[Added 1-7-2009 by Ord. No. 1769]
A.
To promote the town center character of Lansdale Borough as set forth
in the Comprehensive Plan by promoting ground-floor retail uses, maintaining
the traditional downtown character, and strengthening cultural assets
and amenities.
B.
To encourage development/redevelopment of existing buildings and
properties for mixed uses, including residential, office, retail,
cultural and service uses.
C.
To discourage development of strip-type highway-oriented commercial
uses that require incongruous architectural styles, excessive paved
areas, curb cuts, and large signs and are not pedestrian friendly.
D.
To encourage pedestrian connections between buildings, parking areas
and sidewalks and to encourage consolidation of driveways, parking
and curb cuts to provide more efficient, economical and safe access
and parking.
E.
To encourage those types of development that support large volumes
of pedestrian traffic and are not dependent on storefront parking.
F.
To promote transit-oriented development that provides safe and attractive
pedestrian connections with transit facilities.
G.
To promote development of public spaces, such as plazas, squares
and courtyards, that enhance the aesthetics of downtown and encourage
community interaction.
H.
To promote a vibrant streetscape that supports the commercial and
cultural activities in the Downtown Business District.
Where the provisions of the Downtown Business Overlay District
conflict with other requirements of this chapter, the requirements
of this article shall prevail.
A list of permitted uses, indicated by the letter "P," is provided
in Table 35-1 below:
|
Table 35-1. Downtown Business Overlay District Use Table
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Uses
|
Downtown Business District
| |
|
Residential uses
| ||
|
Dwellings, multifamily, containing six or fewer dwelling units
|
C
| |
|
Dwellings, multifamily, containing more than six dwelling units
|
C
| |
|
Dwellings, single-family attached
|
C
| |
|
Home occupations
|
C
| |
|
Institutional uses
| ||
|
Colleges and universities, public and private
|
C
| |
|
Philanthropic and charitable institutions, civic nonprofit organizations,
and social and fraternal organizations
|
C
| |
|
Religious institutions, including churches, chapels, mosques,
temples and synagogues
|
C
| |
|
Schools, private, elementary, middle or high
|
C
| |
|
Schools, vocational
|
C
| |
|
Other government and government-related structures, facilities
and uses
|
P
| |
|
Recreation uses
| ||
|
Athletic clubs, public and private
|
C
| |
|
Public parks, plaza, square, courtyard and garden
|
P
| |
|
Recreation and community centers, noncommercial
|
P
| |
|
Commercial uses
| ||
|
Amusement establishments, indoor
|
C
| |
|
Antique stores
|
P
| |
|
Appliance stores, including electrical and household appliances,
and radio and television sales and repair
|
P
| |
|
Arts and crafts stores
|
P
| |
|
Arts and crafts studios
|
P
| |
|
Arts or cultural centers
|
P
| |
|
Auction rooms
|
C
| |
|
Bakeries
|
P
| |
|
Bakeshops
|
P
| |
|
Banks and financial institutions
|
P
| |
|
Bars and taverns
|
C
| |
|
Bed-and-breakfast inn and home
|
C
| |
|
Bicycle sales, rental and repair stores
|
P
| |
|
Candy stores, including candymaking
|
P
| |
|
Carpet and rug stores, retail sales only
|
P
| |
|
Christmas tree and greens sales
|
P
| |
|
Clubs, lodges and meeting halls, with no on-premises food or
beverage preparation facilities
|
C
| |
|
Coffee shops
|
P
| |
|
Contractors', architects' and engineers' offices
|
P
| |
|
Convenience stores
|
C
| |
|
Day-care centers, group
|
C
| |
|
Delicatessen
|
P
| |
|
Department stores
|
P
| |
|
Dry-cleaning and laundry service establishment, pickup only
|
P
| |
|
Extended-stay hotels
|
C
| |
|
Food stores, under 5,000 square feet
|
P
| |
|
Food stores, 5,000 to 10,000 square feet
|
C
| |
|
Forestry
|
P
| |
|
Furniture stores
|
P
| |
|
Garden supply, tool and seed stores
|
P
| |
|
Home improvement stores
|
C
| |
|
Hotels
|
C
| |
|
Ice cream stores
|
P
| |
|
Inns
|
C
| |
|
Liquor store
|
C
| |
|
Mailing service establishments
|
P
| |
|
Markets, open-air, including farmers' markets and produce markets
|
C
| |
|
Medical marijuana dispensary
|
P
| |
|
Museums and art galleries, including historic buildings and
shrines for patriotic, cultural and educational purposes
|
P
| |
|
