitivity, and to minimize negative impacts and alteration of natural features.
(3)
The following specific areas shall be preserved as undeveloped open space to the extent consistent with reasonable utilization of land, and in accordance with applicable state or local regulation:
(4)
The development shall be laid out to avoid adversely affecting groundwater and aquifer recharge; to prevent flooding; to provide adequate access to lots and sites; and to mitigate adverse effects of shadow, lighting, noise, odor, traffic, drainage, and utilities.
(5)
The developer must comply with all technical standards and specifications stated in this code. The Planning Board Engineer shall be the final authority regarding the interpretations of these standards and specifications and shall also approve the design and specifications of any items of construction that a developer is required to or wishes to construct, if not otherwise covered by this code.
B.
Blocks and lots.
(1)
Block length. Blocks shall not be less than 400 feet nor more than 600 feet long. Crosswalks, 10 feet wide, may be required for blocks more than 600 feet.
(2)
Block width. Blocks shall be wide enough to accommodate two tiers of lots. Double frontage lots are to be avoided and generally will not be permitted except where rear yards abut collector streets and the lots are entirely served by a separate local street.
(3)
Lot lines. Lot lines shall be at right angles to street lines or radial thereto wherever practicable.
(4)
House numbers. House numbers shall be assigned to each lot by the appropriate governmental authority or agency.
(5)
Lot sizes. Minimum lot area and dimensions shall be governed by the Zoning Ordinance.
(6)
Frontage. All lots shall have frontage on a street conforming with design standards contained herein, and improved in accordance with Borough specifications.
(7)
Residential lots should front only on local or collector streets. Direct access to arterial streets will not be permitted.
(8)
Every lot shall have sufficient access to it for emergency vehicles as well as for those needing access to the property in its intended use.
(9)
No footing or foundation construction shall be allowed to begin until an access road has been constructed (and approved by the Borough Engineer) from the nearest existing improved public street to the site of the proposed footing or foundation. The access road shall be passable for emergency vehicles in all weather conditions and shall be constructed of bituminous materials approved by the Borough Engineer.
[Added 8-10-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-12]
C.
Street/circulation.
(1)
General.
(a)
Road system and parking areas shall be designed to permit the safe, efficient and orderly movement of traffic; to meet, but not to exceed the needs of the present and future population served; to have a simple and logical pattern; to provide for safe, efficient and orderly off-street loading and unloading, including the movement of goods and vehicles; to respect natural features and topography; and to present an attractive streetscape. Existing street patterns should be extended when practical. New streets shall be laid out to continue existing streets at no reduction in width, provided that such continuation is both reasonable and practical. Street layout shall make measurable provision for access to adjacent undeveloped areas.
(b)
In residential areas, the road system shall be designed to serve the needs of the neighborhood and to discourage use by through traffic.
(c)
The pedestrian system shall be located as required for safety. Sidewalks shall be placed parallel to the street.
(d)
Bikeways and walkways are encouraged as a means to facilitate circulation among and between buildings and other properties.
(2)
Classification of streets.
Street Type | Right-of-Way Width (feet) | Cartway Width (feet) | Sidewalk Required | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Arterial | 80 | 40 | Yes | |
Collector | 60 | 40 | Yes | |
Local | 50 | 30 | Yes | |
Cul-de-sac | * | * | Yes |
NOTES: | ||
|---|---|---|
* | Refer to § 158-37C(4). | |
(3)
Right-of-way. The right-of-way shall be measured from lot line to lot line and shall be sufficiently wide to contain cartway, curbs, sidewalks, utilities, and shade trees. The street right-of-way line shall be parallel to the curbline.
(4)
Cul-de-sac streets.
(a)
Culs-de-sac serving five or fewer dwellings shall have a right-of-way width of 40 feet and cartway width of 28 feet. The cul-de-sac turnaround shall have a right-of-way radius of 50 feet and a cartway radius of 40 feet.
(b)
Culs-de-sac serving six or more dwellings shall have a right-of-way width of 50 feet and cartway width of 28 feet. The cul-de-sac turnaround shall have a right-of-way radius of 60 feet and a cartway radius of 50 feet.
(c)
Cul-de-sac streets shall not exceed 500 feet in length.
