In expansion of the statement of community development objectives in Article I, § 350-2, of this chapter, it is hereby declared to be the intent of this article with respect to M-1 Office and Limited Industrial Districts to provide for the orderly and planned establishment of employment-oriented office, research and development and laboratory uses and a variety of nonpolluting industrial uses in both planned centers and on individual sites that are needed to meet both local and regional employment needs and market demands and that will take advantage of the superior locations and highway accessibility offered by the Pennsylvania Turnpike and County Line Road. Furthermore, it is the intent of this article to provide performance standards, setbacks and buffering requirements to ensure that the type and magnitude of office and industrial development will cause minimal negative effects on the surrounding residential neighborhoods on the sensibilities of local residents. Finally, it is the intent of this article to recognize the need for more flexible lotting practices, such as lot averaging, for planned office and industrial parks to encourage superior site design, to preserve valuable natural features and other amenities, and to reflect the varied site needs of the prospective tenants of said parks, in furtherance of the general welfare of the residents of Upper Moreland Township.
In M-1 Office and Limited Industrial Districts, a building or
group of buildings may be erected, altered or used, and a lot may
be used or occupied, for any of the following uses and no other:
A.
Scientific or industrial research, engineering, testing or experimental
laboratory or similar establishment for research, training or product
development, provided there is no commercial production of any commodity
or substance.
B.
Office, corporate headquarters, and administrative buildings or centers.
C.
Wholesale, warehouse, storage or distribution center, provided that
satisfactory provisions are made to prevent traffic congestion and
hazard and that all loading and unloading operations shall be carried
on within or contiguous to the facade of any building(s) used for
such purposes.
D.
Printing, publishing, lithographing and similar processes.
E.
Those manufacturing uses complying with the performance standards set forth in § 350-94, Performance standards, herein.
F.
The following uses, only in conjunction with one or more of the above-permitted uses, when authorized as a conditional use by the Board of Commissioners, following review by the Advisory Planning Agency, in accordance with the requirements of § 350-95A(5), Conditional use criteria, of this article:
G.
Passenger station for public transportation.
H.
Accessory uses on the same lot and customarily incidental to any
of the above-permitted uses, which may include:
(1)
Storage within a completely enclosed building in conjunction with
a permitted use.
(2)
Repair shop or maintenance facility normally required for the conduct
of industrial operations.
(3)
A cafeteria, recreation facility or other service located within
a permitted use and operated primarily for the use of the employees
and users of the building.
(4)
Living quarters for watchmen, caretakers or similar employees.
Notwithstanding the applicable laws and regulations of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, the following performance standards shall
be used by the Board of Commissioners, Township Advisory Planning
Agency, and Township Engineer in reviewing the suitability and possible
hazardous effects of a proposed use within M-1 Office and Limited
Industrial Districts.
A.
In determining whether a proposed use is or may become noxious, hazardous
or offensive, the following standards shall apply. The proposed use
may not:
(1)
Constitute a nuisance or damage to health or any property by reason
of disseminating of noxious, toxic or corrosive fumes, smoke, odor
or dust in the immediately surrounding area or, in the case of M-1
Office and Limited Industrial Districts, beyond the district boundary
line.
(2)
Result in noise or vibration clearly exceeding the average intensity
of noise or vibration occurring from other causes at the property
line or, in the case of M-1 Office and Limited Industrial Districts,
beyond the district boundary line.
(3)
Endanger surrounding areas by reason of radiation, fire or explosion.
(4)
Produce objectionable heat or glare beyond the property line or,
in case of M-1 Office and Limited Industrial Districts, beyond the
district boundary line.
(5)
Result in electrical disturbance in nearby residences or adversely
affect the operation of equipment other than on the property on which
the disturbance is located.
(6)
Discharge any untreated sewage or industrial waste into any stream
or otherwise contribute to the pollution of surface or underground
waters.
(7)
Endanger the underground water level or supply for other properties.
(8)
Create an objectionable traffic condition on the highway or in an
adjacent area or generate a nuisance to surrounding property by reason
of truck traffic.
(9)
Create any other objectionable condition in an adjoining area which
will endanger public health and safety or be detrimental to the environmental
quality of the surrounding area.
B.
The applicant shall demonstrate to the Township Engineer that:
(2)
Adequate provisions will be made to reduce and minimize any objectionable elements to the degree necessary to ensure that the proposed use(s) will not be noxious, hazardous or offensive, as defined in Subsection A, herein.
(3)
The Township Engineer may require, in order to determine that adequate
safeguards are provided, that:
(a)
The applicant submit necessary information, impartial expert
judgments and written assurances.
