[Added 10-22-2007 by Ord. No. 8-2007]
The primary purpose of the TD District is to
guide redevelopment opportunities consistent with the intent of the
Township's Comprehensive Plan, specifically the Paoli Community Master
Plan, that are supportive of a multi-modal transportation center and
sensitive to surrounding neighborhoods consistent with the provisions
of Article VII-A, Traditional Neighborhood Development, of the Municipalities
Planning Code, Act 247, as amended. In addition, the purposes of this
article are to:
A.
Permit development that is complementary to the multi-modal
transportation center and helps to further define the prominence and
importance of this core area to the Paoli Community.
B.
Tie the streetscape and pedestrian amenities of this
District into adjacent mixed-use and residential areas, further promoting
walkability.
C.
Provide for comprehensively planned integrated mixed-use
development according to a master plan consistent with the goals and
objectives of the Township and the county.
A.
Uses permitted upon approval.
(1)
There shall be permitted, consistent with an approved master plan pursuant to § 139-184, one or a combination of the following uses as part of a master plan:
(a)
Multi-modal transportation center;
(c)
Retail store not to exceed 10,000 square feet
of gross floor area (excluding automobile sales);
(d)
Government offices;
(e)
Office-professional;
(f)
Personal services;
(g)
Library;
(h)
Restaurant, excluding drive-through facilities
(outdoor dining is permitted if such dining is at least 100 feet from
a residential district);
(i)
Structured parking.
A.
Development pursuant to the master plan shall be in accordance with the zoning regulations established in § 139-183, Development standards.
B.
Once the master plan has been approved, permits shall
be issued only pursuant to approved land development or subdivision
plans consistent with the approved master plan.
C.
The master plan tract may be subdivided for separate
ownership or lease (or as otherwise required by the Municipalities
Planning Code or the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance),
but only if the subdivision does not interfere with the development
or use of the master plan tract in accordance with the approved master
plan.
A.
Frontage. Every building shall have frontage on a
street or internal roadway.
B.
Lot area and width. A lot area of not less than one
acre and a lot width at the building line of not less than 100 feet
are required.
C.
Impervious coverage. Not more than 85% of the lot
may contain impervious surfaces.
D.
Maximum floor area ratio (FAR). The total amount of square feet among all uses shall not exceed 0.6 times the gross tract area (gross tract area defined herein to exclude exisiting road and utility rights-of-way). Applicants are eligible for bonus square footage by achieving LEED's certification pursuant to § 139-183M(7).
E.
Residential floor area. In no event shall the square
footage designated for residential use, excluding structured parking
facilities, exceed 30% of the gross floor area of an occupied building.
F.
Yards. Front, side and rear yards shall be provided
on each lot as follows:
(1)
Front yard: There shall be a front yard on each
street the lot abuts of no less than 25 feet.
(2)
Side yards: No side yard shall be required.
In cases where side yards are provided, each side yard shall be no
less than 10 feet.
(3)
Rear yard: Along the rear property line abutting
a nonresidential district or use, the rear yard setback shall be no
less than 10 feet. Along the rear property line abutting a residential
district or use, the rear yard setback shall be no less than 25 feet.
G.
Height. Buildings are limited to a maximum of 45 feet
in height with a minimum height of 28 feet.
I.
Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be provided on all streets
and as needed on internal roadways so as to create direct pedestrian
linkages throughout the District and the Paoli area, in particular
to the Transportation Center.
K.
Signage. Signage shall be consistent with the Article XVIII, Signs, of Chapter 139. In addition, applicants shall adhere to the streetscape design standards provided in § 123-47.1 of Chapter 123, Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, to provide uniform signage throughout the District. A signage plan, including wayfinding signs, shall be prepared and be consistent across the site; such plan shall be submitted to the Township for review and approval.
L.
Building placement. No building shall be closer than
25 feet from any external street curbline or 12 feet from an internal
curb street or common parking area curbline.
(1)
The distance between buildings which are not
more than three stories in height shall be not less than 30 feet.
However, this distance may be reduced to not less than 10 feet if
the following conditions are met:
(a)
Not more than one of the buildings has windows,
doors or any other openings facing the area between the buildings.
(b)
The combined length of buildings which do not
meet the 30 feet between buildings required shall not exceed 210 feet
along any single frontage, measured in a straight line from the exterior
points of the buildings.
(2)
The distance between buildings which are more
than three stories in height shall not be less than 35 feet.
(3)
No portion of any structure shall cross a municipal
boundary.
(4)
No dwelling shall be placed within 75 feet of
a railroad track, nor within 50 feet of the railroad right-of-way
line.
M.
Special development standards. In order to promote
an attractive and functional pattern of development in the Paoli Community,
each use shall comply with the following requirements:
(1)
All lots shall be served with public water and
sewer.
