In any areas of the Township where maps or data prepared by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Flood Insurance Administration (Flood Hazard Area Maps), indicate a floodplain exists, development of any kind proposed to take place within or adjacent to such floodplain shall not be approved, and no building permits for construction shall be issued, until the requirements of Chapter
183, Floodplain Management, have been met.
[Amended 5-16-2011 by Ord. No. 855]
A. All subdivisions and plans shall comply with Chapter
242, Stormwater Management, of the Code of the Township of Butler.
B. Graded areas shall be stabilized with erosion-resisting plantings
placed immediately after the completion of grading. Graded slopes
produced by placing fill earth over the preexisting surface shall
be keyed in accordance with sound geotechnical practices.
C. Grades of embankments resulting from preparation of building lots
or sites shall not exceed one-foot vertical rise for every two feet
of horizontal run for fill slopes or one-foot vertical rise for every
1 1/2 feet horizontal run for slopes created by excavating in
areas that have lain dormant for at least two years, except that steeper
slopes may be permitted in areas where, in the opinion of a professional
engineer, as evidenced in a written report concurred in by the Township
Engineer, conditions are such as to allow slopes up to a maximum grade
determined by the engineers.
D. No grading shall occur within five feet of any subdivision or development
plan boundary, except as is needed for the entrance of streets or
to grade off land immediately adjacent to a street to the street's
elevation.
E. All persons, partnerships or corporations intending to excavate, fill or grade land in the Township shall be required to apply for a grading permit under the terms of Chapter
188, Grading and Excavating, of the Code of the Township of Butler, as amended, and shall have a valid grading permit in their possession prior to the start of any grading work. Work shall be undertaken in conformance with the requirements of this chapter and applicable regulations of Butler County.
In addition to all applicable standards specified in §§
252-26 through
252-37, land developments, as defined herein, which propose multifamily dwelling units or any nonresidential development, constructing a new building or buildings, enlarging an existing building, altering access points from public streets or rearranging or enlarging parking shall comply with the following standards:
A. Coverage of the property by building. The property shall contain adequate space for required off-street parking, truck servicing and landscaping, but shall be covered by structures no more than required by the Table of Bulk and Dimensional Requirements specified in §
300-22B of Chapter
300, Zoning.
B. Setbacks of building.
(1) Buildings shall be set back as required by the Table of Bulk and Dimensional Requirements in Chapter
300, Zoning.
(2) When several commercial or industrial structures share
the same property, they shall be separated by at least 20 feet, whether
or not an open canopy may connect them.
C. Parking on the property. Automobile parking spaces on the property shall be provided as required by §
300-25 of Chapter
300, Zoning. Circulation into and through the parking area shall be the simplest possible, given the property size and shape. Advantage within the parking area shall be given the pedestrian. A fire lane, as approved by the Township Fire Marshal, shall be maintained around those sides of the building abutting the parking areas. Where the ground beyond the edge of the parking area slopes downward and cars are to be parked at right angles to the slope, wheel stops or a curb shall be provided at the edge of the pavement. Parking spaces shall be marked off in traffic paint with lines not less than six inches wide.
D. Access into the property.
(1) Access into the property shall only be made at curb
cut locations approved by the Board of Commissioners. Not more than
two such access points shall be permitted if the property frontage
is less than 300 feet on one street, nor more than three access points
if frontage length is greater than 300 feet. Where a property fronts
on two or more streets, one access point may be permitted on each
secondary street in addition to those on the principal access street.
(2) Access points shall be located to provide maximum
sight distances for car drivers leaving the property and those on
the abutting street. A sight distance of not less than 200 feet in
each direction along the street at each access point shall be considered
an optimum condition, measured between three feet six inches and eight
feet above the pavement at the access point. Obstructions on the property
reducing sight distances shall be removed.
(3) Developers shall be responsible for providing permanent
structures, in the form of curbs, landscaped areas or other barriers
to limit access to the approved locations. Access points shall be
not less than 20 feet nor more than 35 feet wide. Where curbing is
employed, a curb radius of not less than 20 feet shall be provided
at the intersection of the public street and access drive. The Board
of Commissioners may require, at its option, that certain access points
be limited to specific movements into or out of the property in order
to assure maximum public safety. Further, the Board may require, in
the case of large parking areas, that entering traffic must proceed
at least 60 feet along the access drive into the property before turning
into a parking lane.
E. Truck loading areas. When businesses receive and/or ship goods on the property, a loading area or areas for that purpose shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of §
300-26 of Chapter
300, Zoning. Loading areas shall be set aside independent of off-street parking areas and arranged so that delivery vehicles may enter and leave the servicing area moving in a forward direction. Loading areas shall be to the side or rear of the commercial or industrial building.
