[Ord. 1709, 10/15/2002, Section 1]
It is the purpose of the UV zoning district to facilitate traditional
neighborhood development, as defined in the Pennsylvania Municipalities
Planning Code. To facilitate traditional neighborhood development,
private owners and developers and the Borough shall be encouraged
to:
a. Preserve and reuse existing buildings, many of which exemplify periods
of the early development of state college;
b. Provide a mix of moderate-density residential, commercial, and office
uses;
c. Undertake new construction that maintains the essential character
of its surrounding environment, as expressed in the Design Guidelines
for Historic Properties and Historic Districts;
d. Provide a pedestrian environment that is both pleasing and safe;
and,
e. Limit vehicular access to developments on arterial streets to minimize
the impact on traffic safety.
[Ord. 1448, 7/11/1994, Section 3; amended by Ord. 1709, 10/15/2002,
Section 2]
Except as provided for in Section 1926, in this District the
land and structures may be used and structures erected, altered, enlarged,
and maintained for the following uses only:
a. Any use permitted in the R-O District.
b. Restaurants and Cafes. Structures used for this use category may
not exceed 35,000 square feet in the District in the aggregate. No
individual restaurant or cafe may exceed 4,000 square feet of gross
floor area or contain a drive-in window or other facility where patrons
are served while remaining in their vehicle.
c. Personal and Business Services (e.g. beautician, quick-print shop,
dry cleaner with pick-up/drop-off). Structures used for this use category
may not exceed 35,000 square feet in the District in the aggregate.
d. Neighborhood Food and Convenience Stores. Structures used for this
use category may not exceed 10,000 square feet in the aggregate in
this district.
e. Specialty Food Stores. Structures used for this use may not exceed
10,000 square feet in the aggregate in the district.
f. Retail Shops. Structures used for this use category may not exceed
35,000 square feet in the aggregate in this district.
g. Off-street parking area, public parking areas and unloading spaces
including off-site parking for areas within the zone.
h. Coin-operated laundry facilities.
j. Child or adult day care facilities.
k. Bed-and-breakfast Establishments not exceeding 10 guest rooms.
l. Research and development facilities.
m. Assembly of electrical appliances, scientific equipment and technical
equipment.
n. Accessory land use and buildings customarily incident to any of the
above uses.
p. Light Industrial and manufacturing.
q. Artist studios, art galleries, schools, or studios for music and
dance instruction, and other similar uses.
r. Cat cafes,
with a maximum of 10 cats permitted at any time on the premises.
[Added by Ord. No. 2134, 12/2/2019]
[Ord. 1448, 7/11/1994, Section 3; amended by Ord. 1635, 10/5/2000,
Section 1; Ord. 1709, 10/15/2002, Sections 3 and 4; Ord. 1778, 4/27/2004,
Section 1]
a. The sale of motor fuel or gasoline is prohibited in the UV District.
b. The following uses are generally prohibited as primary or accessory
uses on any lot within the UV district fronting along West College
Avenue, but may be used to the extent provided for in another category
in the use matrix:
(1) Coin-operated laundry facilities;
(3) Neighborhood convenience store;
(9) Warehouse;
Exceptions to Uses of Properties Fronting West College Avenue
in the UV Zoning District
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Use
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Permitted on Vacant Lot
See Note 1
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Reuse of Contributing Building
See Note 2
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Reuse of Non-Contributing Building
See Note 3
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New Buildings and Additions
See Note 4
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Coin-Operated Laundry Facilities
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Light Industry
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Neighborhood Convenience Store
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X
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X
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X
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Off-Street Parking
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Personal Business
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Restaurant
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Retail
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Specialty Food Store
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X
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X
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X
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X
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Warehouse
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Note 1. Permitted on Vacant Lot. Structures may be erected or
constructed and used for these uses on any lot fronting West College
Avenue only in the case where the lot was vacant at the date of the
adoption of this ordinance.
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Note 2. Reuse of Contributing Building. Buildings located on
lots fronting West College Avenue that are classified as contributing
to the Highlands/Holmes-Foster National Register Historic District
at the time of the adoption of this ordinance may be used in whole
or in part for these uses only if the contributing building(s) is
retained in a fashion consistent with the basic architectural features
and historic character of the contributing structure or structures.
