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Municipality of Bethel Park, PA
Allegheny County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[Amended 5-11-1987 by Ord. No. 5-11-87C]
Within the C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District, the following regulations shall apply:
69.29.1. 
Permitted uses.
1. 
Uses with size limitations. The following uses are permitted if the gross floor area of individual uses does not exceed those specified:
a. 
Retail uses, excluding restaurants, adult bookstores and discount retail businesses, not to exceed 4,000 square feet per business.
[Amended 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 9-14-98A]
b. 
Food stores not to exceed 5,000 square feet per business.
c. 
Financial institutions not to exceed 3,000 square feet per business.
d. 
Business or professional offices, services, or health service offices not to exceed 4,000 square feet per business.
[Amended 9-13-1999 by Ord. No. 9-13-99B]
e. 
Self-service laundry facilities and dry cleaning shops not to exceed 3,000 square feet per business. No self-service laundry facility and dry cleaning shop shall service clothes or materials not from retail trade and no wholesale cleaning or processing shall occur on the premises.
f. 
Repair shop not to exceed 3,000 square feet. No repair shop shall repair or service buildings or motor vehicles or parts thereof on the premises.
g. 
Barber and beauty shop not to exceed 2,000 square feet per business.
h. 
Educational studios not exceeding 3,000 square feet per business.
2. 
Shopping center use. Shopping centers are permitted with all of the following limitations:
a. 
Only those uses in the above section shall be permitted.
b. 
Unless otherwise expressly allowed the size limitations in the above section shall apply.
c. 
Within a shopping center one food store use may occupy up to either 30,000 square feet and one additional retail use, including a food store, may occupy up to 20,000 square feet; or one 40,000 square feet food store. Said uses of the 30,000 and 20,000 square feet stores may not be internally interconnected.
[Amended 4-13-1998 by Ord. No. 4-13-98B; 1-8-2001 by Ord. No. 1-8-01B]
d. 
As a condition to site plan approval, the developer shall submit for review and approval by the Planning Commission a traffic impact study analyzing the impact of the shopping center on surrounding streets and intersections within 3,000 feet of the site or within such lesser area as the Director of Community Development may, in his sole, reasonable discretion, determine. The traffic impact study shall be completed and paid for by the developer.
e. 
Any recommended traffic improvements required due to the development of the shopping center shall be shown on the site plan submitted for approval and the costs of these improvements shall be paid for by the developer unless, upon the developer's request, the Council, in its sole discretion, determines otherwise.
3. 
Uses permitted without size limitations. In addition to the above uses, the following uses are permitted without the size limitations set forth above:
a. 
Churches.
b. 
Living quarters above the ground floor.
c. 
Personal care boarding home.
[Added 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
d. 
Day-care facility.
[Added 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
e. 
Fire station.
[Added 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
f. 
Recreational uses.
[Added 9-13-1993 by Ord. No. 9-13-93A]
g. 
Conditional uses as regulated under this ordinance.
h. 
Accessory uses customarily incidental to any of the above uses and including:
i. 
Off-street parking and loading facilities.
ii. 
Fence or ornamental wall not over six feet in height.
iii. 
Sign as regulated herein.
iv. 
Cultivation of plants, noncommercial, where used for landscaping or buffer areas.
v. 
Outdoor sales of merchandise or products that are normally available for purchase within a completely enclosed building located on the same location or premise on which the activities are being conducted. Said sales shall be in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 49 on temporary outdoor sales.
[Added 8-13-1990 by Ord. No. 8-13-90B]
69.29.2. 
Conditions of use.
[Amended 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 9-14-98A]
1. 
All activities as permitted in the C-1 District shall be conducted wholly within an enclosed building, with the exception of the accessory uses listed above.
2. 
Hours of operations shall be limited to between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. daily, including the operation of all external and internal lighted signs and displays. An exception may be granted for lighting essential for security purposes.
69.29.3. 
Height. The maximum height of buildings hereafter erected, altered or enlarged shall not exceed 25 feet.
[Amended 6-8-1970 by Ord. No. 6-8-70A]
69.29.4. 
Yard area and lot area. No building shall be hereafter erected, altered or enlarged unless the following yards are provided and maintained in connection with such building structure or enlargement:
1. 
