[Ord. 162, 6/12/2002, § 1100]
In addition to the general goals listed in the Statement of Purpose and Community Development Objectives (§ 27-106), it is the purpose of this district to provide for a broad range of retail and service commercial establishments and activities with a major emphasis on circulation and parking and the creation of a high quality center for shopping and employment.
[Ord. 162, 6/12/2002, § 1101]
1. 
Uses by Right. In the GC - General Commercial District, a building may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot or premises may be used, by right, for any of the following purposes, provided there is no more than one principal use on a single lot, except as provided in Subsection 1H below, and provided that no use(s) permitted by right shall occupy more than 8,000 gross square feet on any one floor, except those uses permitted in accordance with Subsections 1J and 1K below:
A. 
Retail store for the sale of grocery and food products, dry goods, flowers, clothing, music, hardware, newspaper and magazines, drugs and variety items, except items intended for adult entertainment, and provided that no article, material, merchandise or goods shall be displayed within the required yard areas.
B. 
Personal service establishments including shoe shine and repair, tailor and dressmaker, barber or beauty shop, coin-operated laundromat (using public water and sewer only), dry cleaning establishment (pick-up and drop-off only), or other similar uses.
C. 
General service and repair shops (radio, TV, appliances, etc.).
D. 
Professional or business offices including banks and financial establishments, real estate and insurance offices, medical clinics, and doctor's and dentist's offices.
E. 
Offices or shops for a contractor or craftsman (plumber, carpenter, electrician, printer, etc.), provided that all storage of materials used by contractors, plumbers, etc., be enclosed in a structure or totally screened from public view.
F. 
Eating and drinking establishments excluding outdoor counter, drive through or curb service.
G. 
Professional studios including: artists and photographers, music or dance school for individual or group instruction.
H. 
Residential units, provided that the building containing such units also contains a commercial use on the first floor, and the units are located on the upper floors of the building with separate means of access.
I. 
Clubs, lodges, fraternal organizations, educational or philanthropic use.
J. 
The following uses shall be permitted by right where occupying in excess of 8,000 gross square feet on any one floor:
(1) 
Nursery, greenhouse, garden shop.
(2) 
Indoor amusements, recreation or entertainment, including theaters and bowling alleys.
(3) 
Telephone or public utility office, radio and television broadcasting station or studio.
(4) 
Printing, publishing or bookbinding establishment.
(5) 
Government and semi-public offices serving the public, including a library, fire station, post office, municipal building, community or civic center buildings or use.
(6) 
Public schools.
(7) 
Municipal use.
K. 
Forestry, where conducted in compliance with the provisions of § 22-429.2 of the East Vincent Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22].
2. 
Uses by Special Exception. Within the GC - General Commercial District, the following uses shall be permitted when authorized as a special exception by the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with Part 20:
A. 
Gasoline service station or quick service food store, subject also to the provisions of § 27-1613.
B. 
Outdoor amusement, recreation, theater.
C. 
Eating and drinking establishments with outdoor counter, drive-through or curb service.
D. 
Sales and service of new and used automobiles; automobile repair shops (not including gasoline service stations), provided that all repair, servicing and other similar functions shall be completely enclosed within a building.
E. 
Campgrounds or recreational vehicle parks, subject to the provisions of § 27-1614 of this chapter.
F. 
Laboratory for research, testing and development (indoor).
G. 
Animal hospital, kennel.
H. 
Day care facility.
3. 
Conditional Uses. Within the GC - General Commercial District, the following uses shall be permitted when approved by the Board of Supervisors as a conditional use authorized, subject to the conditions and procedures set forth in Part 19.
A. 
Any use otherwise permitted by right where occupying in excess of 8,000 gross square feet on any one floor, except as provided in Subsection 1J above.
B. 
Any other cleaning and laundry establishments not permitted by-right.
C. 
Hotel, motel, inn, and related facilities such as restaurants, meeting rooms, auditorium spaces, and swimming pools.
D. 
Retail sale of books or variety merchandise or personal services intended for adult entertainment purposes, where located not less than 500 feet from any similar use and from any residence, church, or school.
E. 
Planned commercial development involving more than one principal use on a single lot or tract, including any use otherwise permitted by right, special exception, and/or conditional use in the GC District, subject to the provisions set forth in § 27-1103.2. Any use permitted by special exception may be permitted as a condition of conditional use approval of the planned commercial development without requiring separate application for special exception.
