Borough of Chester Heights, PA Article XIII Planned Laboratory - Office District

§ 185-75 Purpose.

A. PLO/Planned Laboratory - Office Districts are designed primarily to provide for selected modern laboratory and office establishments which:

(1) Provide for attractive large-site, low-lot-coverage development in areas where traditional business development would be inappropriate.

(2) Strengthen and diversify the Borough's tax base.

(3) Are compatible with the character of surrounding areas.

§ 185-76 Use regulations.

A building or a unified group of buildings may be erected or used and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes or combination thereof:

A. Scientific or industrial research, testing or experimental laboratory or similar establishment for research or product development provided there is no commercial production or storage of any commodity or substance except for storage necessary for scientific research.

B. Office building.

C. Accessory uses which may include:

(1) Storage within a completely enclosed building in conjunction with a permitted use.

(2) A cafeteria or other service facility located within a main building and operated for the exclusive use of occupants of the building.

(3) A recreational area for occupants.

(4) Living quarters for watchmen, caretakers or similar employees.

(5) Signs as permitted in this chapter.

(6) Parking as permitted in this chapter, and in addition thereto, parking in a building containing one or more floors of parking spaces in which parking spaces for employees may be eight feet six inches by 18 feet.

[Added 12-22-2014 by Ord. No. 202]

D. Uses permitted in an R 1 1/2 District with minimum lot sizes as permitted in the R 1 1/2 District and with all use, area and other regulations that apply to the R 1 1/2 District. Any planned laboratory-office use must comply with the regulations of §§ 185-77 and 185-78 hereunder.

[Added 4-4-1994 by Ord. No. 133]

§ 185-77 Area and height regulations.

A. Lot area and width. Every lot on which a building or combination of buildings is hereafter erected or used shall have a lot area of not less than five acres and a width at the building line of not less than 300 feet.

B. Building area. Not more than 30% of the area of any lot may be occupied by buildings and a total of not more than 60% of the lot may be occupied by buildings, parking areas, or other impervious cover.

C. Building placement. No building shall be located less than 150 feet from a street right-of-way line nor less than 75 feet from a side or rear property line. No loading or service area shall be located less than 150 feet from a street right-of-way nor less than 50 feet from any other property line.

D. Height regulations. No building shall exceed 35 feet in height; provided, however, that the height of a building may be increased to a maximum height of 55 feet by providing one foot of additional front, rear and side yard setbacks for each one additional foot of height of the building above 35 feet.

[Amended 12-22-2014 by Ord. No. 201]

E. Each building shall be designed so as to minimize its commercial appearance and shall, so far as practicable, afford minimum external evidence of the nature of the operation conducted therein.

F. No products or goods shall be displayed on the exterior of the premises.

G. Along each side or rear property line which directly abuts a residence district in the Borough or a similar district in an adjoining municipality, a buffer planting strip of not less than 30 feet in width shall be provided. Along each street line bordering a residence district, a strip of land not less than 50 feet in width shall be suitably landscaped except for necessary sidewalks and accessways crossing the strip.

H. All off-street parking, loading, access facilities and service areas used by motor vehicles shall comply with the provisions of Article XVII of this chapter.

§ 185-78 Special development regulations.

A. An application for a building permit shall be accompanied by:

(1) A plan or plans for the integrated, overall development of the tract for which application is made and such plan or plans shall be subject to review by the Borough Planning Commission and approval by Borough Council in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 162, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Code of the Village of Chester Heights.

(2) Sufficient data to enable the Borough to determine that the proposed plan and use comply with the requirements of this district and any other pertinent requirements of Borough ordinances.

(3) The appropriate fee.

B. Compliance with plan. Following the issuance of a permit for construction and use in accordance with approved plans, no change, deviation or alteration shall thereafter be permitted except upon authorization by Borough Council upon written application, which application shall be in the nature of the original application for a permit. If a lot or tract for which development has been approved is sold, the original conditions upon which approval was granted shall be binding upon and fulfilled by the applicant's successors or assigns.

C. Renewal of approval. If construction of an approved planned development is not undertaken within 18 months from the time that approval was last granted by Borough Council, the renewal of approval must be obtained.