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Township of Bethlehem, PA
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Part II General Legislation
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Chapter 275 Zoning
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Chapter 275
Zoning
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Bethlehem
12-15-1997
by
Ord. No. 8-97
(Ch. 27 of the 1988 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
Article I
General Provisions and Administration
§ 275-1
Purposes and community development objectives.
§ 275-2
Applicability.
§ 275-3
Public utility exemptions.
§ 275-4
Township and municipal authority exception.
§ 275-5
Interpretation; uses not specifically regulated.
§ 275-6
Severability.
§ 275-7
Repealer; continuation of provisions.
§ 275-8
General procedure for permits.
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§ 275-9
Permits and certificates.
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§ 275-10
Zoning Officer.
§ 275-11
Zoning Hearing Board.
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§ 275-12
Hearings.
§ 275-13
Appeals.
§ 275-14
Board of Commissioner's jurisdiction.
§ 275-15
Amendments.
§ 275-16
Curative amendments.
§ 275-17
Procedure to obtain preliminary opinion.
§ 275-18
Filing fees and costs.
§ 275-19
Enforcement; violations and penalties; remedy.
§ 275-20
Conditional use process.
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§ 275-21
Special exception use process.
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§ 275-22
Liability.
Article II
Terminology
§ 275-23
General interpretation.
§ 275-24
Definitions.
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Article III
Districts
§ 275-25
Districts designated.
§ 275-26
Application of district regulations.
§ 275-27
Zoning Map.
§ 275-28
District boundaries.
§ 275-29
Municipal boundaries.
Article IV
RR Rural Residential District
§ 275-30
Purpose.
§ 275-31
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-32
Special exception uses.
§ 275-33
Conditional uses.
§ 275-34
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-35
Additional requirements.
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§ 275-36
Incentives for improvement of accident-prone intersections.
Article V
LDR Low-Density Residential District
§ 275-37
Purpose.
§ 275-38
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-39
Special exception uses.
§ 275-40
Conditional uses.
§ 275-41
Limited office conversions.
§ 275-42
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-43
Additional requirements.
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§ 275-44
Incentives for improvement of accident-prone intersections.
Article VI
MDR Medium-Density Residential District
§ 275-45
Purpose.
§ 275-46
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-47
Special exception uses.
§ 275-48
Conditional uses.
§ 275-49
Lot and setback regulations for uses other than townhouses or retirement villages.
§ 275-50
Lot and setback regulations for townhouses or retirement village.
§ 275-51
Additional requirements.
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§ 275-52
Incentives for improvements to accident-prone intersections.
Article VII
MHDR Medium-High-Density Residential District
§ 275-53
Purpose.
§ 275-54
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-55
Special exception uses.
§ 275-56
Conditional uses.
§ 275-57
Lot and setback regulations common to all uses.
§ 275-58
Lot and setback regulations for uses other than townhouses, garden apartments, mobile/manufactured home parks, mid-rise apartments, retirement villages and life-care centers.
§ 275-59
Lot and setback regulations for townhouse, garden apartments, retirement villages and life-care centers.
§ 275-60
Lot and setback regulations for mobile/manufactured home parks.
§ 275-61
Lot and setback regulations for mid-rise apartments.
§ 275-62
Additional requirements.
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Article VIII
NC Neighborhood Commercial District
§ 275-63
Purpose.
§ 275-64
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-65
Special exception uses.
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§ 275-66
Conditional uses.
§ 275-67
Prohibited uses.
§ 275-68
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-69
Additional requirements.
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Article IX
GC General Commercial District
§ 275-70
Purpose.
§ 275-71
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-72
Special exception uses.
§ 275-73
Conditional uses.
§ 275-74
Specifically prohibited uses.
§ 275-75
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-76
Additional requirements.
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Article X
PC Planned Commercial District
§ 275-77
Purpose; intent.
§ 275-78
Planned commercial development.
§ 275-79
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-80
Special exception uses.
§ 275-81
Conditional uses.
§ 275-82
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-83
Standards for approval of planned commercial development.
§ 275-84
Additional requirements.
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Article XI
OB Office/Business District
§ 275-85
Purpose.
§ 275-86
Definition of planned business development.
§ 275-87
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-88
Conditional uses.
§ 275-89
Specifically prohibited uses.
§ 275-90
Standards for approval of planned business development.
§ 275-91
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-92
Additional requirements.
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Article XII
GI General Industrial District
§ 275-93
Purpose.
§ 275-94
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-95
Special exception uses.
