Plymouth Township City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XXXIX
MUV Mixed-Use Village Residential District
Section 3900 Legislative intent.
[Ord. No. 1499, § 1, 4-14-2008]
The intent of the Township in permitting development pursuant to this section is as follows:
A.
To establish a land use pattern that encourages walkability and mixed-use opportunities which reduce traffic within the community;
B.
To provide for lot sizes, setbacks, permitted land uses, impervious surface coverage and other area and bulk requirements so that imaginative and innovative designs can be developed;
C.
To encourage mixed-use development consistent with a village-style character.
D.
To encourage the provision of a pedestrian environment and to promote a pedestrian orientation of buildings and streets where practicable.
E.
To provide for a transitional use between and along major transportation corridors such as rail lines and arterial roadways which are adjacent to or contiguous to employment centers within the Township.
Section 3901 General District regulations.
[Ord. No. 1499, § 1, 4-14-2008; Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
A.
MUV Mixed-Use Village Residential District development may be permitted on those tracts designated on the Township Zoning Map as "MUV Residential District."
B.
The minimum qualifying Zoning District area for the MUV District shall be ten (10) acres, which shall include a minimum of five hundred (500) feet of street frontage along a street designated as arterial highway or greater, based upon street functional classification in the Plymouth Township Comprehensive Plan Update 1990.
C.
A portion of the MUV Residential District shall be within one thousand (1,000) feet of a property containing one or more of the following zoning districts: Interchange Development, Business Park, Mixed-Use Planned Development, Planned Office Park, Industrial Park or Limited Industrial Districts.
D.
The tract to be developed shall be serviced by public water and public sanitary sewer.
E.
The lots or parcels to be developed shall be in one ownership or shall be the subject of an application filed jointly by the owners or equitable owners.
F.
The District shall be designed to be compatible in their residential and nonresidential components in terms of architecture, building materials, and vehicular and pedestrian systems.
G.
The District shall consist of the following designated land use components based on percentage of tract area:
Minimum percent tract area devoted to residential | 60% | |
Minimum percent tract area devoted to retail or office | 20% | |
Maximum percent tract area devoted to retail or office | 40% |
1.
The designated land use components shall be identified at the time of consideration for conditional use approval. The land use boundaries and their areas shall be identified on the plan and calculated by metes and bounds.
2.
Residential land use components shall provide a minimum of three (3) contiguous acres which shall have a minimum width of two hundred (200) feet in any direction.
3.
Retail or office land use components shall provide a minimum of one (1) contiguous acre which shall have a minimum width of one hundred (100) feet in any direction.
4.
Land use components shall not include the ultimate rights-of-way of existing streets but may include ultimate rights-of-way of future new streets.
Section 3902 Uses permitted by right.
[Ord. No. 1499, § 1, 4-14-2008]
Lots which do not qualify for the MUV development option may be used or developed for the residential or nonresidential uses in accordance with the zoning district standards existing and applicable to the lot preceding the application of the MUV District upon the property.
Section 3903 Uses permitted by conditional use.
[Ord. No. 1499, § 1, 4-14-2008]
A.
Residential - Any combination of single-family detached, townhouse or attached dwelling.
1.
The maximum density shall be not greater than five (5) dwelling units per acre designated for residential land use.
2.
The maximum number of dwelling units attached in a single building shall be seven (7).
B.
Retail sales and retail services; banks, exercise or fitness facilities, studios for dance, art, or photography; offices. The following uses are specifically excluded: hotels, motels, motion-picture theaters, gas/convenience/carwash stores or other motor vehicle fuel sales.
1.
The maximum FAR (floor area ratio) shall be thirty-five percent (35%) of the area designated retail sales and retail services or office land use.
2.
No single use or building shall exceed 15,000 square feet. For purposes of this District, separate buildings attached by roofs or canopies shall not be considered one use or one building.
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
3.
Offices shall be permitted on second and third floor only.
C.
Uses permitted by right in MUV developments.
1.
Accessory uses on the same lot with and customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses.
2.
Signs pursuant to Section 3906.H of this ordinance and may also be authorized in Article XVI.
