[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 501]
1.
The following principles, standards and requirements will be applied
by the Town Council and Planning Commission in their review and evaluation
of all subdivision and land development plat applications.
2.
The standards and requirements contained herein shall be considered
the minimum for the promotion of the public health, safety, convenience
and general welfare.
3.
Where literal compliance with the standards and requirements contained herein is clearly impractical, the Town Council may modify or waive such through the alteration of requirements process as set forth in Part 10 of this Chapter.
4.
Subdivision and land development plats shall give due consideration
to "Official Plans" of the Town of Bloomsburg and Columbia County
or to such parts thereof as may be adopted pursuant to statute.
5.
Proposed land uses shall conform to the Town of Bloomsburg Zoning Ordinance, as amended [Chapter 27].
6.
Lands subject to hazards to life, health or property, such as may
arise from fire, flood, disease or other causes, shall not be platted
for development purposes unless such hazards have been eliminated
or unless the plat shall show adequate safeguards against them, which
shall be approved by the appropriate regulatory agencies.
7.
Handicapped Accessibility. All required improvements shall be designed
in conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Architectural
Guidelines and constructed in accordance with the guidelines and design
criteria contained in PennDOT Publication 70, entitled, "Guidelines
for Design of Local Roads and Streets," as amended.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 502]
1.
General Standards.
A.
Proposed streets shall be properly related to such street plans or
parts thereof as have been officially adopted by the Town of Bloomsburg
and shall be coordinated with existing or proposed streets in adjoining
subdivisions or land developments. Further, proposed streets shall
be properly related to County, regional or State transportation plans
as have been prepared and adopted as prescribed by law.
B.
Streets shall be laid out to preserve the integrity of their design.
Local access streets shall be laid out to discourage their use by
through traffic and, where possible, collector and arterial streets
shall be designed for use by through traffic.
C.
Streets shall be related to the topography so as to establish usable
lots and satisfactory street grades.
D.
Proposed street arrangements shall make provision for the continuation
of existing streets in adjoining areas, the proper projection of streets
into adjoining undeveloped or unplatted areas and the continuation
of proposed streets to the boundaries of the tract being subdivided.
E.
Short extensions of existing streets with lesser right-of-way and/or
cartway widths than prescribed in this Section may be permitted; provided,
that no section or new right-of-way less than 40 feet in width shall
be permitted.
F.
New half or partial streets shall be prohibited, except where essential
to reasonable subdivision of a tract in conformance with the other
requirements and standards of these regulations and where, in addition,
satisfactory assurance for dedication of the remaining part of the
street can be obtained; a cul-de-sac shall be constructed at the end
of such half street which shall be of a permanent nature, unless a
temporary cul-de-sac is approved.
G.
Names of new streets shall not duplicate existing or platted street
names, or approximate such names by the use of suffixes such as "lane,"
"way," "drive," "court" "avenue." In approving the names of streets,
cognizance should be given to existing or platted street names within
the postal delivery district served by the local post office. New
streets shall bear the same name or number of any continuation of
alignment with an existing or platted street.
H.
Insofar as possible, streets on which structures utilizing solar
access are proposed to front upon shall be oriented along an east-west
axis with maximum deviations permitted up to 25°; provided, that
such orientations are feasible based on soil and slope conditions
and are a practical means of providing safe and convenient access
and circulation.
I.
Proposed private streets (streets not offered for dedication) are
prohibited unless designed and constructed in accordance with applicable
provisions herein including, but not limited to, such standards as
private right-of-way width, curbs, sidewalks, street width, typical
cross sections, drainage improvements, traffic controls and setbacks.
Maintenance agreements obligating all parties served by the private
street shall be required.
J.
Where the proposed subdivision or land development contains or is
adjacent to an arterial or collector street, provision for a marginal
access street may be required. Rear service alleys, reverse frontage
lots or such other treatment which will provide protection for abutting
properties, reduction in the number of intersections with major streets
and separation of local and through traffic may also be required.
K.
