The following is an expansion of the statement of community development objectives contained in Article I, § 205-3, of this chapter. It is the intent of this article to provide for offices in a campus setting with certain compatible commercial uses in districts of at least 10 acres and having at least 800 feet of frontage along a principal arterial street. Furthermore, it is the intent of this article to:
A.
Establish standards and certain limitations which
encourage orderly and planned development of an architecturally harmonious
office campus while prohibiting incompatible uses and minimizing community
impact.
B.
Provide employment centers in close proximity to existing
and future commercial and residential developments to reduce commuting
distance for the workforce and minimize traffic impact as well as
to enhance the community tax base.
C.
Ensure that residential and institutional neighbors
will be buffered against the Executive Campus District and prevent
encroachment upon existing highways by the use of setbacks and encourage
the preservation of natural features and existing foliage.
D.
Encourage efficiency from shared planned parking and
shared driveways through the use of an internal driveway network in
order to eliminate uncontrolled access to exterior streets and to
reduce excessive impervious surfaces.
In any EC Executive Campus District, the following
regulations shall apply.
[Amended 2-25-2014 by Ord. No. 550; 10-27-2015 by Ord. No. 566]
A building or buildings may be erected, altered or used and
a lot may be occupied for the following purposes or combination of
the following purposes and no other, provided that the requirements
of the following sections are met:
A.
The following are the permitted uses in an Executive Campus District:
(1)
Offices for administration, executive, business, medical, veterinary,
professional, sales, data processing, financial institutions, research
and other uses of the same general character, including insurance
and real estate offices, the normal attributes of which do not involve
the actual bulk warehousing, exchange or delivery of inventory on
the premises.
(2)
Municipal or governmental offices; educational or conference
center uses.
(3)
Educational and academic institutions and studios for instruction
and the production of music and other arts.
(4)
Communications broadcasting studios and offices.
(5)
Cafeterias, when allied with and contained within permitted
office uses.
(6)
Retail uses as follows:
(a)
Retail sales when contained within the confines of permitted
office buildings, parking garages or hotels. The total gross floor
area of retail uses permitted by this subsection shall not exceed
10% of the total gross floor area approved for the entire executive
campus development. In the event that the project is constructed in
phases, the 10% of retail use shall be computed on fully completed
phases.
(b)
Retail sales and/or a combination of retail sales and other
uses that are permitted in the Executive Campus district, provided
that the retail sales component shall be limited to a maximum floor
area of 15,000 square feet and that such retail sales is limited confined
to one building in the Executive Campus District.
(7)
Hotels with lodging accommodations of 100 or more rooms, provided
that not more than two such hotel facilities shall be permitted within
any EC District. Hotel restaurants and lounges shall be exempt from
the 10% calculation when located within the hotel.
(8)
Day-care centers and nursery schools, provided that any mandatory
state licensing requirements are met.
(9)
Off-street automobile parking facilities.
(10)
Accessory uses customarily incidental to any of the above permitted
uses.
(11)
Full-service restaurants and fast-casual restaurants.
(12)
Apartment house or group of apartment houses and related amenities,
including, but not limited to, a fitness center, swimming pool, and/or
community room, provided that such amenities are designated for use
by the residents and guests of the apartment house(s) and that the
apartment houses are a minimum of four stories in height. A maximum
of two apartment houses shall be permitted in the Executive Campus
District.
The plan for the development of an Executive
Campus District shall include evidence and facts showing that it has
considered and made provision for, and the development shall be executed
in accordance with, the following essential conditions:
A.
A proposed development shall be constructed in accordance
with an overall preliminary subdivision and land development plan
for the entire site and shall be designed as a unified architectural
unit with appropriate landscaping. If the development of the executive
campus is to be constructed in phases, each phase shall be so planned
that the foregoing requirements and the intent of this chapter shall
be fully complied with at the completion of any phase. The initial
phase of the development shall comprise a total floor area of not
less than 30,000 square feet.
B.
