The following impact statements shall be submitted for all proposed uses or zoning changes involving more than 10 residential units, a building of 5,000 square feet of floor area or larger, 20 beds, or any of the following uses: performance standard subdivision, life care facility, hospital, office/commercial center, office park, shopping center, emergency terminal, truck terminal, industrial park, light industrial/office/commercial park or resource recovery facility; or when required for use by this chapter or deemed necessary for use by the Borough Council or Zoning Hearing Board. These impact statements will be required by the Borough and must be found to be satisfactory prior to approving the use, the conditional use, special exception or any zoning change.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Market Analysis. For all commercial and industrial uses involving the use of a building of more than 5,000 square feet of floor area, the applicant shall submit a market analysis which will:
A. 
Establish the fiscal viability of the project.
B. 
Examine the potential impact of these uses on the Downtown Commercial District.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Environmental Impact Analysis. An environmental impact analysis shall include the following information:
A. 
An encroachment map which illustrates 1) all natural features, including slopes in excess of 8%, floodplain and floodway areas, wetland, trees and wooded areas, rock outcroppings, swales and gullies collecting concentration of water runoff, and 2) a regrading plan which illustrates all disturbances of the identified natural feature areas. The amount of each natural feature disturbed shall be indicated and illustrated on the encroachment map.
B. 
A map narrative of the geologic, topographical, soil and hydrological characteristics of the site.
C. 
A map and a narrative identifying the biological resources of the tract, including vegetation and wildlife.
D. 
A narrative of the historic resources of the site.
E. 
A map locating any hazardous waste sites located on the site, along with a narrative describing the type of wastes involved, the potential impact of these wastes on the surrounding environment, animal and plant life, the proposed method of removing and/or containing these wastes, and the related approvals and permits from the relevant agencies.
F. 
A map and narrative of the visual resources of the site.
G. 
All potential impacts on this site from the proposed development, and measures to mitigate the adverse effects.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
A traffic impact study is intended to enable the Borough to assess the traffic impacts of a proposal. Specifically, its purpose is to:
A. 
Identify any traffic problems that may be created in the existing highway network as a result of the proposal.
B. 
Delineate solutions to potential problems and to present improvements to be incorporated into the proposal or into the highway and/or public transit systems within the study area.
C. 
Assist in the protection of air quality and the conservation of energy and to encourage the use of public transit where available.
2. 
Preparation of Study. The traffic impact study shall be prepared by the Borough's Traffic Engineer and/or Transportation Planner in accordance with accepted traffic engineering standards, with the cost borne by the applicant. The traffic study area shall be the area of land within the Borough that is likely to be affected by the development; the selected area shall be approved by the Borough and its Traffic Engineer prior to initiating the study. Specific intersections to be included in the study shall also be approved by the Borough prior to initiating work. Based on the findings of the study, Borough Council may require improvements, which will alleviate hazardous or congested situations, as a condition for approval.
3. 
Applicability.
A. 
A traffic impact study shall be submitted with all developments with 30,000 or more square feet of building floor area and all subdivisions of 30 or more dwelling units.
(1) 
Proposals that would not be required to produce a traffic impact study by reason of size, above, must produce a study if the expected number of trips generated per day exceeds 300.
(2) 
The anticipated number of trips per day shall be determined through the use of the most-recent edition of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Report. The proposed use or development shall be identified using the appropriate ITE land use code. Where doubt exists, the applicant shall seek guidance from the Borough Engineer.
B. 
An application which requires a traffic impact study shall not be considered complete until the traffic impact study is submitted to the appropriate review body in accordance with the provisions of this section.
C. 
The appropriate review body, at its discretion, may require any other subdivision, land development, zoning change, special exception or conditional use application to be accompanied by a traffic impact study.
D. 
The Borough Council may waive the requirement for a traffic impact study where, in the opinion of the Borough Council in consultation with the Borough Zoning Officer, Planner and Engineer, it is determined that the proposal is not expected to create a significant traffic impact.
4. 
General Requirements and Standards. A traffic impact study shall contain the following information:
A. 
General Site Description.
(1) 
The site description shall include the size, location, proposed land uses, construction staging and completion date of the proposed subdivision or land development. If the development is residential, types of dwelling units shall also be included. A brief description of other major existing and proposed developments within the study area shall be provided. The general site description shall also include probable socioeconomic characteristics of potential site users to the extent that they may affect the transportation needs of the site (i.e., number of senior citizens).
(2) 
Photographs should be obtained and labeled for all the study intersections and proposed access driveways. It is recommended that two views be taken of each approach for the intersections. Photographs should consider elements such as horizontal/vertical alignment of roadways, trees, buildings or other roadside objects, pavement markings, drainage, signal heads and placement:
(a) 
Approximately 200 feet from the intersection to provide an overview of the study area and overall study context.
