Township of Limerick, PA Lewis Road Conditional Use Overlay District

Class I. On any lot eight acres or larger in the Lewis Road Conditional Overlay District, any of the following uses, and no other, may be permitted as a conditional use as approved by the Board of Supervisors, according to the requirements of § 184-68, Conditional use applications, herein:

(1)

Banks;

(2)

Restaurants up to 20,000 square feet (two restaurants per Class I parcel);

(3)

Specialized retail up to 20,000 square feet in a single structure. No more than 15,000 square feet of specialized retail shall be allowed for every five acres of gross tract area;

(4)

Adult day-care centers;

(5)

Age-qualified residential uses are limited to condominiums and apartments including community center, assisted-living or intermediate-care dwelling units and skilled nursing home facilities. "Age-qualified" shall mean that any such use complies with the standards for "housing for older persons" exemption of 24 CFR Part 100, Subpart E, of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 as amended by the Fair Housing Amendment Act of 1988 and the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995. This use is permitted only when the entire frontage of the tract on Lewis Road is developed with nonresidential uses;

(6)

Child day-care center up to 10,000 square feet per structure;

(7)

Health-care facility up to 20,000 square feet per structure;

(8)

Health and athletic clubs up to 20,000 square feet per structure;

(9)

Professional services, up to 20,000 square feet per structure, which shall consist of accountants, actuaries, appraisers, architects, attorneys, brokerage firms, business consultants, copywriters, engineers, landscape architects, law firms, physicians, planners, public relations professionals, recruiters, researchers, real estate brokers, software engineers and web designers, and no others; and

(10)

Professional office up to 20,000 square feet per structure;

(11)

Scientific or industrial research or engineering facilities up to 20,000 square feet per structure; and

(12)

Mixed uses including two or more of the above-referenced uses on the same lot or in the same building. For mixed use Class I parcels containing residential uses, 200 square feet of nonresidential uses must be constructed for ever one residential unit at the same time as the residential uses are constructed.

Class II.

(1)

On any lot one acre or greater and less than eight acres in the Lewis Road Conditional Overlay District, any one of the following uses, and no other, may be permitted as a conditional use as approved by the Board of Supervisors, according to the requirements of § 184-68, Conditional use applications, herein:

(a)

Banks;

(b)

Restaurants up to 20,000 square feet (one restaurant per Class II parcel);

(c)

(d)

Professional office up to 20,000 square feet per structure;

(e)

Child day-care center up to 10,000 square feet per structure;

(f)

Scientific or industrial research or engineering facilities up to 20,000 square feet per structure; and

(g)

Mixed uses including two or more of the above-referenced uses on the same lot or in the same building;

(2)

Residential uses are prohibited.

Class III. On a lot or premises greater than 15,000 square feet and less than one acre, a building may be erected, altered or used as a conditional use for any of the following purposes and no other:

(1)

Home occupation;

(2)

Professional services, up to 5,000 square feet per structure, which shall consist of accountants, actuaries, appraisers, architects, attorneys, brokerage firms, business consultants, copywriters, engineers, landscape architects, law firms, physicians, planners, public relations professionals, recruiters, researchers, real estate brokers, software engineers and web designers, and no others; and

(3)

Professional offices, up to 5,000 square feet per structure, for doctors, dentists, chiropractors, realtors, insurance sales, financial consulting and no other professional offices. Massage therapy is specifically prohibited unless performed in a doctor's or chiropractor's office;

(4)

Studios for instruction of music and other arts;

(5)

Banks;

(6)

Child day-care center up to 5,000 square feet per structure.

The proposed development must be within the Lewis Road Corridor Overlay District that is located to the south of the intersection of Lewis Road and Linfield-Trappe Road and extending approximately to the intersection of Lewis Road and Abbey Road, as shown on the illustrative map in Exhibit "A"[2] which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference ("Lewis Road Corridor Overlay District"). The current specific parcels contained in the Lewis Road Overlay District are as follows: 370000151001; 370000616004; 370000619001; 370000622007; 370000625004; 370000639908; 370000640007; 370000641006; 370000643004; 370000646001; 370000648008; 370000649007; 370000650006; 370001241423; 370001241441; 370001241468; 370001531007; 370001534004; 370001537001; 370001540007; 370001543004; 370001545002; 370001546001; 370001548908; 370001549007; 370001549106; 370001549205; 370001552004; 370001555001; 370001558007; 370001561004; 370001564001; 370001567007; 370001570004; 370001573001; 370001576007; 370001579004; 370001582001; 370001585007; 370001587005; 370001591001; 370001593008; 370001594007; 370001600001; 370001601009; 370001603007; 370001606004; 370001606508; 370001608002; 370001687004; 370001690001; 370001693007; 370001696004; 370001699001; 370001702007; 370001705004; 370001708001; 370001711016; 370001714004; 370001714409; 370001717001; 370001720007; 370001721006; 370001723004; 370001723004; 370001726001; 370001729007; 370001732004; 370001735001; 370002163005; 370002284001; 370002287007; 370004724567; 370004775336 (End of List of Parcel Numbers).

