In expansion of the declaration of legislative intent contained in Article I, § 255-2, of this chapter, it is hereby declared to be the intent of this article, with respect to the GFW Greater Fort Washington District, to:

   A.   Create a vibrant, mixed-use district which contributes toward the economic vitality of Upper Dublin Township, with a combination of uses such as office, commercial, institutional, light industrial, residential apartments , recreational, and transportation.

   B.   Promote a more diverse, walkable, pedestrian-oriented place that provides opportunities to work, dine, shop, live, learn, and recreate.

   C.   Incentivize development and redevelopment in order to transform the character of the existing office park into a future mixed-useneighborhood .

   D.   Allow for office, commercial, institutional, light industrial, residential apartments , recreational and transportation oriented development with controls to limit air, land and water pollution, noise emissions and traffic congestion.

   E.   Promote a variety of well-designed apartmentdevelopments to enable opportunities: to live in close proximity to employment and thereby to potentially reduce vehicular trips in the Fort Washington area; to strengthen the connection to the Fort Washington Train Station; and to provide options to age in place in Upper Dublin Township.

   F.   Promote a range of uses with supporting service, dining and retail uses .

   G.   Encourage the redevelopment of underutilized and vacant buildings .

   H.   Provide protection to people and buildings from fire, offensive noise, vibrations, odors and other nuisances through strict performance standards .

   I.   Ensure that site development and building design includes stormwater management measures, to meet on-site requirements while considering area-wide controls.

   J.   Ensure adequate buffering of adjacent districts and land uses .

   K.   Ensure safe pedestrian access from buildings to and along streets and transit stops.

   L.   Support the creation of a bicycle trail to serve existing and future development in the district.

   M.   Support the use and growth of transit service and other alternative transit modes, such as bicycle sharing, car sharing, and van pooling, within and nearby the district.

   N.   Ensure safe and efficient vehicle and pedestrian access.

   O.   Allow development in the floodplain only where a net improvement to stormwater management is achieved, and in compliance with Article XXII – Floodplain Conservation District.

   P.   Encourage energy efficiency and conservation in site development , building design, construction and ongoing maintenance/operations.

Q.   Comply with Chapter 212, Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, Article IV, § 212-35.2. General Manual of Written and Graphic Design Standards.

   A.   The specific uses permitted in this district shall be the erection, construction , alteration or use of buildings or premises for one or more of the following uses and no other:

      (1)   Office buildings .

      (2)   Service retailuses , limited to a maximum of 15,000 square feet of ground floor building area per lot .

      (3)   Restaurants, both stand-alone and as part of any other building in the district, and including restaurants with outdoor dining areas.

      (4)   Hotels, subject to annual inspections to verify occupancy and compliance with Building Codes.

      (5)   Banks with drive-through facilities, and automated teller machines.

      (6)   Medical facilities , animal hospitals and the offices of veterinarians.

      (7)   Pharmacy with drive-through facilities.

      (8)   Schools.

      (9)   Library.

      (10)   Museum.

      (11)   Places of worship.

      (12)   Public and private recreation lands or facilities.

      (13)   Theaters.

      (14)   Laboratories and research and development facilities.

   B.   One or a combination of the following uses are permitted by conditional use in accordance with the standards for approval under § 255-295 and under Article XXV of this chapter:

      (1)   The following commercial/retail uses , limited to a maximum of 40,000 square feet of ground floor building area per lot .

         (a)   Retail sale of household merchandise, food and beverage products, and personal effects, such as dry goods, variety and general merchandise, clothing, prepared and packaged food, grocery items, deli products, flowers, beverages, household supplies and furnishings, jewelry, optical goods, musical items, and antiques.

         (b)   Personal services, to include barber shop, hairdresser, clothes cleaning, tailoring, nail care and spa.

         (c)   Personal fitness center.

         (d)   Any commercial or retail use having the same general character as the uses provided in this paragraph, § 255-288.B.(1).

      (2)   A personal care facility , retirement community, assisted living center or nursing home.

      (3)   Licensed day-care center .

      (4)   An exhibition center .

      (5)   Apartmentdevelopment .