(b) 
Approximately 50 feet from the intersection.
B. 
Transportation Facilities Description.
(1) 
The description shall contain a full documentation of the proposed internal and existing external transportation system. This description shall include proposed internal vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian circulation, all proposed ingress and egress locations, all internal roadway widths and rights-of-way, parking conditions, traffic channelization and any traffic signals or other intersection-control devices at all intersections within the site.
(2) 
The report shall describe the entire external roadway system within the study area and include discussion of existing design deficiencies and potential safety hazards. Major intersections in the study area shall be identified, photographed and sketched. All existing and proposed and public transportation services and facilities within a one-half-mile radius of the site shall also be documented. The applicant shall identify all existing and proposed pedestrian and bike facilities that would be affected by the proposed development. Pedestrian facilities include sidewalks, intersection treatments, and off-road paths or trails. Bicycle facilities include on-street bike lanes, paved shoulders, and off-road paths or trails. The traffic impact study shall include review and discussion of all available accident reports within the study area during the prior three years.
(3) 
All future highway improvements, including proposed construction and traffic signalization, shall be noted. The four-year Regional Transportation Improvement Program maintained by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and the PennDOT Twelve-Year Plan shall be used as a source of information when determining if any future roadway improvements are scheduled for the adjacent road network. Any proposed roadway improvements due to proposed surrounding developments shall be recorded.
C. 
Existing Traffic Conditions. Existing traffic conditions shall be measured and documented for all roadways and intersections in the study area. Existing traffic volumes for average daily traffic, peak highway hour(s') traffic, and peak development-generated hour(s') documentation shall be included in the report. Traffic counts are to be performed from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Traffic count data shall not be more than one year old. Traffic counts shall be taken on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of a nonholiday week. Traffic counts shall be taken during the school year. Traffic counts shall be collected during average volume conditions, during fair weather, and in consideration of any construction activities or special events which may be taking place in the area. Additional counts (conducted on a Saturday for a commercial development or residential development in close proximity to the commercial district or tourist attractions) may also be required in some cases. The Borough Engineer shall make such determinations. Traffic counts shall be submitted in electronic format to Phoenixville. Roadway characteristics shall be described and illustrated. Features to be addressed shall include lane configurations, geometry, signal timing, traffic control devices, posted speed limits, and sight distance limitations. Existing levels of service shall be calculated for all intersections and turning movements within the study area. This analysis will determine the adequacy of the existing roadway system to adequately serve the existing traffic demand. Roadways, intersections, or individual movements experiencing levels of service below C, and/or volume/capacity ratios greater than or equal to 1.0, shall be noted as deficient. A volume/capacity analysis based upon existing volumes shall be performed during the peak highway hour(s) and the peak development-generated hour(s) for all roadways and major intersections in the study area. Levels of service shall be determined for each location using the current edition of the Highway Capacity Manual methodology. All analysis must utilize Highway Capacity Software, version 4.1e, or latest.
D. 
Transportation Impact of the Development. Estimation of vehicular trips to result from the proposal shall be completed for the average daily peak highway hour(s) and peak development-generated hour(s). Vehicular trip generation rates to be used for this calculation shall be obtained from the manual Trip Generation, Eighth Edition, Institute of Transportation Engineers, 2008 (as amended). These development-generated traffic volumes shall be provided for the inbound and outbound traffic movements as estimated, and the reference source(s') methodology followed shall be documented. All turning movements shall be calculated. These generated volumes shall be distributed to the study area and assigned to the existing roadways and intersections throughout the study area. Documentation of all assumptions used in the distribution and assignment phase shall be provided. Traffic volumes shall be assigned to individual access points. If school crossings are to be used, pedestrian volumes shall be assigned to each crossing. Any characteristics of the site that will cause particular trip generation problems shall be noted.
E. 
Analysis of Transportation Impact.
(1) 
The total future traffic demand shall be calculated. This demand shall consist of the combination of the existing traffic expanded to the completion year (using a background growth rate for the area from PennDOT, Pennsylvania Traffic Data, latest edition), the development-generated traffic, and the traffic generated by other proposed developments in the study area. A separate trip distribution figure shall be provided. A second volume capacity analysis shall be conducted using the future conditions' volumes without development. This analysis shall be performed during the peak highway hour(s) and peak development-generated hour(s) for all roadways and major intersections in the study area. Level-of-service calculations shall be completed for all major intersections. A third volume capacity analysis shall be conducted using the total future demand and the future roadway capacity.
