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 SC-1 Shopping Center development to provide well-planned integrated developments for retail sales and service establishments on a single tract of land, with grouped off-street parking. Further, it is the intent of this article to:
A. 
Serve the shopping needs of the Township's population growth.
B. 
Provide regulations to minimize conflicts between shopping center development and adjacent residential neighborhoods.
C. 
Provide for the logical development of appropriately located larger tracts.
D. 
Provide locations for shopping centers so as to avoid detrimental competition with existing commercial uses and shopping centers within both the Township and in adjacent municipalities.
E. 
Provide regulations to avoid congestion and hazardous traffic conditions as a result of shopping center development.
F. 
Provide varying regulations appropriate for the development of neighborhood-scale shopping centers and for the development of community-scale shopping centers.
A neighborhood shopping center may be developed as a permitted use, in which 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 uses either separately or in combination, and no other:
A. 
Convenience store and 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. No drive-through facilities shall be permitted.
[Amended 7-27-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-04; 9-28-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-07]
B. 
Restaurant, provided that quick-service restaurants shall not be permitted.
[Amended 9-28-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-07]
C. 
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 purpose 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.
D. 
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.
E. 
Business or professional office; studio.
F. 
Bank or financial institution.
G. 
Automatic self-service laundry.
H. 
Indoor place of amusement including coin-operated amusement machine establishment (consisting of more than three machines), but excluding theater for motion-picture or stage productions or assembly hall.
I. 
Post office.
J. 
Passenger station for public transportation.
K. 
Municipal building.
[Added 12-23-2002 by Ord. No. 1153]
L. 
Outdoor dining areas shall be permitted as an accessory use to a restaurant pursuant to the provisions of § 230-16E.
[Added 8-23-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-09]
The following uses, located in a separate building(s) but on the same site as a neighborhood shopping center and integrated into the overall plan thereof, may be authorized as conditional uses, pursuant to the standards enumerated in § 230-114 herein for which application is made following the procedures outlined in § 230-124 herein:
A. 
Drive-in banking facility.
B. 
Motor vehicle repair shop, provided said is an ancillary use to a retail establishment located in the primary building(s) of the shopping center.
C. 
Photographic film processing outlet.
D. 
Remote (automated) post office facility.
E. 
Any use of the same general character as those listed in Subsections A through D herein.
In the SC-1 District, a community-scale shopping center may be developed, if authorized as a conditional use, pursuant to the standards enumerated in Section § 230-112 herein for which application is made following the procedures outlined in § 230-124 herein.
A. 
A building or group of buildings may be erected, altered, or used, and a lot may be used or occupied for any of the uses permitted in a neighborhood shopping center pursuant to § 230-107 herein. In addition, the following other uses may also be developed in a community-scale shopping center:
(1) 
Theater for motion-picture or stage productions (excluding outdoor motion-picture establishment) or assembly hall.
(2) 
Structured parking for the use of employees and patrons of the proposed shopping center.
B. 
All satellite uses enumerated in § 230-108 herein may be allowed in a community-scale shopping a center. In addition, the following additional satellite uses may be developed in a community-scale shopping center, pursuant to the standards enumerated in § 230-114 herein:
(1) 
Quick-service restaurant.
[Amended 8-23-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-09]
(2) 
Farm and garden supply center.
(3) 
Theater for motion-picture or stage productions (excluding outdoor motion-picture establishment).
(4) 
Any use of the same general character as those listed in Subsection B(1) through (3) herein.
(5) 
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.
[Added 8-27-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-5]
(6) 
Outdoor dining areas shall be permitted as an accessory use to a quick-service restaurant pursuant to the provisions of § 230-16E.
[Added 8-23-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-09]
The following general regulations shall apply for any shopping center developed pursuant to this article:
A. 
Ownership. The tract of land to be developed shall be in one ownership, or shall be the subject of an application filed jointly by the owners of the entire tract, and it shall be agreed that the tract will be developed under single direction in accordance with an approved plan. Transfer of ownership prior to the commencement of construction shall render the development agreement required in Subsection D herein void. Said agreement shall then be renegotiable between the new owners and Township Council.
B. 
Sewer and water facilities. The tract of land shall be served by centralized water facilities and sanitary sewer facilities provided by a public utility.
C. 
Development plan. The application for development shall be accompanied by a plan, or plans, showing the detailed use of the entire tract, which plan or plans shall also comply with all requirements of Chapter 198, Subdivision and Land Development, and other applicable ordinances. The plan shall clearly designate the proposed use(s) of each area of the tract.
D. 
Development stages and permits. The development of a tract carried out in either a single phase or in stages, shall be executed in accordance with a development agreement. The owner, developer and Township shall enter into said agreement embodying all details regarding compliance with this article to assure the binding nature thereof on the overall tract and its development, which agreement shall be recorded with the final development plan. Included in the development agreement shall be a stipulation that any landscaping material required by this district and reflected on the landscape plan as required by § 230-31 herein, shall be replaced if it dies within one year of initial planting.
The following site development requirements shall govern development of a neighborhood shopping center:
A. 
Minimum tract size: five acres.
