Township of Rush, PA Article VI Design Standards

§ 290-26 General.

A. The standards and requirements contained in this article shall apply as minimum design standards for subdivisions and/or land developments. Whenever other ordinances or regulations impose more restrictive standards and requirements than those contained herein, the more restrictive shall apply.

B. Subdivisions and/or land developments shall be designed to comply with the requirements of the Township, Department of Environmental Protection, and Department of Transportation, as applicable.

C. Property analysis. Characteristics, such as site configuration, geology, soil, topography, water bodies, ecology, vegetation, structures, road network, visual features and past/present use shall be considered in the design of the proposal. To the greatest extent possible, designs should:

(1) Preserve the natural features of the site;

(2) Avoid areas of environmental sensitivity; and

(3) Minimize negative impacts and alteration of natural features.

§ 290-27 Streets.

A. General street circulation.

(1) Streets, alleys, driveways, and access drives form the circulation system. The circulation system shall be designed to:

(a) Permit the safe, efficient and orderly movement of vehicles and facilitate adequate access for emergency vehicles;

(b) Provide, when possible, two directions of vehicular access by means of a street or access drive to and within a development;

(c) Meet the needs of the present and future population;

(d) Provide a simple and logical pattern;

(e) Function under a hierarchy system where the intensity of intersections decreases as traffic volumes and speed increase;

(f) Respect the natural features and topography; and

(g) Present an attractive streetscape.

(2) All street design elements shall conform to the standards of this chapter and the rural design criteria in the latest edition of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Design Manual Part 2, Highway Design, and AASHTO, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets.

B. Private street. Private streets are prohibited, unless such streets meet the design standards of a public street and the objectives of the development warrant private ownership of streets. In all situations, the approval of a private street shall be at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors. Applications that propose private streets shall include an agreement that shall be recorded with the office of the Centre County Recorder of Deeds in conjunction with the final plan. To avoid a delay, the applicant is encouraged to submit the agreement with the preliminary plan. Said agreement shall stipulate the following:

(1) The street shall be constructed and maintained in conformance with the public street standards of this chapter.

(2) Any future offer of dedication will include sufficient funds, as estimated by the Township, to return the street to the current public street standards.

(3) An offer for dedication will include whole streets and adequate circulation.

(4) Provision for assessing maintenance and repair cost to the owners of adjacent lots.

(5) Provision whereby an agreement by the owners of a set percentage of the frontage is binding on the remaining lot owners.

(6) Provision whereby all amendments to the agreement are subject to the review and approval of the Township.

C. Improvements to existing street.

(1) Improvement to existing streets may be required by the Township when a subdivision and/or land development abuts a Township street and/or state route that does not conform to the right-of-way or improvement standards of this chapter.

(2) Compliance with traffic impact report. Where the traffic impact report [see § 290-16E(4)] indicates that street improvements are required, the application shall include the installation of the improvements. The applicant shall be responsible for the improvements required to meet the goals of the traffic impact report. The goals of the traffic impact report are to:

(a) Provide safe and efficient movement of traffic within the site and on surrounding roads;

(b) Minimize the impact of the project upon non-site trips;

(c) Not allow the levels of service at intersections currently rated A or B to be worse than C;

(d) Maintain levels of service that are C or D; and

(e) Improve levels of service E or F to D.

D. Designated design speed. Horizontal and vertical street alignments shall be consistent with the proposed posted speed limit. The development plan must identify the intended design speed for each street. The designated design speed is subject to Township approval. Arterial streets shall not exceed a design speed of 55 mph. Collector streets shall not exceed a design speed of 35 mph. All other streets shall not exceed a design speed of 25 mph. The posted speed limit shall not exceed the design speed limit.

E. Street function.

(1) Streets shall be designed to form continuations of streets with similar function and access streets of a greater function.

(2) Local streets shall be laid out to discourage excessive speeds. Streets shall conform to the circulation routes of the Township, adjoining development patterns, topography, and natural features.

(3) The arterial street provides for traffic flow between municipalities. Direct access to adjoining properties is a minor and secondary responsibility of an arterial street. Development that adjoins arterial streets is required to conform to the following:

(a) No vehicular access is permitted along an arterial street when alternative access is possible from a street of less classification.

(b) Access routes to arterial streets are encouraged to provide for use by adjoining properties to coordinate and reduce the number of access points. Shared access drives, feeder roads, marginal access streets, reverse frontage lots, or other such treatment are encouraged to reduce the number of intersections along arterial streets.

(c) Intersections of streets with arterial streets shall not be located closer than 1,000 feet, measured along the center line of the arterial street. Intersections of access drives with arterial streets shall not be located closer than 500 feet.

F. Street provisions for future development.

(1) Where the Township determines it appropriate, areas shall be reserved for future street usage in conjunction with the development of adjacent land. Areas reserved for street usage shall include sufficient area to establish street and lot grades and the extent of area necessary to construct the street. The Township may require the extension of sanitary sewer and water supply lines within the future street area. An agreement satisfactory to the Township and Township Solicitor shall be submitted for the construction and future removal of the temporary turnaround.

(2) Wherever there exists a dedicated or platted area reserved for future street usage along the boundary of a property being developed, the adjacent street shall be extended into the proposed project, provided this use is not adverse to significant man-made or natural features of the site.

(3) When connecting a proposed street to an existing temporary cul-de-sac, such connection and all restoration work required to restore the adjacent lots in the area of the existing turnaround shall be the responsibility of the developer proposing the connection.

G. Street sign, traffic controls and street names.

(1) Street signs, including name, traffic controls and parking controls, shall be constructed and installed by the developer according to the specifications of the Township and PennDOT. Street name signs shall provide six-inch-high letters on a maximum size sign of eight inches by 36 inches. Street name signs shall be in reflectorized white on a green background (see PennDOT Publication 236M). High intensity or high performance sheeting (Type III or IV) shall be used for all signs (see PennDOT Publication 408M).

(2) Streets that are continuations of existing streets shall be known by the same name. Names for new streets shall not duplicate or closely resemble names of existing streets within the same postal area. All new street names are subject to approval by the Township, and Centre County Emergency Management and Local U.S. Postal Office.

H. Vertical street alignment. Vertical street alignments shall be measured along the center line. The minimum grade of all streets shall be 3/4%. The maximum grade for streets shall not exceed 10%.

(1) Vertical curve. Vertical curves shall be used in changes of grade exceeding 1%. The minimum lengths (in feet) of vertical curves shall be as follows:

Design Speed (miles per hour)	Minimum Sight (feet)
20	125
25	150
30	200
35	250
40	325
45	400
50	475
55	550

(2) Vertical alignment at street intersection. A leveling area shall be provided where the approaching grade, within 100 feet of the center line intersection, exceeds 7% on streets at a four-way street intersection, or the terminating street at a three-way intersection. Such leveling area shall have a maximum grade of 5% for a minimum length of 100 feet measured from the intersection of the center lines.

(3) Vertical alignment at street turnaround. The grade, in all directions, within the diameter of a turnaround at the terminus of a permanent cul-de-sac shall be at least 3/4% and not exceed 5% in all directions.

(4) Street side slope.

(a) All areas within the street right-of-way shall be graded substantially consistent with the street center line. The maximum slopes of banks located outside of the street right-of-way, measured perpendicular to the right-of-way of the street, shall not exceed three to one for fills and two to one for cuts.

(b) The Board of Supervisors may accept steeper slopes to avoid disruption of significant natural features, provided adequate safety and maintenance issues are addressed.

(c) Guide rail protection is required along embankments when a barrier is indicated as warranted in latest version of Design Manual Part 2, Highway Design, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Guide rail shall be constructed according to PennDOT standards.

I. Horizontal street alignment.

(1) Horizontal street alignments shall be measured along the center line. Horizontal curves shall be used at all angle changes.

(2) Single, long radius curves shall be used, rather than a series of curves with varying radii and/or a series of short curves separated by short, straight segments. The minimum center line radii for horizontal curves are as follows:

Design Speed (miles per hour)	Minimum Center Line Radius (feet)
20	100
25	150
30	230
35	310
40	430
45	550
50	700
55	850

(3) Perimeter street. Street locations along the perimeter of a property shall be required to provide building setback lines and clear sight triangles within the adjacent properties; permission for these encroachments shall be obtained in the form of a right-of-way from the adjacent landowner.

(4) Cartway alignment. The center line of the street cartway shall correspond with the center line of the street right-of-way.

(5) Intersection.

(a) Right angle intersections shall be used whenever possible. No street shall intersect another at a center line angle of less than 75° or more than 105°.

(b) Intersections shall be approached on all sides by a straight center line with a minimum length of 50 feet.

J. Street right-of-way and cartway width.

(1) The minimum street right-of-way width and cartway width is as follows:

Street Type	Single-Family Detached Dwellings on Lot Frontage of 100 Feet or Greater	All Other Development
Arterial street	As determined by the Board of Supervisors after consultation with PennDOT	As determined by the Board of Supervisors after consultation with PennDOT
Collector street	Right-of-way: 50 feet Paved shoulder: 8 feet (4 feet per side) Cartway: 18 feet	Right-of-way: 50 feet Paved shoulder: 8 feet (4 feet per side) Cartway: 18 feet
Minor street (rural)	Right-of-way: 50 feet Stabilized shoulder: 8 feet (4 feet per side) Cartway: 16 feet	Right-of-way: 50 feet Stabilized shoulder: 8 feet (4 feet per side) Cartway: 16 feet
Cul-de-sac	Right-of-way: radius 50 feet Paved shoulder: radius 40 feet Cartway: radius 36 feet	Right-of-way: radius 50 feet Paved shoulder: radius 40 feet Cartway: radius 36 feet
Service drive	Not applicable	Right-of-way: 20 feet, minimum Cartway: 16 feet

(2) The extension of existing streets which are presently constructed with a cartway different from the standards of this chapter shall be provided with a transition area, the design of which is subject to Township approval.

K. Street improvements.

(1) All proposed street cartways shall be constructed in accordance with PennDOT specifications (Publication 408) and the following chart:

Street Type	Improvement
Arterial	In accordance with PennDOT specifications
Collector and minor (rural) street	Top: 2-inch ID-2 (Superpave or Gyratory 9.5 mm) wearing course Base: 4-inch BCBC (Superpave or Gyratory 25 mm) Subbase: 6 inches of 2A subbase on a prepared subgrade
Paved shoulder	Top: 2-inch ID-2 (Superpave or Gyratory 9.5 mm) wearing course Base: 4-inch BCBC (Superpave or Gyratory 25 mm) Subbase: 6 inches of 2A subbase on a prepared subgrade
Stabilized shoulder	6 inches of 2A subbase on a prepared subgrade

(a) Geotextile fabric shall be used in accordance with the specific street design or at the direction of the Township Engineer.

(b) The Township reserves the right to increase the minimum street improvement standards when there is evidence of inadequate soil subgrade bearing capacity or of the possibility of excess equivalent 18,000 single axle load applications during the twenty-year design life of the pavement.

(c) The developer may request, by the waiver provisions of this chapter, a lesser pavement section. The waiver request shall include a pavement design analysis in accordance with the procedure specified in the latest edition of PennDOT's Roadway Management Manual Publication 242, demonstrating that a lesser pavement section may be used.

(d) The extension of existing streets that are presently constructed with a cartway different from the standards of this chapter shall be provided with a transition area, the design of which is subject to Township approval.

(2) Backfilling. Utility excavations in areas of streets shall be backfilled, in accordance with the following standards:

(a) Except where concrete encasement or concrete cradle is specifically called for, all pipe and conduit shall be laid in bedding material, PennDOT 2A coarse aggregate or AASHTO No. 57 coarse aggregate.

(b) Where concrete encasement or concrete cradle is specified, the concrete cradle or concrete encasement shall be constructed as detailed.

(c) Where the developer excavates the bottom of the trench deeper than theoretically required, the developer shall furnish all of the additional bedding material (AASHTO No. 57 coarse aggregate or PennDOT 2A coarse aggregate or concrete cradle or concrete encasement) required to backfill the bottom of the trench to the underside of the specified pipe bedding.

(d) Pipe bedding material shall be carefully deposited in layers not to exceed four inches in thickness on both sides of the pipe and thoroughly and carefully compacted until enough completed backfill material has been placed to provide a cover of not less than one foot above the pipe.

(e) No backfilling shall be done before the Township Engineer, Township Roadmaster, or designee(s) gives permission. Backfilling may be done with power equipment after the pipe bedding has been properly placed. No backfilling shall be completed unless a sufficient number of men are employed to spread the backfill in layers of the thickness specified herein and/or detailed on the drawings and to thoroughly tamp same before the next layer is applied. Tamping shall be done by mechanical power tampers or approved vibratory compaction equipment.

(f) Pipe trenches shall be backfilled from the top of the pipe bedding to ground surface with the type of material specified herein and/or detailed on the drawings. Unimproved areas (stabilized alleys, alleys, stabilized shoulders, stabilized driveways, all other stabilized areas and lawn/grass areas) shall be backfilled with suitable on-site excavated soil or soil-rock mixed materials containing no topsoil, organic matter, frozen or wet material, lumber, metal and refuse, and free of rock or similar hard objects larger than two inches in greatest dimension. The rock-to-soil ratio shall not exceed one part rock to three parts soil. Backfill shall be carefully placed and compacted in layers not in excess of six-inch thick using mechanical compacting equipment to the top of trench, as detailed on the drawings.

(g) Trenches located in improved areas (paved roadways, paved driveways, paved parking areas, and paved shoulders) shall be backfilled with PennDOT No. 2A coarse aggregate material from the top of the pipe bedding to the top of the trench, as detailed on the drawings. The backfill material must be spread and compacted in layers not in excess of six inches thick using mechanical compaction equipment. The developer shall concrete saw-cut the existing pavement in a straight, neat line, to the bottom elevation of the bituminous pavement, one foot on each side of the trench.

(h) Until such time as the permanent surface material is to be placed, all backfilled trenches shall be maintained to provide safe and comfortable surface for traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian. Whenever the trenches have not been properly backfilled or if settlement occurs, they shall be refilled, compacted, smoothed off, and finally made to conform to the surface of the ground (and reseeded if necessary).