(2)
All electric and communication lines shall be underground. Ground-mounted mechanical and electrical equipment shall be appropriately screened and buffered pursuant to Article X of Chapter 73, Environmental Protection. Roof-mounted mechanical and electrical equipment shall be screened with a parapet wall.
(3)
In addition to the off-street parking requirements of § 139-98, the following shall apply:
(a)
Shared parking. In order to encourage the efficient
use of land and resources, applicants are permitted to share off-street
parking facilities for multiple-use developments or for uses located
sufficiently close to one another that have different peak parking
demands or operating hours. In order to utilize this provision, applicants
must:
[1]
Undertake a parking demand analysis for each
use that exceeds 2,400 square feet of gross floor area for review
by a traffic engineer or consultant approved by the Township and its
Engineer. Any costs associated with the review of the analysis shall
be borne by the applicant. The analysis must demonstrate that adequate
parking will be provided for the uses on site during peak hours. The
analysis should generally be consistent with the published recommendations
of the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE). Data collected from similar
or comparable uses to the proposed use can also be submitted for review.
[2]
Shared parking shall be located no further than
1,000 feet from the buildings and uses they are intended to serve.
[3]
A shared parking plan shall be enforced through
a written, legally-binding agreement among the owners of record, their
tenants, and those with which parking facilities are shared. An executed
copy of said agreement shall be provided to the Township for review
and approval.
(b)
Structured parking. All principal and accessory
parking uses that contain in excess of 150 parking spaces shall be
structured.
[1]
Structured parking facilities may contain space
suitable for lease to commercial tenants along the entire length of
each first floor facade that faces a street.
[2]
All or a portion of the nonhandicapped parking
spaces in a structured parking facility may be reduced to a minimum
dimension of 8 1/2 feet by 18 feet at an angle of 75° with
a minimum aisle width of 17 feet (one-way only), provided that at
least 20% more space than the required minimum are provided and available
for use by the general public.
(c)
Surface parking. Surface parking facilities are permissible within side or rear yards, provided such facilities are appropriately landscaped or buffered from a street or internal roadway consistent with the requirements of Article X of Chapter 73. Environmental Protection. In no case shall surface parking facilities be located within 20 feet of a street right-of-way.
(d)
All parking and loading facilities shall be substantially screened from view consistent with the requirements of Article X of Chapter 73, Environmental Protection. All garage doors, ticket machines and entrance gates shall be located so as to allow a minimum of 20 feet clearance from sidewalks and street rights-of-way. Loading facilities shall be located at the rear of buildings away from primary views and should be separate from the main circulation and parking functions to the maximum extent feasible.
(e)
In no case shall an accessory parking area or
structure occupy more than half the lot area of the lot containing
the principal use that the parking area or structure serves.
(4)
The outdoor storage of any goods, equipment,
materials, or supplies is strictly prohibited.
(5)
Continuous concrete curbing shall be required
along all streets. Curb cuts are permitted where deemed appropriate
for stormwater management purposes but no curb cut shall be permitted
within 25 feet of intersecting street rights-of-way. Joint access
to abutting parcels shall be provided whenever practical.
(6)
Public spaces. At least 10% of the land area
within each lot shall be improved as public space and shall comply
with the following standards:
(a)
Public space shall be designed to provide areas
for passive recreation or similar informal activities. Public spaces
shall be distributed throughout the site.
(b)
Public space shall be visible, adjacent to and
accessible from a public sidewalk or other public area designed to
facilitate pedestrian circulation or relieve pedestrian congestion.
Unless special conditions warrant, such space shall be provided at
the same level as the abutting public sidewalk or pedestrian area.
When public space is adjacent to a mass transportation facility it
shall be accessible from passenger waiting areas or loading platforms.
(c)
Public space shall be accessible to persons
with disabilities.
(d)
Public space shall contain seating, permanent
landscaping and lighting for nighttime conditions. Unless specifically
permitted, there shall be sufficient natural light to permit the maintenance
of plants without artificial lighting. Such space may contain tables
and facilities for food service, but the majority of the space shall
be available for use by the general public without charge or purchase
of any services that may be offered.
(e)
All such space shall be open without restriction
to the general public at least during normal business hours and during
periods of heavy pedestrian movement.
(f)
An interior space that functions as a building
lobby shall not be used as a public space unless it also functions
as a through-block passage accessible to the general public and contains
seating available for use by the general public.
(g)
A legally binding agreement shall be executed
providing for the permanent maintenance of the public space by the
owner of the property.