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Note 3. Reuse of Non-Contributing Building. Lots fronting West
College Avenue that contain buildings classified as non-contributing
to the Highlands/Holmes-Foster National Register Historic District
at the time of the adoption of this ordinance may be used in whole
or in part for these uses only. The non-contributing building(s) is
not required to be retained and may be removed or replaced by new
construction. Property owners that replace non-contributing buildings
are encouraged to follow the Borough's guidelines for new construction
in historic districts. This document is available free of charge at
the State College Borough Planning Department office, Room 221, 243
South Allen Street, State College, PA.
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Note 4. New Buildings and Additions. Additional buildings or
building additions may be erected or constructed on any lot in the
UV District fronting along West College Avenue for these uses only
and provided that on any lot containing a contributing building to
the Highlands/Holmes-Foster National Register Historic District at
the time of the adoption of this ordinance, the contributing building(s)
shall be retained in a fashion consistent with the basic architectural
features and historic character of the contributing building(s).
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c. Hours of Operation. Restaurants and cafes, personal and business
services, retail shops, convenience food stores, and specialty food
stores may be open for business only between the hours of 6:00 a.m.
and midnight.
d. Walk-up and drive-in windows are not permitted at any restaurants
or cafes.
e. Maximum Number of Residential Buildings. A maximum of one building
for residential use is allowed on a single lot.
[Ord. 1448, 7/11/1994, Section 3; amended by Ord. 1475, 8/29/1995,
Section 1, 2 and 3; Ord. 1574, 8/20/1998, Section 3; Ord. 1635, 10/5/2000,
Section 2-6; Ord. 1644, 12/18/2000; Ord. 1709, 10/15/2002, Sections
5, 6, 7, and 10; Ord. 1854, 10/16/2006, Section 6]
Land development in the UV District shall be effected pursuant
to the standards specified in Sections a through k below.
However, in order to further the purposes of the UV district,
the Flexible Incentive Zoning (FIZ) system was established. The FIZ
provides an option to development under the base standards. Base standards
that may be modified through FIZ are identified through the notation
"Incentives Apply."
a. Lot Coverage:
(1) Twenty-five percent of a lot may be covered by buildings and other
structures. Incentives Apply.
(2) Open Space. The minimum open space required on a lot for a given
use shall be the percentage of the lot's area as listed below. When
a lot has more than one use, the minimum open space required shall
be that listed for the higher use. When a change in use is proposed,
the open space for the new use shall equal or exceed that listed on
the table below for the new use. Any required landscape material that
dies shall be replaced. Incentives apply.
Multiple-family dwelling: 30%.
One- and two-family dwelling and all other residential use:
25%.
Nonresidential uses: 10%.
b. Buffer Yards. The buffer yard is a unit of land together with the landscaping and/or fencing prescribed in the buffer yard table. The buffer yard shall be placed between uses located on separate, but abutting, lots. The amount of land and the amount of landscape material prescribed for each buffer yard requirement are designed to mitigate nuisances between adjacent land use intensity classifications based on the Land Use Intensity System presented in Section 1927.b(5) of this chapter. All off-street parking areas within the District shall comply with the buffer yard requirement according to the Land Use Intensity System. The perimeter screening requirements of Part
H, Section 2404.i, of this chapter shall not apply. Incentives apply.
(1) Buffer yards shall be located between the uses required to be buffered
and may extend across side and rear property lines. Buffer yards shall
not be required in any front setback. Buffer yards shall not be located
on any portion of an existing or dedicated public or private street.
(2) Walls or fences may be substituted for all or a portion of the understory
trees, shrubs or evergreens in Buffer yards A and B (see Buffer Yard
Tables). When used as a substitute, a wall or fence must be view restrictive,
not less than six feet nor more than 8.5 feet in height, extend from
the front building line the entire length of the rear and side property
line, and be constructed of wood, brick, stone or other approved equivalent
material.
Walls of detached garages built pursuant to Section 1927.c(1)
may be credited toward meeting the buffer yard requirement provided
they are constructed of an approved material.
(3) The following procedure shall be used to determine the type of buffer
yard required between two uses located on separate but abutting parcels:
(a)
Identify the land use class of the proposed use by referring
to the Land Use Intensity System [see Section 1927.b(5)].
(b)
Identify the land use class of all existing uses located on
separate but abutting lots by referring to the Land Use Intensity
System [see Section 1927.b(5)].