(i) The developer must satisfactorily and completely backfill all trenching or other excavation prior to the termination of the workday. Unless the developer has written permission from the Township, it is prohibited to leave excavation open after working hours.

(3) Weather limitations.

(a) No stone shall be laid on frozen ground.

[1] The placing of bituminous concrete base course or binder course shall terminate after October 15 of each year and shall not be resumed until April 1 of the following year, unless the ground temperature and air temperature do not fall below, and are continuously above, 35° F. for five consecutive days prior to the day of placement of said materials.

[2] When the air temperature falls below 50° F., extra precautions shall be taken in drying the aggregate, controlling the temperature of the delivered material and compacting the mixture. Bituminous concrete base course or binder course shall not be placed on wet surfaces, nor when the air temperature is 35° F. or lower, nor when the temperature of the surface on which it is to be placed is 35° F. or lower.

(b) The placing of bituminous concrete wearing course or surface course shall terminate after October 15 of each year and shall not be resumed until April 1 of the following year, unless the ground temperature and air temperature do not fall below, and are continuously above, 40° F. for five consecutive days prior to the day of placement of said materials. When the air temperature falls below 50° F., extra precautions shall be taken in drying the aggregate, controlling the temperature of the delivered material and compacting the mixture. Bituminous concrete wearing course or surface course shall not be placed on wet surfaces, nor when the air temperature is 40° F. or lower, nor when the temperature of the surface on which it is to be placed is 40° F. or lower.

(c) In any case, no bituminous concrete shall be placed after December 15 or resumed prior to April 1 at the earliest. Placement shall not be resumed on April 1, unless five consecutive days of both ground temperature and air temperature above 40° F. are experienced.

L. Street intersection.

(1) State route. All intersections with a state route shall be subject to the approval of PennDOT. The applicant shall include Township comments with the submission of a PennDOT highway occupancy permit. Evidence of such submission is required with the preliminary plan submission.

(2) Multiple intersections. Multiple intersections involving the junction of more than two streets are prohibited. Only three-way and four-way intersections are permitted.

(3) Separation. The distance between the center line intersections of streets shall be measured along the center line of the street being intersected and conform to the following:

Function	Minimum Separation (feet)
Arterial and collector	1,000
Local	150

(4) Radii.

(a) The cartway edge at intersections shall be designed for the largest vehicle anticipated to use the intersection. The minimum radii shall conform to the latest edition of the AASHTO Design Manual, Exhibit 9-20, Edge of Traveled Way for Turns at Intersections.

(b) At a minimum, the cartway edge shall be rounded with a fifty-five-foot tangential arc for arterial and collector streets, and 30 feet tangential arc for local streets.

(c) The Township may require acceleration and/or deceleration lanes when warranted by traffic speed, traffic volume, or other traffic flow characteristics.

(d) The right-of-way radii at intersections shall be substantially concentric with the cartway edge.

(5) Sight triangle. On corner lots, there shall be provided and maintained a clear sight triangle of at least 100 feet, as measured along the center line from the intersecting roads. No structure, planting, excavation, nor other visual obstruction shall be permitted above a height of 30 inches and below a height of 10 feet. All such clear sight triangles shall be depicted upon proposed subdivision and land development plans. A public right-of-way shall be reserved for removing any visual obstruction within the clear sight triangle.

(6) Safe stopping distance. All intersections shall be designed to comply with the minimum sight distance requirements, as described in 67 Pa. Code § 441.8(h)(2)(iv) and PennDOT Publication 282, page 27, as amended. The diagrams below and the following measurement procedures, shall be used to establish the minimum sight distance for vehicles intending to cross over a travel lane, and to the rear of a vehicle intending to turn left into an access. See PennDOT Publication 282, page 18, Note 1(a), for information on measuring sight distance for vehicles exiting an access location.

(a) To measure sight distance between a vehicle intending to turn left into an access and a vehicle approaching in the opposite direction, the position of the driver of the turning vehicle is taken to be 35 feet in advance of the driveway center line (allows a twenty-five-foot turning radius, plus ten-foot distance from the front of the car to the driver's eye). The available sight distance is measured from the center line of the intersection to the point where an approaching vehicle can first be seen. The eye height of the driver intending to turn left is established at 3 1/2 feet. The eye height of the driver of the vehicle approaching the intersection from the opposite direction is established at 4 1/4 feet.

(b) To measure sight distance for a motorist approaching a vehicle stopped to make a left turn into an intersection from the rear of the left-turning vehicle is taken to be 45 feet from the center line of the intersection (allows a twenty-five-foot turning radius, plus 20 feet for the length of the vehicle). The available sight distance is measured from the rear of the left-turning vehicle, to the point where approaching vehicles can first see the vehicle waiting to turn left. The eye height of the approaching driver is established at 3 1/2 feet. The eye height of the driver of the vehicle waiting to turn left is established at 4 1/4 feet.

(c) To determine roadway grades when measuring sight distance, an average grade should be calculated over the length of roadway in which the approaching motorist will physically apply the brakes of the vehicle. This length of roadway can be determined by subtracting the perception/reaction time component of the minimum safe stopping sight distance equation from the measured sight distance. See 67 Pa. Code § 441.8(h)(2)(iv).

(d) The prevailing speed of traffic shall be considered when evaluating the available sight distance for an intersection. If it is evident that prevailing speeds are higher than the posted speed limit, and the available sight distance is near to the sight distance required for the posted speed limit, an 85th percentile speed should be measured near the intersection. The 85th percentile speed would then be used to calculate the minimum safe stopping sight distance requirements.

M. Cul-de-sac street.

(1) A cul-de-sac is not permitted, unless required by topography or land configuration. Temporary or permanent cul-de-sac streets shall have a minimum length of 250 feet and not exceed 1,000 feet in length or provide access to greater than 20 dwelling units. At the discretion of the Township, cul-de-sac streets may serve more than 20 dwellings when adequate provisions are made for vehicular circulation.

(2) The cul-de-sac length is measured from the center line intersection with a street that is not a cul-de-sac, to the center of the cul-de-sac turnaround.

(3) All cul-de-sac streets, whether permanently or temporarily designed, shall be provided with a fully paved, closed-end turnaround at a minimum width/diameter of 100 feet and a right-of-way width/diameter of 120 feet. The use of a temporary turnaround shall be guaranteed until the street is extended. A right side center-line offset for the turnaround is desired. A left side center-line offset of the turnaround is prohibited.

(4) A snow dropoff area shall be provided at the terminus of the turnaround area. The snow dropoff area shall be 28 feet wide and 20 feet deep from the street curbline. The snow dropoff area shall be centered on the center line of the street as the street approaches the turnaround area. The snow dropoff area shall be free of utility terminal boxes, mailboxes, and other facilities that may hamper snow storage or may require accessibility during snow periods.

§ 290-28 Alleys.

The use of alleys is prohibited.

§ 290-29 Driveways.

A. Driveways shall only be used to provide vehicular access between a street and a tract of land containing one single-family dwelling. Driveways shall conform to the standards contained in Chapter 335, Zoning, as may be amended from time to time. The Township may require the subdivision plan to identify the potential location of driveways when site conditions may limit available driveway locations.

B. Driveway intersections with a state route shall be subject to the approval of PennDOT. The applicant shall include Township comments with the submission of a PennDOT highway occupancy permit. Evidence of such submission is required with the preliminary plan submission.

C. Driveways shall not connect with a street within 50 feet of the right-of-way lines of any intersecting street, within five feet of a fire hydrant, or within 10 feet of adjoining lot lines, unless a joint-use driveway straddles the property line.

D. Driveways shall be provided with a clear sight triangle with a line of sight between points which are established along the center line of the intersecting streets. The minimum clear sight triangle is 75 feet from all points. No permanent obstructions and/or plant material over three feet high shall be placed within the clear sight triangle.

E. Driveways shall not exceed a slope of 7% within 25 feet of the street right-of-way.

F. Driveways shall access the street of lesser classification when there is more than one street classification involved.

G. No driveway shall provide width exceeding 24 feet at the street cartway.

H. Joint-use driveways may serve up to a maximum of four total dwellings/lots. All joint-use driveways shall have a minimum cartway width of 16 feet. Cross-access easements shall be required to ensure common use of, access to, and maintenance of, joint-use driveways; such easements shall be recorded in language acceptable to the Township Solicitor, and depicted on the subdivision plan.

I. Driveways shall have a paved apron for a distance of 25 feet from the paved edge of the street cartway.

J. All driveways that access directly onto an arterial or collector street shall be configured with a vehicle turnaround so that no vehicle shall need to back up onto the street.

K. Driveways shall be provided with adequate controls for stormwater runoff along the driveway and the intersecting street.

L. Joint-use driveways.

(1) When one or more flag lots are proposed, such lots may rely upon a joint-use driveway for vehicular access;

(2) A joint-use driveway must serve at least one flag lot, but may also serve conventional lots, up to a maximum of four total lots;

(3) All joint-use driveways shall have a minimum cartway width of 16 feet; and

(4) Cross-access easements shall be required to ensure common use of, access to, and maintenance of, joint-use driveways; such easements shall be recorded in language acceptable to the Township Solicitor, and depicted on the subdivision plan.

§ 290-30 Access drives.

Access drives are private drives which provide vehicular movement between a street and a tract of land containing any use other than one single-family dwelling unit or farm. Access drives shall conform to the following:

A. Number per lot. The number of access drives intersecting with a street may not exceed two per lot. A waiver for additional access points may be requested to meet exceptional circumstances, such as intensity of development and extensive road frontage.

B. Vertical alignment. The vertical alignments of access drives shall conform to the specifications for streets, as stated in § 290-27H.

C. Horizontal alignment. The horizontal alignments of access drives shall be measured along the center line. Horizontal curves shall be used at all angle changes more than 2°. All curves shall be tangential arcs. The minimum horizontal curve radius shall be 75 feet.

D. Intersection. All access drive intersections shall be:

(1) Subject to approval of PennDOT when intersecting a state route. The applicant shall include Township comments with the submission of a PennDOT highway occupancy permit. Evidence of such submission is required with the preliminary plan submission.

(2) Set back 100 feet from the intersection of any street right-of-way lines.

(3) Set back 100 feet from the intersection of any other access drive located upon the same lot (measured from cartway edges).

(4) Set back 10 feet from any side and/or rear property lines; however, this setback, except when located along the property line of a joint parking lot, is shared by adjoining uses.

(5) Separated from an access drive intersection on adjacent properties a sufficient distance to provide safety and efficient movement of vehicles.

(6) Clear sight triangle.

(a) Access drives that serve more than 10 off-street parking spaces shall, at their intersection with a street, provide a clear sight triangle of at least 100 feet, as measured along the center line from the intersecting access drive and street. Access drives that serve less than 10 off-street parking spaces shall, at their intersection with a street, provide a clear sight triangle of at least 100 feet, measured along the center line from the intersecting street and 50 feet measured along the center line from the intersecting access drive.

(b) The clear sight triangle shall be maintained by the property owner. No structure, planting, excavation, nor other visual obstruction shall be permitted above a height of 30 inches and below a height of 10 feet. All such clear sight triangles shall be depicted upon proposed subdivision and land development plans. A public right-of-way shall be reserved for removing any visual obstruction within the clear sight triangle.

(7) Designed in accordance with § 290-27L(2), (4) and (6).

(8) The Township may require acceleration and/or deceleration lanes when warranted by traffic speed, traffic volume, or other traffic flow characteristics.

E. Cul-de-sac.

(1) Access drives which form a cul-de-sac shall not exceed 1,000 feet in length, measured from the center line intersection of a street or access drive which is not a cul-de-sac. Access drive culs-de-sac that do not terminate in a parking compound shall be provided at the terminus with a fully paved turnaround with a minimum diameter of 100 feet.

(2) The Township may permit an alternative turnaround design, including a turnaround incorporated in a parking court or a landscaped island, provided safe movement of traffic is assured.

F. Parking. When vehicular parking is prohibited along access drives, the prohibition must be acknowledged on the plan and properly signed along the cartway.

G. Improvement. The cartway of all access drives shall be constructed to the minor street improvement specification stated in § 290-27K.

H. Cartway width. The following table specifies various access drive width requirements:

Function	Required Cartway Width (feet)
Two lanes of traffic with parallel parking along the cartway	34
Two lanes of traffic without parallel parking along the cartway	18
One lane of traffic with one lane of parallel parking along the cartway*	17
One lane of traffic without parallel parking along cartway*	9

NOTES:
*	The one-way direction of traffic must be identified along the cartway.

I. Side slope.

(1) The maximum slopes of banks located within 20 feet of the cartway shall not exceed 3:1 for fills and 2:1 for cuts. The Board of Supervisors may accept steeper slopes to avoid disruption of significant natural features, provided safety and maintenance issues are addressed.

(2) Guide rail protection is required along embankments when a barrier is indicated, as warranted in latest version of Design Manual Part 2, Highway Design, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Guide rail shall be constructed according to the PennDOT standards.

J. Access drive signs, traffic controls and name signs.

(1) Access drive signs, including name, traffic controls and parking controls shall be constructed and installed by the developer according to the specifications of the Township and PennDOT. Name signs shall provide six-inch-high letters on a maximum size sign of eight inches by 36 inches. Name signs shall be in reflectorized white on a green background (see PennDOT Publication 236M). High intensity or high performance sheeting (Type III or IV) shall be used for all signs (see PennDOT Publication 408M).

(2) Access drives that are continuations of existing access drives shall be known by the same name. Names for new access drives shall not duplicate or closely resemble names of existing streets or access drives within the same postal area. All new names are subject to approval by the Township, and Centre County Emergency Management and Local U.S. Postal Office.

§ 290-31 Nonlicensed vehicle crossings.

All nonlicensed vehicle trail crossings (e.g., bicycle, carriage, equestrian, golf carts, off-road vehicles, and snowmobiles) of a street, access drive, or driveway shall be:

A. Designed in a manner consistent with the existing stormwater drainage of the area being crossed.

B. Easily identifiable in all directions.

C. Perpendicular to the street, access drive, or driveway.

D. Located no less than 15 feet from the cartway edge of a street, access drive, or driveway intersection.

E. Provided with a clear sight triangle and sight distance as required for a street, in accordance with § 290-27L(5) and (6).

