A. 
In order to provide for the orderly receipt and processing of plans, the office of Township Planning Administrator shall be established in the Township. Among the duties of the Township Planning Administrator shall be:
(1) 
To prepare detailed rules and regulations for the administration of procedures for receipt, review and approval of subdivision and land development plans. Such rules and regulations shall be approved by the Planning Commission.
(2) 
To administer such rules and regulations and the provisions of this chapter insofar as is necessary to ensure the orderly processing of plans, collection of review information and comments and submission of such information to the Planning Commission and Board for their action.
(3) 
To be available by appointment at reasonable hours when applicants may obtain applications, written information on procedures and related ordinances and may file applications and pay fees for the consideration of subdivision and land development plans.
(4) 
To maintain files of the necessary forms, information and ordinances for distribution and/or sale to applicants.
(5) 
To receive applications and subdivision and land development plans and fees, issue receipts and deposit fees with the Township Treasurer.
B. 
The Township Planning Administrator shall be appointed annually and shall be compensated at a rate to be established by the Board. The funds for such compensation shall be derived from fees paid by applicants for consideration of subdivision and land development plans.
A. 
The Board shall prescribe and make available to applicants a form upon which all applications for approval of subdivision and land development plans shall be made.
B. 
Subdivision and land development application fees shall be fixed by the Board of Supervisors by resolution. In addition to such fees, all disbursements by the Township to professional consultants incident to plan review, approval and inspection of construction, including but not necessarily limited to costs of material or site testing and any maintenance costs prior to acceptance of improvements by the Township, shall be reimbursed to the Township by the applicant on the basis of a profession consultant fee schedule established by resolution of this Board.
[Amended 2-8-2005 by Ord. No. 3-2005]
C. 
All such reimbursement for costs expended prior to the establishment of the applicant's performance guaranty shall be made prior to the issuance of any permits. All such reimbursements for costs expended during construction shall be made out of escrow funds established as the performance guaranty on a monthly basis.
D. 
The Township Planning Administrator shall determine the completeness of any application in accordance with § 95-8A(7) of this chapter and shall note the date of filing on the application.
E. 
Road improvement contributions; highway improvement fund.
(1) 
There shall also be paid to the Township by each entity that receives approval of an application for residential or industrial subdivision under the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, including additions or improvements to existing buildings, a sum to be used as a contribution towards the cost of road improvements throughout East Bradford Township.
(a) 
Said contributions shall be calculated on the basis of the total floor area of all floors, including storage areas, for any new commercial and industrial building or any existing building for which additions or renovations are to be completed. A flat fee contribution will be paid for the construction of all new residential dwelling units. Said contribution shall be calculated as follows:
[1] 
For all residential subdivisions and land developments, $500 per dwelling unit.
[2] 
For commercial subdivisions and land development involving retail sales, $500 for every parking space for the first 100 parking spaces and thereafter $100 for every parking space.
[3] 
For commercial and industrial subdivisions and land developments not involving retail sales, $250 for every parking space for the first 100 parking spaces and thereafter $50 for every parking space.
(b) 
All contributions due under this section shall be paid prior to the issuance of any building permit for the property or premises subject to this section.
(2) 
There is hereby established a highway improvement fund which shall be under the exclusive control of the Board of Supervisors to which such contributions shall be deposited and, thereafter, from which disbursement shall be made to satisfy the costs of necessary improvements. Disbursements can be either for full funding of improvements or for local matching of federal, state or other funding sources.
It is the intention of the Board in enacting these procedures to provide the applicant with a timely and comprehensive review of plans submitted for subdivision and/or land development. To this end, the following classifications of plans are established as hereinafter provided:
A. 
Sketch plans.
B. 
Preliminary plans.
C. 
Final plans.
A. 
Rules and regulations governing the submission and review of sketch, preliminary and final subdivision and land development plans shall be promulgated by the Township Planning Administrator. In addition to the detailed requirements deemed to be necessary for the proper processing of subdivision and land development plans, the rules shall contain the following minimum provisions:
(1) 
The filing of a sketch plan is strongly encouraged to allow for identification of issues and solutions to problems associated with the proposed subdivision or land development. Prior to incurring significant costs by the applicant, such submittal shall be considered a convenience to the applicant and the Township. As such, no application shall be required for filing a sketch plan, and the filing shall not be considered a formal application under the terms of the Act. Applicants shall have the right to proceed directly to preliminary plans without the filing of a sketch plan in accordance with the provisions hereinafter and file the same subject to the limitations imposed by the Act.