§ 275-96
Conditional uses.
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§ 275-97
Specifically prohibited uses.
§ 275-98
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-99
Additional requirements.
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Article XIII
LI Light Industrial/Office Campus District
§ 275-100
Purpose.
§ 275-101
Definition of planned business development.
§ 275-102
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-103
Special exception uses.
§ 275-104
Conditional uses.
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§ 275-105
Specifically prohibited uses.
§ 275-106
Standards for approval of planned business development.
§ 275-107
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-108
Street access.
§ 275-109
Additional requirements.
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Article XIV
AG Agriculture District
§ 275-110
Purpose.
§ 275-111
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-112
Special exception uses.
§ 275-113
Conditional uses.
§ 275-114
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-115
Additional requirements.
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Article XV
CR Conservation and Recreation District
§ 275-116
Purpose.
§ 275-117
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-118
Special exception uses.
§ 275-119
Conditional uses.
§ 275-120
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-121
Additional requirements.
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Article XVI
Environmental Protection
§ 275-122
Environmental preservation required.
§ 275-123
Nuisances, fire and explosive hazards prohibited.
§ 275-124
Steep slopes.
§ 275-125
Wetlands.
§ 275-126
Setbacks from surface waters and drainage swales.
§ 275-127
Alluvial soils.
§ 275-128
Floodplain areas.
§ 275-129
Filling, excavation and grading.
§ 275-130
Storage of gases, liquids, solids and hazardous substances.
§ 275-131
Sewage waste disposal.
§ 275-132
Noise control.
§ 275-133
Vibration control.
§ 275-134
Air pollution and odors.
§ 275-135
Light, glare and heat control.
§ 275-136
Placement of outdoor machinery.
§ 275-137
Radioactivity; electrical disturbances.
§ 275-138
Preservation of trees and forests.
§ 275-139
Review to determine compliance with performance standards.
§ 275-140
Stripping of topsoil.
§ 275-141
Sinkhole and subsidence hazards.
Article XVII
Off-Street Parking and Loading
§ 275-142
Required number of off-street parking spaces.
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§ 275-143
General regulations for off-street parking.
§ 275-144
Design standards for off-street parking.
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§ 275-145
Parking of commercial vehicles in residential districts and unregistered vehicles.
§ 275-146
Off-street loading.
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§ 275-147
On-street parking regulations.
Article XVIII
Signs
§ 275-148
Applicability.
§ 275-149
Nonconforming signs.
§ 275-150
Definitions of signs.
§ 275-151
Construction.
§ 275-152
Abandoned or outdated signs.
§ 275-153
Location of signs.
§ 275-154
Illuminated signs.
§ 275-155
Vehicle signs.
§ 275-156
Temporary signs.
§ 275-157
Exempt signs.
§ 275-158
Signs prohibited in all districts.
§ 275-159
Signs and/or structures identifying major residential or business developments.
§ 275-160
Area of signs.
§ 275-161
Maximum height of signs.
§ 275-162
Signs permitted in residential districts.
§ 275-163
Sign permitted in commercial districts.
§ 275-164
Signs permitted in industrial and business districts.
§ 275-165
Signs in Streetscape Overlay District.
§ 275-166
Off-premises signs (including billboards).
§ 275-167
Sign area bonuses.
Article XIX
General Regulations
§ 275-168
Limit of one principal use.
§ 275-169
Street frontage; number of uses or buildings.
§ 275-170
Maximum height of buildings.
§ 275-171
Special lot and yard requirements; sight distance and buffer yards.
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§ 275-172
Landscaping.
§ 275-173
Establishment of future right-of-way widths for streets.
§ 275-174
Street requirement for industrial and commercial uses.
§ 275-175
Access onto arterial, connector and collector streets.
§ 275-176
Nonconformities.
§ 275-177
Temporary structure or use.
§ 275-178
Site plan review.
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§ 275-179
Transportation impact study.
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§ 275-180
Stormwater management.
§ 275-181
Recreation land, open space and fees requirements.
§ 275-182
Posting of address.
§ 275-183
Impervious surface and lot area bonus for resolving stormwater problems.
§ 275-184
Zero lot line housing option.
§ 275-185
Condominium ownership.
§ 275-186
Skip lot option.
§ 275-187
Nonresidential building separation.
Article XX
Additional Requirements for Specific Uses
§ 275-188
Applicability.
§ 275-189
Additional requirements for specific principal uses.
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§ 275-190
Additional requirements for accessory uses.
