Stafford Township City Zoning Code
§ 211-27
Highway Commercial Zone HC.
The following shall apply in the Highway Commercial Zone (HC).
A.
Permitted uses shall be as follows:
[Amended 8-16-1988 by Ord. No. 88-64]
(1)
Offices for members of a recognized profession or business, including but not limited to a physician, including medical uses [as defined in Subsection A(2)], dentist, architect, engineer, planner, attorney, real estate broker, insurance agent and accountant.
[Amended 3-7-1989 by Ord. No. 89-23; 3-19-1991 by Ord. No. 91-20; 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-12]
(2)
Retail shopping centers, consisting of integrated development of such uses as retail stores and shops, medical uses, personal service establishments, department stores, professional and business offices, banks, post offices, restaurants, theaters and auditoriums, housed in an enclosed building or buildings and utilizing such common facilities as customer parking areas, pedestrian walks, truck loading space, utilities and sanitary facilities and other necessary and appropriate accessory uses, subject to and in conformance with the regulations cited herein. Medical uses are defined as including, but not limited to, urgent care, ambulatory medical services with minimal overnight stays, surgery centers, oncology service centers, and similar medical uses and services, either as a single use or as an integrated facility.
[Amended 5-23-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-12]
(3)
Major retail establishments, including but not limited to antique and gift shops, furniture stores, hardware stores and department stores.
(4)
Indoor private recreational and amusement facilities operated for profit, including but not limited to bowling lanes, racquetball courts, skating rinks, tennis courts and theaters.
(5)
Restaurants, diners, taverns and other eating and drinking establishments.
(6)
New car or new boat dealerships.
[Amended 3-19-1991 by Ord. No. 91-20]
(7)
Hotels and motels with a minimum of 100 guest sleeping rooms including banquet facilities and restaurant facilities, as well as support buildings and other similar activities with outdoor seating and service areas at grade or as rooftop deck.
[Amended 6-24-1997 by Ord. No. 97-48; 9-26-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-23]
(8)
Private and semipublic clubs, lodges and association buildings, meeting rooms and halls.
(9)
Financial institutions.
[Amended 5-18-1993 by Ord. No. 93-32]
(10)
[1]Child-care centers.
[Added 5-3-1994 by Ord. No. 94-43]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection A(10), regarding light warehouses, assembling and storage, was repealed 3-19-1991 by Ord. No. 91-20.
(11)
Pharmacies.
[Amended 5-18-1993 by Ord. No. 93-32]
(12)
Veterinaries.
[Amended 5-18-1993 by Ord. No. 93-32]
(13)
Car washes and auto body shops.
[Amended 11-1-1994 by Ord. No. 94-100]
(14)
(Reserved)[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection A(14), nursing homes and convalescent homes, as amended, was repealed 10-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-85.
(15)
Outdoor commercial recreational activities including but not limited to: swimming pools, miniature golf, golf driving range, batting cages, rope courses, zip lines, electric nonmotorized go-carts and other like recreational activities. All permitted recreational activities must be fully compliant with the Stafford Township Noise Code, § 142-1 et seq., and the New Jersey Noise Control Act.[3]
[Amended 9-6-1994 by Ord. No. 94-80; 9-26-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-23]
[3]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 13:1G-1 et seq.
(16)
One off-premises sign structure for commercial or noncommercial advertisement not exceeding 150 square feet in sign area for one side and not exceeding 300 square feet in sign area for both sides.
(17)
Funeral homes.
[Added 2-16-1993 by Ord. No. 93-11]
(18)
The same as specified in the Highway Medical Commercial (HMC) Zone, except long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, residential health care facilities, continuing care retirement communities and adult day health care facilities.
[Added 6-10-1997 by Ord. No. 97-46; amended 10-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-85]
(19)
Lumber and building material dealers.
[Added 4-15-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-40]
B.
Required accessory uses shall be as follows:
(1)
The same as specified for the LB Zone.
C.
Permitted accessory uses shall be as follows:
[Amended 8-16-1988 by Ord. No. 88-64]
(1)
Private swimming pools.