A subdivision or land development plan which has been
granted final approval by the Board of Supervisors for a proposed
development in the EC District may not be altered without the approval
of the Board of Supervisors. In order to be considered for subdivision
for the sole purpose of facilitating secured financing and subsequent
exemption from setback, coverage, area of tract/open space and fee
requirements, a development in the EC District must provide documentation
satisfactory to the Board of Supervisors and the Township Solicitor
assuring the appropriate covenants are recorded against the affected
parcels requiring all parcels to be operated and maintained in good
order and repair, in a clean and sanitary condition, uniform with
the appearance and maintenance of the Executive Campus District complex
and providing appropriate covenants for driveways, accessways and
easements for shared facilities and improvements.
A.
Area of tract. Not less than 10 acres shall be provided
for every area to be used, in whole or in part, as an Executive Campus
District.
B.
Street frontage. There shall be frontage on at least
two public roads, one of which shall be not less than 800 feet on
a four-lane highway which is classified as a principal arterial street.
C.
Building coverage. No more than 20% of the gross lot
area shall be occupied by buildings or structures. The total floor
area when divided by the gross lot area shall not exceed 70%.
D.
Building and structure setback.
(1)
Setback from street. The required minimum setback
from the ultimate right-of-way of each street on which an Executive
Campus District abuts shall be at least 100 feet.
(2)
Setback from property lines. There shall be
a minimum setback from any property line which the Executive Campus
District abuts, which shall not be less than:
E.
Additional building and structure setbacks.
(1)
Beginning at the minimum required building and
structure setback line, there shall be imposed additional setbacks
as follows:
(a)
Buildings having a height of not greater than four stories or 55 feet, whichever is less, and structures having a height of not greater than 55 feet above grade shall be permitted throughout the balance of the site except as may be further restricted under Subsection F below, entitled "Parking."
(b)
Buildings and structures having a height greater
than four stories or 55 feet shall be subject to additional setbacks
as follows:
[1]
For each additional one foot in height above
55 feet, there shall be added four feet to the required horizontal
setback in addition to the minimum setback previously established.
[2]
In the case of a building having a building height of six stories or less adjacent to a principal arterial street and principally uses as a hotel, the additional setbacks required in Subsection E(1)(b)[1] above shall be measured from the geometric center of the building. The portion of the building extending into the additional setback established above shall be positioned so that no perimeter building wall shall be at an angle less than 30° when measured from the ultimate right-of-way line of the adjacent street.
(c)
This formula of four feet additional setback
for each one foot in building height above 55 feet shall be applied
across the site until a building reaches a height of eight stories
or 110 feet, whichever is less; this shall be the building height
ceiling (BHC).
F.
Parking.
(1)
For all permitted uses, off-street parking shall be provided
for and located within the development at the rate of not less than
3.25 parking spaces per every 1,000 square feet of floor area, except
in the case of an apartment house or group of apartment houses and
related amenities, which shall require 1.5 parking spaces for each
apartment or unit, and except in the case of a hotel, which shall
require 1.25 parking spaces for each hotel room or suite, which shall
include all ancillary services of the hotel. In the event that a hotel
provides for rooms or suites only and may include common dining facilities
limited to hotel overnight guests only, such as a coffee or breakfast
shop, then parking may be permitted at the ratio of one parking space
per room or suite when authorized as a conditional use.
[Amended 12-13-2016 by Ord. No. 570]
(2)
Upon request of the Township Board of Supervisors, and when agreed to by the applicant, up to 20% of the required parking spaces may be held in reserve and devoted to landscaping at locations which shall be determined by the Board, in addition to the requirements of Subsection Q of this § 205-63.5. The reserve area shall be paved if the applicant so elects, or if directed by the Board. In the event that the applicant or the then current owner should fail to construct the reserve parking when directed by the Township, the applicant or owner shall be subject to the penalties set forth in this chapter of the Code for violation of provisions of this chapter and shall further be liable for the payment of the Township's costs of enforcement, including but not limited to attorney's fees.
(3)
Aboveground parking structures or decked parking
facilities shall not be located less than 250 feet from a district
boundary line adjacent to an AR or BR Residential District.
