The intent of the Main Street Mixed-Use District is to preserve
the character of West Main Street by allowing for a mix of commercial,
office and residential uses in a manner compatible with the existing
Victorian and early 20th Century homes that predominate the street-scape.
Furthermore, it is the intent of this district to encourage retention
of the historic housing stock by permitting their adaptive reuse provided
that any alteration as may be deemed necessary maintains the visual
character and architectural scale of the original structure. All new
construction shall be of a scale, mass, and location that is consistent
with the established streetscape.
A.
Permitted uses. A building may be erected or used or occupied by any of the following purposes and no other as per the following. To determine allowable housing types on each block (see § 320-11 for definition of "block"), not less than three residential buildings of the same housing type from the list below must currently exist on the block. For the purpose of this district, two individual twin dwelling units sharing a common wall shall constitute a single building. All other housing types, or those housing types listed below that comprise two or fewer buildings on the block, are not permitted, and shall be considered nonconforming on the block on which they are located.
(1)
Single-family detached dwelling.
(2)
Twin dwelling.
(3)
Duplex dwelling provided that the dwelling was designed and originally
constructed as such.
(4)
The following residential mixed-use conversions:
(a)
Professional office for the practice of medicine, law, engineering,
architecture or design, real estate, insurance or financial consultation
or other such similar professions.
(b)
Studio for photography, music or dance.
(c)
Retail store for the sale of groceries ("mini-markets"/bodegas),
dry goods, variety merchandise, flowers, books, crafts or other household
supplies.
(d)
Personal service shop, including barbershop, hairdresser, dressmakers,
shoe repair, tailor.
(e)
Limited restaurant selling commercially precooked, preheated,
or microwaved food.
(f)
Funeral home.
(g)
Coffee shop, tearoom or internet cafe.
(5)
Accessory uses on the same lot with and customarily incidental to
any principal use permitted by this section, including no-impact home-based
business.
B.
Special exception. Any of the following uses when authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board pursuant to Article XXI, Special Exceptions, and the criteria contained herein.
A.
Special exception uses.
|
A
|
Special Exception Uses
|
Stand Alone Commercial/Office
|
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Minimum lot size (net square feet)
|
15,000
|
|
2
|
Minimum lot width (feet)
|
75
|
|
3
|
Minimum front yard setback from street curbline (feet)
|
20 not to exceed 30
|
|
4
|
Minimum side yard setback (feet)
|
15
|
|
5
|
Minimum rear yard setback (feet)
|
25
|
|
6
|
Maximum building height (feet)
|
35
|
|
7
|
Maximum impervious surface (percent of net lot area)
|
80%
|
|
8
|
Maximum building coverage (percent of net lot area)
|
50%
|
B.
Front yard. Each property shall have one front yard, and in the case
of a corner lot two front yards. Distance shall be determined by measuring
from the curbline of the street to the front facade of the principal
building, excluding bay windows, stoops or other similar projections
on the property immediately to the right or to the left. Either measurement
may be used and shall constitute the required build-to line, but in
no case shall be less than 15 feet (20 feet along Main Street). On
corner lots, the front facade shall constitute the facade that is
facing the greater of the two streets (as determined by road classification
or traffic volume), or the facade on which the building's primary
entrance is located. When bordered by vacant property on one side,
the front yard setback established from the adjoining developed property
shall apply. For a property that is bordered on both the left and
right by vacant property, the front yard shall be 15 feet but no more
than 30 feet.
C.
Area, width, yard, height and impervious coverage. Unless otherwise noted, the following dimensional standards shall be established by taking the median value of the same permitted housing types on the block as determined by § 320-41A. Nonconforming housing types may not reduce lot area or width but shall otherwise conform to § 320-42B(3), (4), (5) and (6) below.
(1)
Lot area. Shall be the established median value of the same housing
type on the block and shall constitute the minimum allowable lot area
but in no case shall be less than 3,000 square feet per single-family
detached dwelling, 2,500 square feet per twin dwelling unit, 3,500
square feet per duplex building.
(2)
Lot width. Shall be the established median value on the block and
shall constitute the minimum allowable lot width, but in no case shall
be less than 25 feet per single-family detached dwelling, 20 feet
per twin dwelling unit, 35 feet per duplex building.
(3)
Side yard. Shall be established by the side yard setbacks of the
principal building(s) on property immediately adjacent to the left
and right (either dimension may be used). The measurement shall be
from the side wall, exclusive of bay windows, porches, chimneys or
other similar projections to the side property line. In no case shall
an individual side yard setback be less than five feet. When bordered
by vacant property on one side, the setback established from the adjoining
developed property shall apply to both sides. If bordered on both
sides by vacant property, the minimum side yard shall be 15 feet.
(4)
Rear yard. Shall be established by the rear yard setbacks of the
principal building(s) on property immediately adjacent to the left
and or right (either dimension may be used). The measurement shall
be from the rear facade, exclusive of bay windows, porches, decks,
chimneys or other similar projections to the rear property line. In
no case shall the individual rear yard setback be less than 15 feet.