(2)
Outside storage uses, provided that such storage is clearly accessory to the principal use of the site, and further provided that areas devoted to the outside storage of materials shall be fenced and screened from adjacent residential zones or uses in accordance with this chapter or, in the case of adjacent businesses, by a dense evergreen screen or masonry wall not less than four nor more than six feet in height.
(3)
Garages for the inside storage of vehicles and materials.
(4)
Private tennis courts.
(5)
Motor vehicle repair garages, as an accessory component to a retail automotive parts, tires and accessory establishment.
[Added 1-18-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-19]
D.
Permitted signs.
[Amended 5-16-1989 by Ord. No. 89-38]
(1)
(Reserved)[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection D(1), which permitted one sign for each approved site conforming to the requirements herein, was repealed 7-3-1990 by Ord. No. 90-41.
(2)
(Reserved)[5]
[5]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection D(2), which permitted one freestanding sign per site per street frontage, was repealed 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 99-58.
(3)
When two or more permitted uses are combined in one building or group of attached buildings, one wall or window sign for each use shall be permitted, conforming to the requirements herein.
(4)
Directional sign (ingress and egress). Two freestanding signs may be erected on the premises for the purpose of providing directions to traffic entering or exiting the premises. The total area of both signs shall not exceed eight square feet and shall be mounted as to not obstruct vision.
(5)
Traffic control signs may be erected to control and regulate the movement of traffic on the interior roadways on the premises, provided that the number and location of such signs are approved by the Planning Board.
(6)
Parking lot signs shall be erected within parking areas to identify particular areas or sections of the parking lot. In addition, freestanding signs may be erected at each end of a parking aisle for identification purposes. Each sign shall not exceed one square foot and the number and location of all signs shall be approved by the Planning Board.
(7)
(Reserved)[6]
[6]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection D(7), which established the size, height and setback requirements for freestanding signs, as amended 4-7-1992 by Ord. No. 92-14, was repealed 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 99-58.
(8)
(Reserved)[7]
[7]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection D(8), which established the criteria for wall and window signs, added 7-3-1990 by Ord. No. 90-41, was repealed 9-7-1999 by Ord. No. 99-58.
E.
Conditional uses shall be as follows:
[Amended 8-16-1988 by Ord. No. 88-64; 3-21-1989 by Ord. No. 89-27]
(1)
(Reserved)[8]
[8]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection E(1), Video arcades, was repealed 7-1-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-58.
(2)
(Reserved)[9]
[9]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection E(2), Automobile dealerships, was repealed 7-1-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-58.
(3)
Motor vehicle service stations, subject to the provisions of § 211-35T.
[Amended 11-1-1994 by Ord. No. 94-100]
F.
Area, yard and building requirements shall be as follows. An attached group of stores shall be considered one building for application of the following area, yard and building requirements:
(1)
The minimum lot area shall be 43,560 square feet. Said minimum lot area shall be increased to 87,120 square feet for permitted uses delineated under § 211-27A(7).
[Amended 4-2-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-20]
(2)
The minimum lot width shall be 200 feet.
(3)
The minimum lot depth shall be 200 feet.
(4)
The minimum front yard setback shall be 90 feet from Route No. 72 paved road surface; 60 feet from Route No. 9 paved road surface; and 50 feet from future rights-of-way on all other streets.
(5)
The minimum side yard setback shall be 50 feet.
(6)
The minimum rear yard setback shall be 40 feet. Said minimum rear yard setback shall be increased to 50 feet for permitted uses delineated under § 211-27A(7).
[Amended 4-2-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-20]
(7)
The maximum height shall be 70 feet for primary and accessory structures. No structure may exceed the maximum permitted height for the Highway Commercial Zone.
[Amended 4-2-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-20; 9-26-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-23]
(8)
The maximum percent of lot coverage for buildings and all impervious surface areas shall be 65%.
(9)
The minimum percentage of green space shall be 35%, and no more than 40% of the required green space shall be provided in the rear yard or side yard behind buildings.
[Amended 11-26-1991 by Ord. No. 91-69]
