A.
The standards and requirements contained in Article V are intended as the minimum for the promotion of the public health, safety and general welfare, and shall be applied as such by the Borough Planning Commission and Borough Council in reviewing all subdivision and land development plans.
B.
Whenever other Borough regulations impose more restrictive standards
and requirements than those contained herein, such other regulations
shall prevail; otherwise, the standards and requirements of this chapter
shall apply.
C.
The layout or arrangement of the subdivision or land development
shall conform to the Comprehensive Plan, any regulations or maps adopted
in furtherance thereof, and any other Official Plans of the Borough
which have been adopted.
D.
The plan of the proposed subdivision or land development shall be
coordinated with existing adjacent development in order to provide
for harmonious development of the area as a whole.
E.
Land shall be suited to the purpose for which it is to be subdivided
or developed. Lands subject to hazards to life, health, or property
such as may result from fire, flood, disease or other causes shall
either be made safe for the purpose for which such land is proposed
to be used, or such land shall be set aside for uses which shall not
endanger life or property or further aggravate or increase the existing
menace.
F.
All subdivisions and land developments shall be reviewed to assure
that all such proposals are consistent with the need to minimize flood
damage, that all utilities, and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical
and water systems are located and constructed to minimize or eliminate
flood damage, and that adequate drainage is provided so as to reduce
exposure to flood hazards.
The Borough will maintain a list of street designations by resolution.
A.
Access management standards. Vehicular access to and from buildings,
structures and lots in all commercial and industrial areas shall be
governed by the following:
(1)
Every building lot shall have access to a public street or an approved
private street.
(2)
Proposed access points shall be separated according to the provisions
set forth in this chapter.
(3)
Where a lot or multiple lots are created with frontage on more than
one road, access shall only be permitted to the road with the lower
functional classification according to this chapter.
(4)
Unless clearly impractical, direct access to collector and arterial
roads, as defined by this chapter, shall be prohibited.
(5)
Unless clearly impractical, all residential lots shall have access
only to local streets.
(6)
Where a development proposal creates lots with frontage along existing
collector or arterial roads, the proposed street pattern shall provide
reverse frontage access to a local street within the development,
rather than access to the collector or arterial road. All front yard
setbacks shall be calculated from the local road.
(7)
Where a building, structure, or lot is created having frontage along
an existing collector or arterial road, and access to another street
is not possible, access may be provided from an adjacent use.
(8)
Where a building, structure or lot is created having frontage along
an existing collector or arterial road, and no viable alternative
for access is possible, access to the arterial or collector road may
be permitted in conjunction with the following:
(a)
The proposed use shall utilize existing accessways of adjacent
properties through interconnection of interior drives, parking areas,
or loading areas.
(b)
The design of parking and interior circulation of the proposed
use shall be planned in such a manner as to connect interior accessways,
parking areas and loading areas with future adjacent uses, structures,
buildings or lots.
(c)
Access points along collector or arterial roads, as designated
in this chapter, shall comply with all Borough and state regulations
governing lot access, driveways and street intersections.
B.
Access intersection distance. All proposed accessways shall be set
back a minimum distance from any intersection, based on the highway
classification as defined by this chapter. The minimum setback distance
from intersections shall be calculated as the distance from the edge
of or projected edge of the pavement of the intersecting roadway to
the tangent of the radius of the proposed accessway according to the
following:
(1)
All proposed accessways shall be set back a minimum of 75 feet from
the intersection of two local roads.
(2)
From the intersection of a local road and collector road, proposed
accessways shall be set back a minimum of 100 feet.
(3)
From the intersection of a local road and an arterial road, proposed
accessways shall be set back a minimum of 175 feet.
C.
Shared access provisions.
(1)
Purpose.
(a)
The use of shared access points for adjacent facilities should
be considered to better facilitate the flow of traffic by increasing
access coordination along road frontages and minimizing confusion
caused by an excessive number of access points.
(2)
Objectives.
(a)
Limit the number of access points along collector and arterial
roads.
(b)
Use parallel access roads as entrances to uses and lots that
abut collector and arterial roads.
(c)
Coordinate ingress and egress locations for adjacent uses, lots
and structures along collector and arterial roads.
(d)
Connect interior accessways, parking areas or loading areas
of uses with frontage along collector and arterial roads.
(e)
Coordinate similar traffic movements at access locations to
increase safety and facilitate vehicle movement.
D.
Access point separation.
(1)
A minimum distance shall be provided between all new access points
as determined by the highway classification identified in this chapter
and in accordance with the following:
(2)
Where two or more adjacent buildings, structures, or lots are in
such proximity that achieving the minimum separation is not possible
for each individual use, access points shall be shared in compliance
with the provisions of this chapter.
E.
Responsibilities. The applicant shall be held responsible for the
construction of any necessary traffic control devices, signs and roadway
safety improvements, including acceleration and deceleration lane(s)
where required by the Borough or PennDOT.
A.
All design elements of all streets, including existing function,
horizontal and vertical alignment, sight distance, and superelevation,
are subject to review and approval by the Borough Council. When reviewing
the design of streets, in addition to the standards in this chapter,
the Rural Design Criteria in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Design Manual, Part 2, Highway Design, January 1990 edition, and A
Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, AASHTO, current
edition, as from time to time amended and supplemented, shall be in
accordance with acceptable engineering practice.
B.
For certain aspects of vertical and horizontal alignment discussed
below, standards are determined by design speed of the street involved.
For all proposed streets, the applicant shall indicate the proposed
design speed. The designated design speed is subject to the approval
of the Borough Council, in accordance with acceptable PennDOT standards.
C.
The speed limit proposed to be posted for streets shall not exceed
the design speed.
D.
Streets in and bordering a subdivision or land development shall
be coordinated, and be of such widths and grades and in such locations
as deemed necessary to accommodate prospective traffic and facilitate
fire protection.
E.
The location and width of all proposed streets shall conform to the
official plans which have been adopted by the Borough and shall be
properly related to all existing streets, recorded streets, and official
plans which have been adopted or approved by the Borough, county,
or state.
F.
Streets within the subdivision or land development and adjacent roads
which will receive traffic from and distribute traffic to the subdivision
or land development shall be adequate in construction, grade, width
and capacity to accommodate traffic generated by the subdivision or
land development.
G.
The proposed street system shall extend existing or recorded streets at the same width as the existing or recorded streets if these streets meet or exceed the standards of § 395-23A. If the existing or recorded streets do not meet or exceed the standards of § 395-23A, the proposed street extensions shall meet the standards of § 395-23A.
H.
Where, in the opinion of the Borough Council, it is desirable to
provide for street access to adjoining property, streets shall be
extended by dedication to the boundary of such property. The location
and number of access points to adjoining properties are subject to
Borough Council approval.
I.
When streets will be extended to the boundaries of the subdivision
or land development to provide for access to potentially developable
tracts and sanitary sewer and/or water lines will be constructed in
the streets within the applicant's tract, the Borough Council
may require extension of the sanitary sewer and/or water lines to
the tract boundary in order to facilitate future extensions to abutting
land.
J.
If a subdivision proposes lots, all of which front on existing public
streets, the Borough Council may require the applicant to reserve
land adequate to provide for future street access from the public
streets on which the lots front to the land to the rear of the proposed
lots. Such reserved areas shall be of such dimensions to permit the
construction of streets meeting the standards of this chapter.
(1)
When reservations for future streets will adjoin lots to be developed
prior to the construction of the streets, the applicant shall establish
the proposed grades of the future streets and the extent of the area
necessary for the construction of those streets. If the area necessary
for the construction of the streets extends beyond the proposed street
right-of-way lines, all excavation and grading necessary for the streets
beyond the right-of-way lines shall be done as required improvements
in conjunction with the subdivision which contains the adjoining lots
or else construction easements shall be provided on the adjoining
lots, sufficient to permit construction of the future street.
K.
If lots or parcels in the subdivision are large enough for resubdivision,
or if a portion of the applicant's property is not proposed to
be subdivided but could be subdivided in the future, the Borough Council
may require the reservation of land adequate to provide for future
street access to land which could be resubdivided or subdivided in
the future and require that the location of land reserved for future
streets be coordinated with the street system shown on the subdivision
plan.
L.
Connections shall be provided between streets within the subdivision
or land development to provide adequate access for emergency vehicles,
other vehicles, and pedestrians.
M.
New minor streets shall be so designed as to discourage through traffic,
but the applicant shall provide for the extension and continuation
of arterial and collector streets into and from adjoining properties
when required by the Borough Council. Minor streets shall be extended
and continued into and from adjoining properties when necessary for
the proper development of and traffic circulation in the Borough.
N.
Where a subdivision or land development abuts an existing street
which does not meet the standards of this chapter, the Borough Council
may require the dedication of land sufficient to widen the street
to meet the standards of this chapter.
O.
Where a subdivision of land development fronts on and will provide
for vehicular access to and from an existing Borough street which
does not meet the minimum cartway width requirements of this chapter,
the Borough Council may require the applicant to improve at his expense
the Borough street cartway to meet those requirements. Pavement shall
be constructed in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
In addition, provision shall be made for adequate drainage along the
sides of the streets. Such drainage provisions shall be approved by
the Borough Council.
P.
Private streets (streets not to be offered for dedication) shall
be designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of
this chapter and other Borough regulations, including Ordinance No.