(c)
Determine the buffer yard required between uses by referring
to Buffer Yard Tables A, B and C of this Part.
(d)
When a mixed use is proposed for a lot, the buffer yard required
shall be that required by the most intensive of the uses proposed.
(4) Responsibility for buffer yard:
(a)
When land development is proposed for a lot, the developer shall
provide a buffer yard as prescribed on the Buffer Yard Table according
to the Land Use Intensity System.
(b)
The buffer yard may be located entirely on the lot being developed
or in combination with the buffer yard located on an abutting lot.
In no case shall the buffer yard between the use on the lot being
developed and the use on any abutting lot be less than that prescribed
by the Buffer Yard Table on the Land Use Intensity System.
(c)
Where a buffer yard exists on an abutting lot its area and material
may be applied to meeting the buffer yard requirement between the
use being developed and the existing use on the abutting lot. In such
cases, the prescribed buffer yard on the lot being developed may be
reduced by the amount of buffer yard that exists on the abutting lot.
(d)
Existing plant material, berms, walls and fences located on
a lot which meet the requirements of this ordinance may be counted
as contributing to the total buffer yard required.
(e)
Should a change in use of a lot result in a lessening of a buffer
yard requirement, the buffer yard or portion thereof on the lot where
the change in use occurs may be reduced to meet the lesser requirement.
If this reduction causes the buffer yard to become deficient for a
use on an abutting lot with a more intensive land use classification,
the buffer yard or portion thereof on the affected lot shall be increased,
as necessary, to meet the buffer yard for that use as prescribed in
the Buffer Yard Table.
(5) Land Use Intensity System:
Class I:
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Parks
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One-family Dwellings
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Gardening/Cultivation
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Vacant Lots
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Class II:
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Two-family Dwellings
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Group Homes
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Class III:
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Churches
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Business and Professional Offices and Services
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Art Galleries, Studios and Museums
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Libraries
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Tourist Homes
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Bed-and-breakfast Establishments
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Studios for Instruction in Music and Performing Arts
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Clinics
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Child Care Facilities
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Photographic Studios
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Boarding or Rooming Houses
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Funeral Homes
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Retail Shops, Restaurants and Cafes
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Housing for the Elderly
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Personal Care Boarding Homes
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Personal and Business Services
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Nursing and Convalescent Homes
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Playgrounds
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Class IV:
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Multifamily dwellings
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Fraternity or Sorority Houses
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Performing Arts and Community Centers
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Clubs, Organizations
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Schools (Public and Private)
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Food and Convenience Stores
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Class V:
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Research and Development Facilities
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Coin-operated Laundry Facilities
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Off-Street Parking Areas
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Public Utility and Service Structures
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Assembly
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Light Industry and Manufacturing
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Warehouses
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(6) Buffer yard requirement:
Buffer Yard Table
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Land Use Intensity Class of Proposed Development
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Land Use Intensity Class on Abutting Lot(s)
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I
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II
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III
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IV
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V
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Class I
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N/A
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N/A
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A
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A
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B
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Class II
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N/A
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N/A
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B
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B
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B
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Class III
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B
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B
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B
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B
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B
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Class IV
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C
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C
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B
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A
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B
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Class V
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C
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C
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B
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B
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A
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Bufferyard "A" Table
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Bufferyard "B" Table
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Bufferyard "C" Table
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(7) Landscape Material Standards. All landscape material planted to comply
with buffer yard requirements shall meet or exceed the following standards
at the time of planting:
Canopy trees shall have a caliper of two inches measured at
a point six feet above grade.
Understory and evergreen trees shall be six feet in height.
Shrubs shall be 2.5 feet in height.
c. Lot width and yards:
Lot width: sufficient to meet required yards.
Front yard setback, all structures: 15 feet, except as provided
for in Section 502.f.(7).
Side yard setback, all structures, except as provided for herein:
20 feet in total, with no side yard.
(1) Detached private garages are permitted in the side yard, provided
that they shall not be placed closer than five feet to any side lot
line and shall not be placed closer than 50 feet to the cartway of
any street.
(2) Two abutting property owners may erect a common garage across or
abutting upon a common lot line in the rear or side setback area provided
that the property owners supply the Zoning Officer with a written
agreement, duly recorded with the Centre County Recorder of Deeds,
for the erection of such structure.
