West Norriton Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
PART 13C
MAIN STREET COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
§ 27-13C01 Legislative Intent.
[Ord. No. 2023-763, 4/11/2023]
1.
This district shall apply to any subdivision and land development application and shall not be limited by a grant of waiver of land development. It is the intent of this overlay district to meet the following objectives:
A.
To ensure that standards of site design, pedestrian amenities, parking requirements, and landscaping features are incorporated into all developments along the corridor.
B.
To establish parking standards with the specific intent of coordinating traffic between adjoining properties.
C.
To reduce access points to improve traffic safety, circulation, and coordination.
D.
To provide standards for screening of serving and loading areas, HVAC equipment, and other areas determined to detract from the aesthetic qualities of the streetscape.
E.
To regulate outdoor dining activities for the benefit of customers and pedestrians, while also preserving required parking and safe vehicular circulation.
F.
To minimize the potential for increased traffic congestion by providing incentives that require shared access points, cross-access easements, shared parking areas, and quality public spaces.
G.
To increase the number of pedestrian and vehicular connections between adjacent properties to provide complementary and coordinated development of adjacent properties.
H.
To provide regulating standards which require orderly, well-planned development and to ensure that the new buildings and additions enhance the surrounding streetscape, including incentives for burial of existing utilities within the right-of-way.
I.
To use scale, building orientation and landscaping to establish community identity.
J.
To establish a walkable streetscape by promoting a pedestrian orientation of streets and buildings and providing a safe and convenient interconnected sidewalk network.
§ 27-13C02 Use Regulations.
[Ord. No. 2023-763, 4/11/2023]
1.
A building may be erected or used, and a lot may be used or occupied, for one or more of the following purposes, and no other:
A.
Permitted Uses.
(1)
Municipal building and municipal uses, to include parks and playgrounds.
(2)
Retail store for the sale of dry goods, variety merchandise, books and stationery, clothing, food, beverages, flowers and plants, furnishings or other household supplies, antiques, consignment or secondhand thrift shop, barbershops, beauty salons, travel agencies, retail banking, real estate agent, dry cleaning, repair service establishments for small domestic products, and/or similar goods.
(3)
Bakery, confectionery, or custom shop for production of articles to be sold at retail on the premises.
(4)
A mixed use building, provided that a retail or office use is located on the first floor, all dwelling units shall be located on the second floor or above, and the average dwelling unit size is 800 square feet.
(5)
Public garage, parking lot, provided all facilities are located and all services are conducted on the lot.
(6)
Restaurant.
(7)
Theater, excluding open-air theater.
(8)
Private school, hospital, club, lodge.
(9)
Newspaper publishing; job printing establishment.
(10)
Utility company offices.
(11)
Hand or automatic self-service laundry.
(12)
Financial institution.
(13)
Office.
B.
Conditional Uses.
(1)
Motel, Hotel, Boutique Hotel. On lots having a minimum area of two acres, a hotel, boutique hotel, or motel may be permitted by conditional use, provided that the following regulations shall also apply:
(a)
The lot shall contain a minimum of 100 feet of frontage along Ridge Pike.
(b)
Any building used in whole or in part for hotel purposes shall be set back a minimum of 65 feet from a residential zoning district.
(c)
A minimum twenty-five-foot landscape buffer from a residential zoning district (R-A, R-1, R-2, and R-3) shall be required.
(d)
Public sanitary sewer and water shall be provided.
(e)
When the hotel has a shared use agreement for parking with an adjoining property, then the required parking per each hotel/motel rental unit shall be one parking space. A site plan shall be submitted showing the joint use and location of the common off-street parking. Otherwise the regulations of Part 14, § 27-1410, Required Off-Street Parking and Loading, shall apply. Accessory activities such as dining, snack or exercise facilities that are limited to use by hotel lodgers shall not require additional parking.
(f)
During the consideration of the conditional use approval, the applicant shall provide plans and procedures to be approved by the Board of Commissioners, which shall demonstrate satisfactory provisions for fire safety, emergency access, and emergency evacuation.
