Uwchlan board reviews draft warehouse ordinance tightening where large distribution centers can locate

Township staff presented a revised warehouse/distribution ordinance that updates definitions, locational limits and conditional‑use criteria to direct where large distribution, fulfillment and truck‑terminal facilities may locate.

The draft distinguishes traditional warehousing from distribution/fulfillment centers and truck terminals and proposes that truck terminals, distribution and fulfillment centers be subject to PIC lot‑size maximums and meet PIC setbacks, buffers, building coverage and height limits. Staff told the board the draft would require lots for these uses to be at least 150 acres, have direct frontage on a major highway, be at least 1,000 feet from residential properties and be within 1,000 feet of a turnpike interchange entrance. The draft also prohibits outdoor storage and requires screening (for example, a 50‑foot buffer for truck parking in front yards) and low‑reflective exterior building finishes; high‑performance construction and roof‑mounted solar are encouraged.

Supervisors asked staff which roads count as "major highways." Staff identified Route 100 and Route 113 and said they would double‑check whether Whitford Road is classified as a state or major highway. Board members recommended the ordinance clarify how the 1,000‑foot measurement will be taken (straight‑line vs. driving distance) to avoid contested interpretations by developers.

The board discussed how conditional use remains an important tool for site‑specific mitigation when a proposed warehouse lacks a committed tenant or end user; staff emphasized that conditional use can impose traffic, access and environmental conditions specific to the proposed operation. A supervisor also raised employee‑transportation concerns, suggesting that the land‑development process or conditional‑use review be used to require a memorandum of understanding or a transportation plan to ensure transit and pedestrian access for facility workers.

Mark (staff) reminded the board that municipalities must provide for general categories of land use, and that adopting a tailored ordinance allows the township to direct large, truck‑intensive operations to locations near major highways rather than risk an adverse challenge that could place a distribution use in a residential neighborhood.

Staff said they will include the warehouse draft on the November business agenda and seek permission to advertise it for a 30‑day public review so residents can comment before any final action.