(3) Accessory buildings of not more than 144 square feet in ground floor
area and 10 feet in height are permitted in side and rear yards, provided
that they shall not be placed closer than five feet to any lot line
and shall not be placed closer than 50 feet to the cartway of any
street.
Rear yard setback, except as provided for in Section c(3) above,
all structures . . .
(a)
Not abutting an alley: 15 feet.
Incentives Apply.
(b)
Abutting an alley: 7.5 feet.
All required setbacks shall be planted according to land use
intensity system.
(4) Exceptions to Setback and Buffer Yard Requirements. Any structure
in existence at the effective date of this ordinance which does not
conform to minimum setback or buffer yard requirements may be used
for any use permitted in the UV District provided all other requirements
are met. However, new or relocated exterior doorways or other means
of building egress shall not be permitted along building walls adjacent
to streets, alleys, driveways, or off-street parking areas unless
the doorway or other means of egress itself is set back 7.5 feet or
more from the edge of the street or alley right-of-way line or from
the edge of the driveway or off-street parking area. When a change
in use is proposed, any existing exterior doorway or other means of
egress that does not meet the minimum setback as described above shall
be relocated to achieve setback compliance before the change in use
occurs. Buffer yard requirements shall be met to the greatest extent
possible whenever the use of a building is changed from one use classification
to another use classification permitted in the UV District.
d. Height. The maximum height of structures in this District, except
as otherwise provided for in Section 503.d.(2), shall be:
(1) For any lot, or portion thereof, located within 75 feet of the northern
boundary of the District, 65 feet, except that the maximum height
of any portion of a structure located within 15 feet of an alley is
limited to two stories, not to exceed 30 feet.
(2) For the remainder of the District, three stories, not to exceed 35
feet, except that the maximum height of any portion of a structure
located within 15 feet of an alley is limited to two stories, not
to exceed 30 feet.
e. Building Size. No building or group of attached buildings may be
larger than 3,000 square feet in gross floor area. Basement areas
are not included when calculating gross floor area. Incentives Apply.
f. Separation Between Buildings. Where two or more buildings are to
be located on the same lot, the distance between said buildings shall
be not less than 10 feet, measured at their closest point.
g. Nuisance Standards. All uses of land and structures shall be prohibited
which:
(1) Produce heat, smoke, odors, dust or vibration which offends a person
of reasonable sensibilities;
(2) Involve explosive materials or processes, or create special fire
hazards;
(3) Produce glare from any process which emits harmful ultraviolet rays,
including arc welding and acetylene torch cutting perceptible beyond
the lot line;
(4) Produce electromagnetic radiation or radioactive emissions which
exceed applicable local, state or federal standards;
(5) Produce noise levels which violate the State College Noise Ordinance (Chapter
V, Part
A of the Codification of Ordinances) or its successor;
(6) Air conditioners, ventilation, heating units and similar devices
of eight tons or greater heating or cooling capacity that emit sound
that is plainly audible beyond the property boundary, shall be required
to apply current "best engineering practice for noise mitigation and
control" sound mitigation techniques to reduce the sound to the extent
feasible.
h. Outdoor Storage. All outdoor storage of fuel, raw materials and products,
except finished products for retail sale to the public, shall be screened
from view from any public right-of-way and residential zoning District
by a sight-obscuring evergreen planting or a fence or wall constructed
of wood, brick, stone or other approved equivalent material.
i. Lighting. Except as provided for herein, all outdoor lighting shall comply with Part
K of this chapter. When outdoor areas are lighted (including parking areas), the fixtures, standards, and all exposed accessories shall be chosen to be in character with the design of neighboring buildings and streetscape. Backlit awnings and internally illuminated signs are prohibited in the UV zoning district.
j. Parking. Required parking for uses in the UV District may be provided
on site, off site or through a combination of on and off site. When
a change in use is proposed, the parking for the new use shall equal
or exceed the amount of parking required for that use as listed in
Section 2403.c. Any prior deficiency existing in the number of parking
spaces provided for the former use shall not be credited or applied
toward meeting the required parking for the new use.
