[Ord. 878, 9/9/1975; amended by Ord. 1243, 6/27/1989, Section
1; Ord. 1991, 5/7/2012, Section 2]
a.
Purpose. It is the purpose of the Residential-Office district to
provide a buffer area between the downtown commercial district and
adjacent residential areas. In seeking to attain this purpose, the
following objectives shall be pursued:
(1)
Preservation and reuse of the existing stock of buildings, many of
which exemplify periods of the early development of State College;
(2)
Mixtures of moderate-density residential and office uses;
(3)
Location of office uses in areas served by arterial or collector
streets to minimize the impact of traffic on residential areas; and,
(4)
New construction that maintains the scale of its surrounding environment.
b.
Uses. In this district, the land and structures may be used, and
structures may be erected, altered, enlarged, for the following purposes
only:
(1)
Any use permitted in the R-3 district.
(2)
Boarding House and Rooming House.
(3)
Tourist Home.
(4)
Offices (including medical and related offices of chiropody, chiropractic,
dentistry, medical optical, optometric, osteopathic, and offices for
lawyer, accountant, architect, engineer, minister, governmental, insurance,
real estate, brokerage and all other offices which are similar to
the listed uses in function, traffic-generating and attraction capacities).
No uses shall be allowed that creates a nuisance due to noise, glare,
smoke, vibration or other nuisance factors to the residential/office
character of the district.
(6)
Residential-Office Overlay (R-OO).
[Ord. 878, 9/9/1975; amended by Ord. 932, 3/7/1978, Section
1; Ord. 961, 9/11/1979, Section 1; Ord. 1010, 8/4/1981, Section 3;
Ord. 1034, 12/10/1982, Section 8,{250} Ord. 1243, 6/27/1989, Section
2; Ord. 1537, 8/27/1997, Section 8]
Each lot in this district shall comply with the following minimum
requirements, except as otherwise provided:
a.
Lot area.
Minimum for all buildings: 5,000 square feet.
Single-family dwelling: 5,000 square feet.
Two-family dwelling, boarding or rooming house, tourist home:
8,000 square feet.
Multiple-family dwelling (per unit): 1,000 square feet.
Personal care homes for adults: large (per unit), 1,000 square
feet, small, 5,000 square feet.
b.
Lot width.
Single-family dwelling: 50 feet.
Two-family dwelling, boarding or rooming house, tourist home:
75 feet.
Multiple-family dwelling: 100 feet.
Other structures: Sufficient to provide required side yards.
Personal care home for adults: large, 100 feet; small, 50 feet.
c.
Front yard depth.
All structures: 20 feet.
d.
Side yard width.
Single-family dwelling: six feet.
Two-family dwelling: six feet.
Multiple-family dwelling, boarding or rooming house, tourist
home: 15 feet.
Offices: 10 feet.
Other nonresidential uses: 10 feet.
Personal care home for adults: large, 15 feet; small, six feet.
e.
Rear yard depth.
All Buildings: 20 feet.
f.
Any structure in existence at the effective date of this Ordinance
which does not conform to minimum setback requirements may be used
for any use permitted in this District, provided all other requirements
are met.
g.
Where two or more residential buildings are to be located on the
same lot [as provided for in Section 501.1(1)], the distance between
such buildings shall be 20 feet.
[Ord. 878, 9/9/1975; amended by Ord. 1243, 6/27/1989, Section
3]
The maximum height of structures in this district shall be four
stories, not to exceed 36 feet.
[Ord. 1169, 2/5/1987, Section 2; amended by Ord. 1289, 8/14/1990,
Section 2; Ord. 1243, 6/27/1989, Section 4; Ord. 1700, 6/4/2002, Section
1]
(As specified in Part H of this chapter.)
a.
Off-site parking for uses located in the C, General Commercial, district
may be located in the R-O, Residential-Office, district, provided
all criteria specified in Section 1807.d are met.
[Ord. 1516, 12/23/1996, Section 3]
See Section 707 of this chapter.
[Ord. 1700, 6/4/2002, Section 2; amended by Ord. 1854, 10/16/2006,
Section 5]
A minimum of 30% of a lot's area shall be maintained as open
space.
[Ord. 1991, 5/7/2012, Section 3]
a.
Boundaries. The Residential-Office Overlay is hereby established
on those parcels identified as 254 East Beaver Avenue (Tax ID 36-013-,
185-,0000-), 320 East Beaver Avenue (Tax ID 36-013-,198A-,0000-),
and 340 East Beaver Avenue (Tax ID 36-013-,199-,0000-). The boundaries
of the overlay are confined to the boundaries of the above mentioned
lots as they existed at the time the overlay was established.
b.
Purpose. The purpose of the Residential-Office Overlay is to do the
following:
(1)
Facilitate redevelopment of underutilized lots and nonconforming
structures.