F. Not exceeding a slope of 8% within 25 feet of the cartway being crossed.

G. Signed to warn both motorists and individuals crossing the location. The surface of the crossing shall be brightly painted with angle stripes.

§ 290-32 Vehicular parking.

A. Single-family dwelling. A single-family dwelling shall be required to provide two off-street parking spaces which may take the form of garages, carports or driveways. The remaining provisions of § 290-32 apply to off-street parking facilities serving other than one single-family dwelling.

B. Surface. All parking lots shall be constructed and maintained with a paved surface of concrete or bituminous materials, or another approved dust-free surface.

C. Drainage. Parking lots shall be graded to a minimum slope of 1% to provide for drainage. Adequately sized inlets and storm sewers shall be provided to discharge stormwater.

D. Lighting. Adequate lighting shall be provided if the parking lot is to be used at night. Such fixtures shall be shielded so as not to project light upwards or at land used for residential purposes, or adjoining lots or streets.

E. Parking lot design. The minimum parking space sizes for parallel parking is 23 feet by eight feet and non-parallel parking is 19 feet by nine feet.

F. Access.

(1) All parking lots shall connect to streets by way of an access drive. The standards for access drives are provided in Section 602.5.

(2) Parking areas shall be designed so that each vehicle may proceed to and from the parking space without requiring the moving of any other vehicle. Aisles shall provide vehicular access within a parking compound and entrance/exit area for individual parking spaces. Aisles may not be used to intersect streets. All aisles shall have the minimum widths indicated in the following table:

Angle of Parking (degrees)	Width of Driveway One-Way Traffic (feet)	Width of Driveway Two-Way Traffic (feet)
90°	24	24
60°	18	22
45°	13	22
30°	12	22
Parallel	12	22

(3) All aisles in areas where there is no parking permitted shall be 12 feet wide for each lane of traffic.

G. End stall. All dead-end parking lots shall be designed to provide sufficient backup area for all end stalls.

H. Marking. All parking lots shall be adequately marked and maintained for the purpose of defining parking spaces and interior drives. The lines of all parking spaces and interior drives (including directional arrows, etc.) shall be solid white and four inches in width. Painted lines, arrows and dividers shall be provided and maintained to control parking and to direct vehicular circulation.

I. Setback.

(1) Parking spaces shall be set back 10 feet from all property lines. Setbacks shall be landscaped.

(2) Parking spaces shall be guarded by curbs or other protective devices, so that parked cars cannot project into access and interior drives, the streets, or walkways.

J. Handicapped parking. Parking spaces for handicapped persons shall be governed by the latest guidelines described under the Americans with Disabilities Act.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.

K. Joint parking lots.

(1) In commercial shopping centers and office parks over two acres in size, joint parking lots may be permitted. These joint facilities can reduce the total number of parking spaces required by a maximum of 20%. Therefore, the resulting joint parking lot will be required to provide at least 80% of the total number of spaces required by the sum of all of the shopping center's tenants. Such reduced parking spaces must be appropriately distributed on the lot to provide convenient walking distance between every vehicle and each of the shopping center's stores.

(2) Required parking spaces may be provided in parking lots designated to jointly serve two or more establishments or uses, provided that the number of required spaces in such joint facility shall not be less than the total required separately for all such establishments or uses.

(3) However, where it can be conclusively demonstrated that one or more uses will be generating a demand for parking spaces, primarily during periods when the other use(s) is not in operation, the total number of required parking spaces may be reduced to that required number of spaces that would be needed to serve the use generating the most demand for parking, plus 20% of that number of required parking spaces needed to serve the use(s) generating the demand for lesser spaces.

L. Schedule of required number of parking spaces. The following lists the required numbers of parking spaces by use type. Any use involving a combination of several uses shall provide the total number of spaces required for each individual use:

Type of Use	Minimum of One Parking Space for Each
Commercial Uses
Automobile repair, filling and washing facilities	400 square feet of gross floor and ground area devoted to repair and service facilities, in addition to areas normally devoted to automobile storage and 1 per employee on major shift
Automobile, boat, and trailer sales	1,000 square feet of gross indoor and outdoor display areas
Carpeting, drapery, floor covering, and wall covering sales	500 square feet of gross floor area
Convenience stores	75 square feet of gross floor area
Drive-through and/or fast-food restaurants	2 seats and 1 per each 2 employees
Food markets and grocery stores	150 square feet of gross floor area for public use and 1 per each employee on 2 largest shifts
Funeral homes	100 square feet of gross floor area, 1 per each employee, and 1 per each piece of mobile equipment, such as hearses and ambulances
Furniture sales	500 square feet gross floor area
Hotels, motels	Guest sleeping room and 1 per each employee on 2 largest shifts (restaurants and other accessory uses shall add to this requirement)
Mini warehouses	25 units, plus 1 per 250 square feet of office space, plus 2 per any resident manager
Nightclubs and taverns	2 seats plus 1 per employee on largest shift
Office buildings	300 square feet of gross floor area
Professional offices of veterinarians, physicians, dentists, etc.	6 spaces per each physician or dentist, etc.
Retail stores or shops (except those listed above)	200 square feet of gross floor area (display area and/or sales area and 1 per each employee on 2 largest shifts)
Restaurants	4 seats plus 1 per each employee on largest shift
Shopping centers or malls	182 square feet of gross leasable floor area
Other commercial buildings	400 square feet of gross floor area
Industrial Uses
Industrial and manufacturing establishments	2 employees on the 2 largest shifts or at least 1 space per each 1,000 square feet of gross floor area, whichever is the greatest number
Warehousing	Employee on the 2 largest shifts
Recreation Uses
Amusement arcades	80 square feet of gross floor area
Athletic fields	4 seats of spectator seating; however, if no spectator seating is provided, a temporary parking area shall be provided on the site; such area must provide sufficient numbers of spaces to serve all users of the site, and include a fence delineating such parking area.
Bowling alleys, billiards rooms	1/4 lane/table and 1 per each 2 employees
Campgrounds	Per campsite, plus 1 per employee, plus 50% of the spaces normally required for accessory uses
Golf courses	1/8 hole, plus 1 per employee, plus 50% of the spaces normally required for accessory uses
Golf driving ranges	1 per tee and 1 per employee
Miniature golf courses	1/2 hole and 1 per employee
Riding schools or horse stables	2 stalls, plus 1 per every 4 seats of spectator seating
Picnic areas	Per table
Skating rinks	4 persons of legal occupancy, plus 1 per employee
Swimming pools (other than one accessory to a residential development)	4 persons of legal occupancy, plus 1 per employee
Tennis or racquetball clubs	1/4 court plus 1 per employee, plus 50% of the spaces normally required for accessory uses
Residential Uses
Single-family detached dwellings and seasonal dwellings	1/2 dwelling unit (i.e., 2 spaces per dwelling unit)
Boardinghouses, group homes, and bed-and-breakfasts	Bedroom
Duplex, townhouse, multiple-family, and conversion apartment dwellings	1/3 dwelling unit (i.e., 3 spaces per dwelling unit); such parking spaces can take the form of private driveways, or garages and/or common parking lots, provided all spaces required are within 150 feet of the unit served
Social and Institutional Uses
Auditorium, banquet, conference, and meeting facilities; church, theater, and other such places of public assembly	200 square feet, but not fewer than one space per each three seats
Clubs, lodges, and other similar places	200 square feet of gross floor area and one per each employee on two largest shifts
Nursing or rest homes	3 accommodations (beds) in addition to those needed for doctors and support staff
Hospitals, sanitariums	Spaces shall be provided for visitors, at the rate of at least one space per each 1.5 accommodations (beds); such spaces shall be in addition to those necessary for doctors and other personnel
Museums, art galleries, cultural centers, libraries	400 square feet of gross floor area
Rehabilitation centers (without overnight accommodations)	1 per each employee and per each 3 people anticipated to be handled through the facility
Schools below grade ten, including kindergarten and day-care centers	6 individuals enrolled
Schools, tenth grade and above, including colleges	3 students enrolled
Vocational training and adult education facilities	1.5 students enrolled

M. Landscaped strip.

(1) A landscaped strip shall be provided on the property along the entire street line when a parking lot is located in a yard which abuts a street. This strip shall be measured from the street right-of-way. The strip may be located within any other landscaped strip required to be located along a street. The following lists required width of landscape strips:

Number of Spaces in Parking Lot, Including Joint Facilities	Landscape Strip Width Measured from Street Right-of-Way (feet)
Less than 100	15
100 to 250	20
Over 250	25

(2) The landscape strip shall be designed in accordance with § 290-32M.

N. Landscape screening. The parking lot shall be screened from the adjoining residential area. Screening strips shall be designed in accordance with § 290-32N.

O. Interior landscaping.

(1) Four percent of the total area of the lot shall be devoted to interior landscaping in any parking lot containing 20 or more parking spaces (except a parking garage). Interior landscaping may be used at the end of parking space rows to break up parking areas at least every 10 parking spaces, and to help visually define travel lanes through or next to the parking lot. Not less than a four-foot radius of curvature shall be permitted for horizontal curves around internal landscaping.

(2) For computing the total area of any parking lot, all areas within the perimeter of the parking lot shall be counted, including all parking spaces and access drives, aisles, islands, and curbed areas.

(3) Ground cover alone is not sufficient to meet this requirement. Trees, shrubs or other approved material shall be provided. At least one shade tree shall be provided for each 500 square feet (or fraction) of required interior landscaping area. These trees shall have a clear trunk at least five feet above finished grade level.

(4) The interior landscaping shall be provided for the entire parking lot, if a parking lot of under 20 spaces is built without interior landscaping, and later additional spaces are added so that the total is 20 or more.

P. Speed bump. All speed bumps provided as part of access drives or parking lot aisles shall be marked with permanent, yellow diagonal stripes. Speed bumps may be in the form of mounds or depressions in the pavement. There shall be warning signs posted at each entrance to a parking area that has speed bumps. In no case shall the overall height (or depth) or speed bumps exceed two inches.

§ 290-33 Off-street loading.

A. Schedule of required loading space. The following list the require number of loading spaces for each type of land use.

Type of Use	Number Spaces Per	Gross Floor Area
Hospital or other institution	None	First 10,000 square feet
	1.0	10,001 to 100,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 100,000 square feet (or fraction)
Hotel, motel and similar lodging facilities	None	First 10,000 square feet
	1.0	10,001 to 100,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 100,000 square feet (or fraction)
Industry or manufacturing	None	First 2,000 square feet
	1.0	2,001 to 25,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 40,000 square feet (or fraction)
Multiple-family dwelling	None	Less than 100 dwelling units
	1.0	101 to 300 dwelling units
	+1.0	Each additional 200 dwelling units (or fraction)
Office building, including banks	None	First 10,000 square feet
	1.0	10,001 to 100,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 100,000 square feet (or fraction)
Retail sales and services, per store, and restaurants	None	First 2,000 square feet
	1.0	2,001 to 10,000 square feet
	2.0	10,001 to 40,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 100,000 square feet (or fraction)
Shopping centers (integrated shopping centers, malls and plazas) having at least 25,000 square feet	1.0	25,000 square feet up to 100,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 100,000 square feet
Theater, auditorium, bowling alley, or other recreational establishment	None	First 10,000 square feet
	1.0	10,001 to 100,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 100,000 square feet (or fraction)
Undertaking establishment or funeral parlor	None	First 3,000 square feet
	1.0	3,001 to 5,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 10,000 square feet (or fraction)
Wholesale or warehousing (except mini-warehousing)	None	First 1,500 square feet
	1.0	1,501 to 10,000 square feet
	+1.0	Each additional 40,000 square feet (or fraction)

B. Location. Ground level loading areas may be located in the side and rear yard. No exterior portion of a loading facility and its access drive shall be located within 50 feet of a residential zone.

C. Access. Every loading space shall be connected to a street by means of an access drive. The access drive shall be at least 24 feet wide for two-way travel, or 15 feet wide for one-way travel, exclusive of any parts of the curb and gutters. Section 290-30 specifies other requirements for access drives.

D. Circulation. Off-street loading spaces shall be designed so that there will be no need for service vehicles to back over streets or sidewalks. Furthermore, off-street loading spaces shall not interfere with off-street parking lots.

E. Surface. The surface of the loading area shall be constructed according to the local street standards.

F. Required size. The following lists required minimum loading space sizes, in feet (excluding access drives, entrances and exits):

Facility	Length (feet)	Width (feet)	Height (If Covered or Obstructed) (feet)
Industrial, wholesale and storage uses	63	12	15
All other uses	33	12	15

G. Landscape screening. A fifteen-foot-wide landscape screen shall surround all off-street loading facilities. The landscape screen shall be designed in accordance with § 290-44D.

§ 290-34 Sidewalks.

Sidewalks are not required. When provided, sidewalks shall conform with the following:

A. Location. Sidewalk located along streets shall be set back two feet from the street right-of-way and physically divided from the street cartway by curb or grass strip. Sidewalks, which are provided off-street or off-access drives, shall be physically divided from the vehicle area by curb or eight-foot-wide landscaped strip.

B. Improvement standard.

(1) Sidewalks located with a public right-of-way shall be constructed of Class A cement concrete four inches thick, containing steel mesh of six-inch-by-six-inch-by-14-inch gauge, upon a properly prepared subgrade. Where sidewalks are subject to vehicle crossings (e.g., driveways), a minimum concrete thickness of six inches is required. Four inches of AASHTO No. 57 crushed stone shall be properly compacted using a mechanical tamper. Concrete shall be poured in separate slabs 24 feet in length. The slabs shall be completely separated by 1/4-inch expansion joints and scored every four feet.

(2) Sidewalks located outside of a public right-of-way (e.g., adjacent to driveways, access drives and parking compounds) may be constructed of any stable and mud-free material.

C. Width. Sidewalks shall have a minimum width of four feet.

D. Vertical alignment. Sidewalks shall be graded to discharge stormwater runoff. A minimum cross slope of 2% shall be provided. The maximum slopes of banks located along sidewalks shall not exceed 3:1 for fills and 2:1 for cuts, measured perpendicular to the sidewalk.