Front yard: not less than 50 feet.
2. 
Side yard: not less than 50 feet where abutting a street or alley; none required for an interior lot, except that where abutting upon an R District, there shall be provided a side yard equal to 1/2 the required front yard in such abutting R District, plus a buffer area of not less than 20 feet.
[Amended 10-15-1991 by Ord. No. 10-15-91B]
3. 
Rear yard: not less than 25 feet. A one-story accessory building may be located within a required rear yard except for the five feet adjacent and parallel to the rear lot line or alley line, but not upon any required buffer area, for the storage of motor vehicles, the loading or unloading of vehicles under a roof or the storage of stock and merchandise customarily associated with the principal use. Where abutting an R District, there shall be provided, in addition to the rear yard requirement, a buffer area of not less than 20 feet. Where upper floor dwelling units or living quarters are used for habitation, there shall be a minimum of 2,700 square feet of lot area per dwelling unit, of which 300 square feet shall be usable yard space.
[Amended 6-8-1970 by Ord. No. 6-8-70A; 10-15-1991 by Ord. No. 10-15-91B]
69.29.5. 
Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required or permitted under Article X.
69.29.6. 
Development design.
[Added 8-13-1973 by Ord. No. 8-13-73C; amended 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 9-14-98A]
1. 
Buildings shall respect the surrounding community in terms of scale, mass, use of materials and architectural ornamentation, roof shape and covering, window size, shape and spacing. Where appropriate, buildings should be of varied types in varied groupings, located adjacent to public streets or right-of-way and allow for pedestrian movement. The development of buildings and structures is encouraged to follow the design guidelines adopted by the Municipal Council by resolution and maintained in the offices of the Department of Community Services.
2. 
The front, sides and rear of all buildings, when the front, rear or sides face a residential district or street shall be faced with brick, stone or other suitable material as approved by the Planning Commission.
3. 
Trash receptacles, including dumpsters, shall be screened from view.
4. 
All mechanical and electrical equipment is to be located in a manner or situation so as to best buffer the noise generated by the equipment from the neighboring property. Equipment shall be sound buffered to prevent a sound level, as measured by a standard audiometer, greater than 50 decibels (dBA) at the property line of the property in which the proposed development is located. All measurement of the noise is to be conducted once per year upon the request of the municipality. The cost of conducting such measurements is to be borne by the owner.
5. 
When abutting an R District, a fence of six feet in height is to be located along the entire length of the buffer area. The type and location of fence shall be approved by the Planning Commission.
6. 
Detailed development plans in a C-1 Neighborhood Commercial District shall be submitted for the review, recommendation and approval of first the Planning Commission followed by the approval of the Municipal Council.
[Amended 5-11-1987 by Ord. No. 5-11-87C]
Within the C-2 General Commercial District, the following regulations shall apply:
69.30.1. 
Permitted uses.
1. 
Permitted uses without size limitations. The following uses are permitted without size limitations unless otherwise specified in this ordinance:
a. 
All uses in C-1 without size limitations per business and where no manufacturing or assembly exists as a principal use.
b. 
Minor automotive repair.
c. 
Public or semipublic buildings, including theaters and clubs.
d. 
Places of assembly, including theaters and clubs.
e. 
Restaurants and taverns.
f. 
Funeral homes.
g. 
Amusement establishments.
h. 
Bus terminal.
i. 
Repair shop.
j. 
Gasoline service station.
k. 
Recreational uses.
[Added 9-13-1993 by Ord. No. 9-13-93A]
l. 
Conditional uses as regulated elsewhere in this ordinance.
m. 
Cemetery.
[Added 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
n. 
Hospital.
[Added 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
o. 
Institute of higher learning.
[Added 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
p. 
Special education school.
[Added 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
q. 
Parking lot.
[Added 5-8-1989 by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
r. 
Accessory uses customarily incidental to any of the above uses, and including:
i. 
Off-street parking and loading facilities.
ii. 
Fence or ornamental wall not over six feet in height.
iii. 
Sign as regulated herein.
iv. 
Cultivation of plants, noncommercial, where used for landscaping or buffer areas.
v. 
Outdoor patio use accessory to a restaurant use, provided that the following provisions are met:
The outdoor area shall be clearly delineated on the lot and separated from any required parking areas by a physical barrier.
