Doug Heller for Commissioner, Springfield, PA

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Village Center Zoning District

Draft — Revised 11/9/07

ARTICLE XIIC: VILLAGE CENTER DISTRICT

114-12C0 Legislative Intent

The intent of the Village Center District is to:

Encourage economic development through the establishment of flexible standards that create a human scaled main street environment and unique community identity.
Encourage the retention of the traditional streetscape by preserving existing buildings to the greatest extent possible, and promoting their reuse in a manner that maintains visual character and architectural scale.
Encourage lively activity areas and gathering places for the community through encouraging a mix of uses.
Ensure that new buildings, additions and renovations contribute to the surrounding streetscape.
Establish a walkable community by promoting a pedestrian orientation of streets and buildings and providing a safe and convenient interconnected sidewalk network.
Accommodate parking in a convenient manner that does not interfere with the rhythm of the street.
Encourage the use of public transit services.

114-12C1 Definitions

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

BED AND BREAKFAST HOUSE: A home occupation that provides rooms for occasional paying guests on an overnight basis.
BED AND BREAKFAST INN: A tourist home that provides rooms for paying guests on an overnight basis with breakfast being available on the premises at not an additional cost.
BUILD-TO LINE: A line extending through the lot which is generally parallel to the front property line and marks the location from which the vertical plane of the front building façade elevation must be erected; intended to create an even building façade line along a street. The build-to line is established on the record plan.
CHAMFERED ROOF: A roof with a beveled edge, especially to a beam.
CORNICE: The projection at the top of a wall or the top course or molding of a wall when it serves as a crowning member.
FACADE: The front elevation of a building including any roofing or decorative features enclosing usable building space.
FENESTRATION: The arrangement of windows and other exterior openings on a building.
FLOOR AREA: The sum of the gross horizontal areas of each floor of a building, measured from the exterior walls or from the center line of party walls. The term does not include any area used exclusively for the parking of motor vehicles (surface parking or structured parking) or the building or equipment access, such as stairs, elevator shafts, and maintenance crawl space.
FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR): The ratio of gross building floor area to the total lot area. For example, if a 10,000 square foot lot has a FAR of 2.0, then a developer can only construct a building that has a total floor area of 20,000 square feet.
FRONT BUILDING: A structure on a lot which has one side located along the build-to line for a specific lot.
HISTORIC BUILDING: Buildings that are listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, or designated as historic under an appropriate state or local law.
MASSING: The shape and form a building or assemblage of buildings assumes through architectural design.
OUTDOOR PRODUCE MARKET: Temporary or occasional outdoor retail sales of farm produce from vehicles or temporary stands.
PEDESTRIAN TAKE-OUT WINDOW: A window opening in the wall of a commercial building used for the sale of food and/or beverages. Such a window shall be designed for the exclusive use of pedestrians, and shall be located to provide a safe waiting area, and to not disrupt or impede pedestrian movement on a sidewalk used by the public.
PERSONAL SERVICE SHOP: A business which provides a service oriented primarily to personal needs, and not primarily involving retail sales of goods or professional advisory services. Included are tailor, barber, beauty salon, shoe repair, dressmaker or dry cleaner (provided no cleaning operations are performed on premises); excluding massage parlors.
PORTICO: A covered walk or porch that is supported by columns or pillars; also known as colonnade.
PUBLIC VIEW: Any part of a building or property that is visible from the public right-of-way.
REAR BUILDING: A structure on a lot which is located behind a front building or buildings.
SIGN DEFINITIONS:
1. AWNING SIGN: A sign painted on or applied to a structure made of cloth, canvas, or similar material (excluding plastics or vinyl of any sort) which is affixed to and projects from a building.
2. BANNER SIGN: A temporary sign intended to be hung either with or without frames, possessing characters, letters, illustrations or ornamentations applied to paper, plastic, or fabric of any kind.
3. FREESTANDING SIGN: A sign permanently supported by an upright support that is anchored in the ground
4. MARQUEE SIGN: any sign attached to a marquee for the purposes of identifying a theater or movie house.
5. MENU SIGN: A temporary sign used to inform the public of the list of entrees, dishes, foods, and entertainment available in a restaurant.
6. MONUMENT SIGN: A sign attached to a brick, stone, or masonry wall or structure that forms a supporting base for the sign display.
7. PROJECTING SIGN: A sign that is attached to the façade wall of a structure and projects out from that wall.
8. SANDWICH BOARD SIGN: An A-frame sign that is not permanently attached to the ground or other permanent structure.
9. WALL SIGN: A sign that is affixed to a building's wall.
10. WINDOW SIGN: A sign that is either painted or attached to the inside surface of a window or affixed to the interior of the building so that it is visible from the exterior.
TATTOO PARLOR: A commercial establishment that offers permanent body art for a fee.
TRANSIT FACILITY: The property, equipment, and improvements of whatever nature owned, used constructed, maintained, controlled, or operated to provide mass transportation for passengers or to provide for the movement of people.
VENDORS: Any person or persons, including corporations, who engage in the activity of selling goods or services.

