Source: https://ecode360.com/15588701
Timestamp: 2018-10-22 10:01:51
Document Index: 318059277

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 505', '§ 505', '§ 505', '§ 505', '§ 505', '§ 505', '§ 505', '§ 505', '§ 505', '§ 600', '§ 1344', '§ 600']

Township of Upper Chichester, PA Design Standards for all Subdivisions and Land Development
Ch 505 Art IV Design Standards for all Subdivisions and Land Development
§ 505-22 Applicability.
§ 505-23 General standards.
§ 505-25 Water supply.
§ 505-26 Relation of sewer to water installations.
§ 505-27 Utility lines and easements.
§ 505-28 Stormwater management.
§ 505-29 Erosion and sedimentation control.
§ 505-31 Recreation and open space (dedication or fee in lieu).
Article IV: Design Standards for all Subdivisions and Land Development
Chapter 505: Subdivision and Land Development Article IV Design Standards for all Subdivisions and Land Development
The design standards and requirements outlined in this section will be utilized by the Township Planning Commission, Board of Commissioners, and other appropriate local officials in determining the adequacy of all plans for proposed subdivisions and land developments.
These design standards may be altered by the Board of Commissioners for the purpose of achieving economy and ingenuity in design in accordance with modern and evolving principles of site planning and development upon presentation of evidence that the intent of such standards and requirements shall be substantially achieved.
Development shall be planned, reviewed, and carried out in conformance with all state, county, and Township laws and regulations.
Planned residential development design standards shall be in accordance with Article XIII, PRD Planned Residential Development District, of Chapter 600, Zoning. However, where applicable the standards of this chapter shall apply.[1]
Land shall be suited for the purpose for which it is to be used. Unsafe or hazardous conditions such as open quarries, unconsolidated fill, or flood-prone areas shall not be subdivided or developed unless the subdivision development plan provides for adequate safeguards which are approved by the Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners.
Consideration shall be given to applicable provisions of the Township Comprehensive Plan and the Delaware County Land Use Plan emphasizing future school sites, recreation sites, water supply and sewage treatment systems, highway alignment, and other public facilities. However, consideration must be given to the need for the facilities and utilities mentioned above whether or not they are proposed as part of a comprehensive plan.
The development of a proposed subdivision or land development shall be coordinated with adjacent existing development so that the area, as a whole, may develop harmoniously.
Acceptable types of systems. The developer shall provide the most effective type of sanitary sewage disposal consistent with the natural features, location, and proposed development of the site. The following types of sanitary sewage disposal are listed in order of preference.
Connection to a public sanitary sewage collection and treatment system.
Provision by the developer for a community sanitary sewage disposal system or treatment facility capable of being connected to a public system in accordance with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Capped sewers with temporary, approved on-lot facilities.
Connection to a public system. Connection to a public sanitary sewer system shall be required where such a system can be provided to adequately fulfill the sewage disposal needs of the proposed subdivision or land development tract and where Chapter 600, Zoning, prohibits utilization of alternative systems.
Installation of capped sewers.
For any new development where a public sanitary sewer system is not yet accessible to the site but a final design has been prepared and a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permit has been secured to provide an extension of the public sewer system to the subdivision site within a five-year period, the developer shall install sewer lines, including lateral connections, as may be necessary to provided adequate service to each lot when connection with the sewer system is made.
The sewer lines shall be suitably capped at the limits of the subdivision or land development, and the laterals shall be capped at the street right-of-way lines. When capped sewers are provided, on-site disposal facilities shall also be provided. Design of the capped system shall be in accordance with the standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and subject to the approval of the Township Engineer and the local Sewage Enforcement Officer.
If the proposed streets are to remain part of a property, an easement shall be provided across this private property for later construction and maintenance of sewers. Any deed of conveyance given for a property in a case where an easement for future construction of sanitary sewers is provided on the record plan shall contain a legal description of the easement and a provision that the owner is liable for the cost of the sewer when constructed.
Provision of community sewer system.
Where a public sanitary sewer system cannot be provided to the proposed subdivision or land development tract and is not planned for extension to this tract or where on-lot sewerage is prohibited by Chapter 600, Zoning, or clearly unfeasible in engineering or environmental terms, the developer may provide a community sewer system or treatment facility. In this case, the Planning Commission may recommend that a community sewer system feasibility report be required.