The outdoor area shall not encroach upon or be in any required yard areas.
The area shall not exceed 200 square feet or 10% of the total floor area devoted to food and beverage service use, exclusive of kitchen and multipurpose banquet/meeting rooms, whichever is greater. Only food and beverage service use areas located on the same floor as the outdoor patio may be used for this tabulation.
No part of any patio shall be within 200 feet of an R-1, R-2 or R-3 zoned property.
The outdoor area shall be screened with landscaping or other screening material from view from properties in R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones.
69.30.2. 
Height. The maximum height of buildings hereafter erected, altered or enlarged shall not exceed 40 feet.
[Amended 6-8-1970 by Ord. No. 6-8-70A]
69.30.3. 
Yard areas. As required or permitted in the C-1 District.
69.30.4. 
Conditions of use.
1. 
All activities, except for accessory uses, service stations, outdoor plant sales and propagation areas of landscaping materials (such as peat moss and bark chips) shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building. In addition, all outdoor sales of bulk landscaping materials shall be completely screened from view and all outdoor plant sales, propagation areas and sale of bulk landscaping materials shall not be located within the first 25 feet of any yard abutting a street.
[Added by Ord. No. 6-9-86B]
2. 
A C-2 District shall comprise an area of not less than two acres.
3. 
A plan of landscape development is required, which shall include, among other considerations, an area of at least five feet in width along all streets with the exception of approved entrances, which area shall be planted and maintained, or ornamental wall or fence in lieu thereof, to serve as a border for the parking, loading or service area. A buffer area shall be maintained wherever the proposed business abuts an R-District. The location, arrangement, size and effect of all outdoor advertising or other signs and lighting proposed to be erected shall be shown.
4. 
Any other authority approval required, when applicable, such as Department of Health, State Highway Department and similar organizations, shall be obtained before applying for a building or occupancy permit.
5. 
Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required or permitted under Article IX.
6. 
The fronts of all buildings and sides, when the side or sides face a street of a residential district, shall be faced with brick, stone or other suitable materials as approved by the Planning Commission.
[Added by Ord. No. 8-13-73C]
[Amended by Ord. No. 11-13-72A; by Ord. No. 3-12-73B; by Ord. No. 8-13-73C; by Ord. No. 1-14-74A]
Within the C-3 Professional-Service District, the following regulations shall apply:
69.31.1. 
Permitted uses.
1. 
Bank, financial institution, savings and loan association: branch, main office or drive-in.
2. 
Club or fraternal organization, including an outdoor patio use subject to all the conditions listed under C-2.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1-10-83C]
3. 
Hotel or motor hotel, when the principal vehicular entrance thereto is within 1,320 feet of a federally designated highway.
4. 
Library.
5. 
Medical or dental clinic.
6. 
Offices of business, governmental, charitable, professional, financial or institutional organizations or firms, including offices of industrial or commercial concerns, the plants or outlets of which are not permitted in this district.
7. 
Post office.
8. 
Theater, indoor.
9. 
Cemetery.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
10. 
Hospital.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
11. 
Day care facility.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
12. 
Personal care boarding home.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
13. 
Institute of higher learning.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
14. 
Special education school.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
15. 
Fire station.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
16. 
Recreational uses.
[Added by Ord. No. 9-13-93A]
17. 
Health services offices.
[Added 9-13-1999 by Ord. No. 9-13-99B]
18. 
Accessory building or use customarily incidental to the above uses and including:
a. 
Off-street parking and loading facilities.
b. 
Fence or ornamental wall not over six feet in height.
c. 
Signs as regulated herein.
d. 
Cultivation of plants, noncommercial, where used for landscaping or buffer areas.
19. 
The following uses are permitted when the area of the use constitutes no more than 25% of the gross floor area of the structure, and that there is no exterior evidence of such use, and when located wholly within a principal building permitted above, provided that the use is located on the ground floor only.
[Amended 4-10-1978 by Ord. No. 4-10-78B]
a. 
Art, book and stationery store.
b. 
Bakery shop, retail sales shop, which does not include the baking or manufacturing of baked goods on the premises.
c. 
Barbershop or beauty shop.
d. 