(7)
Applicants whose buildings and/or site development
achieve certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) at
or above the "silver" level rating as defined by the Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System
are eligible for bonus square footage. The maximum additional floor
area ratio (FAR) for such certification shall not exceed 0.2 times
the gross tract area (gross tract area is defined herein to exclude
existing road and utility rights-of-way). The standard shall be LEED-NC
Version 2.2 for new construction, LEED-CI Version 2.0 for interior
improvements to existing commercial spaces, and LEED-ND Version 2.0
for neighborhood development, or as such standards are most recently
amended. Applicants are strongly encouraged to achieve the highest
LEED's certification possible in multiple categories.
(8)
A traffic and circulation study consistent with the requirements set forth in § 139-100.1 of this chapter and demonstrating that vehicular and pedestrian access to the proposed development site, and specifically including the multi-modal transportation center, will be engineered and constructed to accommodate projected peak hour circulation.
(a)
All vehicular access to properties in the development
site shall be by means of collector roadways constructed in accordance
with the circulation system plan of the Paoli Community Master Plan
or by means of new local roadways installed as feeder streets to collector
roadways constructed in accordance with the circulation system plan,
unless an alternative plan achieving similar ends is approved by the
Board of Supervisors. Facilities and road design shall ensure safety
and protection against congestion in the surrounding area from vehicular
traffic resulting from the proposed development plan. Development
in the multi-modal transportation center shall anticipate and accommodate
subsequent development. Roadways shall connect to the existing roadway
network and make feasible construction of roadways to further extend
the network and to lead toward the installation of roadways to effectively
complete the circulation system plan, or a similarly approved plan.
Circulation patterns within the site shall be designed and developed
as an integral part of the total development project with direct access
to the multi-modal transportation center or waiting area from other
parts of the development site.
(b)
In addition, the following shall apply:
[1]
In addition to any other requirement under § 139-100.1, the traffic and circulation study shall consider the cumulative impact to arterial, collector or local roadways based on an evaluation of any transportation impact studies undertaken within the Township or adjacent municipalities within the last three years for projects within a three-mile radius and any other specific areas identified by the Township during the conditional use proceedings.
[2]
The traffic and circulation study shall also
evaluate the impact to pedestrian circulation within a three-mile
radius of the project site. Where improvements to pedestrian access
to the proposed development are necessary to accommodate local residents,
such improvements shall be provided by the applicant, by others, or
by a combination thereof in conjunction with the need identified and
pursuant to conditional use approval. Where off-site improvements
are required but not necessarily provided by the applicant, the timing
of development among the various types of dwellings and nonresidential
uses shall be phased pursuant to Article VII-A of the Pennsylvania
Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), in order to assure the timely
provision of the necessary improvements.
[3]
Where off-site transportation improvements are
necessary to serve the local transportation needs of the proposed
development, such improvements shall be provided by the applicant,
by others, or by a combination thereof in conjunction with the need
identified and pursuant to conditional use approval. Where off-site
improvements are required but not necessarily provided by the applicant,
the timing of development among the various types of dwellings and
nonresidential uses shall be phased pursuant to Article VII-A of the
Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), in order to assure
the timely provision of the necessary improvements.
(9)
Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider alternative stormwater management controls that can accomplish multiple objectives, e.g., contribute to infiltration and provide water to growing plants and trees. Since the majority of storm events in this region are small (one inch or less), applicants are directed to examine bioretention facilities and rain gardens as complementary to landscape features. In addition, applicants are encouraged to consider construction of "green roof" buildings capable of managing small storm events through rooftop landscaping. Such facilities offer both an attractive amenity to the community and help manage the small rainfall events common to this geographic region. Furthermore, such stormwater management controls contribute significantly to LEED's certification pursuant to § 139-183M(7), above.
(10)
A plan for public sewer and public water. A
written description of the proposed method of water service (for both
domestic and fire use) and sewage disposal into a municipal sanitary
sewer system, which shall include a description of any acid, toxic,
radioactive or otherwise unsafe materials that may be released into
the sewage disposal system and the method by which the treatment thereof
is proposed, including a demonstration that capacity is available
and that such facilities will be constructed and operational at the
time of occupancy of the development (the feasibility of such construction
and operation to be demonstrated to the Board at the time of approval
of the master plan).
N.
Design standards. Each use shall comply with the following
design standards:
(1)
The street level facade shall be substantially
transparent and shall include windows and door openings that encourage
safe pedestrian circulation.
(2)
Variation in architectural design is required
so as to avoid long, flat facades typical of continuous linear strip
development. Use of mansards, gables, and variations of color, texture,
height, and orientation may be required to provide architectural diversity
and individuality for various buildings. Buildings must consider the
project's setting, massing, proportions, scale, facade treatment and
materials in relationship to the surrounding architectural context.
(3)
Main entrances should face streets or public
spaces and expanses of unbroken walls are discouraged.