(5)
Street names. Continuations of existing streets shall be known by the same name. Names for new streets shall not duplicate or closely resemble names for existing streets within the Borough and adjoining municipalities. The Borough Council shall have the final authority for all street names.
(6)
Curbs and sidewalks.
(a)
Curbs shall be constructed pursuant to the requirements of the Borough for the full length of all streets and shall be designed to accommodate barrier-free ramps at intersections and driveways. No curb cut to a single-family or two-family dwelling shall exceed 22 feet in width. Any new, replacement, expansion or alteration of any curb or curb cut shall require the prior submission of a survey of the property indicating the proposed location of work. A zoning permit shall be required for such work and the prior written approval by the Palmyra Borough Street Superintendent or if a county-owned road the written approval by the County Engineer.
[Amended 8-10-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-12]
(b)
Sidewalks shall be constructed pursuant to the requirements of the Borough on both sides of all streets and shall be designed to accommodate barrier-free ramps at intersections and driveways.
(c)
Sidewalks shall be placed in the right-of-way, parallel to the street, unless an exception has been permitted to preserve topographical or natural features. In commercial areas, sidewalks may abut the curb.
(d)
Sidewalks shall measure a minimum of four feet in width. Wider sidewalks may be required in commercial areas and in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic. Where sidewalks abut curbs and parked cars overhang the sidewalk, sidewalk width shall be six feet.
(7)
Construction of improvements in the right-of-way:
(a)
No curb shall be constructed or reconstructed in Palmyra unless said curb is constructed of concrete that is no less than 18 inches deep, eight inches at the base and six inches at the top and has a compressive strength of 2,000 pounds per square inch after 28 days.
[Amended 7-6-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-7]
(b)
No sidewalk shall be constructed or reconstructed in Palmyra unless said sidewalk is at least four feet in width and laid so that one side shall be at least one foot six inches from the property line and the other side at least four feet from the curbline and shall be constructed of concrete with a thickness of four inches (six inches at driveway crossings) and have a compressive strength of 2,000 pounds per square inch after 28 days.
[Amended 7-6-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-7]
(c)
Streets shall be constructed according to the following specifications:
[1]
The standard Borough street paving cross section shall consist of two inches FABC-1 (Mix I-5) on four inches bituminous stabilized base (Mix I-2) on six inches dense graded aggregate. A reduction in this specification may be permitted based on review of field C.B.R. by the Borough Engineer.
[2]
The minimum street grade for all streets shall be 75%. The maximum street grade shall be 8%.
[3]
The rate of change on vertical curves shall be no more than 4%, or 100 feet of road, provided that proper sight distances are maintained.
[4]
New intersections along one side of an existing street shall, if possible, coincide with any existing intersections on the opposite side of the street and in no case shall more than two streets cross at the same point. When new and existing streets cannot be aligned, the minimum offset shall be 200 feet.
[5]
Approaches to any intersection shall follow a straight course within 100 feet of the intersection.
[6]
Intersections shall be rounded at the curbline, with the street having the highest radius requirement determining the minimum standard for all curblines. Culs-de-sac and local streets shall have a curb radius of 10 feet and collector and arterial streets shall have a fifteen-foot curb radius.
[7]
Intersections shall be designed with a flat grade wherever practicable. Maximum grade within intersections shall be 3%.
[8]
Minimum center line radius and minimum tangent length between reverse curves shall be as follows:
Cul-de-Sac (feet) | Local Street (feet) | Collector Street (feet) | Arterial Street (feet) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Minimum center-line radius | 100 | 100 | 150 | 300 |
Minimum tangent length between reverse curves | 50 | 100 | 100 | 150 |
[9]
Sight triangle easements shall be required and shall include the area on each street corner that is bounded by the line which connects the sight or connecting points located on each of the right-of-way lines of the intersecting streets. No plantings or structures exceeding 30 inches in height will be permitted within sight triangles.
[10]
Clear sight distances along the center lines of local and collector streets shall be a minimum of 200 feet. Minimum sight distance for arterial streets shall be 300 feet.
[11]
The slope of the crown on local service and feeder streets shall be more than 2% and less than 4% or as directed by the Borough Engineer.
[12]
Shade trees shall be planted along all streets. Trees shall be planted at a minimum caliper of 2 1/2 inches and 40 feet on-center and a minimum of three feet from the curb and/or sidewalk. Shade tree species shall be approved by the Shade Tree Commission.
