This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Lower Makefield Township Subdivision and Land Development
Ordinance."
A.
The purpose of this chapter is to assure the orderly
development of Lower Makefield Township in the following manner:
(1)
To promote thereby the health, safety and general
welfare of the residents of the Township.
(2)
To provide for the coordination of existing streets
and public utilities with new facilities.
(3)
To provide for efficient and orderly extension of
community services and facilities.
(5)
To assist orderly, efficient and integrated development
of land.
(6)
To ensure equitable handling of all subdivision plans
by providing uniform procedures and standards for observance, both
by subdividers and the Township.
(7)
To ensure the proper provision of open lands for recreation
and the proper location of sites for community facilities.
(8)
To ensure that proper provision shall be made for
stormwater management, water, sewerage and other needed improvements.
(9)
To ensure that land to be subdivided shall be of such
character that it can be used for building purposes without danger
to health or peril from fire, flood or other menace.
(10)
To preserve and protect environmentally sensitive
areas, important natural features, wildlife habitat, agricultural
areas and areas or buildings of historic significance.
(11)
To recognize stormwater as an important natural
resource and maximize its infiltration into our aquifers, streams
and rivers to the extent feasible to enhance the quality of our water
supply and to protect our natural resources.
[Added 12-20-2006 by Ord. No. 363]
(12)
To provide guidelines for LID site design in
order to:
[Added 12-20-2006 by Ord. No. 363]
(a)
Retain open space or natural resource protection
areas, preferably in contiguous blocks or linear corridors where feasible,
for the protection of the best stormwater management features identified
in the site analysis process. The open space layout should be situated
in a location that will have the most success at providing a buffer
next to impervious surfaces.
(b)
Orient residential lots to minimize site disturbance,
maximize the benefits of minimal earth disturbance, facilitate sheet
flow into natural resource protection areas and bioretention/rain
garden facilities, and promote community aesthetics, livability and
privacy.
(c)
Eliminate stream crossings with roads and conveyance
systems, whenever possible. Minimize impervious surfaces by reducing
building footprints and setbacks, road length and width, parking areas,
and driveways.
(d)
Minimize the connectivity of impervious surface
by directing stormwater from impervious areas into swales or as low-velocity
sheet flow to adjacent undisturbed open space areas or bioretention
areas.
(e)
Integrate small, dispersed bioretention areas
to capture, store, and infiltrate stormwater on-site.
(f)
Maintain predevelopment flow path lengths in
natural drainage patterns, whenever possible.
(g)
Lay out roads and lots to follow topographic
contours to minimize soil and vegetation disturbance.
(h)
Utilize pervious paving surfaces such as porous
pavement and pavers for roads, driveways, parking lots or other types
of drivable or walkable surfaces, where feasible.
(i)
Direct rooftop runoff to infiltration areas
or to cisterns for nonpotable reuse or utilize vegetated roof systems
to evaporate and transpire stormwater.
B.
The integration of these purposes will be of mutual
advantage to the developer and the Township in providing the necessary
services at minimum cost and maximum convenience, thereby creating
conditions favorable to the health, safety and general welfare of
the citizens of the Township.