114-12C2 Uses

Permitted Uses:
1. A mix of uses described in Section 114-12C2A.
2. Apartments, on the second floor and above.
3. Retail establishment for the sale of dry goods, variety and general merchandise, clothing, food, drugs, household supplies, beverages, hardware, furnishings, antiques, baked goods, greeting cards, plants and flowers; and the sale or repair of jewelry, watches, clocks, optical goods, musical, professional or scientific instruments, but excluding drive-through facilities.
4. Business office, such as real estate sales, travel agency, insurance sales, advertising or retail copying and printing services.
5. Professional office, such as those for the practice of medicine or other health services, or for law, engineering, architecture, or accounting.
6. Personal service shops, such as tailor, barber, beauty salon, shoe repair, dressmaker, or dry cleaner (provided that no cleaning operations are performed on the premises); excluding tattoo parlors.
7. Establishment serving food or beverages to the general public, such as restaurant, café, taproom, tavern, retail baker, confectionery or ice cream shop, including walk-up windows but excluding drive-through facilities.
8. Financial Institution, such as a bank or savings and loan association, but excluding drive- through facilities.
9. Religious institutions and their ancillary uses.
10. Private clubs and fraternal organizations.
11. Studio for dance, music, fitness, art or photography.
12. Gallery and museum.
13. Theater, including motion pictures and stage plays.
14. Bed and breakfast inn and bed and breakfast house.
15. Hotel.
16. Government uses, including police and fire stations, post office, community center, public library, public utility facility.
17. Transit facilities.
18. Public park, plaza, square, courtyard, urban garden, and public recreation areas.
19. Outdoor dining.
20. Pedestrian take-out window.
21. Vendors.
22. Outdoor Produce market.
Uses Permitted as a Special Exception by the Zoning Hearing Board subject to such restrictions as the Board may determine.
1. Apartment building provided that the following is included:
  1. Balconies are provided facing public streets.
  2. Twenty percent of the first floor of the building shall be office or retail uses.
  3. Apartment buildings should follow the standards of this ordinance.
2. Drive-through windows or facilities provided that they are located at the rear of the property and out of the public view, and all traffic exits to an existing side street.
3. Undertaking establishments and funeral home.
4. Gasoline service station and filling station provided that the following is included:
  1. No more than six (6) pumps or filling hoses shall be permitted.
  2. All other design standards of this ordinance are followed.
5. Indoor amusement.
6. Parking garages and private public parking lots.
7. Any other use of the same general character as those expressly permitted under 114-12C2A
Prohibited Uses
1. Automobile or other vehicle sales service, or repair establishments, including vehicle body repair, vehicle painting, or washing.
2. Self-service storage facilities (mini-warehouses).
3. Adult entertainment uses
4. Tattoo parlors.
5. Any use determined by the zoning officer to be of similar nature to the prohibited uses listed in this section.

114-12C3 Development Standards

Minimum lot size — 2,500 square feet
Minimum lot width — 25 feet
Build-to Line — All buildings, except rear buildings, shall be built to a point five feet beyond the Legal Right-of-Way. The Township's Board of Commissioners may require an alternative location and allow for a deeper or more shallow build-to line up to the Legal Right-of-Way, provided that one of the following conditions are met:
1. The proposed setback is equal to the average setback between the two closest structures on the same side of the street; or
2. A public plaza, square, courtyard, urban garden, or outdoor dining is provided between the front façade and the sidewalk.
Side Yard Setback — There shall be no side yard setback for buildings that share a party wall. If a side yard is created, a minimum of five feet shall be provided.
Maximum Impervious coverage — 85% provided that adequate stormwater management facilities are provided.
Building Height — Buildings shall be a minimum of two stories or a maximum of 3, and shall be no taller than 41 feet in height.
Maximum Building Footprint for Non-Residential Buildings — 8,000 square feet.

