It is the intent of the Village Commercial District (VC) to
permit the development or redevelopment of land for limited commercial,
office and residential uses, while preserving and restoring the distinct
architectural character of historic areas of Whitemarsh Township.
In addition, the specific intent of this article is as follows:
A. To provide areas to accommodate nonresidential uses which do not
generate large volumes of traffic, which minimize adverse impacts
on abutting residential properties and which maintain or improve the
visual character and architectural scale of existing development.
B. To prohibit development of strip-type, highway-oriented commercial
uses which create traffic hazards and congestion because they generate
higher traffic volumes and require multiple individual curb cuts.
C. To provide regulating standards which are necessary to encourage
orderly, well-planned development and to ensure the compatibility
of development with the character of the district and the surrounding
areas.
D. Provide incentives for building restorations of existing historic
structures or buildings built prior to 1940.
E. Use building scale, building orientation and landscaping to establish
or preserve community identity.
F. Encourage the retention, rehabilitation, and reuse of existing historic
structure(s) or building(s) built prior to 1940.
G. That new buildings or building additions and restorations have an
architectural scale and character commensurate with the existing pre-1940
architecture of the area.
H. Encourage bicycle- and pedestrian-accessible developments, reflecting
a village center rather than auto-oriented commercial strip development.
I. Provide incentives that encourage shared access points, parking areas
and public spaces.
J. Protect, to the greatest extent possible, the natural features of
the district, including the open spaces, steep slopes and large trees.
K. To provide a distinction for those areas where only less intensive
uses are appropriate and those areas where more permissive uses may
be allowed, through the creation of subdistricts to be known as "VC-1,"
"VC-2" and "VC-3."
L. Implement the Comprehensive Plan.
M. To create a subdistrict known as VC-4 which promotes the development
of an internalized, destination style of commercial center in accordance
with the design guidelines and intent of the Village Commercial District
on tracts of land 15 acres and larger.
[Added 12-5-2013 by Ord. No. 931]
[Amended 12-5-2013 by Ord. No. 931]
The regulations, requirements, and restrictions set forth in
this article are mandatory and subdivision/land development applications
within the VC-1, VC-2, VC-3, and VC-4 Zoning Districts shall comply
with the requirements of this article, as well as the corresponding
VC Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SLDO) sections.
All conditional uses shall comply with the following standards. The conditions in this section are additive to those in §
116-291; provided, however, that in the event of conflict with §
116-291, these conditions shall apply.
A. Shared driveways and parking. Notwithstanding the provisions of §
116-291A(7), all conditional uses shall have either a shared driveway with an adjacent property or shared parking or both; provided, however, that if a permitted or conditional use is being converted to a new conditional use, this requirement shall not apply.
B. Buffers and landscaping. In addition to the requirements contained in §
116-291C herein, for all required landscaping and buffers required for any conditional use, deciduous trees shall be a minimum of 2.5 inches in caliper and evergreen trees shall be planted at a size of six to eight feet in height.
C. All parking areas shall have at least one tree of 2.5 inches minimum
caliper for every five parking spaces in single bays and two trees
of 2.5 inches minimum caliper for every 10 parking spaces in double
bays A combination of deciduous and evergreen shrubs shall also be
included within parking lot islands.
D. The maximum density for townhomes, apartments and/or condominiums
shall be eight dwelling units per acre. For a mixed-use development,
the density shall be computed on the area of that portion of the site
used for the residential development and its associated uses (including,
but not limited to, parking, recreational facilities and the like).
In the case of mixed-use buildings, the maximum number of dwelling
units shall be reduced proportionally, based upon the proportion of
the building(s) used for nonresidential purposes. (For example, with
a single mixed-use building, 1/3 of which is used for nonresidential
purposes, the maximum number of allowable units shall be reduced by
1/3.)
E. The maximum density for nursing homes and assisted-living facilities
shall be 10 dwelling units per acre. In order to compute density for
these uses, every three beds shall be deemed to be the equivalent
of one dwelling unit.
