Township of Bethlehem, PA Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District

[Amended 6-19-2006 by Ord. No. 03-06; 7-17-2006 by Ord. No. 05-06; 7-16-2012 by Ord. No. 03-12]

The following minimum requirements shall apply within designated streetscape enhancement areas to all proposed land developments, the construction of new principal buildings, existing principal buildings proposed to be expanded by 500 square feet or greater, and existing principal buildings where the principal use is proposed to be changed, unless otherwise agreed to by the Board of Commissioners after a recommendation from the Planning Commission and Township staff at the time of review of a site plan pursuant to the provisions of Article XIX, General Regulations, § 275-178, Site plan review, of this chapter, or of a subdivision and/or land development plan submitted to the Township pursuant to Chapter 230, Subdivision and Land Development. (The Designated Streetscape Enhancement Areas Map is the last page of this article.[1]) Site plan review, as per § 275-178, shall apply as required by § 275-178C. In addition, the Design Guidelines, Exhibits XXIX-A and XXX-A in Articles XXIX and XXX shall apply,[2] unless otherwise agreed to by the Board of Commissioners after a recommendation from the Planning Commission and Township staff at the time of review of a site plan pursuant to the provisions of Article XIX, General Regulations, § 275-178, Site Plan Review, of this chapter, or of a subdivision and/or land development plan submitted to the Township pursuant to Chapter 230, Subdivision and Land Development.

Building placement. The edges of the street corridor within the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District shall be defined and reinforced by building facades in accordance with the standards below.

(1)

All principal buildings shall be set back from the designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way no less than five feet and no greater than 50 feet.

(2)

Unless another dimension is recited for a Smart Growth District/Overlay District, all proposed building expansions of existing principal buildings within Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District which are 500 square feet or greater shall have a setback from a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way of no less than five feet and no greater than 25 feet. If the proposed building addition can not be designed to be in conformance with these standards, it shall be considered a conditional use and hearings shall be held to determine how the proposed building addition should be configured to best conform to the setbacks described herein.

Parking placement.

(1)

Except to the extent that it is permitted in a Smart Growth District/Overlay District, no parking lots and/or parking spaces, except for approved on-street parking, shall be permitted between the front facade of a principal building and a designated streetscape enhancement cartway.

(2)

Parking lots located within 25 feet of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way shall be screened from the street with a combination of features such as masonry walls, fencing, piers and landscaping with a masonry wall no less than four feet in height in accordance with Subsection J(4). The masonry wall shall be constructed parallel to the street right-of-way and should be aligned with the front facade of the principal building.

(3)

When existing parking lots are situated between the front facade of a principal building and a designated streetscape enhancement cartway and the findings of a conditional use hearing determine that it is not practicable to expand an existing building such that it conforms with the building placement requirements of Subsection A, a street edge in accordance with Subsection J(4) consisting of a sidewalk, street trees, a masonry wall, and related landscape improvements, shall be constructed contiguous to the entire frontage of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way, except in those specific and limited areas where pedestrian and vehicular accessways are provided.

(4)

The requirements of Article XVII, Off-Street Parking and Loading, shall be met.

Sidewalks.

(1)

Sidewalks shall be provided on both sides of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way.

(2)

Sidewalks shall be constructed generally parallel to the designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way along the entire frontages of all land parcels within the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District.

(3)

All sidewalks shall be at least four feet to six inches in width.

(4)

All sidewalks shall be constructed of either brick, stone, precast ornamental concrete pavers, poured in place concrete, or patterned poured concrete.

(5)

When constructed of poured-in-place concrete, control joints shall be provided at intervals no greater than 36 inches. All concrete sidewalk surfaces shall be divided across their width into at least two sections formed by control joints. The primary surface of concrete shall have a broom finish and an area two inches in width, parallel to the control joints, shall have a smooth-troweled finish.

Street trees.

(1)

Street trees shall be provided at regular intervals along both sides of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way.

(2)

One street tree shall be provided for every 50 linear feet of lot frontage abutting each side of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way.

(3)

Street trees, at the time of planting, shall be no less than three inches to 3 1/2 inches in caliper and shall be in accordance with the latest edition of the "American Standard for Nursery Stock" of the American Association of Nurserymen.

