A.
The layout of any subdivision in the Borough of Baldwin shall be
in accordance with the Borough Master Plan and the Zoning Ordinance.
The type of development shall be appropriate for the location, and
the street pattern shall tie in with the overall street and highway
plan of the Borough.
B.
Where a proposed park, playground or other public use shown on the
Master Plan is located in whole or in part in a subdivision, the Planning
Commission may require the dedication or reservation of such area
within the subdivision in those cases in which the Planning Commission
deems such requirements to be reasonable.
C.
Land which the Planning Commission has found to be unsuitable for
subdivision due to flooding, bad drainage and other features likely
to be harmful to the safety, welfare and general health of the future
residents, and which the Planning Commission considers inappropriate
for subdivision, shall not be subdivided unless adequate methods to
eliminate these hazards are formulated by the developer and approved
by the Borough Engineer and the Planning Commission.
A.
Street layouts shall conform to the following:
(1)
The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of
all streets shall conform to the Borough Master Plan and shall be
considered in their relation to existing and planned streets, to topographical
conditions, to public convenience and safety and in their appropriate
relation to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such streets.
Where not shown on the Master Plan or on the Official Map of the Borough,
the arrangement and other design standards of streets shall conform
to the provisions found herein.
(2)
In general, all streets shall be continuous and in alignment with
existing streets and shall compose a convenient system to ensure circulation
of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, with the exception that local
streets may be so laid out, including the use of loop streets and
culs-de-sac, where made necessary by topographic conditions, that
their use by through traffic will be discouraged.
(3)
Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed major
street, the Planning Commission may require marginal access streets
in order to protect residential areas from heavy traffic and also
to provide separation between local and through traffic.
(4)
New half or partial streets will not be permitted; wherever a tract
to be subdivided borders an existing half or partial street, the other
part of the street shall be platted within such tract.
(5)
Whenever possible, culs-de-sac shall not exceed 600 feet in length
as measured from the center line of the intersecting street to the
center of its circular turnaround.
[Amended 3-17-1975 by Ord. No. 454]
(6)
The terminus of a cul-de-sac shall be a circular turnaround having
a right-of-way minimum radius of 50 feet. The outside radius of the
curbing shall be 40 feet.
[Amended 3-17-1975 by Ord. No. 454]
(7)
Every subdivision shall have access to a paved public street.
(8)
Where a railroad abuts or extends through any portion of a subdivision,
provision shall be made for overpasses or underpasses acceptable to
the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission; streets paralleling
any railroad shall be separated therefrom by a buffer strip of at
least 50 feet in depth, and if such buffer strip is composed of residential
lots, such lots shall be at least 150 feet in depth.
(9)
Local streets are intended to serve primarily the abutting properties
and shall be so designed as to discourage through traffic, for which
purpose loop streets and culs-de-sac may be used if deemed necessary.
(10)
Collector streets are intended to carry traffic from residential
areas to major streets, county, state and federal highways.
(11)
Major streets are intended for use by heavy through traffic
and as connections to and between county, state and federal highways
and major urbanized areas.
(12)
Marginal access streets are intended to provide access by local
traffic to properties adjoining major streets without interfering
with through traffic.
(13)
Alleys are intended to provide secondary access to business
and industrial properties for deliveries. Alleys are not normally
permitted in residential areas, and in no case shall an alley provide
the only means of access to a lot.
(14)
Walkways are intended to provide pedestrian circulation through
large blocks or in developments where it is desired to separate pedestrian
from vehicular traffic.
(15)
Streets shall be laid out to intersect as nearly as possible
at right angles; no street shall intersect another at less than 60°.
(16)
Intersections of more than two streets shall be avoided. Where
this proves impossible, such intersections shall be designed with
care for safety. Suitable curbs, dividers, signs and other devices
may be required.
(17)
Clear sight triangles whose adjacent and opposite sides shall
each be measured 100 feet along the street center line from their
point of junction at all intersections; no buildings or obstructions
to vision shall be permitted within such sight triangles.
(18)
Streets shall have a grade not to exceed 4% for a distance within
25 feet of the street right-of-way line at any intersection transverse.
(19)
Streets entering opposite sides of another street shall be laid
out either directly opposite one another or else shall have a minimum
offset of 150 feet between their center lines.
(20)
Street intersections with major streets shall be located not
less than 800 feet apart between their center lines.
(21)
Whenever street lines are deflected in excess of 5°, connection
shall be by horizontal curves.
