A.
For the purpose of this chapter, recreation vehicles
and recreational vehicle parks shall be defined as follows:
(1)
Recreation vehicle. A vehicular-type unit primarily
designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping or
travel uses, which either has its own mode of power or is mounted
or drawn by another vehicle. The basic versions are travel trailer,
camping trailer, truck camper and motor home.
(2)
Recreational vehicle park. A plot of land upon which
four or more recreational vehicle sites are located, established or
maintained for occupancy by the general public for recreational vehicles
as temporary living quarters for recreation or vacation purposes.
(3)
The standards set forth under this section are intended
for those recreational vehicle parks where lots within the park are
for rental or lease and are to serve the short-term placement of recreational
vehicles as outlined.
In conjunction with the rules and regulations
as herein specified, the recreational vehicle park developer shall
submit properly prepared plans and specifications to the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection. Such submission shall be in
accordance with Title 25, Rules and Regulations Part I; Department
of Environmental Protection - Subpart D Environmental Health and Safety,
as amended. Prior to final approval of development plans by the Township,
the developer shall forward a copy of any permits or required licenses
or evidence of the same to the Township.
A.
Persons, firms or corporations proposing to open a recreational vehicle park in Adams Township shall not proceed with any construction work on the proposed park unless and until they have obtained from the Township written approval of the land development plan of the proposed park, according to review and approval procedures outlined in Article IV, and have received the necessary approval of the plans from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as indicated in this article.
B.
Preapplication procedure. The recreational vehicle
park developer shall meet with the Township Planning Commission, prior
to formal application, to discuss his plans and shall prepare suitable
concept plans sufficient to give a general understanding of the proposal.
The Township Planning Commission shall inform the developer as to
the general suitability of the plans and of any modifications required
by this chapter, if deemed advisable.
A.
Lot area requirements. The planning and location of
individual recreational vehicle lots shall be governed by the following
minimum requirements:
(1)
Lot area. Recreational vehicle lots shall be a minimum
width of 30 feet and shall not be less than 1,500 square feet in total
area, excluding rights-of-way. Such size is considered to accommodate
parking for one recreation vehicle, one automobile parking space,
an accessory structure and related outdoor facilities (grill, picnic
tables, benches, etc.)
(2)
Setback requirements. Front setback for recreational
vehicle units shall be 15 feet measured from the right-of-way line
of an interior road or street. Structures, such as bathhouses, administration
offices, recreation centers and other ancillary facilities of a permanent
nature, shall be set back from adjacent or access streets a minimum
of 65 feet as measured from the roadway right-of-way line.
B.
Perimeter requirements.
(1)
When abutting residentially developed properties,
a buffer strip shall be provided, a minimum of 30 feet in width, parallel
to the park property line. When abutting nonresidential properties,
the buffer strip shall be 20 feet from the park property line.
(2)
When abutting an existing dedicated right-of-way,
the setback shall be 75 feet as measured from the street or roadway
center line or 25 feet from the existing right-of-way line, whichever
results in the greater setback distance.
C.
Roadway design standards. Recreational vehicle park
roads shall be designed for the safe and convenient movement of recreational
vehicles minimizing disturbance of the natural environment. The internal
street system, although privately owned and maintained, shall be designed
and constructed as follows:
(1)
Collector street. Twenty-two feet as per Article V, Design Standards and Required Improvements. All requirements for a public street shall be applicable, including a fifty-foot right-of-way. Such street shall serve as a collector internal to the development and provide access to park lots, administration and ancillary facilities. Such collector streets shall be improved as outlined in Article V. No recreational vehicle lot shall be accessed from a roadway other than an interior collector street.
D.
Local streets shall be constructed of select material
surfacing as per current PaDOT Highway Specifications (Form 408),
as amended, or approved by the Township Engineer as equivalent. Materials
used shall be No. 2 R.C. aggregate. The street shall be made from
stone, slag, gravel or bituminous paving material.
(1)
Construction requirements.
(a)
The aggregate shall be uniformly spread upon
the graded areas, without segregation of coarse and fine material,
in loose layers a minimum of five inches in depth and compacted with
a ten-ton roller meeting the requirements and specifications of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Form 408.
(b)
The surfacing shall be crowned or sloped as
indicated, and the final compacted depth shall comply with the depth
shown on the approved plans.
(c)
Satisfactory compaction and stability of the
material under the specified compaction equipment, in accordance with
Form 408 of the Department of Transportation, shall be determined
by the Township Engineer. The Township Engineer will specify in writing
to the developer any additional needs for satisfactory compaction.
(2)
Cul-de-sac streets shall be provided with a turnaround
having an outside roadway diameter of at least 80 feet.
(3)
Parking spaces. Car parking spaces, at a minimum size
of nine feet by 18 feet, shall be provided in sufficient number to
meet the needs of the occupants of the property and their guests.
Such facilities shall be provided at the rate of at least 1 1/2
parking spaces for each recreational vehicle lot and shall be on the
recreational vehicle lot or in designated parking areas. No on-street
parking shall be permitted for safety reasons.
