Upper Oxford Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 12
GENERAL REGULATIONS AND APPLICABILITY
§ 27-1201 Intent.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986]
This Part lists specific controls over general aspects of land utilization which are not included elsewhere in this chapter. The following regulations shall apply to all zoning districts and uses as applicable. These controls are important to the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter and shall be strictly applied.
§ 27-1202 Public Utility Corporation Exemption.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986]
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any existing or proposed building or extension thereof used by any public utility corporation if, upon petition of the corporation, the Public Utility Commission shall, after a public hearing, decide that the present or proposed situation of the building in question is reasonably necessary for the convenience or welfare of the public.
§ 27-1203 Environmental Performance Standards.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. 622, 12/29/1987; and by Ord. 794, 10/25/2006, § 1]
1.
No building may be erected, altered, or used and no lot or premises may be used for any activity which is continuously noxious, injurious, or offensive by reason of dust, smoke, odor, fumes, noise, vibration, gas, illumination, or similar substances, or conditions.
2.
The Borough Council may require safeguards to a compliance with the following environmental standards. As required, the applicant shall demonstrate that adequate provisions will be made to reduce and minimize objectionable elements.
3.
Upon request of the Borough, the owner shall furnish or obtain proof at his own expense that he is in compliance with the following environmental standards:
A.
Air Management.
(1)
Open burning is not permitted.
(2)
No gases, vapors, or fumes shall be emitted from the facility which are harmful to persons, property, animals, or vegetation.
(3)
No radioactive vapors or gases shall be emitted from the facility in harmful amounts as defined by any federal or state agency.
(4)
No odors causing annoyance or discomfort to the public and which the Borough Council determines to be objectionable to the public shall be detectable beyond the property boundaries.
(5)
The regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection shall be complied with for fugitive emissions, particulate matter emissions, sulfur compound emissions, standards for sources, sources of volatile organic compounds, emission of hazardous air pollutants, and ambient air quality sources.
B.
Wastewater Management. All effluent must meet standards set by the Borough.
C.
Waste Management. No storage of waste materials on the lot shall be permitted in excess of 30 days. All waste materials awaiting transport shall be kept in enclosed containers and be screened from view from all adjacent properties in accordance with § 27-1214.
E.
Lighting and Heat.
(1)
All lighting shall be so designed and located that the light sources are shielded from adjoining residences and streets, and no lighting shall be of excessive brightness nor cause a glare hazardous or noxious to pedestrians or drivers at or beyond the lot boundaries. No direct beams of light shall be directed toward adjacent properties.
(2)
Any operation producing heat shall be operated in such a manner as to prevent any effect from the heat beyond the property lines of the lot on which the operation is located.
F.
Electromagnetic. All electromagnetic radiation shall comply with the regulations of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). No electromagnetic radiation shall be detected beyond the lot boundaries which interferes with radio and television reception or the operation of other equipment.
G.
Groundwater Supplies. No use shall endanger groundwater levels and quality in the area of the use nor adversely affect groundwater supplies of nearby properties. When required by the Borough, a hydrologic study which shall indicate the impact of the use on groundwater supplies and quality in the area of the use shall be submitted to the Borough at the expense of the owner.
§ 27-1204 Pipeline Setback.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986]
There shall be a minimum setback distance of 20 feet, measured from a pipeline right-of-way line, between any proposed building and any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas transmission line.
§ 27-1205 Building Height Exceptions.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. 846, 9/12/2011, § 1]
1.
No building or structure shall exceed the maximum height of buildings specified in this chapter, except that regulations shall not apply to agricultural structures, silos, water towers, church spires, belfries, chimneys, or other appurtenances usually required to be placed above the roof level and not intended for human occupancy. Although exempted from structural height limitations, those structures should not significantly impair solar access of buildings or solar collection locations.
§ 27-1206 Building Setback Exceptions.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986]
The required building setback provisions for a proposed building may be decreased in depth to the average alignment of existing buildings within 100 feet on each side of the proposed building, provided that such calculation is limited to the same street. Setback reduction may occur only when alignment of existing buildings is less than the front yard requirement for the applicable district, but in no case shall the reduction encroach on the street line. The granting of an exception shall be within the authority of the Zoning Hearing Board.
§ 27-1207 Required Yard Exceptions.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. 754, 2/18/2002]
1.
