The Planning Board shall, subject to the procedures, standards and limitations hereinafter set forth, have authority to review and approve or disapprove applications for planned development approval for the uses and developments noted in §
163-156 of this chapter. In no case shall any resolution of the Board of Adjustment substitute for that of the Planning Board as to any approval required in connection with a planned development.
[Amended 5-7-1981 by Ord. No. 32-1981]
A. This Article establishes special procedures and special substantive
regulations with respect to all types of planned developments permitted
in the City of Atlantic City, including residential cluster developments,
residential planned unit developments, resort planned developments,
commercial planned developments, industrial planned developments,
mixed use planned developments and commercial planned developments
of piers. The substantive and procedural provisions of this article,
taken in combination, are intended to substitute flexible substantive
standards and procedural protections for inflexible substantive regulations
in recognition of the fact that traditional regulations governing
use, density and intensity and physical configuration of land use,
which may be useful in protecting the character of substantially developed
and stable areas, may impose inappropriate preregulations and rigidities
upon the development or redevelopment of parcels or areas which lend
themselves to an individual, planned approach. The substantive and
procedural regulations are also intended to give reasonable assurance
to the developer that he will receive expeditious ultimate approval
before expending substantial moneys on final plans while, at the same
time, providing the City with assurances that the project will retain
the character set forth at the time the planned development is first
approved.
B. Planned developments may be established pursuant to the provisions
of this article to achieve the following objectives:
(1)
A development pattern in harmony with the objectives of the
various plans, maps, programs and ordinances adopted or approved by
the City to guide its growth and development.
(2)
A more desirable environment than would be possible through
the strict application of other land use and development regulations
of the City.
(3)
A creative use of land and related physical development which
allows an orderly transition from one land use to another.
(4)
An efficient use of land resulting in smaller networks of utilities
and streets and thereby lower development and housing costs.
(5)
Diversification in the uses permitted and variation in the relationship
of uses, structures, open spaces and heights of structures in developments
conceived as cohesive unified projects.
(6)
Higher standards of site and building design through the use
of trained and experienced land planners, architects, landscape architects
and engineers, to the end that the type, design and layout of residential,
resort, commercial, industrial, mixed use and commercial pier developments
may be substantially and efficiently related to the particular site
and its environs.
(7)
The preservation and enhancement of desirable natural site characteristics,
including environmental and ecological systems and amenities.
(8)
The provision of man-made amenities.
(9)
The preservation of and provision for the functional and beneficial
use of natural and landscaped open areas.
(10)
Innovations and flexibility in residential development, to the
end that the growing demands for housing at all economic levels may
be met by greater variety in tenure, design and siting of dwellings
and by the conservation and more efficient use of land in residential
developments.
(11)
More convenience in location of residential uses and related
accessory, commercial and service areas.
(12)
Attractive, efficient and economic resort, commercial and industrial
developments designed to enhance the economic well-being of the City
without unnecessary or undue disruption of its residential areas.
(13)
Promotion and control of development associated with an active
resort, convention and tourist industry.
(14)
Accomplishment of maximum practicable energy efficiency through
efficient use of land, siting and design of structures and utilization
of renewable energy sources and technology economizing depletable
sources.
(15)
The adaptive reuse, reconstruction or restoration of existing
piers as viable environmental, commercial, cultural, recreational
or traditional boardwalk design elements.
[Amended 5-7-1981 by Ord. No. 32-1981; 6-15-1988 by Ord. No.
1-1988]
No planned development may be approved except as a conditional use pursuant to the procedures of §
163-157 of this chapter and subject to the general standards applicable to all planned developments pursuant to §
163-158 of this chapter and the standards applicable pursuant to the provisions of this article to the particular type of planned development proposed. Every planned development authorized pursuant to this article shall be subject to all the provisions of Part
5, Article
XXVI, of this chapter relating to conditional uses and to all the provisions of Part
5, Articles
XIX through
XXV, of this chapter relating to site plan/subdivision approval.
The following planned developments, and none others, may be
authorized as conditional uses in the zoning districts indicated,
subject to the standards noted:
A. Residential cluster developments in any single-family residential district, subject to the standards established by §§
163-158 and
163-159 of this chapter.
B. Residential planned unit developments in any residential district and in the areas specifically designated for such use on the Zoning Map, subject to the standards established by §§
163-158 and
163-160 of this chapter.
C. Resort planned developments in the Resort Commercial District subject to the standards established by §§
163-158 and
163-161 of this chapter.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
D. Commercial planned developments in the area specifically designated "Central Business District" on the Zoning Map, subject to the standards established by §§
163-158 and
163-162 of this chapter.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
E. Industrial planned developments in any L-I District, subject to the standards established by §§
163-158 and
163-163 of this chapter.
G. Commercial planned developments of piers in the Beach District, subject to the standards established by §
163-165 of this chapter.