(2)
Drive-through windows or facilities are permitted as a conditional use with the following provisions:
(a)
The lot shall contain a minimum of 100 feet of frontage along Ridge Pike.
(b)
A minimum of 200 linear feet shall be provided as storage area for vehicles awaiting service for drive-in facilities and uses. The required 200 feet may be provided in one or more usable lanes and shall be measured from the right-of-way line of the street to the window or other place in the building where the vehicle must enter or pass for service. The storage areas shall be designed so that vehicles awaiting service will not back out into the street.
(c)
Drive-through queuing shall be separated from any other drive-through by a minimum 1,000 feet. Queuing shall not obstruct any required parking spaces or the internal and external circulation of the site.
(d)
Queuing lanes shall be buffered with walls, landscaping, and other features. The queueing lanes and menu signs shall be set back a minimum of 100 feet from the nearest lot line of any residential use. This distance may be reduced to the minimum yard setback with a combination of sound walls and landscaping. Lights and speakers required for ordering shall be faced away from existing uses.
(e)
Order, pick-up windows, and queuing shall not be located along the front facing facade of the building.
C.
D.
Prohibited Uses. Any manufacturing or processing use permitted by right in the Industrial District is prohibited in the Main Street Commercial District.
§ 27-13C03 Area Regulations.
[Ord. No. 2023-763, 4/11/2023]
1.
Dimensional Standards.
A.
All lots within the Main Street Commercial District shall meet the following requirements:
Table 1. Dimensional Standards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dimensional Standards | Lot Depth | ||
Lot Depth Less Than 300 Feet | A Minimum of 300 Feet and Less Than 600 Feet | Lot Depth 600 Feet or More | |
Minimum lot area | 5,000 square feet | 5,000 square feet | 5,000 square feet |
Minimum lot width | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet |
Maximum impervious coverage | 70% | 70% | 70% |
Minimum green area1 | 10% | 10% | 10% |
Front yard setback | |||
Minimum | 15 feet | 20 feet | 20 feet |
Maximum | 25 feet | 35 feet | 50 feet |
Minimum side yard setback | 10 feet | 10 feet | 10 feet |
Minimum rear yard setback | 10 feet | 20 feet | 20 feet |
Minimum building setback where abutting a residential zoning district2 | 30 feet | 30 feet | 30 feet |
Minimum side and rear yard landscape buffer where abutting a residential zoning district | 20 feet | 20 feet | 20 feet |
Minimum parking setback3 | 10 feet | 10 feet | 10 feet |
Building height | |||
Maximum by-right | 50 feet | 50 feet | 50 feet |
Maximum with bonuses | 65 feet | 65 feet | 65 feet |
Notes: | |
1 | The verge, front yard landscape area, and a public gathering space may count towards the green area requirement. Where applicable, the minimum gross tract area required to be dedicated for recreation in SALDO § 22-1103 may count towards the green area requirement. |
2 | Residential zoning districts include: R-A, R-1, R-2, and R-3. |
3 | Minimum parking setback applies to side and rear property lines for properties with lot depths of less than 600 feet. For properties with lot depths of 600 feet or greater, the minimum parking setback also applies to the front property line. See § 27-13C04, Subsection 6, for additional parking lot design standards. |
B.
Required frontage elements are listed in the chart below, from the curb out. These elements are to be installed per the cross-sections found in Appendices 1-4.[1]
Table 2. Frontage Requirements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Frontage Standards | Lot Depth | ||
Lot Depth Less Than 300 Feet | A Minimum of 300 Feet and Less Than 600 Feet | Lot Depth 600 Feet or More | |
Minimum landscaped verge width | 3 feet | 3 feet | 3 feet |
Minimum sidewalk width | 6 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet |
Minimum front yard landscape area width1 | 5 feet | 6 feet | 6 feet |
Minimum pedestrian walkway width adjacent to buildings | N/A | 4 feet | 4 feet |
Note: | |
1 | See Appendices 1-4[2] for placement of landscape area within front yard for different setbacks and lot depths. |
[1]
Editor's Note: Said Appendices are included as an attachment to this chapter.
[2]
Editor's Note: Said Appendices are included as an attachment to this chapter.