F. 
Telecommunication facilities on tall structures as provided in § 27-1606B(2) and subject to full compliance with the provisions of § 27-1606.
4. 
Accessory Uses. The following accessory uses shall be permitted within the GC-General Commercial District, where in compliance with all applicable provisions of Part 16 and provided that they shall be incidental to any of the foregoing permitted uses:
A. 
Accessory buildings and uses customarily incidental to the above uses, when located on the same lot.
[Ord. 162, 6/12/2002, § 1102]
1. 
The following regulations shall be observed for all uses, except Planned Commercial Development, which shall comply with the provisions of Subsection 2:
A. 
Minimum lot size: one acre.
B. 
Minimum lot width at building line: 150 feet.
C. 
Maximum impervious cover: 40% except where increased through receipt of transferable development rights as provided in Part 24.
D. 
Minimum front yard: 50 feet.
E. 
Minimum side yard: 25 feet.
F. 
Minimum rear yard: 50 feet.
G. 
Maximum building height: two stories, not to exceed 35 feet, except where increased through receipt of transferable development rights as provided in Part 24.
2. 
The following regulations shall apply to any planned commercial development:
A. 
Minimum lot size: five acres.
B. 
Minimum lot width at street line: 400 feet.
C. 
Maximum impervious cover: 50%, except where through receipt of transferable development rights as provided in Part 24.
D. 
Minimum setback for all yards: 50 feet.
E. 
Maximum building height: two stories, not to exceed 35 feet, except where increased through receipt of transferable development rights as provided in Part 24.
[Ord. 162, 6/12/2002, § 1103]
1. 
All uses within the GC District shall comply with the following design standards as applicable, in addition to the specific standards of this § 27-1104.
A. 
Access and Highway Frontage. As required by § 27-1708 of this chapter.
B. 
Interior Circulation and Emergency Access. As required by § 27-1708 of this chapter.
C. 
Loading and Unloading. As required by § 27-1711 of this chapter.
D. 
Parking. As required by § 27-1709 of this chapter.
E. 
Storage. As required by § 27-1603 of this chapter.
F. 
Screening and Landscaping. As required by §§ 27-1712 and 27-1713 of this chapter.
G. 
Lighting. As required by § 27-1715 of this chapter.
H. 
Visibility at Intersections. As required by § 27-1702 of this chapter.
I. 
Signs. As required by § 27-1717 of this chapter.
2. 
Building Form, Size and Spacing Requirements.
A. 
For purposes of this section, an individual building shall be considered as a space or contiguous spaces under one roof fully separated from any abutting building by permanent walls and with no direct access to any abutting building.
B. 
No individual building shall contain more than 45,000 square feet of total floor area, except as provided in Subsection 2B below or where increased square footage above 45,000 is entirely within an additional story or stories permitted through receipt of transferable development rights as provided in Part 24.
C. 
Within a planned commercial development, one individual building may contain up to a maximum of 60,000 square feet of total floor area, except where increased square footage above 60,000 is entirely within an additional story or stories permitted through receipt of transferable development rights as provided in Part 24.
D. 
Except where buildings directly abut one another, no individual building shall be placed closer to any other building than the height of the taller of such adjacent buildings.
E. 
Building design shall conform to the provisions of § 22-432 of the East Vincent Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance [Chapter 22].
F. 
As a condition of approval, the Board of Supervisors may permit roof structures above the cornice line which exceed the thirty-five-foot height limit, where the Board agrees that such structures enhance the appearance of the overall design.
G. 
On any lot or tract within the GC District, not more than 15% of the gross lot or tract area shall be occupied by structures less than 1 1/2 stories in height. For this purpose, one-half story shall mean a roof-story with sufficient height and space within the form of a pitched roof to permit the development of habitable or leasable space, whether or not any actually is proposed for development.
3. 
Signs. No more than one free-standing sign shall be permitted along the frontage of each public street or highway abutting a lot or tract under development, provided that not more than a total of two free-standing signs shall be permitted on the lot or tract. Such sign(s) may serve as a directory to uses on the lot or tract. All other signs identifying individual uses, tenants, owners, or any other entity shall be mounted to the building or structure housing the use. Signs shall be designed in accordance with § 27-1717 and shall be designed to complement overall appearance within the GC District.