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Somers Point City Zoning Code

ARTICLE XII

TC Transient Commercial District

§ 114-72 Intent; applicable regulations.

A. 
Intent. The purpose of the Transient Commercial District is to encourage development of moderately scaled motels, restaurants and recreational facilities with easy highway access and with sufficient controls.
B. 
Regulations in district. The use, height and area regulations of §§ 114-72 through 114-79, inclusive, or those regulations set forth elsewhere in this chapter, where applicable to these sections, and the general regulations of Article XX are the regulations in the TC Transient Commercial District.

§ 114-73 Permitted uses.

A building or land shall be used only for the following purposes:
A. 
Principal uses and buildings.
(1) 
Motels.
(2) 
Fully enclosed eating and drinking establishments.
(3) 
Recreational sport facilities, including, but not limited to, tennis courts, handball and racquetball courts, squash courts and swimming clubs.
B. 
Accessory uses. Any accessory use and building reasonably and customarily incidental to any of the principal uses permitted. They shall be understood to include:
(1) 
Appropriate facilities for placement of trash and garbage and collection and removal thereof, provided that:
(a) 
Said structure is completely enclosed and is so constructed that the structure will not be visible to the general public.
(b) 
The structure meets the approval of the Construction Official and the Board of Health.
(2) 
Private swimming pools intended for use of motel guests and in swim clubs, provided that:
(a) 
The water edge of the pool shall be a minimum of 25 feet from all property lines.
(b) 
Adequate fencing with a lock shall be provided to prevent unauthorized use. Such fencing shall surround the pool itself.
(c) 
Pool lighting shall be designed and located to prevent glare on contiguous properties.
(d) 
The machinery used in connection with said swimming pool shall be housed in a soundproof structure.
(e) 
Safety lighting shall be provided to illuminate the pool when not in use during hours of darkness.
(3) 
Utility sheds for the storage of maintenance tools and equipment, to be used solely on the property on which they are located, provided that they comply with all other sections of this article.
(4) 
Coffee shops and restaurants, provided that such uses are located in the lobby area and shall comprise no more than 15% of the lobby level nor more than 5,000 square feet, whichever is less.

§ 114-74 Area and bulk requirements.

Area and bulk requirements shall be as follows:
A. 
Lot size.
(1) 
Motels: 30,000 square feet minimum.
(2) 
Recreational sport facilities: 30,000 square feet minimum.
(3) 
Eating and drinking establishments: 15,000 square feet minimum.
B. 
Lot width.
(1) 
All uses: 150 feet minimum.
(2) 
Eating and drinking establishments: 100 feet minimum.
C. 
Lot depth.
(1) 
All uses: 150 feet minimum.
(2) 
Eating and drinking establishments: 100 feet minimum.
D. 
Lot coverage.
(1) 
All uses: 35% maximum.
(2) 
Eating and drinking establishments: 30% maximum.
E. 
Front yard setback, all uses: 50 feet minimum.
F. 
Side yard setback.
(1) 
All uses: two side yards, each being a minimum of 35 feet.
(2) 
Eating and drinking establishments shall have a minimum side yard setback of 30 feet, except where the property adjoins another used for the same purpose, in which case the setback of that side may be reduced to 15 feet.
G. 
Rear yard setback.
(1) 
Eating and drinking establishments: 30 feet minimum.
(2) 
All other uses: subject to review by the Planning Board.
H. 
Height.
[Amended 7-9-1992 by Ord. No. 20-1992]
(1) 
All uses: not to exceed 35 feet maximum.
(2) 
Motels: not to exceed 35 feet maximum.
I. 
Density, motels: maximum of 100 units per net acre.
J. 
Common open space. A minimum of 30% of the total lot area shall be provided and maintained as common open space. Such space may include playgrounds, pools and miniparks intended for the use of guests, but shall not include parking. In swimming clubs, the pool area shall not be included as common open space.

§ 114-75 General regulations.

A. 
Minimum roadway widths for ingress and egress lanes shall be:
(1) 
One-way: 18 feet.
(2) 
Two-way: 25 feet.
B. 
A perimeter roadway of 20 feet, minimum width, shall be provided around all sides of the structures for the purpose of emergency access. This roadway may also serve as the access road to exterior parking areas. This regulation applies to motels only.
C. 
For all uses within this district there shall be one on-site off-street loading area, 14 feet wide by 30 feet long, for each 10,000 square feet or each part thereof. This loading space shall be screened from view.
D. 
All motel and recreational uses within this district shall be required to submit an impact statement as part of the site plan review process. The statement will include information called for in Article XX, § 114-143B(18), and additionally shall include the following for all uses:
(1) 
A general lighting and graphics program.
(2) 
Fire protection, police and other security systems.
(3) 
A circulation and off-street parking plan.
(4) 
A solid waste management and disposal plan, including provisions for all waste resulting from on-site uses.
(5) 
A landscaping and preservation plan, including existing natural features.
(6) 
An off-tract traffic survey showing the impact of the proposed facility on existing roadways.
(7) 
An energy conservation program for operation.