No structure or part of a structure shall be erected within or shall project into any required yards except:
A.
Overhanging eaves, gutters, cornices, or solar energy collector not exceeding two feet in width.
B.
Arbors, trellises, flagpoles, unroofed steps, unroofed terraces, awnings, movable canopies, and other similar uninhabitable structures.
[Amended by Ord. 906, 6/19/2017]
C.
Fences and walls, provided that they are not more than six feet in height.
D.
Garden sheds, as defined by this chapter, provided that there shall be a maximum of one garden shed per dwelling unit and that no property shall contain more than two garden sheds.
E.
Unenclosed fire escapes which extend no more than six feet into any required yard area.
F.
In no event shall any of the above be located closer than four feet to the property line, except that:
(1)
A fence (except for required fencing to enclose a residential swimming pool) or wall may be located no closer than one foot from any property line.
(2)
For a fence (except for required fencing to enclose a residential swimming pool), wall, or garden shed, the required minimum property line setback may be eliminated where a written, recorded agreement to that effect is established between the owners of the adjacent properties. Such agreement, including a survey of the affected property line, shall be subject to review and approval by the Borough.
[Amended by Ord. 906, 6/19/2017]
G.
The following standards shall apply to the location of fences and walls:
(1)
No portion of a fence or wall shall be located between the curb or cartway of a street and any adjacent sidewalk.
(2)
No fence or wall shall extend into any yard area if the result is to block or impede the use of any sidewalk, pedestrian way, or vehicular access.
(3)
No fence or wall shall be located within two feet of any sidewalk or the edge of the cartway of any Borough alley.
§ 27-1208 Access and Traffic Control.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. 774, 7/18/2005, § 1]
1.
To minimize traffic congestion and hazard, control street access and encourage orderly development of street frontage, the following regulations shall apply.
A.
Every building erected or altered shall be on a lot adjacent to a public street or have access to a public street via an approved private street Any interior lot that is legally nonconforming lot with respect to access to a public street as provided hereinabove shall be subject to the following:
(1)
No further subdivision of such interior lot shall be permitted without the creation of access to a public street by means of public or private street.
(2)
If reasonably possible, access to a public street from such lot shall be provided by one of the following methods:
(a)
An access strip connecting the interior lot to a public street, such access strip to be either owned in fee and attached to and made part of the interior lot or established by an easement crossing the intervening lot. Such access strip shall have a minimum width of 20 feet. The terms of any access easement, including in particular those addressing design, construction, assurance of access, and maintenance, shall be subject to review and approval of the Borough Solicitor. Where the access strip represents a second point of access to the public street from or across the frontage lot, the limitations imposed by Subsection 1D shall not apply; but there shall be a minimum distance of 60 feet between the two access points, measured from the center-line of each driveway.
(b)
Creation of a common driveway, or extension of any existing driveway serving the frontage lot, to provide access to the interior lot. The creation of or improvements to such a driveway shall comply with the requirements of this section. The terms of agreement between the lot owners addressing design, construction, assurance of access, and maintenance of the common driveway shall be subject to review and approval of the Borough Solicitor.
B.
Unless clearly impractical or inappropriate, lots which abut two or more streets shall have direct access only to a street of lesser functional classification (see Appendix B)
C.
Where lots are created having frontage on expressways, arterial, and collector streets, as classified by the Comprehensive Plan, any proposed development street pattern shall provide reverse frontage to local streets within the subdivision.
D.
Each use with less than 100 feet of street frontage shall have not more than one ingress and egress lane to such street. No use with 100 feet or more of street frontage shall have more than two accessways to any one street for each 300 feet of street frontage. A common access point for two or more uses is encouraged, where practical, to minimize vehicular access points along streets classified as other than local streets.
E.
All vehicular accessways to any public street shall be located a minimum of 40 feet from any intersection of street center lines.
F.
Provision shall be made for safe and efficient ingress and egress to and from public streets without undue congestion or interference with normal traffic flow within the Borough. The developer shall be responsible for the design and construction, and the costs thereof, of any necessary traffic control device and/or highway modifications required by the Borough and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
G.
All areas for off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading, or the movement of motor vehicles shall be physically separated from a public street by a raised curb, planting strip, or other suitable barrier against unchanneled motor vehicle entrance or exit, except for necessary accessways.
H.