Exception. Recognizing that two primary purposes of the UV District
are to (1) create a village atmosphere with pedestrian-oriented uses
and (2) provide opportunities for adaptive reuse of historic buildings
along West College Avenue through uses that foster pedestrian orientation,
and recognizing that parking is not needed for small-scale pedestrian-oriented
restaurants, the following parking exception is created:
Cafes or restaurants within the UV District shall be exempted
from providing parking, as required by Section 2403.c, provided the
cafe or restaurant meets all of the following criteria:
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The combined total number of all inside and outside seats does
not exceed 50;
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•
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The floor area of the interior seating area does not exceed
700 square feet;
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•
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There are no exterior service windows for providing food or
beverages;
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•
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Alcoholic beverages are not sold at the premises, but patrons
may bring their own alcoholic beverages for consumption at the premises;
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•
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There shall be no more than one restaurant or cafe per lot;
and
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•
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Hours open for business are restricted to between 6:00 a.m.
and midnight.
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Cafes or restaurants that do not meet all of the above criteria
shall comply fully with parking, as required in Section 2403.c and
the other provisions of Section 1927.j.
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(1) Design and Access of Parking Areas.
(a)
Except for perimeter planting (Section 2404.i), paving material (Section 2404.f), and parking areas that open directly onto an alley (Section 2406.b(9), all off-street parking areas shall comply with design standards of Part
H of this chapter.
(b)
Off-street parking areas, whether a primary or accessory use,
must meet the buffer yard requirement according to the land use intensity
system.
(c)
In order to increase permeability to stormwater, off-street
parking areas may be surfaced with brick, paver blocks, cobblestones,
wood blocks or other similar material spaced not more than one inch
apart. Incentives Apply.
(d)
Use of alleys and shared driveways for access and egress to a lot is encouraged. Access from private streets shall be permitted only with the written approval of the owner of the private street. Location and number of access points shall otherwise conform to the requirements of Part
H of this chapter. Incentives Apply.
(2) Off-Site Parking. The total number of parking spaces provided for a use in both on-and off-site parking areas shall not be less than the sum of spaces required for said use in Part
H of this chapter. Off-site parking may not be located on any public right-of-way.
Off-site parking is permitted, provided the lot used for off-site
parking is located within 400 feet of the commercial or retail use
served or 900 feet of the residential use served. All distances shall
be measured from the closest points of the lot used for the off-site
parking and the lot containing the use or uses which the off-site
parking serves.
All lots used for off-site parking shall be located in the UV,
U or C Districts.
All lots used for off-site parking shall comply with the applicable design standards of this section and Part
H of this chapter.
All off-site parking shall be and shall remain under the control
of the owner or operator of the use which the off-site parking is
intended to serve. On approval of a land development plan which relies
on off-site parking to provide all or a portion of the required parking,
the owner or operator of the said use shall execute and, where appropriate,
record, in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Centre County, an
appropriate covenant, deed, lease or other binding agreement that
guarantees the availability of the off-site parking for the use or
uses it is intended to serve. Said covenant, deed, lease or other
binding agreement shall be approved by the Planning Department and
noted on the land development plan prior to the recording of said
land development plan.
k. Cap on Residential Use. Residential uses may be established anew
or expanded within buildings that are, at the effective date of this
ordinance, larger than 3,000 square feet in gross floor area (excluding
basement floor area), provided all other applicable zoning regulations
for the change in use or expansion of use are met. However, the maximum
gross floor area (excluding basement floor area) permitted for residential
use in such building shall not exceed 3,000 square feet plus 50% of
the building's gross floor area in excess of 3,000 square feet.
Example:
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5,000
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square feet of gross floor area of existing building
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-3,000
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square feet
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2,000
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square feet in excess 3,000 square feet
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x.5
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1,000
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square feet
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+ 3,000
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square feet
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4,000
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square feet residential use
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l. Historic Properties. One of the principal purposes of the UV District
is the preservation and restoration of the buildings located therein,
which is part of the Holmes-Foster/Highlands National Register Historic
District and which have been identified as having state and local
historical significance.
(1) Notice Prior to Demolition, Removal or Razing. All owners of structures
included in the Historic Resources of the Centre Region, prepared
in 1982 by the Centre Regional Planning Commission, listed on the
National Register of Historic Buildings or included as a contributing
structure in an existing or formally proposed National Historic Register
District, must give public notice prior to the demolition, removal
or razing of such building or any portion thereof. This notice shall
be given no less than 90 days prior to issuance of the permit for
demolition. The notice of demolition shall be made to the adjacent
property owners by United States' certified mail; posted on the property
on which the structure is located (using a sign provided by the Borough);
posted on the public bulletin board at the State College Municipal
Building; and placed in the paper of general circulation within the
Borough. The Applicant, before starting notice procedure, must schedule
a meeting with the Zoning Officer to review the applicant's plans
for the notice and provide a copy of the notice to the Zoning Officer.