(2) 
Except as provided below, all applications shall be submitted in accordance with the procedures provided herein and as promulgated by the Township Planning Administrator. Applications shall consist first of the submission of a preliminary plan and, upon approval of said preliminary plan by the Board, either with or without conditions, the submission of a final plan prepared in accordance with this chapter.
(a) 
The following subdivision and land development plans are exempt from the preliminary plan process and may be submitted directly as final plans subject to the completion of said final plans in compliance with all of the relevant requirements governing the preparation of preliminary and final plans:
[Added 10-12-1999 by Ord. No. 3-1999]
[1] 
Land developments that involve a single, nonresidential structure of less than 2,000 square feet of floor area on a previously approved and recorded lot.
[2] 
The provision of a second building (not counting accessory structures) of less than 2,000 square feet of floor area on a parcel which currently contains a single principal building.
[3] 
The addition to an existing nonresidential structure having an area which is the equivalent of not more than 10% of the existing gross floor area or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less.
[4] 
The development of a single parcel which involves a single structure containing not more than two units of occupancy.
[5] 
A subdivision of three lots or less, provided that no public improvements are necessary as part of the subdivision and none of the resulting lots would be of a size that could be further subdivided.
[6] 
A plan which proposes to alter the location of lot lines between existing residential lots, provided that the number of residential units that could be constructed on either lot would not be increased by the alteration.[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection A(2)(a)[7], concerning development plans that have been subject to review and approval as a conditional use, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 11-8-2005 by Ord. No. 9-2005.
(b) 
The Township Supervisors may require a preliminary plan for the subdivisions or land developments otherwise exempted above if they determine that the plans could cause significant harm to the environment and the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of East Bradford Township.
(3) 
Sufficient copies of all subdivision and land development plans shall be submitted to the Township Planning Administrator to permit the submission of such plans to the Chester County Planning Commission, the East Bradford Township Planning Commission, the Chester County Health Department as hereinafter provided, the Chester County Conservation District and other agencies or officers required by law and, upon approval, the East Bradford Zoning Officer, in addition to the retention of copies for the Township Planning Administrator's file.
(4) 
At the time a preliminary subdivision or land development application and plan is filed with the Township, the applicant shall notify all adjoining landowners (deemed to be those contiguous or separated by a street) thereof in writing. The notice shall state the nature of the application and inform the adjoining landowners of the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Commission when the application will be considered. The notice shall be sent by first class mail or hand delivered to the owners based upon information on file at the Chester County Tax Assessment Office, West Chester, Pennsylvania. Proof of notice shall be submitted at the meeting of the Commission at which the preliminary subdivision or land development plan is considered. Submission of this notice shall become a part of the application submitted by the applicant and failure to submit same may result in rejection of the application by the Township.
(5) 
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection regulations require that East Bradford Township, in its review of an application for subdivision or development of land, make a determination if the proposed subdivision or land development adequately meets the sewage disposal needs of the Township as reflected in its Official Plan of Sewerage Facilities and that East Bradford Township revise or supplement the Official Plan accordingly. In order that the Township may properly carry out these directives, it is necessary for the applicant to prepare and submit to the Township, on planning modules for land development provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, information with regard to the means of sewage disposal and provision of water supply and, if on-site facilities are contemplated, certain test pit and percolation test information. This submission may be with the filing of the sketch plan, but in no case shall submission be later than concurrently with the filing of preliminary plans. In preparing rules and regulations, the Township Planning Administrator shall include procedures governing the submission and review of planning modules for land development as required. In the event that the Official Plan of Sewerage Facilities is revised according to the procedures of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, a copy of the revision to this plan shall be filed with the Township Engineer, who shall maintain a file of the plan and its subsequent revisions.
(6) 
Review by Planning Commission.
(a) 
The rules and regulations shall contain a provision that all subdivision plans shall be reviewed and commented upon by the East Bradford Township Planning Commission prior to action by the Board of Supervisors. The Planning Commission's opinion shall be submitted to the Board in writing.
(b) 
The Board or the Planning Commission may require that subdivisions be submitted to the Township Engineer, if circumstances warrant.
(c) 
The Planning Commission, in its review, shall, in addition to any other information it deems relevant, consider the comments of the Chester County Planning Commission, Chester County Conservation District, Chester County Health Department and Township Engineer and other agencies where applicable. The Township Planning Commission may also solicit reviews and reports from adjacent municipalities and other governmental agencies affected by the plan.