(4)
Buildings shall be designed so that the width
or length of any elevation facade is not greater than 1 1/2 times
the height of the building. The use of fenestration patterns and traditional
design elements is encouraged to provide design relief. Expanses of
unbroken walls over 40 feet in length or width shall be prohibited.
(5)
Walls and fences shall be uniform and compatible
with regard to architectural style, color and building material. Appropriate
materials include iron gating, stone or brick. No chain link or stockade
fencing is permitted. Walls greater than 40 feet in length shall incorporate
some form of visual relief, including, but not limited to, pattern
breaks, varying wall construction and materials, vertical features
such as columns, or combinations of the above.
A.
Plan requirement. Development within the Transportation
District shall be shown on a master plan as required by this section
and show the location of the multi-modal transportation center in
relation to the site proposed for development. Where a master plan
encompasses both Willistown and Tredyffrin Townships, approval of
each Township must be received before construction activity can commence.
B.
Submission requirements. The master plan shall be
prepared by a registered engineer or surveyor, landscape architect,
land planner or similarly qualified person. The master plan shall
be consistent with the Township's Comprehensive Plan, specifically
the Paoli Community Master Plan, and contain the following information:
(1)
Description of how the proposed master plan
is consistent with the Township Comprehensive Plan, specifically the
Paoli Community Master Plan. Included shall be provision for a multi-modal
transportation center, and facilities and space to accommodate all
other anticipated modes of transportation, including commuter parking,
bus/shuttle connections and bicycles. The master plan shall certify
that all subsequent land development and/or subdivision of property
within the TD District will be consistent with the approved master
plan and comply with all applicable ordinance requirements.
(2)
Proposed general layout including structures,
parking areas and public spaces.
(3)
Proposed pedestrian and vehicular connections to adjoining areas and the multi-modal transportation center, consistent with the requirements of § 139-183M(8), above.
(4)
Land uses within the proposed development site
(with a table listing the amount total nonresidential floor area for
type of use, retail, office, etc., and the total number of dwelling
units) and the land uses of adjacent properties within 300 feet of
any part of the property included in the master plan.
(5)
A community impact study which analyzes the
potential effects and impacts of the master plan upon the following
community facilities: emergency services, fire protection, solid waste
disposal, recreation, transportation, school facilities and school
district budgets, public utilities, and Township services, revenues
and expenses.
(6)
Natural features that may impact development or should be incorporated into the master plan. Environmentally sensitive features shall be preserved consistent with the requirements of Chapter 73, Environmental Protection. Furthermore, a conservation plan shall be prepared that complies with the provisions of § 73-11.
(7)
A plan for reservation, ownership and maintenance
of any proposed public spaces and facilities.
(8)
Proposed streets, access areas and on- and off-site infrastructure needed to support the proposal, consistent with the requirements of § 139-183M(8), above.
(9)
A concept plan for stormwater management, consistent with the requirements of Chapter 73, Article VIII, Stormwater Management, and § 139-183M(9), above.
(10)
An implementation/phasing schedule that details
the timing and stages of construction, including but not limited to
the construction of the multi-modal transportation center, parking
for the transportation center and other development, road improvements
and other infrastructure.
(11)
Information about how the implementation of
the master plan (including the multimodal transportation center) will
impact the remediated Superfund site and any hazardous waste on the
site.
(12)
A study detailing the required commuter parking
that is acceptable to the public transit providers, as detailed in
signed letters to the applicant from the public transit providers.
(13)
A plan for accommodating space needed for short-term
bus and shuttle stacking within proximity of the multi-modal transportation
center.
(14)
Sufficient information to document that the
location of the land uses proposed considers suitability with respect
to topography and drainage; impact on municipal services, utilities
and public or quasi-public facilities; compatibility with surrounding
land uses; and preservation of environmentally sensitive areas.
C.
Master plan approval. The master plan shall be approved as a conditional use and is subject to all the requirements of § 139-118.1, Application for conditional use approval. In addition, approval shall be conditioned upon conformity with the submission requirements of Subsection B, above, as well as to the standards contained in this District. Hearings held as part of this conditional use process shall assess the level of impact the proposed uses will have on existing natural conditions, community services and the transportation infrastructure, and shall be used to receive public input on the proposed project.
D.
Amendments. Pursuant to the requirements of § 139-184, applicants must submit amendments to the master plan when one or more of the following conditions calculated for the entire district are anticipated:
(1)
Increasing the amount of nonresidential floor
area or the number of dwelling units by more than 10% from the total
amount approved for the development tract in the master plan.
(2)
Decreasing the amount of public or quasi-public
space by more than 10%.
(3)
Rearranging the land uses in a manner that will
increase the impact of the proposed development by more than 10% on
a road or other public facility or otherwise result in a change in
traffic patterns.
(4)
Changing or upgrading the road infrastructure
included on the master plan.