The maximum width of driveway entrances and exits onto a public street, measured at the street line and within the street right-of-way, shall be 14 feet for one-way driveways and 28 feet for two-way driveways. The radius of the edge of the driveway apron shall not exceed 25 feet.
§ 27-1209 Internal Circulation.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. 789, 6/19/2006, § 2]
1.
The following regulations shall apply to multiple-family residential, commercial, and industrial uses, unless otherwise specified:
A.
Design of Access Aisles and Drives.
(1)
Internal drives shall be designed to prevent blockage of vehicles entering or leaving the site. Drives may be one-way or two-way. Areas designed for loading and unloading, refuse collection, fuel delivery, and other service vehicles shall be arranged to prevent blocking or interfering with accessways and the use of automobile parking facilities or pedestrianways and shall have adequate turnaround surface so that egress to the street is in a forward direction.
(2)
Accessways, parking areas, and loading areas shall have clearly defined parking bays and traffic circulation lanes, designated by markings, curbs, barriers, and/or landscaped islands, so that operators of vehicles intending to patronize such parking areas shall not impede traffic as a result of any confusion as to location of entrances and exits. Internal drives and drive-through windows shall be designed to accommodate anticipated peak traffic demands:
(a)
To assist in traffic channelization, raised islands shall be placed at the ends of bays so that the end of the bay adjacent to a driving aisle or ring road is clearly delineated. Such islands shall be landscaped, but shall be designed so as not to impair visibility needed for traffic flow and turning movements.
(b)
Traffic channelization shall be planned in such a way that a main driving aisle from which vehicles can flow off the street and into the site and parking bays is remote from the primary building(s) so as to avoid traffic conflicts in front of the primary building(s).
(c)
Parking areas shall be designed so that a vehicle within a parking area will not have to enter a public street to move from one location to any other location within the parking area or lot. Turnaround surface shall be provided so that egress to the street is in a forward direction.
(3)
All interior drives and accessways shall be paved with an approved all-weather surface and shall be graded, properly drained, and maintained in a good condition. Interior drives shall have a maximum grade of 4%, measured along the center line, for a distance of not less than 25 feet from the street line.
(4)
Minimum interior drive cartway widths (with no abutting parking).
Use | Two-lane Two-way Drives (feet) | One-lane One-way Drive (feet) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Multifamily residential | 20 | 12 | |
Commercial/office | 22 | 12 | |
Industrial | 26 | 14 |
(5)
Common or shared-access driveways to parking and loading areas are permitted and encouraged, provided that landowners submit a site plan and agreement indicating the extent of joint use and maintenance responsibility.
B.
Fire Lane Easements.
(1)
Any use or building located more than 600 feet from a street shall provide a duly dedicated fire lane easement to within 50 feet of said use.
(2)
Fire lane easements shall extend from existing and improved public streets and shall have a minimum unobstructed right-of-way width of 30 feet, within which there shall be constructed an all-weather, well-drained cartway not less than 20 feet wide.
(3)
Fire lane easements which curve or change directions shall have a minimum radius of 55 feet and those containing reverse curves shall have a minimum center-line tangent length of 50 feet between curves.
(4)
Dead-end fire lane easements shall not exceed 400 feet in length and shall be terminated with an unobstructed vehicular turnaround or cul-de-sac with a minimum surface radius of 35 feet.
C.
Pedestrian Circulation.
(1)
The developer shall provide sidewalks, trails, and pathways or other pedestrian facilities to achieve the following:
(a)
Logically continue, link, or expand existing pedestrian facilities on, across, and abutting the site.
(b)
Provide pedestrian access to existing or anticipated public transportation pickup points, public parks, community facilities, and commercial areas.
(c)
Provide convenient and logical walkway connections between the entrances of a principal building and required parking spaces, preferably in conjunction with landscaped planting islands that provide shade, visual relief from glare, and physical separation from vehicular areas.
§ 27-1210 Off-Street Parking.
§ 27-1211 Parking Regulations.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. 622, 12/29/1987; by Ord. 787, 3/20/2006, § 2; by Ord. 797, 12/18/2006, § 5; by Ord. 853, 3/12/2012, § 2; by Ord. 872, 7/8/2013, § 2; by Ord. No. 962-2023, 11/20/2023]
1.
