[Amended 2-13-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-01]
In expansion of the declaration of legislative intent and statement of community development objectives found in §§ 500-101 and 500-102 of Article I of this chapter, it is the intent of this article to provide regulations for commercial land uses that are generally consistent with the goals and recommendations of the Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Comprehensive Plan, the Upper Hanover Township Open Space and Environmental Resource Protection Plan Update (2006,) or any successor plan thereto, and the following objectives:
A.
Permit a wide variety of commercial uses in locations consistent with the recommendations of the Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Comprehensive Plan.
B.
Establish standards for orderly and well-planned development of commercial uses, in accord with the objectives, policies and proposals of the Upper Perkiomen Valley Regional Comprehensive Plan.
C.
Provide regulations that minimize the adverse effects of noise, lighting and appearance of commercial uses on adjacent and nearby residential or institutional properties, including standards for landscaped buffers and screens, as well as architectural safeguards.
D.
Provide development standards that promote compatibility between commercial uses and nearby areas, enhance the quality and character of existing commercial areas, and require new commercial development to contribute to the existing small town and rural character of the Upper Perkiomen Valley Region.
E.
Limit the scale of new commercial development to that which can serve the Upper Perkiomen Valley Region while providing opportunities for commercial uses that cannot easily be accommodated on properties available in the region's boroughs.
F.
Establish development standards for independent development on individual parcels as well as for neighborhood shopping center development within the CB Commercial Business District and the LIC-2 Light Industrial and Limited Commercial District.