E. Maintenance and repair. Maintenance and repair costs for sidewalks are the sole responsibility of the landowner.

F. ADA requirement. Sidewalks shall conform with the latest edition of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.

§ 290-35 Curbs and shoulders.

Curbs are not required along streets except when storm drainage conditions cannot be maintained within a swale, or where unusual or particular conditions prevail with respect to traffic, on-street parking, and/or safety of pedestrians.

A. Transitions. Transitions in curb type shall be subject to approval by the Township.

B. Improvement standard. Curbs shall be constructed in accordance with PennDOT Manual Form 408, Section 641, "Plain Cement Concrete Curb Gutter, Type A, C and D," as amended. All curb shall be placed on a four-inch crushed stone base.

C. ADA requirement. Curbs shall conform with the latest edition of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.

D. Curb types.

(1) Vertical curb shall be 22 inches deep, seven inches wide at the top, and eight inches wide at the base. The distance from the top of the curb to the flow line of the gutter shall be six inches.

(2) Slant curb shall be 16 inches deep at the back, 14 inches deep at the front, and 14 inches wide at the top and base. The distance from the street side top of the face of curb to the flow line of the gutter shall be one inch.

E. Shoulders. Shoulders shall be provided along all streets without curbs. The minimum shoulder width is four feet. Shoulders shall be stabilized according to PennDOT standards, and in areas that exceed 7%, paved according to PennDOT standards.

§ 290-36 Blocks and lots.

A. General. The configuration of blocks and lots shall be based upon the lot area requirements, traffic circulation, salient natural features, existing man-made features, and land use. Lot configurations should provide for flexibility in building locations, while providing safe vehicular and pedestrian circulation.

B. Residential block. All blocks in a residential subdivision shall have a maximum length along any side of 1,600 feet and a minimum length of any side of two tiers of lots that conform to the prevailing standards.

C. Nonresidential block. Block configurations in nonresidential areas shall be based primarily upon safe and efficient traffic circulation, and salient natural features.

D. Lot configuration.

(1) Side lot lines shall be at right angle or radial to street lines, whenever practical.

(2) Lot lines shall, wherever feasible, follow municipal boundaries, rather than cross them. The minimum standards of both municipalities shall apply where a lot is divided by a municipal boundary.

(3) Lots with areas that are two or more times the minimum area requirements shall, wherever feasible, be designed with configurations that allow for additional subdivision. The Township may require a sketch plan of such large lots that indicates the potential future subdivision is generally in conformance with the design standards.

(4) All lots shall front on a street. Satisfactory guarantee of the street construction shall be provided to the Township, when a lot is provided with street frontage solely from a proposed street that is located within an adjoining municipality.

(5) Lots that front upon two parallel streets, or upon two streets that do not intersect, shall restrict vehicular access to only one of the streets. One frontage shall be designated as the rear yard and have a planted buffer easement of at least 20 feet in width located immediately contiguous to the street right-of-way. Vehicular access shall be prohibited from the rear of the lot.

E. Flag lot.

(1) Flag lots are permitted for public uses and public utilities, and when it will enable the preservation of some important natural or cultural feature (including productive farmland), which would otherwise be disturbed by conventional lotting techniques.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a flag lot shall be described as containing two parts:

(a) The "flag" shall include that portion of the lot that is the location of the principal and accessory buildings.

(b) The "pole" shall be considered that portion of the site that is used for vehicular access between the site and its adjoining road.

(3) The minimum lot area and lot width shall be measured exclusively upon the flagpole.

(4) Yards and setbacks for a flag lot is determined at the following locations:

(a) Front yard. The area between the principal structure and that lot line of the flag which is most parallel to the street providing vehicular access to the site. Additionally, all areas of the pole shall be considered to be within the front yard;

(b) Rear yard. The area between the principal structure and that lot line of the flag that is directly opposite the front yard, as described above; and

(c) Side yards. The area between the principal structure and that one outermost lot line which forms the flag and pole, plus the area on the opposite side of the principal structure.

(5) The flag lot shall contain adequate driveway dimension for vehicular backup, so that ingress to, and egress from, the lot is in the forward direction.

(6) Pole.

(a) The pole shall maintain a minimum width of 28 feet.

(b) The pole shall not exceed 600 feet in length, unless additional length is needed to avoid the disturbance of productive farmlands or some other significant natural or cultural feature.

(c) No part of the pole shall be used for any portion of an on-lot sewage disposal system, nor any other improvement except a driveway and other permitted improvements, such as landscaping, fencing, utility connections to off-site facilities, mailboxes, and signs.

(d) The cartway contained on the pole shall be located at least six feet from any adjoining property line and 20 feet from any existing structures on the site or any adjoining property.

(e) No pole shall be located within 200 feet of another on the same side of the street, unless an adjoining pole utilizes a joint-use driveway.

F. Lot area. The following lot area standards apply to all uses. The required minimum lot area calculation shall exclude any area within the street right-of-way, utility right-of-way, drainage easements, watercourses, ponds, and wetland.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: The Lot Area Standards Table is included as an attachment to this chapter.

G. All remnants of land (areas remaining after subdivision) shall conform to the lot size and configuration requirements.

H. All lots shall be designed to provide sufficient building area based upon building setbacks, easements, floodplains, etc.

I. All accessory uses shall comply with the front yard setback and be set back five feet from side and rear lot lines.

J. All trash dumpsters located within a side or rear yard shall be set back at least 20 feet from all property lines and screened from adjoining roads and residential properties according to § 290-44D.

§ 290-37 Lot annexation.

A parcel of land may be added to an existing lot of record, provided:

A. The parcel to be added is contiguous to the receiving lot and maintains or improves the straightness of lot lines of both parcels.

B. Both the resulting remnant lot and expanded lot conform to the lot area and configuration requirements of the Township.

C. The subdivision plan includes the following note:

"This plan creates a lot annexation(s). Lot No.(s) _____ cannot be represented as, or conveyed as, a separate buildable lot(s), nor can Lot No.(s) _____ be used by itself (themselves) by any party for any construction or other land development.

The property transfer will result in the recording of a deed with the Centre County Recorder of Deeds. A copy of the recorded deed will be provided to the Township within 7 days of its recording."

D. The subdivision plan includes the following signed and notarized statement from the intended purchasers that:

"I/We hereby certify that, as the owners of adjacent land (Deed Reference No. _____) to the parcel shown as lands of ________________ on this plan, it is my/our intention to acquire said parcel upon approval and recording of this plan. I/We hereby agree to incorporate Lot No. _____ with my/our adjacent landholdings into one tract of land with one encompassing description within 90 days of transfer to my/our ownership. I/We further agree to provide a copy of the recorded deed to Rush Township within 7 days of its recording."

E. Lot areas, including lot areas that result from annexation, shall conform to the requirements of Chapter 335, Zoning.

§ 290-38 Vehicle access to lots and units of occupancy.

A. The location and number of vehicle access points (streets, access drives) shall be adequate for, and appropriate to, the size and nature of the land use and means of access. The Township may require at least two vehicle access points, where deemed necessary in the public interest and for the public safety.

B. All lands subdivided into more than 20 lots and/or all lands developed into more than 20 residential dwelling units shall provide for at least two vehicle access points to an existing public street.

C. In situations involving nonresidential subdivision or development, the Township may require at least two vehicle access points, when deemed necessary by the Township in the public interest and for public safety.

D. When additional access points cannot be provided in accordance with the standards for a street or access drive, the Township may allow an alternate means of ingress and egress for the sole use of emergency vehicles when the primary access is rendered unusable. Such alternate means of ingress and egress shall be at an adequate width and improvement to be usable by emergency vehicles at all times. Use and maintenance of the alternate access shall be specified in easements according to § 290-39.

§ 290-39 Easements.

Easements for public or shared services and utilities (e.g., sanitary sewer, water supply, stormwater management, electric, telephone, television cable, natural gas, pedestrian access) shall meet the following standards:

A. Easements shall be adjacent to property lines, to the fullest extent possible.

B. Nothing shall be placed, planted, set, or put within the area of an easement that would adversely affect the function of the easement or conflict with the easement agreement.

C. The plan notes and easement agreement shall clearly identify who has the right of access and responsibility for function of the easement area.

D. Pedestrian easements shall have a minimum width of 10 feet.

E. Sanitary sewer easements shall have a minimum width of 20 feet. Water supply easements shall have a minimum width of 20 feet. In the case of a shared utility easement, sufficient area shall be provided to allow a minimum of 10 feet between the center line of the utility and the edge of the right-of-way.

F. Stormwater easements shall have a minimum width of 30 feet and shall be adequately designed to provide area for:

(1) Collection and discharge of water;

(2) Maintenance, repair and reconstruction of the drainage facilities; and

(3) Passage of machinery for such work.

G. Where any existing electric or telephone transmission or petroleum product transmission line traverses a property, the applicant shall determine from the applicable company the minimum distance required between each structure and the center line of such transmission line. All applications shall include a copy of the recorded agreement or a letter from the owner of the transmission line stating any conditions on the use of the property and the right-of-way width.

§ 290-40 Survey monument and marker.

A. Permanent monuments shall be accurately placed along both sides of the right-of-way lines of each street and on the property lines at all points of intersection.

B. Monuments shall be set at all points where lot lines intersect curves and/or other property lines.

C. Monuments shall consist of steel reinforcement bar of diameter 3/4 inch (No. 6 rebar) at least 40 inches long with plastic cap identifying the professional land surveyor responsible for said monuments.

D. All monuments shall be placed by a registered land surveyor so that the scored or marked point shall coincide exactly with the point of intersection of the lines being monumented or marked.

E. All monuments shall be set 12 inches above finished grade.

F. Existing monuments shall be delineated on the preliminary plan. All existing and proposed monuments shall be delineated on the final plan.

§ 290-41 Stormwater management.

A. General criteria. The following general standards shall be to promote flow attenuation, erosion and sediment control, and flood control.

(1) All stormwater management plans shall be designed and certified by individuals registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and qualified to perform such duties.

(2) All stormwater management facilities shall employ best management practices (BMP), as defined in § 290-41K of this chapter.

(3) Where applicable, stormwater management facilities shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 105 (Water Obstructions and Encroachments) of Title 25, Rules and Regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

(4) Stormwater management facilities that involve a State highway shall be subject to the approval of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

(5) Stormwater runoff from a project site shall flow directly into a natural watercourse, into an existing storm sewer system, or onto adjacent properties in a manner similar to the runoff characteristics of the pre-development flow. The applicant must provide proof to the Township, that he or his agent has informed the immediate downstream property owner of changes to the stormwater discharge as a result of the proposed development.

(6) Stormwater runoff shall not be transferred from one watershed to another, unless the watersheds are subwatersheds of a common watershed which join together within the perimeter of the property, or the effect of the transfer does not alter the peak discharge onto adjacent lands, or drainage easements from the affected landowners are provided.

(7) All stormwater runoff flowing over the project site shall be considered in the design of the stormwater management facilities.

(8) Innovative methods for the detention and control of stormwater runoff may be used when approved by the Township. Various combinations of methods should be tailored to suit the particular requirements of the type of development and the topographic features of the project site. The following is a partial listing of detention and control methods which can be utilized in stormwater management systems where appropriate:

(a) Detention basins and retention basins.

(b) Rooftop storage.

(c) Parking lot ponding.

(d) Seepage pits, seepage trenches or other infiltration structures.

(e) Concrete lattice block surfaces.

(f) Grassed channels and vegetated strips.

(g) Cisterns and underground reservoirs.

(h) Routed flow over grass.

(i) Decreased impervious surface covered.

(9) Runoff may be managed regionally by one or more developers, either on-site or off-site. The design and release rate of the regional facilities shall be consistent with this chapter.

(10) No discharge of toxic material shall be permitted into any stormwater management system. Where required by federal and commonwealth regulation, the developer shall be responsible for obtaining a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for stormwater discharges.

(11) There shall be no increase in the peak rate of stormwater runoff from any regulated activity covered by this chapter following the completion of the activity (post-development conditions) to existing points of concentrated drainage that discharge onto adjacent property. These existing points of concentrated drainage shall not be altered.

(12) Areas of existing, diffused drainage discharge shall be subject to any applicable discharge criteria in the general direction of the existing discharge, whether proposed to be concentrated or maintained as diffused drainage areas, except as otherwise provided by this chapter. If diffused flow is proposed to be concentrated and discharged onto adjacent property, the developer must document that adequate downstream conveyance facilities exist to safely transport the concentrated discharge or otherwise prove that no erosion, sedimentation, flooding, or other harm will result from the concentrated discharge.

(13) Where a watercourse, drainageway, channel, stream or spring seep traverse a development site, such watercourse, drainageway, channel, stream or spring seep shall not be moved or diverted. A utility and drainage easement shall be provided paralleling the line of such watercourse, drainageway, channel, stream or spring seep. The width of the utility and drainage easement shall be adequate to preserve the unimpeded flow of the natural discharge in the 100-year floodplain, in accordance with the computed width of the floodplain. The terms of the easements shall stipulate that no trees, shrubs, excavation, or fill be placed and no regrading be performed within the area of the easement without written approval of the Township. The terms of the easements shall provide for maintenance of the easement, including mowing of vegetation within the easement, by the Township. All easement agreements shall be recorded with a reference to the easement indicated on the site plan. The format and content of the easement agreement shall be reviewed by the Township Supervisors, Township Engineer and Township Solicitor, and approved by the Township Supervisors.

(14) When it can be shown that, due to topographic conditions, natural drainageways on the site cannot adequately provide for drainage, open channels may be constructed conforming substantially to the line and grade of such natural drainageways. Work within natural drainageways shall be subject to approval by Pennsylvania DEP through the joint permit application process, or, where appropriate, by Pennsylvania DEP, through the general permit process.

(15) Minimization of impervious surfaces and infiltration of runoff through seepage beds, recharge trenches, etc., are encouraged, where soil conditions permit (not including soils with fragipans), to reduce the size or eliminate the need for detention facilities.

(16) To promote overland flow and infiltration/percolation of stormwater, except in areas where soils with fragipans exist, roof drains and driveway drainage shall not be connected to streets, storm sewers, or roadside ditches, unless approved to do so by the Township on a case-by-case basis. Roof drain and driveway drainage shall be connected to a stormwater infiltration system or systems designed in conformance with this chapter.