Following is a sample notice to be used:
NOTICE OF DEMOLITION OF A HISTORIC STRUCTURE
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Public Notice is hereby given that this property has a building
that is listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of
Historic Places; is a contributing structure in a National Register
Historic District; or is listed in the Historic Resources of the Centre
Region prepared in 1982 by the Centre Regional Planning Commission
and is proposed to be demolished in whole or in part. The property
in which the Historic Structure is located is at ____________________,
Tax Parcel Number ___________. The type of structure, or part thereof,
to be demolished is ____________________. The purpose of this notice
is to give the residents an opportunity to contact the owner and to
point out other options to possibly prevent the demolition of a historic
resource of the Borough of State College. It is the owner's intent
to start demolition of this structure on
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_____. For more information on this demolition, you can contact
the Borough Zoning Officer at 118 South Fraser Street, State College,
PA 16801 or by telephone (814) 234-7193, TDD (814) 234-7110. The owner's
name and address are: ____________________.
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m. Signs. See Section 127 of Chapter
XV for sign regulations applicable in the UV.
[Ord. 1448, 7/11/1994, Section 3; amended by Ord. 1475, 8/29/1995,
Sections 4 and 5]
Flexible Incentive Zoning (FIZ) was developed to create and
preserve a community that benefits both residents and developers while
maintaining the scale and character of the neighborhood. FIZ is a
schedule of incentives that promotes the following neighborhood goals:
historic preservation, compatibility of building scale and architectural
character, landscape aesthetics and open space needs of the community.
Flexible Incentive Zoning is included in the UV District to encourage innovation and to promote flexibility, economy and ingenuity in development as stated in Article
VI, Section 603(c)(5) of the PA Municipalities Planning Code.
a. Calculation of Flexible Incentive Zoning. The incentives for which
any land development plan is eligible are determined by a point score
based on the characteristics of the proposed land development plan
or adapted building. The base development standards for this area
are very strict; however, through the incentive schedule, these standards
can be relaxed provided the proposed land development plan meets several
criteria:
(1) Implementation. The FIZ system can be implemented by comparing the
characteristics of a proposed land development plan to the FIZ Point
Table, which awards points for specific characteristics including:
architectural details, landscaping and open space, historic preservation
and restoration, mixed use, improvements to enhance energy efficiency,
and others. A maximum of 100 points may be earned through the FIZ.
Points will be awarded for new construction only where it is
in keeping with the context of the block within which it is proposed.
To achieve this contextual harmony, many design features can be employed,
including: building silhouette and massing of form; location and treatment
of openings (windows, doors); and facade material, scale and color.
Points may be awarded under the following categories:
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Architectural Details;
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Landscaping and Open Space;
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Historic Preservation and Restoration;
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•
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Building Height and Scale;
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•
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Mixed Use; and
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•
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Utilities and Energy Efficiency.
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For all categories, points awarded shall be determined by the
State College Planning Department upon recommendation of the DRB.
In determining the number of points to be recommended in each category,
the DRB shall use the following method: each member present at the
meeting at which a recommendation is made shall designate a point
score for each of the above named categories on a form provided by
the Secretary to the DRB. The Secretary shall determine the arithmetic
mean for each category. The sum of these arithmetic means shall be
the total number of incentive points awarded to a project.
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An estimate of the number of points to be awarded will be made
during the preliminary review required by Section 305.b(1) of this
chapter. The number of points actually awarded will be determined
during the review of the final plan required by Section 305.b(2) of
this chapter.
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The number of the incentive points awarded determines the level
of benefit available to the developer. The developer may use these
incentive points to modify building setbacks, buffer yards, building
size, lot coverage and parking requirements, as provided for in the
Benefit Schedule (Section 1930.i of this chapter).
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All characteristics shown on the land development plan for which
incentive points are awarded shall be maintained for a period of time
that coincides with that of the use or successor use for which the
bonus points were utilized. The approved land development plan shall
contain a note so obligating the applicant and successors in title
to maintaining the characteristics.
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[Ord. 1448, 7/11/1994, Section 3]
All plans for land development in the UV District shall comply
with the content, review procedure, approval and recording requirements
established in Sections 305. a, b, c, and d of this chapter.