When such a report is required, it must be prepared by a qualified registered engineer and submitted to the Board of Commissioners, the Planning Commission, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Provision of on-lot sewage disposal. In subdivisions or land developments where connection to either a public sewer system or a community sanitary sewer system is not required, sewage disposal facilities shall be provided on individual lots. The physical features of the tract on which on-lot disposal is provided and the on-lot disposal system design, including the size of the septic tanks, the tile absorption fields, or other secondary treatment devices, shall meet the standards established by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for on-lot sewage disposal systems.
Waterlines shall be installed to serve all land developments and each lot in all subdivisions where such service does not presently exist. The installation, location, and specifications for the construction of waterlines shall comply with all applicable regulations of the water supplier and the Township. Easements shall be provided for the waterlines as needed.
Prior to approval by the Township Board of Commissioners, the Township Engineer shall approve the necessary documentation that the supply of water is sufficient in amount and pressure for domestic, commercial, or industrial use as well as for emergency purposes.
The proposed water system must be reviewed by the responsible local water authority and found to be acceptable.
Fire hydrants must be installed as an integral part of any water supply system and placed no more than 600 feet apart.
The location, need, design, and related features of fire hydrants shall be reviewed by the Township Fire Marshal for conformance with applicable existing laws and regulations.
Water supply interconnections. There shall be no physical connection between a public or private potable water supply system and a sewer which will permit the passage of any sewage or polluted water into the potable water supply.
Sewer and water mains. A minimum horizontal distance of 10 feet shall be maintained between parallel water and sewer lines unless shelving is used. If shelving is used, the waterlines shall be at the higher elevation of the trench. At points where sewers cross water mains at a vertical distance of less than two feet, special treatment of the sewer pipes shall be required to precluded contamination of potable water. In no case shall the vertical distance be less than the Department of Environmental Protection's requirements.
On-lot water supply and sewer facilities. On-lot sewage disposal systems shall be kept removed from water supply wells or other water supply sources in accordance with the latest Department of Environmental Protection's requirements. A lot to accommodate both on-lot sewage disposal and on-lot water supply shall be no smaller than 30,000 square feet.
Where practicable, all utilities, with the exception of on-site laterals, shall be located in public rights-of-way. Where this is not possible, utility easements shall be located on or adjacent to rear or side lot lines to the fullest extent possible.
In general, the required pipe or other improvement shall be located in the center of the easement.
Prior to determining the location of easements, the Planning Commission shall require the developer or subdivider to coordinate his plans with those of the local public utilities in order to ensure proper location of easements for the installation of the required service.
No permanent structures or trees shall be placed within such easements.
Where practicable, utility lines shall share a common utility easement.
All electric, telephone service, and cable television transmission lines in new residential developments with five or more dwellings and in all new nonresidential developments shall be placed underground and installed in accordance with the prevailing standards of the utility company providing such services.
[Amended 3-11-2004 by Ord. No. 608]
Width of sanitary and storm sewer easements. Sanitary or storm sewer easements shall have a minimum width of 25 feet.
Petroleum and natural gas transmission lines.
No company intending to install any petroleum, petroleum product, or natural gas transmission lines shall be allowed to construct the lines on less than a fifty-foot right-of-way. Such lines are to be installed in the center of the right-of-way and shall comply with the applicable standards imposed by state and federal laws and regulations.
There shall be a minimum distance of 35 feet, measured for the right-of-way line, between any proposed dwelling unit or other structure and the right-of-way line of any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas transmission line which traverses the subdivision or land development.
The developer or subdivider shall obtain written approval from the various petroleum or natural gas companies when constructing roads or driveways over any petroleum, petroleum products, or natural gas line easements when required by the utility company.
§ 505-28 Stormwater management. [1]
Overall considerations. In all subdivisions and land developments proposed, storm drainage facilities shall be provided in order to:
Ensure adequate drainage of all low points along the lines of streets.
Provide positive drainage away from on-site sewage disposal.
Remove surface water from the bottom of vertical grades, lead water from springs, and avoid excessive use of cross-gutters at street intersections and elsewhere.
Stormwater management. Each subdivision and/or land development shall provide:
A statement indicating that the maximum rate of stormwater runoff is no greater after development than before development.
Calculations of runoff concentration and the purposed stormwater management.
Complete drainage systems for the subdivision or land development.
Approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation when drainage structures are to be located on state highway rights-of-way or connection is made to the existing state highway system.
In residential developments of five or more dwellings, any retention basin must be placed on its own individual lot.
Further considerations and requirements are detailed in Chapter 490, Stormwater Management, of the Code of the Township of Upper Chichester.[2]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 490, Stormwater Management.