(4)
Parking or paved areas shall be placed so as
not to interfere with any service or emergency access area and shall
not be less than:
(a)
Forty feet from any residential or institutional
district property line to which the Executive Campus District abuts.
(b)
Ten feet from any nonresidential district property
line to which the executive campus abuts.
(c)
Fifteen feet from the ultimate right-of-way
line of any contiguous public street.
(d)
Twenty feet from any building unless said parking
is located within the lines of the building or in an attached parking
structure.
(5)
Not less than 5% of the total lot area devoted to parking facilities shall consist of interior parking lot landscaping, except that this shall not apply to parking structures. The area of interior parking for landscaping may be included as nonvehicular open space as required in § 205-63.5Q, Open space. The ends of each row of parking shall contain landscaped islands not less than the size of a parking space.
G.
Height of buildings and structures.
(1)
No building shall exceed the height of eight
stories or 110 feet, whichever is less (exclusive of the basement).
However, one building in excess of eight stories or 110 feet, to a
maximum of 12 stories or 160 feet, whichever is less (exclusive of
the basement), may be permitted only when authorized as a conditional
use.
(2)
No structure, other than a building, including
parking decks or garages shall exceed the height of 55 feet, exclusive
of the basement.
(3)
When approved by a conditional use and subject
to the conditions listed below, one building within the Executive
Campus District may extend above the building height ceiling (BHC)
to a maximum of 12 stories or 160 feet, whichever is less, above ground
elevation.
(a)
The building area penetrating the BHC shall
not exceed 2% of the total area (1/10 of the maximum building and
structure coverage permitted within the executive campus development).
(b)
When any portion of a building exceeds eight
stories or 110 feet in height, then the floor area of each story eight
stories or 110 feet shall be reduced by not less than 8% of the floor
area of the preceding story below.
(c)
Existing healthy vegetation and woodland adjacent
to residential and institutional districts shall be preserved and
protected along the entire property line for a minimum width of not
less than 40 feet.
H.
All buildings shall have fire protection in accordance
with the East Norriton Township Fire and Building Codes in effect
at the time of construction.
I.
Distance between buildings. The minimum distance between
buildings shall be at least 75 feet. The minimum does not apply to
parking structures or decked parking.
J.
Signs. Notwithstanding Article XIX, Signs, of this chapter, in the EC Executive Campus District, signs shall be permitted subject to the following regulations:
(1)
One executive campus identification sign displaying
only the names of the executive campus developer, owner or operator
but not building tenants shall be permitted along each street or road
frontage in excess of 500 feet in length subject to the following
regulations:
(a)
Along each public street, the total sign area
shall not exceed 100 square feet on each face and such signs shall
not be positioned at a height greater than 20 feet and shall not be
greater than 20 feet in length.
(b)
Where the executive campus is located at the
corner of two streets, the sign area permitted along both streets
may be combined and the sign may be placed at or near the corner,
provided that it shall not exceed 20 feet in height and shall not
be more than 35 feet in length.
(2)
Entry signs displaying the name of the executive
campus and tenants shall be permitted subject to the following regulations:
(3)
Wall-mounted signs shall be permitted on any
wall of a building subject to the following regulations:
(a)
Wall-mounted signs shall be installed parallel
to the supporting wall and project no more than 18 inches from the
face of such wall and shall not extend above the roofline of a building
having a flat roof or above the eaves of a roof having a slope or
ridged line.
(b)
The maximum display area shall not exceed two
square feet per lineal foot of length of wall on which it is mounted
or a maximum of 200 square feet, whichever is less, and to a maximum
of 400 square feet per building.
(c)
One sign per building wall identifying the name
of the building or a principal user of the building shall be permitted
above the first floor level. Signs identifying other users within
the building are permitted only at the first floor level.
(4)
Ground signs. One individual business sign per
non-office use building which is a ground or freestanding sign is
permitted, subject to the following:
(a)
The area of such sign may not exceed 25 square
feet.