2.
Bonus Provisions. Proposed developments within the Main Street Commercial District that provide public benefits and meet all applicable standards in Table 3 shall qualify for a bonus.
Table 3. Bonus Options and Standards | ||
|---|---|---|
Feature Provided | Bonus Feature Standard | Bonus |
Public gathering space | One additional story of building height may be granted in exchange for the public gathering space. Each story of additional building height granted under this section shall be equal to a maximum of 15 feet in building height. The overall building height shall not exceed the maximum building height with bonuses listed in Table 1 above. | |
Shared access | Access easements are granted with neighboring properties for parking lots, aisles, and driveways, guaranteeing access to all abutting lots zoned Main Street Commercial. | The minimum parking requirements for nonresidential uses may be reduced up to 20%. |
§ 27-13C04 Design Standards.
[Ord. No. 2023-763, 4/11/2023]
1.
Building Design Standards. All developments within the Main Street Commercial District shall comply with the following design standards:
A.
Preliminary architectural elevations shall be prepared by a registered architect. Such elevations shall illustrate the general design, character, and materials for facades of buildings including parking structures visible from public streets, walkways, and other lands available for public use.
B.
In mixed-use buildings, a commercial/retail or office use is required along the first floor frontage for a minimum depth of 40 feet.
C.
Lot Occupation. One or more principal buildings may be built on each lot. A minimum setback of 20 feet is required between buildings. For buildings with three or more stories, an additional five feet of separation is required for each additional story.
D.
Building Orientation and Entrances.
(1)
If a lot fronts Ridge Pike, each building shall be oriented with the front facade facing, and taking direct pedestrian access from, Ridge Pike. If a lot fronts Egypt, Orchard, or Trooper Roads, the building shall be oriented with the front facade facing and taking direct pedestrian access from those streets. On lots with multiple principal buildings where a new secondary street is proposed, buildings may have front facades facing the proposed secondary street.
(2)
Each facade of a building with frontage along a street, parking area, or public gathering space shall feature at least one clearly defined and highly visible pedestrian entrance with a direct sidewalk connection to the abutting street. A building with multiple street frontages may locate a pedestrian entrance on the corner of the building where the two streets intersect to fulfill this requirement.
E.
Building Facade Articulation and Massing.
(1)
All building facades shall be designed to incorporate architectural detail that creates visual interest. This may include facade offsets, recessed entryways, bay or oriel windows, or other building design features that create variation in the facade depth. The ground floor facade shall contribute to an active and pedestrian-friendly streetscape.
(2)
All renovations to existing building facades and new development shall consist of 40% brick material. The remaining 60% of the facade may be a combination of masonry materials, such as stone, stucco, wood or simulated wood siding. Decorative elements shall be used around windows and doors, such as columns, pediments, and shutters, and a new roof plan shall be used where flat roofs presently exist.
(3)
Walls or portions of walls where windows are not provided shall have architectural treatments designed to break up the bulk of the wall. Building facades of 200 feet or more facing a street, surface parking lot, open space, or walking area shall include design elements that break up the facade, such as awning, porches, canopies, bays, gales, changes in materials, or changes in facade treatments.
(4)
Smoked, reflective, or black glass in windows is prohibited. The ground floor of anybuilding along Ridge Pike shall have a minimum transparency of 60%. The upper floors of any building along Main Street shall have a minimum transparency of 30%.
(5)
Any site with more than one building shall have a common and coherent architectural theme throughout the development.
2.
Streetscape Design Standards. Appendices 1-4[1] provide cross-section streetscape illustrations for different lot depths/front yard setbacks.
A.
Sidewalks are required to connect the street frontage sidewalks to all front building entrances, parking areas, public gathering spaces and any other destination that generates pedestrian traffic. Sidewalks shall connect to existing sidewalks on abutting tracks and other nearby pedestrian destination points and transit stops. Sidewalk widths shall be in accordance with the requirements in Table 1.
B.
Striped continental crosswalks shall be installed at any major intersection, with approval from PennDOT. Crosswalks and their transition to adjacent sidewalks shall be designed to facilitate access and use by persons that are physically disabled in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said Appendices are included as an attachment to this chapter.