No change shall be made in the contour of the land, and no grading, excavating, removal, or destruction of the topsoil, trees, or other vegetative cover shall be commenced in any proposed subdivision or land development until such time as a conservation plan has been prepared.
The conservation plan shall be developed in the form outlined in the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Manual, issued by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Final approval for a development tract of 25 or more acres will be contingent upon the issuance of a permit by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. (NOTE: Required by Pennsylvania Rules and Regulations, Department of Environmental Protection, Chapter 102, as amended, "Erosion Control,"[1] under the authority of the Clean Streams Law.[2])
Measures used to control erosion and reduce sedimentation shall meet the standards and specifications of the Delaware County Conservation District.
The Township Engineer, or other designated local official shall ensure compliance with the appropriate specifications, copies of which are available from the Delaware County Conservation District.
Grading for drainage.
Grading for drainage shall be performed whenever necessary in order to provide more suitable sites for building and other uses, improve surface drainage, and control erosion.
All lots, tracts, or parcels in a proposed subdivision or land development shall provide proper drainage away from buildings and dispose of surface water without ponding except where an alternative drainage system is approved by the Township Commissioners. Natural drainage patterns shall be preserved whenever possible.
All drainage facilities shall be designed to adequately handle the surface runoff and carry it to the nearest suitable outlet, such as a curbed street, storm drain, or natural watercourse. When drainage swales are used to divert surface waters away from buildings, they shall be sodded or planted and shall be of such slope, shape, and size as to conform with the requirements of the Delaware County Conservation District. Concentration of surface water runoff shall be permitted only in swales or watercourses. In the case of single-family or multifamily development, swales extending three or more contiguous lots shall be interrupted by an inlet or redirected to the street.
Cut and fill slopes shall be no steeper than two horizontal feet to one vertical foot unless stabilized by a retaining wall or curbing or are approved by the Township Engineer subject to special conditions.
Adequate provisions shall be taken to protect against adverse effects of cut and fill.
Fills shall not encroach on natural watercourses or constructed channels: when placed adjacent to natural watercourses or constructed channels they shall have suitable protection against erosion during periods of flooding.
Grading equipment will not be allowed to cross live streams. Provisions will be made for the installation of culverts.
The following measures are effective in minimizing erosion and sedimentation and shall be included when applicable on the conservation plan:
Stripping of vegetation shall be done in such a manner as to minimize erosion.
Salient natural features should be preserved when possible, and cutfill operations shall be kept to minimum to create the least erosion potential.
Temporary vegetation and or mulching shall be used to protect exposed critical areas during development.
The permanent vegetation and structural erosion and drainage measures shall be installed as soon as practical in the development.
Provisions shall be made to effectively accommodate the increased runoff caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development. Where necessary the rate of surface water runoff will be structurally retarded.
General requirements. The design and development of all subdivisions and land developments shall preserve, whenever possible, natural features such as site terrain, woodlands, specimen trees, natural watercourses and bodies of water, wetlands, rock outcroppings, and scenic views.
Topography. The natural terrain of the proposed subdivision or land development shall be retained whenever possible. Cut and fill shall be kept to a minimum. Cut and fill operations shall be used either to achieve acceptable minimum standards (for street grades, parking areas, building sites) or to enhance the quality of site design (e.g., berms or swales which add visual interest and perform functions such as screening or drainage).
Vegetation and planted screens.
Significant tree masses and specimen trees shall be preserved wherever possible. The buildings should be located within the allowable building area in such a manner as to minimize damage to vegetation. Where possible, existing open areas should be developed instead of wooded areas. Areas in which trees are retained should remain undisturbed out to the canopy dripline and at the original grade level wherever possible.
Effective planted visual screens shall be provided along the rear of reverse frontage lots and along side and/or rear property lines of lots traversed by zoning boundary lines which separate a residential district from a nonresidential district.
Screening and buffering shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 600, Zoning, § 600-172, Screening regulations.[1]
Trees shall be required in all new subdivisions and land developments and shall be provided in accordance with the following standards:
At least one tree shall be planted in the front yard on each lot in a subdivision.
All such trees shall be sound, healthy, and vigorous and shall be free of insects, insect eggs, and larvae.
The trunk caliper, measured at the height of 18 inches, shall be a minimum of two inches.
Aquatic features. Aquatic features such as natural watercourses, bodies of water, and wetlands shall be protected wherever possible. Where practicable, stream and river frontage shall contain an access point to the water. Maintenance easement areas shall be provided at intervals of no more than 1/2 mile. These access points shall be not less than 25 feet in width.
