[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.
(5) 
Special exceptions permitted by the Zoning Hearing Board (as prescribed in Section 606 of this chapter), including:
(a) 
Club and Community Center, except those operated for commercial gain.
(b) 
Funeral Home.
(c) 
School for Dancing, Band Instruction or Singing.
(d) 
Housing for Elderly Persons.
(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. 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.
c. 
Uses. In addition to the uses permitted in the R-O District, the overlay will also permit the following uses by right:
(1) 
Mixed-use.
(2) 
Commercial uses as permitted in the CID (except Motor Vehicle Oriented Businesses and Adult Businesses).
(3) 
Community Center.
d. 
Ground floor use restriction.
(1) 
Residential uses are prohibited anywhere on the building's ground floor along Beaver Avenue.
(2) 
Parking is not allowed within the first 20 feet of the building's ground floor area facing Beaver Avenue.
e. 
Lot, Area and Width. The same as in Section 1102 a. and b.
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.
k. 
Open Space.
(1) 
A minimum of 30% of a lot's area shall be maintained as open space.
(2) 
The minimum open space may be reduced to 15% of a lot's area if any of the incentives described in Section 1107.1 is utilized.
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.