West Cocalico Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 9
VC - VILLAGE CENTER DISTRICT
§ 27-901 Purpose.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 900]
The VC - Village Center District is established to provide for a variety of land uses in a manner which encourages a village growth concept and which provides for both the development and the reuse of existing buildings in a manner that is consistent with the existing development pattern and building characteristics. This district represents those areas of the Township where public sewer and/or water facilities, if not currently provided, are most likely to be considered, and where higher density development could then be provided. Because of the existing mix of residential and commercial land uses within this district, it also seeks to accommodate the everyday commercial needs of the Township's local residents by allowing a variety of commercial land uses through the special exception process and by establishing specific criteria which seeks to buffer residential uses from commercial activity within the district.
§ 27-902 Permitted Uses.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 901; amended by Ord. 123, 2/6/2014 § 10]
1.
Land and buildings in the VC - Village Center District shall be used only for the following purposes:
A.
Single-family detached dwellings.
B.
Single-family, semi-detached dwellings.
C.
Two-family detached (duplex) dwellings.
D.
Two-family semi-detached dwellings.
E.
Single-family attached dwellings (row houses/townhouses) with centralized water and centralized sewer.
F.
Two-family attached dwellings with centralized water and centralized sewer.
G.
Apartments with centralized water and centralized sewer.
H.
Municipal uses.
I.
Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental to any of the above uses when located on the same lot except that such uses shall not be located in the front yard setback.
J.
No-impact home-based business.
K.
Day care homes.
L.
Parks, recreation and playgrounds.
M.
Cultural exhibit halls and libraries.
§ 27-903 Special Exceptions.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 902; Ord. No. 134, 5/4/2017]
1.
The establishment and/or expansion of the following uses are permitted when special exceptions are granted by the Zoning Hearing Board in conformance with Part 23 and other provisions of this chapter:
A.
Banks and similar financial institutions, including outdoor tellers if pedestrian oriented, and no more than two drive-thru lanes.
B.
Bed and breakfast establishments.
C.
Boarding houses.
D.
Churches and related uses.
E.
Echo housing.
F.
Home occupations which do not qualify as no-impact home-based businesses, subject to the criteria in Part 23 of this chapter.
G.
Apartment house (or apartment building) with centralized water and centralized sewer.
H.
Professional offices.
I.
Public and private schools.
J.
Sale of agricultural products.
K.
Amusement arcades.
L.
Day care centers.
M.
Dry cleaners, laundries, and laundromats.
N.
Essential services buildings and structures.
O.
Funeral homes.
P.
Home improvement and building supply showrooms.
Q.
Liquor stores.
R.
Medical and dental clinics.
S.
Restaurants.
T.
Retail sales.
U.
Photographic, music, art and dance studios.
V.
Shopping centers.
W.
Any other commercial use and its accessory uses or buildings which, in the opinion of the Zoning Hearing Board, are of the same general character as any of the above, except that accessory structures shall not be located in the front yard setback area.
X.
Combined indoor/outdoor commercial recreation facility.
Y.
Indoor commercial recreation facility.
Z.
Grain storage/commercial feed mill.
AA.
Parking garage.
§ 27-904 Area and Height Regulations.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 903]
1.
The minimum lot area, width, depth, building location and other lot design standards for any proposed lot located within any area identified by the Township's Act 537 Plan to be served by public water and/or sewer shall, at the discretion of the Township, be provided to allow for the re-subdivision of the lot(s) when the public facility(s) become available.
2.
Minimum Lot Area.
A.
Single-family detached dwellings — per unit of occupancy:
(1)
Forty-three thousand five hundred sixty square feet, if served by neither centralized sewer nor centralized water facilities.
(2)
Thirty thousand square feet, if served by centralized water facilities.
(3)
Fifteen thousand square feet, if served by centralized sewer facilities. 10,000 square feet, if served by both centralized sewer and centralized water facilities.
B.
Single-family semi-detached, two-family semi-detached, and two-family detached (duplex) dwellings — per unit of occupancy:
(1)
Forty-three thousand five hundred sixty square feet, if served by neither centralized sewer nor centralized water facilities.
(2)
Thirty thousand square feet, if served by centralized water facilities.
(3)
Fifteen thousand square feet, if served by centralized sewer facilities.
(4)
Ten thousand square feet, if served by both centralized sewer and centralized water facilities.
C.
Single-family attached dwellings (townhouses/row houses) — 2,400 square feet per unit of occupancy, provided the overall site density does not exceed eight dwelling units per acre, and only allowed if served by both centralized sewer and centralized water facilities.
