[Added 5-18-2000 by Ord. No. O-00-02]
A. Intent. It is the intent of the Gateway District to promote the following:
(1) To provide for a mix of development types and styles that enhance the identity of the Gateway business, educational and living opportunities.
(2) To encourage site redevelopment and adaptive reuse of applicable existing structures along the Gateway corridor.
(3) To provide for pedestrian, transit and recreational connections within the Gateway corridor.
(4) To encourage preservation of the historic and environmental qualities in the Gateway corridor.
B. District regulations. Only the uses listed below shall be permitted in the Gateway District. All uses must conform to the lot, yard setback and maximum height regulations stipulated herein, as well as other appropriate requirements of this chapter.
C. Stormwater incentives. Stormwater best management practice incentives to gain impervious surface coverage.
[Amended 5-15-2014 by Ord. No. O-14-06]
(1) In order to decrease the stormwater runoff impacts of development along the stream corridor and Millbrook Marsh, the maximum base impervious surface coverage is established at 60%.
(2) Due to the close proximity of the sites within this corridor to the one-hundred-year floodplain, the requirement for detention of the ten-year and one-hundred-year storm events may be waived by the Township if development activities incorporate the use of stormwater best management practices (BMP's), as described by the Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas (PA Handbook).
(3) Sites proposed for development may be allowed to increase the maximum impervious surface coverage from 60% to 70%, in increments of 5%, if the following BMP's are used:
(a) Water quality volume or stream bank morphology. An additional 5% of impervious surface coverage is allowed if a water quality volume BMP or if a stream bank morphology BMP is provided on the site.
[1] Water quality volume.
[a] The required water quality volume shall be computed as follows.
| WQ depth = the larger of 0.5 inches or 0.25 + (0.012)2.9(0.0441A) |
| WQ v = WQ depth (A)/12 |
| Where: |
| WQv = water quality volume in acre-feet |
| WQ depth = depth in inches that must be captured for impervious areas |
| IA = percent of site impervious area |
| A = total of all impervious area on site in acres |
[b] The water quality volume must be captured and filtered through a water quality BMP over an extended period of time as per the specific requirements of each structure, as described by the PA Handbook.
[2] Stream bank morphology.
[a] In lieu of water quality volume, a detention facility may be provided that provides an extended detention of a one-and-eight-tenths-inch runoff event to lower erosion of stream banks. This five-percent impervious surface coverage credit may be used in lieu of the water quality volume credit, but not in addition to such credit, due to the similar design nature of these two BMP's.
[b] The volume of the extended detention shall provide for a twenty-four-hour release of a one-and-eight-tenths-inch precipitation event for the impervious area that exceeds the 60% maximum impervious surface coverage.
(b) Recharge volume. An additional ten-percent impervious surface coverage is allowed if a recharge volume BMP is provided on the site.
[1] The required recharge volume shall be computed as follows.
| Rv(1 .5/12) (Impervious Area greater than 60% of the site) |
[2] The recharge volume will help maintain base groundwater flows. The above formula assumes that site with 60% or less impervious coverage will provide adequate groundwater recharge.
(c) The total increased impervious coverage may not exceed 10% for a total site coverage of 70%.
D. Buffers.
(1) Conservation buffer. A one-hundred-foot, naturally vegetated conservation buffer, measured perpendicularly from the identified one-hundred-year floodplain boundary and jurisdictional wetland boundary (whichever is greater) shall be required adjacent to Millbrook Marsh and/or portions of its tributary streams (Thompson Run and Slab Cabin Run) located on the north side of East College Avenue.
[Amended 5-15-2014 by Ord. No. O-14-06]
(a) This required buffer shall contain primary and secondary areas and are required as follows:
[1] Primary buffer. The primary buffer shall consist of the 50 feet nearest the identified floodplain and wetland boundary of Millbrook Marsh and/or tributary stream. This area shall be maintained as a naturally vegetated conservation area. Activities within the primary buffer shall be limited to passive recreation, environmental education and ecological restoration in accordance with a plan approved by the Township or its designee.
