Whitemarsh Township
City Zoning Code
City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XVI
AR Administrative and Research District
§ 116-106 Legislative intent; scope.
In expansion of the declaration of legislative intent contained in § 116-2, it is hereby declared to be the intent of this article, with respect to administrative and research districts, to establish reasonable standards for the height and size of buildings, the area and dimensions of yards and open spaces, the provision of facilities to minimize traffic congestion, overcrowding of land, inadequate provision for water and sewage facilities and inadequate transportation, and to establish reasonable standards for an administrative and research district suitable with the general character of the adjoining district. In an AR Administrative and Research District, the following regulations shall apply.
§ 116-107 Use regulations.
A.
In an AR Administrative and Research District, a building may be erected, altered or used, and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes and no other:
(1)
Offices for administrative, executive, professional, sales and other similar uses, the normal attributes of which do not involve the actual storage, exchange or delivery of merchandise on the premises.
(2)
Laboratory for scientific, agricultural or industrial research and development.
(3)
Conference center, on a lot of not less than 25 acres.
(4)
Private-use heliport, subject to the provisions of § 116-33.1, when authorized as a special exception.
[Added 11-17-1983 by Ord. No. 481]
(5)
Public or private golf course.
[Added 10-11-2001 by Ord. No. 739]
B.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no exterior storage of materials or equipment shall be permitted and no use shall be permitted which may be noxious or offensive by reason of odor, dust, fumes, smoke, gas, vibration or noise, or which may constitute a public hazard either by fire, explosion or otherwise.
§ 116-108 Height regulations.
The maximum height of any building erected or used for any use permitted in § 116-107 herein shall be 40 feet.
§ 116-109 Dimensional requirements.
[Amended 9-23-1993 by Ord. No. 649; 10-11-2001 by Ord. No. 739; 9-9-2004 by Ord. No. 794]
Required minimum lot area, width, yard and green space area requirements and maximum lot, building and impervious ground covers are as follows:
A.
Lot area: minimum five acres, except in the case of conference center use where the minimum lot area shall be 25 acres.
B.
Front yard: 100 feet minimum.
C.
Side yard: two, each not less than 35 feet, but together having a minimum aggregate of 100 feet, and provided that any side yard abutting a street shall have a width of not less than 100 feet.
D.
Rear yard: 50 feet minimum, and provided that any rear yard abutting a street shall have a depth of not less than 100 feet and minimum width at the street line of 300 feet.
E.
Lot coverage. Maximum building coverage shall be no more than 25% of the total lot area. Impervious ground cover shall be no greater than 45% of the total lot area. Each lot shall have a minimum green space area of 55% of the total lot area.
F.
Lots near residential districts. No building or structure shall be erected nearer than 150 feet to any residential district unless the residential district boundary line is located on the same property as the proposed building in the AR Administration and Research District, so long as said residential district is at least 150 feet from any adjoining property line.
§ 116-110 Screening.
All front yards and other areas delimited by any side or rear lot line abutting or directly across the street from a residential district and for a depth of 50 feet for the entire length thereof shall be maintained as green areas and planted in grass, shrubs and/or trees, except for necessary ways of access there through.
§ 116-111 Development requirements.
The general plan of any AR Administrative and Research District shall include specific evidence and facts showing that it has considered and made provisions for, and the development shall be executed in accordance with, the following essential conditions:
A.
The AR Administrative and Research District shall be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan upon which this chapter is based and with the purpose of the chapter to promote the health, safety, morals and the general welfare of the Township.
B.
The development shall consist of a building or structure, service and parking areas, and circulation and open spaces planned and designed as an integrated unit in such manner as to constitute a safe and efficient AR Administrative and Research District.
C.
The appropriate use of property adjacent to the Administrative and Research District shall be safeguarded.
D.
The portion of the lot area not occupied by buildings or services and parking areas shall be landscaped in accordance with plans submitted to and approved by the Supervisors, and thereafter the lots shall be maintained in an orderly and harmonious manner.
§ 116-112 Off-street parking.
No parking area shall be permitted within the front yard of any lot in this District, nor closer than 150 feet to any residential district unless authorized as a special exception, but in no case shall any parking area be permitted closer than 50 feet to any residential district.
§ 116-113 Water availability.
AR Administrative and Research Districts shall be subject to the provisions of § 116-28 of the Zoning Ordinance, amended hereby.
§ 116-114 Waste disposal.
The treatment and disposal of sanitary waste of whatsoever character shall be in accordance with the ordinances of the Township and the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. No use shall be conducted in such a way as to discharge any treated or untreated sewage or other waste into any stream.
§ 116-114.1 Signs permitted in AR Districts.
[Added 1-19-1995 by Ord. No. 669]
In AR Districts, the following signs shall be permitted and no other:
A.
Any sign permitted in any residential district, provided that the use to which it refers is permitted in an AR District.
B.
Any property with uses permitted in the district may erect signs under one of the following provisions:
(1)
One sign may be erected for a property in single and separate ownership where such sign is not connected with the building. The total area of the face of any such sign shall not exceed 25 square feet.
(2)
One or more signs may be attached to or mounted on the building front, provided that the total area of such sign or signs does not exceed 35 square feet, plus one additional square foot of sign for each two feet of setback in excess of the minimum required for such districts.