114-12C4 General Requirements

Rear Buildings. Rear buildings shall be permitted on a lot provided that a front building or buildings is located directly in front of the rear building for at least 60% of the rear building's width. All other provisions in this chapter with regards to building design standards are applicable to rear buildings unless otherwise stated.
Public Utilities. All uses shall be served by public water and sewer facilities.
Parking
1. General Off-Street Parking Standards
  1. Vehicular access — vehicular access to off-street parking shall be via alley or side street where possible.
  2. Pedestrian access — Safe provisions for pedestrian access to, and mobility through, a parking lot shall be required. Off-street parking areas and pedestrian walkways connecting to them shall be well-lit.
  3. Location of parking
    1. Off-street parking shall not be located between the front building and the street
    2. No parking shall extend more than 70 feet along any pedestrian street frontage without an outdoor café, urban garden, plaza, square, courtyard, or landscaping feature with seating.
    3. Surface parking on corner lots — on corner lots, surface parking must be set back 10 feet from the Legal Right-of-Way.
2. Interconnected Parking Areas
  1. Where possible, parking areas shall be designed and built with interconnecting access driveways to abutting parking areas.
3. Off-Street Parking Requirements. Parking shall be provided in accordance with Section 114-134 unless otherwise designated in Section 114-12C9(A).
  1. Parking lot landscape buffers may be reduced via special exception when abutting parking lots are interconnected and multiple driveways along Bethlehem Pike are eliminated.
Exterior lighting. All exterior lighting shall be designed to prevent glare onto adjacent properties. Pedestrian pathways outside of buildings need to be clearly marked and well lit with ornamental lighting. Lighting should be sufficient for security and identification without allowing light to trespass onto adjacent sites. The height of fixtures shall not exceed 18 feet for parking lots and 16 feet for pedestrian walkways. Where possible, exterior light poles and fixtures should match the design of lighting used in the streetscaping plan along Bethlehem Pike.
Refuse areas. The storage of refuse shall be provided inside the building(s) or within an outdoor area enclosed by either walls or opaque fencing. Any refuse area outside of the building shall be designed to be architecturally compatible with the building(s), shall not be located in the front of the building, and be entirely screened by a fence or enclosure which is at least six (6) feet high.
Screening
1. All wall mounted mechanical, electrical, communication, and service equipment, including satellite dishes, shall be screened from the public view by parapets, walls, fences, landscaping or other means (to the extent permitted by utility service providers) and/or integrated into the architecture of the building.
2. All rooftop mechanical equipment and other appurtenances shall be concealed by or integrated within the roof form or screened from view at ground level of nearby streets. The following appurtenances or necessary extension above the roofline that require screening include: stair wells, elevator shafts, air conditioning units, large vents, heat pumps and mechanical equipment.
3. Parking lots located between the building and the street shall be screened by a 3 foot wall or fence. Parking lots adjacent to adjoining residential uses shall be screened by a 6 foot wall or fence.
4. Service and loading areas must be visually screened from street and pedestrian ways. For new construction, service and loading areas must be behind the building. Loading docks shall not be on the main street but on the side and rear of the building.
Signs. Signage in the Village Center District shall conform to the standards of Article XIV of the Zoning Ordinance unless otherwise designated in Section 114-12C8.
Street Trees. Street trees are required in accordance with Section 95-11 of the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
Outdoor Dining
1. Outdoor furnishings are limited to tables, chairs and umbrellas.
2. Outdoor furniture shall be stored inside the restaurant after normal operating hours.
3. Planters, posts with ropes, or other removable enclosures are encouraged and shall be used as a way of defining the area occupied by the café.
4. Refuse facilities within the outdoor dining area shall be provided by the establishment.
5. Advertising or promotional features shall be limited to umbrellas and canopies.
6. Outdoor dining shall not impede pedestrian traffic flow.

114-12C5 Streetscape Requirements

Streetscape and green area standards for new buildings, additions, and any other improvement designated by the Township as a Land Development under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.