(7) 
No preliminary or final subdivision application shall be considered complete without a filing of the necessary application form and payment of the required fee. In addition, no application shall be considered complete until the Township Planning Administrator has reviewed the plans with regard to content and determined that the plans meet the requirements of this chapter.
(8) 
Decision by Board.
(a) 
The Board shall not approve an application until the Chester County Planning Commission has responded to the Township's request for its comments or until 30 days have been allowed for such a response in accordance with the provision of the Act. In every case, however, the Board shall render a decision of all plans and communicate it to the applicant not later than 90 days following the date of the regular meeting of the Planning Commission next following the date when the application is filed, provided that, should said next meeting occur more than 30 days following the filing of the application, said ninety-day period shall be measured from the 30th day following the date the application has been filed.
(b) 
The decision of the Board shall be in writing and shall be communicated to the applicant personally and mailed to him at his last known address not later than 15 days following the decision or the end of said ninety-day period, whichever shall first occur. The form and content of the decision shall comply with the applicable requirements of the Act.
(c) 
Whenever the approval of a preliminary or final plan is subject to conditions, including those set forth in § 95-8C, the written action of the Board as prescribed herein shall specify each condition of approval and shall require the written approval of the applicant to the condition. If such written approval of the conditions is not received by the Board within the time period in which the Board must act upon the application, as specified in Section 508[2] of the Act, the plan shall be deemed to have been denied by the Board.
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10508.
(d) 
No extension of these time limits shall be effective unless agreed to, in writing, by the applicant.
B. 
Upon completion of necessary reviews of final plans for subdivision or land development, the applicant shall submit to the Township Planning Administrator clear copies of all plans and profiles for formal approval by the Board. Four complete copies of the plans which are submitted for approval shall be supplied to the Board, and four additional copies shall be reserved for recording by the applicant. The applicant shall present as many additional copies of final plans as are required for his purposes, including one copy which shall be available for examination and reference at the site during construction of public improvements.
C. 
Every final approval of a plan shall be subject to the following conditions:
(1) 
That the landowner shall agree, in writing, in a form to be approved or prepared by the Solicitor of the Township, that he will lay out the roads, streets, lanes and/or easements and construct, or cause to be constructed, all of the improvements in accordance with the approved final plans.
(2) 
The landowner shall assure the Township, by signing an agreement prepared by the Township and by depositing with the Township financial security in an amount sufficient to cover 110% of the cost of completion of any improvements or common amenities (which shall include but not be limited to roads, stormwater detention and/or retention basins and other related drainage facilities, recreational facilities, open space improvements or buffer or screen plantings, etc., including the construction, installation and performance of the control measures as set forth in the soil erosion and sedimentation control provisions and the maintenance of all of the same, whether or not the above are dedicated to the Township) which may be required and inspection costs as determined from the final plan, said costs to be determined by the Board, that such improvements shall subsequently be installed by the applicant according to the final plan and Township's specifications. The amount of such cost shall be that estimated as of 90 days following the date scheduled for completion of the improvements by the developer. The Township may adjust annually the amount of the financial security by comparing the actual cost of the improvements which have been completed and the estimated costs for the completion of the remaining improvements as of the expiration of the 90th day after either the original date scheduled for completion or a rescheduled date of completion. Subsequent to said adjustment, the Township may require the developer to post additional security in order to assure that the financial security equals said 110% of the cost of completion. Any additional security shall be posted by the developer in accordance with the terms of this chapter.
(a) 
Without limitation as to other types of financial security which the Township may approve, federal- or commonwealth-chartered lending institution irrevocable letters of credit and restrictive or escrow accounts in such lending institutions shall be deemed acceptable financial security for the purposes of this chapter. Such financial security shall be posted with a bonding company or federal- or commonwealth-chartered lending institution chosen by the landowner, provided that said bonding company or lending institution is authorized to conduct such business within the commonwealth. The bond or other security shall provide for and secure to the public the completion of any improvements which may be required on or before the date fixed in the Board's formal action of approval or accompanying agreement for completion of the improvements. The amount of financial security required shall be based upon an estimate of the cost of completion of the required improvements, submitted by an applicant or developer and prepared by a professional engineer, licensed as such in Pennsylvania, and certified by such engineer to be a fair and reasonable estimate of such cost. The Board, upon recommendation of the Township Engineer, may refuse to accept such estimate for good cause shown. If the applicant or developer and the Township are unable to agree upon an amount of financial security based upon the estimate, then the estimate and amount of security shall be determined as provided by Section 509(g)[3] of the Act. If the party posting the financial security requires more than one year from the date of posting of the financial security to complete the required improvements, the amount of financial security shall be automatically increased to the higher of the following:
[1] 
By 10% for each one-year period beyond the first anniversary date from the posting of financial security; or
[2] 
To an amount not exceeding 110% of the cost of completing the required improvements as reestablished on or about the expiration of the one-year period by using the above procedure.
