All subdivision and/or land development plans
to be approved by the Board of Supervisors must comply with the standards
contained within this article. Such standards shall be considered
minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety
and general welfare. In general, the following shall apply:
A. Land shall be developed in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan; Chapter
135, Zoning; and other ordinances, codes and regulations in effect in the Township and with the Official Sewage Facilities Plan and other Township plans and maps.
B. Land shall be developed in conformance with all pertinent
statutes, regulations, rules and codes of federal, state and county
agencies concerned with subdivision, land development, construction
and improvements or any activity arising out of or related thereto
in any way whatsoever.
C. The design of subdivisions and land developments shall
preserve, insofar as possible, the natural terrain, natural drainage,
existing topsoil and existing trees.
D. Land subject to hazards to life, health, or property,
such as may arise from fire, floods, disease or other causes, shall
not be developed for building purposes unless such hazards have been
eliminated or unless the plan shall show adequate safeguards against
them.
E. All portions of a tract being developed shall be encompassed
in lots, streets, public lands or other proposed uses so that landlocked
areas shall not be created.
F. The name of any subdivision or land development shall
not be similar to or conflict with the name of any existing project
in the Township, and shall be subject to the approval of the Board
of Supervisors.
Sidewalks shall be required along new streets in any subdivision
or land development where the proposed lot sizes are one acre or less
or for any multifamily residential development project. Upon the recommendation
of the Township Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors may
also require sidewalks which would continue from those in existing
neighborhoods, or to provide access to community facilities, or to
insure safety of pedestrians in certain conditions with respect to
existing or prospective traffic. Sidewalks shall be designed as follows:
A. Sidewalks
shall be constructed in accordance with PennDOT's Form 408, Section
676, pertaining to cement concrete sidewalks and the following standards:
(1) Sidewalks
shall be a minimum of four feet in width.
(2) Sidewalks
shall be constructed with four inches of Class A concrete, placed
on an approved aggregate bed four inches in depth, except at driveway
crossings where the thickness of the sidewalk shall be increased to
six inches.
(3) When
proposed sidewalks adjoin existing sidewalks which are wider than
four feet a tapered transition shall be constructed.
(4) Sidewalks
shall be located within the street right-of-way three feet from the
right-of-way line. A grass planting strip shall be provided between
the curb and the sidewalk. The planting strip shall be adequately
graded and sodded to provide for proper stormwater runoff.
Stormwater management shall be regulated as set forth in Chapter
105, Stormwater Management, of the Code of Chadds Ford Township.
Soil erosion and sedimentation control shall be regulated as set forth in Chapter
105, Stormwater Management, of the Code of Chadds Ford Township.
Standards for the planting of trees as part of screening requirements are set forth in Chapter
135, Zoning, in Article
XIX and §
135-161. In addition, the following shall apply:
A. Street trees shall be planted along all new streets,
and along any existing street which abuts a subdivision or land development
site.
B. A list of approved street trees for planting in Chadds
Ford Township is included in the Appendix according to their botanical name, and common name.
C. All street trees shall be a minimum of 3 1/2 to four
inches in caliper at the time of planting.
D. Requirements and standards for landscaping, in addition to that specified above, shall be as determined by the Board of Supervisors, upon the recommendation of the Planning Commission. The Board may require plantings to reduce glare; to abate other nuisances; to enhance the planting area in conjunction with a cul-de-sac; to fulfill screening and other functional purposes; to comply with general standards of §
110-24 herein; and to fulfill the purposes of §
110-2 herein.
E. Shade trees of 12 inches caliper or more shall be
preserved to the extent possible, and the Board of Supervisors may
require the landowner or developer to plant one tree of not less than
three inches in caliper for each tree of 12 inches caliper or more
to be destroyed.
F. The landowner or developer shall protect remaining
trees from damage during construction. The following procedures shall
be followed in order to so protect remaining trees:
(1) No more than five inches of soil shall be placed around
the trunks of trees which are to remain. For those trees which are
to remain, where more than five inches of soil are to be placed, tree
wells shall be constructed to preserve such trees.
(2) Trees within 25 feet of a building site or bordering
entrances or exits to building sites shall be protected by wooden
slat snow fencing to be placed around such trees.
(3) No boards or other material shall be nailed to trees
during construction, and no trees shall be sprayed with bright colored
paint.
(4) Heavy equipment operators shall avoid damaging existing
tree trunks and roots. Feeder roots shall not be cut closer than 25
feet from tree trunks.
(5) Tree trunks and exposed roots damaged during construction
shall be protected from further damage by being pruned flush, and
if trunks are scarred they shall be traced out for proper healing.
(6) Tree limbs damaged during construction shall be sawed
flush to tree trunks and treated with tree paints as necessary.
(7) The operation of heavy equipment over root systems
of such trees shall be minimized in order to prevent soil compaction.
(8) Deciduous trees shall be given a heavy application
of fertilizer to aid in their recovery from possible damage caused
by construction operations.
(9) Construction debris shall not be disposed of near
or around the bases of such trees.
Active and passive recreation areas shall be provided as required in Chapter
135, Zoning, within any planned residential development or multifamily residential project.
No topsoil which is stripped in the subdivision
or land development shall be disposed of off the site. Topsoil shall
be stockpiled in locations on the site and in a fashion to minimize
loss by erosion or otherwise and shall be spread at the time of finished
grading, to the extent of its quantity, to a depth of at least three
inches, especially over areas to be seeded or sodded or needing rapid
vegetative growth to preclude soil erosion.