4-1974, as from time to time amended and supplemented, except as follows:
(1)
Private streets need not conform in width to the requirements of § 395-23A of this chapter; provided, however, that private streets shall have a cartway of not less than 24 feet unless a greater width is required by Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport; and provided further, that no parking shall be permitted on any private street that does not contain the width requirements of § 395-23A of this chapter.
(2)
Private streets shall only be permitted in those subdivisions or
land developments intended to remain under single ownership.
Q.
Where streets and other public improvements continue into adjoining
municipalities, evidence of compatibility of design, particularly
with regard to street widths, shall be submitted. The applicant shall
coordinate such design with both municipalities to avoid abrupt changes
in cartway width or in improvements provided.
R.
The street system shall be signed with regard to:
(1)
Consideration of existing topographical considerations.
(2)
Providing buildable lots, or in the case of a mobile home park, lots on which a mobile home can be placed in accordance with all applicable requirements of Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport.
(3)
Minimizing the number of street intersections through encouraging
the use of three-way rather than four-way intersections when intersections
of minor streets are involved.
(4)
Avoiding excessive lineal footage of street.
S.
All drives within multiple-family and nonresidential developments
which are intended for circulation within the development shall be
designed to the horizontal and vertical alignment standards for streets
contained within this chapter.
New half or partial streets will not be permitted, but wherever
a tract to be subdivided borders an existing recorded half or partial
street, the Borough Council may require the applicant to provide adjacent
to such half or partial street a reservation of land adequate to allow
the construction of a street meeting the standards of this chapter.
A.
Minimum street right-of-way and cartway (pavement) widths shall be
as follows:
|
Street Type
|
Required Widths
(feet)
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Minor streets and permanent culs-de-sac
| |||
|
Right-of-way
|
56
| ||
|
Cartway
|
36
| ||
|
Collector street
| |||
|
Right-of-way
|
60
| ||
|
Cartway
|
40
| ||
|
Arterial street
| |||
|
Right-of-way
|
As specified in the official plans or as determined after consultation
with the Borough and PennDOT
| ||
|
Cartway
|
As specified in the official plans or as determined after consultation
with the Borough and PennDOT
| ||
|
Marginal access street
| |||
|
Right-of-way
|
As determined after consultation with the Borough and PennDOT,
but not less than 40
| ||
|
Cartway
|
30
| ||
|
Service street
| |||
|
Right-of-way
|
24
| ||
|
Cartway
|
24
| ||
B.
Additional right-of-way widths may be required by the Borough Council
for the purpose of promoting the public safety and convenience and
for providing for proposed traffic volumes.
C.
The designation of streets as "minor," "collector," and "arterial"
is subject to Borough Council approval. The Borough Council may prohibit
parking along collector streets.
A.
Whenever a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing
or proposed arterial or collector street, the Borough Council may
require restriction of access to the street by:
(1)
Provision of reverse frontage lots;
(2)
Provision of service streets along the rear of the abutting lots,
together with prohibition of private driveways intersecting the arterial
or collector street;
(3)
Provision of marginal access streets, provided that the reserve strips
establishing such marginal access streets shall be placed within the
jurisdiction of the Borough under an agreement meeting the approval
of the Borough; or
(4)
Provision of a system of minor streets which intersect the arterial
or collector street and on which lots would front.
A.
There shall be a minimum cross-section grade at center line of 1%
and a 2% maximum grade.
C.
Grades up to 12% may be permitted by the Borough Council on minor
streets, except culs-de-sac, if the Council, at its discretion, deems
that unsafe conditions will not result from the increase in grade.
A.
Whenever street lines are deflected in excess of 5°, connection
shall be made by horizontal curves.
B.
Minimum center-line radii for horizontal curves shall be 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
|
C.
A straight section of road of at least 100 feet shall be provided
between all horizontal curves on collector streets. A straight section
of road of at least 200 feet shall be provided between all horizontal
curves on arterial streets.
D.
Combinations of the minimum radius and maximum grade are prohibited.
At all changes in street grades where the algebraic difference
in grade exceeds 1%, vertical curves shall be provided. The minimum
sight distance provided shall be as follows for both crest and sag
vertical curves.
|
Design Speed
(miles per hour)
|
Minimum Sight Distance
(feet)
|
|---|---|
|
20
|
125
|
|
25
|
150
|
|
30
|
200
|
|
35
|
250
|
|
40
|
325
|
|
45
|
400
|
|
50
|
475
|
|
55
|
550
|
A.
Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and
no street shall intersect another at an angle of less than 75°
(measured at the intersection of the street center lines) nor more
than 105°. The angle of intersection with an arterial street shall
be 90°.
B.
No more than two streets geometrically shall intersect at the same
point.
C.
Streets intersecting another street shall either intersect directly
opposite to each other or 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 straight area
at least 50 feet in length, the grade of which shall not exceed 5%
within 50 feet of the intersection of the nearest right-of-way lines.
E.
Intersections with arterial streets shall be located not less than
500 feet apart, measured from center line to center line along the
center line of the arterial streets.
F.
Street curb intersections shall be rounded by a tangential arc with
a minimum radius of:
G.
Street right-of-way lines shall be parallel to (concentric with)
curb arcs at intersections.
A.
Clear sight triangles shall be provided at all street intersections,
shall be reserved as such, and shall be drawn on the plan. Within
such triangles, no vision-obstructing object shall be permitted which
obscures vision above the height of 30 inches and below the height
of 10 feet, measured from the center-line grade of intersecting streets.
Such triangles shall be established, at a minimum, from a distance
of:
B.
Whenever a portion of the line of such clear sight triangles occur
behind the required building setback line, such portion shall be considered
a building setback line.
C.
Sight distance at street intersections shall be such to provide the
following minimum stopping distance for a vehicle traveling on an
approaching street which has no stop or signal control:
|
Design Speed of Approaching Street with No Stop or Signal
Control
(miles per hour)
|
Minimum Stopping Distance Required Unless Alternative
Permitted by Borough Council
(feet)
|
Alternative Stopping Distance Permissible at Discretion
of Borough Council Only on Lightly Traveled Highways Where the Removal
of Sight Obstructions Would Be Costly
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|---|
|
20
|
125
|
90
| |
|
25
|
150
|
110
| |
|
30
|
200
|
130
| |
|
35
|
250
|
155
| |
|
40
|
325
|
180
| |
|
45
|
400
|
200
| |
|
50
|
475
|
220
| |
|
55
|
550
|
240
|
D.
Street intersections shall be located and designed to provide the
following minimum sight distance for a vehicle traveling on an approaching
street which has a stop control:
|
Design Speed of Street Being Approached By Vehicle on
Stop Control Street
(miles per hour)
|
Minimum Sight Distance Required
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
20
|
200
| |
|
25
|
250
| |
|
30
|
300
| |
|
35
|
350
| |
|
40
|
400
| |
|
45
|
450
| |
|
50
|
500
| |
|
55
|
550
|
|
NOTE:
| |
|---|---|
|
For calculating sight distance, refer to A Policy on Geometric
Design of Highways and streets, AASHTO, 1984 edition.
|
A.
In the event that the Borough Council shall determine that development
on an adjoining property will not occur or deems it unlikely due to
the physical and environmental constraints of the tract, the Council
may permit a cul-de-sac to be constructed. In the case of streets
which are planned for future extension into adjoining tracts and will
not be the primary means of access to any lot or dwelling unit, a
turnaround is not required.
B.
Except as provided in Subsection A of this section, any street dead-ended for access to an adjoining property or because of authorized stage development shall be provided with a turnaround within the subdivision or land development and the use of such turnaround shall be guaranteed to the public until such time as the street is extended. If a cul-de-sac turnaround is offset, it shall not be offset to the right. Should a temporary cul-de-sac be proposed, arrangements satisfactory to the Borough Council and Borough Solicitor shall be made for construction and installation responsibilities of all improvements when the temporary cul-de-sac is abandoned and the street is extended.
C.
Cul-de-sac streets shall be at least 250 feet from the right-of-way
of the street intersected to the end of the turnaround. Cul-de-sac
streets shall not exceed 500 feet in length as defined in this chapter
and shall not furnish access to more than 20 dwelling units. The Borough
Council may permit temporary culs-de-sac longer than 500 feet at its
discretion if future extension of the cul-de-sac is likely in the
opinion of the Council. At its discretion, the Council may permit
culs-de-sac to serve more than 20 dwelling units when it believes
adequate provision will be made for vehicular circulation and parking.
D.
Unless future extension is clearly impractical or undesirable, the
turnaround right-of-way shall be placed adjacent to the tract boundary
with sufficient additional right-of-way width provided along the boundary
line to permit extension of the street at full width.
E.
All cul-de-sac streets, whether permanently or temporarily designed
as such, shall be provided at the closed end with a fully paved turnaround.
Minimum radius to the pavement edge or curbline shall be 50 feet,
and minimum radius to the right-of-way line shall be 60 feet.
F.
Drainage of cul-de-sac streets shall preferably be toward the open
end. If drainage is toward the closed end, water shall be conducted
away in an underground storm sewer or by other means approved by the
Borough Council.
G.
The center line grade on a cul-de-sac street shall not exceed 10%
and the grade and cross-slope of the turnaround shall not exceed 5%.
A.
Proposed streets which are in alignment with others already existing
and named shall bear the names of the existing streets.
B.
In no case shall the name of a proposed street duplicate an existing
street name in the Borough, irrespective of the use of the suffix
street, road, avenue, boulevard, driveway, place, court, lane, etc.
