The purposes of this district are to promote well-integrated residential, commercial, and mixed-use development close to the regional transit station, to support public transit by allowing higher-density development adjacent to or near transit stops, to reduce automobile dependency and roadway congestion by combining trips and locating destinations within walking or biking distance, and to provide an alternative to conventional development by emphasizing pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development.
This TOD Transit-Oriented Development District is an overlay district which shall be superimposed on portions of the underlying R-3 Apartment District and the GB General Business District in close proximity to the SEPTA R2 regional rail line. The area is bounded by Primos Avenue on the west, Virginia Avenue on the south, Folcroft Avenue on the east, and the SEPTA railroad line on the north.
A. 
Any proposal for development under the TOD Overlay District shall be submitted as an overall, coordinated development plan.
B. 
Within this overall development, structures may be arranged on a lot-by-lot basis or on a PRD-type basis where each business or residential structure does not have its own individual lot.
C. 
Every TOD proposal shall include at least two of the three classes of uses listed in § 600-75, Subsection A (residential), Subsection B (commercial), and Subsection C (mixed).
All plans for a TOD development must be reviewed by the local Planning Commission based on all applicable provisions contained in the MPC. As required by law, plans shall also be forwarded to the Delaware County Planning Commission for review.
Land, buildings, or premises shall be used by right for only one or more of the following:
A. 
Residential uses.
(1) 
Townhouse.
(2) 
Apartment.
B. 
Commercial uses.
(1) 
Retail store or shop, including pharmacy.
(2) 
Personal service shop, such as barber or dry cleaner.
(3) 
Food store, delicatessen, restaurant, or coffee shop.
(4) 
Office, only when located above the ground floor.
(5) 
Child day-care center, subject to § 600-106.
C. 
Mixed uses.
(1) 
In mixed-use buildings having two or more stories, retail, service, and food store/restaurant uses, as permitted in Subsection B(1), (2), and (3) above, shall be located on the ground floor, while apartments and/or offices shall be permitted above the ground floor only.
(2) 
Dimensional requirements shall be in accordance with § 600-78D.
The following uses shall be permitted by conditional use only, subject to the applicable requirements of Article XVI.
A. 
Office building, subject to §§ 600-78D and 600-142.
B. 
Hotel or place of amusement (excluding adult entertainment), subject to §§ 600-137 and 600-143.
C. 
Any use of the same general character as those permitted in §§ 600-75 and 600-76. Such use shall be permitted by Borough Council upon the recommendation of the Planning Commission, be consistent with the purposes of the district, comply with the performance standards in Article XIX, and not be detrimental to the surrounding neighborhood. To determine if a proposed use is of the same general character as any of the listed permitted uses, Borough Council and the Planning Commission shall evaluate its impacts in relation to the compatibility standards in § 600-119.
The following uses shall be permitted as accessory uses, subject to all applicable requirements of Article XV, General Regulations, and other articles as noted below.
A. 
Parking lots, garages, and loading facilities, subject to Article XIII and § 600-79B.
B. 
Signs, subject to Article XIV.
C. 
Plaza, courtyard, park, or recreational area.
D. 
Commercial dropoff and pickup boxes, stations for letters or packages, or newspaper vending machines, provided that such boxes shall not be located within a right-of-way of a public street.
E. 
Any accessory use on the same tract with and customarily incidental to the principal use(s) on the property and not detrimental to the area.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, the following shall be minimum requirements:
A. 
The minimum tract area of development under TOD regulations shall be three acres.
B. 
Townhouse development
(1) 
Density: between 10 and 15 units per acre.
(2) 
Setback: none required, but where there are existing buildings on the block, the average setback of the building on each side.
(3) 
Units in a row: four maximum.
(4) 
Landscaping: 35% of tract.
(5) 
Distance between buildings: 40 feet.
(6) 
Height: 35 feet or three stories maximum.
C. 
Apartment development.
(1) 
Density: between 20 and 30 units per acre.
(2) 
Setback: 15 feet from any street or parking area.
(3) 
Distance between buildings: 45 feet.
(4) 
Height: 45 feet or four stories maximum.
(5) 
Landscaping: 40% of the tract or lot area and applicable provisions of § 600-115.
D. 
Nonresidential or mixed-use development.
(1) 
Lot area: 3,500 square feet maximum.
(2) 
Store or shop area: 2,000 square feet maximum.
(3) 
Setback: 15 feet from any street or parking area.
(4) 
Landscaping: 35% of the tract or lot area and applicable provisions of § 600-115.
(5) 
Height: 45 feet or four stories maximum.
(6) 
Distance between buildings: 45 feet.
A. 
Pedestrian system.
(1) 
Sidewalks or walkways that are hard-surfaced and not less than five feet wide shall be required in front of and/or adjacent to residential, commercial, or mixed-use buildings to connect with the pedestrian walkway system and to provide connection to the transit station.