Where a new subdivision or land development abuts an existing street,
the applicant shall provide any required dedication for widening the
existing street to meet standards as set forth in subsection (3) including,
but not limited to, required right-of-way and cartway width. Required
right-of-way shall be provided for public safety and convenience.
Where the cartway is widened by the installation of curbing or other
required improvements, fill-in paving shall be required. For State
routes, the plan shall show the existing legal limit of the State
right-of-way and any additional right-of-way being dedicated to the
Town. The right-of-way to be dedicated shall be measured from the
center line of the existing street or State route.
L.
Where a proposed subdivision or land development is provided access
by a single street, the Town Council may require a boulevard-type
entrance which would consist of two streets having a width of 20 feet
each separated by an island having a width of 10 feet within a right-of-way
of no less than 70 feet in width.
M.
Applicant for a subdivision or land development abutting a State
route shall be responsible for obtaining a Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation highway occupancy permit for any proposed improvements
and completion of said improvements.
N.
Prior to final plat approval, the applicant shall certify that title
to any street rights-of-way are unencumbered of any liens or other
obligations and that no prior right-of-way has been granted.
O.
Rights-of-way, as provided in Table 1 herein, are based upon utility
servicing needs, to accommodate runoff ponding, storage of plowed
snow, emergency parking, temporary roadway adjustments during maintenance
procedures and accidents and to accommodate future improvements.
2.
Street Classification. Three functional classifications of streets
and roads, are established as follows:
A.
Arterial. This classification includes highways which provide intracounty
or intermunicipal traffic of substantial volumes.
B.
Collector. This classification is intended to include those highways
which connect minor streets to arterial highways and generally serve
intracounty and intramunicipal traffic. They may serve as traffic
corridors connecting residential areas with industrial, shopping and
other services. They may penetrate residential areas.
C.
Minor. This classification is intended to include streets and roads
that provide direct access to abutting land and connections to higher
classes of roadways. Traffic volumes will be low and travel distances
generally short.
3.
Street Widths.
A.
Minimum street right-of-way and cartway widths shall be required
as presented in Table 1.
B.
Provision for additional street width and/or right-of-way may be
required when determined to be necessary by the Town Council in specific
cases for public safety and convenience (see subsection (1)(K) herein).
4.
Cul-de-Sac or Dead End Streets.
A.
Dead-end streets are prohibited unless designed as cul-de-sac streets
or designed for future access to adjoining properties.
B.
Any dead-end street, for future access to an adjoining property or
because of authorized phased development, shall be provided with a
temporary, all-weather turn-around within the subdivision or/and land
development; and the use of such turn-around shall be guaranteed to
the public until such time as the street is extended.
C.
Cul-de-sac streets serving residential uses, permanently designed
as such, shall not exceed 800 feet in length and shall not furnish
access to more than 24 dwelling units.
D.
Cul-de-sac streets serving commercial and/or industrial uses shall
be adequate for the type of use to be serviced as approved by the
Town Engineer/Consultant but, in no case, shall exceed 800 feet in
length.
E.
All permanent cul-de-sac streets shall be provided, at the closed
end, with a fully paved turnaround.
F.
Unless future extension is clearly impractical or undesirable, the
turnaround right-of-way shall be placed adjacent to the tract boundary
with sufficient additional width provided along the boundary line
to permit extension of the street at full width.
(1)
The minimum radius to the pavement edge or curbline shall be
40 feet and the minimum radius of the right-of-way line shall be 50
feet.
G.
Drainage of cul-de-sac streets shall be provided in accordance with
Part 8 herein.
H.
The center line grade on a cul-de-sac street shall not exceed 10%
and the grade of the diameter of the turn around shall not exceed
2%.
5.
6.
Intersections.
A.
Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and
no street shall intersect another at an angle of less than 75°.
B.
Intersections involving the junction of more than two streets are
prohibited.
C.
Streets intersecting another street shall either intersect directly
opposite to each other or shall be separated by at least 150 feet
between center lines, measured along the center line of the street
being intersected.
D.
Intersections shall be approached on all sides by a leveling area
within 40 feet of the intersection of the nearest right-of-way lines.