Office or studio of a professional person
|
P
| |
|
Offices, business and professional, and nonprofit, educational,
cultural or civic
|
P
| |
|
Offices, medical
|
P
| |
|
Outdoor dining
|
P
| |
|
Parking garages
|
P
| |
|
Parking lots, commercial
|
C
| |
|
Personal care establishments
|
P
| |
|
Photocopying and reproduction services, including blueprinting
|
P
| |
|
Physical health facilities, including health clubs, fitness
centers, and weight control centers
|
P
| |
|
Printing and publishing establishments
|
C
| |
|
Restaurant, fast-food
|
C
| |
|
Restaurant, seating
|
P
| |
|
Restaurant, take-out only
|
P
| |
|
Retail goods stores
|
P
| |
|
Theaters, indoor
|
P
| |
|
Theaters, outdoor
|
C
| |
|
Tobacco shops
|
P
| |
|
Wine shop
|
C
| |
|
Retail and service uses of the same general character as those
listed above
|
C
| |
|
Transportation and utility uses
| ||
|
Antennas and amateur radio stations
|
C
| |
|
Antenna towers
|
C
| |
|
Cab stands, including dispatch offices and related parking facilities
|
C
| |
|
Telecommunications facilities
|
C
| |
|
Telephone transmission equipment buildings
|
C
| |
|
Transit facilities
|
P
| |
B.
Additional conditional use standards.
(1)
Multifamily dwellings containing six or fewer dwelling units and multifamily dwellings containing six or more dwelling units, as indicated in § 405-3502, Table 35-1, require a conditional use permit only if they are located on Main Street, Broad Street, Walnut Street, or Madison Street within the Downtown Business Overlay District. A permitted commercial use must occupy the portion of the first floor of any multifamily building which fronts on Main Street, Broad Street, Walnut Street or Madison Street as a minimum condition of approval.
[Amended 7-17-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-1843]
(2)
Single-family attached units are permitted by conditional use as indicated in § 405-3502, Table 35-1. Such units must be included as part of a multifamily or mixed-use complex as a minimum condition of approval. Such units shall not have primary entrances on Main Street, Broad Street, Walnut Street, or Madison Street.
[Amended 7-17-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-1843; 9-16-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-1941]
The required development standards for the Downtown Business Overlay District are specified in Table 35-2. In addition, the traditional town design standards and design review process of Article XXXVI shall also apply.
|
Table 35-2. Downtown Business Overlay District Development
Standards
| |
|---|---|
|
Downtown Business District
| |
|
Minimum lot size
|
None
|
|
Minimum lot width
|
None
|
|
Density
|
The maximum density in the Downtown Business Overlay District shall be 50 units per gross acre measured across the entire site. When a height bonus in accordance with § 405-3506 is approved by the Borough Council, the density may be increase up to no more than 75 units per gross acre.
|
|
Build-to line
|
(1) The facade of each building shall maintain the established
build-to line of the block(s) on which it is located. Where there
is no established build-to line, the facade of each building shall
be set back not less than 12 feet from the face of the curb on a primary
street, eight feet from the face of the curb on a side street, and
five feet from the edge of an existing alley.
|
|
(2) For the purposes of providing a plaza, square, courtyard,
recessed entrance or outdoor dining, the front facade of each building
may be set back up to 15 feet from the building line.
| |
|
Side setback
|
Side yard setbacks shall not be required if, based on a review
by the Borough Engineer, the following standards are addressed:
|
|
(1) Maintenance needs are addressed.
| |
|
(2) Adequate landscaping and buffering are provided according
to § 420.8 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1]
| |
|
(3) Required parking is provided.
| |
|
(4) No building shall be located closer than 50 feet from residential
districts.
| |
|
Rear setback
|
Rear yard setbacks shall not be required if, based on a review
by the Borough Engineer, the following standards are addressed:
|
|
(1) Maintenance needs are addressed.
| |
|
(2) Adequate landscaping and buffering are provided according
to § 420.8 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[2]
| |
|
(3) Required parking is provided.