Streetscape and green area standards should relate to the Township's Comprehensive Plan (Flourtown/Erdenheim Vision Plan's streetscape design) and be reviewed by the Board of Commissioners or their designee. The applicant shall demonstrate that these standards are met through architectural drawings.

Streetscape and green area standards shall be met in accordance with the following tables. Applicants shall be permitted to provide required streetscape elements elsewhere along the corridor with permission of the property owner(s) and at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners.

Streetscape and Green Area Categories

Developments Up To 50 Linear Feet Of Frontage	For Each 50 Feet Of Frontage (Or Portion Thereof) Beyond 50 Feet	For Buildings Greater Than 2 Stories In Height
4 points total	5 points total with at least 3 points from Category B	8 points total

Streetscape and Green Area Design Elements

Category	Design Element	Points
A	Window boxes (as wide as window sill and a minimum 6 inches wide by 6 inches deep).	1
A	Additional street tree	2
A	Additional planting area including shrubs, groundcovers, or flowers covering at least 40% of the area between the sidewalk and the build-to line	2
A	Street planter (minimum size 24 inches in diameter)	2
B	Decorative lighting fixtures permanently installed	1
B	Bench (at least 5 feet in length)	2
B	Trash receptacle	2
B	Raised planting bed covering at least 40% of the area between the sidewalk and the build-to line	2
B	Public art/mural	2
B	Planted trellis, arbor or pergola (planted with vines or shrubs)	2
B	Awning for each ground floor door and window	2
B	Balconies	2
B	Walkways with decorative paving, concrete or blocks	2
B	Pedestrian street lighting conforming to Bethlehem Pike Streetscape Plan	3
B	Roof garden	3
B	Pedestrian shelter	3
B	Urban garden (See requirements in Section 114-12C5.3)	4
B	Plaza/Square/Courtyard (See requirements in Section 114-12C5.4)	4
B	Façade restoration that meets the Architectural Design Guidelines of the Flourtown-Erdenheim Vision Plan	4
B	Other Amenity Approved by Board of Commissioners	TBD

Urban Garden Requirements:
1. Minimum size required is 300 square feet.
2. Shall be located on the street level and adjacent to sidewalk or through-block pedestrian passage.
3. 75% of the garden shall be of plant materials such as trees, vines, shrubs, seasonal flowers with year round interest.
4. Public seating is required to coordinate with streetscape standards.
Public Plazas/Squares/Courtyards requirements:
1. Minimum size required is 500 square feet.
2. Must connect to the public right-of-way and be within three feet of a pedestrian connection.
3. 30% of the plaza must be landscaped with trees, shrubs, and mixed plantings with year round interest.
4. The plaza shall be at least 70% hard surface with unit pavers, paving stones, or concrete. No more than 20% of the plaza shall be concrete.
5. Public seating is required to coordinate with streetscape standards.
6. May not be used for parking, loading or vehicular access (excluding emergency vehicular access).
7. Public art and fountains are encouraged.
8. Distribute trash containers throughout plaza with adequate disposal provided by the property owner.
9. Provide shade by trees, canopies, trellises, umbrellas, or building walls.
10. One ornamental tree is required for every 500 square feet.
11. Provide lighting (isometrics to be approved by Township Engineer).
12. Plazas should connect to other activities such as outdoor cafes, restaurants, and building entries.
13. Plazas should be located to have maximum direct sunlight.
14. Agreement for public access

114-12C6 Bonus Provisions

The bonus provisions in Section 114-12C6, Part B, will be received if any of the following conditions are met.
1. A historic building is preserved.
2. The existing number of curb cuts are reduced.
3. Parking lots are interconnected with adjacent properties and a cross access easement or other legally binding agreement is secured with an adjacent property owner
4. A bus shelter is provided at a location approved by the Board of Commissioners.
The following bonus provisions will be granted if a condition in Section 114-12C6, Part A, is met.
1. A maximum impervious coverage of 100% provided that adequate stormwater management facilities are provided.
2. A maximum building footprint for Non-Residential Buildings of 12,000 square feet.

114-12C7 Design Standards

The Township's Board of Commissioners may exempt an applicant from any of the Non-Residential Building Design Standards in Section 114-12C7, Part B, provided that an alternative design can be demonstrated to meet the intent of the Village Center District.