[Added 5-7-1981 by Ord. No. 32-1981]
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
A. Purpose. The standards of this section are intended to serve as an
overlay district for the Riverside RM-1 District. The district is
generally bounded by Absecon Boulevard, Grammercy Avenue, Penrose
Canal and the Clam Thoroughfare. The purpose of providing the planned
unit, mid-rise residential development program outlined herein is
to maximize the ability of utilizing large tracts of land with waterfront
and highway orientation common to this district. The ability to provide
comprehensive development planning, incorporating the last remaining
resources of vacant parcels of land oriented to water and highway
conditions is an important ingredient in planned unit development.
Accordingly, the overlay district is presented to provide for the
planned development of such limited land resources.
B. Minimum tract size. No residential planned unit development of this
nature shall be approved for development on a tract containing less
than five acres.
C. Use standards. Except as provided in the following subsection, no
use shall be authorized by a residential planned unit development
permit except uses permitted as herein indicated:
(1)
Residential development in the form of townhouses, multifamily
dwellings and mid-rise residential structures, not exceeding 100 feet
in height.
(2)
Commercial facilities shall be permitted which are supportive
of the residential facilities in the complex. These shall include
but not be limited to retail sales and service facilities to neighborhood
service centers.
(3)
Marina facilities providing both dockage and first echelon services,
such as gas, supplies, etc., to service marina users and accessory
clubhouse facilities shall be permitted as part of an overall residential
mid-rise planned unit development (RMR-PUD).
D. Density standards. Density for the Residential Mid-Rise Planned Unit
Development District shall not exceed 26 units per gross acre. Given
the comprehensive planned unit development approach to the design
and development of such a district, the commercial and marina land
mass shall not be deducted from the total residential permitted density
since these are supportive facilities which will be designed to function
collectively.
E. Building heights. The following heights shall be applicable within
the Residential Mid-Rise Planned Unit Development Overlay District:
(1)
Mid-rise residential structures: 100 feet.
(2)
Low-rise residential structures: as applicable in the RM-1 Zone.
(3)
Commercial structures: as applicable in the Neighborhood Commercial
District, but not to exceed 35 feet in height.
F. Urban design considerations. The implementation of planned unit residential
development requires that design considerations, dealing with siting,
layout, landscaping, incorporation of design features, creation of
water's edge conditions, energy conservation, be initiated to make
a substantial contribution to the overall appearance and aesthetic
quality of the facility. The ability to utilize mid-rise towers at
critical locations on the site, incorporating them in the overall
lot and building arrangement, requires that strong consideration be
given to landscaping, signage, building orientation, water's edge
treatment, traffic and circulation, etc.
G. Other standards. Standards applying to parking, landscaping, energy
conservation and other applicable urban design standards incorporated
in this chapter shall pertain herein.
[Added 5-7-1981 by Ord. No. 32-1981]
A. Purpose. The standards of this section are intended to permit approval
of the commercial planned development of piers existing in the Beach
District and the upgrading of existing piers in the district as viable
environmental, commercial, cultural, recreational or traditional boardwalk
elements, which may be referred to herein as a "commercial planned
development pier."
B. Other standards. The standards set forth in this section are in addition to the standards set forth in Subsections
A,
B,
C,
E,
F and
G of §
163-158 of this chapter. The standards set forth in Subsections
D and
E of §
163-158 of this chapter shall not be applicable to commercial planned developments of piers.
C. Minimum tract size. There shall be no minimum tract size for a commercial
planned development pier. The size of such a planned development shall
be determined by the property lines of the tract of which the existing
pier is a part.
D. Uses. The permitted and conditional uses on a commercial planned
development pier are indicated, according to major generic use categories,
on the schedule appearing in the schedule at the end of this chapter. Permitted uses are indicated by the letter "P" and conditional
uses are indicated by the letter "C."
E. Space, bulk and yard requirements.
[Amended 8-6-1997 by Ord. No. 45-1997]
(1)
The maximum height of structures shall not exceed 100 feet above
the Boardwalk level, except that at a point commencing at the midpoint
of the pier, the maximum permitted height shall be 200 feet for unique
entertainment and recreational features having as the basic component
thematic and amusement attributes subject to approval by the Planning
Board.
(2)
No front setback from the Boardwalk is required up to a height
of 35 feet. Above 35 feet, the "front yard setback" is defined as
an imaginary plane extending upward from the Oceanside edge of the
Boardwalk at an angle of 30% from the vertical plane. Up to a height
of 80 feet above the Boardwalk level, a minimum side setback of 12
feet per side shall be provided. Above a height of 80 feet, an additional
18 feet per side shall be required. A rear setback of at least 30
feet shall be provided at the oceanside edge of the pier from pier
level up to height of 80 feet. Above 80 feet, an additional 20 feet
shall be required.
(3)
For purposes of the above, the following terms shall have the
meanings herein ascribed to them:
FRONT LOT LINE
The Boardwalk line separating the pier from the Boardwalk.
REAR LOT LINE
The lot line which is parallel to and most distant from the
front lot line, as defined above, and representing the outer edge
of the building plate of the pier along the south edge.