| |
|
(4) No building shall be located closer than 50 feet from residential
districts.
| |
|
Building height
|
Minimum two stories.
|
|
Maximum 65 feet. The maximum height shall be 40 feet when the
proposed project is within 100 feet of the boundary of a residential
district located outside of the boundary line of the Downtown Business
Overlay District.
| |
|
Maximum building coverage
|
A maximum building coverage shall not be required if, based
on a review by the Borough Engineer, the landscaping standards of
§ 420.8 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[3] and any drainage requirements of the Borough are addressed
satisfactorily.
|
|
Maximum impervious coverage
|
A maximum impervious coverage shall not be required if, based
on a review by the Borough Engineer, the landscaping standards of
§ 420.8 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[4] and any drainage requirements of the Borough are addressed
satisfactorily.
|
[1]
Editor's Note: The Borough's Subdivision and
Land Development Ordinance is on file and available for inspection
or sale at Borough offices.
[2]
Editor's Note: The Borough's Subdivision and
Land Development Ordinance is on file and available for inspection
or sale at Borough offices.
[3]
Editor's Note: The Borough's Subdivision and
Land Development Ordinance is on file and available for inspection
or sale at Borough offices.
[4]
Editor's Note: The Borough's Subdivision and Land Development
Ordinance is on file and available for inspection or sale at Borough
offices.
A.
There shall be no minimum off-street parking requirement in the Downtown Business Overlay District unless the size of the principal building area is greater than or equal to 20,000 square feet. For buildings greater than or equal to 20,000 square feet in size, the parking requirements in § 405-1701 through § 405-1709 of this chapter shall apply, unless otherwise set forth below.
[Amended 7-17-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-1843]
(1)
For mixed-use developments comprised of at least 100 dwelling
units which are located within 500 feet of a municipal parking lot,
the following parking requirements shall apply to the residential
component of the development:
(a)
Number of spaces required. Residential parking spaces in the
amount of at least 1.5 times the number of dwelling units in the development.
(b)
Reductions. The total number of parking spaces required under § 405-3505A(1)(a), above, may be reduced up to 25% provided that:
[1]
The applicant provides evidence in the form of
a professionally engineered parking study, in support of a reduction
of the parking requirement to the Borough Planning Commission and
Engineer for their review and recommendation prior to final land development
approval;
[2]
The development is constructed in phases so that,
upon construction and occupancy of at least 50% of the residential
units, a study of the observed parking demand of at least 50% of the
residential units (the "study") can be conducted by a traffic engineer
(which engineer shall be agreed upon between the Borough and applicant
as a condition of final approval of the development);
[3]
The study supports a reduction of the total number of spaces required under § 405-3505A(1)(a) of up to 25%;
[4]
The approved and recorded land development plan includes a sufficient area reserved for the construction of a parking garage and/or surface level parking to meet the parking requirements of § 405-3505A(1)(a);
[5]
In the event the study supports a reduction in the total number of parking spaces required by § 405-3505A(1)(a), the applicant shall pay a fee in lieu per parking space, in an amount as set by resolution of the Borough Council, for each space not required to be constructed as a result of the study.[1]
[6]
In the event the study does not support the requested reduction in the total number of parking spaces required by § 405-3505A(1)(a), the applicant shall construct the additional parking spaces to meet the parking demand established by the study up to the total number of parking spaces required by § 405-3505A(1)(a); and
(c)
Reevaluation. Parking capacity will be reevaluated by the Borough
Code Enforcement Officer should any change in use or increase in number
of residential units of the development occurs. Following reevaluation,
the Borough Council may require construction of additional parking
spaces up to the maximum required by this article.
(d)
Ingress and egress curb cuts and driveway width. Driveways and/or
curb cuts of up to 50 feet in width in order to safely and adequately
accommodate turning movements.
B.
Fee in lieu of parking spaces. When off-street parking is required,
Borough Council may authorize the payment of a onetime fee in lieu
of the actual creation of some or all of the required parking by the
applicant. The amount of the fee shall be specified in the parking
fee schedule adopted by resolution of the Borough Council. All fees
collected and all interest earned thereon shall be placed in the Borough
Parking Fund. The fund shall be used exclusively for planning, acquisition,
design, development, construction and financing of parking facilities.