3.
No-impact home-based business.
Section 3904 Height, area, yard, building coverage and impervious surface and green space area regulations.
[Ord. No. 1499, § 1, 4-14-2008]
A.
Building height. The maximum height of any building or other structure erected or used for any purpose herein shall not exceed thirty-five (35) feet.
B.
Setback requirements.
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
1.
Existing external streets. Buildings shall be set back a minimum of twenty-five (25) feet, and parking areas shall be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from the ultimate rights-of-way of existing external streets.
2.
Proposed streets. Buildings and parking shall be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from the ultimate right-of-way of proposed streets.
3.
Other external property lines. Buildings and parking shall be set back a minimum of thirty-five (35) feet from all other property lines, although this may be reduced to ten (10) feet for parking where landscape buffers to a minimum height of six (6) feet are provided.
4.
Nonresidential buildings shall be located not less than forty (40) feet to any side or rear property line adjacent to a residential district not part of the MUV Residential District.
C.
Building spacing and front yard setbacks.
1.
The minimum distance between parallel elements of two buildings shall be: for front or rear walls to front or rear walls, fifty (50) feet; for end walls to front or rear walls, forty (40) feet; for end walls to end walls, thirty-five (35) feet.
2.
Where corners of buildings are not parallel to one another, the minimum distances between buildings required under Subsection C.1 above shall be provided at the midpoint of the nonparallel facing walls, provided that in no case shall there be less than thirty-five (35) feet between the corners of adjacent buildings. For the purpose of this section, "nonparallel" shall refer to only those conditions where adjacent buildings are angled at not less than 30°.
3.
When positioned along an internal street, residential buildings shall be provided with a front yard setback from the right-of-way of an internal street or common private drive or private street of not less than ten (10) feet nor greater than fifty (50) feet.
D.
Building and impervious coverage.
1.
The residential land use component shall be permitted a maximum building coverage of forty percent (40%) of the District area.
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
2.
The nonresidential land component shall be permitted a maximum building coverage of twenty percent (20%) of the District area.
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
3.
The maximum impervious coverage of the total District area including the residential and retail/office land use components shall be sixty percent (60%).
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
E.
Lot area standards for individual dwellings.
1.
Individual lots are not required. However, if provided, then the lot width and lot size regulations of § 802.A (D Residential Districts) shall apply.
2.
If individual lots are provided, then the maximum building coverage and maximum impervious surface coverage shall be seventy-five percent (75%) of the lot area.
F.
Green space area requirement. The minimum required green area applied to the total District shall not be less than forty percent (40%).
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
Section 3905 Parking regulations.
[Ord. No. 1499, § 1, 4-14-2008]
A.
Retail sales and retail services: five (5) parking spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet gross leasable floor area, except that restaurants and outdoor cafes shall provide parking at the rate of one (1) parking space for every two (2) seats, provided that the establishment does not have a liquor license and provided that the total gross leasable floor area shall not exceed four thousand (4,000) square feet per establishment. All other restaurants shall comply with § 1700.D.5 herein.
B.
Office: four (4) spaces per one thousand (1,000) square feet of gross leasable floor area.
C.
Residential: Two (2) spaces per dwelling unit [not counting one (1) garage space] plus one-half (1/2) space per dwelling for visitor/overflow.
D.
General standards:
1.
Parking areas shall be interconnected and cross easements provided to ensure shared use is provided.
2.
Where the applicant can demonstrate that different nonresidential uses have differing peak parking demand periods or that other parking is available for the use, the governing body may authorize, as part of the conditional use approval, shared parking such that the total number of spaces provided is less than the sum of the requirements of the individual uses. In no case shall this result in a total reduction of parking provided of more than twenty-five percent (25%) of that required on a nonshared basis.
3.
On-street parallel parking may be used to meet up to thirty percent (30%) of the parking requirements for residential uses.
4.
Off-street parking and garages should be designed such that vehicular access does not dominate the primary internal driveway(s) or existing external streetscape. The main internal drive is the primary connecting access cartway that connects the internal driveways and parking lots to the external street system.
