The RB District is intended to serve the following
purposes:
A. To serve as an intermediate commercial zoning district
that is less restrictive than the VC District, but not as permissive
as the HC District.
B. To provide for an appropriate distribution of business
development throughout the Township that will avoid the need for long
trips for everyday needs.
C. To direct the most intense commercial uses that are
most likely to attract persons from outside of the Township to areas
close to expressway interchanges.
D. To carefully control traffic access from business
development to avoid increased traffic congestion and safety problems;
to encourage the consolidation of driveways, interconnections of parking
areas and/or provision of service roads to provide efficient traffic
flow.
E. To make sure that business development occurs in a
manner that is highly compatible with nearby residential development,
including homes in neighboring municipalities.
F. To increase employment opportunities and generate
additional tax revenue for the Township and the school district.
G. To minimize and mitigate impacts to wetlands, lakes,
streams, steep slopes and other sensitive environmental features.
The following uses shall be permitted by right
within the RB District, provided that adult uses shall be prohibited
within the RB District:
A. Retail sales and/or rental, provided that:
[Amended 5-4-2021 by Ord. No. 406]
(1)
Motor vehicle/boat/trailer/mobile home sales and rental shall
be permitted only on property within the RB District satisfying all
of the below criteria:
(a)
A lot having a gross acreage of not less than 10 acres in single
and separate ownership;
(b)
A portion of the lot is located within 500 feet of an on-ramp
or off-ramp of Pennsylvania State Route 422;
(c)
The lot does not abut property zoned for residential purposes.
(2)
Motor vehicle repair shall be prohibited as a principal use
and shall be permitted only as an accessory use to a permitted motor
vehicle sales or rental use.
(3)
If any lot involves 65,000 square feet or more of total retail floor area, such development shall only be permitted under the requirements of §
184-214A.
B. Offices, which shall include, but not be limited to,
business, medical, dental, administrative, corporate, governmental
and veterinary offices.
C. Scientific, medical or industrial research facilities.
D. Bank or other financial institution, provided that
any financial institution drive-through facilities shall have stacking
capacity for the following vehicles without interfering with parking
spaces or traffic circulation: a minimum of eight total vehicles for
all of the lanes or two vehicles per lane, whichever is higher, including
the space(s) at the window(s).
E. Restaurants and taverns, including drive-through restaurants, in accordance with §
184-76.3B.
[Amended 4-6-1999 by Ord. No. 202; 8-15-2017 by Ord. No. 379]
F. Studios for art, crafts, dance, music, exercise or
photography.
H. Municipal and government uses.
I. Adult or child day-care centers, in accordance with §
184-73.
K. Meeting and recreational facilities for clubs, lodges
or other fraternal organizations.
L. Public or private primary or secondary school or place
of worship, not involving any residential facilities, except for a
single accessory dwelling unit.
M. Frozen dessert sales and related manufacturing of
frozen desserts (such as ice cream).
P. Indoor amusement or recreation facility, such as a
bowling alley, billiards or racquetball courts.
Q. Radio and/or television studios.
R. Personal service uses, including, but not limited
to, shoe repair, haircutting and dressmaking.
S. Fire or ambulance station.
T. Community center, library or museum.
W. United States Postal Service facility.
X. Crop farming and keeping of livestock or poultry as
accessory to crop farming.
Z. Greenhouse, garden center or plant nursery.
AA. Appliance and small equipment repair.
BB. Custom printing, photocopying and similar business
services.
CC. Bed-and-breakfast establishments meeting §
184-74.
DD. Customary accessory uses to permitted uses, including,
but not limited to, storage.
[Amended 8-15-2017 by Ord. No. 379]
EE. Gasoline service station and/or car wash, provided
that:
(1)
The minimum lot area shall be 40,000 square
feet.
(2)
If the lot will involve its own vehicle access
onto an arterial street, then the minimum lot frontage along that
arterial street shall be 200 feet.
(3)
All activities shall be performed within an
enclosed building, except those activities performed at fuel or air
pumps.
(4)
All auto parts and other storage shall be kept
within an enclosed building.
(5)
All gasoline pumps and aboveground fuel tanks
shall be setback a minimum of 25 feet from the ultimate/future street
right-of-way.
(6)
No paint spraying or body or frame work shall
be permitted.
(7)
The use shall provide for coordinated traffic
access with abutting existing and future development. If it is not
possible to provide coordinated traffic access at the present time,
provisions shall still be made for future coordinated access.
FF. Public utility facility.
[Added 12-21-1999 by Ord. No. 206]
The following uses shall be permitted as conditional
uses within the RB District:
A. Planned retail business center.
(1)
A planned retail business center may include
any use listed as permitted by right in the RB District. In addition,
a planned retail business center may include the following uses:
(a)
Retail sales uses with the only numeric limit
on floor area being the following:
[1]
If any of the following involve 65,000 square
feet or more of total floor area, such development shall only be permitted
if at least a portion of the contiguous tract is within 1,800 feet
of any portion of a state-owned ramp of a limited access expressway:
[a] One retail establishment;
[b] Adjacent retail establishments
in common business ownership (regardless of real estate ownership);
or
[c] A set of retail establishments
that are not completely separated from each other by vertical floor
to ceiling walls (except for pedestrian doorways).