(22)
Alleys shall not be constructed in any new subdivision but may
only be constructed when they are a natural continuation of an alley
already partially open and in use, in which case they shall be ended
within a continuing distance of 300 feet.
(23)
The proposed name of the subdivision and proposed street names
shall not duplicate or too closely approximate phonetically the names
of any other subdivision or street in the Borough of Baldwin. Street
names shall be subject to the approval of the Planning Commission.
A.
Street design specifications are as follows:
(1)
Width, grade alignment, construction and improvement for each street
in a proposed subdivision shall conform to the standards established
in the following table.[1]
[Amended 3-17-1975 by Ord. No. 454]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Table of Minimum Improvement Standards for Public Ways is included at the end of this chapter.
(2)
The entire right-of-way of each street in a proposed subdivision
shall be graded, and there shall be installed paving, drainage structures,
curbs and gutters and sidewalks in accordance with the appropriate
standards for the class of street, with the exception that the standards
of the high-density residential area may be used in a low-density
residential area.
(3)
Minimum curb or pavement-edge radii at street intersections shall
be 25 feet for intersections of a local street with another local
street or a local street with a collector street or a local street
with an alley, 30 feet for other intersections, or such greater radius
as is suitable to the specific intersection.
(4)
Where the grade of the street is above or below the grade of the
adjacent land, walls or slopes shall be constructed in a manner satisfactory
to the Borough Engineer and shall be sufficient to support the street
or the adjacent land, as the case may be.
(5)
Where the grade of the street is three feet or more above the grade
of the adjacent land, guardrails shall be built which shall be satisfactory
to the Borough Engineer.
(6)
Street shoulders shall be constructed with suitable materials from
roadway or structure excavation supplemented by additional suitable
material, if directed, from borrow excavation; the entire shoulder
area shall be uniformly and thoroughly compacted by rolling, as directed
by the Borough Engineer.
(7)
The outside edge of sidewalks shall be placed one foot from the street
right-of-way lines, except for business streets where the sidewalk
shall occupy the full width between the curb and the street right-of-way
lines.
(8)
Embankments at the sides of streets and cross sections of drainage
ditches shall not exceed a maximum slope of one foot horizontally
to one foot vertically in a cut section and 1 1/2 feet horizontally
to one foot vertically in a fill section; in special cases the Borough
Engineer may require more rigid standards.
(9)
Means of ingress and egress for vehicle driveways to and from each
lot or parcel shall be shown on the plans for installation in accordance
with existing Borough regulations for depressed curbs and driveways
across sidewalks.
(10)
Bituminous or macadam streets shall crown at the center line
to a slope of 1/4 inch to one foot; concrete streets shall crown at
the center line to a slope of 1/8 inch per foot; alleys shall be dished
to the center line at a slope of 1/4 inch per foot for bituminous
or macadam paving and 1/8 inch per foot for concrete paving.
(11)
All streets shall be constructed on a prepared subgrade conforming
to Section 3.7 of the publication of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
Department of Highways, Form 408 Specifications (1960).
A.
Suitable drainage structures, culverts, storm sewers, ditches and
related installations shall be provided to ensure adequate drainage
of all low points along the line of streets and to intervals reasonably
related to the extent and grade of the area drained.
B.
In the design of storm sewerage installations, special consideration
shall be given to the avoidance of problems which may arise from the
concentration of stormwater over adjacent properties.
C.
Where a natural watercourse is retained as a drainage channel, an
appropriate right-of-way not less than 20 feet shall be provided.
D.
Provision for storm drainage and the design and installation of drainage
structures shall be acceptable to the Borough Engineer.
E.
Drainage ditches or channels shall have a minimum gradient of 1%.
A.
Land shall be suited to the purpose for which it is to be subdivided,
whether for residential, business or industrial use.
B.
Land unsuited for development which would entail hazards to life,
health or property or would be uneconomic to provide with public services
shall not be subdivided; steep areas having slopes of 25% or more
and land subject to flooding shall not be considered suitable for
subdivision unless such deficiencies can be eliminated.
C.
Residential blocks shall have a maximum length of 1,600 feet and
a minimum length of 500 feet; where a block exceeds 800 feet, a walkway
shall be provided.
D.
Business or industrial blocks shall be of such size and shape as
may be suitable for their prospective use and shall provide sufficient
space for off-street parking and loading.
E.
The width of any block shall be sufficient to permit at least two
tiers of lots of appropriate depth, except where reverse frontage
lots bordering a major street are used.