(b)
The applicant obtain the advice of appropriate local, state
and federal agencies and of private consultants.
(c)
The applicant's proposed use complies with such tests or provides
such safeguards as are deemed necessary by the Board of Commissioners,
upon the advice of the Township Engineer.
The following regulations shall apply in M-1 Office and Limited
Industrial Districts.
A.
General regulations. The following general regulations shall apply
for any development proposal within M-1 Office and Limited Industrial
Districts:
(1)
Ownership. The tract of land to be developed shall be in one ownership or shall be the subject of an application filed jointly by the owners of the entire tract, and it shall be agreed that the tract will be developed under single direction in accordance with an approved plan. Development of the tract shall commence in earnest within 36 months of approval under this article, or the zoning of said tract shall revert to its former classification. Transfer of ownership to another applicant prior to the commencement of construction shall render the development agreement required in Subsection A(4), Development stages and permits, herein, void. Said agreement shall then be renegotiable between the new owner(s) and the Board of Commissioners.
(2)
Sewer and water facilities. The tract of land shall be served by
public sewer facilities and centralized water facilities deemed acceptable
by the Board of Commissioners, upon recommendation of the Township
Engineer.
(3)
Development plan. The application for development shall be accompanied
by a plan or plans showing the detailed use of the entire tract, which
plan or plans also shall comply with all requirements of the Upper
Moreland Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and other
applicable ordinances. The plan shall clearly designate the proposed
use(s) of each area of the tract.
(4)
Development stages and permits. The development of a tract carried
out in either a single phase or in stages shall be executed in accordance
with a development agreement. The owner, developer and Township shall
enter into said agreement embodying all details regarding compliance
with this article to assure the binding nature thereof on the overall
tract and its development, and said agreement shall be recorded with
the final development plan.
(5)
Conditional use criteria. An application for a conditional use, as specified in § 350-93F of this article, shall be accompanied by the following information:
(a)
A report indicating the need for the proposed use as part of
the M-1 District development, including market data, if appropriate.
(b)
A plan showing the relationship of the proposed conditional
use(s) to the overall development of the subject tract.
(c)
Proposed conditional use(s) shall be intended primarily to serve
the daily service needs of the prospective employees and users of
the M-1 District development.
(d)
If a proposed conditional use is to be located on a separate
tract, rather than integrated into the development of a permitted
use on the same tract, the minimum size shall be 30,000 square feet.
The following site development requirements shall be complied
with for a development proposal in M-1 Office and Limited Industrial
Districts.
|
Site Development Requirements
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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A Single-Use Standard Subdivision or Development
|
Optional Planned Center Development (Containing a Minimum
of 3 Uses on a Total Tract of 20 Acres or More)*
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|
A.
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Minimum lot size (excluding existing public road rights-of-way)
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2 acres
|
1 acre for individual lots; 2-acre average size
| |
|
B.
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Minimum lot width at the building line
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200 feet
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150 feet
| |
|
C.
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Minimum building setbacks measured from:
| |||
|
(1)
|
Ultimate right-of-way of existing roads peripheral to the tract
|
100 feet
|
75 feet
| |
|
(2)
|
Ultimate right-of-way of new roads constructed for and within
the subdivision or land development
|
75 feet
|
50 feet
| |
|
(3)
|
Abutting residential, recreational or institutional zoning district
boundary line
|
85 feet
|
75 feet
| |
|
(4)
|
Abutting commercial or industrial zoning district
|
50 feet
|
25 feet
| |
|
(5)
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Lot lines within the proposed subdivision or land development
| |||
|
(6)
|
Railroad and surface or subsurface utility corridors (except
for railroad sidings intended to abut buildings for loading)
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35 feet
|
35 feet
| |
|
D.
|
Minimum spacing between buildings:
| |||
|
(1)
|
Within one lot
|
50 feet
|
35 feet
| |
|
(2)
|
On abutting lots entirely within the district
|
70 feet
|
50 feet, except when buildings on abutting lots are joined along
a party wall
| |
|
E.
|
Minimum parking and driveway setbacks from:
| |||
|
(1)
|
Buildings
|
10 feet
|
10 feet
| |
|
(2)
|
Ultimate right-of-way of existing road peripheral to the tract
|
35 feet
|
35 feet
| |
|
(3)
|
Ultimate right-of-way of new roads constructed for and within
the subdivision or land development
|
25 feet
|
20 feet
| |
|
(4)
|
Abutting residential, recreation or institutional zoning district
boundary line
|
50 feet
|
35 feet
| |
|
(5)
|
Abutting commercial or industrial zoning district boundary line
|
25 feet
|
15 feet
| |
|
(6)
|
Lot lines within the proposed subdivision or land development
|
15 feet; 0 feet with coordinated parking in compliance with § 350-178
|
15 feet; 0 feet with coordinated parking in compliance with § 350-178
| |
|
F.
