A. Dimensional requirements.
Uses | Minimum Lot Size (square feet) | Maximum Building Coverage | Maximum Impervious Coverage | Maximum Height | Minimum Lot Width | Minimum Front Yard Setback | Minimum Rear Yard Setback | Minimum Side Yard Setback (each) |
Apartments of six or more stories | 25,000 | 70% | 90% | 1002 | 72 | 0 | 25 | 15 |
Apartments of six or more stories | 25,000 | 70% | 90% | 1002 | 72 | 0 | 25 | 15 |
Other uses, unless otherwise stated | 2,500 | 80% | 95% | 1002 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NOTES:
1 See § 600-909, which may require a certain front yard setback.
2 See additional height requirement in § 600-807C.
B. Allowed uses.
(1) Permitted-by-right uses: [Amended 8-26-2013 by Ord. No. 35-2013; 4-24-2023 by Ord. No. 41-2023]
(a) High-rise apartments1
(b) Movie theaters and performing arts facilities
(c) Low-rise or mid-rise apartments1
(d) One-family attached dwellings (townhouses) or one-family semidetached dwellings meet the regulations of the R-3 District gardens crop farming and forestry
(e) Amusement arcade
(f) Municipal building
(g) Passenger bus or train terminal
(h) Public parking garages and parking lots that are owned/or operated by a City-authorized parking authority or another governmental entity. A new parking garage with a street frontage of more than 100 feet shall include at least one street-level commercial use.
(i) Nonpublic parking garages and parking lots that serve a use located within the C-C District as opposed to being available to the general public. If such parking involves 10 or more new parking spaces then special exception approval shall be required. As a criteria of special exception approval the applicant shall show that the parking: (a) will not cause a loss of a significant historic building; (b) will not create a serious traffic congestion or a traffic hazard for pedestrians; and (c) will include suitable landscaping between the parking and a public sidewalk. See also Subsection C below. A new parking garage with a street frontage of more than 100 feet shall include at least one street-level commercial use.
(j) Bakeries (limited to 2000 square feet production floor area) and retail sale of baked goods
(k) Bank and other financial institutions which may include drive-through facilities
(l) Business and printing services
(m) Civic/convention center and sports arena
(n) College or university other than residential uses
(o) Conversion of existing building space into one or more dwelling units which shall meet the requirements listed for “conversions” in § 600-1203D even though the use is not a conditional use. Such conversion shall only be allowed if the lot includes at least one street level principal business establishment.
(p) Creation and retail sales of art and crafts items which may include multiple vendors
(q) Dry cleaners (limited to 2000 square feet of service/production area)
(r) Fire and ambulance station
(s) Fitness centers/exercise clubs
(t) Funeral homes
(u) Hotels motels and bed-and-breakfast inns
(v) Offices
(w) Personal services such as barber or beauty shop (see § 600-1103) tailors nail salons (see § 600-1103) and certified massage therapy (see § 600-1103) and not including a massage parlor
(x) Photo-finishing services
(y) Radio and television stations
(z) Recreational facilities public parks and nonmotorized recreation trails
(aa) Restaurants (eat-in or takeout) which may include entertainment but shall not include drive- through service. This use shall not allow outdoor sale of ready-to-eat heated food on a regular basis on a lot that is not operated from a building on the lot.
(bb) Retail stores
(cc) Small appliance sales repair and service stores
(dd) Small Wireless Communications Facilities, pursuant to Part 21 of this Chapter.
(ee) Social clubs and associations (non-PLCB licensed) which shall not be allowed fronting on Penn Street between 2nd Street and 6th Street and which shall not operate between 12:00 midnight and 11:00 a.m. For any use that also meets the definition of a BYOB Chapter 127 Part 3 (§§ 127-301 to 127-308) and § 127-202 shall also be met.
(ff) Trade vocational and hobby schools not including residential uses
NOTE:
1 The street-level floor shall include at least one principal business establishment.
(2) Accessory uses. See Part 10 unless otherwise noted.
(a) Amusement devices: pursuant to § 600-1010 of this chapter.
(b) Entertainment: pursuant to § 600-1005.
(c) Home occupations, major or minor: see § 600-1006.
(d) Storage as an accessory use to a use located within the C-C District.
(e) Roof-mounted wind turbines. [Added 10-26-2015 by Ord. No. 58-2015]
(f) Geothermal heat pumps. [Added 10-26-2015 by Ord. No. 58-2015]
(g) Solar energy systems. [Added 10-26-2015 by Ord. No. 58-2015]
(h) Water-powered energy systems. [Added 10-26-2015 by Ord. No. 58-2015]
(i) Non-tower WCFs, pursuant to Part 21 of this Chapter. [Added 3-27-2017 by Ord. 21-2017; amended 4-24-2023 by Ord. No. 41-2023]
(3) Conditional uses. See § 600-1203.
(a) Banquet hall.
(b) Gaming facility.
(c) Taverns and nightclubs.
(4) Special exception uses. Pursuant to § 600-1202 of this chapter.
(a) Day-care facilities.
(b) Dormitories owned and operated by a college or university, provided that the street-level floor shall include at least one principal business establishment. [Amended 3-23-2020 by Ord. No. 33-2020]
(c) Place of worship.
(e) Adaptive reuse, which shall be allowed only if the lot includes at least one street-level principal business establishment. [Added 1-13-2020 by Ord. No. 4-2020]
C. Additional requirements in the C-C District.
(1) Retail uses shall not extend into the public right-of-way, except as may be specifically approved under another City ordinance.
(2) Drive-through services shall only be permitted as accessory to financial institutions. A drive-through facility shall not have an entrance or exit onto Penn Street.
(3) Height requirements.
(a) Structures may be increased in height up to 175 feet by special exception, provided the applicant provides an analysis to show that the additional height will allow sunlight to reach the street during midday hours, considering any proposed setbacks and an analysis of how the building will be set back from windows of existing adjacent buildings to provide compatibility.
(4) See parking requirements in § 600-1603.
(5) A building shall not have a street-level building wall longer than 50 feet unless such wall is interspersed with a window or door at least every 50 feet, artistic displays, changes in building setback or rooflines of more than three feet variation, and/or architectural features.
(6) (Reserved)9
(7) A principal or accessory parking lot or parking garage shall not be allowed that is open to the general public, unless the structure is owned and/or operated by the City, Berks County, another governmental entity, or a City-authorized parking authority.
9. Editor's Note: Former Subsection C(6), regarding wind turbines, was repealed 10-26-2015 by Ord. No. 58-2015.