      (6)   Indoor storage facility. Where a lot abuts the Pennsylvania Turnpike and there is no more than 2,750 feet between the subject lot's access point and the access point to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, an indoor storage facility is permitted, provided the given criteria and standards are satisfied. Measurement of the 2,750 foot distance shall be along the route vehicles must utilize to access the site. [Added 3-23-2021 by Ord. No. 21-1368, § 3]

      (7)   Highway and interchange uses . Where a lot abuts a regional vehicular corridor designed with limited access points, such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike or the Route 309 corridor, and there is no more than 1,000 feet between the subject lot's access point and the vehicular corridor’s access point, the following use is permitted, provided the given criteria and standards are satisfied. Measurement of the 1,000 foot distance shall be along the route vehicles must utilize to access the site.

         (a)   Freestanding retail sales, which attract high volumes of vehicular traffic and require convenient automobile access in relation to a highway, interchange or limited access thoroughfare.

      (8)   Any light industrial use not specifically excluded in § 255-104.

      (9)   Drive-through facilities, such as drive-through restaurants and drive-through banks, provided that the drive-through component shall not face the front yard and that such facilities comply with § 212-35.2.A.(15) of the General Manual of Written and Graphic Standards of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

   C.   Density chart. The following chart summarizes permitted densities in the GFW – Greater Fort Washington District:

 

 

The following uses , as well as any use not specifically permitted by right, are prohibited:

   A.   Automobile and other vehicle sales, service, or repair establishment.

   B.   A use regulated by Chapter 54 of the Upper Dublin Township Code.

   C.   (Reserved)

   D.   Kennel.

   E.   Greenhouse, garden center, or landscape nursery, including an outdoor area for sale or storage of plants and materials.

   F.    The uses stated in § 255-104.B through § 255-104.KK.

   A.   No flammable or explosive liquids, solids or gases shall be stored in bulk above the ground; provided, however, that tanks or drums directly connecting with energy devices, heating devices or appliances located on the same lots as the tanks or drums are excluded from this provision.

   B.   All outdoor storage facilities for fuel, raw materials and products stored outdoors, including those permitted in Subsection A hereinabove, shall be enclosed by a fence of a type, construction and size as in the opinion of the Board of Commissioners shall be adequate to protect and conceal the facilities from any adjacent properties. In determining the same, the Commissioners shall not only consider the question of safety, but the screening as determined by the Board of Commissioners may be in the nature of evergreen trees, evergreen shrubbery, fence with evergreen plants, and the like.

   C.   No materials or wastes which might cause fumes or dust or which constitute a fire hazard or which may be edible or otherwise be attractive to rodents or insects shall be stored except outdoors only in closed containers.

   D.   Flammable or explosive liquids, solids or gases may not be placed or stored within 200 feet of a residential zoning district, or a residential use within the GFW District.

Every use requiring power shall be operated so that the service lines, substation, etc., shall conform to the highest safety requirements known, shall be so constructed, installed, and located as to be an integral part of the architectural features of the building and shall be concealed by evergreen planting.

   A.   All development in the GFW District shall be designed to safely permit vehicles to enter and exit the property. A transportation impact study may be required by the Board of Commissioners for new buildings or building additions of 5,000 square feet or greater, for any freestanding retail use permitted under this article, § 255-288, for all conditional uses in the GFW District, and as required by § 212-35.1 of the Subdivision and Land Development Code.

   B.   Where a traffic study is required, the Board of Commissioners reserves the right to request its own traffic engineer to establish the type and nature of the assumptions used for the generation and distribution of vehicular trips, review and comment on the applicant's traffic study, and require acceptable improvements necessary to minimize any identified traffic impacts. The expense for such review shall be payable by the applicant to the Township.

   C.   A transportation impact study (whether pursuant to subdivision and land development or conditional use approval) shall meet the requirements outlined in § 212-35.1 of the Subdivision and Land Development Code.

   D.   Organization of report. The transportation impact study findings shall be labeled as consecutively numbered exhibits and properly referenced throughout the text of the documents. The report shall be written in a manner and style that clearly focus the information, data and analysis on the issues mentioned above. Sources of all data must be appropriately documented. The name and title of the preparer is required. The preparer shall be a licensed engineer experienced in transportation.

