The following principles, standards and requirements will be
applied by City Council and the Planning Commission in their review
and evaluation of all subdivision and land development plan applications:
A. The standards and requirements contained herein shall be considered
the minimum for the promotion of the public health, safety, convenience
and general welfare.
B. Where literal compliance with the standards and requirements contained herein is clearly impractical, City Council may modify or waive such standards through the waiver process set forth in §
7-503.6 of this code.
C. Subdivision and land development plans shall give due consideration
to official plans of the City or to such parts thereof as may be adopted
pursuant to statute.
D. Proposed land uses shall conform to the City's Zoning Code.
E. For land developments, proposed structures, in general, shall be
harmonious with the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
F. Land subject to hazards to life, health or property, such as may
arise from fire, floods, disease or other causes, shall not be subdivided
or developed unless such hazards have been eliminated or unless the
plan shall show adequate safeguards against them, which shall be approved
by the appropriate regulatory agencies.
In undertaking new construction, the developer shall be guided
by the urban context in order to create a harmonious and integrated
environment in land development:
A. Allowing for diversity, the form of buildings should, in most cases,
strive to be compatible with existing structures, particularly on
the perimeter of the development.
B. The attempt should be made to incorporate architectural details found
on existing, adjacent buildings, such as bay windows, porches, cornice
lines and dormers.
C. In selecting building materials, consideration should be given to
utilizing materials which exist in the surrounding development.
The design and development of all subdivisions shall preserve,
whenever possible, natural features which will aid in providing open
space for recreation and conditions generally favorable to the health,
safety and welfare of the residents of the City. Some of these natural
features include the natural terrain of the site, woodland areas,
large trees, natural watercourses and bodies of water, wetlands, rock
outcroppings and scenic views.
A. Tree preservation and planting.
(1)
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 they are located within the proposed cartway or sidewalk portion
of the street right-of-way or within 15 feet of the foundation area
of a proposed building. In areas where trees are retained, the original
grade level shall be maintained if possible so as not to disturb the
trees.
(2)
Where existing trees are removed along the street right-of-way,
supplemental planting, in the form of appropriate street trees, shall
be introduced. Such trees shall be planted at intervals of between
50 and 100 feet and preferably in random patterns.
(3)
A landscape plan shall be developed for industrial, residential
and multifamily residential subdivisions and land developments. Such
plan shall indicate the vegetation or plant cover which will exist
when landscaping is completed.
B. Lake, stream, and river frontage preservation.
(1)
A maintenance easement for the City or its designee, with a
minimum width of 25 feet, shall be provided along all stream and river
banks and lake edges. Such easement, in all cases, shall be of sufficient
width to provide proper maintenance.
(2)
Lake, stream, and river frontage shall be preserved as open
space whenever possible.
(3)
Access shall be provided to the water and maintenance easement
area. The width of such access points shall not be less than 50 feet.
C. Topography. The existing natural terrain of the proposed subdivision
tract shall be retained whenever possible. Cut and fill operations
shall be kept to a minimum.
Properties located within the floodplain zoning district of the City of Harrisburg, as created by Chapter 7-329 of the Zoning Code, shall comply with the requirements of Chapter
7-509 of this code.