Sunbury City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VII
HC Highway Commercial District
§ 175-37 Purpose.
The purpose of the HC Highway Commercial District is to establish reasonable standards for the development of a commercial district oriented to use by shoppers arriving and leaving by means of automobile. Permitted uses should reflect transient services. Standards are designed to minimize traffic congestion and promote the health, safety and welfare of the public.
§ 175-38 Permitted uses.
A.
A residential use shall be permitted only when accessory and incidental to one or more of the following permitted uses.
B.
Automobile or gasoline service stations, motor vehicle sales rooms, major automobile garages, hotels, motels, restaurants, drive-in restaurants, miniature golf courses, supermarkets, theaters, laundromats, drugstores and other uses similar in character.
D.
Accessory uses and buildings customarily incidental to the above permitted uses. The above specified stores, shops and businesses shall be retail establishments exclusively and shall be permitted only under the following conditions:
(1)
Such uses, operations or products shall not be objectionable due to odor, dust, smoke, noise, vibration or other similar causes.
(2)
There shall be no manufacture, compounding, processing or treatment of products other than that which is clearly incidental and essential to a retail store or business and when all such products are sold at retail on the premises.
E.
Recycling centers, subject to the following provisions:
[Added 4-10-2017]
(1)
Lot area and width. Each lot shall not be less than 25,000 square feet.
(2)
Storage of recycling materials. All recycling materials shall be contained in an enclosed building or enclosed structure.
(3)
Screening. Each lot shall be completely obscured from surrounding property and the street by solid screening and subject to the following:
(a)
Plant materials used in the screen planting shall be of such species and size as will produce a complete visual screen at least six feet in height. Screen planting shall be permanently maintained, and any plant material which does not live shall be replaced.
(b)
A fence, when erected as a screen, shall be not less than six feet in height and produce a complete visual screen of the area fenced.
(c)
All screening shall be subject to controls as deemed necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizenry.
F.
Vehicle salvage dealer and repair or towing businesses, subject to the following provisions:
(1)
Lot area. Each lot shall not be less than 25,000 square feet.
(2)
Compliance with Pennsylvania Law. All vehicle salvage dealers and repair or towing businesses shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq., and all applicable PennDOT regulations.
(3)
Screening. Lot shall be completely obscured from surrounding property and the street by solid screening and subject to the following:
(a)
Plant materials used in the screen planting shall be of such species and size as will produce a complete visual screen at least six feet in height. Screen planting shall be permanently maintained, and any plant material which does not live shall be replaced.
(b)
A fence, when erected as a screen, shall be not less than six feet in height and produce a complete visual screen of the area fenced.
(c)
All screening shall be subject to controls as deemed necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizenry.
(4)
Grandfathering clause. This subsection, Article VII, § 175-38F, shall not be applicable to existing vehicle salvage dealers and repair or towing businesses located within the City of Sunbury as of the effective date of this subsection, provided that said vehicle salvage dealers and repair or towing businesses are in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq., and all applicable PennDOT regulations.
§ 175-39 Area regulations.
A.
Lot area and width. There shall be no limit to lot area and width.
B.
Lot coverage. The coverage shall be no more than 60%.
C.
Yards. Each lot shall have front, side and rear yards of not less than the depth or width indicated below:
(1)
Front yard: not required.
(2)
Side yards, two: width, 10 feet each side of a principal building, provided that commercial structures do not abut side by side; however, no side yard shall be required where two or more commercial uses abut side to side. In the case of a series of abutting structures abutting and paralleling a public right-of-way, an open and unobstructed passage for vehicles and pedestrians, of at least 20 feet in width, shall be provided at grade level at intervals of not more than 400 feet.
(3)
Rear yard depth: 20 feet.
(4)
Buffer yard. Along any residential district boundary line, a buffer yard shall be provided which shall be not less than 25 feet in width, measured from such boundary line, except where such boundary line is a street line. No buffer shall be required when a street separates the commercial district from a residential district. All buffer yards shall be developed and maintained in accordance with the provisions of Article XI, § 175-75, hereof. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article XI, the requirement of a screen planting shall be at the discretion of the Zoning Hearing Board.
§ 175-40 Building height.
The height of a building shall be no greater than 35 feet.