(4)

All street trees within the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District shall be one of the following species and/or cultivars, or similar types, subject to Township approval:

	Acer rubrum — Red maple
	Acer saccharum "Commemoration" — Commemoration sugar maple
	Acer saccharum "Green Mountain" — Green Mountain sugar maple
	Acer saccharum "Legacy" — Legacy sugar maple
	Chionanthus virginicus — Fringe tree
	Crataegus viridis "Winter King" — Winter King hawthorne
	Fraxinus pennsylvanica "Newport" — Newport green ash
	Fraxinus pennsylvanica "Patmore" — Patmore green ash
	Gleditsia tricanthos inermis — Thornless common honeylocust
	Oxydendrum arboretum — Sourwood
	Platanus x acerifolia — London planetree
	Quercus imbricaria — Shingle oak
	Quercus phellos — Willow oak
	Quercus rubra — Northern red oak
	Tilia americana "Boulevard" — Boulevard American linden
	Tilia codata — Littleleaf linden
	Tilia tomentosa — Silver linden
	Ulmus americana "Valley Forge" — Valley Forge American elm
	Ulmus parvifolia — Lacebark elm
	Zelkova serrata — Japanese zelkova

Curbs.

(1)

Concrete curbs shall be provided along both sides of designated streetscape enhancement cartway.

(2)

All curbs shall be in accordance with Township specifications.

Curb cuts and road accessways for driveways.

(1)

In order to foster a more pedestrian-friendly and attractive streetscape, curb cuts and road accessways for driveways should be minimized along both sides of a designated streetscape enhancement cartway. Vehicular access to parking areas shall be provided from alleys and/or service roads at the rear of the parcels which front on a designated streetscape enhancement cartway, or from a side street on a corner lot.

(2)

In circumstances where the Township determines that it is not possible to provide vehicular access to parking areas from alleys and/or service roads at the rear of the parcels, curb cuts which are provided where a driveway or accessway intersects a designated streetscape enhancement cartway shall not exceed 24 feet in width.

(3)

In circumstances where a driveway or vehicular accessway must cross a sidewalk, or other pedestrian way, the sidewalk pattern and material shall have physical precedence and shall not be physically interrupted by bituminous paving of a driveway or vehicular accessway.

(4)

Permitted driveways in place on or prior to June 19, 2006 that do not conform to the standards herein are hereby designated as preexisting driveways. They shall be brought into conformance with all applicable standards enacted after June 19, 2006 under the following conditions:

(a)

When a new driveway permit is requested;

(b)

When modifications to an existing driveway permit are requested;

(c)

When the property owner or applicant applies for a change in property use that will generate more vehicle trips than the existing use; or

(d)

When an expansion of an existing use will result in more vehicle trips.

Pedestrian crosswalks.

(1)

Pedestrian crosswalks shall be provided at all designated streetscape enhancement intersections.

(2)

Pedestrian crosswalks shall be no less than six feet in width.

(3)

Pedestrian crosswalks shall conform to PennDOT specifications.

(4)

If the pedestrian crosswalk serves a corner lot, pedestrian signals shall be installed and maintained at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners to help ensure pedestrian safety.

Pedestrian-scaled, ornamental streetlights.

(1)

Pedestrian-scaled, ornamental streetlights shall be provided at regular intervals along both sides of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way.

(2)

One pedestrian-scaled, ornamental streetlight shall be provided for every 100 to 140 linear feet of parcel frontage abutting each side of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way.

(3)

Pedestrian-scaled, ornamental streetlights, when installed, shall be no taller than 20 feet measured from the mounting surface to the top of the fixture.

(4)

Pedestrian-scaled, ornamental streetlights, when installed, shall be at least 12 feet in height measured from the mounting surface to the top of the fixture.

(5)

Pedestrian-scaled, ornamental streetlights fixtures shall be Spring City Electrical Manufacturing Company, Villa model, or approved equal.

(6)

Pedestrian-scaled, ornamental streetlights shall have a matte black finish.

Street edge strips.

(1)

A street edge strip shall be provided on both sides of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way between the outside edge of the right-of-way and the sidewalk.

(2)

The street edge strip shall be no less than four feet in width. The street edge strip shall be no greater than eight feet in width, except in circumstances where the distance from the outside edge of the cartway to the right-of-way; in such cases, the street edge strip shall be equal to the residual difference.

(3)

Street edge strip surfaces shall be composed of one of the following: turfgrass, brick stone, or precast ornamental concrete pavers.