All development shall be subject to the provisions of Chapter 212, Subdivision and Land Development , as well as all stormwater management provisions in the Township Code. In addition to installing facilities to control runoff caused by any development , applicants shall offer easements for dedication to the Township where, in the view of the Township, such easements are necessary to direct or detain stormwater to the benefit of the entire GFW District.

   A.   Area and yard regulations.

      (1)   Minimum lot size

      (a)   Generally: 2 acres.

      (b)   Indoor storage facilities : 1.75 acres.

      (c)   Apartments or townhouse developments: 3 acres.

      (2)   Minimum lot width: 200 feet, measured at the buildingsetback line .

      (3)   Yard requirements.

         (a)   Front yards . The required minimum depth of a front yard shall be 25 feet, except, where the property is on the opposite side of a street from land which is zoned residential, in which case the front yard shall be 60 feet; and except where the property abuts the right-of-way of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, in which case the front yard shall be 15 feet. [Amended 3-23-2021 by Ord. No. 21-1368, § 6]

         (b)   Side yards . The required minimum depth of a side yard shall be 35 feet.

         (c)   Rear yards . The required minimum depth of a rear yard shall be 45 feet.

         (d)   Exceptions for side and rear yards . Where a side or rear yard abuts a residential zoning district or residential use , or a street adjacent to a residential zoning district or residential use , the required minimum depth of the abutting side or rear yard shall be 60 feet.

         (e)   Maintenance of yards and open areas. All yards and open areas (except for the portion provided for driveways and parking as herein provided) shall be planted in grass, groundcovers, shrubbery, and trees and be maintained by the owner or tenants in a careful manner and in conformance with an approved landscape plan. Planting shall comply with the requirements in § 212-32, Landscaping. In addition, any front yard shall be planted with a softening buffer, as provided for in § 212-32.F.(2).

   B.   Building and lot regulations.

      (1)   Building coverage. The maximum building coverage shall be 30% of the square foot area of the lot , plus 2.5% per acre multiplied by the lot area in acres, not to exceed 45% of the lot area. For example: Lot area of two acres: 30% plus 5% (2 times 2.5) equals 35%.

      (2)   Impervious surface . The maximum impervious surface of a lot shall not exceed 60% for office buildings , and 65% for all other uses . Where feasible, pervious paving surfaces shall be used.

      (3)   Green space : 15% minimum of the gross lot area , within which a minimum of 3% of the gross lot area shall be built and maintained as public space .

      (4)   Height regulations.

         (a)   The maximum height of buildings in the Greater Fort Washington District shall be in accordance with the Height Restrictions Map (Map 1) wherein heights ranging from 38 feet to 75 feet are shown.

         (b)   If a property is situated within two height limits, the taller height limit shall apply, except for properties that abut Highland Avenue and/or Camp Hill Road and contain a 38-foot height limit area. For those properties, the height limit boundaries shall be observed as specified on the Height Restrictions Map (Map 1).

         (c)   The height of a building may be increased above the main roof to accommodate the following:

            [1]   Parapets, but not in excess of four (4) feet in mean height. Parapets do not count toward the calculation of building height.

            [2]   A structure or structures limited to 10 feet in height and utilizing not more than 10% of the roof area only for elevator penthouses and air conditioning, heating or ventilating equipment, provided that such equipment is screened from public view.

      (5)   Pedestrian and trail improvements shall be made by the applicant, including offering last-mile transit, multi-use trail rights-of-ways for dedication or by public easement, constructing frontage sidewalks and sidewalk connections to buildings and to the Cross County Trail, if it intersects the applicant's property; and providing areas for bus stops. If the Cross County Trail is planned to intersect their property, the applicant shall construct and maintain the segment of the trail that crosses the property. The property owner’s obligation to maintain trails that cross the property shall be set forth in a recorded covenant. Any trail right-of-way dedicated to the public shall be counted as part of the required green space .

   C.   Adjustments to yard requirements.

      (1)   The front yard setback noted above shall be replaced with a “build-to line ” along Pinetown Road as detailed below, for new development on lots with frontage on Pinetown Road between Commerce Drive and Highland Avenue.