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Article XXI
IN Institutional Overlay District
§ 275-191
Purpose.
§ 275-192
Relationship to existing districts.
§ 275-193
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-194
Special exception uses.
§ 275-194.A
Conditional uses.
§ 275-195
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-196
Additional requirements.
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Article XXII
Single-Family Cluster Development
§ 275-197
Purpose.
§ 275-198
Lot and area requirements.
§ 275-199
Qualifying conditions.
§ 275-200
Cluster open space requirements.
Article XXIII
Planned Residential Development (PRD)
§ 275-201
Purpose.
§ 275-202
Applicability.
§ 275-203
Eligibility.
§ 275-204
Land uses.
§ 275-205
Density requirements.
§ 275-206
Site analysis.
§ 275-207
Site design requirements.
§ 275-208
Utilities.
§ 275-209
Ownership/maintenance of common open space.
§ 275-210
Development in phases.
§ 275-211
Procedures.
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§ 275-212
Enforcement and modifications.
Article XXIV
LI(P) Light Industrial/Office Campus (Phased)
§ 275-213
Purpose.
§ 275-214
Applicability.
§ 275-215
LI(P) District severability.
Article XXV
Smart Growth Districts and Overlay Districts
§ 275-216
Purposes.
§ 275-217
Legislative authority for overlay districts.
§ 275-218
Establishment of districts.
§ 275-219
District and overlay district provisions.
§ 275-220
District and Overlay District Map.
Article XXVI
Neighborhood Enhancement Overlay District
§ 275-221
Purpose.
§ 275-222
Applicability.
§ 275-223
Use regulations.
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§ 275-224
Area, bulk, yard and height regulations.
§ 275-225
Development requirements.
§ 275-226
Conditional use standards and criteria.
Article XXVII
Commercial Enhancement Overlay District
§ 275-227
Purpose.
§ 275-228
Applicability.
§ 275-229
Use regulations.
§ 275-230
Area, bulk, height and yard regulations.
§ 275-231
Development requirements.
§ 275-232
Conditional use standards and criteria.
Article XXVIII
Conservation Design Overlay District
§ 275-233
Purpose.
§ 275-234
Applicability and conditions of eligibility.
§ 275-235
Use regulations.
§ 275-236
Area, bulk, yard, height and open space regulations.
§ 275-237
Development requirements.
Article XXIX
Town Center District
§ 275-238
Purpose.
§ 275-239
Conditions of eligibility.
§ 275-240
Use regulations.
§ 275-241
Area, bulk, height, yard, density and open space regulations.
§ 275-242
Development requirements.
§ 275-243
Conditional use standards and criteria.
Article XXX
Hospital Health Care Village District
§ 275-244
Purpose.
§ 275-245
Intent.
§ 275-246
Principal and accessory uses.
§ 275-247
Conditions of eligibility.
§ 275-248
Use regulations.
§ 275-249
Composition.
§ 275-250
Area, bulk, height and yard regulations.
§ 275-251
Development requirements.
§ 275-252
Conditional use standards and criteria.
Article XXXI
Mixed-Use Village Overlay District
§ 275-253
Purpose.
§ 275-254
Applicability.
§ 275-255
Conditions of eligibility.
§ 275-256
Use regulations.
§ 275-257
Area, bulk, height, yard, density and open space regulations.
§ 275-258
Development requirements.
§ 275-259
Conditional use standards and criteria.
Article XXXII
Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District
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§ 275-260
Purpose.
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§ 275-261
Minimum requirements.
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§ 275-262
through § 275-264. (Reserved)
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Article XXXIII
HM Highway Maintenance District
§ 275-265
Purpose.
§ 275-266
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-267
Conditional uses.
§ 275-268
Specifically prohibited uses; covenant, restriction and acknowledgment of use limitations in deeds of conveyance.
§ 275-269
Lot and setback regulations.
§ 275-270
Additional requirements.
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Article XXXIV
GU Gaming Uses Overlay District
§ 275-271
Purpose.
§ 275-272
Relationship to existing districts.
§ 275-273
Permitted-by-right uses.
§ 275-274
Special exception uses.
§ 275-275
Conditional uses.
§ 275-276
Prohibited uses.
§ 275-277
Lot, building, and setback regulations.
§ 275-278
Community impact analysis.
§ 275-279
Traffic access.
§ 275-280
Separation distance requirements.
§ 275-281
Required accessory uses.
§ 275-282
Permitted supportive uses.
§ 275-283
State licensing.
§ 275-284
Additional requirements.
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