Wetlands. See Section 404 of the federal Clean Water Act (1977) and Chapter 105 of the Pennsylvania Dam Safety and Encroachment Act (1978), as amended December 1989,[2] for requirements relating to development of wetland areas.
Editor's Note: See 33 U.S.C. § 1344 and 25 Pa. Code. Ch. 105, respectively.
Floodplain protection. See Article XVII, Floodplain Conservation Overlay District, of Chapter 600, Zoning.[3]
All commercial, industrial, multifamily, or other subdivisions or land development plans submitted after the effective date of this chapter shall provide for suitable and adequate recreation in order to:
Ensure adequate recreational areas and facilities to serve the future residents of the Township.
Maintain compliance with recreational standards as developed by the National Recreation and Parks Association as modified by the Township recreation plan.
Reduce increasing usage pressure on existing recreational areas and facilities.
Ensure that all present and future residents have the opportunity to engage in many and varied recreational pursuits.
Reduce the possibility of the Township becoming overburdened with the development and maintenance of many small, randomly planned and widely separated recreation areas.
Exemptions and requirements.
The following are exempt or partially exempt from the provisions of this section:
Any single and/or multifamily residential subdivision or land development plan in a residential zone classification for which a preliminary plan has been submitted prior to the effective date of this chapter.
Any residential subdivision or and development plan, whether single and/or multifamily, that contains less than 10 dwelling units may be exempted by the Board from dedicating land for recreational purposes, upon the developer's agreement to pay the fee in lieu of dedication as provided in this section.
The amount of land required to be provided for dedication purposes for residential subdivision or land development plans not exempted from the provisions of this section shall be as follows:
Single-family and twin developments. In the case of single-family subdivisions, the developer shall provide a minimum of 1,500 square feet per lot.
Multiple-family developments. In multiple-family developments, a minimum contiguous area of 10% of the gross area shall be provided for recreation.
Commercial, industrial, or other development. A minimum contiguous area of 10% of the gross area shall be provided for recreation.
The Township has generally determined that 10% of the gross land area is a minimum in relation to the general use of the facilities to be dedicated for the above categories.
A maximum of 10% of the total land area required by this section to be provided for recreation may consist of floodplain areas.
Such land set aside shall be suitable to serve the purpose of active and/or passive recreation by reason of its size, shape, location, and topography and shall be subject to the approval of the Board.
The developer shall satisfy the Board that there are adequate provisions to ensure retention and all future maintenance of such recreation areas by maintaining ownership or by providing for and establishing an organization for the ownership and maintenance of the recreation area, and such organization shall not be dissolved nor shall it dispose of the recreation area by sale or otherwise, except to an organization conceived and established to own and maintain the recreation area, without first offering to dedicate the same to the Township without cost to the Township.
The Township may impose costs to place such recreation area in appropriate condition prior to accepting dedication.
All costs of dedication shall be at the expense of the developer or association who owns the same.
Recreation area location criteria. The Planning Commission and Board (with the assistance of the Recreation Board), in exercising their duties regarding the approval of subdivision and land development plans, shall consider the following criteria in determining whether to approve the proposed location of recreation areas in the developer's subdivision and land development plans:
The site or sites shall be easily and safely accessible from all areas of the development to be served, have good ingress and egress, and have access to a public road; however, no public road shall traverse the site or sites.
The size and shape of the site or sites shall be suitable for development as a particular type of park. Sites will be categorized by the Township using the standards established by the National Recreation and Parks Association (Publication No. 10005, as revised.)
When designing and developing these recreation areas, it shall be done according to the standards established by the National Recreation and Parks Association as modified by the Township recreation plan.
The site or sites shall, to the greatest extent practical, be easily accessible to essential utilities, such as water, sewer, and electric.
The site or sites shall meet minimum size requirements for usable acreage with respect to National Recreation and Parks Association standards, with 75% of such area having a maximum slope of 7%.
Recreation sites shall be located in a manner which allows the maximum practical solar access to neighboring structures.
Where open space is being provided, it shall be located, wherever possible, to provide a buffer from the shading effects of taller structures or obstruction on existing or proposed shorter buildings.
In a case where the developer does not wish to retain the required recreation area, such area may be offered for dedication to the Township.
In addition to approving the recreation site areas to be dedicated to the Township, the Planning Commission shall make its recommendation to the Board as to whether the dedication shall be accepted by the Township (including input by the Recreation Board).
Such areas dedicated to the Township for public use shall be suitable for recreation purposes by reason of size, shape, location, topography, and access.
