Hampton Township planning commission recommends draft zoning ordinance and SALDO to council, schedules March public hearing

The Hampton Township Planning Commission on Jan. 12 voted to recommend the draft zoning ordinance and the draft subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO) to township council, advancing the documents to a public hearing tentatively scheduled for March 24.

The commission’s recommendation followed a presentation from the consultant and staff that framed the meeting as the start of the formal adoption process. "Tonight begins the formal adoption process," the presenter said as he walked members through the draft map, use table and application procedures.

Why it matters: The draft ordinances reorganize and clarify how Hampton Township regulates land use and subdivisions. The changes are intended to make the rules easier for property owners and applicants to use, consolidate redundant districts and focus redevelopment along the northern section of Route 8.

Key provisions and changes cited by the presenter include a consolidation of Conservation A and Conservation B into a single Conservation C district and the creation of a new Route 8 Main Street District aimed at encouraging infill along the corridor. The Main Street district reduces setback requirements to encourage contiguous commercial and nonresidential development, increases the baseline height allowance from three to four stories (with an option to reach five stories when projects pursue LEED certification), and makes sidewalks mandatory along the corridor for significant redevelopment.

The draft zoning ordinance also adds a consolidated table of uses and clearer definitions for accessory, conditional and special-exception uses so property owners can more easily identify which activities are allowed in each district. New uses added to the ordinance text include winery, bakeshop, data center and museum, among others.

The SALDO updates described to the commission include cross-access easements between developments, limits on new private streets, a five-foot sidewalk standard along the Route 8 corridor, open-space requirements, and several engineering standard updates based on the township engineer’s review.

Several technical revisions to site design standards were highlighted: the draft reduces lot coverage for corridor redevelopment to 85 percent, specifies a typical parking stall size of 9 by 18 feet, requires interior parking-lot islands for lots with 30 or more spaces with a minimum of 8 percent of the parking area devoted to interior landscaping and at least one shade tree per island, and preserves tree-protection and replacement standards for large trees (replacement trees to be preserved by conservation easement for qualifying developments).

The consultant detailed application types and review paths under the draft: major subdivisions (three or more lots) and major land developments (two or more residential lots or a single nonresidential building) would follow staff review, planning commission recommendation and council decision consistent with the Municipalities Planning Code; minor subdivisions and some minor land developments would be reviewed and approved at staff or planning commission level depending on the scope defined in the draft.

Commission discussion touched on public clarity and terminology. A member raised concern that marking uses with a simple “P” for permitted can confuse residents; the presenter noted Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code effectively treats permitted, conditional and special-exception uses as recognized categories and recommended adding a short definition rather than relying on shorthand alone.

The motion to recommend the drafts to council was made from the floor, seconded, and passed by voice vote. The planning commission recorded the action as "recommended." The presenter told the commission the drafts are not expected to be immutable after adoption and that the township may make minor amendments as needed.

What’s next: The commission recommended the drafts to township council; council is expected to receive the final versions for its review and the public hearing is tentatively set for March 24, with adoption to follow thereafter if council acts. Staff said they will post notices on affected properties along the Route 8 corridor as required by the Municipalities Planning Code and document the postings.