The following regulations shall apply to all uses except single-family and two-family dwellings, unless otherwise specified:
A.
Use.
(1)
Required off-street parking facilities shall remain accessory to uses listed herein and shall be solely for the parking of passenger automobiles of patrons, occupants, and/or employees.
(2)
No motor vehicle repair work of any kind, except emergency service, shall be permitted within parking lots.
B.
Location.
(1)
All parking spaces shall be on the same lot as the principal building, except as herein prescribed. Parking spaces may be located within a structure or in the open.
(2)
The parking spaces required in Subsection 1G herein may be located elsewhere than on the same lot when authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board, subject to the following conditions:
(a)
The owners of two or more establishments shall submit with their application a site plan and agreement showing joint use, maintenance responsibility, and location of a common off-street parking area.
(b)
Some portion of the common off-street parking area shall lie within 300 feet of an entrance, regularly used by patrons, into all buildings served thereby.
(3)
No parking or paved area, except for permitted accessways, shall directly abut a street. Each such area shall be separated from the street by a curb, planting strip, wall, or other suitable barrier against vehicles. Each such area shall be at least 10 feet from any lot line or street line of a local road or 20 feet from the street line of an expressway, arterial, or collector road, as defined by the Borough Comprehensive Plan (see Appendix B).
(4)
For all residential dwellings, the parking spaces shall be within 100 feet of the dwelling unit they serve.
C.
Size.
(1)
Parking spaces shall have a minimum height clearance of eight feet.
(2)
The required parking area shall be measured exclusive of interior drives, access aisles, or maneuvering areas.
(3)
In the layout of parking lots, the minimum required stall depth, stall width, and aisle shall be as follows.
Parking Angle | Space Width | Space Length | Aisle Width | Width at Curb | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(degrees) | (feet) | (feet) | (inches) | 1-way (feet) | 2-way (feet) | (feet) | (inches) |
90° | 9 | 18 | 0 | 24 | 24 | 9 | 0 |
60° | 9 | 21 | 0 | 18 | 20 | 10 | 5 |
45° | 9 | 19 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 12 | 9 |
30° | 9 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 18 | 0 |
Parallel parking | 8 | 24 | 0 | 12 | 24 | n/a | n/a |
(4)
Up to one-third of the total number of parking spaces may be designed for compact motor vehicles. Directional signs shall designate these spaces. The minimum dimensions of parking spaces and aisles for compact cars shall be as follows:
Parking Angle | Space Width | Space Length | Aisle Width | Width at Curb | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(degrees) | (feet) | (inches) | (feet) | (inches) | one-way (feet) | two-way (feet) | (feet) | (inches) |
90° | 8 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 24 | 24 | 7 | 6 |
60° | 8 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 20 | 8 | 8 |
45° | 8 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 7 |
30° | 8 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 0 |
Parallel parking | 6 | 6 | 21 | 0 | 12 | 24 | n/a | n/a |
D.
Design of Parking Lots.
(2)
Parking spaces shall open directly into an access aisle.
(5)
Parking spaces shall be clearly delineated by suitable markings.
(6)
Parking spaces shall have an approved all-weather surface. Parking areas shall have a minimum slope of one shall be in 1% in any direction to provide for drainage and a maximum slope of 5% in any direction for safety, user convenience and stormwater runoff control. Stormwater runoff shall not be directed across pedestrian walkways or other lots.
E.
Accessible Parking. The following shall apply to commercial, industrial, office, institutional, and educational uses:
(1)
For parking areas of 100 spaces or fewer, a minimum of one accessible space per each 25 total spaces shall be provided. For parking areas with greater than 100 spaces, the above standard shall apply to the first 100 spaces and a minimum of one accessible space for each 50 total spaces in excess of 100 shall also be provided. Van-accessible spaces shall, at a minimum, represent one of every eight accessible spaces, but every parking area shall contain at least one van-accessible space, regardless of the total number of spaces.
(2)
Said spaces shall be most accessible and proximate to the building or buildings which the parking spaces shall serve.
(3)
Each space or group of spaces shall be identified with a clearly visible marking displaying the international symbol of access. Unless clearly infeasible, as determined by the Borough, each space shall be further identified by a sign displaying the international symbol of access and at a height sufficient to be seen while a vehicle is parked in the space. Markings and signs shall indicate van accessibility where applicable.
