ARTICLE XV
I-3 Multipurpose District [Added 9-3-1997 by Ord. No. 97-8]

~ 287-69.1. Intent.

        A. It is the purpose of the I-3 Multipurpose District to establish standards for and permit the location of varied uses in areas of the borough where the impact on adjacent uses will be minimal. It also is the purpose of this district to recognize and afford maximum protection to industrial and office uses already in existence. All uses shall be in strict compliance with the performance standards of this chapter, and no uses of a heavy industrial nature or with the impacts or characteristics of a heavy industrial use are to be considered appropriate for this district.

        B. The I-3 District was established for the redevelopment of the Boot Road Corridor which spans from Brandywine Avenue east to the borough line.

~ 287-69.2. Use regulations.

        A. Uses by right. In the I-3 District, land, buildings and premises may be used by right for any one or more of the following principal purposes and no other:

            (1) Business, administrative, professional and governmental offices.

            (2) Wholesale and distribution center, indoor warehousing, flex-space and trucking incidental to such uses.

            (3) Public utility installation and public service structures.

            (4) Printing, publishing, binding and similar operations.

            (5) Research laboratory for scientific, industrial or engineering purposes, excluding projects with the potential for creating environmental or genetic hazards.

            (6) Production and processing facilities for producing, testing, assembling, storing and/or distributing precision instruments, including optical and electronic, small electrical appliances and parts, such as lighting fixtures, radio and television receivers, home video equipment and personal computers and electrical machinery.

            (7) Manufacture of cosmetics, clothing, pharmaceuticals, confections and food products.

            (8) Manufacturing, including but not limited to wood products; metal stamping; the fabrication, production, assemblage and painting of metal and synthetic products/materials; and machining and assemblage of tools, dies, jigs, fixtures and molds.

            (9) Manufacturing of paper and of boxes, containers, bags, novelties and other packaging materials from previously prepared paper products.

            (10) Recycling drop-off/collection center, excluding those dealing with infectious waste.

            (11) Entertainment and recreation, restaurants, sports and sports-related centers open to all age groups.

            (12) Transportation center to include all modes of transportation and accessory uses, including a helistop.

            (13) Retirement facility and health-care, physical fitness and rehabilitation uses.

            (14) Universities and other adult educational institutions.

            (15) Uses customarily accessory to the above permitted uses.

        B. Conditional uses. The following uses shall be permitted only upon the grant of a conditional use approval from the Borough Council, subject to the terms of this article and ~ 287-137:

            (1) Retail sales.

            (2) Gaming.

            (3) Mini-storage facilities.

            (4) Liquor license.

            (5) Meat and fish packing, sauerkraut, vinegar, yeast and the rendering or refining of fats and oils and any other food production activities with similar characteristics and potential impacts.

            (6) All other uses as determined by the Borough Council to be of the same general character as the uses by right.

~ 287-69.3. Area and bulk regulations.

        A. Except as otherwise noted in ~ 287-69.2 above, the following regulations shall apply to all uses in the I-3 District:

            (1) Minimum lot area: 3/4 acre.

            (2) Maximum building coverage: 60%.

            (3) Maximum other impervious surface coverage: 30%.

            (4) Minimum front yard: 40 feet with front yard parking; 20 feet without front yard parking.

            (5) Minimum side and rear yards: 18 feet.

            (6) Maximum building height: 10 stories, exclusive of roof-mounted equipment (as stipulated in ~ 287-71 of this chapter).

            (7) Minimum vegetative cover: Not less than 10% of any lot shall be planted and maintained with existing and/or installed vegetative materials, as further prescribed in ~ 287-77 of this chapter.

            (8) Buffer area: A minimum ten-foot buffer shall be provided along all side property lines. Additional standards for the design of the buffer area shall be as prescribed in ~ 287-78 of this chapter.

            (9) Landscaping: See Chapter A293, Boot Road Landscape Criteria, in the Appendix. [Added 7-7-1999 by Ord. No. 99-9]

        B. [Amended 8-4-1999 by Ord. No. 99-12] Conditional uses. The following regulations shall be permitted only upon the grant of a conditional use approval from the Borough Council, subject to the terms of this article and ~ 287-137:

            (1) Building coverage greater than 60%.

            (2) Impervious surface coverage greater than 30%.

            (3) Building height greater than 10 stories.

            (4) Interior parking lot plantings as stipulated in Chapter A293 of the Appendix.

~ 287-69.4. Design standards.

    The following standards of this chapter shall, as applicable, govern all uses within the I-3 District:

        A. Signs: as required by Article XIX.

        B. Parking: as required by Article XVIII.

        C. Loading: as required by ~ 287-111.

        D. Access and traffic control: as required by ~ 287-80.

        E. Storage: as required by ~ 287-79.

        F. Interior circulation: as required by ~ 287-81.

        G. Lighting: as required by ~ 287-82.

        H. Erosion/sedimentation control and stormwater management: as required by the Downingtown Borough Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

~ 287-69.5. Performance standards.

    Any use within the I-3 District shall be conducted in full compliance with the standards contained in ~ 287-84 of this chapter.