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.
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.
[Amended 7-27-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-04; 9-28-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-07]
(2)
Restaurant, provided that quick-service restaurants
shall not be permitted.
[Amended 9-28-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-07]
(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.
[Amended 7-24-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-3]
(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.
[Added 8-27-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-5]
(10)
Medical marijuana dispensaries on:
[Added 8-28-2017 by Ord.
No. 2017-4; amended 7-27-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-05]
(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.
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:
(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.
[Amended 9-28-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-07]
(13)
Post office.
(14)
Hotel, motel, tourist home or rooming house
for transient purposes only.
(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:
[Amended 12-14-2005 by Ord. No. 297; 9-28-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-07]
(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.
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:
E.
Municipal building.
[Added 12-23-2002 by Ord. No. 1153]
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:
[Added 12-9-2015 by Ord.
No. 2015-8]
(2)
The Easton Road Mixed-Use Commercial Development may consist
of any one or a combination of the following uses:
(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.
[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%
|
[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.
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:
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.
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.
[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.