SIDE LOT LINE
The line representing the outer edge of the building plate
of the pier along the east and west edges.
(4)
The floor area ratio shall be no greater than three.
(5)
These requirements are not conditional use standards and thus, any relief sought from their application will be subject to the standards set forth in §
163-168B or §
163-168C, as applicable.
F. Accessory uses. Accessory uses are permitted on a commercial planned development pier subject to the provisions of §
163-68 of this chapter.
G. Sales of alcoholic beverages. The sale of alcoholic beverages shall
be allowed on a commercial planned development pier in accordance
with appropriate state and local laws and regulations.
H. Loading and delivery. The applicant shall make adequate provisions
for loading and delivery.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
I. Parking.
(1)
Patrons. No parking for patrons shall be required unless the
Planning Board finds that the uses included on the commercial planned
development pier generate substantial parking needs beyond the rates
customary for Boardwalk activities and the parking tolerance of the
Boardwalk area, in which case the Planning Board shall prescribe the
necessary parking requirements.
(2)
Employees. Parking for employees shall be provided at the rate prescribed for employees in §
163-70A(3) of this chapter, unless the Planning Board finds that the parking required for employees should be reduced on the basis of mitigating circumstances.
(3)
Location. Required patron parking, if any per Subsection
I(1), and employee parking shall be provided as per the provision set forth at §
163-70A(1)(c)[2].
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988; 8-6-1997 by Ord. No.
45-1997]
J. Signs. All signs shall be subject to the regulations applicable to
the Resort Commercial District.
[Amended 6-15-1988 by Ord. No. 1-1988]
K. Development over a period of years. A commercial planned development
pier may be completed in phases or units.
L. Heliports/helistops. Heliports and helistops shall only be built
upon commercial planned developments at a location which is at least
300 feet oceanward of the average low-tide line. For the purpose of
this section, the "average low-tide line" shall be defined as the
mean low tide line within 500 feet of both the east and west side
of the pier structure upon which a heliport or helistop is being proposed.
[Added 2-28-1990 by Ord. No. 1-1990]
M. Casino hotels. The following additional standards for casino hotels
apply; however, casinos and casino hotels are not permitted on Garden
Pier:
[Added 8-6-1997 by Ord. No. 45-1997]
(1)
The pier and the land-based casino hotel facility located in
the Boardwalk RSC District and abutting the Boardwalk shall be physically
connected.
(2)
The connecting component, i.e., the structural element between
the pier and the casino hotel, is subject to the following limitations:
(a)
Enclosed space above the Boardwalk.
(b)
Above grade connectors will be designed only for pedestrian
movement with a maximum width of 20 feet and a maximum height of 15
feet, not including structural load bearing members. The connectors
shall have a minimum height of 14 feet six inches above the Boardwalk.
Only one above grade connector over the Boardwalk per pier will be
permitted.
(c)
To the maximum extent possible, the connectors should be constructed
of transparent material and designed in such a fashion to convey a
feeling of spaciousness and openness. Further, to the maximum extent
possible, any signature or architectural theme associated with the
casino hotel or pier should be incorporated into the design elements
of the connectors.
(3)
In furtherance of the purpose in Subsection
A, a casino room shall not occupy more than 25% of the total floor area of the pier. However, an additional 10% of the total floor area may be used for casino room space if it is demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Planning Board, that a unique family entertainment theme is being provided as a major component of the comprehensive pier development. If the existing use of the pier includes youth-oriented entertainment facilities, then the application for development of the pier hereunder shall provide youth-oriented entertainment facilities, either at a readily accessible on-site or at an appropriate off-site location, which youth-oriented entertainment facilities shall be completed within six months of the completion of the project proposed to be developed on such pier. It is understood that the applicant need not replicate the existing youth entertainment facilities, but rather provide such facilities which may reflect traditional and/or nontraditional technological advanced youth-oriented activities designed to further the purpose of this section. If the casino room is at the Boardwalk level of the pier, then it shall have a minimum setback of 25% of the pier's length from the Boardwalk entrances to the pier.
(4)
Hotel rooms shall be limited to 15% of the total floor area
of the pier. However, if hotel rooms are provided in conjunction with
casino space, the combined total of these two uses shall not exceed
50% of total floor area.
(5)
Remaining square footage shall emphasize themed entertainment
and recreational uses.
(6)
Pedestrian promenades having a minimum width of 12 feet shall
be provided along the exterior wall of the pier at each floor containing
public space. Although no specific length or pedestrian access location
are established by this section, those elements should be designed
in such a fashion as to encourage the public to partake in this unique
pedestrian experience and view perspective that only a pier which
is perpendicular to the Boardwalk and extending out over the beach
and ocean can offer.
(7)
Building elevations should contain design elements combining
windows, entrances, setbacks or any combination of architectural elements
and lighting schemes designed to avoid a monolithical architectural
form. The Planning Board reserves the right to undertake architectural
review of all pier design elements.