In expansion of the legislative intent contained in Article I, § 230-2 of this chapter, it is hereby declared to be the specific intent of this article with respect to GC-2 General Commercial and Highway Commercial development, to provide regulations for the development of retail, wholesale, office, and highway-oriented commercial uses both individually and as planned integrated developments to assure that the shopping and service needs of the Township's growing population are met and that commercial development in Horsham is compatible with commercial development in adjacent municipalities.
A. 
Provide for a broad range of commercial uses, including those which would be inappropriate to locate in the SC-1 District because of its more restricted nature.
B. 
Provide regulations to minimize conflict between commercial uses and abutting residential neighborhoods.
C. 
Encourage the sound and appropriate commercial development of compact segments of major highway frontage.
D. 
Provide locations for highway oriented businesses that serve the needs of the traveling public.
E. 
Protect the primary function of major highways as thoroughfares for through traffic movements.
F. 
Restrict ingress and egress movements along major highways so as to permit the safe movement of traffic.
[Amended 12-23-2002 by Ord. No. 1153; 12-14-2005 by Ord. No. 297; 8-27-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-5; 12-9-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-8; 7-24-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-3; 8-28-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-4; 7-27-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-04; 7-27-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-05; 9-28-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-07; 8-23-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-09; 2-12-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-01]
A. 
On lots with a minimum area of 10,000 square feet and a minimum width at the building line of 75 feet, a building may be erected, altered or used, or a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes:
(1) 
Convenience store or retail establishment for the sale of dry goods, variety merchandise, clothing, food, beverages, flowers, plants, drugs, furnishings, or other household supplies; sale and repair of jewelry, clocks, optical goods, or musical instruments, or scientific or professional instruments, and similar goods.
(2) 
Restaurant, provided that quick-service restaurants shall not be permitted.
(3) 
Retail service shop, including but not limited to bakery, custom tailoring shop, household appliance repair shop, provided that a minimum of 30% of a shop used for such purposes is devoted to customer use and that such area is completely separated from any area devoted to a processing activity by a wall or partition.
(4) 
Personal service shop, including but not limited to hairdresser, barbershop, shoe repair, dry-cleaning establishment, provided that any dry-cleaning establishment shall be a nonflammable type of operation and that a minimum of 30% of a shop used for such purpose shall be devoted to customer use.
(5) 
Business or professional office; studio; or medical office building.
(6) 
General service or contractor's shop, including carpenter, cabinet making, furniture repair, light metal working, tinsmith, plumbing, electrician, or similar use.
(7) 
Wholesale business establishment.
(8) 
Bank or financial institution, excluding any such use with drive-in teller facilities.
(9) 
Along Bethlehem Pike (Pennsylvania Route 309) only, off-premises signs shall be permitted when authorized as a special exception and subject to § 230-209D of this chapter.
(10) 
Medical marijuana dispensaries on:
(a) 
Properties abutting County Line Road and Bethlehem Pike (Pa. Rte. 309); and
(b) 
Properties with frontage on Horsham Road which do not abut a residential zoning district or a property upon which a residential use in Horsham Township is located. Medical marijuana dispensaries cannot be located on properties which abut Easton Road. Residential zoning districts include the R-1, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6, R-7, MHD, RGCC, MR-1, and MR-2 Districts.
(11) 
Outdoor dining areas shall be permitted as an accessory use to a restaurant pursuant to the provisions of § 230-16E.
B. 
On lots with a minimum area of 30,000 square feet and a minimum width at the building line of 125 feet, a building or group of buildings may be erected, altered or used, or a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes:
(1) 
Any use permitted in Subsection A above.
(2) 
Bank or financial institution, including any such use with drive-in teller facilities.
(3) 
Automatic or self-service car wash.
(4) 
Automobile parking lot.
(5) 
Automatic self-service laundry.
(6) 
Indoor storage building or warehouse, provided that such use is ancillary to a retail or wholesale business conducted in the same building.
(7) 
Indoor place of amusement, excluding coin-operated amusement machine establishment (consisting of more than three machines).
(8) 
Motor vehicle repair shop.
(9) 
Used car lot or lot for the sale of recreation vehicles, camping trailers, mobile homes, or similar vehicles, provided that any area(s) needed for maneuvering of these vehicles is provided on the lot so that no temporary storage or parking of these vehicles occurs on abutting roadways, and further provided that these vehicles are so arranged on the lot that any clear sight triangles, as required in Article IV, § 230-14, are provided.
