In expansion of the declaration of legislative intent contained in § 116-2, it is hereby declared to be the intent of this article, with respect to administrative and research districts, to establish reasonable standards for the height and size of buildings, the area and dimensions of yards and open spaces, the provision of facilities to minimize traffic congestion, overcrowding of land, inadequate provision for water and sewage facilities and inadequate transportation, and to establish reasonable standards for an administrative and research district suitable with the general character of the adjoining district. In an AR Administrative and Research District, the following regulations shall apply.
A.
In an AR Administrative and Research District, 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:
(1)
Offices for administrative, executive, professional,
sales and other similar uses, the normal attributes of which do not
involve the actual storage, exchange or delivery of merchandise on
the premises.
(2)
Laboratory for scientific, agricultural or industrial
research and development.
(3)
Conference center, on a lot of not less than
25 acres.
(4)
Private-use heliport, subject to the provisions of § 116-33.1, when authorized as a special exception.
[Added 11-17-1983 by Ord. No. 481]
(5)
Public or private golf course.
[Added 10-11-2001 by Ord. No. 739]
B.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no exterior storage
of materials or equipment shall be permitted and no use shall be permitted
which may be noxious or offensive by reason of odor, dust, fumes,
smoke, gas, vibration or noise, or which may constitute a public hazard
either by fire, explosion or otherwise.
The maximum height of any building erected or used for any use permitted in § 116-107 herein shall be 40 feet.
[Amended 9-23-1993 by Ord. No. 649; 10-11-2001 by Ord. No.
739; 9-9-2004 by Ord. No. 794]
Required minimum lot area, width, yard and green
space area requirements and maximum lot, building and impervious ground
covers are as follows:
A.
Lot area: minimum five acres, except in the case of
conference center use where the minimum lot area shall be 25 acres.
B.
Front yard: 100 feet minimum.
C.
Side yard: two, each not less than 35 feet, but together
having a minimum aggregate of 100 feet, and provided that any side
yard abutting a street shall have a width of not less than 100 feet.
D.
Rear yard: 50 feet minimum, and provided that any
rear yard abutting a street shall have a depth of not less than 100
feet and minimum width at the street line of 300 feet.
E.
Lot coverage. Maximum building coverage shall be no
more than 25% of the total lot area. Impervious ground cover shall
be no greater than 45% of the total lot area. Each lot shall have
a minimum green space area of 55% of the total lot area.
F.
Lots near residential districts. No building or structure
shall be erected nearer than 150 feet to any residential district
unless the residential district boundary line is located on the same
property as the proposed building in the AR Administration and Research
District, so long as said residential district is at least 150 feet
from any adjoining property line.
All front yards and other areas delimited by
any side or rear lot line abutting or directly across the street from
a residential district and for a depth of 50 feet for the entire length
thereof shall be maintained as green areas and planted in grass, shrubs
and/or trees, except for necessary ways of access there through.
The general plan of any AR Administrative and
Research District shall include specific evidence and facts showing
that it has considered and made provisions for, and the development
shall be executed in accordance with, the following essential conditions:
A.
The AR Administrative and Research District shall
be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan upon which this chapter
is based and with the purpose of the chapter to promote the health,
safety, morals and the general welfare of the Township.
B.
The development shall consist of a building or structure,
service and parking areas, and circulation and open spaces planned
and designed as an integrated unit in such manner as to constitute
a safe and efficient AR Administrative and Research District.
C.
The appropriate use of property adjacent to the Administrative
and Research District shall be safeguarded.
D.
The portion of the lot area not occupied by buildings
or services and parking areas shall be landscaped in accordance with
plans submitted to and approved by the Supervisors, and thereafter
the lots shall be maintained in an orderly and harmonious manner.
No parking area shall be permitted within the
front yard of any lot in this District, nor closer than 150 feet to
any residential district unless authorized as a special exception,
but in no case shall any parking area be permitted closer than 50
feet to any residential district.
AR Administrative and Research Districts shall be subject to the provisions of § 116-28 of the Zoning Ordinance, amended hereby.
The treatment and disposal of sanitary waste
of whatsoever character shall be in accordance with the ordinances
of the Township and the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. No use shall be conducted in such a way as to discharge
any treated or untreated sewage or other waste into any stream.
[Added 1-19-1995 by Ord. No. 669]
In AR Districts, the following signs shall be
permitted and no other:
A.
Any sign permitted in any residential district, provided
that the use to which it refers is permitted in an AR District.
B.
Any property with uses permitted in the district may
erect signs under one of the following provisions:
(1)
One sign may be erected for a property in single
and separate ownership where such sign is not connected with the building.
The total area of the face of any such sign shall not exceed 25 square
feet.
(2)
One or more signs may be attached to or mounted
on the building front, provided that the total area of such sign or
signs does not exceed 35 square feet, plus one additional square foot
of sign for each two feet of setback in excess of the minimum required
for such districts.