The grade differential between the roadway cross slope and approaching
street shall not exceed 5% in this area.
E.
Intersections with major streets, excluding State routes, shall be
located not less than 800 feet apart, measured from center line to
center line along the center line of the major street.
F.
At intersections of streets, the curb or edge of payment radii shall
not be less than the following:
|
Intersection
|
Minimum Simple Curve Radii of Curb or Edge of Pavement
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Res/Comm
|
Industrial
| |
|
Arterial Street Intersections
|
As required by PennDOT
| |
|
Collector with Collector Street
|
35 feet
|
55 feet
|
|
Collector with Minor Street
|
25 feet
|
55 feet
|
|
Minor Street with Minor Street
|
20 feet
|
55 feet
|
|
Radius corners or diagonal cutoffs must be provided on the property
lines substantially concentric with or parallel to the chord of the
curb radius corners.
|
7.
Intersection Sight Distance and Clear Sight Triangles. Adequate sight
distances and areas of view obstructions shall be provided at all
intersections of streets and for driveways intersecting a street,
in accordance with Exhibit VI.
8.
Street Grades.
A.
The grades of streets shall not be less than the minimum or more
than the maximum requirements listed below:
|
Type of Street
|
Minimum Grade
|
Maximum Grade
|
|---|---|---|
|
Arterial Streets
|
0.50
|
As determined by the Town Council after consultation with the
Commission and the PA Department of Highways
|
|
Collector Streets
|
0.50
|
8%
|
|
Minor Streets
|
0.50
|
10%
|
|
Street Intersection
|
0.50
|
5%
|
B.
On minor streets and service drives, grades greater than 10% shall
not be more than 200 feet in length or as recommended for approval
by the Town Engineer/Consultant.
9.
Slopes of Banks Along Streets. The slope of banks along streets measured
perpendicular to the street center line shall be no steeper than the
following:
A.
One foot of vertical measurement for three feet of horizontal measurement
for fills.
B.
One foot of vertical measurement for two feet of horizontal measurement
for cuts.
C.
The full right-of-way shall be graded not to exceed a 2% slope. The
top or toe of slope shall be at the dedicated right-of-way line.
10.
Access Drives and Driveways.
A.
Direct access from residential lots to an arterial street shall be
avoided whenever possible. Where such direct access cannot be avoided,
adequate turnaround space shall be provided behind the right-of-way
line.
B.
A valid highway occupancy permit shall be obtained from the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation for all access drives and driveways connecting
to a State route.
C.
Driveways serving single family residences shall intersect streets
at angles of no less than 60°. All other driveways or access drives
shall intersect streets at right angles, where possible and in no
instance shall such intersection be less than 75°.
D.
The width of an access drive or driveway shall be in accordance with
the following standards:
(1)
For multifamily residential, mobile home parks and all nonresidential
developments or subdivisions, access drives shall be no less than
22 feet in width at the street line and shall clearly be defined by
the use of curbing.
(2)
For all other residential subdivisions/land developments, driveways
shall be no less than 10 feet in width and no greater than 20 feet
in width at the street line.
E.
In order to provide for safe and convenient ingress and egress points,
access drives and driveway entrances shall be rounded at the following
minimum radius:
G.
Private residential driveways and multifamily/nonresidential access
drives on corner lots shall be located at least 40 feet from the point
of intersection of the nearest street right-of-way lines.
H.
In order to provide a safe and convenient means of access, grades on private driveways and access drives shall be so designed to allow for the unimpeded flow of stormwater runoff. A driveway shall be paved within the dedicated right-of-way area with the remaining portion being stabilized to their full width to prevent erosion. An access drive shall be paved in accordance with § 22-703 herein.
I.
All driveways and access drives shall be located, designed and constructed
in such a manner so as not to interfere or be inconsistent with the
design and maintenance and drainage of, or the safe and convenient
passage of traffic.
J.
Driveways or access drives shall be located no closer than 10 feet
from a fire hydrant or storm drainage inlet.
K.
