[Ord. 2035, 12/9/2002, § 1500; as amended by Ord.
2288, 4/12/2010]
1.
Existing Parking. Structures and uses in existence at the date of
adoption of this chapter shall not be subject to the requirements
of this Part so long as the kind or extent of use is not changed,
provided that any parking facility now serving such structures or
uses shall not in the future be reduced below such requirements.
2.
Change in Requirements. Whenever there is an alteration of a structure or a change or extension of a use which increases the parking requirements according to the standards of § 27-506, the total additional parking required for the alteration, change or extension shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of that section.
3.
Conflict with other Uses. No parking area shall be used for any use
that interferes with its availability for the parking need it is required
to serve, except that it may be used for a stormwater retention basin
of a maximum depth of six inches.
4.
Continuing Character of Obligation. All required facilities shall
be provided and maintained so long as the use exists which the facilities
were designed to serve.
A.
Off-street parking facilities shall not be reduced in total extent
after their provision except upon the approval of the Zoning Hearing
Board and then only after proof that:
B.
Reasonable precautions shall be taken by the owner or sponsor of
particular uses to assure the availability of required facilities
to the employees or other persons whom the facilities are designed
to serve. Such facilities shall be designed and used in such a manner
as to at no time constitute a nuisance, a hazard, or an unreasonable
impediment to traffic.
5.
Joint Use. Two or more uses may provide for required parking in a
common parking lot if the total space provided is not less than the
sum of the spaces required for each use individually. However, the
number of spaces required in a common parking facility may be reduced
below this total if it can be demonstrated to the Planning Commission
and Board of Commissioners that the hours or peak parking needed for
the uses are so different that a lower total will provide adequately
for all uses served by the facility.
6.
Location of Parking Spaces. Required off-street parking spaces shall
be on the same lot or premises and same zoning district with the principal
use served; or where this requirement cannot be met, within 300 feet
of the same lot if the use is nonresidential and after approval from
the Board of Commissioners.
7.
Maintenance of Parking Areas. For parking areas of three or more
vehicles, the area not landscaped and so maintained, including driveways,
shall be graded, surfaced with all-weather paving, and drained to
the satisfaction of a professional engineer selected by the Township
to the extent necessary to prevent dust, erosion or excessive water
flow across streets or adjoining property. All off-street parking
spaces shall be marked so as to indicate their location. Failure to
keep parking in satisfactory condition, i.e., free from holes, shall
be considered a violation of this chapter.
8.
Drive Through Use Standards. Any use, that proposes a drive through
shall meet the following standards:
A.
Provide at least two means of ingress and egress.
B.
Four parking spaces per lane per exterior drive through window are
required.
C.
Access drives shall provide at least the minimum required sight distances
for motorist and circulation into and through the property.
D.
Location of parking shall be obvious to motorists.
9.
Additional Restrictions for Residential Districts.
A.
Any truck whose gross weight exceeds 10,000 pounds, any commercial
vehicle, any commercial equipment, any construction vehicle, any construction
equipment, any trailer (as now defined in § 102 of the Vehicle
Code, 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 102), any semitrailer (as now defined
in § 102 of the Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 102)
and special mobile equipment (as now defined in the Vehicle Code,
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 102) shall not be parked in any district
zoned residential in the Township of Ross, unless parked in a garage.
B.
The parking of any recreational trailer, boat, mobile home, camper
unit and/or any other recreational vehicle of any kind upon any public
highway, street, alley or public property in the Township of Ross
shall be and the same is hereby prohibited. Recreational vehicles,
boats, mobile homes, camper units and/or any other recreational vehicle
unit shall be permitted to be parked on private property. Persons
are prohibited from residing in such mobile home, camper unit and/or
other recreational vehicle in any district zoned residential in the
Township of Ross.
C.
Any subsurface parking structure may be constructed within five feet
of the property line and shall not be used in computing the lot coverage.
D.
Off-street parking is prohibited in any property zoned residential
in Ross Township when the same is required off-street parking under
any permitted nonresidential use.
E.
All vehicles and/or trailers parked off-street shall be parked in
or on an authorized parking lot, parking pad, garage or driveway.
F.
All residential parking facilities shall be graded, all weather surfaced
and drained to the satisfaction of the Township, to the extent necessary
to prevent nuisances of dust, erosion or excessive water flow onto
public right-of-ways.
10.
Parking Requirements for All Other Uses Not Provided for Herein.
For all other uses not provided for herein, required parking spaces
shall be determined by a study to be prepared by the developer and
approved by the Township. The study shall include the following:
A.