[2] Secondary buffer. The secondary buffer shall consist of the next 50 feet from the identified floodplain and wetland boundary of Millbrook Marsh and/or tributary streams. In addition to the permitted activities within the primary buffer, the following best management practices shall be permitted:
[a] Shallow and vegetated depressions or wetlands designed to retain or infiltrate stormwater at depths of less than three feet;
[b] Constructed wetland treatment systems with naturalistic shapes, low slopes (less than 5%), and shallow depths (less than 3 feet); and
[c] Wooded hedgerows or shelterbelts composed of native trees and shrubs.
(b) The boundary of the one-hundred-foot conservation buffer shall be considered the building setback line and included as part of the required pervious (green space) coverage on a property adjacent to the Millbrook Marsh and located within the Gateway Commercial and Open Space Recreation Conservation Districts.
(2) Riparian buffer.
(a) A riparian buffer shall be required along streams, tributaries and bodies of water. This buffer shall be a minimum width of 50 feet, measured perpendicularly from the edge of the top of the bank of Slab Cabin Run, Thompson Run and Walnut Run.
[Amended 5-15-2014 by Ord. No. O-14-06]
(b) The planting of the riparian buffer shall include a combination of existing vegetation, native grasses, shrubs and flood-tolerant trees that include ash, elm, hickory, honeylocust, linden, maple, oak, redbud, sweetgum and willow.
(c) Existing vegetation must be inventoried and shown in a plan view in order to determine if it can be utilized as part of the required riparian buffer.
(d) Structures and other man-made features existing within the boundary of these buffers at the time of adoption of these buffer regulations shall be permitted as a preexisting condition and not subject to enforcement until redevelopment of the property occurs.
(e) The required plantings for the riparian buffer per 100 linear feet of buffer along the stream shall be as follows:
[1] Fifty-foot riparian buffer.
[a] Within the first 25 feet from the top of the stream bank:
[c] Eight ornamental/understory trees.
[e] Within 25 to 50 feet from the top of the stream bank: Grass shall be provided within this area to serve as a stormwater infiltration/water quality system prior to reaching the vegetated buffer and stream.
[2] Twenty-five-foot riparian buffer. Stream bank restoration shall be provided at the discretion of the Township in addition to the twenty-five-foot riparian buffer. This stream bank restoration shall include native riparian vegetation along with stabilization materials such as riprap to prevent erosion and sedimentation within the stream channel.
[a] Within the first 10 feet from the top of the stream bank:
[c] Fifteen ornamental/understory trees.
[e] Within 10 to 25 feet from the top of the stream bank: A grass swale parallel to the stream bank with a maximum depth of two feet shall be provided within this area to serve as a stormwater infiltration/water quality system prior to reaching the vegetated buffer and stream.
[3] Plant specifications.
[a] Canopy trees shall have a minimum caliper of 2 1/2 inches at planting and reach a minimum height of 30 feet at maturity.
[b] Ornamental/understory trees shall have a minimum height of six feet, a caliper of 1 1/2 inches at planting and a minimum height of 15 feet at maturity.
[c] Shrubs shall have a minimum height of 18 inches at planting and a minimum height of four feet at maturity.
(f) New stream crossings. The crossing of streams for new roads, bicycle/pedestrian crossings, centralized sewer and/or water lines and public utility transmission lines and/or their related appurtenances (i.e., towers, well houses, pump and lift stations) shall be permitted, provided that they:
[Added 5-15-2014 by Ord. No. O-14-06]
[1] Provide a clear benefit to the general public in that the crossing can be utilized by the general public or for the provisions of services to the general public.
[2] Are designed in a manner to minimize overall disturbance of both the riparian buffer area and the stream itself, with the crossing being as close to a right angle of the stream as possible.
(3) Restoration incentives. Incentives for restoration of wetlands, stream channels and banks and native wetlands vegetation. In conjunction with §
200-26.1C, restoration of identified wetlands, stream channels and banks and native wetlands vegetation can be used as a means to increase impervious coverage (up to the 70% maximum) for a land development within the Gateway Commercial Zoning District. Each of the following activities is assigned an area ratio for the permitted additional 10% impervious coverage. The type of activity can also be modified to meet other related environmental and recreational objectives identified by the Township.
[Amended 5-15-2014 by Ord. No. O-14-06]
(a) Complete removal of upland fill and restoration of the wetland within the identified one-hundred-foot conservation buffer adjacent to Millbrook Marsh (1:1 area ratio).