(8)
Parking areas.
(a)
Parking area design standards.
[1]
Off-street parking areas shall be oriented to and within a reasonable walking distance of the buildings they are designed to serve.
[2]
Access to parking areas shall be designed so as not to obstruct free flow of traffic. There shall be adequate provision for ingress to and egress from all parking spaces to ensure ease of mobility, ample clearance, and safety of vehicles and pedestrians.
[3]
The width of all aisles providing direct access to individual parking stalls shall be in accordance with the requirements specified below. Only one-way traffic shall be permitted in aisles serving single-row parking spaces placed at an angle other than 90° unless special circumstances make alternative designs desirable.
Parking Angle (degrees) | One-Way Aisle Width (feet) | Two Row/Two Way Aisle Width (feet) | |
|---|---|---|---|
0° (parallel) | 12 | 18 | |
45° | 15 | 20 | |
60° | 18 | 20 | |
75° | 20 | 22 | |
90° | 22 | 24 |
[4]
Where sidewalks occur in parking areas, such sidewalks shall be raised six inches above the parking area, and parked vehicles shall not overhang the sidewalk unless an additional 2 1/2 feet is provided in order to accommodate such overhang.
[5]
Parking areas shall be designed to provide, at a minimum, five stalls designated for visitor parking.
(b)
Parking area paving standards.
[1]
All parking lots shall be paved to the standard of two inches of F.A.B.C. over six inches of quarry blend stone or equivalent.
[2]
All parking lots which include areas (aisles, loading, stalls) to be used by trucks shall be constructed to the standard two inches F.A.B.C. on four inches stabilized base on six inches of quarry blend stone, or equivalent.
[3]
If substitutions of paving materials are proposed, the relative strength ratings will be evaluated by the Borough Engineer to ensure appropriate substitutions.
(c)
Parking area landscaping standards.
[1]
Parking areas shall be suitably landscaped to minimize noise, glare, and other nuisance characteristics as well as to improve the environment of the site and surrounding area. Large parking lots shall be broken down into sections as appropriate for the type and size of the development. Sections shall be separated by landscaped dividing strips, berms, and similar elements.
[2]
Curbed islands with a minimum radius of three feet should be located at the end of each parking row and at an interval of every 10 spaces. These islands should contain one shade tree, minimum four inches caliper, 14 feet to 16 feet high, and shrubs not exceeding 36 inches in height, unless visual screening is necessary as contained in Subsection C(8)(c)[3] below.
[3]
Parking lots shall have a minimum planted buffer of six feet in width on all perimeter areas abutting lot lines or street rights-of-way. This buffer shall be a continuous visual screen which is five feet in height at the time of planting and is fifty-percent evergreen plant material or deciduous material which is demonstratively effective for screening purposes.
[4]
In parking lots, at least 5% of the interior parking area shall be landscaped with plantings, and one tree for each 10 spaces shall be installed. Trees shall be spaced at intervals no greater than every 40 feet along the perimeter and on internal planting strips to reduce heat and glare. Planting required within the parking lot is exclusive of other planting requirements, such as for shade trees planted along the street.
[5]
Location. The landscaping should be located in protected areas, such as along walkways, in center islands, at the ends of bays, or between parking stalls and must be protected by a curb or similar abutment. All landscaping in parking areas and on the street frontage shall be placed so that it will not obstruct sight distance.
[6]
Plant type shall be a mixture of hardy flowering and/or decorative evergreen and deciduous trees. The evergreens should be used along the perimeter of the lot for screening, and the deciduous trees for shade within the lot. The area between trees shall be mulched, planted with shrubs or ground cover, or covered with paving material. Any area that will be under the overhang of vehicles shall be mulched or covered with paving material.
D.
Lighting.
(2)
Intensity:
(a)
An average of 0.6 maintained footcandle throughout parking lots should be provided. Pedestrian walkways and steps should have a minimum of three footcandles to five footcandles.
(b)
Street illumination should be as follows:
Commercial Areas | Mixed-Use Areas | Residential Areas | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Connector streets | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | |
Any other street | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
(c)
The intensity at property lines should not exceed 1.0 footcandle; however, adjacent to residential uses, intensity should not exceed 0.25 footcandle.
(d)
Height. The maximum height of standards shall be 16 feet where tractor-trailers or similar vehicles will be using the lot and 13 feet in all other cases.