F. Pedestrian walkways. Where parking spaces on a property
are located in excess of 140 feet from the building they are designed
to serve, a pedestrian walkway shall be provided in the parking area
not less than four feet in width connecting the parking spaces to
the entrances to the building. Such pedestrian walkways may occur
between rows of parking spaces where the spaces are at right angles
to the building or along the ends of rows where the spaces are arranged
parallel to the building. A walkway along the edge of the parking
area adjacent to the building, raised six inches above the parking
area, shall be provided, connecting to the building entrances. A handicapped
ramp or ramps shall be constructed between the parking area and raised
walkway adjacent to the building.
G. Stormwater. All plans shall comply with Chapter
242, Stormwater Management, of the Code of the Township of Butler.
[Amended 5-16-2011 by Ord. No. 855]
H. Lighting of property.
[Amended 12-21-2009 by Ord. No. 846]
(1) Parking
and pedestrian areas on the property shall be lighted to create a
level of not less than one footcandle when measured three feet above
the pavement throughout the paved areas on the property. Such lighting
may be from freestanding lampposts within the parking areas, from
nearby street lights or from lights mounted on buildings.
(2) Lighting shall be shielded or aimed so as not to create glare conditions on adjacent streets or properties. The provisions of Article
VI, Generally Applicable Provisions, §
300-28, Performance standards, Subsection
G, Glare, of Chapter
300, Zoning, shall be applicable to all exterior lighting.
(3) Light
standards in parking areas shall be protected from accidental damage
by vehicles through the installation of concrete-filled bollards,
raised islands or planted areas.
I. Landscaping.
(1) All areas of the property not paved or occupied by
buildings shall be landscaped and maintained. At least 5% of the area
of the property lying between the abutting street and the principal
building or buildings on the property shall be set aside for landscaping.
Where the property abuts two streets, at least 8% of the area between
the streets and principal building or buildings shall be set aside
for landscaping. Lot areas not covered by buildings, sidewalks, pavement
or other improvements shall be seeded with grass or other appropriate
ground cover material compatible with the landscape and architectural
design and condition of the surrounding areas.
(2) Landscaping may take the form of grassed areas, shrubbery,
trees, ground cover, mulching materials, boulders or other features
in combination and shall conform to accepted minimum standards. Landscaping
materials shall not obstruct sight distances at access points to the
property. Existing vegetation shall be considered as meeting the minimum
standards for planted materials in this subsection when identified
on the site plan.
[Amended 12-21-2009 by Ord. No. 846]
(3) Where properties abut residentially zoned lots, the
following requirements shall apply:
(a)
All sites in a "C" classified zone having a
common boundary with an "R" classified property shall erect and maintain
a view-obscuring fence or dense coniferous hedge to a height of not
less than six feet along such common boundary for purpose of controlling
access and providing visual and noise buffers between the dissimilar
uses.
(b)
All sites in an "M" classified zone having a
common boundary with an "R" classified property shall have planted
and maintained along such common boundary a view-obscuring coniferous
greenbelt of shrubs, trees and native vegetation not less than eight
feet in height nor less than 10 feet in width, for screening purposes
and controlling access.
(c)
In any zoning district, sites approved for development
of nonresidential uses, whether permitted as uses by right, conditional
uses or special exceptions, and which share common boundaries with
residentially zoned lots, shall be required to erect and maintain
a view-obscuring fence or dense coniferous hedge to a height of not
less than six feet along such common boundary for purposes of controlling
access and providing visual and noise buffers between the dissimilar
uses.
(4) Where plantings are used as a screen, they shall be
not less than three feet in height above ground level when planted
and arranged to create a dense hedge when mature. The Board of Commissioners
may modify these requirements where topography or existing natural
growth to remain on the property after development will serve the
purpose of a screen.
(5) The developer shall post a performance bond and a
maintenance bond or other security satisfactory to the Township Solicitor
in an amount approved by the Township Engineer, equal to the estimated
cost of the landscaping to guarantee implementation of the landscaping
bond to be held for two complete growing seasons to assure stabilization
and growth of the landscaping materials.
J. Garbage and trash containers. All organic rubbish
and discarded materials shall be placed in tight vermin-proof containers
on the property and shall be secured in side or rear yards screened
from public view by means of a solid-face fence or wall. Containers
shall be emptied not less frequently than once a week. On properties
where food is served in paper containers, covered waste receptacles
shall be conspicuously located on the premises for use by patrons.
The management shall be responsible for maintaining the property free
of litter.
K. Appearance of buildings. Where several commercial
or industrial buildings occupy the same property or several commercial
or industrial enterprises occupy the same building, there shall be
an architectural continuity in the design of the facades of the building
or buildings facing the street or streets to which the property has
access. Evidence of continuity may be shown by the use of a common
wall finishing material, common size, height and lettering style of
signs, and similar window and door sizes, heights and arrangements.
Unpainted concrete block walls will be permitted only where they are
hidden from public view and from the view from nearby residential
properties.
L. Use of trailers on a commercial or industrial property.
No vehicle towed to a site or driven there shall be used for purposes
of storage or materials or goods, for temporary expansion of a business
or for sales or display of goods.