Any application for development shall conform to the standards
set forth in this article. The standards specified in this article
are minimum design requirements.
In reviewing any application for development, the Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners shall refer the application for development to the Township Engineer for a recommendation concerning technical compliance with these design standards and Chapter 245 of the Code of the Township.
A.
Slope of land. No land shall be graded, cut or filled so as to create
a slope exceeding a vertical rise of one foot for each two feet of
horizontal distance between adjoining lots.
B.
Stripping of topsoil. No person shall strip, excavate or otherwise
remove topsoil, dirt, minerals or slag for sale or for use other than
on the lot from which it is taken, except in connection with the construction
or alteration of a building on that lot and the excavation or grading
incidental to that construction or unless a special permit has been
obtained under provisions of the Township Zoning or Grading Ordinances
currently in effect.[1]
C.
Excavation, grading and filling. Any cuts, excavation, grading, and
filling which changes the drainage characteristics of the site and
the site's relationship with surrounding properties shall not
be permitted unless first approved by the Township Engineer in conformance
with a plan submitted in accordance with steep slope requirements
of the Township Zoning Ordinance and the Township Grading Ordinance,
as now or hereinafter enacted or amended.
A.
Layout.
(1)
Streets shall be planned to conform with the layout of existing and
planned streets and so located as to allow proper development of surrounding
properties. Local streets shall be laid out so as to discourage through
traffic. Collector streets should be designed to provide adequate
flow of traffic from local streets to major community facilities and
to arterial streets.
(2)
Where a proposed subdivision or land development adjoins vacant property,
the layout of streets shall be designed to allow for future extension
of streets to the adjoining property. Where a plan adjoins existing
development or an undeveloped parcel, consideration shall be given
to the possibility of new street connections and the provision of
new collector streets, where warranted.
(3)
The layout of streets in a plan shall be designed to maximize the
possibility for two points of access to a plan. The layout of streets
in a plan shall be designed with consideration for the adequate provision
of public safety and other municipal services.
B.
Topography. Proposed streets shall be planned to conform to the contour
of the land, to provide buildable lots, to have a suitable alignment
and grade, and to allow proper drainage.
C.
Grading. The shoulders shall be graded to six feet behind the curb,
and provisions shall be made for protection of slopes beyond the right-of-way.
D.
Street grades. The minimum and maximum grades permitted on all streets shall be in accordance with the design standards specified in Appendix I (at the end of this chapter), unless a modification is granted under § 250-61 of this chapter. Grades shall be measured along the center of the street. Vertical curves shall be used in changes of grade exceeding 1% and shall be designed in accordance with the design standards specified in Appendix I. Intersections shall be approached on all sides by leveling grades for a distance of 25 feet, within which no grades shall exceed the design standards specified in Appendix I. The grade of actual intersection shall not exceed 6% in any direction.
E.
Right-of-way and paving widths. Minimum widths of rights-of-way and
minimum widths of paving shall be provided in accordance with the
design standards specified in Appendix I (at the end of this chapter).
All streets shall be paved in accordance with the Township Public
Improvements Code.
F.
Additional right-of-way and paving widths. Additional widths and
paved cartway widths may be requested by the Township where necessary
for public safety and convenience, for parking in commercial and residential
areas and where additional width is necessary on existing roads which
do not comply with current right-of-way standards; however, the approval
of the plan shall not be conditioned upon dedication of the additional
right-of-way.
G.
Culs-de-sac. A cul-de-sac will not be approved when a through street is practical and shall not be more than 900 feet in length unless a modification or exception to this requirement is granted under Article IX of this chapter. A cul-de-sac shall have a minimum right-of-way radius and an outer minimum paving radius as specified in the design standards in Appendix I (at the end of this chapter).
H.
Temporary turnarounds. Where street construction is proposed to be
phased, a temporary turnaround shall be constructed to the adjoining
property line in the phased development. The right-of-way width required
for a temporary turnaround shall be a minimum of 60 feet and the outer
paving radius of the temporary turnaround shall be 30 feet. A hammerhead
turnaround may be authorized if the adjoining phase of development
is scheduled to be initiated within 12 months of the date of installation
of the temporary turnaround.
I.
Visibility. No fence, hedges, shrubbery, walls, planting (other than
trees and-grass) or similar obstructions shall be located within the
right-of-way and no such obstruction shall obscure visibility at any
intersection. A clear sight triangle, as defined by this chapter,
shall be maintained free of any obstructions at intersections. The
sides of the clear sight triangle shall be measured along the center
line of the intersecting streets and shall meet the minimum standards
specified in Appendix I (at the end of this chapter). The clear sight
triangle shall be shown on the final plat for recording.