(2)
A planned retail business center shall have
a minimum tract area of 10 acres in single ownership or single equitable
ownership that is not separated by an existing public street at the
time of the conditional use application.
(a)
This ten-acre minimum tract size shall not include
existing and future/ultimate rights-of-way along existing streets,
but may include rights-of-way of proposed streets.
(b)
Owners of two abutting lots may submit one coordinated
plan involving a total of 10 acres that is not separated by an existing
public street, provided that the approval will bind the two owners
to develop according to the coordinated plan.
(3)
A planned retail business center shall abut
at least one arterial street.
(4)
Public central water and sewage facilities shall
be utilized.
(5)
A planned retail business center shall be developed
following a single unified development plan, with a fully coordinated
system of interior traffic access. Within the overall development
plan, individual lots meeting the minimum lot area requirements of
the RB District may be created, provided that each lot utilizes the
interior access system, as opposed to an individual driveway(s) onto
an exterior street(s).
(6)
The use shall comply with the parking and landscaping
provisions in the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
(7)
A detailed landscaping plan prepared and sealed
by a registered landscape architect shall be submitted to the Township
for review and approval to determine compliance with Township ordinances.
Such landscaping plan shall also show that substantial landscaping
will provide an effective buffer to protect nearby homes from significant
nuisances.
(8)
A preliminary architectural sketch, prepared by a registered architect, shall be submitted of all proposed principal buildings, together with a list of range of types of exterior building materials that will be visible from a public street. A principal commercial building shall not have the appearance of a flat roof as viewed from a public street. Variations in rooflines and facades are strongly encouraged. See bonus provisions in §
184-218.
(9)
A statement shall be provided describing the
methods that will be used to control litter. Such statement shall
commit the current and future owners of the property to a centralized
system of collecting litter within the parking areas and around the
perimeter of the site on a regular schedule and the placement of trash
containers that are convenient to customers and that are emptied on
a frequent regular schedule.
(10)
Transit stop. Where the Township anticipates
that public transportation will be available, an appropriate bus stop
location shall be provided. Such bus stop shall be located and designed
in consultation with the transit provider. The stop shall include
an appropriate and sturdy shelter. Exterior walls of a shelter shall
be mostly clear for security purposes. A sitting area shall be provided
for riders.
(11)
Once conditional use approval is granted to
the planned retail business center, then individual allowed uses may
be permitted by right, provided that the development complies with
the conditional use approval and provided that all other requirements
of this chapter are met. Minor variations in the sizes and types of
individual uses shall be permitted, provided that the intensity of
the development is not increased. If the Zoning Officer determines
that an application will represent a substantive change from the approved
conditional use application, then a revised conditional use application
shall be required.
(12)
Where a traffic impact study will be required
under the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, it shall be submitted with the conditional use application.
(13)
A unified stormwater management plan shall be
provided.
The following uses shall be permitted as special
exception uses within the RB District:
A. A use that the applicant proves to the clear satisfaction
of the Zoning Hearing Board:
(1)
Is not specifically prohibited in the RB District;
(2)
Meets all other requirements of this chapter;
(3)
Is closely similar in character to uses listed
as permitted by right in the RB District;
(4)
Is not more intense in external impacts and
nuisances than most uses listed as permitted by right in the RB District;
and
(5)
Is not a threat to public health and safety.
Within the RB District, the following dimensional
requirements shall apply, unless a more restrictive provision is established
by another section of this chapter.
A. Minimum lot area: 40,000 square feet, except that
the minimum lot area may be reduced (for uses other than a gasoline
service station and/or car wash) to 20,000 square feet if:
(1)
The lot is served by public water and public
sewage service; and
(2)
The lot does not have its own vehicle access
onto an arterial street.
B. Minimum lot width: 100 feet, except the minimum lot
width shall be increased to 200 feet (measured at the street right-of-way
line) for each residual and new lot established after the adoption
date of this section that will have its own vehicle access onto an
arterial street.
C. Minimum front yard: 40 feet.
D. Minimum side yard: 15 feet, unless a larger setback is required by Subsection
I below.
E. Minimum rear yard: 30 feet, unless a larger setback is required by Subsection
I below.
F. Maximum building height: 35 feet or three stories,
whichever is more restrictive.
G. Maximum building coverage: 20% of the net acreage
of each lot, after deleting existing and ultimate street rights-of-ways.
See bonus below.
H. Maximum impervious coverage: 70% of the net acreage
of each lot, after deleting existing and ultimate street rights-of-way.
[Amended 7-13-2006 by Ord. No. 261]
(1)
All areas that are not approved as impervious
shall be maintained in attractive landscaping and vegetation.
(3)
If a deed restriction permanently limits an
area of landscaped land separated by a street or that extends into
an adjacent municipality from being developed, then such land area
may be used to meet the nonimpervious requirements of one adjacent
lot.
I. Minimum setback for buildings and truck loading/unloading
spaces from a residential district: 100 feet.
