The purposes of this district are to provide for technology-based and waterfront-related uses designed to revitalize the Industrial Corridor along Route 291, in order to create a sustainable economic setting consistent with the needs and requirements of 21st century commerce. Provisions are also added to encourage the cultural, environmental and tourist-related features and potential of the Corridor.
A. 
The Industrial Heritage Corridor Overlay (IHCO) District shall be an overlay district applicable only to the following zoning districts or portions of these districts as shown on the Tinicum Township Zoning Map of 2021:.
C-2 Commercial District
C-3 Planned Commercial Office District
H Heavy Industrial District
B. 
In cases where a use is permitted both in the underlying district and in the Overlay District, the district with the more stringent requirements shall apply.
A building or group of buildings may be erected, altered or used for only one or more of the following uses. All uses shall be subject to all applicable provisions of this Overlay District and the specific provisions noted below:
A. 
Research, testing or product development laboratory, subject to §§ 395-52 and 395-53 of the Tinicum Township Zoning Ordinance.
B. 
Electronic data processing, communications, software or internet-based design firm or similar facility, subject to §§ 395-52 and 395-53.
C. 
Bank or other financial institution, subject to §§ 395-52 and 395-53.
D. 
Light industrial park/flex facility in Heavy Industrial District only, but subject to §§ 395-73 and 395-74 of IB District.
E. 
Office or office park, subject to §§ 395-73 and 395-74.
F. 
Business or trade school, subject to §§ 395-52 and 395-53.
G. 
Service, sales, repair and storage of boats and marine equipment, in HI District only, subject to §§ 395-73 and 395-74.
H. 
Museum or other cultural facility related to waterfront or local history and activities, subject to §§ 395-96 and 395-97.
I. 
Tinicum Township municipal recreation facility, subject to §§ 395-96 and 395-97.
J. 
Water transportation facility in HI District only, subject to §§ 395-96 and 395-97.
K. 
Walking, hiking, biking or multi-use trail, subject to the guidelines outlined in the Industrial Heritage Parkway Route 291/13 Beautification and Greenway Plan prepared by Menke and Menke Associates.
The following shall be permitted only as conditional uses when approved by the Township Commissioners in compliance with §§ 395-86, 395-87, and other applicable provisions of this Overlay District.
A. 
Conference center.
B. 
Marina.
C. 
Hotel, in the portion of the H Heavy Industrial District as specified in § 395-86 below.
D. 
Townhouses, in the portion of the H Heavy Industrial District as specified in § 395-86 below.
E. 
Apartments, in the portion of the H Heavy Industrial District as specified in § 395-86 below.
A. 
Parking area or garage, for the general public or for employees, subject to Article XXII and the parking requirements for specific conditional uses in § 395-86B.
B. 
Signs, subject to Article XXIII and § 395-88, Review of special exceptions.
C. 
Storage within an enclosed building in conjunction with a permitted use.
D. 
Satellite antenna, subject to § 395-139.
E. 
Child day-care center, subject to § 395-151H.
F. 
Cafeteria, primarily for use of employees of uses and facilities permitted in this IHCO District or any underlying district.
G. 
Any accessory use on the same lot with and customarily incidental to uses permitted above in this IHCO District or in any underlying district where the IHCO is permitted.
Standards for uses permitted by special exception and conditional use.
A. 
For uses permitted by conditional use permit in § 395-85.
(1) 
Conference center.
(a) 
There shall be a lot area of not less than two acres.
(b) 
Building height maximum shall be 50 feet, with one additional foot of height permitted for each additional two feet of front yard, not to exceed 75 feet.
(c) 
There shall be a setback between the principal building and the street and all property lines of not less than 30 feet.
(d) 
Off-street parking shall be in accordance with the ratios required for restaurants, retail stores, hotels/motels and places of assembly and similar uses noted in Article XXII, Parking Regulations.
(e) 
Signs shall comply with § 395-65C, Signs in C-2 District, and other applicable provisions of Article XXIII.
(2) 
Marina.
(a) 
These regulations shall apply to marinas with more than 10 boat slips.
(b) 
Each boat slip shall have minimum area of 3,000 square feet.
(c) 
Proposed marinas shall provide a recreation play area on the same lot as the marina.