(4)
Each accessible space shall have a minimum width of eight feet. In addition, other than for van-accessible spaces, there shall be an access aisle with a minimum width of five feet located adjacent to the designated parking space to enable access to/from the vehicle; the boundary of the access aisle shall be clearly marked. Such spaces and aisles shall be located on a level, paved surface suitable for wheelchair use, and shall comply with any applicable state or federal standard or requirement for handicapped parking.
(5)
Van Accessible Spaces. Each space for a van shall have a minimum width of eight feet. In addition, there shall be an access aisle with a minimum width of eight feet located adjacent to the designated parking space to enable access to/from the vehicle; the boundary of the access aisle shall be clearly marked. Such spaces and aisles shall be located on a level, paved surface suitable for wheelchair use, and shall comply with any applicable state or federal standard or requirement for handicapped parking. There shall be minimum vertical clearance of 98 inches at the van-accessible parking space, the access aisle, and the vehicular route to and from the van space.
F.
Residential Parking Requirements.
(1)
Two spaces per dwelling unit for single-family and two-family dwellings shall be provided. Garages and driveway areas may be included in the calculation of off-street parking area. However, for purposes of calculating minimum required off-street parking, those portions of a driveway on a single-family or two-family lot that (a) function as a sidewalk, and (b) comprise the area between such sidewalk and the street cartway, shall not be included in the calculation of off-street parking area.
(2)
Multiple-family parking requirements shall be determined using the following formula:
Type of Dwelling Unit | Parking Spaces per Unit | |
|---|---|---|
Efficiency | 1 | |
One bedroom | 1.5 | |
Two or more bedrooms | 2 |
G.
Nonresidential Parking Requirements.
(1)
A minimum of one space shall be provided per employee. In the case of shifts, adequate allowance shall be made for overlapping of arrivals and departures.
(2)
In addition to employee parking, additional spaces shall be provided by the application of the appropriate formula for each use as listed under Subsection 1G(6).
(3)
If a related or accessory use in connection with a principal use is open to the public, the off-street parking requirement for the related use shall be in addition to that for the principal use.
(4)
When the required number of parking spaces is computed and a fraction of a parking space results, any fraction below one-quarter may be disregarded. Any fraction over one-quarter shall necessitate the addition of a full parking space.
(5)
No off-street parking shall be required for any existing or proposed nonresidential use permitted and located within the C-3 Central Business District.
(6)
For any use not covered below, the Zoning Hearing Board shall apply the standard for off-street parking spaces in the schedule below deemed to most closely approximate the proposed building or use.
(7)
Minimum off-street parking requirements in addition to employee spaces shall be as follows:
Use | Minimum Parking Requirement (based on maximum capacity) | |
|---|---|---|
Industry, wholesale storage or distribution, research | 1 space/1,000 square feet of gross leasable floor area | |
Restaurant, tavern, or similar use | 1 space/3 seats | |
Restaurant with no indoor seating provided | 1 space/1,000 square feet of lot area, the required number of spaces not to exceed 20 | |
Retail and service establishments | 1 space/200 square feet of gross leasable floor area | |
Department/variety store | 1 space/300 square feet of floor area devoted to sales | |
Professional office | 1 space/1,000 square feet of floor area devoted to office use | |
Auditorium, theater, library, place of worship, club or lodge, or other place of public assemblage | 1 space/3 seats or 1 space/500 square feet of floor area devoted to public use, whichever is greater | |
Motel, hotel, boarding home, or similar establishment | 1 space/rental unit | |
Private school, elementary school, nursery school, day-care center | 1 space/15 students or clients | |
All other schools | 1 space/10 students, plus 1 space/10 fixed seats in an auditorium | |
Doctor, dentist, medical center | 6 spaces/doctor | |
Nursing home, hospital | 1 space/2 patient beds | |
Funeral home | 1 space/4 seats, provided that there shall be no less than 15 spaces provided | |
Gasoline service station | 2 spaces/service bay | |
Repair garage facility | 4 space/service bay | |
Indoor recreational establishment | 1 space/50 square feet of area devoted to patron use | |
Bowling alley | 3 spaces/alley | |
Golf course | 2 spaces/tee | |
Retirement community and life-care facilities | 1.5 spaces/dwelling unit, plus 1 space/3 patient beds | |
Car sales facility | 1 space/200 square feet of gross leasable floor area | |
Community center | 1 space/100 square feet of gross building area |
(8)
Notwithstanding Subsection 1G(1) and (2) above, minimum off-street parking requirements for Planned Shopping Centers in the C-1 District that exceed 100,000 square feet of gross leasable floor area shall be one space for every 200 square feet of gross leasable floor area, and no additional employee parking shall be required.
