This zone district is designed to provide for
appropriate residential, institutional and limited office uses in
selected largely developed areas of the Township which, by virtue
of their location with regard to the existing business center and
residential development, can provide a logical transition in land
use. Among the objectives of OB Districts are:
A. To encourage the preservation of the historic character
of the High Street area.
B. To accommodate the expansion of the medical center
and county government with its necessary supporting facilities.
C. In general, to permit in areas in which typical commercial
development is not desirable an appropriate range of residential professional
uses.
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 following review by the Planning Board for design to determine
compatibility with the neighborhood:
A. Single-family detached dwelling.
B. Township administrative building or public library;
public park or recreation area; or any similar use owned and operated
by the Township.
C. Private or parochial school, church or any similar
educational, religious or institutional use.
D. Professional office or studio of a doctor, lawyer,
dentist, clergyman, architect, accountant, engineer, insurance agent,
real estate agent or similar practitioner or an office building for
a group of any such practitioners, including a medical office building
or a clinic with private dispensaries or similar offices which do
not involve on the premises retailing activities or the direct sale
of merchandise to the general public.
E. Any of the following uses when authorized as a conditional
use by the Planning Board, provided that any such use shall conform
with the character of the established neighborhood either as a conversion
of an existing dwelling or in a new building designed with the appearance
of a residential building, insofar as practicable:
(1)
Apartment use in combination with a permitted
office or other nonresidential use, provided that not more than four
dwelling units may be established in conjunction with any one nonresidential
use.
(2)
General hospital, nursing home, convalescent
home or any similar use.
(3)
Governmental or public utility use other than
permitted in this section above, provided that it shall be determined
that the placement of such use in the proposed location is a public
necessity and that satisfactory screening and other measures are taken
to safeguard the character of the surrounding areas.
In addition to the other regulations of the
district, each use other than a single-family dwelling shall comply
with the following requirements:
A. Each building devoted to office or other nonresidential
use shall be designed or converted in such a manner as to minimize
its commercial or nonresidence district appearance. No building shall
contain a display or show window.
B. The structural alteration of the exterior of an existing
dwelling or other building shall be the minimum necessary to permit
the authorized change in use or improvement, and all fire escapes
or stairways shall be completely within the converted building or
shall be so located as not to detract from the original character
of the building as viewed from a street. No building or lot may be
used for any trade or business which is noxious, offensive or hazardous.
C. In the case of any structure which is designated by
the Township as an historic site, it is the intent of this article
that each such structure be preserved to the maximum extent possible.
Any request to alter or remove such an historic use shall comply with
all review and other requirements of the Township relating to historic
preservation that now exists or may hereafter be adopted.
D. Each permitted use shall comply with the requirements of Articles
XI and
XII relating to site development, provided that in no case shall the parking space provided for a medical office or clinic be less than five spaces for each practitioner located on the premises, whichever is the greater. No off-street parking space may be located in a front or side yard.