(b) Restoration of the stream channel and bank with approved native riparian vegetation and stabilization materials to prevent erosion/sedimentation (2:1 area ratio. Example: 2:1 area ratio - 2,000 square feet of stream channel and bank restoration per 1,000 square feet of increased impervious area on a property.)
(c) Removal of existing non-native wetlands vegetation with minor surface grading and replace with native wetlands vegetation. (3:1 area ratio).
E. Nonresidential use restrictions. In addition to the regulations established in §
200-11B, the primary and accessory uses listed below shall have the following regulations when located within the Gateway Commercial District:
[Added 5-15-2014 by Ord. No. O-14-06]
(1) Retail and service establishments. Individual retail and service establishments shall be no larger than 35,000 square feet.
(2) Drive-through facilities. Retail or service establishments shall only be permitted to have a drive-through facility as follows:
(a) The drive-through facility, including stacking lanes, ordering areas and windows, shall be located on the sides of a building which do not face a public street; and
(b) The building in which the drive-through facility is located is two or more stories; and
(c) The drive-through facility shall be at least 100 feet from the nearest property line of an adjoining property which contains a residential use.
(3) Outdoor display. The display of goods offered for sale, rental or service outside of an enclosed structure or building shall only be permitted if located within three feet of the structure or located on the side of the structure or building which does not face a public street.
(4) Maintenance of motor vehicles. The dispensing of motor vehicle fuel, cleaning, repair and/or maintenance of motor vehicle shall only be conducted on the sides of buildings which do not face a public street.
F. Residential use restrictions. All types of residential dwellings as defined in §
200-7 are permitted in the Gateway Commercial District with the following restrictions:
[Added 5-15-2014 by Ord. No. O-14-06]
(1) Applicability. The restrictions below shall apply to those lots which are greater than two acres in size as of the date of adoption of this subsection. Lots which are larger than two acres but subsequently subdivided into lots smaller than two acres shall still be subject to the restrictions below. In addition, the creation of new lots through lot consolidation which amounts to an area greater than two acres shall also be subject to the residential restrictions below.
(2) Density. The residential density of any development shall be limited to no more than 15 dwelling units per acre.
(3) Location. Buildings containing only residential uses (single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes, apartments and the like) shall be restricted to an area no greater than 30% of a development. This restriction shall not apply to buildings defined herein as a mixed-use building. For purposes of calculating the area dedicated to residential and nonresidential uses, the area shall include the buildings themselves and associated accessory uses such as off-street parking areas and any required buffer yards and setback areas.
G. Street trees. Shade trees shall be placed along all existing streets pursuant to §
180-23, Shade trees, for each lot or portion thereof that is developed within the Gateway Commercial Zoning District. In instances where the shade trees cannot be placed in the right-of-way, said trees shall be placed within the front yard setback area.
[Added 5-15-2014 by Ord. No. O-14-06]
H. Height restrictions. The maximum permitted height of a building shall be reduced to 35 feet for any parcel or portion thereof located within 300 feet of a parcel zoned R-1 Single-Family Residential or within 150 feet of a lot line for a parcel that contains a single-family home (excluding mobile homes) built prior to the adoption of this subsection. However, this reduced height shall not apply in the following instances:
[Added 2-19-2015 by Ord. No. O-15-02]
(1) The height reduction required above shall not apply to any portion of a parcel within 300 feet of the center line of a street classified as an arterial. Furthermore, the height reduction required above shall not be required around lots containing a single-family home that are located within 300 feet of the center line of a street classified as an arterial street. In such cases, the maximum building height shall remain at 55 feet.
(2) The height reduction required above can be eliminated if a parcel owner or developer proposing a development within 300 feet of the R-1 Zoning District or 150 feet of a parcel containing a single-family home enters into a written agreement with the owners of the impacted properties. Said agreement shall be drafted in a manner acceptable to the Township and recorded with the Centre County Recorder of Deeds. For purposes of this section, impacted property owners shall be considered either those owners of parcels in the R-1 Zoning District that are within 300 feet of the proposed building exceeding 35 feet or those owners of parcels that are within 150 feet of the proposed building exceeding 35 feet that also contain a single-family home.