C.
All street names and numbering shall be subject to the approval of
the Borough Council.
A.
Service streets shall be provided in residential subdivisions when
and where required by the Borough Council to avoid direct driveway
access to arterial or collector streets.
B.
Service streets may be permitted by the Borough Council in other
types of development, provided that the applicant produces evidence
satisfactory to the Council of the need for such service streets and
provided that the service streets are not the primary means of access.
C.
Dead-end service streets are prohibited unless permitted at the discretion
of the Borough Council. Dead-end service streets shall be terminated
with a paved circular turnaround with a minimum radius to the outer
pavement edge (curbline) of 50 feet.
D.
Parking is prohibited along service streets.
A.
Streets shall be designed to preclude or minimize the need for guide
rail. The Borough Council may require guide rail to be placed for
protection on embankments when a barrier is required in Design Manual
Part 2, Highway Design by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation,
current edition.
B.
Fixed obstructions along streets which would require guide rail shall
be precluded or minimized. The Borough Council may require guide rail
to be placed when a barrier is required for fixed objects in Design
Manual Part 2, Highway Design by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation,
current edition.
C.
The design and selection of guide rail shall be in accordance with
the standards in Design Manual Part 2, Highway Design, current edition;
however, the Borough Council shall approve all guide rail systems.
A.
Layout. The length, width and shape of blocks shall be determined
with due regard to the provision of adequate sites for buildings of
the type proposed, zoning requirements, topography, and requirements
for safe and convenient vehicular and pedestrian circulation, including
the reduction of intersections with arterial and collector streets.
B.
Length. Blocks shall have a maximum length of 800 feet and a minimum
length of 500 feet. The Borough Council may decrease the permitted
maximum and/or minimum lengths of blocks if the topography of land,
proposed lot sizes, or surface water drainage conditions warrant such
a decrease. Blocks along arterial streets shall not be less than 600
feet.
C.
Depth. Residential blocks shall be of sufficient depth to accommodate
two tiers of lots, except where reverse frontage lots are required
or where prevented by the size, topographical conditions or other
inherent conditions of the property.
D.
Nonresidential blocks. Blocks in nonresidential areas may vary from
the elements of design detailed above if required by the nature of
the use. In all cases, however, adequate provisions shall be made
for off-street parking and loading areas and pedestrian and vehicular
circulation.
E.
Crosswalks. Crosswalks may be required by the Borough Council whenever
necessary to facilitate pedestrian circulation and to give access
to community facilities. Such crosswalks shall have a minimum width
of 10 feet and contain a walkway, constructed of a material approved
by the Borough Council, with a minimum width of four feet.
A.
General standards.
(1)
The size, shape and orientation of lots shall be appropriate for the type of development and use contemplated, and be in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport. Lots shall be capable of being built upon, or in the case of a mobile home park, on which a mobile home can be placed, in accordance with all applicable requirements of Chapter 450, Zoning.
(2)
Side lot lines shall be at right angles to straight street lines
and radial to curved street lines. Lot lines shall follow municipal
boundaries rather than cross them.
(3)
The depth of lots for single-family detached dwellings shall not
be less than one nor more than three times their width at the street
line.
(4)
Depth and width of parcels intended for nonresidential uses shall
be adequate for the use proposed and sufficient to provide satisfactory
space for on-site parking, loading and unloading, setbacks, buffer
yards and landscaping, etc.
(5)
Subdivisions shall be designed to avoid the creation of remnants
of land. If remnants of land would result after subdividing, adequate
provision, which shall be approved by the Borough, shall be made for
the disposition and maintenance of those remnants.
(6)
Flag lots are prohibited, unless permission is granted by the Borough
Council upon recommendation of the Borough Planning Commission. The
Council may grant permission to utilize flag lots when it deems flag
lots appropriate because of topographical or other conditions unique
to the site. The access strip portions of a flag lot must be wide
enough to permit the construction of a street with a right-of-way
meeting the requirements of this chapter and shall not be used for
building purposes.
(a)
In granting permission to use flag lots, the Borough Council
shall find:
[1]
That the use of flag lots will not result in conditions which
will cause increased interruptions to traffic flow, accident hazards
and sedimentation and runoff problems onto public streets.
[2]
That the use of an internal street system or marginal access
streets on which lots would front will not be more appropriate for
development of the tract than the use of flag lots.
[3]
That the use of flag lots is necessary to permit utilization
of a tract of ground, otherwise not feasible to utilize under the
applicable standards for lots found in this chapter.
[4]
No more than one flag lot shall be created from the original
tract of land for each 10 lots created from the original tract of
land which meet the requirements of this chapter for lot configuration.
[5]
Should a flag lot be divided into two or more lots, the access
strip shall be constructed into a street complying with the specifications
of this chapter.
[6]
All structures shall be located on the flag lot so as to provide
the required setback should the access strip be used for construction
of a street.
(7)
Where an ultimate right-of-way line has been provided, all setbacks
and lot areas shall be measured from such ultimate right-of-way line.
(8)
Wherever feasible, lots shall be designed so that buildings can be
constructed above street grade. Where this is not possible, the applicant
shall indicate what measures are to be taken to assure proper drainage
away from the buildings.
(9)
When only a portion of a tract is designed at a time and there exists
the potential for development of the remainder of the tract, lots
shall be designed such that they do not restrict access to the remainder
of the tract, do not unduly restrict the potential development of
the remainder of the tract, nor result in the creation of awkward
or difficult-to-develop parcels in the remainder of the tract.
(10)
The maximum slope utilized when grading lots or streets along
an adjoining tract of land not owned by the applicant shall be a three-to-one
slope ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance.
B.
Lot frontage and access.
(1)
All lots shall abut and have direct driveway access to an existing
or proposed public street or private street meeting the requirements
of this chapter.
(2)
Reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except where required by the
Borough Council to restrict access to existing streets or to overcome
specific disadvantages of topography or orientation. All residential
reverse frontage lots shall contain a landscape screen, fence, earth
mounding, or similar screening device and barrier to vehicular access
subject to Borough Council approval within the rear yard.
(3)
Where access to land within a subdivision or land development will
be solely by proposed roads within an adjoining municipality, the
Borough Council may require assurance from the adjoining municipality
that adequate provisions have been made to ensure construction of
the proposed access roads.
(4)
When the rear wall of a building will face a public street, the Borough
Council may require a landscape screen, fence, earth mounding, or
similar screening device subject to Borough Council approval between
the building and the public street.
(5)
After consideration of street speeds, traffic volumes, projected
traffic generated at a proposed land use, and the location and arrangement
of existing and proposed driveways and intersections, the Borough
Council may require the applicant to install at his expense an acceleration
or deceleration lane, or both, to serve a proposed driveway or street.
If additional street right-of-way is required to construct the acceleration
or deceleration lane, the additional right-of-way shall be provided
by the applicant. When required by the Borough Council, the applicant
shall furnish a study to the Borough which will provide the information
necessary to permit the determination as to whether an acceleration
or deceleration lane is required.
D.
Off-street parking.
(1)
Each proposed dwelling unit in a subdivision or land development shall meet the off-street parking requirements of Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport.
(a)
In the case of single-family or two-family dwellings and townhouses
with on-lot parking, such off-street parking spaces shall be provided
behind the street right-of-way line and may be provided in an attached
or separate garage, carport, or driveway. The spaces shall not be
located within any clear sight triangle required by this chapter.
(b)
In the case of multiple-family dwellings, such off-street parking spaces shall be provided in common parking areas located adjacent to, within or near the multiple-family dwellings. Spaces shall not be located within a street right-of-way nor within any clear sight triangle required by this chapter. The size of parking spaces and the width of aisles shall be in accordance with Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport. The grade of areas used for parking shall not exceed 6%. The grade of areas used only for access shall not exceed 10%.
E.
Driveways.
(1)
Subdivisions and land developments shall be provided with internal
streets to which the lots will have driveway access in order to minimize
the number of driveway intersections with existing public streets.
This reduction in driveway intersections will lessen interruptions
to traffic flow and accident hazards and minimize sedimentation and
runoff problems onto existing public streets. The Borough Council
may require the use of common driveways for abutting lots. All driveways
shall be paved with bituminous concrete, concrete or stone pavers.
(2)
All driveways which provide access to arterial and collector streets,
if such driveways are permitted by the Borough Council, shall be designed
with turnaround areas so that cars will not back onto the arterial
and collector streets.
(3)
Provision shall be made at all intersections of driveways with streets
to ensure adequate stormwater drainage and erosion and sediment control.
The Borough Council may require subdivision and land development plans
to show a typical treatment of the construction of driveways and handling
of storm drainage where the driveways intersect a street. The Council
may require as a condition to approval of a plan that prior to the
issuance of zoning or building permits the specific proposals for
the construction of a driveway and treatment of storm drainage and
erosion and sediment control for that driveway be submitted to the
Borough for approval.
(4)
Driveway location.
(a)
Driveways shall be placed at locations at which sight distance
is adequate to safely allow each permitted movement to be made into
or out of the driveways; such that the free movement of normal street
traffic is not impaired; such that the driveways will not create a
hazard; and such that the driveways will not create an area of undue
traffic congestion on streets. Applicable safe sight distance as established
in the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
shall be provided.