Pedestrian Design Standards
1. Sidewalks are required along all street frontages.
2. Sidewalks along Bethlehem Pike within the Village Center District are required to have a minimum unimpeded width of 5 feet.
3. Sidewalks are required to connect the street frontage sidewalks to all front building entrances, parking areas, central open space, and any other destination that generates pedestrian traffic.
4. Sidewalks shall connect to existing sidewalks on abutting tracts and other nearby pedestrian destination points and transit stops.
5. The sidewalk pattern shall continue across the driveways.
Non-Residential Building Design Standards. All non-residential buildings and apartment buildings shall meet the following requirements:
1. Building Orientation and Entrances.
  1. A front façade of non-residential buildings shall be orientated towards commercial/main streets, with an every day public entrance in this front façade
  2. When buildings are located on corners, the entrance shall be located on the corner with an appropriate building articulation, such as a chamfered corner, turret, canopy, or other similar building feature. The Board of Commissioners may allow front facades to face existing side streets, when these facades will extend an existing commercial district along this existing side street.
  3. All primary building entrances shall be accentuated.
2. Walls & Windows
  1. Blank walls shall not be permitted along any exterior wall facing a street, parking area, or walking area. Walls or portions of walls where windows are not provided shall have architectural treatments that are similar to the front façade, including materials, colors, and details. At least four of the following architectural treatments shall be provided.
    1. Masonry, including stucco finishes (but not flat concrete block).
    2. Concrete or masonry plinth at the base of the wall.
    3. Belt courses of a different texture or color.
    4. Projecting cornice.
    5. Projecting metal canopy.
    6. Decorative tile work.
    7. Trellis containing planting.
    8. Medallions.
    9. Opaque or translucent glass.
    10. Artwork.
    11. Vertical articulation.
    12. Lighting fixtures.
    13. An architectural element not listed above, as approved by the governing body, that meets the intent of this section.
  2. Windows
    1. The ground floor front facades of buildings visible from the pedestrian view shall consist of a minimum of 25% window area; with views provided through these windows into the business.
    2. Upper story windows of front facades shall not be boarded or covered and shall have a minimum of 20% window area.
    3. Smoked, reflective, or black glass in windows is prohibited.
3. Roofs. Roofs shall be in keeping with the character of adjacent buildings or shall have pitched roofs. Pitched roofs shall have a minimum slope of 1:3.
4. Building Character. New infill development shall generally employ building types that are compatible to the historic architecture of the area in their massing and external treatment. Refer to the Architectural Design Guidelines in the Flourtown-Erdenheim Vision Plan, adopted on October 11, 2006 as an addendum to the municipal plan, for specific design elements that achieve this goal.
5. Architectural Rhythm.
  1. New infill development shall also retain the historic architectural rhythm of building openings (windows and entries).
  2. New infill development shall also attempt to maintain the horizontal rhythm of main street facades by using a similar alignment of windows, floor spacing, cornices, awnings, etc. This rhythm shall be achieved by aligning the top, middle, and base floors. Buildings shall have a distinct base at ground level using articulation or materials such as stone, masonry, or decorative concrete. The top level should be treated with a distinct outline with elements such as projecting parapet, cornice, or other projection.
6. Massing.
  1. Buildings shall be similar in height and size or articulated and subdivided into massing that is more or less proportional to adjacent structures and maintains the existing architectural rhythm.
  2. The massing of any façade should generally not exceed 50 feet maximum (horizontal dimension). Shop fronts may be broken down even further. Massing variations every 30 feet or less is preferred.
  3. Non-Residential buildings must have at least 3 to 5-foot offset in all street facades for every 50 feet of continuous façade. Such offset may be met through the use of bay windows, porches, porticos, building extensions. Towers, recessed doorways, and other architectural treatments.

114-12C8 Landscaping Requirements of the Village Center District

The following landscape requirements are intended to supplement those found in Section 95-11 of the Subdivision and Land Development Code. In the event of conflict between the requirements of this section and those of the Subdivision and Land Development Code, the more restrictive requirements shall prevail.