Type of use and estimated number total trips generated during peak
conditions (inbound and outbound).
B.
Estimated parking duration per vehicle trip (turnover rate).
C.
Base on estimated number of trips generated and parking average duration
per trip, calculate number of spaces required.
D.
Estimated number of employees; one space to be provided for ever
two employees working maximum shift.
[Ord. 2035, 12/9/2002, § 1501; as amended by Ord.
2288, 4/12/2010]
1.
The design standards specified below shall be required for all off
street parking facilities with the capacity of three or more vehicles
built after the effective date of this amendment to chapter:
A.
The minimum dimensions of stalls and aisles shall be as follows:
(1)
Stall width shall be at least nine feet for all angle parking
and nine feet for all parallel parking.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2452, 11/16/2020]
(2)
Stall depth shall be at least 18 feet with said dimensions measured
on the angle for all parking and 20 feet for parallel parking.
[Amended by Ord. No. 2452, 11/16/2020]
(3)
Minimum width of aisles providing access to stalls for one way
traffic only, varying with the angle of the parking, shall be:
|
Angle of Parking
|
Minimum Aisle Width
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Parallel
|
12 feet
| |
|
30°
|
14 feet
| |
|
45°
|
16 feet
| |
|
60°
|
20 feet
|
B.
Minimum width of aisles providing access to stalls for two way traffic
shall be 24 feet.
2.
Parking areas shall be designed to permit each motor vehicle to proceed
to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring the
moving of any other motor vehicles.
4.
For the purpose of servicing any property held under single and separate
ownership, entrance and exit drives crossing the street lot line shall
be limited to two along the frontage of any single street, and their
center lines shall be spaced at least 800 feet apart. On all corner
properties, there shall be a space of a minimum of 60 feet, measured
at the curb line, between the center line of any entrance or exit
drive and the street line of the street parallel to said access drive.
5.
In no case shall parking areas be designed to require or encourage
cars to back into a public street in order to leave the lot.
6.
All parking spaces and access drives shall be at least 10 feet from
any side or rear lot line.
7.
All parking areas for any purpose other than single family residences
shall be physically separated from any public street by a planting
strip which shall be not less than 10 feet in depth. Tire bumpers
or concrete curb shall be installed so as to prevent vehicle overhang
of the sidewalk area. This ten-foot planting strip shall be parallel
to the street line and shall be measured from the right of way.
8.
Lighting of parking areas may be required and/or permitted at the
discretion of the Board of Commissioners. All artificial lighting
used to illuminate any parking space or spaces shall be so arranged
that no direct rays from such lighting shall fall upon any neighboring
property or streets. Lighting level shall be minimum of one-foot candle
average unless modified by the Board of Commissioners.
9.
One hundred square feet of planting shall be required for each 25
parking spaces and the same shall be planted with such plantings as
will be recommended by the Ross Township Planning Commission and approved
by the Ross Township Board of Commissioners. Minimum size of planing
islands shall be 400 square feet with a ten-foot minimum width.
10.
Parking for the Physically Challenged.
A.
All multifamily commercial, public and industrial uses shall provide
handicapped parking spaces for the physically challenged as follows:
|
Total Parking Spaces
|
Required Accessible Spaces
|
Required Van Accessible Spaces*
| |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 to 25
|
1
|
1
| |
|
26 to 50
|
2
|
1
| |
|
51 to 75
|
3
|
1
| |
|
76 to 100
|
4
|
1
| |
|
101 to 150
|
5
|
1
| |
|
151 to 200
|
6
|
1
| |
|
201 to 300
|
7
|
1
| |
|
301 to 400
|
8
|
1
| |
|
401 to 500
|
9
|
2
| |
|
501 to 1,000
|
2% of total
| ||
|
Over 1,000
|
20 plus 1 per 100 over 1,000
|
|
NOTES:
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
*
|
Required van accessible spaces shall be C of the total number
with fractions of any number rounded up to the next highest number
(i.e., nine spaces times C = 1.125, which would be rounded up to two
required spaces).
| |
B.
Design of accessible spaces shall be completed in accordance with
the applicable building code.
[Ord. 2035, 12/9/2002, § 1502]
1.
Off-street loading requirements as specified below shall be provided
on any lot on which a building exceeding 6,000 square feet of gross
floor area for business or industry is hereafter erected.
A.
