Sparta Township City Zoning Code
§ 18-4.37
Town Center Main Street Business Zone TCMSB.
[Ord. No. 2016-21 § 4]
a.
Purpose and General Requirements for All Uses in TCMSB Zone. The TCMSB Zone is a district in which professional office, specialty retail, service uses, multifamily residential uses and mixed uses of any permitted uses are allowed. Site plans and building shall be designed in a manner that will preserve and mimic the rural and historic character of the area and the Township, preserve the tax base of the Township and promote the viability of the existing and future commercial areas in the central business district, promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare, provide adequate open space and preserve environmentally sensitive lands such as freshwater wetlands, transition areas, severe slopes and woodlands, promote development in harmony with the existing Town Center by maintaining the scale, form and proportions of the adjacent and nearby R-4 and the Town Center Zones. The TCMSB Zone, therefore, promotes the establishment of appropriate office, service uses, specialty retail, multifamily residential uses and mixed uses of permitted uses at appropriate locations in accordance with their respective environmental requirements. The TCMSB Zone promotes a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques including unified design, conservation of open space and prevention of urban sprawl. Demolition or partial demolition of any structures in the TCMSB Zone shall comply with Subsection 18-4.2 regarding Historic Preservation. A primary consideration in reviewing the suitability of a proposed use is preservation of the character of the existing buildings within the zone to accomplish the following goals of the Township of Sparta:
1.
To preserve the resources within the Main Street corridor which reflect the elements of the architectural history.
2.
To encourage the continued use of the existing buildings and to encourage appropriate reuse.
3.
To maintain the character of the neighborhood and architecturally significant buildings.
4.
To manage change by preventing alteration or new construction not in keeping with the zone.
5.
To discourage the unnecessary demolition of historic resources and to encourage renovations and modifications and additions on new structures which preserve front facades and streetscape appearance.
b.
Principal Permitted Uses.
1.
Professional offices.
2.
Specialty retail.
3.
Public buildings and uses.
4.
Cafes/Restaurants without drive through service.
5.
Studios/Galleries.
7.
Multifamily units with mixed uses (mixes of multifamily with other permitted or conditional uses) in existing buildings or additions and new buildings.
8.
Shared parking with interconnected driveways. Shared parking arrangements may be approved by the Board to waive or defer implementation of parking spaces based on demonstrations to the Board of adequate parking spaces on site or off site.
9.
Houses of worship and churches.
c.
Conditional Uses. The following uses are permitted as conditional uses within the TCMSB Zone subject to site plan approval and consideration of the impact of said use on the neighborhood as outlined in Section 18-4.7c, Application for a Permitted Conditional Use.
e.
Prohibited Uses.
f.
Required Standards.
1.
Height. The height of a principal structure shall not exceed 45 feet or 3 1/2 stories, whichever is less. Existing structures with height greater than 35 feet or 2 1/2 stories may be modified or enlarged with the same height as the existing height. Conversions, additions and new buildings containing one or more affordable units may be up to 3 1/2 stories high and up to 45 feet in height.
2.
Front Yard. There shall be a front yard of not less than 25 feet.
3.
Side Yard. There shall be two side yards which shall not be less than 15 feet each. When the lot in question is a corner lot, the side yard adjoining the side street shall conform to the front yard setback.
4.
Rear Yard. There shall be a rear yard of at least 50 feet.
5.
Land Coverage. The maximum land area to be covered by all impervious surfaces shall not exceed 15% of the total site area for properties served by a septic system, and 40% for properties connected to the Sparta sewer and water systems. If the lot is connected to the Sparta water and sewer system and provides at least one affordable housing unit, the impervious coverage may be increased to 50% as an incentive to the mandatory set aside for affordable housing. Impervious coverage may be increased up to 60% if two units of affordable housing are provided on site.
6.
Minimum Frontage. Minimum frontage at the right-of-way line shall be 75 feet. Minimum lot width at the building line shall be 100 feet. Minimum frontage on the turnaround at the end of a permanent cul-de-sac shall be 65 feet and the minimum width at the building line shall be 85 feet.
7.
Single family residential structures constructed prior to October 1, 1992 may be expanded provided the structure conforms to the required yard setback requirements of the R-4 Zone and may be rebuilt if totally or partially destroyed.
8.
Streetscape. All properties with frontage on Main Street, the connector and parallel service road to Main Street shall provide streetscape improvements consistent with the Town Center Master Plan including but not limited to the following:
9.
New office, service, specialty retail, and multifamily units with mixed uses shall include features to promote harmony with the character of the existing Town Center scale, form, and proportions of the Town Center Zones. Building additions, renovations and alterations shall have a historic character consistent in appearance with the goals of 1997 Town Center Master Plan Amendment.
10.
New buildings or conversions of existing buildings may also have mixed uses of multifamily units with office and/or specialty retail uses. The number of multifamily units may be up to six dwelling units per acre provided 20% of the units are affordable units in accordance with the Township's Affordable Housing Ordinances, COAH rules and the New Jersey Uniform Affordable Housing Controls (UHAC) rules and at least 13% of affordable units shall be affordable to very low income households.
11.
New construction must connect to available infrastructure.
12.
Distance between unattached buildings shall not be closer than 30 feet to any other building situated on the same lot.
13.
More than one principal building and use are allowed on the same lot.