Existing street trees shall be retained and incorporated into the street design.
Street Trees
1. Spacing. Street trees shall not be spaced less than 20' apart. Preferred spacing is 30 to 40 feet. Consideration shall be made for driveways, street light, utility poles, underground utilities, traffic light poles and other obstructions. Consideration shall also be made for future placement of trees in front of adjacent properties.
2. Street trees shall be planted in tree wells or a planter strip underlain by soil, providing enhanced growth and survivability rates.
  1. Tree wells. Tree wells shall be a minimum of 4 feet long x 4 feet wide x 3.5 feet deep below the ground surface. Larger wells are recommended and could be connected together as a continuous planting pit. Tree wells shall be covered with tree grates, concrete unit pavers, and/or cobbles. A 2- foot x 2-foot opening or 2' diameter should be left around the tree trunks to allow for mulch.
  2. Planter Strip. Planter strips shall not be less than 5 feet wide. If located along a parking stall or stalls, it shall be covered similar to a tree well.
3. Tree selection
  1. Trees shall be selected that are appropriate for their location. The following factors shall be considered when selecting a tree species: maintenance requirements, hardiness, salt tolerance, shape and form, and the subsurface growing conditions. The use of native species is encouraged. Invasive species are discouraged. A diversity of species is also encouraged. Examples of some street trees that meet these criteria are:
    1. Sugar Maple — Acer saccharum
    2. Willow Oak — Quercus phellos
    3. Red Maple — Acer rubrum
    4. Hackberry — Celtis occidentalis
    5. Green Ash — Fraxinus Pennsylvania, Patmore or Marshall's seedless
    6. Thornless Honeylocust — Glenditsia triacanthos var. inermis
    7. London Planetree — Paltanus X acerifloia
    8. Shingle Oak — Quercus imbricaria
    9. Scarlet Oak — Quercus coccinea
    10. Swamp White Oak — Quercus bicolor
    11. Chinese lacebark Elm — Ulmus parvifolia
    12. Japanese Zelkova — Zelkova serrata
    13. Sweet Gum (fruitless cultivar) Liquidambar styraciflua "Rotundiloba"
    14. Pagoda Tree cultivars — Sophora japonica
    15. Other trees that meet the above criteria.
  2. Trees under wires. Trees located under wires shall not be of a species that is expected to grow into the utility lines. A few examples include:
    1. Amur Maple — Acer ginnala
    2. Trident maple — Acer buergeranum
    3. Hedge Maple — Acer campestre
    4. Eastern Red Bud — Cercis Canadensis
    5. Hawthorn cultivars — Crataegus
    6. Crabapple cultivars — Malus
    7. Japanese Tree Lilac — Syringa reticulate
    8. Cherry cultivars — Prunus serrulata "Kwanzan" and "Okane" Prunus X yedoenis
    9. Serviceberry cultivars — Amelanchier
    10. Kousa Dogwood cultivars- Cornus Kousa
    11. Other trees that meet the above criteria
Parking lot landscaping
1. Interior landscaping. All surface parking lots of 10 spaces or more shall be provided with interior landscaping in accordance with Section 95-11 of Chapter 95, Subdivision of Land.
2. Perimeter landscaping for parking lots shall have a landscaped area of a minimum width of 10 feet and should meet the requirements of Section 4, General Regulations.
Hanging Baskets, Planters, and Window Boxes
1. Planters shall not obstruct the sight triangles. Planters shall not encroach into the sidewalk so that less than 4 feet of passageway is available for pedestrians.
2. Window Boxes. Window boxes should be at least as wide as the window sill where they are located (at least 6" wide by 6" deep). They shall not encroach into the sidewalk unless pedestrian access to that are of the sidewalk is restricted.
3. Hanging baskets, planters and window boxes shall contain live plantings.