[3]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10509(g).
(b) 
If the development is projected over a period of years, the Board may authorize submission of final plans by sections or stages of development subject to such requirements or guaranties as to improvements in future sections or stages of development as it finds essential for the protection of any finally approved of the development.
(c) 
If the financial security is not automatically increased by the party posting the financial security, as required at the end of each one-year period, the landowner shall be in default of these provisions and its agreement with the Township, and the Township may revoke all building permits and refuse to grant new building permits or occupancy permits until the proper security is posted.
(3) 
The landowner shall agree to tender a deed of dedication to the Township for such streets, any and all easements for sanitary sewers, waterlines or storm sewers and improvements thereto, including street paving, sidewalks, shade trees, water mains, fire hydrants, sanitary and storm sewers, manholes, inlets, pumping stations and other appurtenances as shall be constructed as public improvements and as are required for the promotion of public welfare, after all streets, sidewalks, sewers and the like are completed and such completion is certified as satisfactory by the Township Engineer. The Board will require that the applicant supply a title insurance certificate from a reputable company before any property is accepted for the Township.
(4) 
Whenever the applicant is providing a fee in lieu of otherwise required open space, a note shall be placed on the plan specifying the amount of the fee and the method to be used to secure and pay that amount, consistent with the terms of § 95-34.1E of this chapter.
(5) 
Landowners/developers shall be required to execute and record in the chain of title for the property shown on the final subdivision and/or land development plan a landscape maintenance agreement which shall be in a form and substance acceptable to the Township.
[Added 9-9-2008 by Ord. No. 2-2008]
(6) 
Landowners/developers shall be required to execute and record in the chain of title for the property shown on the final subdivision and/or land development plan a stormwater management agreement which shall be in a form and substance acceptable to the Township.
[Added 9-9-2008 by Ord. No. 2-2008]
D. 
Whenever the approval of a preliminary or final plan is subject to conditions, including those set forth in § 95-8C, the written action of the Board, as prescribed in § 95-8A(8), shall specify each condition of approval and require the applicant's written agreement to the conditions. The applicant's written agreement conditions shall be received at the Township Building prior to the date on which the Board is required to make a decision on the application, as required by 508 of the Act. Failure of the applicant to deliver such written agreement shall result in a denial of the plan, as provided in § 95-8A(8)(c) above.
E. 
After final approval of the subdivision and/or land development plan, the plan shall be recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of Chester County within 90 days according to procedures established by the Planning Administrator. Two copies of the receipt from the Recorder of Deeds' office, signifying that the final approved plan has been recorded, shall be returned to the Township Planning Administrator within 15 days after recording. No such plan shall be accepted for recording by the Recorder of Deeds without official notification of approval by the Board of Supervisors and of review by the Chester County Planning Commission. The Township Planning Administrator shall affix one copy of the receipt to his file copy of the approved plan and shall immediately forward the second copy to the Zoning Officer.
No water system or sewer system, including extensions to existing or proposed Township systems or new systems employing sewage treatment plants, shall be constructed prior to the issuance of appropriate permits from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or from federal or local agencies as required and filing a copy of the same with the Board. Where a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit is required, no grading of land shall commence until such permit is issued and a copy of said permit is filed with the Board.
A. 
No application for a building permit under the East Bradford Township Zoning Ordinance[1] shall be submitted and no building permit under the East Bradford Township Zoning Ordinance shall be issued for any building in any subdivision or land development and no building shall be erected in any subdivision or land development and no work shall be done on any building in any subdivision or land development until the final plans for said subdivision or land development have been approved as provided for and, where required, recorded and the Zoning Officer has been notified of the approval. Notification to the Zoning Officer shall be in the form of a copy of the approved plan for his files and, where recording of the plan is required, the affixing of a copy of the Recorder of Deeds' receipt to the approved plan.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 115, Zoning.
B. 
No building permits shall be issued nor any site work begun with regard to any areas of the proposed development where the work proposed is actually within the area requiring wetland approvals or permits or where work other than in wetlands on the site affects wetlands so that approvals and/or permits therefor must be issued until the applicant has filed copies of the required permits or approvals with the Township Zoning Officer.
The continuing validity of any approval of plans in accordance with this article shall be subject to those limitations established by Section 508(4) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10508(4).