[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.
i. 
Parks or playgrounds.
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.
o. 
Warehouse.
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;
(2) 
Light industry;
(3) 
Neighborhood convenience store;
(4) 
Off-street parking;
(5) 
Personal business;
(6) 
Restaurant;
(7) 
Retail;
(8) 
Specialty food store;
(9) 
Warehouse;
Exceptions to Uses of Properties Fronting West College Avenue
in the UV Zoning District
Use
Permitted on Vacant Lot
See Note 1
Reuse of Contributing Building
See Note 2
Reuse of Non-Contributing Building
See Note 3
New Buildings and Additions
See Note 4
Coin-Operated Laundry Facilities
X
X
X
X
Light Industry
X
X
X
X
Neighborhood Convenience Store
X
X
X
Off-Street Parking
Personal Business
X
X
X
X
Restaurant
X
X
X
X
Retail
X
X
X
X
Specialty Food Store
X
X
X
X
Warehouse
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.
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.
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.
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).
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:
Parks
One-family Dwellings
Gardening/Cultivation
Vacant Lots
Class II:
Two-family Dwellings
Group Homes
Class III:
Churches
Business and Professional Offices and Services
Art Galleries, Studios and Museums
Libraries
Tourist Homes
Bed-and-breakfast Establishments
Studios for Instruction in Music and Performing Arts
Clinics
Child Care Facilities
Photographic Studios
Boarding or Rooming Houses
Funeral Homes
Retail Shops, Restaurants and Cafes
Housing for the Elderly
Personal Care Boarding Homes
Personal and Business Services
Nursing and Convalescent Homes
Playgrounds
Class IV:
Multifamily dwellings
Fraternity or Sorority Houses
Performing Arts and Community Centers
Clubs, Organizations
Schools (Public and Private)
Food and Convenience Stores
Class V:
Research and Development Facilities
Coin-operated Laundry Facilities
Off-Street Parking Areas
Public Utility and Service Structures
Assembly
Light Industry and Manufacturing
Warehouses
(6) 
Buffer yard requirement:
Buffer Yard Table
Land Use Intensity Class of Proposed Development
Land Use Intensity Class on Abutting Lot(s)
I
II
III
IV
V
Class I
N/A
N/A
A
A
B
Class II
N/A
N/A
B
B
B
Class III
B
B
B
B
B
Class IV
C
C
B
A
B
Class V
C
C
B
B
A
Bufferyard "A" Table
Bufferyard "B" Table
Bufferyard "C" Table
(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:
•
The combined total number of all inside and outside seats does not exceed 50;
•
The floor area of the interior seating area does not exceed 700 square feet;
•
There are no exterior service windows for providing food or beverages;
•
Alcoholic beverages are not sold at the premises, but patrons may bring their own alcoholic beverages for consumption at the premises;
•
There shall be no more than one restaurant or cafe per lot; and
•
Hours open for business are restricted to between 6:00 a.m. and midnight.
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.
(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:
5,000
square feet of gross floor area of existing building
-3,000
square feet
2,000
square feet in excess 3,000 square feet
x.5
1,000
square feet
+ 3,000
square feet
4,000
square feet residential use
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
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
_____. 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: ____________________.
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:
•
Architectural Details;
•
Landscaping and Open Space;
•
Historic Preservation and Restoration;
•
Building Height and Scale;
•
Mixed Use; and
•
Utilities and Energy Efficiency.
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.
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.
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).
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.
[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
Benefit Schedule
Archi-tectural Details
Maximum Potential Points
Lot Coverage:
20
Building
Landscaping
Setbacks
Parking
Building Size
Landscaping and Open Space
15
25% maximum
35% maximum
Rear: 15' minimum Side: 20' total with no less than 7.5' minimum
See Part H of this Zoning Ordinance
3,000 square feet maximum
Historic Preservation
40
Mixed Use
20
Utilities
5
50% increase over base requirement
20% decrease
25% decrease but not less than 7.5'
25% decrease
50% increase over base requirement
Total Potential Points:
100
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%.