(b)
The Borough Council may require the driveway to a lot which
abuts two or more streets to be restricted to that street which can
more safely accommodate its traffic. The Borough Council may also
require a driveway to be located directly across from a street or
driveway on the opposite side of the street the driveway intersects
if the Council judges that offset driveways will create a safety hazard.
(c)
The Borough Council may require the permissible location of
a driveway for a lot to be shown on the subdivision or land development
plan, and further require that driveway locations be subject to approval
of the Council.
(d)
At driveway intersections with streets, an isosceles triangle
shall be established for a distance of 20 feet at each side of the
point of intersection of the cartway lines. Within such clear sight
triangles, no vision-obstructing object shall be permitted which obscures
vision above the height of 30 inches and below the height of 10 feet,
measured from the center-line grades of the intersecting driveway
and street.
(5)
Entrances to driveways; size.
(a)
Entrances to private driveways serving multiple-family dwellings
shall be rounded at a minimum radius of 10 feet. The maximum radius
shall be 30 feet.
(b)
Entrances to private driveways serving one and two-family dwellings
shall be rounded at a maximum radius of four feet eight inches; however,
depressed curb may be used as provided for in Borough regulations,
including Ordinance Nos. 86-2 and 90-7 and all subsequent amendments
thereto.[1]
(c)
For nonresidential driveways, the width, excluding radii, of
driveways shall conform to the following:
|
Width of Driveways
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Minimum
(feet)
|
Maximum
(feet)
| ||
|
One-way
|
12
|
24
| |
|
Two-way
|
24
|
36
| |
(d)
Each lane provided shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width.
(e)
The radius of the edge of the driveway apron shall be at least
15 feet and no more than 35 feet; however, depressed curb may be used
as provided for in Borough regulations, including Ordinance No. 14-1972,
as amended by Ordinance No. 13-1974, and all subsequent amendments
thereto.
(6)
The angle of a driveway as it intersects a street shall be such that
a vehicle entering the driveway may do so in an orderly and safe manner
with a minimum of interference to through street traffic and such
that a vehicle leaving the driveway may enter safely into the lane
of traffic moving in the desired direction. Driveways shall intersect
streets as nearly as possible at right angles, and in no case at an
angle of less than 75° or more than 105°; provided, however,
that the Borough Council may permit the use of one-way driveways on
a property, and such one-way driveways may intersect streets at an
angle of not less than 45°.
(7)
Private driveways shall have such grades as to furnish safe and convenient
parking spaces and to provide a safe and convenient means of access.
The grades and construction materials of driveways shall be such that
the materials of the driveway will not wash onto public streets. The
maximum permissible grade shall be 7% on all driveways, except that
driveway grades shall not exceed 5% within 20 feet of street cartway
lines. The area between the right-of-way line of the street and the
cartway shall be paved. The Borough Council may require the applicant
to submit with his subdivision or land development plans evidence
that the above, and the other standards for driveways established
in this section, can be met for each lot where doubt exists as to
the feasibility of meeting the standards.
(8)
The center line of entrances to private driveways serving one- and
two-family dwellings shall be located at least 40 feet from the point
of intersection of the nearest street cartway lines if only minor
streets are involved, at least 80 feet if a collector street is involved,
and at least 120 feet if an arterial street is involved. The center
line of entrances to private driveways serving multiple-family dwellings
or nonresidential buildings shall be located at least 60 feet from
the point of intersection of the nearest street cartway lines if only
minor streets are involved, at least 120 feet if a collector street
is involved, and at least 160 feet if an arterial street is involved.
(9)
The standards for driveway widths shall be as established in this
chapter unless a more restrictive standard is established by other
Borough regulations, in which case the more restrictive standard shall
apply.
A.
Each property shall connect to a public sanitary sewer system.
B.
All sanitary sewer facilities shall conform in all respects to the
requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
and the Borough regulations.
C.
Whenever approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection is required for the sanitary sewer system for a proposed
subdivision or land development, the applicant shall submit a copy
of such approval to the Borough prior to approval of the final plan.
D.
New and replacement sanitary sewer systems shall be designed to minimize
or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the systems and discharges
from the systems into floodwaters.
A.
New subdivisions and land developments shall incorporate adequate
provisions for a reliable, safe and adequate water supply to support
intended uses within the capacity of available resources.
B.
Each property shall connect to a public water supply.
C.
All water supply and distribution facilities shall be constructed
in full compliance with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
specifications, and all ordinances, rules, and regulations of the
Borough. Minimum water supply recognized by the Insurance Services
Office shall be provided.
D.
Applicants shall present evidence to the Borough Council at preliminary
plan stage that the subdivision or land development is to be supplied
by the Borough Water Department.
E.
Whenever approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection is required for the water supply and distribution system
for a proposed subdivision or land development, the applicant shall
submit a copy of such approval to the Borough prior to approval of
a final plan.
F.
New and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize
or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the systems.
A.
Goal. It is the goal of Walnutport Borough to protect the health,
safety and general welfare of Walnutport Borough residents by protecting
the surface waters and groundwaters of the Borough through effective
stormwater management and control of sedimentation and erosion, as
provided in this section. Through effective stormwater management,
negative impacts of inadequately managed land development can be minimized,
including:
(1)
Altered hydrology, including increased flooding and flood-related
damage to general health and property.
(2)
Lowering of the groundwater table.
(3)
Physical stream impacts, including altered stream temperature.
(4)
Aquatic biological impacts.
(5)
Addition of nonpoint source pollutants to both surface and groundwaters.
B.
Purpose. The purpose of comprehensive stormwater management in Walnutport
Borough is to:
(1)
Minimize both quantitative and qualitative stormwater impacts resulting
from new land development, which would adversely affect the health,
safety and welfare of all aspects of life in the Borough.
(2)
Prevent significant increase in surface runoff volumes, predevelopment
to postdevelopment, which would cause worsened flooding downstream
in the watershed, erode stream banks, create other flood-related health-welfare-property
losses and work to reduce runoff volumes to natural levels.
(3)
Maintain the predevelopment water balance in watersheds and subwatersheds
and work to restore natural hydrologic regimes wherever possible throughout
the stream system.
(4)
Maintain the predevelopment volume of groundwater recharge.
(5)
Maintain predevelopment peak rates of discharge, site-by site, so
as not to worsen flooding at adjacent downstream sites, and to work
to restore peak runoff rates to natural levels.
(6)
Minimize alteration of natural predevelopment drainage patterns into
and out of basins and subbasins.
(7)
Minimize nonpoint source pollutant loadings to ground and surface
waters generally throughout Walnutport Borough.
(8)
Minimize impacts on stream temperatures.
(9)
Minimize aesthetic impacts.
(10)
Minimize sinkhole potential.
(11)
Maximize use of nonstructural stormwater management approaches,
especially those which rely on natural processes, where appropriate.
C.
Authority. Walnutport Borough is empowered to regulate new land development
activities that affect stormwater runoff by the authority of the Pennsylvania
Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247 of 1968, as amended by Act 170
of 1988, as further amended by Act 209 of 1990 and Act 131 of 1992,
53 P.S. § 10101. Stormwater management is also enabled by
Pennsylvania's Stormwater Management Act of 1978 (Act 167),[1] as well as the Pennsylvania Environmental Amendment.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 32 P.S. § 680.1 et seq.
D.
Applicability. These regulations apply to:
(1)
All activities governed by this chapter.
(2)
Construction of separate or additional impervious surfaces (driveways,
parking lots, additions to buildings, etc.) exceeding 1,000 square
feet.
(3)
Outdoor storage, including storage of material (rock, soil, etc.)
where ground contact exceeds 4,000 square feet or where material is
placed either on slopes exceeding 8% floodplains, or in drainageways.
(4)
Any other activities with adverse stormwater impacts which, in the
opinion of the Borough, should be governed by these regulations.
(5)
The management of stormwater on the site, both during and upon completion
of the disturbances associated with the proposed subdivision or land
development, shall be accomplished in accordance with the standards
and criteria of this section. The design of any temporary or permanent
facilities and structures and the utilization of any natural drainage
systems shall be in full compliance with these terms and the interpretations
of the Borough.
(6)
At the time of application for a building permit for any approved
lot created by a subdivision under terms of this section, issuance
of the permit shall be considered to be conditioned upon adherence
to the terms of this section.
E.
Standards for stormwater management. All activities as listed in
this section as specified above shall comply with provisions of this
section:
(1)
Permanent stormwater management standards.
(a)
Standard 1.
[1]
After installation of impervious cover, there shall be no increase
in the volume of stormwater runoff being discharged from the site
for up to the two-year frequency rainfall, predevelopment to postdevelopment,
calculated using a methodology as described in this section.
[2]
Applicants may request a partial waiver, where a portion of
the Standard 1 volume requirement is set aside (i.e., volume control
is achieved for a lesser storm such as the one-year storm or six-month
storm). Or applicants may request a total waiver, where the entire
Standard 1 volume requirement is set aside. The need for waivers of
any type must be based on demonstration by the applicant that due
to the existing soil, bedrock, water table or other natural conditions
and limitations at the site, the Standard 1 volume requirement cannot
be satisfied through use of reasonable best management practices,
as defined in this section.
(b)
Standard 2.
[1]
After installation of impervious cover and assuming compliance
with Standard 1 volume provisions (assuming no waiver), the peak rate
of stormwater discharge from the site for all design storms up to
and including a one-hundred-year design storm shall not exceed the
peak rate of stormwater discharge from the site of the same storms
before disturbance. Design storms include:
[2]
If a partial waiver has been issued but at least 50% of the
two-year frequency rainfall volume requirement specified under Standard
1 is being met, these Standard 2 provisions also apply.