Street edges. The street corridor within the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District shall be defined and reinforced by a combination of elements including building facades, masonry walls, fences, hedges, and related landscape improvements to establish street edges in accordance with the standards below.

(1)

Street edges shall be provided on both sides of a designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way. Street edges shall establish a continuous vertical boundary, except where vehicular and pedestrian accessways are located, parallel to the designated streetscape enhancement corridor.

(2)

Street edges shall be constructed parallel to the designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way along the entire frontages of all land parcels within the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District.

(3)

Street edges shall have a setback from the designated streetscape enhancement right-of-way of no less than five feet and no greater than 25 feet. When elements such as masonry walls, fences, hedges, and related landscape improvements are used in combination with building facades, these elements shall be, to the extent practicable, aligned with the front facade of the primary building.

(4)

Where masonry walls are used or required, they shall be faced with stone, brick, cultured stone veneers, and/or calcium silicate masonry units.

(a)

Walls shall have a wall cap which is at least two inches thick and overhangs the vertical face of the wall by at least one inch.

(b)

Wall caps shall be composed of stone, brick, calcium silicate masonry units, and/or precast concrete.

(c)

Walls shall be no less than four feet in height measured from the ground to the top of the wall.

(d)

Walls faced with brick or calcium silicate masonry units shall have pilasters spaced at intervals no greater than 12 feet on center.

(e)

Pilasters shall project horizontally no less than two inches beyond the vertical plane of the nominal wall face.

(5)

Fences shall be composed of solid wood, solid steel, PVC composites or industrial-grade tubular aluminum.

(a)

Fences shall be no less than four feet in height measured from the ground to the top of the wall.

(6)

Hedges shall be composed of shrubs which are no less than 30 inches in height when installed.

(a)

Shrubs planted to form hedges shall be spaced at an interval that they will form a continuous visual screen within four years of the date when they are planted.

(b)

Hedges shall be composed of the following shrub species and/or cultivars, or a species and/or cultivar or similar types, subject to Township approval:

	Buxus — Boxwood varieties
	Cornus sericea — Redosier dogwood
	Ilex crenata — Japanese holly
	Ilex glabra — Inkberry
	Hydrangea quercifolia – Oak leaf hydrangea
	Ilex x meserveae "China Girl" — China Girl meserve holly
	Ilex verticillata — Winterberry holly
	Itea virginica — Virginia sweetspire
	Ligustrum amurense — Amur privet
	Myrica pennsylvanica — Northern bayberry
	Rhododendron maximum — Rosebay rhododendron
	Taxus bacata "Repandens" — Weeping English yew
	Taxus x media "Hatfieldii" — Hatfield yew
	Viburnum x carlcephalum — Fragrant viburnum
	Viburnum dentatum — Arrowwood viburnum
	Viburnum nudum "Winterthur" — Winterthur witherwood viburnum

Bus shelters.

(1)

Bus shelters shall be provided when determined by both Bethlehem Township and the Lehigh Northampton Transportation Authority.

(2)

Bus shelters shall be provided at all designated public transportation stops within the Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District.

(3)

All bus shelters shall have a roof and shall be enclosed, fully or partially, on three sides. The roof shall cover a horizontal area of no less than 40 square feet.

(4)

All bus shelters shall be erected on a durable, nonslip, all-weather surface composed of either brick, stone, precast ornamental concrete pavers, or poured-in-place concrete.

(5)

All bus shelters shall have a matte black finish, or alternate colors and materials subject to Township approval.

(6)

Seating which can accommodate at least four adults shall be provided in each bus shelter.

Utilities.

(1)

All utilities such as those which convey electricity, telephone service, cable television, and Internet services shall be placed underground.

(2)

To eliminate utility pylons and connection access/service structures from the designated streetscape enhancement corridors, all utility connections shall be made, where practicable, via alleys and/or service roads at the rear of the parcels which front on a designated streetscape enhancement cartway.

[1]

Editor's Note: The Designated Streetscape Enhancement Areas Map is on file in the Township offices.

[2]

Editor's Note: Said exhibits are on file in the Township offices.

The corridors of Route 191/Nazareth Pike, Easton Road/William Penn Highway, and Freemansburg Avenue have limitations or constraints relative to the minimum requirements set forth in § 275-261. For each corridor, a zone has been chosen as a focus area for the purposes of streetscape improvement recommendations. These focus areas are the Designated Streetscape Enhancement Areas.