(2)
Address the unique nature of lots that are adjacent to multifamily
dwellings and fraternities.
(3)
Allow for new construction that does not detract from the scale of
its surrounding environment.
(4)
Expand uses in this overlay while providing a transitional step down
in building height between higher density residential allowed on the
North and lower density allowed on the South and allowing the same
commercial uses on both sides of Beaver Avenue.
(5)
Allow for incentives to increase building height, reduce the front
yard setback, and reduce the amount of required open space.
f.
Front Yard Depth. Each lot in this overlay shall comply with the
following minimum requirement:
(1)
All Structures: 20 feet measured from the face of the curb of the
fronting street.
g.
Side Yard Width. Same as Section 1102.d.
h.
Rear Yard Width. Same as Section 1102.e.
i.
Height. The maximum height of structures in this overlay district,
except when incentives are applied, shall be 45 feet not to exceed
four stories. Building height shall be measured from the East Beaver
Avenue front of the building.
j.
Parking Requirements. Off street parking shall be provided in accordance
with the following minimums:
Nonresidential uses: one space per 800 square feet of gross
floor area per building and outdoor sales area in excess of 30,000
square feet.
Residential uses: one space per 800 square feet of housing gross
floor area
The location and design of all off-street parking areas shall comply with the provisions of Part H of this chapter.
l.
Incentives.
(1)
The purpose of the four incentives provided in Table 1 below is to
allow for additional building height in return for the developer providing
one (or more) of the incentives. Up to two stories, not to exceed
20 feet above the base height in the overlay (four stories, 45 feet)
may be added according to the following standards:
A minimum of one incentive: one additional story.
A minimum of three incentives: two additional stories.
|
Table 1
Incentives
| |
|---|---|
|
Incentives
|
Bonus — Increase in Building Height
|
|
Underground Parking
|
1 story/10 feet
|
|
Green Certification
|
1 story/10 feet
|
|
Limit Residential F.A.R. to 1.5
|
1 story/10 feet
|
|
Mixed Use
|
1 story/10 feet
|
(2)
Description of Incentives: The three incentives in Table 1 are described
in detail below. In order for the incentive to qualify for the bonus,
the incentive shall meet or exceed the criteria described below.
(a)
Underground Parking: Parking located at street level reduces
opportunities to utilize this valuable space for the activities that
increase street life. Locating parking in subsurface facilities expands
the total building volume available for commercial and residential
development. To qualify for this bonus (and the reduction in open
space and front yard setback), at least 66% of the required parking
must be provided in subsurface facilities. Bonus: When underground
parking is provided, each underground parking space shall count as
1.5 spaces towards the required parking for the development.
(b)
Green Certified. Any building designed and constructed following
the currently applicable Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) Green Building Rating System. This includes major renovations
to existing buildings as defined in the applicable LEED Green Building
Rating System. To qualify for this bonus, a building must obtain the
minimum number of points through the LEED certification process to
receive designation as a Silver Certified Building or equivalent level
of certification.
Any application for a bonus to increase building height through
the green certified incentive must include a 2009 LEED Project Checklist
for New Construction and Major Revisions, or successor checklist,
that identifies those credits that will be utilized to obtain the
required LEED certification.
Any applicant that intends to obtain a bonus allowing increased
building height must post a performance bond with the Borough of State
College as surety that the building will receive the appropriate level
of LEED certification or higher. State College Borough Council shall
establish the amount of this performance bond by Resolution. State
College Borough will deposit this bond in an Environmental Sustainability
Improvement Fund.
Upon receipt of documentation from the US Green Building Council
(USGBC) or a USGBC certified professional that the appropriate level
of LEED certification has been awarded to the applicant, State College
Borough will return the bond, with any accrued interest, to the applicant.
Failure to obtain the appropriate level of LEED certification within
a period of one year from the date of the issuance of the certification
of occupancy will result in forfeiture of the performance bond and
accrued interest. The applicant may request the Borough Manager or
his/her designee extend this certification period for a period of
not more than two years. Said extension must include documentation
that all materials necessary to obtain certification have been submitted
to the USGBC. State College Borough shall use any forfeited performance
bond funds on projects to increase the environmental sustainability
of community facilities in State College Borough.
(c)
Limit Residential F.A.R. to 1.5: In order to promote office
and commercial uses, it is beneficial to limit the residential use
of a structure built in the overlay. To qualify for this bonus, the
residential portion of the development must be kept to a F.A.R. of
1.5 or less.
(d)
Mixed Use: To qualify for a bonus for mixed use development,
the project must include one floor of commercial uses above the ground
floor and the commercial must occupy the entire floor area (excluding
space devoted to circulation and HVAC systems) of the story within
the building.
