Application for Shopping Center District. The Township Committee,
after review and recommendation by the Planning Board, may authorize
as an amendment to the Zoning Map, the designation of an area of not
less than five acres as an SC Shopping Center District. An application
for such an amendment shall be accompanied by a general or sketch
plan and other supplementary data and materials indicating the location
and boundaries of the proposed district, topography, proposed uses,
parking areas, building types and landscaping, and the availability
of utilities. The applicant shall also submit traffic generation estimates,
any tentative commitments by prospective tenants, a marketing feasibility
study, and such other information as may be useful in determining
the impact of the proposed shopping center, the appropriateness of
its location and its compliance with the Township Master Plan.
Application for construction permit. An application for a permit to construct a shopping center in any SC Shopping Center District shall be submitted to the Planning Board in accordance with the site plan and building review procedures and requirements included in Chapter 143, Subdivision and Development, § 143-20, which shall include or be accompanied by a plan or plans, and supplementary data, showing the following information:
The location, dimensions, arrangements, and proposed use of
all buildings and open spaces, yards, accessways, entrances, exits,
off-street parking capacities, loading and unloading areas and pedestrianways.
A landscaping plan indicating the location and character of buffer
areas and screening devices to be maintained, including the dimensions
and arrangements of all areas devoted to planting, lawns and trees.
Information sufficient to demonstrate that satisfactory arrangements
will be made to facilitate traffic movement on the highways adjoining
the shopping center and to assure proper circulation within the center.
These arrangements may include provision for necessary signalization,
channelization, standby-turn lanes, right-turn, acceleration or deceleration
lanes, added highway width, adequate warning signs and adequate storage
area and distribution facilities within the center to prevent backup
of vehicles on public streets. A study by a traffic engineer may be
required by the Planning Board.
Sufficient data, in all instances, to enable the Planning Board to
judge the effectiveness of the design and the character of the entire
center, its compliance with the requirements of this section, and
to consider properly such things as its relationship to surrounding
areas, anticipated traffic, public health, safety and welfare.
If portions of the project are to be completed in successive stages,
a less detailed sketch or layout of the areas not scheduled for immediate
development will suffice initially, provided that, as further development
occurs, a plan showing all of the required detail shall then be submitted
and approved prior to the construction of any portion.
A building or combination of buildings may be erected or used, and
a lot area may be used or occupied for any of the uses permitted in
the C Commercial Districts or uses similar thereto, provided that
in no case shall the following uses be permitted:
The sale, display or storage of merchandise or goods,
the performance of any commercial service or any sales or solicitation
of sales on parking lots, parking areas, sidewalks, walkways or otherwise
outside the confines of buildings or enclosures, provided that:
A shopping center may conduct a sidewalk sale
no more than three times in any calendar year as a matter of right.
Permits for such sidewalk sales shall be obtained from the Zoning
Officer.
Use of outdoor sidewalks other than exclusively for pedestrian traffic or an outdoor dining area for a restaurant in compliance with the requirements of § 166-19C(2).
The proposed development shall be constructed in accordance with
an overall plan, shall be designed as a single architectural scheme
with appropriate common landscaping, and shall provide initially at
least for the construction of a minimum of 15,000 square feet of ground
floor area and a minimum of four independent stores.
All buildings shall be arranged in a group or in groups, and the
distance, at the closest point, between any two buildings or groups
of attached buildings shall be not less than 20 feet.
No building or permanent structure, other than a permitted freestanding
sign, shall be erected within 100 feet of a major street or within
25 feet of any other street or property line.
Not more than 50% of the lot area shall be occupied by buildings
and a total of not more than 75% of the lot area shall be occupied
by buildings, parking areas, driveways, sidewalks and other paved
or impervious surfaces.
[Amended 12-2-1982 by Ord. No. 82-13; 4-3-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-08]
Each permitted use shall provide the number of parking spaces required in § 166-33, exclusive of driveways, accessways, loading areas and maneuvering areas.
Parking, loading or service areas used by motor vehicles shall be
located entirely within the lot lines of the shopping center and shall
be physically separated from public streets by a buffer strip or other
effective and suitable barrier against unchanneled motor vehicle access
or egress and shall have not more than two accessways to any one public
street, unless unusual circumstances demonstrate the need for additional
access points. All such areas shall be arranged to facilitate proper
and safe internal circulation and shall be paved in accordance with
Township standards.
All accessways to a public street or highway shall be located at
least 200 feet from the intersection of any street lines and shall
be designed in a manner conducive to safe ingress and egress. Where
practicable, exits shall be located on a minor rather than a major
street.
Along each side or rear property line which adjoins a Residence District,
a buffer planting strip shall be provided on which shall be placed
shrubbery, trees or other suitable plantings sufficient to constitute
an effective screen. Along each street line bounding the district,
a twenty-five-foot buffer area, suitably landscaped, shall be provided.
A bond or other guaranty shall be furnished to assure maintenance
of the required landscaping for a period of two years.
All parking, loading, access and service areas shall be adequately
illuminated at night. Such lighting, including sign lighting, shall
be arranged so as to protect the highway and adjoining property from
direct glare or hazardous interference of any kind.
The Planning Board may prescribe more restrictive conditions, or
any further reasonable conditions deemed appropriate with respect
to the suitability of the shopping center in the neighborhood. Adequate
guaranty shall be given prior to approval of the plan, to assure that
the minimum conditions enumerated in this section are, or will be,
fully complied with.