114-12C9 Village Center Signage Regulations

Permanent Building Signs: No more than two of any of the following permanent signs are permitted per building or tenant.
1. Wall signs
  1. No wall sign shall project more than twelve (12) inches beyond the building.
  2. Wall signs should not exceed 25 square feet or 10% of the building façade, whichever is less.
2. Projecting signs
  1. Projecting signs should be no lower than 8 feet above grade.
  2. The maximum sign area shall not exceed 5 square feet
  3. The maximum height of the projecting sign shall not exceed the eave line or top of the parapet wall of the principal building whichever is lower.
3. Window signs
  1. Window signs shall not exceed 10% of the total glass area of the window.
4. Awning Signs
  1. Awning signs should be traditional fabric foldout awnings and not permanently affixed, backlit awnings.
  2. Sign lettering and/or logo shall not exceed 25 square feet or 20% of the exterior surface of the awning or canopy, whichever is less.
  3. A minimum height of 12 feet from the lowest point to the sidewalk is required.
Permanent Sign Alternatives: Each lot may include one of the following signs provided each building or tenant on the lot uses only one of the permanent signs allowed in Section 114-12C9, Part A.
1. Freestanding Signs
  1. Freestanding sign supports should be made of wood or metal.
  2. Freestanding signs shall not exceed 25 square feet.
  3. The height of signs shall not exceed 5 feet or the distance from the Legal Right-of-Way to the sign, whichever is greater.
  4. The sign shall not encroach into the Legal Right-of-Way nor obstruct sight distance for ingress or egress.
2. Marquee Signs
  1. Marquee signs shall not exceed 150 square feet
  2. Marquee signs shall maintain a vertical clearance of 12 feet above grade.
3. Monument Signs
  1. Monument signs should be constructed out of materials that compliment the building structure.
  2. Signs shall not exceed 25 square feet.
  3. The height of signs shall not exceed 5 feet or the distance from the Legal Right-of-Way to the sign, whichever is greater.
  4. The sign shall not encroach into the Legal Right-of-Way nor obstruct sight distance for ingress or egress.
  5. Monument signs shall have landscaping around the sign base.
Identification, Directional and Temporary Signs.
1. Building identification signs
  1. Building identification signs shall not exceed two (2) square feet bearing only the property number and/or street address.
2. Directional signs
  1. Directional signs shall not contain advertising, (including logos), not exceeding four (4) square feet, and not obstruct the sight triangles at internal intersections on the premises.
3. Banner signs
  1. Banners across streets, alleys and other public rights of ways shall be permitted to promote community events only.
  2. No banner may hang below fifteen (15) feet.
  3. No banner may be hung without first securing the requisite permit(s).
4. Menus and signs indicating business hours
  1. Signs shall not exceed two (2) square feet.
  2. Signs shall be located in a permanently mounted display box on the façade of the building adjacent to the entrance, displayed within a window adjacent to the entrance, or at a podium that will be placed inside the restaurant upon closing.
5. Sandwich Board Signs
  1. Signs shall not exceed 8 square feet
  2. Signs shall not exceed 4 feet in height
  3. A minimum walking distance of four (4) feet shall be maintained on all public sidewalks.
  4. Signs shall be taken indoors at the close of each business day
  5. Sandwich boards shall be weighted at the base so that the sign cannot be moved by strong winds; however, no sign shall be chained, tied, or otherwise affixed to any object, structure, or the ground.
  6. Only one sandwich board sign will be permitted in front of the business it advertises.
Sign Illumination
1. Use of flashing, pulsating, or moving lights shall be prohibited on all signs.
2. Lightbox signs are prohibited
3. Halo-lit illumination, reverse channel letters with halo illumination, standard channel letters, or external lights are recommended.
4. External illumination should be unobtrusive (i.e. gooseneck lighting).
5. External lighting should be shielded to avoid glare.

114-12C10 Village Center District Parking and Access Requirements

The following parking and access requirements are intended to supplement those found in Section 114-134 and shall apply only in the Village Center District.

