A.
It is the purpose of this article to provide a procedure
by which minor subdivisions or lot line changes may be reviewed.
B.
In the event that the proposed subdivision shall involve
a change in the location of streets, sanitary or storm sewers, water
mains, culverts or any other municipal improvements, then the provisions
of this section shall not be applicable and the owner shall be required
to comply with the requirements for preliminary major subdivision
plans.
C.
Only one minor subdivision shall be permitted for
a single property. Subsequent subdivisions shall be considered to
be major subdivisions and shall meet the requirements for major subdivision
plans.
A.
The applicant shall prepare a minor subdivision plan
and application in preliminary or final form at the applicant's option.
B.
The applicant shall submit 25 copies of the minor
subdivision plans, data and application to the Township at least 15
calendar days in advance of a regular monthly meeting of the Township
Planning Commission. Fees shall be paid as required.
C.
The Township shall determine if the application is
complete and accept the application or determine if the application
is incomplete and shall not accept the application.
D.
Distribution.
(1)
The Township shall distribute copies of the plan,
data and application to:
(a)
The Board of Supervisors: five copies.
(b)
The Township Planning Commission: five copies.
(c)
The Bucks County Planning Commission: one copy.
(d)
The Township Engineer: two copies.
(e)
The Township Fire Marshal: one copy.
(f)
The Township Police Chief: one copy.
(g)
The water company proposed to serve the project:
one copy.
(h)
The Township Sewer Engineer: one copy.
(i)
The Secretary of School Board: one copy.
(j)
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation:
one copy.
(k)
The Bucks County Conservation District: two
copies.
(l)
The Township Park and Recreation Board: one
copy.
(m)
The Farmland Preservation Corporation: one copy.
(n)
The Historical Commission: one copy.
(o)
The Township files: one copy.
(2)
When the Township determines that the submission is
complete, copies of the plan, data and application shall be distributed.
The following information and data shall be
included on or accompany all preliminary minor subdivision plans.
If the applicant chooses to seek preliminary/final approval, then
the requirements for final plans must be submitted.
A.
The plan shall be clear and legibly drawn at a scale
of not less than one inch equals 100 feet, indicating date, scale
and north arrow.
B.
The name of the subdivision or land development.
C.
The Tax Map parcel number, the Tax Map sheet, block
and lot numbers for the tract and for all adjacent lots.
D.
The name and address of the owner/applicant.
E.
The name and address of the engineer, surveyor, landscape
architect or architect who prepared the plan.
F.
Existing tract boundaries indicating the area of original
tract in acres or square feet.
G.
All existing and proposed structures and uses indicating
all setback lines as well as shortest distances between buildings.
H.
The existing and proposed street layout, including
all streets adjacent to the tract and all proposed access points and
parking areas.
I.
Existing and proposed easements and rights-of-way
within and adjoining the tract.
J.
The zoning district and boundaries and zoning on adjacent
tracts.
K.
Zoning requirements, including applicable district,
lot size and yard requirements, open lands, impervious surface amount
and ratio, buffer yards, height, resource protection standards and
proof of any variance or special exceptions which may have been granted
by the Township Zoning Hearing Board.
L.
Existing and proposed lot lines.
M.
Contours and the basis for topography and vertical
datum base.
N.
A key map with a north arrow for the purpose of locating
the site to be subdivided at a scale of 800 feet to the inch showing
the relation of the tract to adjoining property and to all streets,
roads and municipal boundaries existing within 800 feet of any part
of the property proposed to be subdivided.
O.
The names of the owners of all abutting properties.
P.
Significant physical features such as but not limited
to streams, lakes, ponds and drainage rights-of-way, including the
direction of flow; and the location of all environmentally sensitive
features, including floodplains, floodplain soils, wetlands, lake
and pond shorelines, woodlands, large trees standing outside of woodlands
and steel slopes.
Q.
The original date, dates last revised, sheets revised,
north point and scale shown graphically and numerically on the front
sheet of the plan.
R.
Restrictions in the deed affecting the subdivision
or development of the property, including any underground, overhead
or surface utility easements or rights-of-way. Copies of easements
shall be submitted for review.
S.
Dimensions shall be in feet and decimal parts thereof
and bearings shall be in degrees, minutes and seconds. All radii,
arc and chord lengths and central angles of curves shall be indicated.
T.
Where any revision is made, or when the plan is a
revision of a previously approved plan, dotted lines shall be used
to show features or locations to be abandoned and solid lines to show
the currently proposed features for the latest revision only.