|
Minimum loading setbacks from:
| |||
|
(1)
|
Ultimate right-of-way of any street
|
Loading not permitted on that portion of the lot between the
building and the street or streets on which the lot is located
|
Loading not permitted on that portion of the lot between the
building and the street or streets on which the lot is located
| |
|
(2)
|
Abutting residential, recreational or institutional zoning district
|
50 feet from institutional; not permitted abutting residential
or recreational
|
Not permitted on the side or rear of buildings when abutting
these districts
| |
|
(3)
|
Lot lines within the proposed subdivision or land development
|
15 feet; 0 feet with coordinated loading in compliance with § 350-178C
|
15 feet; 0 feet with coordinated loading in compliance with § 350-178C
| |
|
G.
|
Minimum green area (lawn, trees and shrubs, planting screens,
mounding, etc.)
|
25% of lot area
|
25% of lot area
| |
|
H.
|
Maximum building area
|
50% of lot area**
|
50% of lot area**
| |
|
I.
|
Maximum building height
|
50 feet**
|
50 feet**
| |
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NOTES:
| |
|---|---|
|
*
|
Minimum fifty-foot frontage on public road for access.
|
|
**
|
Provided all building, loading, and parking setback requirements,
green area requirements, and parking capacity requirements are complied
with; not all proposals will be capable of meeting these maximums.
|
To promote more efficient lot usage and permit visual enhancement
of developments through coordinated construction, buildings may be
permitted to abut lot lines and/or be attached to buildings on other
lots in accordance with the following regulations:
A.
Any two buildings may be attached to one another at one party wall
along a side or rear property line.
B.
Up to four buildings may be attached to each other by means of one
side party wall and one rear party wall each, provided such attachment
occurs completely within the subdivision or land development proposed
by the applicant.
D.
Lots containing zero-lot-line and/or attached buildings must contain one side yard in compliance with the standard building setback requirements of § 350-96, Site development requirements, of this article.
E.
The minimum building spacing requirements contained in § 350-96 must be maintained between all buildings not attached to each other in accordance the requirements of this section. Where zero-lot-line development is used, buildings on lots abutting the zero-lot-line building must be set back from the zero-lot-line building a distance equal to the minimum building spacing requirement, rather than the minimum building setback from a lot line required in § 350-96 of this article.
In order to promote more efficient use of parking and loading
areas; to reduce the number of driveway intersections with public
roads; and to reduce stormwater runoff by allowing a reduction in
paved areas, parking and loading facilities on abutting properties
may be coordinated in accordance with the following requirements:
A.
Parking and loading facilities may be constructed with common facilities,
that is, sharing access driveways and maneuvering areas and forming
a continuous paved surface across abutting property lines.
B.
Any single coordinated parking area may contain a maximum of 200
parking spaces; rows of parking spaces shall not exceed 35 spaces
in length.
C.
Applicants are encouraged to locate coordinated loading areas in
conjunction with coordinated parking areas.
The following additional development regulations shall apply
for any development proposed in M-1 Office and Limited Industrial
Districts.
A.
Utilities. All utility lines (electrical, telephone, etc.) shall
be placed underground.
C.
The applicant shall be required to use the services of a registered
landscape architect, who shall prepare a detailed grading and planting
plan in an effort to provide the most effective choice of plant materials
arranged in an imaginative, pleasant, and functional manner. Creation
of a linear berm with monotonous repetition in planting design is
prohibited.
D.
Off-street parking and loading facilities. All off-street parking facilities serving proposed M-1 Office and Limited Industrial Districts developments shall comply with the pertinent requirements of Article XXIV, § 350-178, Off-street parking, of this chapter. All off-street loading facilities shall comply with § 350-178C of this chapter.
All proposals for developments within M-1 Office and Limited
Industrial Districts shall comply with the pertinent requirements
of the Upper Moreland Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance
concerning nonresidential developments.
The Board of Commissioners may modify the strict interpretation
of the requirements of this article, if, in its opinion and with the
concurring advice of the Township Engineer and the Advisory Planning
Agency, the proposed modifications will result in furthering the Declaration
of Legislative Intent of this article. Any such modifications shall
be requested in writing by the applicant.