3.
Landscaping and Green Area Standards.
A.
Buffer Design Standards. Buffers are subject to the dimensional standards in Table 1 above, and to the following additional standards:
(1)
Front- and rear-yard landscape buffers shall be planted with a mix of shade trees, shrubs, and other grasses and perennials. Shade trees shall be selected based on size at maturity to ensure they are appropriate to be located under utility lines or should be set back away from overhead utility lines to reduce conflicts with tree branches and support healthy tree canopy. Where in-ground landscaping is not feasible, planters may be used.
B.
Location of Green/Open Space.
(1)
Green/open space areas shall be designed as focal points within the development and shall be made accessible to the public. Public access shall be guaranteed to all required open/green space through a deed restriction or other means acceptable to the Township.
(2)
Green/open space areas shall be a minimum of 250 square feet.
C.
Shade trees shall be provided in accordance with § 22-515 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
D.
Screening.
(2)
Screening shall be required around all ground-mounted equipment, service and loading areas, and trash receptacles. A privacy fence, landscaped buffer and/or low shrubs shall provide screening along the side and rear property boundaries.
(3)
Service and loading areas must be visually screened from street and pedestrian ways. For new construction, service and loading areas must be behind the building.
E.
Public Gathering Space Standards. Public gathering spaces are required for all buildings with an area of 10,000 square feet or more. Where proposed, public gathering spaces shall meet the following standards:
(1)
The minimum size required is 300 square feet.
(2)
The public gathering space shall be located where it is visible and accessible from either a public sidewalk or pedestrian connection.
(3)
A minimum of 25% of the public gathering space shall be landscaped with trees, shrubs, and mixed plantings with year-round interest.
(4)
The public gathering space shall use the following paving materials: unit pavers, paving stones, or concrete. No more than 50% of the surface shall be one single material.
(5)
One seating space is required for each 50 square feet of public gathering space area.
(6)
The public gathering space shall not be used for parking, loading, or vehicular access (excluding emergency vehicular access).
(7)
Public art and fountains are encouraged.
(8)
Trash containers shall be covered, distributed throughout the public gathering space, and emptied each night.
(9)
The public gathering space shall provide shade by using the following elements: trees, canopies, trellises, umbrellas, or building walls.
(10)
One tree is required for every 250 square feet. Trees shall be a minimum of two inches in caliper at the time of planting.
(11)
Lighting shall be provided.
(12)
Public gathering spaces shall connect to other activities such as outdoor cafes, restaurants, and building entries.
(13)
Public gathering spaces, if constructed by a private entity, shall have an agreement with the community for public access.
4.
Outdoor Lighting.
A.
All pedestrian-scaled outdoor lighting on the premises, including sign lighting, shall be arranged, designed and shielded or directed so as to protect the abutting streets and highways and adjoining property from the glare of lights, and lighting shall be shielded that the source of the light shall not be visible from any point outside the premises. No flashing or intermittent or moving lights shall be permitted, either freestanding, attached to a facade, or as a part of an approved sign.
B.
The height of fixtures shall be a maximum of 20 feet for parking lots and 14 feet for pedestrian walkways.
5.
Bus Stop Standards.
A.
The developer shall coordinate with SEPTA on providing or improving existing bus stops when a bus route operates or has a stop located on a street frontage directly adjoining a subdivision or land development within the Main Street Commercial District.
B.
The developer shall coordinate with SEPTA on the bus stop design. The appropriate transit stop improvements and shelter shall meet the most recent SEPTA Bus Stop Design Guidelines. Transit stops shall include, at a minimum, a shelter or enclosure, seating, and schedule information. The location and design of the bus stop infrastructure shall be reviewed and approved by SEPTA and West Norriton Township. SEPTA shall provide written documentation certifying that a location is an existing or a potential future bus stop.
C.
The developer shall sign a perpetual maintenance agreement with West Norriton Township demonstrating responsibility for the maintenance of the bus shelter and associated amenities.
D.