U.
The sheet or sheets shall be one of the following
sizes: 24 inches by 36 inches, 30 inches by 42 inches or 36 inches
by 48 inches. If more than one sheet is necessary, each sheet shall
be the same size and consecutively numbered to show its relation to
the total number of sheets comprising the plan, i.e., Sheet No. 1
of 5, etc.
V.
All plans must be acknowledged and sealed by a land
surveyor responsible for the plan in compliance with the Land Surveyor
Law.[1] If an environmental consultant, architect or landscape
architect collaborated in the preparation of the plan, his/her name
and address shall also appear.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 63 P.S. § 148
et seq.
W.
A complete outline survey of the property to be subdivided
or developed shall be provided, showing all courses, distances, areas
and tie-ins to all adjacent intersections. The survey shall not have
an error of closure greater than one part in 10,000.
X.
The location, name and widths of all streets bordering
the land to be developed or subdivided, including legislative and
traffic route numbers and their existing and ultimate rights-of-way.
Y.
The location of all existing buildings, towers, sewers,
water mains, culverts, petroleum products or gas mains, fire hydrants
and other significant manmade facilities and their existing and proposed
use or disposition.
Z.
The location of wells, on-site septic systems, stormwater
management facilities and similar features on and within 200 feet
of any part of the land to be subdivided or developed.
AA.
Natural features. The developer shall furnish on appropriate
maps or other documents all natural features, including floodplains,
alluvial soils, steep slopes, forested areas, lakes, ponds, watercourses,
wetlands, quarries, rock outcroppings and the location of any unique
plants or other vegetation. All applications shall include maps showing
the location of the resources.
(1)
The location of any designated floodplain district,
the one-hundred-year-flood elevations and the boundaries of the floodplain
districts, including those determined by soil classification or other
studies. The location of floodplain soils associated with the Delaware
River Floodplain shall be shown.
(2)
The species and size of large trees standing
alone, mature trees with a diameter of 15 inches or greater measured
four feet above grade level, woodlands as defined herein and the location
of any unique plants or other vegetation. The developer shall as part
of the preliminary presentation submit to the Township a proposal
to preserve as much as possible the natural features which would be
desirable to leave intact, including tree masses and a tree count
and girth of all trees greater than fifteen-inch girth, measured at
a point four feet above grade, indicating which are to be removed
and which are to remain. Trees need not be individually identified
in wooded areas declared to be set aside for undeveloped resource
protection land.
(3)
The soil classifications and boundary lines
of all soils located on the tract with specific reference to any alluvial
soils boundary. Soil descriptions for all soil types shall be provided
and any building restrictions due to wet soils, seasonally high water
table or other restrictions shall be provided on the plans.
(4)
Lakes, ponds and waters of the commonwealth.
All lakes, ponds and waters of the commonwealth shall be shown.
(5)
Wetlands delineation. If any of the three wetlands
parameters (hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation or evidence of hydrology)
are present on a site proposed for development, a separate wetlands
delineation of sufficient detail to allow for thorough review by Township
officials must be submitted to the Township. As part of the delineation
process, a field investigation shall be performed and wetlands boundaries
on the site shall be verified and flagged. Delineation and verification
shall be performed by a qualified wetlands professional. The delineation
shall be incorporated into the plan. The person or organization performing
the delineation shall certify that the delineation has been performed
in accordance with the criteria for wetlands delineation established
in the Federal Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional
Wetlands, or any more restrictive amendments thereto. Wetlands shall
be defined by metes and bounds.
BB.
Any existing buildings and structures, including structural
remains which are located on or adjacent to the site and a statement
as to whether or not these buildings have any historical significance.
Any buildings identified by the Township Historical Commission as
having historical significance shall be identified.
CC.
The location of zoning district boundary lines affecting
the subdivision and an indication that each lot is equal to or in
excess of the applicable zoning district requirements.
DD.
Where on-site sewage disposal facilities are proposed,
a statement from the Bucks County Health Department or the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection, with regard to the suitability
of the soil to absorb sewage wastes.
EE.
Statements from the County Health Department or other
agency with jurisdiction as to the sufficiency and acceptability of
the proposed means of water supply and sanitary sewers and from the
Bucks County Conservation District as to soil erosion and sedimentation
control to be provided.
FF.
An indication of any lots in which other than residential
use is intended, the total number of lots created and the gross lot
area and net lot area for each lot.
GG.