Parking Space Requirements by Use Type shall follow the standards below:
1. Bank:
  1. 6 per indoor teller window or service desk used to complete typical banking transactions.
  2. With walk-up ATM (as above, plus 2 per ATM)
2. Convenience store: 1 space per 100 square feet of floor area.
3. Office: No parking is required for the first 400 square feet, 1 space per each additional 250 square feet, except medical offices which shall provide 1 space per each additional 150 square feet.
4. Apartments: 2 spaces per unit. Units less than 600 square feet of floor area may provide 1 space per unit if approved by Special Exception.
5. Bed and Breakfast, rooming house: 2 spaces plus 1 per guest or rental room.
6. Hotel: 1 space per rental unit, plus 1 space per 200 feet of floor area in common or public use (lobby, bar, meeting rooms, etc.), plus 1 per employee on the largest shift.
7. Restaurant, Bar or Tavern: 1 parking space for each 50 square feet of floor area.
8. Retail, Personal Service: 1 parking space for each 100 square feet of floor area.
9. Theater: 1 per 4 seats.
10. Indoor amusements: 1 per 100 square feet of floor area.
11. Studios: 1 per 800 square feet minimum, 1 per 300 square feet maximum.
12. Private or Fraternity clubs: 1 per 125 square feet above the first 2,400 square feet.
13. Religious Institutions: 1 per 5 seats or 1 parking space for every 50 square feet of floor area within the sanctuary or primary assembly area, whichever is greater.
14. Funeral Homes: The greater of 1 per 4 seats or 1 per 50 square feet within the primary assembly area.
15. Gallery and museum: 1 space per 500 square feet of floor area.
Parking Reduction
1. Each use may reduce the number of required spaces by no more than 50% if approved by Special Exception of the Zoning Hearing Board and at least one of the following requirements are met:
  1. The use is located within 400 feet walking distance from a public parking facility.
  2. A suitable number of on-street parking spaces are provided in front of, or in the case of corner lots, on the side of the building.
  3. Shared parking meets the requirements.

Shared Parking

Shared Parking Agreement (2 parties) or District (more than 2 parties). Involves contractual agreement between adjoining users or those located within 200' of one another if approved by the Board of Commissioners.

The minimum amount of shared parking required shall be calculated according to the following formula:

Calculate the minimum amount of parking required for each land use as if it were a separate use.
To determine peak parking requirements, multiply the minimum parking required for each proposed land use by the corresponding percentage in the table below for each of the six time periods.
Calculate the column total for each of the six time periods.
The column (time period) with the highest value shall be the minimum parking requirement.

Shared Parking Calculations

Uses	Mon-Fri			Sat-Sun
	8am-6pm	6pm-12am	12am-8am	8am-6pm	6pm-12am	12am-8am
Residential	60%	100%	100%	80%	100%	100%
Office	100%	10%	5%	5%	5%	5%
Medical Office	100%	80%	5%	80%	5%	5%
Commercial	90%	80%	5%	100%	60%	5%
Hotel	70%	100%	100%	70%	100%	100%
Restaurant	70%	100%	10%	70%	100%	20%
Movie Theater	40%	80%	10%	80%	100%	10%
Entertainment	40%	100%	10%	80%	100%	50%
Institutional	100%	40%	5%	10%	10%	5%
Religious	20%	40%	5%	100%	50%	5%

A shared parking agreement allows users an opportunity, if they choose, to redesign parking lots to be more efficient in serving multiple users. This may consist of making new curb cuts between parking lots, re-striping lots, or redesigning internal traffic circulation and pedestrian walkways.
Walking Distance — shared parking is permitted only where properties or uses adjoin one another or where properties or uses are located within 200 feet of one another.

Parking Garages
1. Design
  1. Retail store fronts or other business uses on the street level shall be required to provide vitality.
  2. For structures not located on a main street, there shall be a set back of 10-15 feet from the legal right-of-way unless the frontage is occupied by a retail or business use.
  3. Utilitarian appearances of parking structures should be minimized by utilizing design treatments such as colonnades, arcades, awnings, landscaping, street furniture, and other public amenities. Blank walls are not permitted.
  4. Cars shall be visually screened from adjacent buildings and the street and such screening shall be in keeping with the rest of the building's architectural style and materials.
2. Vehicular Access — Shall be accessed from alleys, placed underground, placed in structures above the ground floor, or located behind or to the side of a building (if located to the side of a building, garage must be setback from front of that building by 10-15 feet).
Driveways.
1. Driveway entrances shall not exceed 24 feet when crossing sidewalks and shall include concrete aprons in accordance with Township specifications.
Alleys
1. Creation of new alleys
  1. Design
    1. Dead-end alleys prohibited.
    2. Alleys shall be protected by wheel bumpers on curbs
    3. Intersections connecting alleys prohibited.
2. Maximum 20' in width for two-way alleys, 12' width for one-way alleys.

Revised 11/9/07

NOTE: Proposed boundaries for Village Center District:

Erdenheim — south of Gordon Lane to Windsor Road/Yeakel Avenue
Flourtown — Wissahickon Avenue to south of Springfield Avenue/Flourtown Commons

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