5.
Parking shall be located to the greatest extent practicable:
a.
In residential components located to the side or rear of the dwelling;
b.
In retail or office components located so that buildings are not surrounded by parking on all sides.
Section 3906 Site design and architectural standards.
[Ord. No. 1499, § 1, 4-14-2008; Ord. No. 1568, § 1, 4-9-2012]
The following standards shall be considered by Township Council during the application for conditional use approval and may be modified by Council as deemed appropriate to achieve village character and suitable building relationship to surrounding streets:
A.
All residential buildings shall have pitched primary roofs with a pitch of at least six (6) vertical inches to every twelve (12) horizontal inches. Pitched parapet roofs shall be provided with a pitch of at least five (5) vertical inches to every twelve (12) horizontal inches.
B.
Nonresidential uses, including commercial and nonresidential parking areas.
1.
Location. All nonresidential uses and associated parking shall be generally located on a portion of the tract that is closest to the external roadways.
2.
Building orientation and entrance. Front facades of nonresidential buildings shall generally be oriented toward an internal street or driveway.
3.
Building spacing. The distance between two or more buildings shall be a minimum of thirty-five (35) feet or no less than the height of the taller building, whichever is greater, unless the buildings are attached by a roof, in which case the spacing may be reduced to twenty (20) feet.
4.
Walls and windows.
a.
Blank walls shall not be permitted along any exterior wall facing an internal or external street or driveway.
(1)
Windows, dropped roof lines or architectural columns or variations greater than three (3) feet from the wall surface or changes in wall materials shall be considered acceptable options for walls having a length of less than one hundred (100) feet to comply with the blank wall requirement.
b.
The ground floor of any retail use wall facing a street or driveway shall contain windows in accordance with the following:
(1)
Front facades shall consist of at least thirty percent (30%) but not more than seventy-five percent (75%) window area.
(2)
Reflective glass in windows is not permitted.
5.
Roofs. All nonresidential buildings shall have pitched primary roofs with a pitch of at least six (6) vertical inches to every twelve (12) horizontal inches. Pitched parapet roofs shall be provided with a pitch of at least five (5) vertical inches to every twelve (12) horizontal inches.
6.
Building presentation. All buildings shall provide architectural features, which shall be designed with a single unifying architectural theme and shall reflect the historic character of the area by incorporating natural materials, neutral or pastel colors, pitched roofs, and mullioned windows. The use of dormers, cupolas, and other architectural details is encouraged and shall be included where appropriate. Parking lots, landscaping, and signage shall be designed to complement the architectural design.
C.
Pedestrian and transit-oriented design elements.
1.
Sidewalks or other walkways as deemed acceptable to Township Council shall be provided along all internal streets and external streets.
2.
Convenient pedestrian connections shall be provided from all building entrances to parking areas, open space and recreational areas, the residential uses on the tract and to the nonresidential component of the MUV tract.
3.
Sidewalks or walkways shall connect to existing sidewalks on abutting tracts.
4.
All sidewalks and walkways providing primary connections to off-tract trails and/or nonresidential uses shall be a minimum of five (5) feet in width.
5.
Site amenities such as bicycle racks, benches, and trash receptacles shall be provided in appropriate locations.
D.
Loading and trash disposal.
1.
Such areas shall be provided for all nonresidential uses.
2.
Such areas shall be concealed where practicable and shall be acoustically and visually screened from view from public streets and residential land uses.
3.
No loading or solid waste disposal area serving a nonresidential use shall be located within seventy-five (75) feet of any first-floor residential use.
E.
Landscaping and buffering. Landscaping and buffering, including street trees, softening buffers, screen buffers, individual lot landscaping, parking lot landscaping and detention basin landscaping, shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
1.
For purposes of establishing compliance with the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, the MUV District shall comply with Zone D, D-1, and E Residential as provided in Table 1, Minimum Planting Requirements, and Table 2, Screen Buffer Requirements.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Tables 1 and 2 are on file in the Township offices.
2.