[Amended 5-20-2010 by Ord. No. 314]
(1)
If a deed restriction permanently limits an
area of landscaped land separated by a street or in an adjacent municipality
from being developed, and such land area is between the business development
and a residential area, then such land area may be counted towards
meeting this setback.
(2)
A loading/unloading dock routinely used by tractor-trailer
trucks or refrigerated trucks on a daily basis shall be separated
from any public street or residential district by a landscaped earth
berm with a minimum average height of 5 feet and maximum side slopes
of 2.5:1.
(3)
The setbacks from dwellings and residential
districts shall apply regardless of whether the dwelling or residential
district is within Limerick Township or another municipality.
J. Minimum building setback from right-of-way of a limited
access expressway: 50 feet.
K. Minimum setbacks for all outdoor storage, vehicle
parking areas, driveways and parking areas (except for necessary approximately
perpendicular crossings):
(1)
Thirty feet from the curbline of a street, except
30 feet from the legal right-of-way of a street where no curb will
exist;
(2)
Ten feet from an exterior lot line unless a
coordinated interior access system is provided between such lots;
and
(3)
Fifty feet from a residential district boundary,
unless a wider width is required for a buffer yard.
L. Minimum landscaped buffer yard width adjacent to a
residential district boundary: 50 feet, except 75 feet for a planned
retail business center from a residential district boundary.
[Amended 5-20-2010 by Ord. No. 314]
(1)
Such buffer yard shall be required regardless
of whether the residential district or dwelling is within Limerick
Township or an adjacent municipality.
(2)
If the residential district is separated from
the business district by an alley or a local street, then the buffer
yard shall be required along such alley or local street, measured
from the legal right-of-way line. However, if a developer places a
deed restriction that permanently limits an area of landscaped land
separated by a street or in an adjacent municipality from being developed,
and such land area is between the business development and a residential
district, then the width of such land area may be counted towards
meeting this buffer yard.
(3)
Any areas of substantial mature trees within
a required buffer yard shall be retained and preserved. The Township
may require the establishment of a conservation easement or deed restriction.
(4)
Any fencing or walls in a buffer yard shall
be on the inside of any required landscaping.
M. Minimum setback for vehicle parking spaces from buildings:
five feet.
N. Minimum separation distance between principal buildings:
20 feet.
The following additional requirements shall
apply for any lot that includes more than one principal use:
A. The lot shall be designed in a unified manner, with
common parking, consistent signs, coordinated traffic access, coordinated
internal circulation and coordinated stormwater management.
B. If two different uses require two different dimensional
standards, then the lot shall meet the most restrictive standard.
C. The lot shall include the cumulative total of the
minimum number of parking spaces required for each use, unless a reduction
of parking is approved under another provision of this chapter.
D. The development is encouraged to be designed to minimize the visual prominence of the parking lot and long unbroken building facades as viewed from exterior streets. Applicants are encouraged to place parking to the rear and side of buildings. See bonus provisions in §
184-218 below.
[Amended 7-13-2006 by Ord. No. 261]
A. If Subsection
A(1) below is met and at least two of the other three following standards are met, in the determination of the Township, then the maximum building coverage provided above shall be increased to 30% and the maximum impervious coverage provided above shall be increased to 70%. Such standards shall be met in a manner that is legally binding regardless of ownership of the land, such as through deed restrictions.
(1)
The applicant commits to complete or fund substantial
vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian improvements and dedicate substantial
right-of-way for major road improvements. A bonus shall not be approved
for improvements and right-of-way dedications that would be otherwise
required by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation or otherwise
required by Limerick Township.
(2)
No vehicle parking spaces and no truck loading/unloading
spaces are located between the principal building and the abutting
street. Instead, parking and loading spaces are located to the rear
or side of the principal building.
(3)
A park-and-ride parking area is paved and open
to the general public, at a minimum, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Such
parking area shall include security lighting and signs identifying
it as being available for public carpool/park-and-ride parking and
shall include a minimum of 25 parking spaces. Such parking area shall
be coordinated with any available public transit service.
(4)
A preliminary architectural sketch is submitted
of all proposed principal buildings, together with a list of range
of types of exterior building materials that will be visible from
a public street. The applicant shall agree to prohibit the use of
metal panels and smooth-faced concrete block as the majority of exterior
building sides visible from a public street. Buildings over 300 feet
in length shall have the architectural appearance of being more than
one building as viewed from the front ground level, although the actual
roof may structurally be a single continuous line. Such variation
may be accomplished through variations in appearance of rooflines,
pillars, sloped roof extensions, canopies, variations of appearance
of materials and similar architectural features. Such features shall
be designed to avoid a long monotonous big-box appearance.
B. If the bonus is approved under this §
184-218, and if so provided on an approved subdivision and/or land development plan, then the applicant may vary the maximum building coverage of 35% and a maximum impervious coverage of 70%, provided that deed restrictions on other lot(s) within the subdivision are created with more restrictive maximum building and impervious coverage limits, so that an average maximum building coverage of 30% and maximum impervious coverage of 70% is maintained across the entire subdivision.