F.
Lots shall be laid out and graded to provide positive drainage away
from buildings.
G.
Every lot shall abut on a proposed public street, with the possible
exception of suitably designed residential courts having acceptable
means of access.
H.
Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to
street right-of-way lines.
I.
If remnants of land exist after subdividing, they shall be suitably
incorporated into existing or proposed lots or dedicated to public
use if acceptable for such public use. All parcels of subdivisions
shall comply in all respects with the Zoning Ordinance regarding setbacks,
area, height, etc.[1]
[Amended 3-17-1975 by Ord. No. 454]
J.
Double frontage lots are prohibited except where employed to prevent
vehicular access to a major street.
K.
Easements for public utilities having a minimum width of 15 feet
shall be provided and shall be satisfactory to the agency providing
such utility service. Whenever possible, utility easements shall extend
along rear property lines.
L.
Every lot shall have a grade not to exceed 20% within an area 60
feet wide and 60 feet deep measured from the street right-of-way line.
A.
In reviewing subdivision plats, the Planning Commission shall consider
the adequacy of existing or proposed community facilities to serve
the additional dwellings proposed by the subdivision.
B.
Subdividers shall give earnest consideration to the providing of
areas for community facilities normally considered desirable for serving
residential areas, such as parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, schools,
churches, libraries, shopping centers and local business centers.
C.
Areas provided or reserved for such community facilities should be
adequate to provide for building sites, play areas, landscaping and
off-street parking as may be necessary for the use proposed.
D.
Subdividers shall confer with the Planning Commission prior to the
preparation of final plats in order to develop suitable plans for
providing community facilities.
E.
Areas for community facilities may be provided through dedication
or sale to a public agency or gift or sale to a private agency, including
a property owners' association. In all cases, suitable arrangements
shall be made fixing responsibility for sponsorship and continued
maintenance of community facilities.
F.
Subdivisions shall conform to the Borough's plan of parks, recreation
areas and other community facilities.
[Amended 3-17-1975 by Ord. No. 454]
A.
Where connection with the sanitary sewer system of the Borough is
practicable, the owner, by special arrangement with the Council, shall
install sanitary sewers and sewer laterals in conformity with Borough
specifications for sanitary sewer construction before streets and
roads shown on the plans are constructed. All gas, water, electric
and other mains, pipes and conduits, together with all service connections
or laterals, shall be laid, when the need for the same can be reasonably
anticipated, before the streets and roads shown on the plans are constructed.
B.
Where connection to public sanitary sewers is not possible, the subdivider
may install a sewage disposal plant and sanitary sewers connecting
thereto in a manner satisfactory to the State Health Department; such
facilities shall be dedicated to the Borough or shall be operated
in conformance with the regulations of the Pennsylvania Public Utilities
Commission and the State Health Department.
C.
Every lot in a subdivision shall be capable of being served by electric,
gas, water, telephone and other utilities as deemed necessary. The
linen plats shall provide easements where required for the installation
of said underground improvements.
D.
Where bridges, dams and/or other structures are placed on streams
with a drainage area of 1/2 square mile or larger or where a permit
is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Regulations,
application should be made to the Department of Environmental Resources,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, by the person in interest, and a copy of
such permit shall be filed with the Borough Engineer.
A.
Concrete monuments of a type and construction approved by the Borough
Engineer and with a minimum size of four inches by four inches by
30 inches shall be installed in subdivisions in street rights-of-way,
five feet from street lines, and at intersections of subdivision boundary
lines with street lines as may be required by the Borough Engineer.
[Amended 3-17-1975 by Ord. No. 454]
B.
Monuments consisting of a concrete monument at least 30 inches in
length and approved by the Borough Engineer shall be installed in
the plan in the positions as indicated on the linen plat. An escrow
for the installation of the monuments shall be provided to the Borough
in an amount to be determined by the Borough Council.
[Amended 3-17-1975 by Ord. No. 454]
C.
Monuments shall be scored on the top to coincide exactly with the
intersection of the lines to be marked and shall be set so that the
top of the monument is level with the surface of the surrounding ground
as finally graded.
[Amended 3-17-1975 by Ord. No. 454]
A street name sign for each intersection shall be installed.
The subdivider shall provide a cash escrow with the Borough of Baldwin
to guarantee the placement of these signs. The amount of the escrow
shall be determined by the Borough Council by resolutions adopted
from time to time.