      (2)   The front facades of buildings on lots within the above noted area shall be situated no further than 25 feet from the streetright-of-way line . The build-to line may be increased up to an additional 15 feet, to a total of 40 feet, when the additional area is designed and used for outdoor dining and/or for use as a public plaza with outdoor seating areas or other approved public space .

      (3)   No double bay parking lots shall be installed in front of buildings , and no more than 30% of the lot frontage width may be occupied by parking in front of a building provided, however, that all such parking shall be screened by a pier-fence-hedge-street tree combination.

      (4)   Other than as described above, surface parking for buildings on lots within the above noted area shall be situated to the rear of the building . A minor number of parking spaces , equal to the horizontal dimension of the side of the building measured in feet and divided by 10, may be located along the side of the building provided that parking is screened from the view of pedestrians and vehicles traveling in the public right of way . Screening may be created by using fences and/or landscaping approved by the Board of Commissioners.

   A.   Location of parking.

      (1)   No parking shall be permitted within the required yard area abutting a residentially zoned district.

      (2)   Parking shall be set back 50 feet from the right-of-way , unless otherwise permitted.

      (3)   Parking shall be set back 40 feet from the side or rear property line adjacent to nonresidential districts, and 60 feet from the side or rear property line adjacent to residential districts.

   B.   Multilevel parking. Multilevel parking shall be considered a building for setback and definitional purposes. The footprint of a multilevel parking area shall be included in calculation of impervious surface coverage, but shall not be included in calculating the permitted building coverage on the premises.

   C.   Reserve parking . Required parking may be held in reserve if the applicant can show, to the satisfaction of the Board of Commissioners, that the additional parking will not be needed, subject to the following maximum percentages: 25% for office buildings and exhibition centers ; 50% for all other uses . Regardless of the number of spaces actually developed, a parking area to accommodate the aggregate number of parking spaces normally required shall be fully designed and the area which is proposed to be eliminated shall be shown on the land development plan as “parking reserve area.” The parking reserve area shall be planted with vegetative cover and integrated into the site’s landscaping plan. Such area shall be required to be developed as designed if and when the Zoning Officer    determines the need therefor.

   D.   Whenever two or more different uses are proposed on a property, the parking requirements in Article XIX of this chapter may be reduced, whereby at least 3.3 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area shall be required.

   E.   In addition to the parking requirements outlined in this section, any additional parking requirements that are applicable in Article XIX of this chapter shall be met.

   F.   The parking and staging of trucks, truck trailers and passenger vehicles is permitted only as an accessory use to a principal permitted use located on the same lot .

   G.   Auto and vehicle sales and/or storage are prohibited.

Those uses permitted in this article by conditional use shall be required to conform to the following standards:

   A.   A personal care facility , retirement community, assisted living center or nursing home.

      (1)   Such use is consistent with § 255-287, Intent.

      (2)   Such use will not adversely affect the health, safety or welfare of the neighborhood .

      (3)   Parking is provided in accordance with Article XIX of this chapter.

      (4)   Buffer and screening requirements required for a flife care complex in an INST – Institutional District shall be complied with unless modified by the Board of Commissioners.

      (5)   The density shall not exceed:

         (a)   40 dwelling units per acre.

         (b)   50 dwelling units per acre (Option 1) with the installation of a green roof or a solar, geothermal or other renewable energy power-generation facility that is designed to provide at least 20% of the expected annual energy use for the building . The facility shall be designed and installed under the direction of a professional with demonstrated expertise in the design and construction of such facilities. The green roof shall cover at least 70% of the net roof area (the total gross area minus areas covered by mechanical equipment) of a building . Green roofs shall be designed and installed under the direction of a professional with demonstrated expertise in green roof design and construction . Vegetation shall be maintained for the life of the building . The green roof shall conform to the best available technology standards, such as those published by LEED.

         (c)   50 dwelling units per acre (Option 2) if the applicant provides reliable shuttle service to the train station(s) and if the applicant demonstrates compliance with three (3) of the Alternative Transportation Design Standards of Appendix A of Chapter 212 Subdivision and Land Development , Article IV, § 212-35.2., as well as moderate income housing as described in § 255-295.C.(1)(b)[v].