B. 
Minimum tract width measured at the ultimate right-of-way line: 300 feet.
C. 
Height: all buildings shall comply with the regulations as contained in Article V, Performance Standards.
D. 
Maximum building coverage (includes primary and satellite uses): 25% of the developable area of each lot may be occupied by buildings.
[Amended 9-16-1998 by Ord. No. 1147]
E. 
Minimum area of vegetative cover: 20% (exclusive of parking lot landscaping pursuant to § 230-115C and D).
F. 
Minimum building setbacks.
(1) 
From the ultimate right-of-way line:
(a) 
For primary uses: 100 feet.
(b) 
For accessory uses: 50 feet.
(2) 
From an abutting property line, the use or zoning of which is residential or institutional: 75 feet.
(3) 
From an abutting property line, the use or zoning of which is commercial or industrial: 50 feet.
G. 
Minimum parking setbacks.
(1) 
From the ultimate right-of-way line: 20 feet.
(2) 
From an abutting property line, the use or zoning of which is residential or institutional: 50 feet.
(3) 
From an abutting property line, the use or zoning of which is commercial or industrial: 20 feet.
H. 
Minimum distance between buildings or building groups (all structures connected by common roof lines or covered walkways shall be considered as one building): 25 feet.
Any proposal to develop a shopping center on a site of 10 acres or larger shall, for the purposes of this chapter, be considered a community-scale shopping center, and allowed only as a conditional use. The following standards shall be used by the Township Council in evaluating a proposed community-scale shopping center as a conditional use:
A. 
A market area study shall be prepared justifying the need for a shopping center of the magnitude proposed. Said study shall be prepared by a qualified professional(s) and shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:
(1) 
A description of the commercial establishment(s) proposed, the approximate number of employees anticipated for each establishment and the sales volume anticipated for each establishment, if known.
(2) 
A delineation of the proposed market area to be served.
(3) 
An estimate of the population and number of households within the defined market area currently and the number anticipated 10 years after completion of the shopping center.
(4) 
Per capita or household estimates of the demand for the goods and services proposed for the development and estimates of the total existing and anticipated demand within the defined market area for each proposed good and service.
(5) 
The location and size of commercial establishments within or near the defined market area that could compete with the proposed development.
B. 
The site development requirements enumerated in § 230-113 herein shall be met for any proposed community-scale shopping center.
The following site development requirements shall govern development of a community-scale shopping center, when authorized as a conditional use by the Township Council:
A. 
Minimum tract size: 10 acres.
B. 
Minimum tract width measured at the ultimate right-of-way line: 500 feet.
C. 
Maximum building height: all buildings shall comply with the regulations as contained in Article V, Performance Standards.
D. 
Maximum building coverage (includes primary and satellite uses): 25% of the developable area of each lot may be occupied by buildings.
[Amended 9-16-1998 by Ord. No. 1147]
E. 
Minimum area of vegetative cover: 20% (exclusive of parking lot landscaping pursuant to § 230-115C and D).
F. 
Minimum building setbacks.
(1) 
From the ultimate right-of-way line:
(a) 
For primary uses: 125 feet.
(b) 
For satellite uses: 75 feet.
(2) 
From an abutting property, the use or zoning of which is residential or institutional: 100 feet.
(3) 
From an abutting property, the use or zoning of which is commercial or industrial: 50 feet.
G. 
Minimum parking setbacks.
(1) 
From the ultimate right-of-way line: 30 feet.
(2) 
From an abutting property, the use or zoning of which is residential or institutional: 50 feet.
(3) 
From an abutting property, the use or zoning of which is commercial or industrial: 30 feet.
H. 
Minimum distance between buildings or building groups: the provisions of § 230-111H shall apply.
The following regulations shall apply to satellite uses developed in shopping centers pursuant to this article:
A. 
No more than 10% of the total allowable building coverage pursuant to §§ 230-111D and 230-113D herein shall be devoted to satellite uses.
B. 
To determine the maximum number of satellite uses permitted as part of any shopping center development, a ratio of the number of satellite uses to the size of the tract (in acres) must be computed. Said ratio shall not exceed two to five; provided, however, the maximum number of satellite uses shall not exceed five, regardless of the size of the tract.
C. 
In addition to the parking provisions contained in § 230-115 herein, the following parking and circulation requirements shall pertain to satellite uses:
(1) 
Access to parking intended for satellite uses shall be taken from the parking area intended for the primary use; in no case shall access to parking for satellite uses be taken directly from an abutting street.
(2) 
Parking intended for satellite uses shall be separated from the primary parking area by landscaped planting islands to allow for proper traffic flow channelization. Such landscaped islands shall adhere to the requirements of § 230-115D herein.
(3) 
Should any satellite use(s) be added to a shopping center development at any time after initial development is completed, adjustments to the parking area shall be made to comply with the requirements of this section and of § 230-115 herein.
The following parking and internal circulation requirements shall pertain to all shopping centers developed pursuant to this district:
A. 
The requirements contained in Article V shall apply to all parking areas constructed pursuant to this article.
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 curb or bumper.
C. 
