West Cocalico Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 13
A-I - AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT
§ 27-1301 Purpose.
[Ord. No. 148, 10/7/2021; Ord. No. 148A, 10/7/2021]
The A-I - Agricultural Industrial District seeks to promote the continuation and preservation of the existing agricultural operations by enabling and encouraging industries which supply agricultural operations and industries which process the products of the agricultural operations in the Township, within those areas most suitable for such activities. This district is specifically intended to promote agricultural operations through providing land for industrial operations that utilize agricultural products such as food manufacturing, mills, and food storage operations. The agricultural industrial operations authorized in the Agricultural Industrial District exceed the more limited farm businesses allowed in the A-1 and A-2 Agricultural Districts. Any future inhabitants in this district may be subject to some common characteristics of agriculture which are sometimes regarded as objectionable, including but not limited to odor, dust, night, holiday, early morning and weekend operations, noise, heavy vehicle use of roads, the storage and disposal of manure, the application of fertilizers, herbicides, etc. Residents, owners, and users of property in this district should accept these factors as normal and unavoidable characteristics of an agricultural area and are hereby put on official notice that § 4 of the Pennsylvania Act 133 of 1982, referred to as the "Right to Farm Law," 3 Pa.C.S.A. § 951 et seq., may bar them from obtaining a legal judgment against such normal agricultural operations.
§ 27-1302 Permitted Uses.
[Ord. No. 148, 10/7/2021; Ord. No. 148A, 10/7/2021]
Land and buildings in the A-I - Agricultural Industrial District shall be used only for the following purposes:
2.
Food processing and storage facilities, which may include processing, packaging, storage, distribution and/or wholesaling meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and other agricultural products. This use shall not include a produce or tobacco auction or any retail sales.
3.
Pet food processing and storage facilities, which may include processing, packaging, storage, distribution and/or wholesaling. This use shall not include any retail sales.
4.
Grain storage/commercial feed mill.
5.
Agricultural equipment, feed supply and fertilizer distributors.
§ 27-1303 Area and Height Regulations.
[Ord. No. 148, 10/7/2021; Ord. No. 148A, 10/7/2021]
1.
Minimum Lot Area — Five acres.
2.
Minimum lot width — 150 feet at the building line.
3.
Minimum lot depth — 160 feet.
4.
Yard Requirements. All buildings shall be set back from street rights-of-way and lot lines in accordance with the following requirements:
A.
Front Yard. The minimum front yard required from all street rights-of-way except the Pennsylvania Turnpike shall be that distance established in Part 19 of this chapter between the right-of-way line of a public or private road and the building line.
B.
Side Yard. There shall be two side yards each having a minimum width of 20 feet.
C.
Rear Yard. The rear yard shall be a minimum of 50 feet in depth. In the A-I - Agricultural Industrial District the setback from the Pennsylvania Turnpike shall be considered a rear yard.
5.
Maximum lot coverage — 60%.
§ 27-1304 Additional Standards for Certain Uses.
[Ord. No. 148, 10/7/2021; Ord. No. 148A, 10/7/2021]
Food processing and storage facilities, pet food processing and storage facilities, and grain storage/commercial feed mills shall be subject to the following additional requirements:
1.
The maximum building height shall be 75 feet if such building is set back at least 75 feet from all property lines.
2.
All buildings and outdoor storage facilities shall be set back not less than 100 feet from any lands within a residential zoning district and from any dwelling on adjoining lot in existence on January 1, 2021, located in the Agricultural Industrial District or an Agricultural District.
3.
Lands not devoted to buildings, parking, circulation, and outdoor storage associated with the principal use of the property may be used for agriculture by the operator of the principal use or may be leased to another person or entity for crop farming.
4.
The applicant shall identify the route which vehicles will take to and from the proposed use. The applicant shall provide a detailed analysis of the physical conditions of the public road system which vehicles will use. The analysis shall include information on the current traffic flows on this road system and projections of traffic to be generated by the proposed use. Improvements to the frontage of the subject property to implement the recommendations of the analysis shall be provided by the applicant and completed within one year from the date of land development approval or, if no land development approval is required, within one year of the issuance of the zoning permit for the use. The applicant shall identify all improvements required to compensate for any adverse effects which will result to the road system as a result of the applicant's proposed use or required to address an existing deficiency to enable safer use by the vehicles serving the proposed use.
5.
Truck maneuvering areas on the subject property shall be improved with an asphalt or concrete surface and such areas shall be located at least 25 feet from all property or public street right-of-way lines other than the right-of-way line of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The setback from the Pennsylvania Turnpike right-of-way shall be 20 feet.
6.
In addition to those accessory uses permitted by § 27-130, Subsection 6, the following accessory uses are permitted:
A.
Storage of fuels for on-site use and to fuel vehicles used by the principal use.
B.
Facility for the repair and inspection of vehicles of the operator of the principal use.
C.
Water and/or wastewater treatment facilities serving the principal use.
D.
Employee amenities, including, but not limited to, cafeteria, day care facilities, exercise or recreational facilities, and changing and showering facilities; provided, however, that all such employee amenities shall be limited to use by employees. Such amenities shall not have signs or identification visible off the lot and shall not be advertised to the general public.