         (d)   The continued maintenance of the optional facilities shall be secured by a recorded covenant.

      (6)   The plans shall comply with the development requirements for multiple dwellingdevelopment in Article VIII, MD – Multi-Dwelling District, § 255-53.1.

   B.   Exhibition center .

      (1)   Such use is consistent with § 255-287, Intent.

      (2)   Such use will not adversely affect the health, safety or welfare of the neighborhood .

      (3)   Adequate provision has been made to accommodate increased traffic on public streets .

      (4)   The Board of Commissioners may limit the total square footage of gross floor area of an exhibition center based on the legislative intent of the GFW Greater Fort Washington District and the standards and criteria contained in Article XXV, Conditional Use by Board of Commissioners.

   C.   Apartmentdevelopment .

      (1)   Apartmentlot , density, yard , bulk, height, and parking regulations.

         (a)   Minimum lot size. 3 acres.

         (b)   Maximum density.

            [i]   40 dwelling units per acre.

            [ii]   45 dwelling units per acre on lots of 5 acres or greater.

            [iii]   45 dwelling units per acre with the installation of a green roof or renewable energy facility as described in § 255-295.A.(5)(b).

            [iv]   45 dwelling units per acre is also permitted with vertical mixed usedevelopment , consisting of ground floor non-residential development and apartments in the floors above.

            [v]   50 dwelling units per acre (Option 1) with the installation of a green roof or renewable energy facility as described in § 255-295.A.(5)(b), and moderate income housing provided that such units shall be so maintained by a covenant running with the land. To qualify for the increase, the new building shall be three stories or higher and at least 10% of the dwelling units, but no less than two units, shall be affordable to moderate-income families. Access to amenities shall not be differentiated based on type of household. Price and income guidelines for moderate-income households shall be as defined by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) Keystone Home Loan Program income guidelines in effect at time of application. Developers and subsequent transferees of moderate-income units shall provide documentation showing compliance with these family incomes and rental/purchase price limits.

               [a]   Moderate-income dwelling units require 1.0 parking space per unit rather than the 1.5 spaces per unit required for market-rate housing.

               [b]   Building coverage may be increased to 60%, impervious surface may be increased to 75%, and green space may be reduced to 7.5% for single-use developments.

            [vi]   50 dwelling units per acre (Option 2) if the applicant provides reliable shuttle service to the train station(s) and if the applicant demonstrates compliance with three (3) of the alternative transportation design standards of Appendix A of Chapter 212 Subdivision and Land Development , Article IV, § 212-35.2.A.(4), as well as a green roof or renewable energy facility, or moderate income housing as described in § 255-295.C.(1)(b)[v].

            [vii]   Provision for autonomous passenger vehicles. If and when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania authorizes operation of autonomous passenger vehicles on all roadways within Montgomery County, an applicant seeking to construct and/or operate at least one hundred (100) residential units at a site within this district must make the following provisions for autonomous passenger vehicles:

               [a]   The principal vehicle access must be on a two-way street .

               [b]   The plan for the proposed development must include at least one designated pick-up/drop-off space for autonomous passenger vehicles for every 100 units.

               [c]   Certification by an engineer that the building and its exterior do not include any element which would interfere with the use of LIDAR (or any comparable technologies in use by autonomous vehicles) within the site or entering or exiting the site at its intersection with any public street .

               [d]   The plan must provide for adequate curbside management, including pedestrian waiting area at each pick-up/drop-off area, security cameras for each such location, and bollard and signage barring trucks and other commercial vehicles from each such location, sufficient to provide safeguards for persons using such area.

         (c)   Minimum lot width (measured at buildingsetback line ). 200 feet.

         (d)   Yard requirements.

            [i]   Front yard . 25 feet.

            [ii]   Side yards . 35 feet.

            [iii]   Rear yard . 45 feet.

         (e)   Building coverage. 40%.

         (f)   Impervious coverage. 75%.

         (g)   Green space . 15% minimum of the gross lot area , within which a minimum of 3% of the gross lot area shall be built and maintained as public space .

         (h)   Maximum building height, subject to the height restrictions (Map 1).

            [i]   38 to 75 feet for various properties as shown on Map 1.

         (i)   Parking requirements.