Yard areas contiguous to adjacent internal streets shall be provided with not less than ten (10) feet setback of lawns and landscaping.
F.
Common village green space. A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the District gross area shall be used for common green space and recreational activities for the use of the residents or businesses of the MUV District and shall be in accordance with the following standards:
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
1.
Common village green space for the purposes of determining compliance with this section may include and be a part of the green space area requirement of Section 3904.F herein, setback and buffer areas, central open space, plazas, active recreation areas, such as pools, walking paths, and tennis courts; and similar green space areas. Stormwater management facilities, individual lots for residential land uses, if provided, and parking lots shall not be counted as common village green space.
2.
The common village green space requirement shall be calculated on an overall District basis, but the required common green space areas of a tract may be provided in total or in part within either the residential or nonresidential land use portion of the District.
3.
At least thirty percent (30%) of the required common village green space shall be provided in the form of one or more central spaces, which shall meet any one of the following design options:
a.
Village green or plaza. Each village green or plaza shall:
(1)
Be at least two thousand (2,000) square feet in size.
(2)
Have an average width of at least twenty-five (25) feet.
(3)
Be surrounded along at least forty-five percent (45%) of its perimeter by public or private streets, common driveways or common parking areas, or by nonresidential or residential buildings with front facades facing the green.
(4)
Provide two (2) or more amenities such as formal landscaping, fountains, sculpture, enriched paved surfaces (not asphalt), gazebos, and benches.
b.
Landscaped median. Each landscaped median shall have a minimum average width of ten (10) feet and a cumulative length of at least one hundred fifty (150) feet.
c.
Cul-de-sac island. Each cul-de-sac island shall have a radius of at least twenty-five (25) feet.
d.
Other recreational amenities. A trail, other recreational amenity or fee in lieu of recreational improvements as approved by Council.
4.
Green space provided pursuant to this section shall be deemed not to be in lieu of dedication of open space lands or payment of fees required in lieu of dedication of open space.
G.
Lighting.
1.
Lighting shall be provided at intersections along all perimeter public streets, at regular intervals along interior streets and interior walkways and parking areas at spacing sufficient to provide illumination of not less than one footcandle at ground surface.
2.
Lighting standards shall be traditional in design and consistent in style within both the residential and nonresidential areas of the MUV tract.
3.
Residential lighting standards shall be provided with a maximum height of fourteen (14) feet.
4.
Nonresidential lighting standards shall be provided with a maximum height of twenty (20) feet, and fixtures shall be provided with a residential cutoff when adjacent to residential land uses within and adjacent to the MUV tract.
H.
Signs.
1.
The total sign area on any one street frontage of a property in single and separate ownership involving a single business use shall not exceed thirty-five (35) square feet unless a conditional use is granted as set forth in a and b.
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
(a)
For a single business use exceeding 13,000 square feet which has more than one street frontage, the total signage may be increased by conditional use to no more than one hundred twelve (112) square feet of signage for each street frontage subject to the following restrictions:
(1)
The building sign for each facade facing a street shall be no more than seventy-six (76) square feet.
(2)
No more than two (2) monument signs shall be permitted, one facing each street, and each shall be no more than six (6) feet in height and six (6) feet in width.
(b)
For a single business use exceeding 13,000 square feet with a drive-thru, the following additional signage shall be allowed by conditional use:
(1)
No more than a total of twenty (20) square feet of signage identifying the drive-thru shall be permitted and each sign shall be no more than eight (8) square feet.
(2)
No more than a total of eight (8) square feet of directional signage for the drive-thru shall be permitted in addition to the signage permitted in (1).
2.
The total sign area on any street frontage on any property in single and separate ownership involving two (2) or more business uses on the property shall be permitted one sign not exceeding thirty-five (35) square feet for each store or business on the property, but in no event shall the total sign area on any lot exceed as set forth in (a) and/or (b) below:
[Ord. No. 1600, § 7, 5-11-2015]
(a)
When there are three (3) or more business uses on the property, each business use located on the first floor with gross leasable area of 1,000 square feet or more shall be permitted no more than two (2) wall signs as a conditional use by Township Council. Each wall sign for first floor business users permitted by conditional use pursuant to this section 2.(a) shall not exceed eighteen (18) square feet per frontage and the total wall signage on any lot pursuant to this section 2.(a) shall not exceed thirty-six (36) square feet per user multiplied by the number of users. The wall signage may only be located on a facade facing a roadway and no more than one wall sign per user shall be permitted on a facade.