§ 27-1212 Loading and Unloading.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. 810, 12/17/2007]
1.
In connection with any use, building or structure which requires the receipt or distribution of materials or merchandise by trucks or similar vehicles, there shall be provided a sufficient number of off-street loading and unloading berths for the intended use, in accordance with the following minimum requirements:
A.
Location. Loading and unloading areas shall not be located between the building setback line and street line, and loading facilities shall be screened in accordance with § 27-1214.
B.
Space Allotted.
(1)
Space allotted to any off-street loading berth shall not, while so allocated, be used to satisfy the space requirements of any off-street parking facilities or portions thereof.
(2)
Required off-street parking spaces or accessways shall not be used for loading and unloading purposes except during hours when business operations are suspended.
C.
Number of Spaces. Buildings with commercial, industrial or storage use which exceeds 6,000 square feet of gross leasable floor area shall be provided with a minimum of one off-street loading and unloading space, the size of which is specified in Subsection 1E.
D.
Access. Off-street loading and unloading areas shall be provided in accordance with the Oxford Borough Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, No. 621 [Chapter 22], preferably separate from other vehicular and pedestrian circulation. In any case, loading and unloading operations, including arrival and departure, shall not interfere with traffic and pedestrian circulation on public streets or within required off-street parking areas.
E.
Size. Loading and unloading space shall be at least 12 feet wide with 14 feet of vertical clearance and shall have an adequate maneuvering area.
F.
Surfacing. Loading and unloading spaces shall have paved, all-weather, dustless, load-bearing surfaces consistent with the intended use.
§ 27-1213 Landscaping.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. No. 962-2023, 11/20/2023]
1.
Disturbance and/or removal of trees greater than or equal to six inches in caliper which are deemed by a certified arborist to be healthy and noninvasive shall be minimized. If a qualifying tree cannot be preserved in good condition it shall be replaced on a one-to-one basis by a tree of a minimum two-inch caliper. Replacement trees shall be planted in common open space areas in accordance with a landscape plan prepared by a registered landscape architect (RLA) or certified arborist. The replacement tree species shall be selected by an RLA and/or a certified arborist and shall be generally consistent with the tree species that were removed.
2.
The location of existing trees shall be considered when planning the location of uses and improvements and required common open space. Where existing trees can be retained, no original grade change shall occur within a minimum radius of 10 feet measured from the tree trunk. This area shall be enclosed during construction with an approved temporary fence, in which no construction vehicle shall be operated and no construction materials or topsoil shall be stored.
3.
Any portion of a site which is not used for buildings, structures, loading, or parking spaces and aisles, sidewalks, and designated storage areas shall be planted and continuously maintained with landscaping or shall be left in a natural vegetative state of woodland or meadow.
4.
Landscaping Requirements. Except for single-family and two-family dwellings, any part or portion of a site which is not used for buildings, structures, loading, parking spaces and aisles, sidewalks, and designated storage areas shall be landscaped in accordance with the following conditions:
A.
An overall landscaping plan shall be prepared by the applicant and shall be reviewed by the Borough Shade Tree Commission.
B.
The landscaping plan shall include a plant schedule indicating the names of plants to be used, the sizes to be planted, the quantity of each, and spacing of each.
C.
The landscape plan shall indicate the location of plants to be used and other landscaping accessory items such as walls, fences, and fountains.
D.
The landscape plan shall indicate the location and proper installation methods and procedures to be used to protect and preserve existing trees six inches in caliper or greater.
E.
Particular attention shall be given to the landscaping of parking areas, as regulated in Subsection 5 hereof.
F.
To ensure the longevity, continued effectiveness, and minimal maintenance of plant materials, the type of trees, shrubs, and ground covers to be planted and maintained shall be subject to review and approval by the Borough in accordance with the following conditions:
(1)
Where shade trees will be planted within 10 feet of a parking area or a cartway, shoulder, or curbline of a street, the Oxford Borough Shade Tree Commission shall review and make recommendations to Borough Council regarding the species of trees to be planted.