When bordered to the rear and side by vacant property, the minimum
rear yard setback shall be 25 feet.
(5)
Building height. To be no greater than the median height of buildings
on the block of the same residential use type but in no case shall
exceed 40 feet in height.
(6)
Off-street parking may be reduced by one space per residential unit
on streets where on-street parking provides 50% or more of the on-site
parking requirement.
(7)
Impervious Cover Table.
|
Housing Type
|
Lot Size
(net square feet)
|
Maximum Impervious Surface
(percent of net lot area)
|
Maximum Building Cover
(percent of net lot area)
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Single-family detached
|
3,000 to 5,000
|
60%
|
30%
|
|
5,001 to 10,000
|
50%
|
25%
| |
|
10,001 and above
|
40%
|
20%
| |
|
Twin
|
2,500 to 5,000
|
80%
|
50%
|
|
5,001 and above
|
70%
|
40%
| |
|
Duplex
|
3,500 to 6,000
|
60%
|
40%
|
|
6,001 and above
|
50%
|
30%
|
A.
Conversions may only occur in existing buildings originally constructed
for residential use.
B.
No residential uses shall be permitted on the first floor.
C.
Commercial uses may only occupy the first floor after conversion
and may not exceed 1,500 gross floor area.
D.
No more than one residential unit per floor shall be permitted to
a maximum of two residential units per building after conversion.
E.
Alterations to the front facade must conform to the standards and
criteria of the HARB for the West Norristown National Register Historic
District, A-Zone.
F.
Building additions shall be located to the rear and shall be compatible
with the existing building in appearance size, scale and materials.
G.
The front yard shall be preserved or restored in landscaped open
space.
(1)
Impervious coverage in the front yard shall be sidewalks or pedestrian
access paths.
H.
Stairways, fire escapes and other structural alterations shall be
located to the rear or side of the building.
I.
A primary entrance from the front facing facade shall be maintained
after conversion.
J.
Exterior lighting shall be designed to prevent glare onto adjacent
properties. Pedestrian pathways need to be clearly marked and well
lit.
K.
Off-street parking shall be provided at a rate of one space per every
250 square feet of gross floor area exclusive of the first 750 square
feet of commercial use after conversion.
L.
Parking shall be accommodated to the rear or side of the property
and may not extend beyond the front wall of the principal building
toward West Main Street.
(1)
Corner lots with two front yards may have parking within the front
yard setback of the street of lesser classification.
M.
Refuse collection shall be contained within the confines of the primary
structure.
N.
Hours of operation shall be limited to between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00
p.m.
A.
Residential conversion to nonresidential use.
B.
Stand-alone commercial uses.
(1)
Location shall be restricted to only those properties situated along
the south side (Schuylkill River side) of West Main Street, and only
between the blocks of Chain Street and Stanbridge Street and Buttonwood
Street and Hartranft Street.
(2)
Demolition of an existing building may only occur if the building
has limited or no historical value as determined by the HARB.
(3)
Demolition of a building of historic value may only occur if it is
shown to be structurally unsound and cannot be stabilized as determined
by a professional structural engineer specializing in historic structures.
(4)
Only one building shall be permitted per lot with a maximum footprint
of 15,000 square feet.
(5)
The front facade of the building shall be oriented toward West Main
Street.
(6)
The building shall be constructed in an architectural style consistent
with the historic district.
(7)
Blank facades shall not be permitted along any exterior wall facing
a public street, and shall contain windows and other architectural
elements that are consistent in appearance and scale to that which
currently exists on the block.
(8)
Exterior lighting shall be designed to prevent glare onto adjacent
properties. Pedestrian pathways need to be clearly marked and well
lit.
(9)
Parking shall be accommodated to the rear or side of the property
and may not extend beyond the front wall of the principal building
toward West Main Street.
(a)
Corner lots with two front yards may have parking within the
front yard set-back of the street of lesser classification.
(11)
Sketch plan submittal. All proposals shall submit the following
information to the Planning Commission in sufficient detail for the
Commission to render an advisory opinion to the Municipal Council
and HARB. Sketch plans shall show the following information:
A.
All uses.
(1)
Supplemental regulations. The relevant provisions found in Article XXIII, Supplemental Regulations, shall apply.
(2)
Architectural design. All new homes, alterations, or additions that
are not within a certified historic district shall conform to the
following basic design standards:
(a)
New homes shall be consistent with the pattern of size, mass
and footprint, as with other similar homes on the block.
(b)
New homes shall be consistent with the proportion of height
and width of similar homes on the block.
(c)
New homes shall have front porches or house stoops if the majority
of homes of the same housing type on the block have those features.
(3)
All proposed developments shall be reviewed by the Historical Architectural Review Board when this board has jurisdiction. When the Historical Architectural Review Board does not have jurisdiction, all proposed developments shall be reviewed by the Design Review Board as per the standards and criteria of § 320-243.
