[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Doylestown 5-27-1986 by Ord. No. 149.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
Prior to the construction of any private driveway where
said driveway leads to a road owned or to be dedicated to Doylestown Township,
a permit shall be obtained for said purpose from the Township Manager or his
designated representative. The fee for said permit shall be determined by
the Board of Supervisors of Doylestown Township by resolution from time to
time.[1]
B.
The application for a permit shall be subject to the
following requirements:
(1)
The application shall be submitted in person or by mail
on a properly completed Township form provided for that purpose.
(2)
The application shall be signed by the owner and the
contractor who proposes to do the improvements, if someone other than the
owner proposes to make said improvements.
(3)
The application shall include five sets of plans detailing
the location and pertinent dimensions of both the proposed installation and
related highway features.
(4)
The application shall be submitted to the Township at
least 30 days prior to the anticipated start of work and shall contain proof
of ownership by the applicant.
A.
All private driveways hereafter constructed and leading
to a road owned or to be dedicated to Doylestown Township shall be of a width
of not less than 12 feet nor more than 20 feet, and in the event that such
driveway crosses an existing road berm, such cut shall be curved back to the
edge of the Township road on a radius of five feet. Furthermore, in order
to adequately manage stormwater, the Township may require private driveways
leading to a road owned or to be dedicated to Doylestown Township to have
a culvert pipe or other such device so as to aid water runoff and drainage
in the general area. The need for the installation of the culvert pipe shall
be determined by the Township Manager or his designated representative in
accordance with the conditions in the area, and the minimum diameter for such
culvert pipe shall be 15 inches. In addition to the installation of a culvert
pipe, it is further required that a prefabricated end section for each end
of the pipe shall be installed using the same material as the culvert pipe.
The width and length of such pipe shall be determined by the Township Manager
in consultation with the Township Engineer and/or Township Roadmaster.
B.
If the Township Manager or his designated representative,
following consultation with the Township Engineer and/or Roadmaster, shall
determine that drainage of stormwater is a problem in the general area where
the proposed driveway is to be constructed, then the Township may require
the preparation of a drainage control plan which shall be prepared in accordance
with the following guidelines:
(1)
If it can be reasonably anticipated that there will be
an increase in the flow of water onto the highway or into highway drainage
facilities as a result of the action by the applicant or that there will be
an increase in the flow of water onto the property of some other person as
a result of any action authorized by the permit, a drainage control plan shall
be submitted with the application, which said drainage control plan shall
contain the following:
(a)
The source of water.
(b)
The existing flow in cubic feet per second.
(c)
The predicted flow in cubic feet per second.
(d)
Where the drainage currently flows.
(e)
Where the drainage ultimately outlets.
(f)
A hydraulic computation showing effective additional
flow on existing highway drainage system.
(2)
Issuance of a driveway permit shall be conditioned upon
the Township's approval of the drainage control plan.
C.
If the Township Manager or designated representative
in consultation with the Township Engineer or Township Roadmaster shall determine
that the installation of the driveway will require the closing of a portion
of a lane of vehicular traffic in order to perform the permitted work, then
the applicant shall submit a traffic control plan with the application. In
addition, the Township may require the applicant to submit a traffic control
plan if it is anticipated that a potential hazard or interference to vehicular
or pedestrian traffic will result from performance of the work. The traffic
control plan shall be either of the following:
(1)
A detailed drawing showing all traffic control devices;
or
(2)
Reference to a standard drawing found in Publication
43 or Publication 90 of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, provided
that the referenced standard drawing properly depicts the work area to be
addressed as related to the need for traffic control.
A.
The Township will not approve the construction of a driveway
unless the following criteria are satisfied by the applicant:
(1)
Sight distance is adequate to safely allow each permitted
movement to be made into or out of the access driveway.
(2)
The free movement of normal highway traffic is not impaired.
(3)
The driveway will not create a hazard.
(4)
The driveway will not create an area of undue traffic
congestion on the highway.
B.
The following specific location restrictions shall apply
to any application for a driveway permit:
(1)
Access driveways shall not be located at interchanges,
ramp areas or locations that would interfere with the placement and proper
functioning of highway signs, signals, detectors, lighting or other devices
that affect traffic control.
(2)
The location of a driveway near a signalized intersection
may include a requirement that the applicant provide new or relocated detectors,
signal heads, controller and the like for the control of traffic movements
from the driveway.
(3)
Access to a property which abuts two or more intersecting
streets or highways may be restricted to only that roadway which can more
safely accommodate traffic.
(4)
The Township may require the applicant to locate an access
driveway directly across from a highway, local road or access driveway on
the opposite side of the roadway if it is judged that offset driveways will
not permit left turns to be made safely or that access to the roadway from
one access to another will create a safety hazard.
(5)
Only one drive will be permitted for a residential property
and not more than two driveways will be permitted for a nonresidential property
unless the Board of Supervisors of Doylestown Township, upon application,
shall waive the provisions of this section.
C.
Driveway approaches shall conform to the following standards:
(1)
The location and angle of an access driveway approach
in relation to the highway intersection shall be such that a vehicle entering
or leaving the driveway may do so in an orderly and safe manner and with a
minimum of interference to highway traffic.
(2)
Where the access driveway approach and pavement meet,
flaring of the approach may be necessary to allow safe, easy turning of vehicular
traffic.
(3)
Where the highway is curbed, driveway approaches shall
be installed 1 1/2 inches above the adjacent highway or gutter grade
to maintain proper drainage.
[Amended 11-4-1991 by Ord. No. 208]
Any person who shall construct a driveway or cause any such driveway
to be opened onto or lead to a road owned by or to be dedicated to Doylestown
Township in violation of the requirements of this chapter may be ordered by
the Township to remove the improper work and replace the same in compliance
with the provisions of this chapter. Notice to remove and replace the improper
work shall be given to the person, firm or corporation by certified mail,
return receipt requested, which said notice shall require the person, firm
or corporation to correct the deficiencies within 14 days of receipt of the
notice of the violation. If the person, firm or corporation shall fail or
refuse to accept notice, then the Township shall have the right to send notice
to the last owner of record by ordinary mail advising said owner that he shall
have 14 days within which time to correct the violations. Upon noncompliance
with the notice received from the Township, the Township may do or cause the
necessary repairs to be done and levy the costs of such work on the owner
and may cause a lien to be filed of record against the property and collect
the same in any manner provided by law.
Each property owner shall have the responsibility of maintaining his
driveway and the culvert pipe in an open and clear manner.
[Amended 11-4-1991 by Ord. No. 208]
All ordinances, resolutions or parts of ordinances or resolutions which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed, except for any provisions of Chapter 153, Subdivision and Land Development; Chapter 175, Zoning; or Chapter 65, Building Construction, in which case the provisions of the aforementioned chapters shall prevail.