(17) Where deemed necessary by the Township Engineer, the applicant shall submit an analysis of the impacts of detained stormwater flows on downstream areas within the watershed. These impacts shall be identified with concurrence from the Township Engineer. The analysis shall include hydrologic and hydraulic calculations necessary to determine the impact peak discharge modifications from the proposed development have on critical locations, such as dams, tributaries, existing developments, undersized culverts, flood-prone areas, floodplains, etc.

(18) Springs, surface water/groundwater sump pump discharges and french drains shall extend to a stormwater collection/conveyance/control system of natural watercourse in accordance with the approved stormwater management plan for the development site. The outlets for these facilities shall be equipped with energy dissipation devices approved by the Township Engineer to prevent erosion.

B. Design storm. Stormwater design shall limit the calculated peak rate of stormwater runoff from the project site after development to the peak rate of runoff from the project site before development activities. Runoff calculations for the pre-development and post-development comparison shall be provided for the one-, two-, ten-, twenty-five-, and 100-year storm events.

C. Exemption criteria. New impervious areas that comply with the following chart are exempt from the Township stormwater management criteria:

Total Parcel Size (acres)	Minimum Distance* (feet)	Cumulative New Impervious Areas Exempt from Ordinance (square feet)
0 to 0.5	10	5,000
0.5 to 1	50	5,000
1 to 2	100	10,000
2 to 5	250	15,000
Greater than 5	500	20,000

NOTES:

*

The minimum distance between the proposed impervious area and/or stormwater controls/structure discharge point to the down-slope property line of the parent tract. In lieu of meeting the minimum distance criteria, the applicant may provide documentation from a qualified registered professional in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that the increased flows from the site leaves the site in the same manner as the pre-development condition, and that there will be no adverse effects to adjacent property, or the increased flows reach a natural drainageway or existing stormwater management structure before affecting adjacent property.

D. Methods of calculation. The methods to calculate runoff shall be as follows:

(1) The USDA Soil Conservation Service Soil-Cover-Complex Method, as set forth in the latest edition of Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds, Technical Release No. 55, as published by SCS, shall be used where the drainage area is greater than 100 acres; the time of concentration is greater than one hour; or, the calculated runoff to a point-of-interest requires the combination of multiple hydrographs from multiple subwatersheds of the study area.

(2) The Rational Method of Q=CIA, where "Q" is the peak discharge of the watershed in cubic feet per second, "C" is the coefficient of runoff, "I" is the intensity of rainfall in inches per hour, and "A" is the area of the watershed in acres.

(a) The Rational Method shall be used where the drainage area is less than 100 acres; the time of concentration is less than one hour; and the calculated runoff to a point-of-interest does not require the combination of multiple hydrographs from multiple subwatersheds of the study area.

(3) If the Rational Method is used, the Pennsylvania Rainfall Intensity-Duration-Frequency Chart shown in the latest version of Design Manual Part 2, Highway Design, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, shall be used to determine the rainfall intensity in inches per hour.

(4) Runoff calculations shall include a hydrologic and hydraulic analysis indicating volume and velocities of flow and the grades, sizes and capacities of water-carrying structures, sediment basins, retention and detention structures, and sufficient design information to construct such facilities. Runoff calculations shall also indicate both pre-development and post-development rates for peak discharge of stormwater runoff from the project site.

(5) For the purpose of calculating pre-development, on-site peak discharges, all on-site runoff coefficients shall be based on actual land use with good hydraulic condition. Off-site land use conditions used to determine storm flows for designing stormwater facilities shall be based on actual land use with good hydraulic condition.

(6) Criteria and assumptions to be used in the determination of stormwater runoff and design of management facilities are as follows:

(a) Runoff coefficients should be based on the following table.[1] If the land use is not listed, runoff coefficients shall be chosen from other published documentation, and a copy of said documentation shall be submitted with the stormwater management report. Higher coefficients may be required by the Township Engineer due to local soil conditions.

[1] Editor's Note: The Runoff Coefficients (C) for Rational Formula Table and Runoff Curve Numbers (CN) for SCS Method Table are included as attachments to this chapter.

(b) Times of concentration shall be based on the following design parameters:

[1] Sheet flow. The maximum length for each reach of sheet, or overland flow before shallow concentrated or open channel flow develops, is 150 feet. Sheet flow shall be determined using the SCS TR-55, Worksheet 3 (latest edition), or other acceptable engineering design standards, as determined by the Township Engineer.

[2] Shallow concentrated flow. Travel time for shallow concentrated flow shall be determined using Figure 3-1 from the latest edition of Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds, Technical Release No. 55, as published by SCS, or other acceptable engineering design standards, as determined by the Township Engineer.

[3] Open channel flows. At points where sheet and shallow concentrated flows concentrate in field depressions, swales, gutters, curbs, or pipe collection systems, the travel times and downstream end of the site between these design points shall be based upon Manning's equation or other acceptable engineering design standards, as determined by the Township Engineer.

E. Hydrographs.

(1) Pre-development hydrographs are required at the site discharge point (aka "point of interest") for the required twenty-four-hour design storms.

(2) Post-development hydrographs and/or combined hydrographs are required at the point of interest incorporating detention and non-detention techniques.

(3) Note: Hydrographs may be generated from either SCS TR-55 method or from use of the Modified Rational Method.

F. Water-carrying facilities. Water-carrying facilities shall be designed as follows:

(1) The design of stormwater management collection/conveyance systems including storm sewers that service drainage areas within the site and convey off-site runoff around or through the site shall be designed based upon the post-development 100-year return period storm peak runoff without surcharging inlets and without damage to drainage structures, properties, buildings or roadways and, in the case of man-made channels or swales, with freeboard of at least six inches.

(2) All storm sewer pipes, culverts, manholes, inlets, endwalls, and end sections shall be constructed in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Publication 408, as amended, and the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Design, Standards for Roadway Construction, Publication No. 72, in effect at the time the design is submitted, as modified by the adopted Township construction standards.

(3) Storm sewers shall be installed after excavating and filling in the area to be traversed is completed, unless the storm sewer is installed in the original ground with a minimum of four feet of cover and adequate protection of the storm sewer is provided during the fill construction.

(a) Storm sewers shall be designed with cradle when traversing fill areas of indeterminate stability and with anchors when gradient exceeds 20%. It shall be the responsibility of the design engineer to prepare a detailed cradle and/or anchor design. The anchors shall be spaced as follows:

[1] Not over 36 feet center-to-center on grades 20% and up to 35%.

[2] Not over 24 feet center-to-center on grades 35% and up to 50%.

[3] Not over 16 feet center-to-center on grades 50% and greater.

(b) Storm sewers shall be backfilled with PennDOT No. 2A coarse aggregate when traversing under paved areas and shoulder areas.

(c) Storm sewer pipe, trenching, bedding and backfilling requirements shall conform to the requirements of the Township or, when not specified by the Township, PennDOT Publication 408 Specifications and Standards for Roadway Construction, RC 1-100, latest edition, shall govern.

(4) Capacities. The capacities of the pipes, gutters, inlets, culverts, outlet structures, and swales shall consider all possible hydraulic conditions. The following are minimum design standards:

(a) Grass-lined ditches, swales and roadside gutters shall consider both the channel velocity and stability. Velocity analysis shall be determined using Manning's equation. The Manning's "n" factors to be used for grass-lined ditches, swales and gutters shall be based on accepted engineering design practices. Shear stress design analysis shall be provided based on accepted engineering design practices.

(b) The "n" factors to be used for paved, gabion-lined or riprap ditches, swales or gutters shall be based on accepted engineering design practices. Velocity analysis shall be determined using Manning's equation. The Manning's "n" factors to be used for appropriately lined ditches, swales and gutters shall be based on accepted engineering design practices. Shear stress design analysis shall be provided based on accepted engineering design practices.

(c) The velocity to be used in the design of any piped stormwater conveyance system shall be based on the maximum velocity obtainable. The capacity shall be based upon full flow conditions.

(d) Culvert analysis. In all cases where drainage is collected by a headwall where inlet or outlet control may govern, the pipe shall be designed as a culvert, as outlined in Hydraulic Engineering Design Series No. 5, latest edition of the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC. The allowable headwater should be determined by the specific entrance conditions and sound engineering The capacities of pipes shall be computed from the Manning Formula judgment. The design of culverts shall not create excessive headwater depths.

(e) Pipe roughness coefficients.

[1] The coefficient of roughness, "n" shall be as follows, unless otherwise approved by the Township.

Pipe Material		"n"
Concrete		0.012
Corrugated steel annular		0.024
Corrugated steel helical
	15-inch	0.012
	18-inch	0.014
	21-inch	0.016
	24-inch	0.017
	30-inch	0.018
	36-inch	0.019
	42-inch to 54-inch	0.020
	Larger than 54-inch	0.021
SLCPP		0.011

[2] For all open channels, the coefficients shall be taken from Tables 5-6 and Figures 5-5 of Open-Channel Hydraulics by Ven Te Chow, Ph.D., McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1959.

(5) Minimum pipe size. Stormwater management pipe collection and conveyance systems shall have a minimum diameter of 15 inches and shall be installed on sufficient slope to provide a minimum velocity of three feet per second when flowing full. No double piping shall be permitted.

(6) Material specification. The following are approved for use; alternatives may be accepted, subject to approval by the Township:

(a) Storm sewer pipe and culvert pipe. The following are approved types of storm sewer pipe:

[1] Reinforced cement concrete, tongue and groove, shall conform to AASHTO M-170.

[2] Pre-stressed concrete shall conform to PennDOT standards.

[3] Corrugated polyethylene, smooth-lined (SLCPP), shall conform to AASHTO-M294, Type S. The corrugated polyethylene pipe shall be suitable for use under H20 and E80 live loads or with fill heights in excess of 50 feet.

[4] Corrugated steel pipe, fully asphalt coated AASHTO M-190, ASTM A849.

(b) Pipe sizes with nominal diameters greater than 72 inches shall require structural design submittals for approval.

(c) All storm sewer and/or culvert to endwall transitions shall have concrete, cast in place, full-flow inverts to the outlet of the endwall.

(d) Installation of culverts will not require protective parapets when having a maximum five feet vertical rise from flow channel invert to crown of street, with the required minimum three to one embankment slope from limit of right-of-way elevation of flow channel invert. All other installations shall require protective concrete parapets and approaches.

(e) All culvert structures shall require submission of construction drawings, to assure compliance to HS-25 loading, flow design capacity, and calculated life cycle of proposed structures.

(7) All storm sewer pipes and culverts shall be laid to a minimum depth of one foot from subgrade of streets, access drives, driveway, or parking areas to the crown of pipe.

(8) Endwalls and end sections shall be used where stormwater runoff enters or leaves the storm sewer horizontally from a natural or man-made channel.

(9) Inlets shall be placed on both sides of the street at low spots, and at points where the flow in gutters exceeds three inches. Inlets shall normally be along the curbline at or beyond the curb radius points. For the purpose of inlet location at corners, the depth of flow shall be considered for each gutter. At intersections, the depth of flow across the through streets shall not exceed 1 1/2 inches. Inlets shall be depressed two inches below the grade of the gutter or ground surface. Manholes may be substituted for inlets at locations where inlets are not required to handle surface runoff.

(10) Manholes shall not be spaced more than 400 feet apart for pipes that are less than thirty-six-inch diameter and 600 feet apart for all pipes of greater than thirty-six-inch diameter. Additionally, manholes shall be placed at points of abrupt changes in the horizontal or vertical direction of storm sewers and all convergence of two or more stormwater lines. Inlets may be substituted for manholes where they will serve a useful purpose.

(11) Curves in pipes or box culverts, without an inlet or manhole, are prohibited. Tee joints, elbows and wyes are also prohibited.

(12) All inlets and manholes must have poured concrete channels in order to provide unimpeded conveyance through the structure.

(13) Stormwater roof drains and pipes, wherever possible, shall discharge water into a stormwater runoff dispersion and infiltration control device and not into storm sewers or street gutters.

G. Surface flow characteristics.

(1) On-street channels. Curb, gutter and street-side swale depths shall comply with the following requirements:

(a) New streets without curbs shall be designed to maintain a maximum depth of flow in street-side gutters or swales of three inches, and a maximum depth of flow of two inches along slant or vertical curbs.

(b) The depth of flow across street and access drive intersections, including new street intersections with existing streets, shall be a maximum of one inch.

(c) When possible, storm sewer crossings of streets shall be perpendicular to the street center line.

(2) Off-street channels.

(a) Grass-lined channels shall be considered stable if the calculated velocity and shear stress does not exceed the allowable velocities, and shear stress as described in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Water Management Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual, latest edition.

(b) The above channel flows may be exceeded if the designer can provide acceptable, supportive design criteria as proof of erosion prevention. Where the velocity of stormwater runoff exceeds the allowable velocity, erosion protection must be provided. The method of erosion protection proposed must be supported by the appropriate design information and/or references.

(c) All existing and natural watercourses, channels, drainage systems, and areas of surface water concentrate shall be maintained in their existing condition, unless the Township approves an alteration.

(d) Flow velocities from any storm sewer may not result in a deflection of the receiving channel.

(e) Energy dissipaters shall be provided at all storm sewer outlets and shall be designed in accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Water Management, Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual, latest edition.

(f) The capacities of open channels shall be computed from the Manning equation. Permissible open channel velocities and design standards shall be in accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Water Management, Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program Manual, latest edition.

(g) Protective grating conforming to the requirements of the Township Engineer must be provided at all headwalls to prevent clogging and unauthorized access to stormwater facilities.

(h) All off-street storm facilities shall be contained in, and centered within, an easement.

H. Phasing plans. When applications are submitted in phases, and if temporary facilities are required for construction of a phase, such facilities shall be included in the submitted plans and secured with an improvement guarantee. All phases of development must comply with the provisions of this chapter. In the event temporary measures cannot adequately handle the stormwater runoff, the main outfall line shall be included as part of the construction of the proposed phase.