[Amended 7-17-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-1843; 9-16-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-1941]
A.
Projects in the Downtown Business Overlay District shall qualify
for a maximum of 20 feet of additional building height in exchange
for a combination of the bonus features in Table 35-3. Projects that
are located within 100 feet of a residential district located outside
of the boundary line of the Downtown Business Overlay District shall
qualify for a maximum of 10 feet of additional building height in
exchange for a combination of the bonus features in Table 35-3.
B.
Table 35-3, Building height bonus features.
|
Table 35-3. Building Height Bonus Features
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bonus Feature
|
Bonus Feature Standard
|
Bonus Height
| ||
|
Preservation of an historic structure or facade on the development
site
|
Must follow the Secretary of the Interior's standards for rehabilitation.
|
20 feet*
| ||
|
Transit amenities
|
Qualifying amenities (shall meet the Borough's approved specifications):
|
Five feet of bonus height for each transit amenity
| ||
|
(1)
|
New access easements
| |||
|
(2)
|
Improvements to connecting passageways
| |||
|
(3)
|
Bicycle parking/bicycle racks
| |||
|
(4)
|
Bus shelter
| |||
|
(5)
|
Transit area streetscape improvement, such as lighting, landscaping,
signage, gazebo, water feature, public art, and decorative paving
| |||
|
(6)
|
Cash contribution for transit area improvements
| |||
|
Trail amenities
|
Qualifying amenities for trail connections along Main Street,
2nd Street, Cannon Street, and Wood Street (shall meet the Borough's
approved specifications):
|
Five feet of bonus height for any two trail amenities and this
height bonus will not apply to duplicate trail amenities.
| ||
|
(1)
|
Distinctive paving to define trail connections
|
A minimum of two different amenities must be provided.
| ||
|
(2)
|
Uniform planters to define trail connections
| |||
|
(3)
|
Way-finding signage
|
Way-finding signage must be consistent in style with existing
signage when applicable.
| ||
|
(4)
|
New access easement and paving for off-road trails
| |||
|
Structured parking
|
Structured parking is provided within the building footprint and subject to the design standards of § 405-3601K.
|
20 feet*
| ||
|
A minimum of 50% of the provided parking spaces shall be available
to the public.
| ||||
|
At least eight electric vehicle charging spaces shall be provided.
| ||||
|
Sustainable stormwater management
|
Qualifying techniques:
|
Five feet per stormwater management technique
| ||
|
(1)
|
Permeable surfaces
| |||
|
(2)
|
Roof rainwater collection systems
| |||
|
(3)
|
Bioretention/rain gardens
| |||
|
All qualifying technique systems shall be designed and installed
under the direction of a professional with demonstrated expertise
in the design and construction of such facilities in order for the
height bonus to apply.
| ||||
|
Green roof
|
The green roof shall cover at least 70% of the net roof area
(the total gross area minus areas covered by mechanical equipment).
Green roofs shall be designed and installed under the direction of
a professional with demonstrated expertise in green roof design and
construction. Vegetation must be maintained for the life of the building.
The green roof shall conform to the best available technology standards,
such as those published by LEED.
|
20 feet*
| ||
|
Alternative energy sources
|
Install a solar, wind or geothermal power-generation facility
that is designed to provide at least 15% of the expected annual energy
use for the building. The facility shall be designed and installed
under the direction of a professional with demonstrated expertise
in the design and construction of such facilities.
|
20 feet*
| ||
|
Green building
|
The applicant must submit a letter of intent that communicates
his commitment to achieve a LEED-NC or EB Silver Rating or similar
standard on his building.
|
20 feet*
| ||
|
Within 90 days of receiving the final certificate of occupancy,
the applicant must submit documentation that demonstrates achievement
of a LEED Silver Rating.
| ||||
|
Multiple public features
|
Must provide at least two of the following features for use
by the public:
|
20 feet*
| ||
|
(1)
|
Recreational trail in excess of 200 linear feet
| |||
|
(2)
|
At least 75 off-street public parking spots
| |||
|
(3)
|
A public park, public plaza or open space in excess of 11,000
square feet
| |||
|
NOTES:
| ||||
|
* A maximum total bonus height of 10 feet is permitted when
the proposed project is within 100 feet of the boundary of a residential
district located outside of the boundary line of the Downtown Business
Overlay District.
| ||||