(c)
Standard 3. In those cases where a total waiver from the Standard
1 volume requirement is issued or where a partial waiver is issued
and less than 50% of the volume requirement specified under Standard
1 is being met, then the peak rate standards set forth under Standard
2 above are further modified, so that the postdevelopment peak-rate
discharges from the site for two year storms and larger, up to the
ten-year storm, must be equal to or less than the predevelopment peak
rate of discharge for the two-year storm.
(d)
Standard 4.
[1]
Significant loadings of nonpoint source pollutants shall not
be discharged into either surface or groundwater. If the total volume
and peak rate standards above are met as in Standards 1 and 2 (including
if a partial waiver for volume control is approved by the Borough,
but at least 50% of the volume requirement specified in Standard 1
is met), then water quality impacts are assumed to be adequately controlled.
[2]
If the requirements set forth in Standards 1 and 2 above cannot
be achieved and a total waiver is issued or a partial waiver is issued
where less than 50% of the volume requirement specified under Standard
1 is being met, then an additional water quality requirement must
be met in order to guarantee that significant water quality impacts
will not result from the proposed development action. A water-quality-oriented
best management practice (BMP) designed to capture and treat stormwater
generated for up to the one inch rainfall event must be employed.
These BMPs include, but are not limited to:
[3]
BMP selection, design and implementation shall be based upon
appropriate reference materials such as the Pennsylvania Handbook
of Best Management Practices for Developing Areas, Design of Stormwater
Filtering Systems and other manuals.
(e)
Standard 5. Under special conditions, the Borough may impose
the following additional restrictions on stormwater discharges:
[1]
Peak discharge may be further restricted when the Borough believes
that a probable risk to downstream structures or unique natural areas
exists or that existing severe flooding problems could be further
aggravated.
[2]
Measures may be imposed to protect against ground or surface
water pollution from significant pollutant-producing sources (so called
"hotspots" such as industrial uses, gas stations, fast food and other
commercial uses generating large numbers of vehicle trips and other
uses at the determination of the Borough) and where the nature of
the soils or bedrock underlying a stormwater management structure
constitutes substantial risk of contamination, such as limestone formations.
Special provisions which act to remove pollutant loadings (such as
filtration devices like sand peat filters, multiple chamber catch
basins and inlets, oil separators and others) may be required by the
Borough.
[3]
Where groundwater yields are very low or where a groundwater
supply already is heavily used or where maintenance of downstream
wetlands is of special concern, the Borough may require that the entire
volume of the two-year storm postdevelopment be retained and infiltrated.
(2)
Stormwater management calculation methods.
(a)
The Soil Cover Complex (SCC) Method. The United States Department
of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, formerly
the Soil Conservation Service) Technical Release No. 55 (Second Edition,
June 1986, or latest edition; hereafter referred to as "TR-55") Tabular
Method Hydrograph is the preferred method for detention modeling.
A variety of software packages are available which incorporate this
method. The NRCS TR-20 and Penn State Runoff Model (PSRM) are also
acceptable SCC models. Note that use of TR-55 with many of the natural
system-based approaches and practices recommended by this section
often requires that sites be subdivided into multiple subareas as
necessary for TR-55 modeling.
[1]
The rainfall values that apply for TR-55 calculations are as
follows:
[a]
Two year, twenty-four-hour storm of 3.00 inches
of rainfall.
[b]
Ten year, twenty-four-hour storm of 4.56 inches
of rainfall.
[c]
Twenty-five year, twenty-four-hour storm of 5.52
inches of rainfall.
[d]
Fifty year, twenty-four-hour storm of 6.48 inches
of rainfall.
[e]
One-hundred-year, twenty-four-hour storm of 7.44
inches of rainfall.
[2]
A Type H distribution storm shall be assumed.
[3]
Runoff curve number (RCN) values shall be taken from TR-55 Tables
2-2a and 2-2b. Hydrologic Soil Group (HSG) information is provided
in TR-55 Exhibit A-1.
[4]
The following equation shall be applied to the two-year storm
pre- and postdevelopment runoff volumes. The difference between the
two volumes is the volume to be controlled under Stormwater Management
Standard 1. Software routines for calculating basin volume typically
provide a lower than actual volume difference and should not be used
for this purpose.
|
Vr = 53.33Q(Am)
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Where:
| ||||
|
Vr
|
=
|
Runoff volume (acre-feet)
| ||
|
Q
|
=
|
Runoff (inches)
| ||
|
Am
|
=
|
Drainage area (mi2)
| ||
|
53.33
|
=
|
conversion factor from in-mi2 to
acre-feet
| ||
(b)
The Rational Method. The Rational Method is the preferred method
for storm sewer and swale design calculations. For stormwater detention
or volume calculations, the Universal Rational Method, which generates
a hydrograph similar to the TR-55 hydrograph, must be used. An example
of a computer program that develops an appropriate hydrograph is the
Penn State Urban Hydrology Model (PSUHM) or Virginia Tech's updated
version of this model (VTPSUHM). Use of the Rational Method for sizing
peak-rate control detention facilities is restricted to drainage areas
where surfaces are relatively uniform in nature and whose size is
less than 5,000 square feet.
[1]
Rainfall intensities shall be based upon the current Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation Storm Intensity-Duration-Frequency Chart
appropriate for the project area.
[2]
The following runoff coefficients shall be used (see table below).
[3]
The rational hydrograph method (RATHYD) contained within PSUHM
and VT-PSUHM has a volume-estimating routine based on a double-parabolic-shaped
outflow hydrograph. This routine can be manipulated to provide a calculation
suitable for determining the two-year storm volume increase as required
by Standard 1. The following is summarized from the RATHYD program
help text: The parabolic outflow hydrograph is a concave up parabola
from zero minutes to the time to peak (Tc) and concave down from the
time to peak to the point of intersection with the inflow hydrograph,
at which point the outflow also reaches its maximum rate. The program
computes the area between the inflow and outflow curves at intervals
equal to Tc. The outflow must be greater than the last inflow hydrograph
ordinate; otherwise, the outflow hydrograph will never intersect the
inflow hydrograph (an answer of unknown accuracy would be computed).
See Appendix V.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Appendix V is included at the end of this chapter.
[4]
The application of this routine to the volume requirement calculation
shall be done as follows: Calculate an estimate of the hydrograph
volume by selecting an outflow value that is 0.1 cfs larger than the
last ordinate of the inflow hydrograph. Calculate this separately
with both the two-year storm pre- and postdevelopment hydrographs,
and then calculate the algebraic difference to compute the volume
required to satisfy Standard 1.
(c)
Other methods may be used with prior approval from the Borough.
(d)
Predevelopment conditions shall be calculated using the following
assumptions:
[1]
Woodland shall be used as the prior condition for those portions
of the site having wooded areas containing trees greater than six
inches caliper DBH or where such trees existed within three years
of application.
[2]
Meadow shall be used for all other areas including areas of
existing cultivation or impervious surface.
[3]
Average antecedent moisture condition.
(e)
Time of concentration calculations shall be submitted based
upon current design methods outlined in TR-55. The sheet flow and
shallow concentrated flow lengths used in the calculations shall be
justified based on existing or proposed topography. The time of concentration
flow paths (pre- and postdevelopment) shall be shown on the grading
plan, and shall be representative of the drainage area. Overland flow
(sheet flow) shall be calculated using the modified kinematic wave
travel time equation from TR-55. The minimum predevelopment sheet
flow length shall be assumed to be 150 feet, unless a shorter length
can be justified. The maximum postdevelopment sheet flow length for
unpaved surfaces shall be 100 feet for most situations (150 feet for
areas that will remain undisturbed). Use of maximum flow lengths shall
be justified, with all flow lengths subject to approval by the Borough.
Designs involving the Rational Method are especially sensitive to
overland flow time using this equation. Therefore, the maximum length
of sheet flow for use in rational method calculations shall not exceed
50 feet.
(f)
Special provisions for basins.
[1]
Where basins are used, postdevelopment runoff hydrographs shall
be routed through the proposed detention or retention basins using
storage-indication procedures. The peak rate of runoff resulting from
the summation of the basin discharge hydrograph(s) and the bypass
hydrograph (or summation of peaks) shall not exceed the peak predevelopment
rate of discharge. Note: Rational Method hydrographs of different
Tc's shall not be added.
[2]
Where applicable, postdevelopment time of concentration to a
detention or retention basin shall be the time of concentration in
the storm sewer system to its point of discharge into the basin. Overland
flow from this discharge point to the outlet structure shall not be
included in the time of concentration.
[3]
When designing regional detention or retention basins for office
parks, industrial parks, etc., the following design criteria shall
be followed:
[a]
Assumed impervious, lawn, etc., coverage areas shall be noted in the calculations for each proposed lot which will drain to the basin. Impervious coverage shall be assumed to be the maximum coverage allowed by Chapter 450, Zoning.
[b]
A six-minute time of concentration shall be used
to calculate the postdevelopment basin inflow hydrographs (five minutes
for Rational Method). If a significant portion of the contributing
drainage area will remain undeveloped, the inflow hydrograph may be
derived by adding the undeveloped area hydrograph to the developed
area hydrograph (based on a six-minute time of concentration).