Route 191/Nazareth Pike — K-Mart/Wal-Mart Frontage.

(1)

Challenges that are present in this zone include the following:

(a)

Five-lane roadway with high traffic volumes.

(b)

Street edges are not reinforced with building facades, walls, fences, and hedges.

(c)

Principal buildings are set back too far from the street.

(d)

Large, visually obtrusive parking lots located between principal buildings and the street.

(e)

No presence of street trees.

(f)

Utility poles and overhead wires on the east side of the road.

(g)

Streetlights are too tall and out of scale for pedestrians.

(h)

Pedestrian travel to/from north interrupted by Route 22.

(i)

Isolated lengths of sidewalk.

(j)

No bus shelters.

(2)

The initial strategies for this zone include the following:

(a)

Encourage infill development and redevelopment projects where principal buildings will be placed closer to the street.

(b)

In cases where existing principal buildings are located at the rear of the lot with parking lots in front, create street edges with wall, fences, hedges, street trees, and related landscaping.

(c)

Create a continuous, interconnected sidewalk network along Route 191/Nazareth Pike.

(d)

Provide crosswalks for pedestrian safety.

(e)

Install pedestrian-scaled streetlighting.

(f)

Install street trees along both sides of street. On the west side, the trees will have to be set back further to avoid conflicts with overhead utilities.

Easton Road/William Penn Highway — blue restaurant commercial zone.

(1)

Challenges that are present in this zone include the following:

(a)

Three-lane roadway with high traffic volumes.

(b)

Street edges are only intermittently reinforced with building facades.

(c)

Principal buildings are generally set back too far from the street.

(d)

Large, visually obtrusive parking lots located between principal buildings and the street in many areas.

(e)

Unconstrained parking lot access/parking lots paved to roadway.

(f)

No presence of street trees.

(g)

Utility poles and overhead wires on the both sides of the street in many areas.

(h)

Streetlights are too tall and out of scale for pedestrians.

(i)

Isolated lengths of sidewalk.

(j)

Faded crosswalk striping/lack of crosswalks.

(k)

No bus shelters.

(2)

The initial strategies for this zone include the following:

(a)

Encourage infill development and redevelopment projects where principal buildings will be placed closer to the street and locate parking lots behind the building.

(b)

In cases where existing principal buildings are located at the rear of the lot with parking lots in front, create street edges with wall, fences, hedges, street trees, and related landscaping.

(c)

Construct rear alleys and service roads to minimize need for curb cuts.

(d)

Provide sidewalks and street edge strips along both sides of Easton Road/William Penn Highway.

(e)

Repaint crosswalks for pedestrian safety.

(f)

Install pedestrian-scaled streetlighting.

(g)

Install street trees along both sides of street. Where overhead utilities are present, trees will have to be set back farther to avoid conflicts with overhead utilities.

Freemansburg Avenue (especially Miller Heights neighborhood).

(1)

Challenges that are present in this zone include the following:

(a)

Street edges are only intermittently reinforced with building facades.

(b)

Some principal buildings are set back too far from the street.

(c)

Small parking lots located between principal buildings and the street in many areas.

(d)

Unconstrained parking lot access/parking lots paved to roadway.

(e)

Intermittent presence of street trees.

(f)

Utility poles and overhead wires on the north side of the street.

(g)

Streetlights are too tall and out of scale for pedestrians.

(h)

No sidewalks.

(i)

No crosswalks.

(2)

The initial strategies for this zone include the following:

(a)

Encourage infill development and redevelopment projects where principal buildings will be placed closer to the street and locate parking lots behind the building.

(b)

In cases where existing principal buildings are located at the rear of the lot with parking lots in front, create street edges with wall, fences, hedges, street trees, and related landscaping.

(c)

Construct rear alleys and service roads to minimize need for curb cuts.

(d)

Provide sidewalks and street edge strips along both sides of Freemansburg Avenue.

(e)

Install pedestrian-scaled streetlighting.

(f)

Install street trees along both sides of street. Where overhead utilities are present, trees will have to be set back further to avoid conflicts with overhead utilities.

[1]

Editor's Note: The Exemplary Streetscape Improvement Diagrams are on file in the Township offices.

[1]

Editor's Note: The Streetscape Enhancement Overlay District Map is on file in the Township offices.