(2) 
If staging of the proposed development is anticipated, calculations for each stage of completion shall be made. This analysis shall be performed during the peak highway hour(s) and peak development-generated hour(s) for all roadways and major intersections in the study area. Level-of-service calculations shall be completed for all major intersections. It is usually at these locations that capacity is most restricted. All access points and pedestrian crossings shall be examined as to the feasibility of installing traffic signals. This evaluation shall compare the projected traffic and pedestrian volumes to the warrants for traffic signal installation.
F. 
Sight Distance Analysis. Sight distance measurements shall be performed at any proposed driveway and/or existing driveway to determine sufficient sight distance to the left and right of the driveway. Sight distances shall be compared to the desirable sight distance standards as specified in 67 Pa. Code Chapter 441, Access to and Occupancy of Highways by Driveways and Local Roads, April 2006. Sight distance shall also be compared to PennDOT's safe stopping sight distance (SSSD) requirements as specified in A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (5th Edition), of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Chapter III, Elements of Design, 2004.
G. 
Auxiliary Lane Analysis. An auxiliary lane analysis shall be completed utilizing Highway Research Record (HRR) 211 (1967). HRR 211 provides graphs based upon the speed of the roadway and the percentage of left turns. Utilizing the future build with development traffic volumes, points shall be plotted on the graphs. Based on the plotted points, it should determine that the study area intersections associated with the proposed developments do or do not satisfy the left-turn-lane warrant. Right-turn-lane analysis should be based upon the Access Management, Location and Design Participant Notebook, Publication No. FHWA-HI-92-033, United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration NHI Course No. 15255, February 1992. Deceleration lanes should be provided for all high-volume driveways. For low- and medium-volume driveways, the designer should refer to the AASHTO at-grade intersections deceleration lane warrants.
H. 
Conclusions and Recommended Improvements.
(1) 
Levels of service for all roadways and intersections shall be listed. All individual turning movement of roadways and/or intersections showing a level of service below C shall be considered deficient, and specific recommendations for the elimination of these problems shall be listed. This listing of recommended improvements shall include, but not be limited to, the following elements: internal circulation design, site access location and design, external roadway and intersection design/safety improvements, traffic signal installation and operation, including signal timing, and transit design improvements. All physical roadway improvements shall be shown in sketches.
(2) 
Existing and/or future public transportation service shall also be addressed. A listing of all actions to be undertaken to increase present public transportation usage and improve service, if applicable, shall be included.
(3) 
The listing of recommended improvements for both roadways and transit shall include, for each improvement, the party responsible for the improvement, the cost and funding of the improvement, and the completion date for the improvement.
(4) 
The study shall outline mitigation measures and demonstrate any changes to the level of service achieved by these measures. Any alternatives or suggested phasing of improvements shall be described. The mitigation measures may include recommendations such as roadway widening, turning lanes, deceleration lanes/tapers, changes to signalization, use of access management techniques, or a reduction in the proposed intensity of the use. The responsibility and timing of all recommended roadway improvements shall be described within the traffic impact study.
I. 
Time of Submission. The traffic impact study shall be submitted to the Planning Commission with the preliminary plan submission. Revisions to preliminary plans may constitute the need for resubmission of the traffic impact study or the revised conditions.
J. 
Implementation. The Borough Council shall review the traffic impact study to analyze its adequacy in solving any traffic problems that will occur due to the land development or subdivision. The Borough Council may determine that certain improvements on and/or adjacent to the site and within the study area are necessary requirements for land development or subdivision plan approval and may attach these as conditions to the approval. If the governing body determines that such additional improvements are necessary, the developer shall have the opportunity to submit alternative improvement designs to obtain plan approval.
K. 
Emergency Response Organizations. Phoenixville shall submit the traffic impact study with the land development plans proposing the construction of nonresidential buildings or multifamily residential dwellings to the Fire Department, Police Department and any other emergency response organization having jurisdiction within the area of the proposed development for review and comment.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Community and Fiscal Impact Analysis. The analysis shall include the following information.
A. 
An analysis of the social and demographic characteristics of the proposed development in terms of future residents and users.
B. 
An analysis of the potential cost/benefits of the development, including a profile of any possible Borough, county and/or school district revenues which the proposal may generate and any respective costs which it may create.
C. 
An analysis of the proposed impact of the development on the community's facilities, including schools, parks and recreational areas, libraries, hospitals, fire protection, police protection and ambulance and rescue services. In the case of parks and recreational needs, the analysis should explain how these needs will be met on site.
D. 
Identification of utility needs of the future residents and users of the site, including water supply, sewerage disposal, refuse disposal, storm drainage and electric transmissions. The analysis should discuss:
(1) 
The ability of existing utility installations to meet the projected needs of the development.
(2) 
The need for additional or expanded utility installations.
(3) 
The ability to achieve an adequate system for storm drainage and stormwater management.