[c]
For lots which will have on-lot detention or retention
basins, the following criteria shall also apply:
[i]
The predevelopment time of concentration for the lot shall be
the same as the predevelopment time of concentration for the entire
predevelopment drainage area in which it is located.
[ii]
The required predevelopment time of concentration
and NRCS runoff curve number for each lot shall be noted on the recorded
plan.
(3)
Stormwater management standards during land disturbance. The Borough
reserves the right to require installation of appropriate construction
phase staging areas for construction and related vehicle parking in
order to prevent sedimentation and erosion problems resulting from
vehicle movements onto and off of the site. Different techniques including
paved staging areas and sediment removal devices may be required,
depending upon the development site and its impacts.
(4)
The Riparian Buffer Area (RBA). Areas immediately adjacent to the
Borough's perennial streams and waterways as mapped on U.S. Geological
Survey 1:24,000 scale quadrangle maps are defined as the Riparian
Buffer Area (RBA). In the RBA, special requirements as set forth in
this section apply in order to maintain important natural functions.
These RBA requirements are based on both the heightened sensitivity
of the RBA zone and the potential to negatively impact the stream
system when this RBA zone is disturbed, as well as the potential of
this RBA zone to mitigate to the maximum extent the negative effects
of development in areas adjacent to the stream system. The RBA includes
three subzones, Zones 1 through 3, extending landward from the top
of the streambank where different requirements are imposed:
(a)
Zone 1, a minimum twenty-five-foot setback zone, plus wetlands,
measured from the top of the bank of the water body, as reviewed and
approved by the Borough, where no disturbance of vegetation and soil
except for restoration and or reforestation shall occur, in order
to shade the stream with natural vegetation, to provide a source of
numerous other organic inputs to the aquatic system, to anchor the
streambank and floodplain area and to consume and otherwise remove
nitrogen, sediment and other substances which can adversely affect
stream systems. Where prohibitive slopes (25+%) are located within
35 feet of a watercourse, Zone 1 shall extend the entire distance
of this sloped area.
(b)
Zone 2, a one-hundred-foot managed buffer zone, extending outward
from Zone 1 (for a total of 125 feet), where disturbance of natural
vegetative cover shall be limited to selective logging, not to exceed
25%, and other activities which minimally disrupt existing tree cover
and soil mantle, in order to maximize filtering and overall physical
removal of particulate-form pollutants from runoff generated upgradient
and to promote subsurface vegetative uptake of nitrogen and other
non-particulate elements from stormwater generated upgradient.
[1]
In cases where Zone 1 extends beyond 25 feet due to the presence
of prohibitive slopes, the width of Zone 2 shall be adjusted so that
the full riparian buffer equals a total width of 125 feet.
[2]
Where the Zone 2 riparian buffer is not wooded, it shall be
maintained as a filter strip of dense grass and forbs or other features
to provide sediment filtering, nutrient uptake, and convert concentrated
flow to uniform, shallow, sheet flow. When a subdivision or land development
is proposed where there is no established vegetated or wooded buffer
(such as in areas previously cultivated for agriculture) a one-hundred-twenty-foot
riparian buffer shall be established and maintained in accordance
with the following guidelines:
[a]
Forested and unforested vegetation shall be established
through natural succession. Selective planting shall be incorporated
on sites devoid of vegetation to stimulate native species and discourage
invasive species.
[b]
Plant selection and planting shall be consistent
with Northampton County Conservation District, PADEP or USDA riparian
forested buffer guidance.
[3]
Zone 3, a zone of varying width extending outward from Zone
2. Zone 3 is defined in those cases where upslope areas adjacent to
the RBA are being disturbed during the land development process and
where direct discharge of stormwater would otherwise occur. Zone 3
is intended to include level spreading or similar devices as necessary
to ensure that any direct discharge flows are properly distributed
as sheet flow and channelization and point source discharges are avoided.
Zone 3 shall include a minimum twenty-five-foot setback from impervious
surfaces.
[5]
An RBA adjacent to "high quality waters" and "exceptional value
waters" designated under the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection, Chapter 93, Rules and Regulations, shall be subject to
the provisions of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection,
Special Protection Waters Implementation Handbook, and its amendments.
(5)
Riparian buffer zones shall be restricted to the following uses:
(a)
Zone 1 (very restricted). Flood control, utility rights-of-way,
pervious footpaths.
(b)
Zone 2 (restricted). Pervious, passive recreational uses, natural
stormwater BMPs, pervious bike paths, tree removal by permit.
(c)
Zone 3 (limited restrictions). Residential uses, including lawn,
sheds (or similar structures) less than 150 square feet, garden, compost,
yard wastes, nonstructural stormwater BMPs.
(6)
Riparian buffers shall be preserved or restored with native vegetation
that can be maintained through the delineation, plan review, construction,
and occupancy stages of development.
(7)
The applicant shall submit designs for water quality facilities to
the Borough Engineer for review and approval. Such designs may achieve
the water quality objectives through a combination of BMPs. The design
and selection of water quality facilities shall follow the Maryland
Stormwater Design Manual, Maryland Department of the Environment (http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/StormwaterManagementProgram/
MarylandStormwaterDesignManual/Pages/), latest ed. or other design
manuals approved by the Borough.
(8)
In selecting the appropriate BMPs or combinations thereof, the applicant
shall consider the following:
(a)
Total contributing area.
(b)
Permeability and infiltration rate of the site soils.
(c)
Slope and depth to bedrock.
(d)
Seasonal high water table.
(e)
Proximity to building foundations and wellheads.
(f)
Erodibility of soils.
(g)
Land availability and configuration of the topography.
(h)
Consistency with approved watershed and stormwater management
plans or regulations.
(i)
Impact on neighboring and downstream properties and facilities.
(9)
The following additional factors should be considered when evaluating
the suitability of BMPs used to control water quality at a given development
site:
(a)
Peak discharge and required volume control.
(b)
Streambank erosion.
(c)
Efficiency of the BMPs to mitigate potential water quality problems.
(d)
The volume of runoff that will be effectively treated.
(e)
The nature of the pollutant being removed.
(f)
Maintenance requirements.
(g)
Creation/protection of aquatic and wildlife habitat.
(h)
Recreational value.
(i)
Enhancement of aesthetic and property value.
(j)
Impact on neighboring and downstream properties and facilities.
(10)
Any stormwater management facility (i.e., detention basin) designed to store runoff and requiring a berm or earthen embankment required or regulated by this chapter shall be designed to provide an emergency spillway to handle flow up to and including the one-hundred-year postdevelopment conditions. The height of the embankment must be set so as to provide a minimum one foot of freeboard above the maximum pool elevation computed when the facility functions for the one-hundred-year postdevelopment inflow. Should any stormwater management facility require a dam safety permit under PADEP Chapter 105, the facility shall be designed in accordance with Chapter 105 and meet the regulations of Chapter 105 concerning dam safety which may be required to pass storms larger than the one-hundred-year event. Any inspections of this dam required by any regulatory agency shall be prepared by competent consultants and at the cost of the maintainer of the facility.
(11)
Any facilities that constitute water obstructions (e.g., culverts, bridges, outfalls, or stream enclosures) and any work involving wetlands as directed in PADEP Chapter 105 regulations (as amended or replaced from time to time by PADEP) shall be designed in accordance with Chapter 105 and will require a permit from PADEP. Any other drainage conveyance facility that does not fall under Chapter 105 regulations shall be designed to convey, without damage to the drainage structure or roadway, runoff from a minimum twenty-five-year design storm. The Borough may require design based on a larger storm event. Any facility that constitutes a dam as defined in PADEP Chapter 105 regulations may require a permit under dam safety regulations. Any facility located within a PennDOT right-of-way must meet PennDOT minimum design standards and permit submission requirements. If the primary drainage facilities do not have capacity for future flows, then a safe drainage path must be provided to convey up to the one-hundred-year design storm (without impacting structures).
(12)
Storm sewers must be able to convey postdevelopment runoff from
a minimum twenty-five-year design storm without surcharging inlets.
(13)
Adequate erosion protection shall be provided along all open
channels and at all points of discharge.
(14)
The design of all stormwater management facilities shall incorporate
sound engineering principles and practices. The Borough shall reserve
the right to disapprove any design that would result in the occurrence
or continuation of an adverse hydrologic or hydraulic condition within
the watershed.
(15)
Stormwater drainage systems shall be provided in order to permit
unimpeded flow along natural watercourses except as modified by stormwater
management facilities or open channels consistent with this chapter.
(16)
Areas of existing diffused drainage discharge shall be subject to any applicable discharge criteria in the general direction of 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 applicant must document to the Borough in accordance with Subsection E(17) of this section that adequate downstream conveyance exists to safely transport the concentrated discharge, or the applicant must obtain drainage easements from affected downstream property owners and provide the facilities to safely convey the flow.
(17)
Downstream hydraulic capacity analysis. Any downstream capacity
hydraulic analysis conducted in accordance with this chapter shall
use the following criteria for determining adequacy for accepting
increased peak flow rates:
(a)
Natural or man-made channels or swales must be able to convey
the increased runoff associated with a two-year return period event
within their banks at velocities consistent with protection of the
channels from erosion. Acceptable velocities shall be based upon criteria
included in the PADEP Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Program
Manual.
(b)
Natural or man-made channels or swales must be able to convey
the increased twenty-five-year return period runoff without creating
any hazard or adverse effects to adjacent or downstream persons or
property.