(b)
When there are three (3) or more business uses on the property, each business use located on the second floor with gross leasable area of 2,000 square feet or more shall be permitted no more than two (2) wall signs of eight (8) square feet per frontage as a conditional use by Township Council. The wall signage may only be located on a facade facing a roadway and no more than one wall sign per user shall be permitted on a facade.
3.
When not attached to a building, a sign shall not exceed five (5) feet in height.
4.
Window and door signs shall not be considered a part of the permitted sign area, provided such signs shall be limited to twenty-five (25%) of the total glazed area visible from the street or forty (40) square feet, whichever is less.
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
5.
Entrance signs for business users shall not be considered as part of the permitted sign area, provided such signs shall be limited to lots with three (3) or more business uses and the entrance sign per user shall not exceed five (5) square feet at each entrance to the development. In no event shall the total sign area for the entrance signs for the business users exceed forty (40) square feet at each entrance.
6.
A directory sign for the identification of individual tenants having direct outdoor entrance(s) for customer use within the development shall be permitted an eight (8) square foot identification sign listing the name of the business at the direct outdoor entrance for customer use.
7.
Roof signs shall not be permitted.
8.
Sign area shall be defined, in all instances, as the total area of all permitted signs and in the case of double-faced signs, the sign area shall be the combined area of both sides of such signs.
9.
Any sign may be illuminated subject to the provisions of Article XVI, § 1604.C, of the Zoning Ordinance.
10.
Permits for signs shall be required in accordance with Article XVI, § 1605, of the Zoning Ordinance.
11.
Regulations and standards provided in Article XVI, § 1600, for signs permitted in residential districts shall be applicable to the residential land use component of the tract.
12.
An overall master plan shall be provided as part of conditional use approval, which shall establish the location, size, height and content of signs.
Section 3907 Application for approval.
[Ord. No. 1499, § 1, 4-14-2008]
A.
The MUV development shall be available as a conditional use, and application shall be made for such approval in accordance with the provisions of Article XXXVI.
B.
Such applications shall be accompanied by a conditional use plan showing the relationship among the various components of the development and the District. The conditional use plan shall be prepared at a scale appropriate to the size of the property and in sufficient detail to demonstrate that the plan complies with the requirements of this chapter. The conditional use plan shall be conceptual in nature and shall not be required to meet the provisions of a preliminary subdivision or land development plan. The applicant shall submit preliminary subdivision or land development plans concurrent with the conditional use application. The conditional use plan shall include the following elements:
[Ord. No. 1603, § 1, 5-11-2015]
1.
An existing features plan shall be submitted which shall indicate the District, the tract size, out bounds of the tract, topography, wetlands, woodlands, floodplains, recorded easements and rights-of-way and any other significant physical or man-made feature existing on the tract.
2.
A general land use plan, indicating the District area, the tract area and the general locations of the land uses included, shall be submitted. The total number and type of dwelling units and the amount of nonresidential square footage shall be provided. The residential density and the overall tract intensity (building and impervious coverage) shall be provided. The plan shall indicate the location of proposed uses within the development; the location and amount of common open space, along with any proposed recreational facilities, such as but not limited to pedestrian pathways, community greens, community centers, etc.
3.
Conceptual architectural renderings, showing the general design, scale and materials of residential and nonresidential buildings within the MUV development.
4.
A utility plan shall be included which shall include the proposed location of sanitary sewer, water lines, and stormwater management.
5.
A traffic study shall be submitted which analyzes the likely impacts of the proposed development and makes traffic improvement recommendations in accordance with standard traffic engineering procedures.
6.
Otherwise, comply with the provisions of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance of 1980, as amended.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Appendix C of this Code.