Any new or improved driveway or access drive connections to local
streets shall require a driveway permit issued by the Town of Bloomsburg
prior to start of construction.
L.
Proposed private access drives for purposes of providing a means
of secondary access to a lot are permitted as deemed appropriate by
the Town Council and Town Engineer/Consultant.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 504]
Wherever a proposed subdivision or land development is immediately adjacent to, or within 1,000 feet of any existing or recorded subdivision or land development having curbs, curbs shall be installed on each side of the street in accordance with specifications as set forth in § 22-705 herein. Under the recommendation of the Town Planning Commission and/or Town Engineer/Consultant, the Town Council may require installation of curbs in any subdivision or land development where the bulk of the buildings, area of parking, roads, and the gradient of such areas or other evidence indicates that such improvements are necessary for proper drainage.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 505; as amended by Ord.
819, 7/12/1999]
Wherever a proposed subdivision or land development is immediately
adjacent to, or within 1,000 feet of any existing or recorded subdivision
or land development having sidewalks, sidewalks shall be installed
in accordance with specifications as set forth in § 706
herein. Under the recommendation of the Town Planning Commission and/or
Town Engineer/Consultant, the Town Council may require installation
of sidewalks in any subdivision or land development.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 506]
1.
Easements shall be provided for drainage facilities, overhead or
underground public utility facilities in consultation with the Town
Engineer/Consultant, the electric, telephone and water utilities,
the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the municipal authority.
A.
The minimum width of such easements shall be 20 feet for drainage
facilities and underground utilities, 10 feet for overhead utilities.
Additional width may be required by the Commission depending on the
purpose and use of the easements.
B.
Wherever possible, such easements shall be centered on the side or
rear lot lines or along the front lot lines.
2.
Where a subdivision and/or land development is traversed by a watercourse,
drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be provided a drainage
easement, width to be determined by the Town Engineer/Consultant,
conforming substantially with the line of such watercourse, drainageway,
channel or stream and of such width as will be adequate to preserve
the unimpeded flow of natural drainage or for the purpose of widening,
deepening, relocating, improving or protecting such drainage facilities
or for the purpose of installing a stormwater sewer. Under no circumstances
shall the easement be less than 25 feet. Access easements shall also
be required.
3.
Where a subdivision or land development involves the use of solar
access, solar skyspace easements shall be provided, shall be in writing,
and shall be subject to the same conveyancing and instrument recording
requirements as other easements. Any such easements shall be appurtenant,
shall run with the land benefitted and burdened and shall be defined
and limited by conditions stated in the instrument of conveyance.
Instruments creating a solar skyspace easement shall include, but
not be limited to:
A.
A permanently identifiable description of the skyspace above the
burdened land into which trees, buildings and/or other obstructions
as specified by the easement shall not be permitted to encroach.
B.
Any terms or conditions under which the solar skyspace easement is
granted or will be terminated.
C.
Any provision for compensation by the owner of the land benefitted
from the solar skyspace easement, or compensation of the owner of
the land burdened by the solar skyspace easement for maintaining the
easement.
4.
Where necessary for access to public or common lands, a pedestrian
easement shall be provided with a width of no less than 10 feet. Additional
width may be required by the Commission depending on the purpose and
use of the easement.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 507]
1.
The length, width, shape and design of blocks shall be determined
with due regard to the provision of adequate sites for buildings of
the type proposed, to the land use and/or zoning requirements of the
Town, the topography of the land being subdivided or developed and
the requirements for safe and convenient vehicular and pedestrian
circulation.
2.
In undeveloped areas, blocks shall not exceed 1,600 feet in length,
nor be less than 600 feet in length. Where practical, blocks along
collector or arterial streets shall be not less than 1,000 feet in
length.
3.
Residential blocks shall generally be of sufficient depth to accommodate
two tiers of lots, except where reverse frontage lots bordering an
arterial or collector street are used or, where due to the contour
of the land or the necessary layout of the subdivision, there is insufficient
depth between intersecting streets for such two tier design.
4.