(d) 
One toilet facility and one shower and sink facility, each for males and females, shall be provided for each 25 boat slips, except for spaces exclusively for winter storage.
(e) 
Pumping facilities for the removal of holding tank waste shall be provided subject to applicable Township regulations and in compliance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and any other applicable state requirements.
(f) 
There shall be one off-street parking space for each boat slip, plus one space for every 400 square feet of retail sales space or boat repair space.
(3) 
Hotel.
(a) 
The development shall be located on that parcel having dual frontage on the Delaware River and the Darby Creek.
(b) 
The development shall otherwise meet the standards and criteria for hotel development as specified in § 395-152K.
(c) 
Accessory uses such as restaurants, gift shops, barber/beauty shops and meeting rooms shall be permitted provided that they are located in the hotel building.
(4) 
Townhouses and apartments.
(a) 
The development shall be located on that parcel having dual frontage on the Delaware River and the Darby Creek.
(b) 
The minimum tract size for the townhouse or apartment development shall be five contiguous acres.
(c) 
Not less than 25% of the development shall be devoted to common open space.
(d) 
The location of structures shall take into account and minimize disturbance of natural environmental features such as rivers, creeks, floodplains and wetlands.
(e) 
Dimensional regulations (unless stated otherwise, standards are minimum requirements).
(f) 
Townhouses and apartments may be developed lot-by-lot or as one unified development.
[1] 
Townhouses.
[a] 
Tract area: not less than five acres.
[b] 
Lot area: 2,000 square feet.
[c] 
Lot width: 20 feet.
[d] 
Density: not more than 10 units per acre.
[e] 
Distance between buildings: not less than 25 feet.
[f] 
Units in row: six, maximum.
[g] 
Setbacks.
[i] 
Not less than 30 feet from an exterior road or tract boundaries and not less than 15 feet from a parking area.
[ii] 
Not more than two abutting units shall have the same front setback. Variations in front setback shall not be less than three feet.
[h] 
Building lot coverage: 30%, maximum.
[i] 
Impervious lot coverage: 55%, maximum.
[j] 
Building height: 35 feet or three stories, maximum.
[2] 
Apartments.
[a] 
Tract area: five acres.
[b] 
Lot width: 100 feet.
[c] 
Front yard: 30 feet.
[d] 
Side yards: 25 feet each side.
[e] 
Rear yard: 30 feet.
[f] 
Building coverage: 40%, maximum.
[g] 
Impervious surface: 60%, maximum.
[h] 
Building height: 45 feet or four stories, maximum.
[i] 
Required offset: not more than two adjacent units with same setback. Offset of at least four feet is required.
The following regulations shall apply all permitted uses in the IHCO. Additionally, any permitted uses in the IHCO shall also meet the requirements of any special development regulations of the underlying zoning district. If there is a conflict with the special development regulation of the underlying zoning district the requirements below shall take precedence.
A. 
Screening and landscaping.
(1) 
Screening shall comply with the provisions of § 395-141.
(2) 
Landscaping shall comply with § 395-142.
(3) 
Landscaped area requirements shall be those of the underlying zoning district, as noted in § 395-142C(2).
B. 
Interior circulation, access and traffic control.
(1) 
The entrance road from the exterior roadway that is a major arterial shall have a cartway not less than 36 feet wide for at least 200 feet from the point of entrance into the site.
(2) 
The interior circulation on a lot or tract shall be designed so that no driveway or street providing parking spaces shall be used as a through street. If parking spaces are indicated by lines with angles other than 90; the traffic lanes shall be restricted to a one-way flow to permit head-in parking. No driveway or street used for interior circulation shall have traffic lanes less than 12 feet in width.
(3) 
Areas provided for loading and unloading of delivery trucks and other vehicles and for the servicing of shops by refuse collection, fuel and other service vehicles shall be adequate in size and shape be so arranged that they may be used without blockage or interference with the use of accessways or automobile facilities.
(4) 
All accessways to any public street or highway shall be located at least 200 feet from the intersection of any two street lines and shall be designed in a manner conducive to safe ingress and egress. Where possible, access points should be located on local streets, rather than major streets or highways.
(5) 
No plan or proposal shall be approved which is likely to create traffic hazards endangering the public safety. Safety requirements that may be imposed, where appropriate in such a review, shall include traffic control devices, acceleration lanes or deceleration lanes, turning lanes, traffic and lane markings and signs.