[Ord. 1448, 7/11/1994, Section 3; amended by Ord. 1475, 8/29/1995,
Sections 6 and 11]
The zoning point table was developed as a mechanism to quantify
how well a specific development proposal addresses the purposes and
objectives of the UV District. In order to receive maximum points,
and thereby maximum benefits, potential applicants are encouraged
to review in detail the text of the UV District. A thorough understanding
of the purposes and goals will aid the applicant in preparing a development
plan that will receive maximum benefits.
a. Architectural Details. The incentives offered under FIZ can be earned
by buildings and structures based upon the merit of their design as
well as other standards. Structures can earn incentives in the form
of reduced development standards based on design that provides continuity
with the historic character of the neighborhood.
From zero to 20 points may be awarded for architectural details
for new construction or renovation that is in keeping with the context
of the block within which site and building are located. Examples
of the types of architectural details for which a proposal may be
awarded points include: porches, turrets, dormers, decorative millwork,
window treatments (e.g. bay windows, picture windows, arched windows,
bow windows), roof type and residential scale exterior light fixtures.
b. Landscaping and Open Space. State College is known for its abundance
of mature trees and beautiful landscaping. In order to preserve and
promote this characteristic, incentives have been developed to encourage
increased landscaping and open space in the UV District.
Points are given for planting trees, retaining mature trees,
planting decorative gardens and providing common open space accessible
to all residents, employees or customers of a site. Tree retention
shall follow guidelines in the State College Borough Municipal Tree
Plan, adopted by the State College Borough Council.
From zero to 15 points may be awarded for site landscaping,
including innovative treatment of buffer yards, planting of trees
beyond that required in buffer yards, planting and maintaining decorative
gardens, preservation of existing trees and providing common open
space. Removal of existing trees may reduce point totals.
In order to receive points, common open-space areas must be
of adequate size and acceptable location to ensure maximum use. Outdoor
common spaces must have adequate access to sunlight; indoor common
spaces must have adequate artificial lighting. Common open space must
be accessible to people with disabilities. Examples of common open
space for which points may be awarded include: outdoor seating, playgrounds
and equipment.
Buffer yards may be used for passive recreation and may contain
sculpture, furniture and pedestrian walkways, provided that no buffer
yard material is eliminated, the total width is maintained and all
other requirements are met.
c. Historic Preservation and Restoration. Among the most important goals
of UV zoning is preservation of the historic character of buildings
in the District. The greatest number of points is made available for
the preservation or restoration of historic buildings, as defined
in Section 1927.k, above, which meet Department of Interior standards.
From zero to 40 points may be awarded for the restoration or
preservation and maintenance of a historic building which meet Department
of Interior standards.
d. Mixed Use. From zero to 20 points may be awarded for any building
which incorporates residential and at least one of the nonresidential
uses permitted in the District.
e. Utilities. From zero to five points may be awarded for locating utilities
underground, granting easements to the municipality for future underground
relocation of utilities or for passive energy efficiency improvements
that exceed the requirements of the current BOCA Building Codes, or
successor codes, adopted by the State College Borough Council, providing
the historic characteristics of architecture are maintained.
f. See table below.
Incentive Points
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Benefit Schedule
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Archi-tectural Details
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Maximum Potential Points
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Lot Coverage:
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20
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Building
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Landscaping
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Setbacks
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Parking
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Building Size
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Landscaping and Open Space
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15
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25% maximum
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35% maximum
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Rear: 15' minimum Side: 20' total with no less than
7.5' minimum
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See Part H of this Zoning Ordinance
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3,000 square feet maximum
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Historic Preservation
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40
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Mixed Use
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20
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Utilities
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5
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50% increase over base requirement
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20% decrease
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25% decrease but not less than 7.5'
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25% decrease
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50% increase over base requirement
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Total Potential Points:
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100
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Each incentive point accrued entitles the applicant
to a 1% modification to one of the base requirements within the above
parameters. The cumulative modification available to any applicant
may not exceed 100%. The applicant may assign his or her modifications
to any combination of categories but may not exceed the maximum modification
allowed in any single category. For example, an applicant accruing
100 points may increase his or her lot coverage and building size
by 50% each or increase lot coverage by 30%, increase building size
by 25%, decrease parking by 25%, and decrease landscaping by 20%.
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