Blocks for commercial and industrial areas may vary from the elements
of design contained in this Section if the nature of use requires
other treatment. In such cases, off-street parking for employees and
customers shall be provided along with safe and convenient limited
access to the street system. Space for off-street loading shall also
be provided with limited access to the street system. Extension of
streets, railroad access rights-of-way and utilities shall be provided
as necessary.
5.
Crosswalks or interior pedestrian walks shall be required in blocks
exceeding 1,000 feet in length to provide for pedestrian circulation
or access to community facilities. Such walks shall be stabilized
for a width of not less than four feet, shall be located in easements
not less than 10 feet in width and shall, insofar as possible, be
located in the center of any such block.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 508]
1.
2.
Lot Frontage.
A.
All lots shall abut a public street existing or proposed or a private
street if it meets the requirements of these regulations.
B.
Double or reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except where required
to provide separation of residential development from major streets
or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography or orientation.
C.
No residential lots shall be created which front upon a limited access
highway. Furthermore, no major subdivisions and/or land developments
shall be created which front upon an arterial street.
3.
Building Setbacks.
A.
Front, side and rear setbacks shall be in conformance with the Town of Bloomsburg Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27], as amended.
B.
Buildings shall be oriented such that their longest axis faces within
25° of true south whenever lot size, street orientation, soil
and slope conditions make this practical.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 509; as amended by Ord.
708, 6/3/1996, § 1; and by Ord. 841, 12/19/2001]
1.
General Requirements and Standards.
A.
In the event that any person shall intend to make changes in the
contour of any land or engage in earth moving activity, whether for
subdivision, land development or any purpose, such person, who is
required to obtain a permit, shall obtain such a permit from the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection in accordance with the requirements
of the "Rules and Regulations", Chapter 102, Erosion Control, authorized
under P.L. 1987, June 22, 1937.
B.
Furthermore, under the requirements noted above, the Town of Bloomsburg
shall notify the Department immediately upon receipt of an application
for a building permit involving earth moving activity which affects
five acres or more of land.
C.
The Town shall not issue a building permit to those engaged in earth
moving activities requiring a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection permit until the Department has issued the permit.
D.
An erosion and sedimentation control plan must be prepared for a
single lot or more where subdivision, land development or other earth
moving activity is proposed. The plan must be submitted:
E.
Such erosion and sedimentation control plan shall be submitted to
the Town Engineer/Consultant and Columbia County Conservation District
for review and a copy of the plan and review comments shall be submitted
to the Commission as part of the preliminary and final plat applications.
F.
In the preparation of erosion and sedimentation control plans the
person preparing such plans shall consult with the Columbia County
Conservation District to determine the measures needed to control
erosion and sedimentation.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 509]
Drainage and stormwater management shall be done in accordance
with the provisions set forth in Part 8 herein.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 510]
The design and development of all subdivision and land development
plans 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
Town. 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)
Removal and/or trimming of trees shall not be permitted unless in accordance with the Bloomsburg Shade Tree Ordinance [Chapter 25], as amended.
(2)
When deemed necessary by the Town's Planning Commission, a landscape
plan will be developed for a subdivision or land development. Such
plan shall indicate the vegetation or plant cover which exists and,
on the same or separate sheet, the vegetation or plant cover which
will exist when landscaping is completed. In addition, landscaping
shall be designed, installed and maintained with the aim of allowing
as great a portion of the site to remain or become wooded without
adversely affecting the availability of solar access to the south.
(3)
The location and species of trees and other landscaping elements
shall be such that when grown to full maturity they shall not impede
solar access to neighboring structures.
B.
Stream Frontage Preservation.
(1)
A maintenance easement for the Town or its designee, with a
minimum width of 25 feet, shall be provided along all stream banks.
Such easement, in all cases, shall be of sufficient width to provide
proper maintenance.
(2)
Stream 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 20 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.
[Ord. 759, 3/8/1993, § 511]
Design standards for development within any identified floodplain area or district shall be accordance with the Town of Bloomsburg Floodplain Management Ordinance [Chapter 8], as amended.