A statement or certificate by the applicant indicating
that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the plans are in conformity
with engineering, zoning, building, sanitation and other applicable
Township ordinances and regulations and, if they are not so conforming,
to detail the areas of nonconformance and the reasons for requesting
a modification to the Township standards.
A.
Where a revision is made or when the plan is a previously
approved plan, dotted lines shall be used to show features or locations
to be abandoned and solid lines to show the currently proposed features.
B.
The location of all existing and proposed monuments
shall be shown.
C.
The location, size and ownership of all underground
utilities and any rights-of-way or easements within the property shall
be shown.
D.
The layout, approximate dimensions, proposed use and
consecutive numbering of all lots shall be shown. All sheets shall
show lot numbers.
A.
Township Engineer review. The Township Engineer, following
receipt of the plans from the Township, shall review the engineering
considerations and prepare a report of adequacy for the Planning Commission
and Supervisors. The Township Engineer shall thoroughly check the
plans of all subdivisions and land developments in order to determine
the degree of compliance to all Township ordinances, design standards
and engineering considerations.
B.
Planning Commission review. Following receipt of the
complete submission to the Township, the Planning Commission shall:
(1)
Receive and review the applicant's submission.
(2)
Receive and review the report by the Bucks County
Planning Commission and the reports of all other reviewing agencies
or persons.
(3)
Receive and review the report by the Township Engineer.
(4)
Listen to the applicant's presentation.
(5)
Discuss submission with the applicant at a Planning
Commission meeting.
(6)
Determine whether the final plans meet the requirements
of this chapter and the Township Zoning Ordinance[1] and comply with all the conditions of preliminary plan
approval. A final plan shall not be recommended for approval until
the applicant has met all the conditions of the action granting approval
of such plan at the preliminary plan stage.
(7)
Submit a recommendation regarding plan approval on
the plan for use by the Board of Supervisors, such recommendation
to be contained within the Commission's regular minutes or as a separate
report at the discretion of the Planning Commission.
C.
Board of Supervisors review.
(1)
Following receipt of the Township Planning Commission's
report and, unless extended by the applicant, within 90 days following
the date of the first regular Planning Commission meeting which follows
the date the complete application is filed, the Board of Supervisors
shall:
(a)
Receive and review the applicant's submission,
listen to the applicant's presentation and discuss the project with
the applicant at a public meeting.
(b)
Receive and review the reports by the Township
Planning Commission, the Township Engineer, the Bucks County Planning
Commission and other agencies or officials who have submitted a report.
(c)
Evaluate the applicant's submission, presentation,
the discussion with the applicant, the Township Engineer's report
and the Planning Commission's report.
(e)
Express its approval of the plan, stating the
conditions of such approval, if any, or its disapproval, stating the
reasons therefor. The Township may approve plans subject to conditions
which require the consent of the applicant, in which event the applicant
shall advise the Board of Supervisors prior to the final vote by the
Board of Supervisors on the plan as to whether he accepts or rejects
said conditions.
(f)
Within 15 calendar days following the decision,
the Supervisors shall communicate, in writing, to the applicant the
terms and conditions of plan approval, if any, or their disapproval,
stating the reasons therefor. Failure of the Supervisors to render
a decision and communicate it to the applicant within the ninety-day
review period shall be deemed an approval of the application in terms
as presented, unless the applicant has agreed, in writing, to an extension
of time or change in the prescribed manner of the presentation of
communication of the decision; in which case, failure to meet the
extended time or change in manner of the presentation of communication
shall have like effect. The ninety-day review period for all applications
required by the Township shall begin on the date of the Township Planning
Commission next following the date that a complete application, including
all required plans, documents, application forms, required fees and
studies, is filed, provided that should the next regular meeting occur
more than 30 days following the filing of a complete application,
the ninety-day period shall be measured from the 30th day following
the day that the complete application was filed.
(2)
A final plan shall not be signed by the authorized
officers of the Board of Supervisors until the applicant has met all
of the conditions of the action granting approval of such plan.
D.
Following approval of a final plan, the applicant
shall submit four completed and executed record plan linen drawings
for signatures by the members of the Board of Supervisors. No linen
plans shall be recorded until a development agreement between the
Township and the applicant has been executed.
E.
No changes, erasures, modifications or revisions shall
be made in any final plan after approval has been given by the Board
of Supervisors and endorsed, in writing, on the plan. In the event
that any final plan, when recorded, contains any such changes, the
final plan shall be considered null and void, and the Board of Supervisors
shall institute proceedings to have said plan stricken from the records
of the County Recorder of Deeds.