(6) 
A traffic impact study of the site shall be required for new development as a condition of approval in cases where deemed necessary by the Commissioners.
C. 
Pedestrian standards.
(1) 
An on-site pedestrian circulation system must be provided, which connects the parking areas and the structures on the site. The circulation system must be hard-surfaced and be at least five feet wide. Where the system crosses driveways, parking areas and loading areas, the system must be clearly identifiable, through the use of striping, elevation changes, speed humps, or a different paving material. The on-site pedestrian circulation system must be appropriately lighted so that employees, residents and customers can use it at night.
(2) 
The applicant is encouraged to connect the pedestrian circulation system to other areas of the site such as a parking lot and any pedestrian amenities, such as plazas and resting areas.
D. 
Storage and display.
(1) 
Permanent outside storage areas shall be screened by opaque ornamental fencing, walls or evergreen planting so that they can't be seen from adjoining streets or parking areas at ground level.
E. 
Building design.
(1) 
All buildings shall be designed according to a unified architectural scheme.
(2) 
All pedestrian entrances shall be paved with an all-weather surface. Concrete curbing shall be provided to separate parking, access, streets and driveways.
(3) 
All signs shall be designed so as to be harmonious and consistent in terms of size, design and color scheme, with those of nearby uses or buildings. Also see Article XXIII, Signs.
(4) 
Design plans must be approved by the Township Commissioners upon the recommendation of the Township Engineer.
F. 
Lighting. All parking areas, driveways and loading areas shall be provided with a lighting system so as to adequately meet the needs of the area. All direct lighting shall be completely shielded from traffic on any driveway or street and from any residential district.
G. 
Refuse. All refuse shall be contained in vermin-proof containers that shall be screened from public view. Trash receptacles for pedestrian use are exempt.
H. 
Signs. Signs shall comply with the applicable provisions of Article XXIII, Signs, and with the relevant provisions below:
(1) 
Uses permitted by right:
(a) 
Research laboratories, business or trade schools, banks and other financial institutions shall comply with the sign regulations of the C-4 Commercial District as listed in Article XXIII, Signs.
(b) 
Electronic, data processing, telecommunications and software establishments shall comply with the sign regulations of the IB Industrial-Business District as listed in Article XXIII, Signs.
(c) 
Museums, recreation facilities, water transportation facilities and trails shall comply with Article XXIII, Signs, and the specific regulations below:
[1] 
Permitted signs shall be wall signs, and freestanding signs.
[2] 
Size of wall signs shall not exceed one square foot of sign area for each two feet of building width.
(2) 
Uses permitted by special exception. As per sign regulations applicable to the underlying district and applicable provisions of Article XXIII, Signs.
(3) 
Uses permitted by conditional use permit. These uses shall employ the sign regulations of the C-3 Commercial District as per § 395-65D in Article XXIII, Signs.
Where the Zoning Hearing Board considers a proposal for a special exception under this IHCO District, the following conditions shall apply.
A. 
Applicable provisions of Article XXI, Procedures and Standards for Special Exceptions and Conditional Uses, and Article XXVI, Zoning Hearing Board, as now exists or may be adopted in the future.
B. 
Applicable provisions of Article XXIV, Performance Standards; Article XXII, Parking Regulation; relevant provisions of § 395-87B; Article XXIII, Signs, and § 395-88F and other applicable provisions of the zoning ordinance.
C. 
The application fee for a special exception permit as established by the Township shall be paid.
D. 
A public hearing shall be held as required by Section 61-10,[1] Section 908 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended, and Article XXVI, Zoning Hearing Board, as now exists or may be adopted.
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original.
Where the Board of Commissioners considers a proposal for a conditional use permit this IHCO District all of the relevant provisions of Article XXI, Procedures and Standards for Special Exceptions and Conditional Uses, shall apply.
Landscaping, signage, and similar features within the Routes 291/13 Corridor and East Coast Greenway shall be consistent with the Delaware County Industrial Heritage Route 291/13 Beatification and Greenway Plan of 2002 and the Delaware County Route 291/13 Landscaping and Signage Project of 2005, as they relate to land within these Corridors in Tinicum Township.