Every retail establishment, storage warehouse or wholesale establishment
exceeding 6,000 square feet shall have at least one off-street loading
space. Where there is an aggregate gross floor area of 20,000 square
feet or more arranged, intended or designed for such use, there shall
be provided off-street truck loading or unloading berths in accordance
with the following table.
|
Square Feet of Aggregate Gross Floor Area Devoted to Each
Use
|
Required Number of Berths
| |
|---|---|---|
|
6,000 up to 19,999
|
1
| |
|
20,000 up to 79,999
|
2
| |
|
For each additional 50,000 square feet
|
1 additional berth
|
2.
Every auditorium, funeral home, multi-family dwelling of 20 units
or more, office building, restaurant, hotel exceeding 6,000 square
feet shall have at least one off-street loading space. Where there
is an aggregate gross floor area of 30,000 square feet or more, arranged,
intended or street truck loading and unloading berths in accordance
with the following table:
|
Square Feet of Aggregate Gross Floor Area Devoted to Each
Use
|
Required Number of Berths
| |
|---|---|---|
|
6,000 up to 29,999
|
1
| |
|
30,000 up to 44,999
|
2
| |
|
For each additional 75,000 square feet
|
1 additional berth
|
[Ord. 2035, 12/9/2002, § 1503]
1.
Off-street loading facilities shall be designed to conform to the
following specifications:
A.
Each required space shall be no less than 14 feet wide, 60 feet long
and 17 feet high, exclusive of drives and maneuvering space and located
entirely on the lot being served.
B.
There shall be appropriate means of access to a street or alley as
well as adequate maneuvering space.
C.
The maximum width of driveways and sidewalk openings measured at
the street lot line shall be 35 feet; the minimum width shall be 20
feet.
D.
All accessory driveways and entrance ways shall be graded, all-weather
surfaced and drained to the satisfaction of the Township Engineer,
to the extent necessary to prevent nuisances of dust, erosion or excessive
water flow across public ways.
E.
Such facilities shall be designed and used in such a manner so that
at no time constituting a nuisance, a hazard or an unreasonable impediment
to traffic.
F.
Such facilities shall be located to the side or rear of the principal
structure on the lot and at no time shall be located in front of the
principal structure on the lot.
G.
Such facilities shall be sufficiently screened so as to limit visibility
from any residential district or public right of way.
H.
No vehicle shall be permitted to park in the loading area for more
than 48 hours.
I.
Lighting of loading areas may be required and/or permitted at the
discretion of the Board of Commissioners. When applicable, all artificial
lighting used to illuminate any parking space or spaces shall be so
arranged that no direct rays from such lighting shall fall upon any
neighboring property or streets. Lighting level shall be minimum of
one foot-candle average unless modified by the Board of Commissioners.
2.
All required loading facilities shall be provided and maintained
in accordance with the following requirements:
A.
They shall be provided and maintained as long as the use exists which
the facilities were designed to serve.
B.
They shall be reduced in total extent after their provision, except
when the reduction is in conformity with the requirements of this
Part.
C.
Reasonable precautions shall be taken by the owner or sponsor of
particular uses to assure the availability of required facilities
to the delivery and pick-up vehicles they are designed to serve.
[Ord. 2035, 12/9/2002, § 1504]
1.
LANDSCAPE BUFFER YARD
OPACITY
PERIMETER LANDSCAPING
VEHICULAR USE AREA
Definitions.
The area adjacent to any vehicular use area or along common
boundaries in which the perimeter landscaping requirements are to
be met.
An imaginary vertical plane extending from the established
grade to a required height of which a required percent of the vertical
plane shall be visually screened from adjacent property use.
The use of landscape materials within the required landscape
buffer yard.
An open or unenclosed area containing more than 1,800 square
feet of area or used by six or more of any type of vehicle, whether
moving or at rest, including, but not limited to, parking lots, loading
and unloading areas, mobile home parks and sales and service areas.
2.
Unless otherwise provided, landscape materials shall be installed
to provide a minimum of 50% winter opacity and 70% summer opacity,
between one foot above finished grade level to the top of the required
grade level to the top of the required planting, hedge or earthen
mound within four years after installation. Further, grass or ground
cover shall be planted on all portions of the landscape buffer yard
not occupied by other landscape material.
A.
Vehicular use area perimeter requirements shall be as follows:
(1)
When any property adjoins a vehicular use area, a landscape
buffer yard of at least five feet in width shall be provided. Such
landscape buffer yard shall contain at least one tree for every 40
feet of boundary of vehicular use area or fraction thereof, or a minimum
of three foot average height continuous planting, hedge or earth mound.