D.
Two-family attached dwellings — 2,400 square feet per unit of occupancy, provided the overall site density does not exceed eight dwelling units per acre, and only allowed if served by both centralized sewer and centralized water facilities.
E.
Apartments — 2,400 square feet per unit of occupancy, provided the overall site density does not exceed eight dwelling units per acre, and only allowed if served by both centralized sewer and centralized water facilities.
F.
Nonresidential Uses.
(1)
Forty-three thousand five hundred sixty square feet, if served by neither centralized sewer nor centralized water facilities.
(2)
Thirty thousand square feet, if served by centralized water facilities.
(3)
Fifteen thousand square feet, if served by centralized sewer facilities.
(4)
Eight thousand square feet, if served by both centralized sewer and centralized water facilities.
3.
Minimum Lot Width.
A.
Single-family detached and two-family detached (duplex) dwellings, and nonresidential uses — 80 feet at the building line.
B.
Single-family semi-detached and two-family semi-detached dwellings — 40 feet at the building line.
C.
Single-family attached (townhouses/row houses) and two-family attached dwellings — 20 feet at the building line for an interior dwelling unit and 40 feet at the building line for an end dwelling unit.
D.
Apartments: 80 feet at the building line.
E.
Nonresidential uses: 80 feet at the building line.
4.
Minimum Lot Depth. The minimum lot depth for all lots and land uses shall be 100 feet.
5.
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 'setback for all cases when the subject property is located between two existing improved lots within 100 feet on either side will be set as equal to the average setback of the adjoining lots. For all other properties the setback requirement will be a minimum of 30 feet.
(1)
Attached or detached garages and other accessory buildings requiring or providing vehicular access and/or parking shall be set back at least 10 feet behind the plane of front building wall of the house.
B.
Side Yard.
(1)
Single-family detached and two-family detached (duplex) dwellings, and all nonresidential uses — there shall be two side yards each having a minimum width of 10 feet.
(2)
Single-family semi-detached and two-family detached (duplex) dwellings — there shall be one side yard having a minimum width of 10 feet.
(3)
Apartments — there shall be two side yards each having a minimum width of 15 feet.
(4)
Single-family attached (townhouses/row houses) and two-family attached dwellings — there shall be one side yard on each end unit having a minimum width of 10 feet.
(5)
Nonresidential uses — 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 30 feet in depth.
§ 27-905 Additional Design Standards for Residential Buildings.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 904]
1.
All residential buildings shall have a building wall with at least one primary building entrance facing an adjoining street.
2.
No structure containing attached dwellings or apartments shall contain more than eight dwelling units.
3.
No structure containing attached dwellings or apartments shall exceed an overall length of 160 feet.
4.
No structure containing attached dwellings or apartments shall have more than two dwellings with the same front setback or building line. Variations in the front setback or building line shall be a minimum of four feet.
5.
All apartment buildings shall be separated by a horizontal distance equal to the height of the taller structure, with the exception that parallel building placements of front to front, rear to rear, and front to rear shall be separated by a horizontal distance equal to two times the height of the taller structure.
§ 27-906 Additional Design Standards for Nonresidential Buildings.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 905]
Landscaping and planting shall be provided for a depth of 15 feet along all residential lot lines and residential district boundaries. Buffering and screening plantings shall be provided along the side and rear of any nonresidential use or lot adjoining any residential lot, in accordance with the requirements of Part 21.
§ 27-907 Setbacks from Agricultural Districts.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 906]
1.
No dwelling unit shall be located within 600 feet of any buildings for housing livestock, area for the processing or storage of manure, garbage or spent mushroom compost, structures for the raising of feedstock or the cultivation of mushrooms, or new slaughter area.
2.
No shrub nor tree shall be planted within 20 feet and 30 feet, respectively, of any land within any agricultural district which is used for agricultural purposes.
§ 27-908 Preservation of Historic Resources.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 907]
1.
In addition to meeting the normal requirements for obtaining a zoning permit, all applications for alteration and/or demolition of a building or structure, reuse as a different use, new construction, and/or disruption or encroachment of a site or area that contains historical places, sites and structures identified by the West Cocalico Township Strategic Plan and/or the Strategic Comprehensive Plan for the Cocalico Region, should be accompanied by a historical features report as provided for herein below. All such historical resource reports should be forwarded by the Zoning Officer to the West Cocalico Township Planning Commission. The Township Planning Commission should consult the guidance and services of professionals such as the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, or other qualified historic preservation specialist after which time a meeting between the Planning Commission and applicant should be scheduled to discuss the findings. All applicants are encouraged to consider implementation of any design recommendations provided by the Township Planning Commission that would preserve the original historical or architectural integrity considerations. If the property owner agrees to utilize the findings of the Township Planning Commission and the historic preservation professionals or specialists and the above meeting has occurred, or after a period of 45 days after filing the application for a zoning permit, whichever comes first, the Township may proceed in a manner similar to the rules in effect to issue a zoning permit.