I. Capacity improvements (in areas which allow direct release).

(1) If the developer can prove that it would be feasible to provide capacity improvements to relieve the capacity deficiency in the existing drainage network, capacity improvements could be provided by the developer in lieu of stormwater management facilities typically associated with development of the property.

(2) Capacity improvements shall be designed based on projected development of all areas within the tributary area and design criteria specified in this chapter. It shall be assumed that all upstream, new development will implement applicable stormwater management techniques, consistent with this chapter.

J. Detention and retention basins.

(1) Stormwater management facilities shall be provided so that the peak discharge of the calculated post-development runoff to an adjacent property does not exceed the peak discharge of the calculated pre-development runoff, except as specified in Act 167, Watershed Stormwater Management Plans, as adopted by the County of Centre, Pennsylvania. The detention and retention facilities shall be designed such that post-development peak runoff rates from the developed site are controlled to those rates defined by this chapter.

(2) All detention and retention facilities shall be equipped with outlet structures to provide discharge control for the five designated storm frequencies. Provisions shall also be made to safely pass the post-development 100-year-design storm runoff without damaging or impairing the continued function of the facilities. Should any stormwater management facility require a dam safety permit under Pennsylvania DEP Chapter 105 regulations, the facility shall be designed in accordance with those regulations and meet the Pennsylvania DEP regulations of Chapter 105 concerning dam safety, which may require the passage of storms larger than the 100-year design event.

(3) Outlet structures within detention and retention basins shall be constructed of reinforced concrete or an alternate material approved by the Township Engineer. With the exception of those openings designed to carry perennial stream flow, design openings shall have childproof, nonclogging trash racks over all openings. Outlet aprons shall be designed and shall extend at a minimum to the toe of the basin slope. Where spillways will be used to control peak discharges in excess of the ten-year storm, the control weirs shall be constructed to withstand the pressures of impounded waters and convey flows at computed outlet velocities without erosion.

(4) All metal risers, where approved for use, shall be suitably coated to prevent corrosion. A trash rack or similar appurtenance shall be provided to prevent debris from entering the riser. All metal risers shall have a concrete base attached with a watertight connection. The base shall have sufficient weight to prevent flotation of the riser. An antivortex device, consisting of a thin vertical plate normal to the basin berm, shall be provided on the top of all metal risers.

(5) Shared storage facilities that provide detention of runoff for more than one development site within a single subarea are encouraged wherever feasible, and provided such facilities meet the criteria contained in this chapter. In addition, runoff from the development sites involved shall be conveyed to the facility in a manner that avoids adverse impacts (such as flooding or erosion) to channels and properties located between the development site and the shared-storage facilities. Each developer shall be responsible for the incremental increase in runoff generated by the respective development and incremental construction improvements necessary for the overall facility. Prior approval and consultation with the Township are required before the design of such facilities.

(6) Inlet and outlet structures shall be designed and installed to prevent erosion to the side slopes and the bottom of the detention basins. Energy dissipaters and/or level spreaders shall be installed at points where pipes or drainageways discharge to or from basins. Generally, outlet pipes designed to carry the pre-development one-year storm flow will be permitted to discharge to a stream with only an energy dissipater; discharges to drainage swales shall be spread with a level spreader or piped to an acceptable point.

(7) If the SCS TR-55 method is used, runoff calculations of the pre-development and post-development comparison shall be based upon the following twenty-four-hour, Type II, storm frequencies:

Storm Event	Inches of Rainfall
1-year	2.3
2-year	2.8
10-year	4.3
25-year	4.8
100-year	5.8

(8) Permanent detention and retention basins shall be designed to store the stormwater runoff of the 100-year post-development storm event minus the water discharged, if any, from the basin by any primary and/or secondary outlets. The storage volume shall be calculated from the beginning of the storm event until such time as the inflow rate equals the outflow rate that is discharged through outlets from the basin.

(9) All basins shall be structurally sound and shall be constructed of sound and durable materials. The completed structure and the foundation of all basins shall be stable under all probable conditions of operation, and shall be capable of discharging the peak discharge of a post-development 100-year storm event through the emergency spillway facilities, and all other outlets combined in a manner which will not damage the integrity of the facility or the downstream drainage areas.

(a) Emergency spillways shall not be considered in the design of primary and secondary outlet controls. The emergency spillway minimum elevation shall be established at a minimum of 0.1 foot above the water surface elevation of the post-development 100-year storm event when routed through the primary and secondary outlet controls. The emergency spillway shall be designed by routing the post-development 100-year storm event through the spillway, assuming no storage below the emergency spillway elevation.

(b) Any underground stormwater management facility (pipe storage systems) must have a method to bypass flows higher than the required design, a 100-year post-development return period peak runoff, without structural failure or causing downstream harm or safety risks.

(c) Emergency spillways shall be constructed of reinforced concrete or riprap (rock lining) in accordance with this chapter. All emergency spillways shall be constructed so that the stormwater management facility berm is protected against erosion. Emergency spillways shall extend along the upstream and downstream berm embankment slopes. Erosion protection shall be provided on the upstream embankment slope a minimum of three feet below the spillway crest elevation. The downstream slope of the spillway, as a minimum, shall be protected from erosion to the toe of the berm embankment. The emergency spillway shall not be located on, or discharge over, uncompacted earthen fill and/or early erodible material. Erosion protection shall be provided for the emergency spillway compatible with the computed discharge velocity. The minimum size of rock lining shall be PennDOT Class R-4.

(d) Rock-filled gabions may be used where combination berm and emergency spillway structures are required to prevent concentrated flows. The Township Engineer may require the use of open concrete lattice blocks, PennDOT rock lining or concrete spillways when slopes exceed four feet horizontal to one foot vertical and spillway velocities might exceed Conservation District standards for the particular soils involved.

(10) Basins which are not designed to release all stormwater shall be specifically identified as retention basins or wet pond basins. All other basins shall include provisions for dewatering, particularly the bottom, and shall not create swampy and/or unmaintainable conditions. Impervious low-flow channels and/or tile fields may be used to dewater the bottom of a basin.

(11) An outlet structure must be provided to permit draining the basin to a completely dry position within 24 hours, unless approved as a wet pond.

(12) Discharge structures shall be designed to eliminate the possibility of blockage during operation (i.e., trash racks).

(13) All outlet structures and emergency spillways shall include a satisfactory means of dissipating the energy of flow at its outlet to assure conveyance of flow, without endangering the safety and integrity of the basin and the downstream drainage area.

(14) Detention basins and/or retention basins which are designed with earthfill dams shall incorporate the following minimum standards:

(a) The maximum water depth shall not exceed six feet.

(b) The minimum top width of all dams shall be 12 feet.

(c) The side slopes of earthfill dams shall not be less than three horizontal to one vertical.

(d) The perimeter of all stormwater detention basins shall be completely fenced with a fence having a minimum height of six feet. Such fence shall be constructed of chain link or similar material as may be approved by the Township. A double gate having a minimum width of 12 feet shall be installed to provide access to the stormwater detention basin. The developer shall furnish a gate lock.

(e) A key trench of compacted, relatively impervious material (Unified Soil Classification CL or ML) at a depth of at least two feet, or extending down to stable subgrade, whichever is deeper. Minimum bottom widths for the key trench shall be four feet. Maximum side slopes for the key trench shall be one horizontal to one vertical. A compacted impervious core at least eight feet wide at the top, having a maximum side slope of one horizontal to one vertical, shall extend for the full length of the embankment, and the top elevation shall be set at the twenty-five-year design water surface elevation.

(f) Anti-seepage collars. Anti-seepage collars shall be installed around the principal outlet pipe barrel within the normal saturation zone of the detention basin berm. The anti-seepage collars and their connections to the pipe barrel shall be watertight. The anti-seepage collars shall extend a minimum of two feet beyond the outside of the principal outlet pipe barrel. The maximum spacing between collars shall be 14 times the minimum projection of the collar measured perpendicular to the pipe.

(g) All riser pipes shall be reinforced cement concrete.

(h) A minimum of one foot freeboard shall be provided above the maximum design water surface elevation at the emergency spillway. The freeboard is required through the emergency spillway above the calculated water surface elevation for the entire 100-year post-development flow condition through the emergency spillway. The freeboard should be determined based on the calculated depth of flow through the emergency spillway in accordance with the emergency spillway calculation.

(i) Minimum finished floor elevations for all buildings that adjoin a basin, other temporary impoundments, or open conveyance systems, shall be two feet above the water surface of a 100-year storm event. If a basement is proposed below the bottom elevation of the basin, detailed calculations addressing the effects of stormwater ponding on the building, and waterproofing, and/or floodproofing design information consistent with the floodplain standards in Chapter 183, Flood Damage Prevention, shall be submitted.

(15) Stormwater management basins shall not be located closer than 100 feet from the rim of sinkholes subsurface mine portals, shafts or openings, or closed depressions, nor within 100 feet from disappearing streams; nor shall these basins be located closer than 50 feet from lineaments or fracture traces; nor shall these basins be located closer than 25 feet from surface or identified subsurface pinnacles. Where retention basins, seepage pits, seepage tanks, seepage trenches and/or french drains are located in an area that is suspected to contain sinkholes, closed depressions, fracture traces, or caverns, the applicant shall include an analysis of the potential for accelerated sinkhole development in the specific geology of the site due to the concentration of water introduction to the subsurface. This information shall include a seepage report containing a test pit soils analysis, prepared by a soil scientist, and percolation test results in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection regulations (Chapter 73, Section 15). The bottom of the test pits shall be no less than 30 inches below the elevation at which the soil/seepage interface is designed (i.e., the bottom of the trench, pit, etc.).

(16) Retention basins must provide enough capacity to store the entire runoff volume created by a 100-year, twenty-four-hour storm event. If supporting documentation is provided for a reduction based upon percolation, the applicant may:

(a) Determine the volume required using 33% of the percolation rate to perform routing calculations.

(17) Retention basins shall incorporate the following minimum design standards:

(a) All infiltration systems shall be located at least 10 feet from basement walls. Infiltration systems greater than three feet deep shall be located no less than 30 feet from basement walls or the drain field of a sanitary sewer system.

(b) Infiltration systems designed to handle runoff from commercial or industrial impervious parking areas shall be no closer than 100 feet from any water supply well.

(c) Infiltration systems may not receive runoff until the entire contributory drainage area to the infiltration system has received final stabilization.

(d) The stormwater management facility design shall provide an emergency overflow system with measures to provide a non-erosive velocity of flow along its length and at the outfall.

(18) A liner of impervious material must be provided in all wet ponds. In lieu of an impervious liner, the applicant may supply sufficient information to the Township prepared by a soil scientist, which includes an analysis of the potential for sinkhole development, and demonstrates to the Township that sinkholes will not develop.

(19) To facilitate access, maintenance and inspection, all stormwater detention and retention basins shall be provided with a stabilized access roadway having a minimum width of 12 feet and consisting of eight inches, minimum compacted thickness, of PennDOT select granular material (2A), or other material approved by the Township Engineer. Where the proposed basin is not adjacent to a proposed or existing public right-of-way, or is not accessible due to physical constraints, as determined by the Township Engineer, the access roadway shall be placed within a passable access easement, specifying rights of entry, not less than 30 feet wide, as approved by the Township Engineer, who may require a wider easement if circumstances warrant. Access easements shall provide for vehicle and equipment ingress and egress on grades of less than 5% for carrying out inspection or maintenance activities. This roadway shall include area(s) for turning vehicles and equipment around. All easement agreements shall be recorded with a reference to the easement indicated on the site plan. The format and content of the easement agreement shall be reviewed by the Township Supervisors, the Township Solicitor and Township Engineer and approved by the Township Supervisors.

(20) To facilitate access, maintenance and inspection, all stormwater detention and retention basins shall be provided with a stabilized roadway on the entire berm of the basin, except across the emergency spillway. This roadway shall have a minimum width of 12 feet and shall consist of eight inches, minimum compacted thickness, of PennDOT select granular material (2A), or other material approved by the Township Engineer. This roadway shall include area(s) for turning vehicles and equipment around.

(21) Alternative detention facilities. Alternative stormwater detention facilities including rooftop, subsurface basins or tanks and in-pipe detention storage, or other approved alternative designs may be permitted by the Township. Prior approval and consultation with the Township are required before the design of alternative facilities.

K. Best management practices. All stormwater management facilities shall employ best management practices (BMP), as outlined in the latest edition of the handbook entitled Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas, published by Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Society, Keystone Chapter, Soil and Water Conservation Society, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and Natural Resources Conservation Service. The purpose of the following standards is to provide the designer with guidance to meet the minimum BMP requirements. Innovative approaches are allowed and encouraged with the appropriate documentation furnished to, and approved by, the Township.

(1) Water quality requirements. No discharge materials, toxic or otherwise, shall be permitted into any stormwater management system. Where required by federal and state regulation, the landowner or developer shall be responsible for obtaining any required permit(s) (such as an NPDES permit) for stormwater discharges.

(2) In addition to the quantity requirements of this chapter, the developer shall:

(a) Design stormwater detention basins so that the outlet of the basin shall, in addition to any other stormwater requirements imposed by the Township stormwater regulations, discharge the one-year, twenty-four-hour storm over a twenty-four-hour period.

(b) As an alternative to Subsection K(2)(a) above, the water quality objectives may be achieved through a combination of best management practices (BMPs), including, but not limited to, infiltration structures, detention basins, vegetation filter strips, and buffers. The combination of BMPs shall be designed according to the requirements listed under Subsection K(3) and in consultation with the Township Engineer.

(c) In lieu of meeting the requirements of Subsection K(2)(a) or (b) above, the developer may submit original and innovative designs to the Township Engineer for review and approval.

(3) BMP selection criteria.

(a) In selecting the appropriate BMPs or combinations thereof, the developer shall consider the following:

[1] Total contributing area.

[2] Location of fragipans.

[3] Permeability and infiltration rate of the site soils.

[4] Slope and depth to bedrock.

[5] Seasonal high-water table.

[6] Proximity to building foundations and wellheads.

[7] Erodibility of soils.

[8] Land availability and configuration of the topography.

(b) The following additional factors should be considered when evaluating the suitability of the BMPs used to control water quality at a given development site:

[1] Peak discharge and required volume control.

[2] Stream bank erosion.

