Inspections Department
347 W. Union Street
Somerset, PA 15501
814-445-5595
Article 8. OFF-STREET LOADING REGULATIONS
Section 1.
Except as otherwise provided in this Ordinance, when any building or structure
is hereafter erected or structurally altered to the extent of increasing
the floor area by 25 percent or more, or any building is hereafter converted,
for the uses listed in Column 1 of the chart below, when such buildings contain
the floor areas specified in Column 2, accessory off-street loading spaces
shall be provided as required in Column 3 or as required in subsequent sections
of this article.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
| Use Category | Floor Area as defined in article 1, in square Feet | Loading Spaces Required |
| Retail store, department store, restaurant, wholesale house, warehouse, general service, manufacturing, or industrial establishment. | 2,000 – 10,000 10,000 – 20,000 20,000 – 40,000 40,000 – 60,000 Each 50,000 over 60,000 |
One Two Three Four One Additional |
| Apartment buildings, motel, hotel, offices, or office building, hospital or similar institutions, or places of public assembly | 5,000 – 10,000 10,000 – 100,000 100,000 – 200,000 Each 100,000 over 200,000 |
One Two Three One Additional |
| Funeral home or mortuary | 2,500 – 4,000 4,000 – 6,000 Each 10,000 over 6,000 |
One Two One Additional |
Section 2. Interpretation of the Chart
1. The loading space requirements apply to all districts but do not limit the special requirements which may be imposed in the district regulation.
2. The loading space requirements in this article do not limit special
requirements which may be imposed in connection with special use exceptions
which may be permitted under Article 11.
3. Under the provisions of Article 11, the Zoning Hearing Board may
waive or reduce the loading space requirements whenever the character
of the use is such as to make unnecessary the full provision of loading
facilities, where provision is made for community loading facilities,
or where provision of loading space requirements is impractical under
certain conditions for uses which contain less than 10,000 square feet
of floor area.
Section 3. Mixed Uses in One Building
Where a building is used for more than one use or for different uses, and where
the floor area used for each use for which loading space is required is below
the minimum for required loading spaces but the aggregate floor area used
is greater than such minimum, then off-street loading space shall be provided
as if the entire building were used for that use in the building for which
the most spaces are required. In such cases, the Administrator may make reasonable
requirements for the location of required loading spaces.
Section 4. Design Standards
1. Minimum Size For the purpose of these regulations, a loading space is a
space within the main building or on the same lot, providing for the standing,
loading, or unloading of trucks, having minimum area of 540 square feet, minimum
width of 12 feet, a minimum depth of 35 feet and vertical clearance of at least
14.5 feet.
2. Loading Space for Funeral Homes Loading spaces for a funeral home may be
reduced in size to 10 by 25 feet and vertical clearance reduced to eight feet.
3. Drainage and Maintenance Off-Street loading facilities shall be drained
to eliminate standing water and prevent damage to abutting property and/or
public streets and alleys, and paved with concrete or blacktop in accordance
with applicable town specifications. Off-street loading areas shall be maintained
in a clean, orderly and dust free condition at the expense of the owner or
lessee and not used for the sale, repair, dismantling, or servicing of any
vehicles, equipment, materials, or supplies.
4. Entrances and Exits Location and design of entrances and exits shall be
in accord with applicable requirements of town traffic regulations and standards.
Where the entrance or exits of a building designed to provide at least one
off-street loading space.
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