(f)
Spotlights, if used, should be placed on standards pointing toward the building and positioned so as not to blind residents rather than on building and directed outwards which creates dark shadows adjacent to the buildings and which can create a nuisance for adjacent or nearby properties.
(g)
Design. The style of light and light fixture or standard shall be consistent with the principal building, use, and surrounding area.
E.
Off-street parking:
(1)
General. An adequate number of off-street parking spaces shall be required in all zones, and in association with every residential, office, business, institutional or other use of property. All businesses and commercial properties must provide a suitable location for loading and unloading of materials or passengers from vehicles. Such location shall not interfere with the public street and its uses.
(2)
Number of spaces.
(a)
For residential uses, off-street parking shall be provided as set forth below:
Housing Unit Type and Size | Off-Street Parking Requirement (spaces) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Single-family detached | |||
4 or fewer bedrooms | 2 | ||
5 or more bedrooms | 3 | ||
Townhouses or attached | |||
Up to 4 bedrooms | 2 | ||
More than 4 bedrooms | 3 | ||
Apartments | |||
Per housing unit | 2 | ||
(b)
For nonresidential uses, off-street parking shall be provided as set forth below. For uses not listed, the Planning Board shall evaluate the applicant's parking plan in relation to requirements for similar uses.
Use | Parking Requirement (spaces) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Church and other places of worship | 1 for every 4 fixed seats in the main sanctuary plus 1 per 200 square feet of floor area (FA) | ||
Offices other than medical or dental | |||
Where customer or client visits are generally not expected | 1 per 400 square feet of FA | ||
Other nonmedical or nondental | 1 per 200 square feet of FA | ||
Laboratory and research uses | 1 per 300 square feet of FA | ||
Manufacturing, industrial | 1 per 1,000 FA plus 1 per 3 employees in the maximum working shift | ||
Medical and dental offices | 4 for each doctor plus 1 per 100 square feet of FA | ||
Nursing homes | 1 per bed | ||
Retail stores | |||
Convenience | 1 per 150 square feet of FA | ||
Other | 1 per 200 square feet of FA | ||
Restaurants and catering halls | |||
Quick food | 1 per 30 square feet of FA | ||
Other | 1 per 100 square feet of FA | ||
Schools | |||
Nursery | 1 for each employee plus 1 per 200 square feet of FA | ||
Secondary | 5 per classroom | ||
Primary or intermediate | 2 per classroom | ||
Service stations | |||
Gasoline sales | 1 per 200 square feet of FA of enclosed sales space plus vehicle parking area at pumps adequate for a minimum of 3 vehicles to wait on each side of each set of pumps at any 1 time | ||
Repair and service | 4 for each service bay and each other vehicle work area | ||
Swimming pools and clubs | 1 per 200 square feet of FA of enclosed area plus 1 for each 3 people at maximum rated capacity | ||
Tennis courts | 4 per court | ||
Theaters | 1 for every 3 seats | ||
Wholesale establishments and warehouses | 1 per 2 employees in any maximum shift | ||
F.
Off-street loading. In connection with every building or building group erected which is to be occupied by manufacturing or commercial uses which will require the distribution by vehicles of material or merchandise, off-street loading berths shall be provided and maintained on the same lot or property in accordance with the following requirements:
(1)
Size and location. Each loading space shall be not less than 10 feet in width, 35 feet in length, have a minimum clearance of 14 feet and may occupy all or any part of any required yard.
(2)
The number of off-street loading spaces required shall be determined by the following schedule.
Use | Total Floor Area (square feet) | Number of Off-Street Berths | |
|---|---|---|---|
Schools | 13,000 or more | 1 | |
Undertakers and funeral parlors | 5,000 | 1 | |
For each additional 5,000 or major fraction thereof | 1 additional | ||
Offices | From 10,000 to 25,000 | 1 | |
Retail, commercial | From 15,000 to 30,000 | 1 | |
Wholesale | From 5,000 to 20,000 | 1 | |
Manufacturing and storage | From 10,000 to 50,000 | 1 | |
For each additional 50,000 or fraction thereof | 1 additional |
(3)
No off-street loading area or part thereof shall be closer than 100 feet to any dwelling, school, hospital or other institutions for human care located on an adjoining lot.