2.
No alteration and/or demolition of a building or structure, reuse as a different use, new construction, and/or disruption or encroachment of a site or area should be undertaken on a site identified by the West Cocalico Township Strategic Plan and/or the Strategic Comprehensive Plan for the Cocalico Region as containing features of historical significance until a report has been submitted to the Township.
3.
The purpose of the report should be to identify and examine the alteration and/or demolition of a building or structure, reuse as a different use, new construction, and/or disruption or encroachment of a site or area of the historical place, site or structure in a manner that supports the integrity of the historical place, site or structure.
4.
The report should describe how the alteration and/or demolition of a building or structure, reuse as a different use, new construction, and/or disruption or encroachment of a site or area should be designed to preserve, adaptively reuse, or otherwise provide for the preservation of historical places, sites and structures identified by the West Cocalico Township Strategic Plan and/or the Strategic Comprehensive Plan for the Cocalico Region.
5.
The report will detail how the modifications should be consistent with the character and visually complementary of the historical place, site or structure.
6.
The report should identify if the proposed alteration and/or demolition of a building or structure, reuse as a different use, new construction, and/or disruption or encroachment of a site or area will jeopardize the historic value of a place, site, or structure because of size, scale, construction material, or type of use of new construction and detail how new construction will be screened or otherwise visually buffered.
7.
Alterations and/or demolition of a building or structure, reuse as a different use, new construction, and/or disruption or encroachment of a site or area should be consistent with the Secretary of the Interior standards for the rehabilitation of historic properties published by the National Park Service.
8.
No historical place, site or structure identified by the West Cocalico Township Strategic Plan and/or the Strategic Comprehensive Plan for the Cocalico Region or otherwise identified as a historic resource by West Cocalico Township shall be demolished or moved from its original foundation as part of any development without approval of the Township.
9.
In all cases when demolition is proposed, the applicant shall submit to the Township a letter from the State Historic Preservation Officer, or from the Preservation Trust of Lancaster County or other qualified Historic Preservation Specialist identifying the significance of the property, potential effects of the project that would be adverse, and possible mitigation measures that could be employed, along with photo documentation of the historic feature by the Township.
10.
In evaluating any request for demolition of a historic feature the Township shall take into account the significance of the property, the condition of the feature, the potential for repair, restoration, stabilization, and reuse, the impact of the feature in relation to the total project, and the hardship, if any, on the applicant.
11.
Applicants are encouraged to perpetuate historic names or geographic references that are traditionally associated with the area in which a project is located, rather than proposing project names that are not consistent with Lancaster County traditions or culture.
§ 27-909 Architectural Design Standards.
[Ord. 116, 9/7/2011, § 908]
1.
All new construction and/or additions to existing structures within the district should be designed with an architectural character consistent with the historic character of the surrounding village, or with a contemporary expression of traditional styles and forms, respecting the scale, proportion, roof pitch, character and materials of the surrounding village area. Generally these characteristics include:
A.
Building Height. Building should be constructed to a height within 10% of the average height of adjacent buildings.
B.
Elevation Proportion. The relationship between the height and width of the front elevation of buildings should be within 10% of the average proportions of adjacent buildings.
C.
Proportion of Openings. The relationship of height to width of windows and doors of buildings should be within 10% of the proportions of windows and doors of adjacent buildings.
D.
Architectural Rhythm of Solids and Voids. The proportion of solids to voids (windows and doors) in the front facade of a building should be similar to adjacent buildings.
E.
Horizontal Lines. Basement sill lines and header and sill lines of a building should follow the horizontal lines of adjacent buildings.
F.
Roofs. The shape, style, and material should be compatible with materials commonly used within the historic village area. Generally roofs should have a pitch of at least six vertical inches to every 12 horizontal inches covering at least 80%.
G.
Building Materials. Building materials should consist of natural materials and be compatible with materials commonly used historically in the village including stone, brick, wood siding, shingles, slate, etc. Industrial or artificial material such as raw concrete finish, anodized or galvanized metal, tinted glass, plastics, vinyls, etc., are discouraged unless such materials are used in such a way as to resemble historic characteristics.