(18)
Where a development site is traversed by watercourses, riparian buffers shall be provided conforming to the line of such watercourses. The width of the buffers shall be determined as set forth in Subsection E(4) of this section. Excavating, placing of fill, building structures, or making any alterations that may adversely affect the flow of stormwater within any portion of the riparian buffer shall be prohibited unless the proposed work is associated with a regulated wetlands mitigation program. The buffer must be defined and restricted by a restrictive covenant.
(19)
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 PADEP through the joint permit application
process, or, where deemed appropriate by PADEP, through the general
permit process.
(20)
Any stormwater management facilities regulated by this chapter
that would be located in or adjacent to waters of the commonwealth
or wetlands shall be subject to approval by the PADEP through the
joint permit application process, or, where deemed appropriate by
PADEP, the general permit process. When there is a question as to
whether wetlands may be involved, it is the responsibility of the
applicant or his agent to show that the land in question cannot be
classified as wetlands; otherwise, approval to work in the area must
be obtained from PADEP.
(21)
Any stormwater management facilities regulated by this chapter
that would be located on or flow into state highway rights-of-way
or stormwater systems shall be subject to approval by PennDOT.
(22)
Minimization of impervious surfaces and infiltration of runoff
through seepage beds, infiltration trenches, etc. are required, where
soil conditions permit, to reduce the size or eliminate the need for
detention facilities.
(23)
In order to promote overland flow and infiltration/percolation
of stormwater, roof drains must discharge into an accepted BMP providing
infiltration and filtering of the stormwater.
A.
Subdivisions and land developments shall be designed to preserve
natural features such as trees greater than one foot in diameter,
watercourses, rock outcroppings, wooded areas, natural watercourses
and bodies of water.
B.
Topsoil shall not be removed from the subdivision site nor used as
structural fill without the permission of the Borough Council. Topsoil
may be removed from areas of earthmoving activity, but shall be stored
elsewhere within the subdivision or land development and stabilized
to minimize erosion. Upon completion of construction, the topsoil
shall be redistributed on the site.
C.
Street and lot designs of tracts shall be such to minimize alterations
of the natural landscape.
A.
Floodplains shall be calculated using the method established in Appendix
IV of this chapter and shown on all subdivision and land development
plans. The floodplain controls established within Borough ordinances
shall be applied to those floodplains.
B.
The Borough Council may require that vehicular access be provided
to each dwelling unit within a subdivision or land development over
a street or other approved means of access which is elevated above
the level of the one-hundred-year flood.
C.
The following controls shall apply to the floodplains:
(1)
No watercourse shall be altered or relocated unless approved by the
Borough Council and, where applicable, the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Dams and Waterway Management,
and FEMA.
(2)
No watercourse shall be altered or relocated unless the person proposing
the alteration or relocation submits calculations assuring that the
flood-carrying capacity within the altered or relocated portion of
the watercourse shall be designed to be not less than the flood-carrying
capacity of the watercourse prior to the proposed alteration or relocation.
(3)
No encroachment shall be made on a floodplain or watercourse which
will increase flood levels within the Borough during the occurrence
of the one-hundred-year flood discharge. With any proposal for an
encroachment, calculations which will indicate compliance with this
requirement shall be submitted to the Borough. All encroachments are
subject to Borough Council approval. Encroachments into the one-hundred-year
floodway must be reviewed and approved by the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection and FEMA.
(4)
The
placement of all structures within the floodway as shown on current
FEMA maps of the Borough of Walnutport is prohibited.
(5)
No construction or development shall be permitted within the floodplain
without approval from the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection.
A.
Easements shall be provided for electric, telephone, and television
cables, wires and conduits, storm and sanitary sewers, drainage swales,
gas, water and heat mains and other utility lines. No structures shall
be placed within such easements. No trees or shrubs shall be placed
within easements unless approved by the Borough Council. The Borough
and local utility companies shall be consulted when locating utilities
and easements, and all utilities and easements shall be located in
accordance with their standards.
B.
Easements abutting street rights-of-way shall be a minimum of 10
feet in width. Other easements shall be a minimum of 20 feet in width.
C.
There shall be a minimum distance of 50 feet, measured in the shortest
distance, between any proposed dwelling unit and any petroleum products
or natural gas transmission line which traverses the subdivision or
land development.
D.
Where placement or replacement of gas or petroleum transmission lines
are a part of the proposed development, either proposed or requiring
relocation, construction of the transmission line shall occur within
an easement of 50 feet minimum and shall comply with the applicable
requirements of the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission. When
possible and feasible, all utilities shall be underground and installed
under the supervision of the Borough Engineer or the Borough.
E.
Underground electric distribution lines shall be installed in all
new subdivisions and land developments of more than three dwelling
units. In existing subdivisions with four or more unimproved lots,
any extensions of the electric distribution lines shall be placed
underground.
F.
All telephone and television distribution lines shall be placed underground
when electric distribution lines are placed underground.
G.
When required by the Borough Council, the location of utility easements
shall be marked in the field.
All subdivisions and land developments shall be designed to meet the requirements of Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport, except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter.
A.
The location and number of access points to a subdivision or land
development shall be adequate for and appropriate to the size and
nature of the development and surrounding roads and land uses.
B.
All subdivisions and land developments containing more than 20 dwelling
units shall have at least two means of ingress and egress via streets
or access drives meeting the design and construction standards of
the Borough.
C.
For all subdivisions and land developments for which only one means
of ingress and egress is proposed, the Borough Council may require,
where deemed necessary in the public interest and for the public safety,
the provision of additional street or access drive meeting Borough
standards or the provision of an alternate means of ingress and egress,
meeting Borough standards which could be used by emergency vehicles.
Such alternate means of ingress and egress shall be of such width,
and improved to such an extent to be usable by emergency vehicles,
and shall not be used for structures, trees, or similar obstructions.
A.
Purpose. All residential subdivisions and land developments shall
provide for suitable and adequate recreation in order to ensure adequate
recreational areas and facilities to serve the future residents of
the subdivision or land development and insure that all future Borough
residents have the opportunity to engage in a variety of recreational
activities.
B.
Requirements for reservation of recreation areas.
(1)
In a proposed subdivision creating five or more new dwelling units,
the general policy of the Borough Council shall be to require suitable
and adequate recreational areas and facilities to serve the future
residents of the subdivision or land development and ensure that all
future Borough residents have the opportunity to engage in a variety
of recreational activities.
(2)
The applicant shall provide the recreation areas pursuant to a plan
approved by the Borough Council, in accordance with the schedule below:
|
Gross Density of Tract in Dwelling Units Per Acre
|
Percentage of Total Area of Subdivision or Land Development
to be Reserved for Recreation Areas
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Up to 1.0
|
5%
| |
|
1.01 to 2.0
|
8%
| |
|
2.01 to 3.0
|
12%
| |
|
3.01 to 4.0
|
15%
| |
|
4.01 to 5.0
|
20%
| |
|
5.01 and greater
|
25%
|
(3)
In lieu of reserving areas for recreation, and upon agreement between
the Borough Council and the applicant, the applicant shall pay the
Borough an amount as determined from time to time by resolution of
Borough Council for each lot and/or dwelling unit.
C.
Standards for fees in lieu of land. In a proposed subdivision to
contain fewer than 10 new dwelling units, the general policy of the
Council shall be to strongly encourage a fee in lieu of the minimum
acreage otherwise required, to help the Borough defray the eventual
costs of providing public open space and recreational facilities to
serve the residents of the community.
(1)
Where a fee is to be contributed in lien of the set-aside of land
for open space, such fee shall be required to be paid for each new
lot or dwelling unit created through subdivision or land development.
(2)
The amount of the fee shall be as established by resolution of the
Borough Council and as adjusted from time to time. Criteria for establishing
the amount shall be based on the findings of the Borough Council and
shall bear a direct relationship to the projected financial need of
the Borough for community-serving recreational lands and facilities.
Factors shall include:
(a)
Plans and associated costs for creating or improving community
or neighborhood parks, as identified in the Comprehensive Plan and
amendments thereto;
(b)
The timing, status, and planned dates of accomplishment of parkland
acquisition or recreational facility improvements in relation to the
timing of the subdivision or land development application submission;
(c)
The level of future population growth projected for Walnutport
Borough;
(d)
The proportion of funding support for future parkland and recreational
facilities deemed appropriate for future residents to contribute.
(3)
Where a fee in lieu of land is to be paid, in accordance with the
terms of this section, a note shall be placed on the final plan prepared
for recording, stipulating the amount of the fee, as established by
Borough resolution, and the means and timing of payment, consistent
with the terms of this section.
(4)
For any subdivision containing five or more lots, the full amount
of the fee shall be placed in escrow, or otherwise secured in a manner
deemed acceptable under the terms of this chapter, as a condition
of final plan approval by the Council. Actual payment of the fee for
any lot shall be made at one of the following points, whichever shall
occur first:
(5)
Notwithstanding the terms established hereinabove, the Borough Council
may, as it deems appropriate in individual cases, agree to terms for
the collection of the required fee at a point or points subsequent
to those stipulated in the above subsections.