For purposes of traffic channelization, precluding parking of vehicles in unwanted areas, and reduction of visual monotony, a minimum of 10% of all parking areas shall be devoted to raised interior parking lot landscaped islands, exclusive of any other landscaping or buffering requirements and exclusive of the grass area permitted under Subsection B herein. The landscaping required by this section shall be installed in such manner that no individual landscaped area shall contain less than 200 square feet; the minimum horizontal dimension of any such area shall be 10 feet.
(1) 
Raised landscaped islands shall be placed such that the ends of all parking bays, adjacent to a driving aisle directly in front of a primary building, are defined.
(2) 
Traffic channelization shall be planned in such a way that a main driving aisle from which vehicles can flow into the parking bays, is remote from the primary building(s) so as to avoid traffic conflicts in front of the primary building(s).
D. 
Pedestrian access. Within all parking areas, signing and pavement markings or pavement differentiation shall be provided indicating paths of heavy pedestrian traffic. Wherever such paths cross landscaped islands, a break in the landscaping shall be provided. Curb cuts shall also be provided as necessary to allow access by elderly and the physically handicapped.
E. 
Bicycle storage. Area(s) for the storage of bicycles, including a rack(s) or other permanently affixed storage device(s), shall be provided. Such area(s) shall be so placed as to be out of areas of heavy traffic and in such a way that pedestrian travel is not impaired.
F. 
Parking for the physically disabled: the applicable provisions of Article V shall apply.
G. 
Off-street loading. The requirements contained in Article V, § 230-35, shall apply.
The following regulations shall pertain to access for all tracts of land to be developed in the SC-1 District:
A. 
Accessways leading onto a public street shall be built to the dimensional requirements specified in Chapter 198, Subdivision and Land Development.
B. 
For any tract used for development pursuant to this district, no more than two points of access may be permitted onto each street on which the lot(s) abuts.
C. 
Tracts of land to be developed pursuant to this article which 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 as documented in the traffic impact statement prepared pursuant to § 230-117 herein. 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 tract fronts 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 so doing would not create a hazardous traffic situation or unduly impact existing residential development as confirmed in the Traffic Impact Statement prepared pursuant to § 230-117 herein.
D. 
Accessways shall be spaced a minimum of 100 feet on center on any tract used for development pursuant to this district. In addition, accessways shall be spaced a minimum of 100 feet on center from existing accessways on adjacent properties whenever possible. When this is not feasible, common drives shall be encouraged.
E. 
The edge of any accessway shall not be located closer than 50 feet to any lot used for residential purposes.
A traffic impact study shall be required for any development proposal, pursuant to this article. This study shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements as detailed in Chapter 198, Subdivision and Land Development.
Along the frontage of every tract developed pursuant to this article, except for area devoted to accessways, landscaping shall be provided. The landscaped area shall extend toward the interior of the lot for a minimum distance of 15 feet from the ultimate right-of-way line.
Any shopping center constructed pursuant to this article shall be designed as an architecturally integrated unit.
A. 
Street furniture, lighting standards, signs and other accessory items installed as part of a shopping center development shall be of compatible materials, scale, and design.
B. 
Any building facade which faces a patron parking area, street, or other space used or viewed by the public, shall be provided with decorative facade treatment, architecturally integrated with all other building facades.
The design of buildings in the SC-1 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.
A. 
Refuse areas shall be centrally located for the joint use of tenants in the shopping center. A maximum of one refuse area shall be permitted for each 10,000 square feet of gross leasable area or fraction thereof, provided, however, that an individual tenant(s) with 10,000 square feet or more of gross leasable area must be provided with at least one individual refuse area(s).
B. 
Every satellite use may be provided with an individual refuse area.
[Amended 8-23-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-09]
All uses, except for parking lots 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 seasonal articles which are too large or otherwise infeasible to be stored indoors. Such articles shall be stored adjacent to the building housing the tenant 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 SC-1 District shall be provided as needed and shall comply with the provisions for floodlighting contained in Article IV, § 230-20.
The following procedure shall be followed for consideration of any proposed conditional use pursuant to this article:
A. 
Conditional use application.
(1) 
An application shall be submitted in writing to the Township Manager. Such applications shall include, as a minimum, a tentative sketch plan indicating how the applicant intends to develop the property, and sufficient data to document compliance with the applicable standards contained in § 230-112 or 230-114 herein.
(2) 
Township Council shall schedule a public hearing on said application within 60 days following the date of the regular meeting of Township Council or the Planning Commission (whichever first reviews the application) next following the date the application is filed, provided that should the said next regular meeting occur more than 30 days following the filing of the application, the said sixty-day period shall be measured from the thirtieth day following the day the application is filed. Such time limit may be waived, in writing, by the applicant.
B. 
Public hearing. Prior to deciding to approve or deny an application for the proposed conditional use, Township Council shall hold a public hearing thereon pursuant to public notice. At least 45 days prior to the date of the hearing, one copy of the development proposal and all additional submitted information shall be transmitted to the Township Planning Commission and one to the Montgomery County Planning Commission together with a request that these agencies submit recommendations regarding said use.