[2]

Editor's Note: The exhibit with the map is on file in the Township offices.

Public central water and sewage facilities shall be utilized.

Pedestrian and bicycle facilities shall be provided for within the lot and along public rights-of-way unless otherwise authorized by the Board of Supervisors.

In between the Lewis Road right-of-way and any building, parking lots may not exceed one double-loaded parking aisle in accordance with § 155-16B of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

Any proposed development shall be developed following a single unified phased development plan, with a fully coordinated system of interior traffic access. Within the overall development plan, individual lots meeting the minimum lot area requirements may be created, provided that each lot utilizes a shared interior access system, as opposed to an individual driveway(s) onto dedicated or private street(s).

A detailed landscaping plan prepared in accordance with § 155-34C of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and sealed by a registered landscape architect shall be submitted to the Township for review and approval to determine compliance with Township ordinances. The following standards shall apply and supersede requirements stated in § 155.27.1, Buffers and screens, of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

(1)

Developments designed under Class III shall use the following standards:

(a)

The buffer yard width shall be reduced to 15 feet.

(b)

For nonresidential uses adjacent to residential land uses:

[1]

Plantings within the buffer shall be two times (double) the required plantings specified in § 155-27.1C(5)(b), Medium intensity buffer, of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

[Added 6-16-2015 by Ord. No. 360]

(Reserved)[3]

[3]

Editor's Note: Former Subsection G, regarding plantings within the buffer, was repealed 6-16-2015 by Ord. No. 360.

The site element screens, as specified in § 155-27.1D of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, shall not be required, except as noted:

(1)

For any use adjacent to nonresidential land uses, the buffer requirement shall not be required for parking areas. Site Element Screen Type 1 as specified in § 155-27.1D(6)(a) of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance is required around all parking areas.

(2)

More rigorous landscaping requirements may be added to address Township design concerns by the Board of Supervisors.

(3)

All required streetscape improvements shall be installed before a certificate of occupancy is issued by the Township for any building on the tract. If plant materials cannot be planted during cold weather winter months, a temporary certificate of occupancy will be issued. Plant materials must be installed as soon as weather permits, but in no case later than April 30.

Architectural design guidelines.

(1)

All proposed buildings and renovations and additions to existing buildings, shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the architectural design guidelines.

(2)

As the first step in the review of proposed architecture, the applicant shall submit information, including but not limited to photographic examples of the proposed type and character of proposed architecture for preliminary review by the Board of Supervisors.

(3)

Once the preliminary architectural type is reviewed by the Board of Supervisors, additional and more detailed architectural, color renderings, prepared by a registered architect, shall be submitted for all proposed buildings, together with a list and samples of types of exterior building materials that will be visible from a public street.

(4)

Horizontal articulation of a building, using elements such as pent eaves, pediments, and sills and lintels above and below windows and doors is required. Similarly, roofline offsets, cross gables, and dormers shall be used to vary the massing of a building and relieve the effect of a single, long roof. The massing of any one building should generally not exceed 50 feet (horizontal dimension) without a change of facade plane or materials.

(5)

Vertical articulation of a building is likewise required. Elements such as pilasters, columns (freestanding or integral to walls), slight variations in the wall plane to break up continuous facades and other architectural elements and changes in materials shall be used. Blank facades, without windows or architectural elements to create interest, are prohibited.

(6)

Proportions of walls to openings. For building facades facing streets, a wall-to-window ratio of between two to one and four to one is required. For commercial and retail uses, a wall-to-window ratio of between one to one and two to one is required.

(7)

All buildings three stories or less shall have a pitched roof. All buildings more than three stories shall have roofs that appear to be pitched and meet the approval of the Board of Supervisors. All visibly exposed walls shall have an articulated cornice that projects horizontally from the vertical building wall. All air-conditioning units, HVAC systems, exhaust pipes or stacks, satellite dishes and other telecommunications devices shall be thoroughly screened from view from both the public right-of-way and adjacent properties by using parapets, walls or roof elements. Such screening devices should be compatible with the proposed building materials.