(10) 
Public garage or automobile sales agency.
(11) 
Yard for the storage and sale of coal, fuel, oil, or building materials, provided that such area shall be enclosed and completely screened from view by a visually opaque fence a minimum of six feet high or by suitable evergreen shrubbery or a combination of both.
(12) 
Quick-service restaurant or other restaurant providing service to patrons and motor vehicles.
(13) 
Post office.
(14) 
(Reserved)
(15) 
Any use of the same general character as those listed in Subsection B(1) through (13) herein.
(16) 
Automobile service station, or fuel pump services islands on the same site as any use permitted in this subsection or Subsection C, provided that service stations or fuel pump service islands shall not be permitted with a restaurant, quick-service restaurant or restaurant providing service to patrons in motor vehicles. This combined use shall be a special exception when authorized by the Zoning Hearing Board, provided the following criteria are met:
(a) 
Fuel pumps shall be set back a minimum of 25 feet from the ultimate right-of-way.
(b) 
All automobile servicing activities, except those to be performed at fuel pumps, shall be performed within a completely enclosed building.
(c) 
No portion of any vehicular parking spaces, intended to serve other uses on the site, shall be located within 30 feet of any fuel pumps.
(d) 
The location of fuel pumps shall be so planned as not to interfere with the use of parking spaces intended to serve other uses on the site and as not to impede internal circulation on the site.
(17) 
Outdoor dining areas shall be permitted as an accessory use to a quick-service restaurant or other restaurant providing service to patrons in motor vehicles pursuant to the provisions of § 230-16E.
C. 
On lots with a minimum area of two acres and a minimum width at the building line of 175 feet, a building or group of buildings may be erected, altered or used and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the following purposes:
(1) 
Any use permitted in Subsection B above.
(2) 
Farm and garden supply center, including outdoor storage and sales area, provided that no area of outdoor storage shall be located less than 20 feet from a property line.
(3) 
Outdoor place of amusement or recreation.
(4) 
Club for social, fraternal, civic, cultural or educational purposes.
(5) 
Hotel, motel, or inn.
D. 
Accessory uses on the same lot with, and customarily incidental to, any of the uses contained in Subsections A, B and C shall be permitted.
E. 
Municipal building.
F. 
An Easton Road Mixed-Use Commercial Development is permitted by conditional use, provided the following criteria are met and when authorized by Township Council in accordance with the regulations and standards contained herein:
(1) 
Conditions:
(a) 
The gross tract area must be a minimum of seven acres; and
(b) 
The tract must have a minimum frontage along Easton Road of 500 feet.
(2) 
The Easton Road Mixed-Use Commercial Development may consist of any one or a combination of the following uses:
(a) 
Any use permitted in Subsection B above.
(b) 
A convenience store with fuel dispensing facilities, provided the following criteria are met:
[1] 
Fuel pumps shall be set back a minimum of 50 feet from the ultimate right-of-way.
[2] 
Buffering shall be provided along the Easton Road frontage in accordance with the requirements of the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 198, Subdivision and Land Development.
[3] 
No portion of any vehicular parking spaces intended to serve other uses on the site shall be located within 30 feet of any fuel pumps.
[4] 
There shall be no more than eight fuel dispensing islands with no more than 16 fueling positions.
[5] 
No deliveries or pickup of inventory, merchandise, foodstuffs, trash, or other products, shall occur between 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m.
[6] 
Canopies are permitted, provided they are set back at least 50 feet from property lines and ultimate right-of-way lines.
[7] 
No trash enclosure may be located within any front yard setback area or within 30 feet from any principal structure used as a single-family dwelling.
(3) 
Parking. Required off-street parking shall be in accordance with § 230-32, except that the total number of on-site parking spaces for all of the uses may be reduced based on the following:
(a) 
Common parking area. The aggregate number of parking spaces required for all uses which will share the common parking area may be reduced up to a maximum of 25% If the applicant can demonstrate to Township Council's satisfaction that a greater efficiency is effected by joint use of a common parking area, or that other circumstances warrant such reduction (i.e., complementary operating hours of the uses which will be sharing the parking area); and
(b) 
Shared offsite parking areas. A maximum 20% of the total required number of parking spaces before the common parking area reduction is applied may be provided offsite, provided the following conditions are met:
[1] 
The owners of the two or more lots sharing the parking area shall submit a site plan showing joint use and location of the shared off-street parking area.