[3] Efficiency of the BMPs to mitigate potential water quality problems.

[4] The volume of runoff that will be effectively treated.

[5] The nature of the pollutant(s) being removed.

[6] Maintenance requirements.

[7] Recreational value.

[8] Enhancement of aesthetics and property values.

(4) General provisions.

(a) Minimize on-site impervious area. Preserve natural wooded cover and drainageways within the project site.

(b) Maximize the on-site drainage areas that are directed to the BMP. Minimum accepted area is 70%. Impervious areas shall be directed to BMP when possible.

(c) Minimize mixing of off-site and on-site runoff, unless upstream drainage area is insignificant in size.

(d) Delay construction of BMP until all other land disturbing activities are complete to minimize the potential for clogging and maintenance or remedial action.

(e) Use water tolerant vegetation. Refer to the Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas for guidance in choosing appropriate vegetation.

(f) Provide a BMP control facility with a length-to-width ratio in basins of at least 2:1 to avoid short-circuiting. Maximize the distance between inflow and outflow.

(g) Provide proper erosion protection at all pipe outlets.

(h) Utilize underdrains for all basins. May be used as BMP outlet if properly sized.

(i) Infiltration trenches provided for stormwater management do not require additional storage volume calculations for BMP.

(5) Water quality. Facilities shall be provided for water quality treatment of the stormwater runoff from the first 1.2 inches of rainfall. The following calculation is used to determine the storage volume, WQ_v, in acre-feet of storage:

WQv = [(1.2) (Rv)(A)]/12
WQv	=	Water quality volume in acre-feet
A	=	Area of watershed in acres
Rv	=	0.05 + 0.9(I) where I = net increase in impervious area/area of watershed (A)

(a) Water quality facilities shall be designed as part of a stormwater management facility that incorporates water quality BMPs as a primary benefit of using that facility, in accordance with design specifications contained in Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas. The water quality volume shall take a minimum of 24 hours to be discharged from the basin. Watersheds where the post-developed impervious area is equal to or less than the pre-developed impervious area shall not be required to provide water quality volume, unless required by NPDES Part II.

(b) When possible, runoff from the development site shall be managed through a series of riparian corridor vegetation facilities in a manner consistent with Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas, Riparian Forested Buffer. The priority goal of the riparian vegetation will be the reduction of thermal impacts on stormwater runoff associated with impervious areas, with a secondary goal being the protection of capacity of existing stormwater conveyance channels.

(6) Groundwater recharge. Designs that incorporate groundwater recharge (infiltration facilities) are encouraged to compensate for the reduction in the percolation that occurs when the ground surface runoff characteristics have been altered. The groundwater recharge volume (Rev) is the volume of stormwater runoff from a property that is considered the groundwater recharge. Groundwater recharge volume may be part of the water quality volume, and is calculated on the basis of treatment and recharge by structural stormwater management practices, as follows:

Rev = [(S) (Rv) (A)]/12
Rev	=	Recharge volume in acre-feet
A	=	Area of watershed in acres
Rv	=	0.05 + 0.9(I) where I = net increase in impervious area/area of watershed (A)

S is the soil-specific recharge factor and varies according to soil type, as follows:

Hydrologic Soil Group	Soil-Specific Recharge Factor (S)
A	0.32
B	0.22
C	0.10
D	0.05

(a) If more than one hydrologic soil group (HSG) is present at a site, a composite recharge volume shall be computed based upon the proportion of total site area within each HSG.

(b) Infiltration BMPs intended to receive runoff from developed areas shall be selected based on suitability of soils and site conditions and shall be constructed on soils that have the following characteristics:

[1] A minimum depth of 48 inches between the bottom of the facility and the seasonal high-water table and/or bedrock (limiting zones).

[2] An infiltration and/or percolation rate sufficient to accept the additional stormwater load and drain completely, as determined by field tests conducted by the owner's professional designer.

[3] Infiltration BMPs receiving only roof runoff may be placed in soils having a minimum depth of 24 inches between the bottom of the facility and the limiting zone.

[4] The recharge volume provided at the site shall be directed to the most permeable HSG available.

[5] Structural stormwater management facilities which provide treatment and recharge of the required recharge volume will be designed as part of a stormwater management facility which incorporates groundwater recharge BMPs as a primary benefit of using that facility, in accordance with design specifications contained in Pennsylvania Handbook of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas, 1998.

[6] The groundwater recharge volume shall be infiltrated within 48 hours after the end of the design storm.

[7] Watersheds where the post-developed impervious area is equal to or less than the pre-developed impervious area shall not be required to provide groundwater recharge volume.

[8] When groundwater recharge is provided, a detailed geologic evaluation shall be performed to determine the suitability of the recharge facility. The evaluation shall be performed by a registered professional geologist, and shall, at a minimum, address soil permeability, depth to bedrock, susceptibility to sinkhole formation, and subgrade stability. Where pervious pavement is proposed, construction specifications shall be noted on the plan.

L. Erosion and sedimentation control. The following principles shall be applied to the design plan and construction schedule to minimize soil erosion and sedimentation:

(1) Stripping of vegetation, grading or other soil disturbance shall be done in a manner which will minimize soil erosion.

(2) Natural vegetation shall be retained and protected, whenever feasible.

(3) The extent of the disturbed area and the duration of its exposure shall be kept to a minimum, within practical limits.

(4) Temporary seeding, mulching or other suitable stabilization measures shall be used to protect exposed critical areas during construction.

(5) Drainage provisions shall accommodate the stormwater runoff, both during and after construction.

(6) Soil erosion and sedimentation facilities shall be installed before any on-site grading.

(7) All earthmoving activities shall be conducted in such a way as to minimize accelerated erosion and resulting sedimentation. Measures to control erosion and sedimentation shall, at a minimum, meet the standards of the Centre County Conservation District and Chapter 102 (Erosion Control) of Title 25, Rules and Regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

(8) The erosion and sedimentation control plan must be available at all times at the project site. When required, a permit allowing earthmoving activity shall be obtained by the developer before any construction on the project site shall begin.

(9) Approval of an erosion and sedimentation control plan by the Township shall not be construed as an indication that the plan complies with the standards of any agency of the commonwealth.

(10) The erosion and sedimentation control plan shall be submitted to the Centre County Conservation District for its review and approval. Building permits will not be issued and construction shall not start until the erosion and sediment control plan is approved or an NPDES permit is received by the Township.

M. Easements. Easements shall be provided where stormwater or surface water drainage facilities are proposed, whether located within or beyond the boundaries of the property. Although normal lot grading does not require easements, swales which receive runoff from more than one other lot or from more than 1/2 acre must be provided with an easement. Easements shall have a minimum width of 10 feet from each side of the watercourse, body of water, or drainage structure and shall be adequately designed to provide area for:

(1) Collection and discharge of water;

(2) Maintenance, repair and reconstruction of the drainage facilities; and

(3) Passage of machinery for such work.

(a) Easements shall include a description of an ownership and maintenance program, in a recordable form, that clearly sets forth responsibility for all temporary and permanent stormwater management facilities.

(b) Easements that are not along the center line of a described property line shall be located by a center line bearing and distance from a known point.

N. Maintenance of stormwater management facilities.

(1) Maintenance during development. Maintenance of stormwater management facilities during development of a project site shall be the responsibility of the developer and the landowner. Maintenance shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) Removal of silt and debris from basins, traps or other structures and all programs stated in the approved erosion and sediment control plan. When required, cleanout shall restore the original design volume to the basin or other structure. The elevation corresponding to the maximum allowable sediment level shall be determined and stated in the design data as a distance below the top of the riser. The elevation shall be clearly marked on the riser to enable proper maintenance.

(b) Periodic maintenance of temporary control facilities, such as replacement of straw bale dikes, straw filters or similar measures.

(c) Establishment or restoration of vegetation by seeding, mulching or sodding of scoured areas, or areas where vegetation has not been successfully established.

(d) Installation of necessary controls to correct unforeseen problems caused by storm events within design frequencies.

(e) Removal of all temporary stormwater management control facilities upon installation of permanent stormwater management facilities at the completion of the development.

(2) Maintenance of facilities not dedicated or accepted by Township.

(a) The Township shall not become responsible for maintenance of stormwater management facilities, unless such facilities are within a street right-of-way dedicated to, and accepted by, the Township, or unless the Township specifically grants an exception to this standard. Maintenance of stormwater facilities shall be the responsibility of the developer and may be assigned to a private entity (e.g., property owner, homeowners' association, and condominium association) when deemed acceptable to the Township.

(b) When possible, stormwater management facilities shall be owned and maintained by one entity. Stormwater management facilities shall be designed with consideration for facilities that can be effectively accommodated within the property of one responsible private entity and reasonably maintained by the private entity.

(c) When maintenance of stormwater management facilities are assigned to the developer and/or private entity, a legally binding agreement between the responsible parties and Township shall be recorded. Such agreement shall provide the Township with the rights established in Section 705 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code,[2] relating to the maintenance of common open space when a private entity fails to adequately maintain the facility.

[1] This agreement shall stipulate as a minimum:

[a] All facilities shall be maintained in accordance with the approved maintenance schedule and in a safe and attractive manner.

[b] Easements and/or rights-of-way shall be conveyed to the Township to assure access for periodic inspections by the Township and maintenance if required.

[c] The name, address and telephone number of the person or company responsible for maintenance activities shall be filed with the Township. In the event of a change, new information will be submitted to the Township within 10 days of the change.

[d] If the facility owner fails to maintain the stormwater control facilities, the Township may perform the necessary maintenance work or corrective work following the notice by the Township to the facility owner to correct the problem(s). The facility owner shall reimburse the Township for all costs within 30 days of the date of the Township's cost statement and, where appropriate, municipal liens shall be imposed on any assets within the subdivision/land development.

[e] Other items shall be included in the agreement where determined by the Township to be necessary to guarantee the satisfactory maintenance of all stormwater control facilities.

[2] Deeds for property that contain private maintenance of stormwater management facilities shall include a specific deed reference to such grantee's responsibility for the maintenance and care of the stormwater management facilities. Such deed reference shall be in the form of a deed restriction stating responsibilities of the property owner or private entity for the maintenance, as may be necessary to maintain the stormwater management facility in accordance with the terms of this chapter. Such maintenance shall include, at a minimum, the following:

[a] Reestablishment of vegetation by seeding and mulching or sodding of scoured areas or areas where vegetation has not been successfully established.

[b] Liming and fertilizing vegetated channels and other areas according to specifications in the Agronomy Guide, Penn State University, College of Agricultural Sciences.

[c] Mowing as necessary to maintain adequate stands of grass and to control weeds. Chemical weed control may be used if applicable regulations are met.

[d] Removal of silt debris or any other obstruction from all facilities in order to maintain the design storage volumes.

[e] Regular scheduled inspection and maintenance program.

[2] Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10705.

(d) Deed restrictions shall also include notice that, in the event that the private entity fails to comply with the terms of this chapter, the Township shall have the authority to carry out those duties imposed upon the private entity.

[1] The Township may, after giving notice to the private entity of improper maintenance and providing a reasonable time for compliance, enter upon said property and take such actions as may be required to bring the area into compliance with this chapter.

[2] The Township shall further have the right to file a municipal lien against such property for the cost of maintenance work carried out under this section, plus a penalty of 10% of the costs of such work. The Township may, in addition to the filing of a municipal lien, pursue any other remedies provided by law against any private entity that should fail to comply with the terms of this chapter.

(3) Maintenance of existing facilities. No person shall modify, remove, fill, landscape, or alter stormwater management facilities, unless a stormwater management plan has been approved which authorizes such modification, removal, filling, landscaping, or alteration. No person shall place any structure, fill, landscaping, or vegetation into a stormwater management facility or within a drainage easement that will limit or alter the functioning of the facility or easement in any manner.

(a) The Township may, after giving notice to the private entity of the improper condition and providing a reasonable time for compliance, enter upon said property and take such actions as may be required to bring the area into compliance with this chapter.

(b) The Township shall further have the right to file a municipal lien against such property for the cost of maintenance work carried out under this section, plus a penalty of 10% of the costs of such work. The Township may, in addition to the filing of a municipal lien, pursue any other remedies provided by law against any private entity that should fail to comply with the terms of this chapter.

(4) Maintenance guarantee. When the Township accepts dedication of stormwater management facilities, the applicant shall post a financial security for the structural integrity and function of said facilities, in accordance with the approved design and specifications. The financial security shall extend for a term not to exceed 18 months from the date of acceptance of dedication. The financial security shall be the same type as required in § 290-20. The amount of the financial security shall not exceed 15% of the actual cost of installation of said facilities.

§ 290-42 Floodplains.

A. The purpose of the floodplain requirements is to prevent the loss of property and life, the creation of health and safety hazards, the disruption of commerce and governmental services, the extraordinary and unnecessary expenditure of public funds for flood protection and relief, and the impairment of the tax base by:

(1) Regulating uses which, acting alone or in combination with other existing or future uses, will cause unacceptable increases in flood heights, velocities and frequencies;

(2) Restricting or prohibiting certain uses from locating within areas subject to flooding;

(3) Requiring all those uses that do occur in flood-prone areas to be protected and/or floodproofed against flooding and flood damage; and

(4) Protecting individuals from buying lands and structures which are unsuited for intended purposes because of flood hazards.

B. Warning and disclaimer of liability.

(1) The degree of flood protection sought by the provisions of this section is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on acceptable engineering methods of study. Larger floods may occur on rare occasions. Flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural causes, such as ice jams and bridge openings restricted by debris. This section does not imply that areas outside the floodplain, or that land uses permitted within the floodplain, will be free from flooding or flood damages.

(2) This section shall not create liability on the part of Rush Township or any officer or employee thereof for any flood damages that result from reliance on this section or any administrative decision lawfully made thereunder.

C. Establishment of floodplain. The various floodplains shall include areas subject to inundation by waters of the 100-year flood. The basis for the delineation of these floodplains shall be the Flood Insurance Study, Township of Rush, Pennsylvania, Centre County, dated November 16, 1990, Community No. 421468, prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(1) The floodway is delineated for purposes of this section using the criteria that a certain area within the floodplain must be capable of carrying the waters of the 100-year flood without increasing the water surface elevation of the flood more than one foot at any point. The areas included in this floodway are specifically defined in Table 1 of the above-referenced Flood Insurance Study and shown on the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map.