§ 114-76 Landscaping.

A. 
Eating and drinking establishments shall be governed by the landscaping regulations of the HC-1 District, as contained in Article VIII, § 114-50.
B. 
Regulations governing motel and recreational sport facility uses:
(1) 
All areas not covered by driveway or pedestrian walkways shall be landscaped. A complete site plan showing all proposed planting shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Board.
(2) 
All perimeter setbacks shall have a buffer strip 10 feet wide consisting of evergreens of four feet minimum height at planting placed in double alternating rows six feet on center in each row with smaller evergreens or other deciduous plant material in between. Buffer strips shall be set back 10 feet from property lines where they abut a street.
(3) 
All irregularly shaped areas in parking lots not used for parking shall be landscaped and bordered with brick or other natural materials.
(4) 
All planting required shall be replaced and maintained regularly.
(5) 
Fences shall be permitted, provided that:
[Amended 7-9-1992 by Ord. No. 20-1992]
(a) 
They are in the rear yard only.
(b) 
They do not enter either side yard of the building to more than half of the building's length.
(c) 
They are in conformance with § 114-184 of this chapter.

§ 114-77 Off-street parking.

Parking requirements shall be as follows:
A. 
For motels: 1.1 on-site off-street parking spaces per unit. For motels converted to condominium units either for sale or for rent, two on-site off-street parking spaces per unit plus one on-site off-street visitor's parking space for every four units shall be required.
[Amended 7-9-1992 by Ord. No. 20-1992]
B. 
For coffee shops and restaurants: one off-street on-site parking space for each five seats devoted to service.
[Amended 6-22-2023 by Ord. No. 10-2023]
C. 
For recreational sport facilities: four off-street on-site parking spaces for each court facility and one parking space for every 200 square feet of pool area.
D. 
For exterior parking areas, parking is permitted in stalls at angles of 45° to 90°, subject to review and approval by the Planning Board.
E. 
Widths and lengths of access lanes will vary with angle, subject to review and approval by the Planning Board.
F. 
Exterior parking areas will be located a minimum of 30 feet from the building.
G. 
Five percent of all parking required shall be provided for and reserved for the handicapped.

§ 114-78 Lighting.

Adequate lighting to ensure safe pedestrian and vehicular travel shall be provided subject to Planning Board review as part of the site plan process. The following standards shall apply:
A. 
Lights shall be directed towards the structure and designed to prevent glare.
B. 
Light standards shall not be more than 25 feet in height and their bases shall be landscaped and maintained.
C. 
Standards will be set back a minimum of 30 feet from the street right-of-way line.
D. 
Light standards will be at least 50 feet apart.

§ 114-79 Signs.

The following signs shall be permitted:
A. 
One freestanding sign for any single property. This sign shall identify only the principal establishment located on the property. Such sign shall:
(1) 
Not exceed the permitted height of 15 feet.
[Amended 7-9-1992 by Ord. No. 20-1992]
(2) 
Not be greater in total area than 100 square feet.
(3) 
Be set back from the street right-of-way a minimum of 30 feet.
(4) 
Be landscaped at its base and maintained.
(5) 
Have either an interior light source or an exterior light source designed to prevent glare. [1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection A(5) setting forth mounting height regulations was repealed 7-9-1992 by Ord. No. 20-1992. Said ordinance also renumbered Subsection A(6) through A(8) as Subsection A(5) through A(7).
(6) 
Have no moving or flashing effect.
(7) 
Be kept in good repair.
B. 
One sign attached to the building for identification of principal or accessory uses. Such sign shall:
(1) 
Not be located or project above the roofline or more than six inches beyond the front surface of the structure to which it is attached.
(2) 
Have an external light source and no moving or flashing parts.
(3) 
Not exceed 25 square feet in gross area, nor two feet in height.
C. 
Signs advertising the sale or rental of the premises, provided that:
(1) 
Such signs shall not exceed six square feet.
(2) 
Such signs shall be erected only on the premises to which they relate.
(3) 
Signs bearing the words "sold" or "rented" shall be removed 30 days after being posted.
D. 
All signs within this district are subject to review by the Planning Board as part of the site plan process.