The Planning Commission, Recreation Board, or Board may find dedication to be impractical because of the size, shape, location, access, topography, drainage, or other physical features of the land and that such dedication would adversely affect the subdivision and land development and its future residents or occupants or that there is no land area within the proposed subdivision which is practical for dedication to the public because of size, access, topography, or other physical characteristics.
When the Board deems it to be in the public interest to accept dedicated land, such acceptance shall be in accordance with law.
Where the Board agrees with the developer that because of the size, shape, location, access, topography, or other physical features of the land that it is impractical to dedicate land to the Township or set aside a recreation area as required by this section, the Board shall agree on a payment of a fee in lieu of dedication of such land which shall be payable to the Township prior to approval of each final section of the overall plan by the Township.
The amount of the fee shall be set from time to time by resolution of the Board.
All monies paid to the Township pursuant to this section shall be used only for the acquisition of and/or capital improvements for park and recreation purposes accessible to the development.
A fee authorized under this section shall, upon its receipt by the Township, be deposited in an interest-bearing account, clearly identifying the specific recreation facilities for which the fee was received. Interest earned on such accounts shall become funds of that account. Funds from such accounts shall be expended only in properly allocable portions of the cost incurred to construct the specific recreation facilities for which funds were collected.
The date upon which the fee is received shall be recorded in the records of the Township recreation fund, and an annual report of the status of each account and of such proposed facilities as are funded by each account shall be provided by the Recreation Board at the February Board meeting to the Commissioners.
Nothing contained herein shall prohibit the person who paid the fee and the Township from agreeing that the original recreation facility as proposed by the Township has been superseded or made unnecessary and reallocating the fee and any interest accumulated to such other project as the parties agree; provided, however, that it meets the above standards with regard to a reasonable relationship to the parcel in question.
All expenditures from fees shall be of interest first and thereafter principal.
Formal recreation plan. The Township shall by resolution adopt a formal recreation plan concurrently with the adoption of the ordinance which may be amended from time to time as a result of further resolution of the Board.
Applicability of Chapter 600, Zoning. Nothing in this section shall be construed to reduce the total open space requirements of §§ 600-36, 600-43 and 600-49 of Chapter 600, Zoning.[1]
All property owners shall install, construct, and maintain sidewalk and curbing along such property abutting any street, in accordance with the specifications of the Township Engineer, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, and this chapter under the following circumstances:[1]
Whenever a building is newly constructed and erected within the Township.
Whenever an alteration is made to an existing building.
Whenever subdivision approval is granted pursuant to this chapter.
Specifications for sidewalks and curbs.
All sidewalks and curbs required to be installed, constructed, and maintained pursuant to the above subsections shall be installed according to the specifications of the Township Engineer, including but not limited to the following:
Curbs shall be installed 17 feet back from the center line of a local street and 18 feet back from the center line of a collector street.
There shall be a four-foot grass strip between all sidewalks and curbs.
All sidewalks shall be a minimum of four inches thick with a four-inch stone subbase.
All sidewalks shall be a minimum of four feet six inches, except as provided for otherwise in Article IX of this chapter for Chichester Avenue Design Standards, unless the Township Engineer recommends a width of six feet or more at schools, libraries, or other public/civic locations.
With respect to the installation of curbing and sidewalks, on all property which abuts a state highway, the property owner must first request and receive PennDOT approval for the installation of said curbing and sidewalk and the location thereof.
All construction, installation, maintenance, and repair of all sidewalks and curbing, as required above, shall be at the expense and cost of the property owner, plus any widening of the street deemed necessary is to be at the expense and cost of the property owner.
Firefighting access easements and fire hydrants.
In areas where, in the opinion of the Township Fire Marshal, there exist any fire hazards, unobstructed fire protection access easements shall be provided. The size, location, design, and grading of such easements shall be determined by the Fire Marshal.
In no case shall the name of a proposed street duplicate or substantially approximate an existing street name in the Township, in order to avoid confusion and delay in the operations of the Postal Service, Police Department, or emergency vehicles.
All proposed street names shall be subject to approval of the Board of Commissioners after consultation with the local Postmaster, Fire Marshal, and Police Chief.
Streets shall be identified by signs approved by the Township Secretary or Township Engineer.
In all subdivisions and land developments commenced after the effective date of this chapter, the address numbers shall be assigned by the Township Engineer and shall be clearly visible from the street.
Streetlighting. Streetlights shall be installed in all subdivisions and land developments in accordance with the requirements of the Township Engineer and the appropriate utility company. The exact location of all streetlights shall be indicated on the final plan, after consultation with the Township Engineer.