[2] 
The shared off-street parking area shall be adjacent to and within 200 feet of the building that will be served by the shared parking area.
[3] 
The owners of the two or more lots sharing the parking area shall execute and record irrevocable perpetual easements and rights-of-way for use of and access to the shared off-street parking area.
[4] 
Marked crosswalks indicating the locations for pedestrians to cross and designating right-of-way for motorists to yield to pedestrians shall be provided.
(4) 
Vegetative cover. For integrated developments requiring conditional use approval, the minimum area of vegetative cover of 20% shall be provided.
(5) 
Buffer yards abutting residential districts or uses. For integrated developments requiring conditional use approval, buffer yards abutting residential districts or residential uses shall be composed of a screen buffer, in accordance with the following requirements:
(a) 
Definition. A "screen buffer" is a predominantly evergreen perimeter landscape planting intended to provide a visual separation between neighboring developments. A screen buffer is intended to be an impenetrable visual screen. However, it is not intended to be a monoculture planting. No more than 25 trees of the same species shall be permitted in a row.
(b) 
Location.
[1] 
The screen buffer may include fencing and berms or a combination thereof so as to provide a substantial visual and physical barrier between adjacent residential land uses. The screen buffer shall be aligned adjacent and parallel to side and rear property lines abutting residential districts and residential uses.
[2] 
Screen buffers abutting residential-zoned properties shall be 35 feet in width. Screen buffers may contain drive aisles and parking space, provided a minimum ten-foot width of densely planted buffer is maintained along the residential property line.
[3] 
A screen buffer may be required adjacent to the front yard or street right-of-way if a residential district is the adjacent land use.
[4] 
The screen buffer shall be arranged to provide clear sight triangles at street intersections and shall not obstruct sight distance requirements of the Township. The screen planting shall be continuous and shall be broken only at points of vehicular or pedestrian access.
(c) 
Screen buffer size and type.
[1] 
Trees used for screen buffers shall be composed of predominantly evergreen varieties. Shrubs may be a combination of evergreen and deciduous varieties. The required plant material shall be so arranged as to provide immediate visual screen of 50% and at least eight feet in height at the time of planting. Where the screen buffer planting requires more than 50 trees, no more than 1/2 of these trees will be of a single variety.
[2] 
Walls, fences and/or earth berms may be used in combination with evergreen plant material, subject to the approval of Township Council. Details and elevations of fences and walls are to be provided to the Township Engineer for review.
(d) 
Existing vegetation. In cases where preserved natural features existing on site essentially duplicate the planting requirements of this chapter, these requirements may be waived or modified.
(6) 
A decorative pedestrian walkway, consistent with the architectural character and materials of the structures, shall connect the sidewalks with and provide direct access to each building.
(7) 
Special conveyancing. The separate ownership or conveyance of a parcel or parcels within the approved Easton Road Mixed-Use Commercial Development is permitted and must comply with the following conditions:
(a) 
Irrevocable cross-easements in favor of and duly binding on all title owners within the area of the approved integrated development plan, their successors and assigns, with respect to use, control and maintenance of the common areas, including access, green area, and parking areas, are in effect and recorded. All easements shall be submitted to the Township Solicitor for review prior to recording.
(b) 
Application of zoning regulations, including, but not limited to, building coverage, impervious coverage, parking, loading and landscaping, as well as required area, width and yard regulations, shall apply to an overall lot approved as an integrated development plan. Individual lots created pursuant to this section need not comply with these zoning requirements.
(c) 
For purposes of this section, an integrated development plan shall be defined as a plan for the development of one or more contiguous tracts of property located within the GC-2 General Commercial and Highway Commercial District, regardless of ownership, for one or more uses provided under § 230-130F.