(4)
Recreation (not mandatory). At least 5% of the total
park land area should be reserved for active and passive recreation
with appropriate location, dimensions and topographic characteristics
which lend themselves to recreational use. Such area shall exclude
required buffer areas and setbacks.
(5)
Ancillary services. The developer may include certain
ancillary services such as a laundromat, camp store, grocery store,
office, bathhouse, caretakers' residence, etc., provided that such
services shall be strictly for the use and convenience of those persons
utilizing the recreational vehicle park.
(6)
Plans and compliance.
(a)
No persons shall construct, open or dedicate
any road, or drainage facilities in connection therewith, for public
use or travel within a recreational vehicle park in Adams Township
without submitting plans thereof to the Township for review and approval.
Such plan shall be prepared in duplicate in accordance with these
regulations. Plans for review and approval shall be accompanied by
information as prescribed in Section 4.2 and the Adams Township Public
and Private Improvements Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Appendix B included at
the end of this chapter.
(b)
Said plans shall show the profiles, course and
structure of such roads, the capacity of any drainage facilities and
the method of drainage of the adjacent or contiguous property. Construction
shall be in accordance with street specifications and the land development
plan as approved.
(c)
Subsequent to land development plan approval
where new streets are to be constructed and dedicated to public use,
the streets shall be designed and constructed in compliance with plans
prepared as outlined in this article. Such street shall be inspected
by the Township Engineer during construction and be in compliance
with the Adams Township Public and Private Improvements Code.
(d)
No roadway, street or other facility or improvement
within a recreational vehicle park will be approved for adoption by
Adams Township unless it is designed and constructed to serve two
or more permanent residences and functions as the primary access.
(7)
Excavation and grading.
(a)
Streets shall be excavated and graded as indicated
on the approved plans. This shall include excavation of the street
to the lines, grades and limits indicated on the drawings or as may
be revised by the Township to meet conditions encountered during construction,
or excavation for intersecting roadways, stream channels and culverts
within the approved right-of-way limits; and shall also include the
widening of cuts, grading of slopes outside the right-of-way as called
for on approved plans, removal of top soil, excavating of ditches
and the compaction of fill. Inspections shall be performed and approval
granted by the Township Board of Supervisors as work progresses.
(b)
All drainage structures shown on the approved
plans shall be designed and constructed as per the provisions of the
Adams Township Public and Private Improvements Code and installed
to current commonwealth standards. Culverts may be corrugated metal
pipe, concrete or reinforced concrete according to Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation Form 408 specifications.
(8)
Fire protection.
(a)
General. For the safety and welfare of the occupants
of the recreational vehicle park, the following fire prevention regulations
shall be complied with. All fire safety plans shall be approved by
the fire company chief which company provides fire protection according
to nationally accepted standards (NFPA).
(b)
Fire hydrants shall hereafter be required in
any new recreational vehicle park where the extension of a central
distribution system of water lines, whether public or private, are
proposed for the recreational vehicle park development.
[1]
Hydrant size and type. All hydrants installed
shall be of a standard size and type as specified by the Township,
the volunteer fire company chief and the municipal authority with
jurisdiction, where applicable.
[2]
Spacing. Hydrant spacing shall be adequate to
serve all lots within the recreational vehicle park. Hydrants shall
be located not more than 1,000 feet linear feet from each other. Where
an existing hydrant is less than 1,000 feet from the park, the existing
hydrant shall be deemed satisfactory and spacing can be determined,
taking the existing location of the hydrant into consideration.
[3]
Location. Hydrants shall be located as required
by the municipal authority with jurisdiction.
[4]
Design. The proposed locations of fire hydrants
shall be identified on the submitted plans. Any existing fire hydrants
less than 1,000 feet from the proposed park shall be shown in the
vicinity sketch with an exact distance in feet from the hydrant to
the nearest lot line of the recreational vehicle park.
(c)
In areas where there are no central water line
extensions proposed, the following standards for fire prevention shall
be incorporated into the park. The developer retains the option of
installing either the tank or pond system.
[1]
The tank system. Approved underground, static
water tanks of not less than 3,000 gallons suitably arranged for fire
department drafting at a spacing of 500 feet:
[a]
The tank shall be designed to permit
a discharge of no less than 500 gallons per minute.
[b]
Each tank shall have two combination
vent pipe and dump valve openings above ground. The openings shall
be 24 inches square covered by either a removable-type lid or a hinged-type
lid.
[c]
Each tank shall have an approved
outlet above ground, no less than 4 1/2 inches in diameter. This
outlet shall be encased in a hydrant for drafting, with at least two
two-and-one-half-inch outlets.
[2]
The pond system. A water pond shall be located
in such a way as to service all park lots. The pond shall be utilized
by a "dry hydrant" type of outlet. The volume of water within the
pond shall be of sufficient size and depth, as determined by the volunteer
fire company chief and Township Engineer, according to nationally
accepted standards (NFPA) to adequately serve all park lots.
[3]
In addition, a cyclone or steel mesh fence with
a lockable gate, at a minimum height of six feet with a single strand
of barbed wire on top, shall enclose the area of the pond.
