[Added 11-4-1998 by Ord. No. 198]
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.
G. 
Exercise club.
H. 
Municipal and government uses.
I. 
Adult or child day-care centers, in accordance with § 184-73.
J. 
Funeral home.
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).
N. 
Hotel or motel.
O. 
Indoor theater.
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.
U. 
Golf course.
V. 
Swimming pool.
W. 
United States Postal Service facility.
X. 
Crop farming and keeping of livestock or poultry as accessory to crop farming.
Y. 
Bakery.
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).
(b) 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection A(1)(b), Drive-through restaurants meeting the standards of § 184-76.3, as amended, was repealed 8-15-2017 by Ord. No. 379.
(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.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 155, Subdivision and Land Development.
(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,[3] it shall be submitted with the conditional use application.
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 155, Subdivision and Land Development.
(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.
(2) 
See bonus below.
(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.
A. 
If a use, lot, tract, subdivision and/or land development can reasonably be expected to result in entrance and exits by a total of more than 100 vehicles during a peak hour, then a traffic impact study meeting § 184-84 shall be required.
B. 
Cross-reference. See the applicable landscaping and screening requirements of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1] (NOTE: As of the adoption date of this article, these included but were not limited to the following:
(1) 
Street tree requirements within § 155-27.
(2) 
Property line buffer requirements within § 155-27.1
(3) 
Site element screening requirements within § 155-27.1 (including but not limited to dumpster screening).
(4) 
Stormwater basin landscaping requirements within § 155-27.3.
(5) 
Parking lot landscaping requirements within § 155-16.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 155, Subdivision and Land Development.
C. 
All refuse collection areas shall be setback a minimum of 50 feet from any residential district boundary or street ultimate right-of-way line and 10 from any other lot line. The refuse area shall be shown on development plans and shall not interfere with circulation within parking areas.
D. 
Outdoor storage shall only be permitted to the rear of principal buildings and shall not extend into side or rear yard setbacks.
E. 
Vehicle access. See the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 155, Subdivision and Land Development.
F. 
Pedestrian access. Pedestrian circulation shall be incorporated into the site design. A pedestrian walkway shall connect uses within the site. Also, walkways shall be designed to link with existing or future sidewalks and/or trails so as to interconnect residential areas and other pedestrian destinations. See the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
G. 
Lighting. The development shall comply with the Township Outdoor Lighting Ordinance (Ordinance No. 180), as amended.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: See now §§ 155-17 and 155-17.1.
H. 
Adequate provisions shall be included for loading and unloading and refuse collection in a manner that minimizes the visibility of these features from the exterior of the property. Adequate provisions shall be made for fire truck access.