Ridley Park City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VIII
C-1 Commercial District
§ 213-36 Purpose.
The purpose of this district is to provide appropriate locations for the conduct of activities suitable for the small suburban central business district. These regulations are intended to support and complement the overall development plan as contained in the Borough's most recently adopted Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Revitalization Strategy. Visitors to the C-1 District may initially arrive by foot, motor vehicle, or mass transit. But once arrived, pedestrian traffic will account for the principal mode of transportation. Accordingly, individual parking needs may be satisfied either individually or through common parking lots.
§ 213-37 Uses permitted by right.
Land, buildings, or premises shall be used by right for only one or more of the following uses:
A.
Apartment units located above the first floor of the structure.
B.
Retail stores.
C.
Personal service shops, including tailors, barbers, beauty salons, dressmaking, shoe repair, or similar uses, not including nail salons.
D.
Sit-down restaurants.
E.
Professional or business offices or studios.
F.
Confectioneries or bakery shops.
G.
Banks and other financial institutions.
H.
Bars or taverns.
§ 213-38 Conditional uses.
None.
§ 213-39 Special exceptions.
§ 213-40 Accessory uses and structures.
The following uses are permitted as accessory uses incidental to the uses permitted by right:
§ 213-41 Area and bulk regulations.
Standard | Size |
|---|---|
Lot area | 2,500 square feet minimum |
Lot width | 25 feet minimum |
Building coverage | 80% maximum |
Impervious surface | 100% maximum |
Height | 45 feet or 4 stories maximum |
§ 213-42 Special development.
A.
Each lot must abut a public street.
B.
Building facades shall maintain a consistent street edge close to the street line. No minimum front setback shall be generally required, except that a setback up to 20 feet from the front property line may be provided for the purposes of a courtyard, plaza, square, recessed entrance, or an outdoor dining area, subject to § 213-145.
C.
All off-street parking shall be restricted to the rear of structures or lots and subject to Article XIV of this chapter.
D.
Automobile entrances to the site shall be minimized and placed in such a way as to maximize safety and efficient traffic circulation and minimize the impact on the surrounding area.
E.
Each separate use or group of buildings constructed and maintained on a lot as a unified development shall have no more than two accessways connecting a tract to any one street or highway for each 300 feet of frontage.
F.
No permanent storage of merchandise, articles, or equipment shall be permitted outside of a building.
G.
No outdoor vending machine shall be permitted in any required yard abutting a street or on a public sidewalk.
H.
No drive-through or drive-in restaurant, bank, or similar auto-dependent establishment shall be permitted.
§ 213-43 Building design.
This section applies to all new structures and to additions of 400 square feet or more to existing structures.
A.
The use of contemporary interpretations of earlier design styles of surrounding structures in the C-1 District is encouraged, including characteristics such as scale; massing; roof shape; window size, shape, and spacing; and exterior materials.
B.
The street elevation of principal structures shall have at least one street-oriented entrance and contain the principal windows of the structure.
C.
Site plans shall include drawings, renderings, or perspectives of a professional quality which illustrate the scale; massing; roof shape; window size, shape, and spacing; and exterior materials of the structure.
D.
The Planning Commission shall review the site plans and make recommendations to the applicant for amendments to achieve consistency with this section.
E.
In order to prevent blank front walls with little or no window area, any new construction, renovation, or addition involving the front wall or facade shall have a wall to window ratio of not more than 2:1.
§ 213-44 Exhibiting merchandise on sidewalks.
A.
In the C-1 District, the public rights-of-way, specifically the sidewalks of the Borough of Ridley Park, may be used for the purpose of exhibiting wares, goods, and merchandise for sale and for use in a manner which will be conducive to business.
B.
Exhibiting merchandise on sidewalks shall be limited only to sidewalks in excess of three feet in width from the building line to the street line, but in no instance shall the use permitted exceed 1/3 of said sidewalk area. The use shall be limited to the sidewalk area contiguous to the business use. The use of the sidewalk area shall be from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. daily or, if a business normally operates beyond 6:00 p.m., then during said business hours when the business is operating, but not beyond 9:00 p.m. daily, after which all merchandise, equipment, or fixtures shall be removed from said right-of-way.
§ 213-45 Seasonal outdoor cafe dining.
A.
In the C-1 District, the public rights-of-way, specifically the sidewalks of the Borough of Ridley Park, may be used for the purpose of seasonal outdoor cafe dining, subject to the following provisions:
(1)
Seasonal outdoor cafe dining for table service only, restricted to use of sidewalks contiguous to property lines in excess of three feet in width minimum from the building line to the street line, and the use for seasonal outdoor cafe dining shall leave a minimum of 36 inches of usable, safe, clear walk area of the sidewalk that provides for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant access. In the event that 36 inches is not adequate for ADA compliance, more than the 36 inches of usable sidewalk may be required in order to be ADA compliant which shall be determined by the Zoning Officer.
(2)
The use for seasonal outdoor cafe dining of the sidewalk area from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. daily is permitted if a permit is received from the Borough. All equipment, tables, chairs, umbrellas, and barricades will be removed from the sidewalk in the fall each year as designated by resolution of Borough Council.
(3)
Umbrellas for the purpose of shielding patrons from weather and such elements may be affixed to outdoor tables in a manner which prevents the umbrellas and/or tables and/or chairs from tipping. Umbrellas shall not contain any written advertisements for the food establishment(s) or vendor(s). Umbrellas shall not exceed the dimensions of the tables if vertical lines are drawn upward to where an umbrella would span nor can the umbrellas in height impede pedestrians' headroom.
(4)
Temporary barricades, as approved by the Zoning Officer, shall be placed at the edge of the usable sidewalk area for the food establishment in order to delineate the usable space for the food establishment and the usable walk area. Such barricades shall be in place during the hours of use. The location of outdoor dining may not use driveways or areas that are used for off-street parking.
(5)
During Borough-permitted events, the Borough will determine, on an event-by-event basis, due to concerns for the Borough citizens' health, safety, and welfare, if seasonal outdoor cafe dining may occur. Reasonable notice to permit holders under this chapter will be provided by the Borough.
B.
Permits.
(1)
Any food establishment intending to provide seasonal outdoor cafe dining table service is required to apply for a permit. An application must be filed with the Borough to secure a permit. A fee must be paid with the filing of the application. Such fee can be amended in the future by resolution of Borough Council.
(2)
No action shall be taken on any application for a permit under this subsection until the application has been completed in its entirety and the application fee, as required by a schedule of fees established and amended from time to time by resolution of Borough Council, has been paid in full. The schedule of fees shall be kept on file at the Borough Hall. There shall be no prorating of fees under this subsection.
(3)
The applicant shall save, indemnify, defend, and keep harmless the Borough of Ridley Park, its officers, employees, and agents from and against any and all actions, suits, demands, payments, costs, and charges for and by reason of the existence of the restaurant-cafe and all damages to persons or property resulting from or in any manner caused by the presence, location, use, operation, installation, maintenance, replacement, or removal of such restaurant-cafe or by the acts or omissions of the employees or agents of the applicant in connection with such restaurant-cafe.
(4)
The applicant shall stop serving customers on or before 11:00 p.m., prevailing time, and clear all tables of food, beverages, and customers on or before 12:00 midnight, prevailing time.