[Amended 9-16-1998 by Ord. No. 1147]
The following dimensional standards shall apply to lots having the following sizes:
10,000 Square Feet but Less Than 30,000 Square Feet
30,000 Square Feet but Less Than Two Acres
2-Acre Lot and Greater
Minimum front yard (measured from the ultimate right-of-way line)
15 feet for buildings up to 15 feet in height
25 feet for buildings up to 15 feet in height
50 feet
25 feet for buildings exceeding 15 feet in height
35 feet for buildings exceeding 15 feet in height
Minimum side yard
12 feet (one side only required)
25 feet (one side only required)
60 feet aggregate; minimum of 20 feet (two side yards required)
Minimum rear yard
12 feet
15 feet
25 feet
Maximum building height
All buildings shall comply with the regulations as contained in Article V, Performance Standards
Maximum building coverage2
35%
40%
40%
Minimum area of vegetative cover1
20%
20%
25%
NOTES:
1 Exclusive of parking lot landscaping requirements of § 230-135A and B.
2 Maximum building coverage shall be calculated on the developable area of the lot.
[Amended 7-24-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-3]
The greatest dimension of a structure measured parallel to an existing wall shall be 150 feet, provided that the length of the facade of any new building which exceeds 150 feet shall have vertical design elements such as pilasters, columns, piers or recesses or projections of up to four feet so that no new vertical bay or section of a building facade exceeds 75 continuous feet in length. Nothwithstanding the previous sentence, in no event shall the length of an exterior wall exceed 325 feet. For circular or partially circular buildings, the diameter or assumed diameter shall not exceed 175 feet.
On those lots on which buildings may be constructed on the lot line wherein only one side yard is required pursuant to the minimum side yard provision contained in § 230-131 for lots with a minimum area of 10,000 square feet, the following regulations shall apply:
A. 
No building wall situated on a lot line shall contain windows, doors, or other openings.
B. 
The roof shall not be drained toward a wall situated on a lot line.
C. 
No building wall shall be placed on a side lot line, unless access is provided onto the abutting property to allow for inspection, maintenance, and repair of the building wall and foundation. Provision for access shall be guaranteed by irrevocable easement or other legal mechanism to the satisfaction of the Township Solicitor.
D. 
Structures of abutting lots may be built along their common lot line creating a party wall between the abutting uses, provided that for purposes of measuring maximum building length as defined in § 230-132, the two buildings connected by the party wall shall be considered as one structure.
The following regulations shall pertain to access for all lots to be developed in the GC-2 District, and shall also govern on lots to be redeveloped in the district to the maximum extent feasible:
A. 
Accessways leading onto a public street shall be built to the dimensional requirements specified in Chapter 198, Subdivision and Land Development.
B. 
For lots other than corner lots which have less than 100 feet of frontage, a maximum of one accessway to a public street shall be permitted
C. 
For any lot used for development pursuant to this district or for a group of two or more lots which share parking pursuant to requirements of § 230-135D herein, no more than two points of access may be permitted onto each street on which the lot(s) abuts.
D. 
Corner lots, or groups of lots with shared parking that front onto two streets, shall not have two points of access onto one street and none on the other, unless the placement of an access point onto the other street would create a traffic hazard or unduly impact existing residential development. Two points of access onto one street shall also be permitted if one or two points of access are provided onto the other street. In addition, where the lot or group of lots front onto two streets of differing classification (according to Chapter 198, Subdivision and Land Development), the developer may elect to place two points of access on the street of lesser classification with none on the other fronting street, if the lot or group of lots have more than 100 feet of frontage on the road of lesser classification and so doing would not create a hazardous traffic situation or unduly impact existing residential development.
E. 
Accessways shall be spaced a minimum of 50 feet on center on any lot used for development pursuant to this district, or for a group of two or more lots which share parking pursuant to requirements of § 230-135D herein. In addition, accessways shall be spaced a minimum of 50 feet on center from existing accessways on adjacent properties whenever feasible. When this is not possible, common drives and/or the use of shared common parking pursuant to § 230-135D herein shall be encouraged.
F. 
No accessway shall be located closer than 25 feet to any lot used for residential purposes. However, on lots with less than 100 feet of frontage, an accessway may be provided as close as 10 feet to a lot used for residential purposes.
The following regulations shall govern parking and circulation within lots to be developed in the GC-2 District, and shall also govern on lots to be redeveloped in the district to the maximum extent feasible:
A. 
The number of parking spaces required for any development shall be regulated by the requirements contained in Article V, § 230-32, except where a lesser number may be permitted when parking is shared, according to the provisions contained in Subsection D herein.
B. 
For double parking bays, 15% of the area of each parking space may be maintained in grass provided that the grass is separated from the paved area by a suitable wheel stop or bumper.
C. 