If bus stop infrastructure is located within a public right-of-way, the developer shall secure all necessary rights/permissions from PennDOT. If bus stop infrastructure is located outside a public right-of-way, the developer shall secure all necessary rights/permissions from the applicable private property owner(s) for the infrastructure to be located on the property and open to the public.
6.
Parking Requirements.
A.
Minimum Parking Requirements. Parking spaces shall be provided as outlined in § 27-1410, Required Off-Street Parking and Loading, except where alternative standards based on land use for the Main Street Commercial District have been provided in Table 4 below.
Table 4. Minimum Parking Requirements for Select Uses in the Main Street Commercial District | |
|---|---|
Use | Minimum Parking Requirement (Number of Spaces) |
Apartment house and vertical condominiums | 1/studio or 1 bedroom 1.5/2+ bedroom unit |
Hotel, motel, boutique hotel | 1/guest room, plus 1/800 square feet of public meeting space |
Restaurant, cafe, bar, or other similar establishment | 1/250 square feet gross floor area |
Retail store or shop | 1/300 square feet gross sales floor area |
B.
Parking Reduction Standards.
(1)
The Township Zoning Officer may reduce the number of required on-site spaces based on a parking study provided by the applicant demonstrating adequate spaces are provided.
(3)
West Norriton Township may authorize a credit towards the off-street parking requirements specified in this chapter for the provision of bus stop infrastructure. Whenever an ADA loading pad, bench for a bus stop, and/or bus shelter is provided, the applicable off-street parking may be reduced by up to two percent for each bus stop location.
C.
Parking Setbacks.
(1)
All parking shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from the ultimate right-of-way along all Ridge Pike frontages. For properties with a front yard setback greater than 20 feet, parking shall be set back a minimum of 15 feet from the ultimate right-of-way. A minimum of 10 feet from the curbline shall be provided for the placement of sidewalks, landscaping, and utilities.
(2)
Angled parking with a one-way drive aisle is permitted in the front of the building for properties with lot depths of 600 feet or more. For properties with lot depths of less than 600 feet, parking shall be to the rear or to the side of the building.
D.
Parking area and driveway dimensions and standards shall comply with § 22-504 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
E.
A sidewalk or pedestrian path with a minimum width of four feet shall be provided to connect all areas of the parking lot to entrances to the building(s) on the site.
F.
Parking areas on adjacent lots shall be directly connected by a driveway and designed so as to reduce the number of curb cuts along the street.
G.
Properties with frontages of 300 feet or less shall be limited to one thirty-foot curb cut. This is subject to PennDOT approval for all properties with frontage along West Main Street. No more than two curb cuts may be permitted for any single property, tract, or lot, for each street frontage. More than two curb cuts per street frontage may be permitted only if anticipated traffic volumes warrant more than two, and when supported by a traffic study prepared by a qualified traffic engineer. Regardless of frontage, a development may be restricted to a single driveway depending on usage and interior and exterior traffic patterns.
7.
Outdoor Dining Area Standards. Where proposed, outdoor dining areas shall meet the following standards:
A.
Outdoor furniture is limited to tables, chairs, umbrellas, reservation podiums, portable heaters, trash receptacles, and other similar items.
B.
Planters, posts with ropes, iron fencing or other removable enclosures are encouraged and shall be used as a way of defining the area occupied as outdoor seating, provided such enclosures do not exceed four feet in height.
C.
Refuse facilities shall be provided.
D.
Advertising or promotional features shall be limited to umbrellas or canopies.
E.
Outdoor dining shall not impede pedestrian traffic flow. A five-foot landscape buffer or planter area shall be used to provide a buffer between the sidewalk and outdoor dining area and West Main Street.
F.
Where the outdoor dining area abuts a street or parking area, the applicant shall provide a barrier, such as bollards or planters, to protect customers. The barrier shall be attractively designed and landscaped or otherwise incorporated into the design of the outdoor dining area.
G.
Outdoor cooking is prohibited.
8.
Occupation of Ultimate Right-of-Way. Any right-of-way outside of the cartway may be preserved for sidewalks and green area between the curbline and the front yard setback along the entire Ridge Pike, Egypt, Orchard and Trooper Road frontages.