(2) The flood fringe shall be that area of the 100-year floodplain not included in the floodway. The basis for the outermost boundary of this floodway shall be the 100-year-flood elevations contained in the flood profiles of the above-referenced Flood Insurance Study, and as shown on the accompanying Flood Insurance Rate Map.

(3) The general floodplain shall be that floodplain area for which no detailed flood profiles or elevations have been provided. Such areas are shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map accompanying the Flood Insurance Study prepared for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Where the specific 100-year-flood elevation cannot be determined for this area using other sources of data, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Floodplain Information Reports, U.S. Geological Survey Flood Prone Quadrangles, etc., then the applicant for the proposed use, development and/or activity shall determine this elevation in accordance with hydrologic and hydraulic engineering techniques. Hydrologic and hydraulic analysis shall be undertaken only by professional engineers or others of demonstrated qualifications, who shall certify that the technical methods used correctly reflect currently accepted technical concepts. Studies, analyses, computations, etc. shall be submitted in sufficient detail to allow a thorough technical review by the Township.

D. Boundary changes. The delineation of the floodplain may be revised by the Board of Supervisors where natural or man-made changes have occurred and/or more detailed studies conducted or undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or other qualified agency or individual documents the advisability for each change. However, prior to any such change, approval must be obtained from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or its successor agency.

E. Interpretation of floodplain boundaries. Interpretations of the boundaries of the floodplain shall be made by the Township Engineer. Should a dispute arise concerning the boundaries, the person questioning or contesting the location of the boundary shall be given a reasonable opportunity to present his case to the Board of Supervisors and to submit his own technical evidence if he so desires.

F. Use within floodplain.

(1) All uses, activities, land filling and development occurring within any floodplain shall be undertaken only in strict compliance with Chapter 183, Flood Damage Prevention, the provisions of this section and with all other applicable codes and ordinances.

(2) Under no circumstances shall any use, activity, land filling and/or development adversely affect the capacity of the channels or floodways of any watercourse, drainage ditch, or any other drainage facility or system. Prior to any proposed alteration or relocation of any stream, watercourse, etc., within the floodway, a permit shall be obtained from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers/PADEP, Water Management Program.

G. Use within floodway. In the floodway, no development shall be permitted, except where it does not require structures, fill, or storage of materials and equipment.

H. Flood fringe. In the flood fringe, the development and/or use of land shall be permitted, provided that all such uses, activities, and/or development shall be undertaken in strict compliance with Chapter 183, Flood Damage Prevention, and related provisions contained in all other applicable codes and ordinances.

I. General floodplain. In the general floodplain, no development, use or activity (including fill, grading and/or substantial improvements to structures, etc.) is permitted, unless the applicant for the proposed development, use or activity has demonstrated that the proposed undertaking, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, uses and activities, will not increase the water surface elevation of the 100-year flood more than one foot at any point. Increases in flood heights shall be calculated by means of current, generally accepted, engineering methods.

J. Waivers.

(1) Waivers from the provisions of § 290-42 are discouraged. Where, however, a waiver is essential, the following requirements must be complied with, in addition to all other waiver provisions of § 290-14.

(a) The proposed use, development, or activity shall not cause any increase in flood levels during the 100-year flood.

(b) Materials shall not be swept onto other lands or downstream to the injury of others.

(c) Water supply and sanitation systems shall not be exposed to infiltration of floodwaters.

(d) The proposed facility and its contents shall not be susceptible to flood damage.

(e) No alternative location, which is not subject to flooding, is available for the proposed use.

(f) The proposal requires a waterfront location.

(g) The proposal will not jeopardize the flood insurance program of the Township.

(h) Such other factors which are relevant to the purposes of this § 290-42.

(2) Waivers shall only be issued after the Board of Supervisors has determined that the waiver will not result in threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, or nuisance.

(3) The Board of Supervisors may refer any application and accompanying documentation pertaining to any request for a waiver to any engineer or other qualified person or agency for technical assistance in evaluating the proposed project in relation to flood heights and velocities, and the adequacy of the plans for protection and other related matters.

(4) In all waiver proceedings, the burden of proof shall be on the applicant.

(5) Whenever a waiver is granted, the applicant should be aware that:

(a) Increased premium rates for flood insurance may result; and

(b) The risks to life and property may increase.

K. Existing structures in floodplains. A structure or use of a structure or premises which lawfully existed before the enactment of these provisions, but which is not in conformity with these provisions, may be continued, subject to the following conditions:

(1) Existing structures and/or uses located in any floodway shall not be expanded or enlarged, unless such expansion or enlargement meets the requirements of all applicable Township ordinances and the effect of the proposed expansion or enlargement on flood heights is fully offset by accompanying improvements.

(2) Any modification, alteration, repair, reconstruction, or improvement of any kind to a structure and/or use located in any floodplain, to an extent or amount of less than 50% of its market value, shall be elevated and/or shall incorporate floodproofing measures, regardless of its location in the floodplain. However, minor repairs shall be exempt from this provision, provided that no structural changes or modifications are involved. Minor repairs shall include the replacement of existing work with equivalent materials for the purpose of its routine maintenance and upkeep, but shall not include any addition, change or modification in construction, exit facilities, or permanent fixtures or equipment.

(3) The modification, alteration, repair, reconstruction, or improvement of any kind to a structure and/or use located in a floodplain to an extent or amount of 50% or more of its market value shall be undertaken only in full compliance with the provisions of this chapter and any other applicable ordinance.

(4) Uses or adjuncts thereof which are, or become, nuisances shall not be permitted to continue.

§ 290-43 Wetlands.

All subdivision and land development plans shall identify the location of existing wetland as determined by the standards of either the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U. S. Army Corps of Engineers; Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; or the U. S. Soil Conservation Service. Wetland areas are not limited to those areas delineated on wetland maps prepared by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Any proposed encroachment into the wetland shall include a copy of the permit or approval from the applicable state and federal agencies. No action by the Township shall be relied upon in lieu of a permit issued by the appropriate agency.

§ 290-44 Landscaping.

A. Protection of natural features.

(1) The finished topography of the site shall adequately facilitate the proposed development, without excessive earthmoving and destruction of natural amenities. Natural features shall be preserved and incorporated into the final landscaping wherever possible and desirable. The applicant shall demonstrate the means whereby the natural features are protected during construction.

(2) Protection shall be provided from invasive flora species, including, but not limited to, the following species under Section 3(b) of the Noxious Weed Control Law [3 P.S. § 255.3(b)]:

(a) Cannabis sativa, commonly known as "marijuana."

(b) The Lythrum salicaria Complex: Any non-native Lythrum, including Lythrum salicaria and Lythrum virgatum, their cultivars and any combination thereof.

(c) Cirsium arvense, commonly known as "Canadian thistle."

(d) Rosa multiflora, commonly known as "multiflora rose."

(e) Sorghum halepense, commonly known as "Johnson grass."

(f) Carduus nutans, commonly known as "musk thistle."

(g) Cirsium vulgare, commonly known as "bull thistle."

(h) Datura stramonium, commonly known as "jimson weed."

(i) Polygonum perfoliatum, commonly known as "mile-a-minute."

(j) Puerria lobata, commonly known as "kudzuvine."

(k) Sorghum bicolor cv. drummondii, commonly known as "shattercane."

(l) Heracleum mantegazzianum, commonly known as "Giant Hogweed."

(m) Galega officinalis, commonly known as "Goatsrue."

B. Existing wooded area. Existing wooded areas shall be protected to prevent unnecessary destruction. Healthy trees with a caliper of six inches or more, as measured at a height of 4 1/2 feet above existing grade, shall not be removed, unless their location interferes with a planned improvement that cannot be relocated to coordinate with the existing wooded areas.

C. Strip and interior landscaping.

(1) Any required landscaping shall include a combination of deciduous trees, ground covers, evergreens, shrubs, vines, flowers, rocks, gravel, earth mounds, berms, walls, fences, screens, sculptures, fountains, sidewalk furniture, or other approved materials. Artificial plants, trees, and shrubs may not be used to satisfy any requirement for landscaping or screening. No less than 80% of the required landscape area shall be vegetative in composition, and no outdoor storage shall be permitted within required landscape areas.

(2) For each 750 square feet of required area for landscape strips, one shade/ornamental tree shall be provided. All required landscape strips shall have landscaping materials distributed along the entire length of the lot line abutting the yard.

D. Landscape screening. Any required landscape screening shall include a combination of evergreens (trees, hedges or shrubs), walls, fences, earth berms, or other approved similar materials. Wall or fence shall not be constructed of corrugated metal, corrugated fiberglass, or sheet metal. Screening shall be arranged to block the ground level views between grade, and a height of six feet. Landscape screens must achieve this visual blockage within two years of installation.

E. Landscape material.

(1) Plantings shall be typical of their species and variety; have normal growth habits, well-developed branches, densely foliated, vigorous, fibrous root systems and shall be free from disease, insects, insect eggs, and larvae. Plantings shall be selected from stock that was grown under climatic conditions similar to the locality of the property. All planting shall be performed in conformance with good nursery and landscape practice. Plantings shall be properly maintained and replaced if dead.

(2) The varieties of plantings shall be subject to the approval of the Township. The applicant is encouraged to be creative in selecting varieties and locations to achieve a pleasing appearance. Planting materials shall meet the following criteria:

(a) Shade trees shall be a minimum trunk caliper of two inches at a height of six inches above finished grade.

(b) Flowering and/or ornamental trees shall be a minimum trunk caliper of 1 1/2 inches at a height of six inches above finished grade.

(c) Evergreen trees shall be a minimum height of six feet.

(d) Shrubs shall be a minimum diameter of 24 inches.

(e) Requirements for the measurements, branching, grading, quality, balling, and the burlapping of trees shall follow the code standards recommended by the American Association of Nurserymen, Inc., in the American Standard for Nursery Stock, ANSIZ60, 1-1973, as amended.

F. Ground cover. Ground cover shall be provided on all areas of the project to prevent soil erosion. All areas that are not covered by paving, stone, pine needles, bark mulch, or other solid material shall be protected with a vegetative growth. Varieties of ground cover shall be subject to the approval of the Township.

§ 290-45 Sanitary sewage disposal.

A. When the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, Act 537 of 1966, as amended,[1] requires a sewer facilities plan revision (plan revision module for land development), or supplement, approval of the revision or exemption shall be submitted with the final plan application.

[1] Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.

B. The applicant shall provide the type of sanitary sewage disposal facility consistent with the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, Act 537 of 1966, as amended.

C. Sanitary sewer systems shall be designed in accordance with the Rush Township Sanitary Sewer Specifications, as amended.[2]

[2] Editor's Note: See Ch. 265, Sewers and Sewage Disposal.

D. Where individual on-site sanitary sewage disposal facilities are to be utilized, each lot so served shall be of a size and shape to accommodate the necessary subsurface sewage disposal system and a replacement system at a safe distance from building and water supply, in accordance with Title 25, Chapter 73, Rules and Regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, as amended, and the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, Act 537 of 1966, as amended. On-site sanitary sewage disposal facilities shall be set back from street right-of-way a sufficient area to accommodate future street improvements without disturbing the function of the disposal facility.

§ 290-46 Water supply and fire hydrants.

A. Water supply systems shall be designed in accordance with the prevailing rules and regulations of the PA DEP and any applicable bona fide water authority, or cooperative association of lot owners.

B. Fire hydrants shall be provided wherever the water supply system contains sufficient capability, or will in the near future, with or without developer assistance. Type and location of fire hydrants shall meet the specifications of the fire department that services the project, any applicable bona fide water authority, and the Insurance Services Office. Fire hydrants shall typically be located at street intersections no more than 10 feet from the curb. The maximum distance between fire hydrants shall be 600 feet. All fitting types shall be in accordance with the standards of the applicable fire department. The large fitting shall face the street.

C. Where an individual on-site water supply system is to be utilized, each lot so served shall be of a size and shape to allow safe location of such a system, in accordance with all applicable standards.

D. If water is to be provided by means other than by an individual on-site water supply system (wells that are owned and maintained by the individual lot owners), the final plan application shall include:

(1) Evidence that the supplier is a certified public utility; a bona fide cooperative association of lot owners; or a municipal corporation, authority or utility. Acceptable evidence shall be a copy of a certificate of public convenience from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission or an application for such certificate, a cooperative agreement, or a commitment or agreement to serve the area in question, whichever is appropriate.

(2) Notice of approval of the design, installation and possible financial guarantee from the provider.

(3) Appropriate measures, as deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors, to ensure adequate future maintenance of the system.

§ 290-47 Refuse disposal and recycling.

Refuse disposal sites shall be provided for each lot. Lots with multiple residential uses and all nonresidential uses shall provide containers in sufficient number and capacity to properly store all refuse.

A. Nonresidential refuse disposal and recycling area.

(1) Nonresidential disposal and recycling areas shall be screened with densely planted evergreens or other thick foliage, solid or closely woven fences, stone walls or planted earth berms. The storage area and access pad shall be provided with a minimum six-inch-thick poured concrete slab over a minimum six-inch stone base. The concrete slab shall be certified to develop a compressed stress of at least 3,500 PSI at 28 days. The configuration of the area shall be based upon the needs of the collection company.

(2) The storage, collection and disposal shall be so managed as to create no health hazards, rodent harborage, insect-breeding areas, accident, fire or air pollution. All refuse shall be stored in flytight, watertight, rodent-proof containers.

(3) Racks or holders shall be provided for all containers. Such containers shall be so designed as to prevent tipping, to minimize spillage and container deterioration, and to facilitate cleaning around them.

B. Construction refuse disposal. Debris, rubbish, or other waste material resulting from construction activities shall be removed from the lot prior to the release of the issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy. No debris, rubbish, or other waste material resulting from construction activities shall remain in the area covered by an improvement guarantee when a request is made for a release of the improvement guarantee.

§ 290-48 Burning.

Burning of wood, brush and other organic materials stockpiled during the clearing operations of land developments shall be permissible only by written approval from Rush Township, subject to any and all burning restrictions imposed by federal, state and local authorities.