The owners of two or more adjacent lots may elect to share common parking facilities according to the following requirements:
(1) 
An application to do so shall be filed jointly by all affected lot owners with the Zoning Officer accompanied by a plan showing the location of all proposed parking, parking reserve areas, and accessways as well as all buildings which shall use the common parking area.
(2) 
The aggregate number of parking spaces required for all uses which will share the common parking area may be reduced up to a maximum of 25% if the applicant can demonstrate to the Zoning Officer's satisfaction that a greater efficiency is effected by joint use of a common parking area, or that other circumstances warrant such reduction (i.e., complementary operating hours of the uses which will be sharing the parking area). Regardless of the number of spaces actually developed, a parking area to accommodate the aggregate number of parking spaces normally required shall be fully designed, and the area which is proposed to be eliminated shall be shown as "parking reserve area." Such area shall be required to be developed as designed if and when the Zoning Officer determines the need. The parking area shall be so designed that the minimum area of vegetative cover will not be reduced below the appropriate percentage contained in § 230-131 herein in the event the entire parking area, including reserve areas, is subsequently developed. All reserve areas not utilized for parking shall be landscaped according to an approved plan.
(3) 
For purposes of determining the number and location of accessways pursuant to § 230-134 herein, the entire area devoted to common parking shall be considered as one parking lot.
(4) 
Some portion of the common parking area shall be within 200 feet of an entrance, regularly used by patrons, into each use served by the common parking area.
(5) 
An application to permit shared common parking shall be contingent upon each lot owner obtaining any necessary access easements and rights-of-way.
D. 
Internal access drives. Internal access drives (exclusive of aisles between rows of parking spaces) shall have the following minimum dimensions:
(1) 
Fifteen feet for one-way traffic.
(2) 
Twenty feet for two-way traffic.
E. 
Any internal access drives designed solely for delivery vehicles or for access to refuse collection areas may be dimensioned according to the standard for one-way traffic.
Along the frontage of every lot, except for area devoted to accessways, landscaping shall be provided. On lots whose area is less than 30,000 square feet, the landscaped area shall extend toward the interior of the lot for a minimum distance of five feet from the ultimate right-of-way line. On lots larger than 30,000 square feet, the landscaped area shall extend toward the interior of the lot for a minimum distance of 10 feet from the ultimate right-of-way line. Additionally, landscaping between the ultimate right-of-way line and the curbline or edge of roadway shoulder shall be encouraged, recognizing that such landscaping may have to be removed in the future for roadway improvements; landscaping in this area would therefore be encouraged to represent a low financial investment and/or be capable of relocation. In all instances, landscaping shall be so installed that the clear sight triangles shall be provided, as required in Article IV, § 230-14, of this chapter.
The design of buildings in the GC-2 District shall include either a provision for the storage of refuse inside the building(s) or within an area enclosed by either walls or opaque fencing outside the building(s) designed to be architecturally compatible with the building(s). Such walls or fencing shall be designed to shield the refuse areas from direct view of any adjacent property and must be at least six feet high.
In those instances wherein development in the GC-2 District is proposed to consist of multiple buildings, the following regulations shall apply:
A. 
The entire development shall be designed as an architecturally integrated unit.
B. 
The minimum distance between a building or group of buildings shall be 20 feet, except that all structures connected by common roof lines or covered walkways shall be considered as one building.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection C, pertaining to tracts of land equal to or exceeding five acres, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 12-9-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-8.
C. 
In the event a tract of land in the GC-2 District equals or exceeds five acres, the development of such tract shall comply with the regulations contained in Article XVIII, the C-1 Shopping Center District.
[Amended 8-23-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-09]
All uses except for parking lots, used car lots, or lots for the sale of recreation vehicles, camping trailers, mobile homes, or similar vehicles, outdoor places or amusement or recreation and outdoor dining areas, shall be completely enclosed within a building. No merchandise, goods, articles or equipment shall be stored, displayed or offered for sale outside any building except as specifically permitted in § 230-130B(6), B(11) and C(2) herein. In such cases, all articles stored outdoors shall be stored adjacent to the establishment selling the articles and shall be enclosed by either walls or opaque fencing designed to be architecturally compatible with the building and shall be at least six feet high. Any outdoor display areas shall be considered to be sales floor area for the purposes of computing building coverage and for computing parking requirements.
Lighting facilities in the GC-2 District shall be provided as needed and shall comply with the provisions for floodlighting contained in Article IV, § 230-20.