J.
Street names. All new street names shall be approved by the Township. Names of new streets shall be sufficiently different in sound and spelling from existing names of streets in the Township so as not to cause confusion. A street which is planned as a continuation of an existing street shall bear the same name. Street signs shall be provided in accordance with § 250-43 of this chapter.
K.
Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be at least four feet wide and shall be
located in line with existing sidewalks on adjacent lots or, where
none exists, shall be located adjacent to the curb or, where no curb
exists, within one foot of the edge of paving. Sidewalks shall be
constructed in accordance with the Township Public Improvements Code.
L.
Where evidence exists of undermining, strip mining, landslide-prone soils or other geological hazards on the site, the geological report as defined in § 250-11B(1) shall include soil borings on any roadway to be dedicated to the Township. The borings shall be done at a minimum of 50 feet along the centerline of the road and shall be to a depth equal to the depth of the bottom of the estimated coal seam with a minimum of 35 feet from proposed grade. The geotechnical report shall describe any measures required to remediate the base of the roadway as required.
[Added 11-4-2015 by Ord.
No. 7-2015]
A.
Applicability. A traffic impact report shall be required in the following
cases:
B.
Contents of traffic impact report. The traffic impact report shall
contain the following data and information:
(1)
General site description. A detailed description of the roadway network
within 1/2 mile of the site, a description of the proposed land uses,
the anticipated stages of construction and the anticipated completion
date of the proposed development shall be provided. This description,
which may be in the form of a map, shall include the following items:
(a)
All major intersections.
(b)
All existing and proposed ingress and egress locations.
(c)
All existing roadway widths and rights-of-way.
(d)
All existing traffic signals and traffic control devices.
(e)
Any changes in the roadway network proposed by any governmental
agency.
(f)
All existing and proposed public transportation services and
facilities within a one-mile radius of this site.
(2)
Description of existing capacities and levels of service of all streets
and intersections within 1/2 mile of the site.
(3)
A determination of the trip generation expected to result from the
proposed development based on the ratios and methodology contained
in the current edition of the Manuals of the Institute of Transportation
Engineers (ITE).
(4)
The impact of the proposed development on existing roadway and intersection
service levels within 1/2 mile of the site.
C.
Traffic control devices. Whenever, as a result of the additional
traffic generated by a proposed development, the traffic impact report
determines the need for a traffic signal or regulatory sign at or
near the site, the developer shall be responsible for installing all
of said devices and signs.
D.
Other traffic improvements. Whenever, as a result of the additional
traffic generated by a proposed development, the traffic impact report
identifies the need for additional traffic lanes (acceleration, deceleration
or turning) or other traffic improvements, the developer shall be
responsible for installing all of said improvements.
Service streets, as defined by this chapter, shall not be permitted
in residential developments but may be provided in commercial and
industrial developments where needed for loading, unloading or secondary
access. Service streets shall meet the minimum requirements of the
Township Public Improvements Code and the requirements of Appendix
I (at the end of this chapter) for local streets.
Any private street approved to be constructed under the terms of this chapter shall be constructed in accordance with all standards and specifications of this chapter for construction of public streets unless a modification to those standards and specifications is granted in accordance with the provisions of Article IX of this chapter.
Easements for sanitary sewers, waterlines and access to stormwater
management facilities dedicated to the Township shall be required
to have a minimum width of 20 feet. Where a subdivision is or will
be traversed by a watercourse, there shall be provided a stormwater
easement or drainage right-of-way of a width sufficient for the purpose
but not less than 20 feet.
The following standards shall apply to all lots proposed to
be subdivided or developed in accordance with this chapter:
A.
Area. Minimum lot areas shall conform to the requirements of the
Township Zoning Ordinance.
B.
Frontage. All lots created by a subdivision shall have frontage along
the right-of-way of a public street, and the width of the frontage
shall be a minimum of 50 feet at the street right-of-way unless more
is required by the Township Zoning Ordinance.
C.
Double frontage. Double-frontage lots, other than corner lots, shall
be avoided; however, where a double-frontage lot is the only practical
alternative, vehicular access shall be limited to only one street
and that street shall be the street with the lower volume of traffic,
if physically feasible. The final plan shall contain a notation restricting
vehicular access to one frontage.
D.
Side lines. Whenever practicable, the side lines of a lot shall be
at right angles or radial to the right-of-way lines of streets.
E.
Building lines. Building lines of lots shall conform to the minimum
requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance and shall be shown on
the final plat.
F.
Grading. Lots shall be graded to provide drainage away from buildings
and, where practical, water shall be drained to the street rather
than to adjoining property. The developer shall be required to provide
drains or other drainage facilities, as approved by the Township Engineer,
to drain off surface water within the development.