[Amended 8-16-2011 by Ord. No. 325]

(8)

Fixed or retractable awnings are permitted at ground floor level and on upper levels where appropriate, if they complement a building's architectural features. Metal or internally lit awnings are prohibited. In buildings with multiple storefronts, or on adjacent buildings, compatible awnings may be used as a means of unifying the structures.

(9)

Building materials. Materials proposed for buildings in the Lewis Road Overlay District should reflect the architectural influences of the region.

(a)

Preferred facade materials include:

[1]

Brick.

[2]

Stone native to the region.

[3]

Wood clapboard, trim and detailing.

[4]

Simulated wood clapboard (cementicious or vinyl).

[5]

Stucco, provided it is not more than 50% of the wall facade.

[6]

Split-face cement block, provided that it is highly textured.

(b)

Other possibly acceptable building facade materials (subject to approval of the Board of Supervisors) include:

[1]

Simulated brick.

[2]

Simulated stone.

(10)

Chain-store architecture. If a use is proposed that is a part of a chain-store franchise that has standard architectural styles, materials and motifs, the proposed architecture must still comply with the architectural design guidelines.

(11)

All structures proposed under the same application or development parcel shall consist of a unified and/or compatible architectural theme.

(12)

Signage. Signage for any proposed use in the Lewis Road Overlay District shall be an integral part of the architectural design for the building(s). Signage materials shall utilize the same, similar or complementary materials as utilized for the buildings and are subject to the review and approval of the Board of Supervisors. Maximum sizes for signs shall be regulated in accordance with use and with Article XII, Signs, of this chapter, except to the extent specifically modified or limited by § 184-93K(2). Sign text, content, and changes and maintenance of same shall not be subject to conditional use approval.

[Amended 8-15-2017 by Ord. No. 379]

The following standards shall apply for Class 1 age-qualified residential uses:

(1)

No residential building shall be located within 200 feet of the Lewis Road ultimate right-of-way.

(2)

Individual fee simple lots shall not be required.

(3)

Off-street parking shall be provided at a ratio of one off-street parking space per residential dwelling unit. An additional 0.2 off-street parking space per residential dwelling unit shall be provided as designated guest parking. If required guest parking calculated in accordance with this subsection results in a fraction of 0.4 or less, the required guest parking shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number.

(4)

(Reserved)[4]

[4]

Editor's Note: Former Subsection J(4), regarding residential building facades and covered walkways connecting buildings, was repealed 8-16-2011 by Ord. No. 325.

(5)

A pedestrian circulation system shall be developed that provides logical and safe connections to residences, buildings, destinations, and off-site uses, as approved by the Board of Supervisors.

(6)

At least 10% of a Class I tract containing an age-qualified residential use shall consist of usable open space(s) that can be used by residents for passive recreation. Amenities in this area shall include shade trees and other extensive plant materials, lawn areas, benches, and other sitting areas, gazebos, ornamental gardens and other similar features. At least 5% of the tract shall be contiguous usable open space.

No structure constructed within 200 feet of the legal right-of-way of Lewis Road shall consist of more than 20,000 square feet of gross floor area;

A comprehensive traffic study considering all traffic impacts, expected at full build-out of all phases within the proposed development, shall be prepared and shall address all aspects of traffic safety and improvements which will be necessitated by the traffic generation of the facility.

The streetscape for all properties within the Lewis Road Conditional Use District shall be designed in accordance with § 155-27 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

Shared driveway and vehicular access between lots.

(1)

The Board of Supervisors, as a condition of the conditional use approval, may require, when practical, that Class II and Class III lots developed for nonresidential uses under the Lewis Road Conditional Use Overlay District shall share access with an adjacent nonresidential lot when the lot cannot attain the two-hundred-foot separation between driveways on adjacent lots as required under § 155-16A(3)(b) of the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

(2)

Shared access for Class II and Class III lots may be entirely located on one lot or split along a common lot line.

(3)

Each Class II and Class III property with a nonresidential use shall provide an access easement providing internal vehicular access to the abutting lot(s).

(4)

The shared access for Class II and Class III lots shall be the sole access to the site unless a second driveway is permitted consistent with the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance § 155-16A(3)(b).

(5)

Shared access for Class II and Class III lots shall not be required when all possible interconnections between the two lots would cross wetlands, floodplains or slopes of 15% or more.

[1]

Editor's Note: See also 184 Attachment 3, Lewis Road Conditional Use Overlay District Development Standards, included at the end of this chapter.