(b)
Such sign may not exceed three feet in height,
except that up to 25 feet in height may be permitted if the sign is
set back a minimum of 15 feet from the street ultimate right-of-way
line and a minimum of 25 feet from the nearest street access driveway.
(5)
Directional signs identifying the location of
buildings or individual uses within the executive campus shall be
permitted subject to the following regulations:
(6)
Flags of the United States of America, the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, East Norriton Township, other
government flags and corporate flags of the executive campus or its
tenants shall be permitted and not considered as sign area.
K.
Service. Areas for loading and unloading of delivery
trucks and other vehicles and for the servicing of refuse collection,
recycling containers, fuel and other services shall be provided and
shall be adequate in size and shall be so arranged that they may be
used without blockage or interference with the use of accessways or
automobile parking facilities. These areas shall not be located within
the minimum building setback established for the district and shall
be screened from view from the district boundary.
L.
Access. Provisions shall be made for safe and efficient
access to and from public streets and highways serving the executive
campus at predetermined locations and widths approved by the Board
of Supervisors without undue congestion to or interference with normal
traffic flows. In no event shall more than one access per 500 feet
of total road frontage for the entire tract be permitted. Direct access
to public streets and highways at other than approved locations shall
be prohibited.
M.
Utilities. All buildings within the executive campus
shall be served by a public sanitary sewage disposal system of public
water supply. All utility lines servicing the executive campus shall
be placed underground.
N.
Lighting facilities. Lighting facilities provided
shall be arranged in a manner which will protect the highway and neighboring
properties, whether contiguous or not, from unreasonable direct glare
or hazardous interference of any kind. Lighting facilities shall be
required where deemed necessary for the safety and convenience of
the executive campus. Freestanding light fixtures situated within
the minimum building setback established from an adjacent residential
or institutional district property line shall not exceed a mounting
height of 20 feet.
O.
Buffer. The Executive Campus District shall have a permanent landscape buffer area of at least 20 feet in depth and permanently screened to a height of not less than eight feet when abutting a residential or institutional district property line and 10 feet in depth when abutting all other district property lines. Existing vegetation shall be utilized for said buffer area where practicable. Along any public road, Subsection P, below, shall apply.
P.
Landscaped planning area. A landscaped planning area
shall be provided along each street frontage between the edge of any
paving and the right-of-way line and along all boundaries of the district
between the edge of paving or structures and the property line.
Q.
Open space. No less than 35% of the total lot area
of a site shall be provided and maintained as nonvehicular pervious
open space. Up to 5% of the required open space may be devoted to
impervious walkways or courtyards used for leisure activities such
as sitting areas or walking trails. In addition, the developer shall
be required, where possible, to preserve or incorporate natural features
such as healthy trees and shrubs, woods, streams and ponds as open
space areas which add to the overall cohesive development of the executive
campus and overall community amenity.
R.
In any instance in which the landscape requirements of Chapter 175, Subdivision and Land Development, shall be more stringent or require additional landscaping over the requirements of this chapter, the requirements of Chapter 175 shall apply. A landscape and conservation plan shall be provided with preliminary plans submitted for the entire site which shall identify those existing natural and culturally important features which shall be permanently maintained in addition to proposals for new plant material and earth shaping. The plan shall minimize removal or disturbance of natural features. The plan shall specify the name, size and quantity of plant material for:
(1)
A landscaped buffer area planted to a minimum
height of eight feet along all district boundaries adjacent to residential
or institutional districts which are not a street frontage.
(2)
Parking lot landscaping, which shall consist
of not less than one shade tree having a size at planting of not less
than two-and-one-half-inch caliper and a minimum height of 12 feet
for every 10 surface parking spaces.
(3)
Street tree planting along public streets and highways at regular intervals or informally arranged consistent with Chapter 175, Subdivision and Land Development.
(4)
Existing trees, shrubs and other natural features
to be preserved and methods employed to assure their protection during
and after construction.
S.
Density. For an apartment house or group of apartment houses, density
shall not exceed 35 dwelling units per acre.
[Added 10-27-2015 by Ord.
No. 566]