[Amended 3-28-2013 by Ord. No. 925; 12-5-2013 by Ord. No. 931]
Dimensional and coverage standards for all VC-1, VC-2, VC-3,
and VC-4 uses shall be in compliance with the following:
Dimensional and Coverage Standards
|
Permitted Uses
|
Conditional Uses
|
Sites 5 Acres to 15 Acres
|
Sites 15 Acres or Greater
|
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1. Maximum nonresidential building footprint for new construction
only
|
6,000 square feet
|
8,000 square feet, except for retail, in which a maximum of
10,000 square feet is permitted
|
30,000 square feet
|
70,000 square feet
|
2. Maximum residential building footprint for new construction
only
|
4,000 square feet
|
8,000 square feet
|
15,000 square feet
|
15,000 square feet
|
3. Maximum building footprint for a pre-1940 building with additions
|
8,000 square feet
|
10,000 square feet
|
10,000 square feet
|
10,000 square feet
|
4. Maximum building height
|
3 stories, provided the building height does not exceed 42 feet
|
3 stories, provided the building height does not exceed 42 feet
|
3 stories, provided the building height does not exceed 42 feet
|
3 stories, provided the building height does not exceed 50 feet
|
5. Maximum building front facade width
|
75 feet
|
75 feet
|
100 feet
|
130 feet
|
6. Maximum building coverage
|
30%
|
40%
|
40%
|
40%
|
7. Maximum impervious coverage
|
50% (65% for nonresidential VC-3 uses)
|
65%
|
65%
|
65%
|
8. Maximum impervious coverage if provisions* are made for shared parking with shared driveways to adjacent properties that are concurrently zoned VC-1, VC-2, VC-3 or VC-4 for a use permitted by right, or optional public space requirements are met per § 116-297
|
60%
|
75%
|
75%
|
75%
|
9. Minimum vegetated open space, trees or landscaping**
|
50%
|
35%
|
35%
|
35%
|
10. Minimum lot width at building setback line
|
100 feet
|
100 feet
|
250 feet
|
500 feet
|
11. Minimum street frontage
|
50 feet
|
50 feet
|
100 feet
|
500 feet
|
12. Minimum building separation
|
15 feet
|
15 feet
|
25 feet
|
25 feet
|
NOTES:
|
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* "Provisions" shall be interpreted as the construction of shared
parking and driveways or the provision of optional public spaces;
if adjacent parcel does not have any nearby parking or driveway, aisles
and easements that would facilitate shared parking and driveways when
the adjacent parcel is further developed must be provided.
|
** Said percentages may be reduced commensurate with any increase in impervious coverage permitted by Standard No. 7 for nonresidential VC-3 permitted uses, by Standard No. 8 in this section, or by conditional use in accordance with the provisions of § 116-297 herein.
|
[Added 12-5-2013 by Ord. No. 931]
Building dimensions, location and setback standards shall be
as follows:
Lot Area
|
Front Yard Requirements
|
Side/Rear Yard Requirements
|
Less than 2 acres
|
A minimum of 50% and a maximum of 90% of the building facade(s)
shall be located 10 feet from the ultimate right-of-way, with the
remaining facade setback further.
|
If/when adjacent to a residentially zoned and/or used property,
the minimum setback shall be 25 feet. In all other cases, minimum
side/rear yard setbacks shall be five feet.
|
2 acres to 5 acres (not inclusive)
|
A minimum of 40% and a maximum of 80% of the building facade(s)
shall be located 10 feet from the ultimate right-of-way, with the
remaining facade set back further.
|
If/when adjacent to a residentially zoned and/or used property,
the minimum setback shall be 35 feet. In all other cases, minimum
side/rear yard setbacks shall be five feet.
|
5 acres to 15 acres
|
A minimum of 30% and a maximum of 70% of the building facade(s)
shall be located 15 feet from the ultimate right-of-way, with the
remaining facade set back further
|
If/when adjacent to a residentially zoned and/or used property,
the minimum setback shall be 45 feet. In all other cases, minimum
side/rear yard setbacks shall be 15 feet.
|
15 acres or greater
|
Building facades shall be located a minimum of 35 feet from
the ultimate right-of-way and 15 feet from an internal private roadway.
|
If/when adjacent to a residentially zoned and/or used property,
the minimum setback shall be 45 feet. In all other cases, minimum
side/rear yard setbacks shall be 15 feet.
|
The following setback requirements shall apply for parking spaces
and aisleways:
A. There shall be no minimum side or rear yard parking setback for a
parcel(s) being developed in accordance with these standards if that
parcel is adjacent to a nonresidentially zoned and/or used property.
B. When a property being developed in accordance with these standards
is adjacent to a residentially zoned and/or used property, there shall
be a minimum parking setback of 20 feet from the residential property
line.
C. If any parking is along the right-of-way, the parking setback shall
be 10 feet from the ultimate right-of-way.
D. Notwithstanding the requirements of §
116-184F, parking shall be set back a minimum of 10 feet from any principal structure, with a possible reduction to as little as seven feet, based upon the type of construction of said structure, with the approval of the Fire Marshal. This area shall be used for pedestrian accessways and planting beds.
[Amended 3-28-2013 by Ord. No. 925]
Signs in a VC District shall be regulated in accordance with §
116-207.1 and Article
XXVIII of the Zoning Ordinance of the Whitemarsh Township Code, as amended.