Radnor Township, PA Zoning Ordinance

CO Commercial-Office Districts are designed to make special provision for certain areas of the Township which, by virtue of their location with regard to existing commercial and residential areas, properly can serve as a transition between such areas. In CO Commercial-Office Districts, the regulations contained in this article shall apply.

[Amended 9-22-1980 by Ord. No. 80-21; 7-20-1992 by Ord. No. 92-13; 6-21-1999 by Ord. No. 99-17]

A building may be erected or used and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes:

Office or studio, not involving characteristics normally associated with retail activities on the premises.

Bank or similar financial institution, to include a security-vault storage building.

Day-care center, private kindergarten or other similar use, when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board pursuant to the general standards prescribed in § 280-145.

Accessory uses, including:

(1)

Signs as permitted in Article XXI.

[Amended 5-12-1986 by Ord. No. 86-11; 4-27-1998 by Ord. No. 98-04; 6-21-1999 by Ord. No. 99-17]

Lot area. Every lot on which a building is erected or used shall have a minimum lot or tract size dependent on the number of stories per building, as follows:

(1)

Two stories or less: not less than 20,000 square feet.

(2)

Three stories: not less than 30,000 square feet.

Lot width. Every lot shall have a lot width at the building line of not less than 100 feet.

Building area. Not more than 20% of the area of each lot may be occupied by buildings and not less than 50% of the total lot area, exclusive of those areas within the public right-of-way, shall be devoted to landscaping and planted in accordance with Chapter 255, Subdivision of Land.

Building placement. No building shall be located less than 65 feet from a street right-of-way line, less than 20 feet from a side property line nor less than 25 feet from a rear property line.

No building shall exceed three stories or 35 feet in height.

(Reserved)

Riparian buffer setback: 35 feet.

[Added 12-8-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-22]

[Amended 3-25-1985 by Ord. No. 85-07; 6-21-1999 by Ord. No. 99-17]

In addition to the applicable provisions of the other regulations of this chapter, the following specific regulations shall apply:

Along each side and rear property line which abuts a residential district in the Township or similar district in another municipality, a buffer planting strip, as defined in § 280-4B, of not less than 10 feet shall be provided and maintained.

Areas designated for refuse disposal shall be screened and maintained in accordance with the following options:

(1)

Six-foot-high sight-tight fence.

(2)

Eight-foot-high evergreen screen of trees or shrubs, planted a minimum of nine feet on a center in a double staggered row.

No products or goods shall be displayed on the exterior of the premises or from show windows in the buildings.

Where there is more than one building on a lot, a minimum distance between buildings of 25 feet shall be maintained.

The off-street parking, off-street loading and special requirements relating to highway frontage prescribed in §§ 280-103, 280-104 and 280-105 shall apply in CO Commercial-Office Districts.

No dwelling shall be converted to a nonresidence use except in accordance with provisions of this section, subject also to the general standards prescribed in § 280-145. The Zoning Hearing Board may authorize as a special exception the conversion of any dwelling existing at the effective date of this chapter to any nonresidence use permitted in the district, provided that:

The proposed use shall comply with the yard, area, off-street parking and other requirements covering office or commercial use in the district, insofar as practicable.

No existing yards or required open spaces shall be reduced to less than the requirements of this district governing a permitted use.

No living accommodation or sleeping quarters shall be authorized except such accessory use as is permitted in the district.

The proposed reconstruction and conversion shall be in keeping with the predominant character of the district and shall not detract from the use of an adjoining property for any permitted use.