(2) 
Sidewalks shall be constructed along the frontage of all public streets and within and along the frontage of all new development and redevelopment.
(3) 
Stairs and ramps consistent with ADA standards shall be provided where necessary to provide a direct route to the walkway system.
(4) 
Walkways that cross parking, loading, or driveway areas must be clearly identifiable through the use of elevation changes, different paving materials, or other similar method.
(5) 
Buildings shall be oriented toward the pedestrian by providing a direct link between the building and the pedestrian walkway network, with emphasis on directing people toward transit stops/stations.
(6) 
Lighting shall be provided for parking areas and pedestrian paths to ensure safety and convenience.
(7) 
Plazas shall be provided in the development. Not less than one seating space for each 250 square feet of plaza area shall be provided.
B. 
Parking lots and garages.
(1) 
Surface parking shall be located at the rear of the building or, if not feasible, at the side.
(2) 
Parking garages and surface parking lots shall not dominate the development site.
(3) 
Surface parking areas with 20 or more spaces shall be divided into separate areas by landscaped islands not less than 10 feet in width. Such parking areas shall have not more than 20 continuous parking spaces.
(4) 
Surface parking areas shall be screened along all sidewalks by a masonry wall, fence, or similar treatment not less than three feet high that is compatible with adjacent structures.
(5) 
Shared parking is encouraged. Where applicable, a shared parking plan must be approved by the Borough. Shared parking and off-site parking shall comply with § 600-85.
(6) 
Parking garages shall be served by pedestrian walkways and connection to the sidewalk/pedestrian system. These walkways shall be clearly marked and continuous in design.
(7) 
Parking garages shall be architecturally integrated or designed with an architectural theme similar to that of surrounding buildings.
(8) 
Blank facades, solid walls, and non-active uses at grade are prohibited.
(9) 
Not less than 20% of the parking lot shall be landscaped.
(10) 
Street trees, planted at intervals of not less than 50 feet, shall be required along all sidewalks. Existing trees may count toward this requirement.
(11) 
Pedestrian amenities such as benches, public art, picnic areas, seating areas, fountains, planters, etc. shall be located in landscaped areas, open spaces, plazas, or along public streets.
C. 
Bicycle parking.
(1) 
Parking lots and garages shall include one bicycle parking space per 20 vehicle spaces, with a minimum of two.
(2) 
Bicycle parking shall be provided as noted below:
(a) 
Apartments: one space for every four dwelling units.
(b) 
Commercial uses: one space for every 5,000 square feet.
(3) 
Bicycle spaces must be located in a secure, lockable, and well-lighted area.
(4) 
Bicycle racks, lockers, or other facilities shall be securely anchored to the ground or structure.
(5) 
All required bicycle parking shall be located within 50 feet of building entrances.
D. 
Landscaping.
(1) 
Landscaping shall be provided, subject to the applicable provisions of § 600-115.
(2) 
Not more than 20% of landscaping coverage required in §§ 600-78 and 600-115 may be provided in the form of plazas, courtyards, or other hardscaped areas.
E. 
Design standards.
(1) 
While architectural styles shall be compatible throughout the development, building facades should be visually interesting and diverse.
(2) 
Where practicable, buildings shall have at least one main entrance on the facade nearest to or facing a transit station or street leading to a transit station.
(3) 
Unscreened, flat, blank walls shall be avoided to provide a pleasant pedestrian experience by connecting activities within a structure to the adjacent sidewalk and/or transit stop.
(4) 
At the street level of mixed-use buildings, not less than 75% of the length and 40% of the wall surface must be in public entranceways, windows, or retail/service display windows.
(5) 
Facades over 50 feet long shall be divided into shorter segments by repeating window patterns, change in materials, canopies, varying roof lines, or other architectural detailing.
(6) 
Buildings must have at least a five-foot offset in all facades for every 40 feet of continuous facade. Such offsets may be met through the use of bay windows, porches, porticos, building extensions, towers, and other architectural treatments.
(7) 
All residential and nonresidential buildings shall have pitched roofs covering at least 80% of the building with a pitch of at least six vertical inches to every 12 inches horizontal, except for buildings whose flat roofs would match the roof line of a neighboring building.
(8) 
Pitched roofs shall provide overhanging eaves that extend a minimum of one foot beyond the building wall.
F. 
General.
(1) 
Nonresidential buildings shall contain materials, windows, doors, and architectural detailing that are compatible with adjoining residential buildings within the development.
(2) 
Where practicable, utilities shall be placed underground in new development.
(3) 
Proposed development plans that anticipate over 100 daily automobile trips shall conduct a thorough traffic impact study to determine the impact on the area and neighboring properties.