            [i]   Parking shall be provided at a rate of 1.5 parking space per unit plus 10% for guest parking. (This shall be added to Article XIX, Off-Street Parking and Loading as § 255-135.B.(14), ApartmentBuildings .)

         (j)   Bedrooms per dwelling unit.

            [i]   All apartmentbuildings shall have the following distribution of unit types:

               Studio and 1 bedroom units – minimum 50% of total units.

               2 bedroom units – maximum of 45% of total units.

               3 bedroom units – maximum of 5% of total units.

               4 bedrooms or more – not permitted.

      (2)   Apartment unit maximum. A maximum of 900 apartment units shall be permitted within the GFW- Greater Fort Washington District. In the event multiple applications are pending before the Township which, if granted, would exceed the 900 unit maximum, the applications will be considered in the order in which preliminary approval is granted. When preliminary approval of an application would cause the number of approved apartment units to exceed 900 units in the GFW district, the application shall be denied. Conditional use approval for apartment units shall be conditioned upon compliance with the unit maximum at the time of preliminary plan approval.

   D.   (Reserved)

   E.   Highway and interchange uses – freestanding retail sales.

      (1)   Adequate provisions shall be made to accommodate increased traffic on public streets as required by § 255-291, Traffic control.

      (2)   The provisions of § 255-293, Lot , yard and bulk regulations, shall apply to this use , except as noted below:

         (a)   The maximum building area shall be 15,000 square feet.

      (3)   Fuel dispensing may be provided as an accessory use , provided the following criteria and standards are met:

         (a)   There shall be no more than sixteen fueling positions.

         (b)   Tools and/or equipment needed for incidental activities, such as window cleaning and checking/adding air to vehicle tires, may be provided.

         (c)   Fuel storage and dispensing equipment shall be located entirely outside of any floodplain and all fuel storage facilities shall be underground.

         (d)   Canopies over fuel dispensing positions may be installed to protect users from poor weather conditions, provided they are no taller than 20 feet.

      (4)   Overnight rest facilities or publically available electric hookups are prohibited, as are showers or other similar personal hygiene facilities, except for customarily available public rest rooms.

      (5)   Signs permitted for highway and interchange uses are provided for in § 255-155.B.

      (6)   Site lighting shall be designed so as to shield the source of illumination and eliminate glare that will be seen by motorists passing by on adjacent roadways and limited access highways.

      (7)   Off-street parking and loading areas.

         (a)   Parking shall be provided as required in this article in § 255-294, Parking, and in Article XIX, Off-Street Parking.

         (b)   Parking and loading areas shall be designed so as to ensure the safe, orderly and efficient movement and use of the site by both motorists and pedestrians.

         (c)   Conflicts between vehicular and pedestrian movements shall be minimized to the greatest extent practical. Solutions such as changing the materials, color and texture of parking areas, driving lanes and pedestrian routes shall be utilized to clearly define and differentiate the vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns and pathways.

         (d)   Landscaping and pedestrian pathways shall be installed and maintained in all parking areas.

      (8)   Architectural and design standards. In addition to the Design Standards: Appendix A in Article IV, § 212-35.2 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, buildings shall be designed as indicated below.

         (a)   Other than roofing material, no less than 80% of the primary building's exterior facade, excluding window and door openings, shall be faced with natural building materials, such as wood, stone and/or brick, or man-made materials that are engineered and designed to replicate these natural materials, provided that all proposed materials other than trim materials shall be non-white in color to reduce the potential amount of light reflected glare.

         (b)   Steel or other metals shall not be used on building exteriors, except as may be needed for roofing, window trim, gutters and downspouts.

         (c)   Unpainted concrete block, except when textured or tinted is prohibited on building exteriors.

         (d)   Waste receptacles and other outdoor furniture shall be designed as an integral part of the site’s design and shall be consistent with and incorporated into the site’s overall architectural character.

         (e)   All mechanical equipment shall be visually screened from all public rights-of-way. The screening shall be architecturally appropriate and designed as an integral part of the site’s design.

         (f)   All applications shall include building elevations depicting the proposed materials and colors of the buildings , as well as a materials and colors legend.

 

Note: To view the Zoning Map in PDF, click HERE