West Deptford City Zoning Code
ARTICLE V
SC Shopping Center Districts
§ 166-22 Classification.
In any district hereafter designated as an SC Shopping Center District, the following regulations shall apply.
§ 166-23 Procedural requirements.
A.
Application for Shopping Center District. The Township Committee, after review and recommendation by the Planning Board, may authorize as an amendment to the Zoning Map, the designation of an area of not less than five acres as an SC Shopping Center District. An application for such an amendment shall be accompanied by a general or sketch plan and other supplementary data and materials indicating the location and boundaries of the proposed district, topography, proposed uses, parking areas, building types and landscaping, and the availability of utilities. The applicant shall also submit traffic generation estimates, any tentative commitments by prospective tenants, a marketing feasibility study, and such other information as may be useful in determining the impact of the proposed shopping center, the appropriateness of its location and its compliance with the Township Master Plan.
B.
Application for construction permit. An application for a permit to construct a shopping center in any SC Shopping Center District shall be submitted to the Planning Board in accordance with the site plan and building review procedures and requirements included in Chapter 143, Subdivision and Development, § 143-20, which shall include or be accompanied by a plan or plans, and supplementary data, showing the following information:
(1)
A plan for the integrated development of the total area to be included in the shopping center, drawn to scale and showing:
(2)
A landscaping plan indicating the location and character of buffer areas and screening devices to be maintained, including the dimensions and arrangements of all areas devoted to planting, lawns and trees.
(3)
Utility plans for sewage and waste disposal, water supply and stormwater drainage.
(4)
A map showing the use and character of adjoining areas, including streets, buildings and topography.
(5)
Information sufficient to demonstrate that satisfactory arrangements will be made to facilitate traffic movement on the highways adjoining the shopping center and to assure proper circulation within the center. These arrangements may include provision for necessary signalization, channelization, standby-turn lanes, right-turn, acceleration or deceleration lanes, added highway width, adequate warning signs and adequate storage area and distribution facilities within the center to prevent backup of vehicles on public streets. A study by a traffic engineer may be required by the Planning Board.
(6)
Assurance that initial construction will be commenced within a reasonable time, and will be carried on without interruption to completion.
(7)
Sufficient data, in all instances, to enable the Planning Board to judge the effectiveness of the design and the character of the entire center, its compliance with the requirements of this section, and to consider properly such things as its relationship to surrounding areas, anticipated traffic, public health, safety and welfare.
(8)
If portions of the project are to be completed in successive stages, a less detailed sketch or layout of the areas not scheduled for immediate development will suffice initially, provided that, as further development occurs, a plan showing all of the required detail shall then be submitted and approved prior to the construction of any portion.
(9)
Any additions or alterations to the exterior of the shopping centers shall be subject to review and approval of the Planning Board.
§ 166-24 Use regulations.
A.
A building or combination of buildings may be erected or used, and a lot area may be used or occupied for any of the uses permitted in the C Commercial Districts or uses similar thereto, provided that in no case shall the following uses be permitted:
(1)
A dwelling, apartment or other residential use.
(2)
A trailer park and/or trailer sales.
(3)
Outdoor storage yard uses.
(4)
Newspaper publishing or job printing.
(5)
A public garage, car wash, machine shop or automobile sales agency or lot.
(6)
Outdoor storage and/or leasing of automobiles, trucks, vans or trailers.
B.
The following uses shall be prohibited, except when authorized by the Planning Board as a conditional use:
(1)
The sale, display or storage of merchandise or goods, the performance of any commercial service or any sales or solicitation of sales on parking lots, parking areas, sidewalks, walkways or otherwise outside the confines of buildings or enclosures, provided that:
[Amended 12-1-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-16]
(a)
A shopping center may conduct a sidewalk sale no more than three times in any calendar year as a matter of right. Permits for such sidewalk sales shall be obtained from the Zoning Officer.
(b)
A restaurant may provide an outdoor dining area which shall comply with the requirements of § 166-19C(2).
(2)
Any outdoor circus, amusement, ride, game, show, exhibit, fireworks, racing of any type and all other outdoor events.
(3)
Use of outdoor sidewalks other than exclusively for pedestrian traffic or an outdoor dining area for a restaurant in compliance with the requirements of § 166-19C(2).
[Amended 12-1-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-16]
§ 166-25 Design and area requirements.
A.
The proposed development shall be constructed in accordance with an overall plan, shall be designed as a single architectural scheme with appropriate common landscaping, and shall provide initially at least for the construction of a minimum of 15,000 square feet of ground floor area and a minimum of four independent stores.
B.
All buildings shall be arranged in a group or in groups, and the distance, at the closest point, between any two buildings or groups of attached buildings shall be not less than 20 feet.
C.
No building shall exceed two stories in height. All construction shall be subject to construction code requirements.
D.
No building or permanent structure, other than a permitted freestanding sign, shall be erected within 100 feet of a major street or within 25 feet of any other street or property line.
E.
Not more than 50% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings and a total of not more than 75% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings, parking areas, driveways, sidewalks and other paved or impervious surfaces.
[Amended 12-2-1982 by Ord. No. 82-13; 4-3-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-08]
F.
Each permitted use shall provide the number of parking spaces required in § 166-33, exclusive of driveways, accessways, loading areas and maneuvering areas.
G.
Parking, loading or service areas used by motor vehicles shall be located entirely within the lot lines of the shopping center and shall be physically separated from public streets by a buffer strip or other effective and suitable barrier against unchanneled motor vehicle access or egress and shall have not more than two accessways to any one public street, unless unusual circumstances demonstrate the need for additional access points. All such areas shall be arranged to facilitate proper and safe internal circulation and shall be paved in accordance with Township standards.
H.
All accessways to a public street or highway shall be located at least 200 feet from the intersection of any street lines and shall be designed in a manner conducive to safe ingress and egress. Where practicable, exits shall be located on a minor rather than a major street.
I.
Along each side or rear property line which adjoins a Residence District, a buffer planting strip shall be provided on which shall be placed shrubbery, trees or other suitable plantings sufficient to constitute an effective screen. Along each street line bounding the district, a twenty-five-foot buffer area, suitably landscaped, shall be provided. A bond or other guaranty shall be furnished to assure maintenance of the required landscaping for a period of two years.
[Amended 4-3-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-08]
J.
No sign or other structure shall be erected which shall cause danger to traffic by obscuring the view, especially at or near access points.
K.
All parking, loading, access and service areas shall be adequately illuminated at night. Such lighting, including sign lighting, shall be arranged so as to protect the highway and adjoining property from direct glare or hazardous interference of any kind.
L.
The Planning Board may prescribe more restrictive conditions, or any further reasonable conditions deemed appropriate with respect to the suitability of the shopping center in the neighborhood. Adequate guaranty shall be given prior to approval of the plan, to assure that the minimum conditions enumerated in this section are, or will be, fully complied with.