(2)
Plants shall be free from defects, injuries, and diseases.
(3)
The landowner shall maintain the plant materials and replace any tree or shrub which does not live or which is deemed, in the opinion of an agent authorized by the Borough, not to have survived or grown in a manner characteristic of its type.
5.
Parking Lot Landscaping. Landscaping within any parking area which provides five or more parking spaces shall comply with the following:
A.
The interior and perimeter of each parking lot shall have one two-inch caliper deciduous shade tree for every five parking spaces if there are no existing trees preserved to satisfy all the requirements of this section.
B.
Each required tree shall be planted in a landscaped planting area containing no impervious surface and such planting area shall contain at least 50 square feet of contiguous pervious area per tree, the minimum dimension of which shall be five feet.
C.
Planting areas shall be located to divide and break up the expanse of paving and to provide generally equal shade coverage over all impervious surfaces within the parking area.
D.
Landscaped planting islands at the end of each parking bay shall be provided.
E.
Planting areas shall be protected from the encroachment of vehicles by use of curbing, wheel stops, bollards, fencing, or other approved barrier.
F.
The trunk of a required tree shall not be planted within three feet of any impervious surface nor farther than 10 feet from the parking area, including aisles, for which the tree is required.
§ 27-1214 Screening.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986]
1.
Applicability. The following minimum screening requirements shall apply to the following uses and situations:
2.
Screening Design.
A.
Screens shall be located so that any building, structure, storage, loading area, parking area, or use to be screened shall not be highly visible year-round from abutting lots and dwellings thereon.
B.
An effective screen on the lot may be accomplished through use of any one or a combination of the following.
(1)
Existing barriers such as berms, landforms and hedgerows, or woodlands exceeding 10 feet in planting width and six feet in height.
(2)
Existing opaque man-made barriers, such as fences, walls, and buildings, when architecturally compatible with the style of abutting lots.
(3)
Proposed grading of land to create mounding, berms, or depression that block visibility.
(4)
Proposed construction of opaque walls or fences with a minimum height of four feet.
3.
To assure compliance with screening requirements, the applicant shall provide a screening plan to enable the Borough to assess whether proposed screening will create an effective buffer at necessary points. The screening plan may include any one or a combination of the following: plot plans with view analysis, landscaping and grading; topographic profiles and cross sections; structure elevations; models; or photographs.
§ 27-1215 Lighting.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. No. 962-2023, 11/20/2023]
Outdoor lighting shall be required for safety and personal security for uses that operate during hours of darkness where there is public assembly and/or traverse, including, but not limited to, residential, commercial, industrial, public recreational, and institutional uses. All proposed public and private road intersections shall have streetlights. Lighting shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of § 22-711.
§ 27-1216 Topsoil Stripping and Excavating.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986; as amended by Ord. 794, 10/26/2006, § 1]
1.
Such activities shall be permitted only if conducted in accordance with regulations set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and/or any other governmental body and under the following conditions:
A.
A minimum of three inches of topsoil shall cover disturbed areas, except vertical rock cuts, and shall be landscaped within three months after activity has ceased.
B.
Provision shall be made by the applicant for erosion and sediment controls, as provided in the Borough Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22].
C.
In no case shall stripping and excavation operations be located closer than 50 feet to any property line, with the exception of stripping and excavation activities directly associated with a construction site.
§ 27-1217 Temporary Structures or Uses.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986]
1.
A temporary permit may be issued by the Zoning Officer for structures or uses necessary during construction of a permanent building or for special circumstances of a nonrecurring nature, subject to the following additional provisions:
§ 27-1218 Visual Obstructions.
[Ord. 593, 4/8/1986]
1.
On a corner lot, no wall, fence, or other structure shall be erected or altered and no hedge, tree, shrub, or other vegetation shall be planted or maintained which may cause visual obstruction to motorists on any public road within the Borough.
2.
Clear-sight triangles shall be provided at all street intersections. Within such triangles, no object shall be permitted which obscures vision above the height of 30 inches and below 10 feet, measured from the center-line grade of intersecting streets. Such triangles shall be established from a distance of 50 feet from the point of intersection of the center lines of the intersecting local and collector streets. Triangles shall be established from a distance of 150 feet for all intersections with arterial streets (see Appendix B).