The P-L, Public Lands Districts are intended to achieve the following purposes:

A.

To provide a distinct zoning classification for governmental, civic, welfare, and recreational facilities in proper locations and extent so as to promote the general safety, convenience, comfort, and welfare of the Township residents;

B.

To protect such public, semi-public facilities and institutions from the encroachment of incompatible land uses or conversion to certain uses that make them incompatible to adjoining residential areas;

C.

To provide an environment for the proper functioning of public facilities in relation to Township-wide plans for recreation or land use; and,

D.

To establish a zoning district which encourages the preservation of properties having unique natural characteristics, such as woodlands or wetlands.

In the P-L Districts, no building or land shall be erected or used except for one or more of the following specified uses:

A.

Municipal buildings and uses.

B.

Outdoor publicly owned or leased recreational uses, such as parks, playgrounds, playfields, golf courses, and pools.

C.

Natural open space such as conservation lands, wildlife sanctuaries, and woodland preserves.

D.

Developed open space such as arboreta, botanical gardens and similar passive park and recreation areas.

E.

Cultural services such as libraries, museums, and memorials.

F.

Public schools.

G.

Essential services.

H.

Accessory buildings or uses customarily incidental to any of the above permitted uses when located on the same zoning lot and subject further to the provisions of Article III, Section 3.11.

The following uses are expressly prohibited from all P-L Districts:

A.

Buildings or land uses for the housing or confining of persons on a permanent or temporary basis having the character of, or similar to, penal institutions, half-way houses, or emergency shelters except those emergency shelters provided for civil defense or in times of natural disaster.

B.

Residential dwellings.

C.

Parking structures.

A.

Development features including the principal and accessory buildings and structures shall be so located and related as to minimize the possibilities of any adverse affects upon adjacent property. This shall mean that all principal or accessory buildings and structures shall be not less than fifty (50) feet from any property line abutting residentially zoned lands; provided that where topographic conditions are such that buildings would be screened from view, the Site Committee may modify this requirement.

B.

Buildings shall be set back a distance equal to its height from all property lines, and shall not exceed a height of three (3) stories or forty (40) feet.

C.

Off-street parking may be permitted in any required yard, provided there is maintained an unobstructed landscaped greenbelt of ten (10) feet between the nearest point of the off-street parking area, exclusive of access driveways, and the applicable lot line (Refer also to Section 3.16 Walls, Berms, and Greenbelts.)

D.

The permanent outdoor storage of goods and materials shall be prohibited.

E.

Signs shall be permitted in accordance with Article XX, Section 20.06.02.

F.

The maximum percentage of lot coverage permitted by all buildings shall not exceed fifty (50) percent.

G.

Off-street parking shall be permitted in accordance with Article III, Section 3.12 and 3.13.

H.

All permitted uses shall undergo site plan review in accordance with Article III, Section 3.19.