Candy or ice cream store.
e. 
Drugstore.
f. 
Florist shop, conservatory for retail trade on the premises only, which does not include greenhouse or outdoor planting beds used for the growing, nursing, sale or display of nursery or horticultural stock or material.
g. 
Drugstore.
h. 
Gift store.
i. 
Hobby shop or camera shop.
j. 
Newsstand.
k. 
Restaurant, tearoom or cafe, when the establishment is not of the drive-in type and when located within hotels or motels only.
[Amended by Ord. No. 4-11-83A]
l. 
Shoe repair or watch repair shop.
m. 
Tobacco shop.
n. 
Similar type convenience service uses not specifically listed herein when authorized by Municipal Council after review and recommendations from the Planning Commission.
20. 
Conditional uses as regulated herein.
[Amended by Ord. No. 5-8-89F]
69.31.2. 
No building shall hereafter be erected, altered or enlarged to exceed the heights or to provide and maintain yards less than the dimensions herein prescribed.
69.31.3. 
Height and yard areas.
a. 
Height. The maximum height of buildings hereafter erected, altered or enlarged shall not exceed 75 feet.
b. 
Yard areas. Front yards shall be not less than 50 feet, side and rear yards not less than 35 feet, and where abutting an R District, there shall be a buffer area of a minimum of 20 feet or such larger area as the Planning Commission feels may be appropriate in the premises.
[Amended by Ord. No. 10-15-91B]
69.31.4. 
Lot area. The minimum lot size shall be one acre.
69.31.5. 
Conditions of use:
1. 
All activities, except for accessory uses, shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building.
2. 
A plan of landscape development is required, which shall include, among other considerations, an area of at least five feet in width along all streets, with the exception of approved entrances, which area shall be planted and maintained with trees, shrubs or other landscape materials, or ornamental wall or fence in lieu thereof, to serve as a border for the parking, loading or service area. The location, arrangement, size and effect of all outdoor advertising or other signs and lighting proposed to be erected shall be shown.
3. 
Any other authority approval required, when applicable, such as the Department of Health, State Highway Department and similar organizations, shall be obtained before applying for a building or occupancy permit.
4. 
Off-street parking and loading facilities shall be provided as required or permitted under Article X.
[Added by Ord. No. 6-13-83E]
Within the C-4 Office-Commercial District, the following regulations shall apply:
69.32.1. 
Permitted uses:
1. 
Branch Main Office or Drive-in of a Bank, Financial Institution, Savings Institution, etc.
2. 
Medical or Dental clinic.
3. 
Offices of business, governmental, charitable, professional, financial or institutional organizations or firms, including the offices of industrial or commercial concerns, the plants or outlets of which are not permitted in this District.
4. 
Living quarters above ground floor.
5. 
Cemetery.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
6. 
Hospital.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
7. 
Day care facility.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
8. 
Personal care boarding home.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
9. 
Fire station.
[Added by Ord. No. 5-8-89G]
10. 
Health services offices.
[Added 9-13-1999 by Ord. No. 9-13-99B]
11. 
Accessory buildings or uses customarily incidental to the above uses, and including:
a. 
Off-street parking and loading facilities as regulated herein;
b. 
Fence or ornamental wall not exceeding six feet in height;
c. 
Signs as regulated herein.
12. 
Conditional uses as regulated herein.
[Amended by Ord. No. 5-8-89F]
69.32.2. 
No building shall hereafter be erected, altered or enlarged to exceed the height, or to provide and maintain yards less than the dimensions herein prescribed.
1. 
Heights and yard areas:
a. 
Height - The maximum height of buildings hereafter erected, altered or enlarged, shall not exceed 35 feet.
b. 
Yard areas - Front yard - 50 feet minimum.
Side yard — 20 feet minimum
Rear yard — 20 feet minimum
c. 
Where abutting an R District, there shall be a buffer area of a minimum of 20 feet planted or improved in accordance with recommendations of the Planning Commission.
[Amended by Ord. No. 10-15-91B]
69.32.3. 
Conditions of use:
1. 
All activities, except for accessory use, shall be conducted within a completely enclosed building.
2. 
Plan of landscape development is required which shall include, among other considerations, an area at least five feet in width along all streets with the exception of approved entrances.