(2)
When any public or private street right of way, access road
or service road adjoins a vehicular use area, a landscape buffer yard
of at least five feet in width shall be provided. Such landscape buffer
yard shall contain at least one tree for every 40 feet of boundary
of vehicular use area or fraction thereof, plus a three-foot average
height continuous planting, hedge or earth mound.
B.
Landscape Buffer Yard Conflicts. The required landscape buffer yard
may be combined with a utility or other easement as long as all of
the landscape requirements can be provided in addition to, and separate
from, any other easement. Cars or other objects shall not overhang
or otherwise intrude upon the required landscape buffer yard more
than 2 1/2 feet, and wheel stops or curbs shall be required.
C.
Landscaping at Access Drive and Street Intersections. To insure that
landscape materials do not constitute a driving hazard, a clear sight
triangle shall be observed at all street intersections or intersections
of access drives with streets. Within this clear sight triangle no
landscape material nor parked vehicles, or other objects shall obstruct
the clear sight triangle.
3.
Landscaping Materials. The landscaping materials shall consist of
the following and are described in more detail in the plant list on
file at the Municipal Building. The proposed landscape materials should
complement the form of the existing trees and plantings, as well as
the development's general design and architecture. The type of shade
or sun should be considered in selecting plant materials.
A.
Earth Mounds. Earth mounds shall be physical barriers which block
or screen the view similar to hedge, fence or wall. Mounds shall be
constructed with proper and adequate plant material to prevent erosion.
A difference in elevation between areas requiring screening does not
constitute an existing earth mound and shall not be considered as
fulfilling any screening requirement.
B.
Plants. Artificial plants are prohibited. All plant materials shall
be living plants and shall meet the following requirements:
(1)
Quality. Plant materials used in conformance with provisions
of this Part shall conform to the standards of the American Association
of Nurserymen and shall have passed any inspections required under
state regulations.
(2)
Deciduous Trees. Trees which normally shed their leaves in the
fall shall be species having an average mature crown spread of greater
than 15 feet in Western Pennsylvania and having trunks which can be
maintained with over five feet of clear wood in areas which have visibility
requirements, except at vehicular use area intersection where eight
foot clear wood requirement shall control. Trees having an average
mature spread of crown less than 15 feet may be substituted by grouping
of the same so as to create the equivalent of fifteen-foot crown spread.
A minimum of 10 feet overall height or a minimum of caliper, trunk
diameter, measured six inches above ground for trees up to four inches
caliper of at least 1 3/4 inches immediately after planting shall
be required. Trees of species whose roots are known to cause damage
to public roadways or other public works shall not be planted closer
than 15 feet to such public works, unless the tree root system is
completely contained within a barrier for which the minimum interior
containing dimensions shall be five feet square and five feet deep
and for which the construction requirements shall be four-inch thick,
reinforced concrete.
(3)
Evergreen Trees. Evergreen trees shall be a minimum of five
feet high with a minimum caliper of 1 1/2 inches immediately
after planting.
(4)
Shrubs and Hedges. Shall be at least two feet for vehicular
use area perimeter requirements, and three feet for property perimeter
requirements, in average height when planted and shall conform to
the opacity and other requirements within four years after planting.
(5)
Vines. Shall be at least 12 or 15 inches high at planting, and
are generally used in conjunction with walls or fences.
(6)
Grass or Ground Cover. Grass of the fescue (Gramineae) or bluegrass
(Poaceae) family shall be planted in species normally grown as permanent
lawns in Western Pennsylvania, and may be sodded or seeded; except
in swales or other areas subject to erosion, where solid sod, erosion
reducing net, or suitable mulch shall be used, nurse grass seed shall
be sown for immediate protection until complete coverage otherwise
is achieved. Grass sod shall be clean and free of weeds and noxious
pests or diseases. Ground cover shall be planted in such a manner
as to present a finished appearance and 75% of complete coverage after
complete growing seasons, with a maximum of eight inches on center.
In certain cases, ground cover also may consist of rocks, pebbles,
sand and similar approved materials.
C.
Maintenance and Installation. All landscaping materials shall be
installed in a sound, workmanshiplike manner and according to accepted,
good construction and planting procedures. The owner of the property
shall be responsible for and shall keep them in a proper, neat and
orderly appearance, free from refuse and debris at all times. All
unhealthy or dead plant material shall be replaced within one year,
or by the next planting period, whichever comes first; while other
defective landscape material shall be replaced or repaired within
three months. Violation of these installation and maintenance provisions
shall be grounds for the refusal of a certificate of occupancy or
institution of legal proceedings.