G.
Driveways.
(1)
Driveways serving single-family and two-family dwellings are not
required to be paved; however, in lieu of paving, the driveway shall
have a covering of slag at least two inches thick for a distance of
30 feet from the right-of-way of the street. All other driveways shall
be paved in accordance with the Township Public Improvements Code
and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Design Manual,
Part 2, Chapter 7, Driveways.
(2)
No driveway shall have a slope of more than 15%. Driveways may extend
from the right-of-way line of the street to the cartway of the street
but shall not change the grade or contour of the street right-of-way,
nor shall any person cut into, fill or in any way alter any gutter,
curbing, drainage ditch or storm sewer within the right-of-way of
a street or easement for the purpose of extending a driveway or for
any other purpose without first obtaining a permit therefor from the
Township Building Inspector.
H.
Accessibility. Every lot shall be accessible to emergency and public
safety vehicles.
I.
House numbers. House numbers shall be assigned by the Township Building
Inspector and must be posted at each house so as to be easily visible
and readable from the street.
Stormwater management facilities shall be provided for all subdivisions
and land developments as required by existing ordinances of the Township
of Robinson. The standards for calculating stormwater management facility
requirements shall be as established by the Township of Robinson or
by Allegheny County for those watersheds for which the County has
prepared stormwater management plans. For those watersheds for which
the County has not prepared a study, calculations shall be based on
the twenty-five-year storm.
A.
Size and grade. Storm drains shall be adequate for the anticipated
runoff when the area is fully developed. The minimum diameter of storm
sewers shall be 15 inches, and the minimum grade shall be 1%, unless
approved by the Township Engineer. Sewers shall be constructed to
line and grade.
B.
Manholes. For pipe sizes of 24 inches or less, manholes shall be
spaced at a maximum of 400 feet, and for larger pipe sizes, the maximum
distances between manholes shall be 600 feet. In addition, manholes
shall be installed at all points of abrupt changes in alignment and
grade. Inlets may be substituted for manholes where practical.
C.
Inlets. Inlets of the type shown in the Township Public Improvements
Code shall be installed. Inlets at street intersections shall be placed
on the tangent and not on the curved portions.
D.
Castings. Manholes and inlet castings shall be as indicated in the
Township Public Improvements Code.
E.
Stormwater roof drains. Stormwater roof drains shall extend to the
paved gutter and, where accessible, shall connect to the storm drainage
system.
F.
Unnatural drainage. Whenever construction stops or concentrates the
natural flow of storm drainage in such a way as to affect adjoining
properties, approval of the owners shall be obtained in writing. Approval
of plans by the Township does not authorize or sanction drainage affecting
adjoining properties.
G.
Watercourses. Open watercourses shall not be permitted within the
rights-of-way of streets. The stopping, filling up, confining or other
interference with, or changing the course of, drains, ditches, streams
and watercourses in the Township shall not be permitted unless approval
in writing is obtained from the Board of Commissioners. A permit must
be obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for construction or changes in
a watercourse subject to the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection.
H.
Bridges and culverts. All bridges and culverts shall be designed
to support expected loads and to carry expected flows and shall be
constructed of steel and reinforced concrete to the full width of
the right-of-way. They shall be designed to meet current standards
of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and approved by the
Township Engineer.
A.
Installation. Installation of sanitary sewers and appurtenances shall
be in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Municipal Authority
of the Township of Robinson or its assigns. All installations, including
house connections, shall be made prior to the paving of the street.
B.
Minimum size and grade. The minimum diameter of sanitary sewers shall
be eight inches, and the minimum grade shall be 0.5%.
C.
Laterals. Lateral connections, where required, shall be installed
to the right-of-way line of the street prior to road paving. Each
building shall have a separate connection to the Township sewer, except
that garages accessory to dwellings may be connected to the dwelling
line.
Public water shall be supplied to each lot from the Municipal
Authority of the Township of Robinson (MATR) or from a community service
system which has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP). Waterlines shall be a minimum six inches in diameter
and shall be constructed of materials which meet the Municipal Authority
of the Township of Robinson (MATR) standards.
Fire hydrants shall be installed in accordance with NFPA standards
and shall be spaced a maximum of 1,000 feet apart. Hydrants and couplings
shall be approved by the Township Deputy Fire Marshal. The middle
of the steamer connection shall be a minimum of 18 inches from the
adjacent ground level.
All construction materials used in sewers, streets, sidewalks
and other required improvements shall be tested by a qualified testing
laboratory, if required by the Township Engineer. The cost for such
tests shall be borne by the developer.