(6)
All fees received pursuant to this section shall be placed in a Special
Capital Reserve Fund for Open Space and Recreation, the purpose of
which shall be to hold, invest, and disburse such monies. Disbursements
from this fund shall be made from time to time as the Council shall
deem appropriate, only in connection with the planning, purchase,
improvement, replacement, and addition to Borough lands for use as
open space, conservation, recreation, and education for the benefit
of the citizens of the community as provided for in the Borough Code,
or other applicable rules, regulations, or statutes. All sums received
for and deposited in the Open Space and Recreation Fund shall be held,
invested, and reinvested in the same manner as other funds of the
Borough, but shall not be considered part of the general revenues
of the Borough.
D.
General standards for recreation areas reserved by the applicant.
(1)
Land shall be suitable to serve the purpose of active recreation
by reason of its size, shape, location, and topography and shall be
subject to the approval of the Borough Council. Examples of active
recreation areas are athletic fields and hard-surfaced courts, pools,
open turf areas, and apparatus areas.
(2)
Land shall be easily and safely accessible from all areas of the
development to be served and have suitable ingress and egress from
a public roadway for maintenance equipment. However, no public roadways
shall traverse the site(s).
(3)
Land shall be contiguous and regular in shape.
(4)
Land shall have suitable topography and soil conditions for use and
development as a recreation area.
(5)
At least 75% of the reserved area shall have a slope of 7% or less.
(6)
No more than 25% of the reserved area may be within floodplain or
wetland areas.
(7)
Land shall be easily accessible to all essential utilities.
(8)
Land shall be suitable for development as a particular type of active
recreation facility, as categorized by the National Recreation and
Park Association's National Park Recreation and Open Space Standards
and Guidelines, 1983, as amended.
(9)
Land shall be designed and developed according to the standards established
by the National Recreation and Park Association upon agreement between
the Borough Council and the applicant.
E.
Schedule for completion of recreation areas.
(1)
All recreation areas shall be completely developed in accordance
with a schedule approved by the Borough Council, but in all cases
before occupancy of 56% of the proposed number of dwellings has been
reached in the applicable subdivision or land development.
(2)
Recreation area shall be improved and equipped to a usable state
in accordance with plans to be approved by the Borough Council. Such
improvement and equipping shall be guaranteed through the subdivision
improvements agreement.
F.
Development of recreation facilities.
(1)
Applicants shall develop the recreation areas, according to the National
Park Recreation, and Open Space Standards and Guidelines published
by the National Recreation and Park Association in 1996 and any succeeding
updates or revisions. Specific facilities to be constructed shall
conform to the previously referenced standards. Designs of recreation
areas shall be reviewed by the Borough Planning Commission and Borough
Recreation and Park Board and approved by the Borough Council.
(2)
The size, surface conditions, shape, topography and location of the
land shall be suitable for the intended recreational purpose, and
be such that recreational use is feasible.
A.
Provision shall be made in developments containing apartments and
townhouses and in nonresidential developments to adequately store
within containers all solid waste generated between collections.
B.
All storage containers shall be located to permit efficient depositing
of wastes in the containers and efficient collection from the containers.
C.
Debris, rubbish, or other waste material resulting from grading or
construction activities on the lot shall be removed from the lot prior
to the issuance of a certificate of use and occupancy for the lot.
No debris, rubbish, or waste material shall remain within the area
of an improvement covered by a performance guarantee upon expiration
of the guarantee or completion of the improvements, whichever is sooner.
A.
When maximal provision is to be made for the use of solar energy
by structures, in general, streets toward which buildings are to be
oriented should run in an east-west direction.
B.
Section 395-35A(2) indicates that side lot lines shall be at right angles to straight street lines and radial to curved street lines. The Borough Council may allow variation from this requirement where provision is to be made for maximal use of solar energy, in which case side lot lines generally may run from due north to due south or with slight variation east or west of this axis.
(1)
When lot lines will not be provided, consideration should be given
to orienting buildings to maximize solar access. Generally, buildings
should be located with their long axes running east to west, though
in some high-density or townhouse developments, a north-south orientation
for the long axes may be desirable.
(2)
Consideration should be given to locating structures and open spaces
such that buildings will not cast shadows on other buildings.
C.
Consideration should be given to reserving solar easements within
lots for protection of solar access.
A.
Purpose. The intent of the provisions in this section is to minimize
the off-site impact of lighting while providing for lighting that
is sufficient for safe use of a property, and to:
(1)
Provide adequate lighting in outdoor public places where public health,
safety and welfare are potential concerns;
(2)
Protect drivers and pedestrian from the glare of nonvehicular light
sources that shine into their eyes and thereby impair safe traverse;
(3)
Protect neighbors and the night sky from nuisance glare and stray
light from poorly aimed, placed, applied, maintained or shielded light
sources; and
(4)
Provide outdoor lighting in a manner consistent with the Borough
goal of retaining small-town character.
B.
Applicability.
(1)
Outdoor lighting shall be required for safety and personal security
in areas of public assembly and traverse, including but not limited
to the following:
(a)
Parking areas of multifamily, commercial, and industrial uses.
(b)
Loading facilities for commercial and industrial uses.
(c)
At the ingress and egress of parking areas for multifamily,
commercial, and industrial parking areas.
(d)
At street intersections.
(e)
The Borough Council may require lighting to be incorporated
for other uses or locations where personal security and safety reasons
warrant, and as they deem necessary to further public health, safety,
and welfare.
(2)
The glare-control requirements herein contained apply to lighting
in all above-mentioned uses as well as, but not limited to, sign,
landscaping, and residential lighting.
C.
Criteria.
(1)
Illumination levels. Lighting, where required by this chapter, shall
have intensities and uniformity ratios in accordance with but not
limited to the following examples:
|
Use/Task
|
Maintained Footcandles
|
Uniformity Average Minimum
| ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
(a)
|
Streets, local residential
|
0.4 average
|
6:1
| |
|
(b)
|
Streets, local commercial
|
0.9 average
|
6:1
| |
|
(c)
|
Parking, residential, multifamily
| |||
|
Low vehicular/pedestrian activity
|
0.2 minimum
|
4:1
| ||
|
Medium vehicular/pedestrian activity
| ||||
|
(d)
|
Parking, industrial/commercial/ institutional/municipal
|
0.6 minimum
|
4:1
| |
|
High activity, e.g., regional shopping centers/fast-food facilities,
major athletic/civic/cultural/ recreational events
|
0.9 minimum
|
4:1
| ||
|
Medium activity, e.g., community shopping centers, office parks,
hospitals, commuter lots, cultural/civic/recreational events
|
0.6 minimum
|
4:1
| ||
|
Low activity, e.g., neighborhood shopping, industrial employee
parking, schools, church parking
|
0.2 minimum
|
4:1
| ||
|
(e)
|
Sidewalks, walkways and bikeways
|
0.5 average
|
5:1
| |
|
(f)
|
Building entrances, commercial, industrial, institutional
|
5.0 average
|
n/a
| |
|
NOTES:
| |
|---|---|
|
Illumination levels are maintained horizontal footcandles on
the task, e.g., pavement or area surface.
| |
|
Uniformity ratios dictate that average illuminance values shall
not exceed minimum values by more than the product of the minimum
value and the specified ration (e.g., for commercial parking high
activity, the average footcandles shall not be in excess of 3.6 [0.9
x 4]).
|
(2)
Lighting fixture design. The following factors shall be considered
when choosing the appropriate lighting fixture design:
(a)
Fixtures shall be of a type and design appropriate to the lighting
application.
(b)
Fixtures shall be equipped with or be capable of being modified
to incorporate light directing, shielding devices, or both, such as
shields, visors or hoods when necessary to redirect offending light
distribution or reduce direct or reflected glare.
(3)
Control of glare.
(a)
All outdoor lighting, whether or not required by this chapter,
on private, residential, commercial, industrial, municipal, recreational
or institutional property shall be aimed, located, designed, fitted
and maintained so as not to present a hazard to drivers or pedestrians
by impairing their ability to safely traverse (i.e., disabling glare)
and so as not to create a nuisance by projecting or reflecting objectionable
light onto a neighboring use or property (i.e., nuisance glare).
(b)
Floodlights and spotlights shall be so installed and aimed so
that they do not project their output into the windows of neighboring
residences, adjacent uses, directly skyward or onto a roadway.
(c)
Unless otherwise permitted by the Borough (e.g., for safety,
security, or all-night operations), lighting shall be controlled by
automatic switching devices such as time clocks or combination motion
detectors and photocells, to permit extinguishing offending sources
between 11:00 p.m. and dawn to mitigate nuisance glare and sky lighting
consequences.
(d)
Lighting proposed for use after 11:00 p.m., or after the normal
hours of operation for commercial, industrial, institutional, or municipal
applications, shall be reduced by 75% from 11:00 p.m. until dawn,
unless needed for a specific purpose.
(e)
Vegetation screens shall not be employed to serve as the primary
means for controlling glare. Glare control shall be achieved primarily
through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields and baffles,
and appropriate application of fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming
angle and fixture placement.
(f)
Externally illuminated signs and billboards shall be lighted
by fixtures mounted at the top of the sign and aimed downward. Such
fixtures shall be automatically extinguished between the hours of
11:00 p.m. and dawn, except as specifically approved by the Borough
to illuminate necessary directional information.
(g)
Directional fixtures used for architectural lighting (e.g.,
facade, fountain, feature and landscape lighting), shall be aimed
so as not to project their output beyond the objects intended to be
illuminated and shall be extinguished between the hours of 11:00 p.m.
and dawn.
(h)
Service station canopy lighting shall be accomplished using
flat-lens full-cutoff downlighting fixtures, shielded in such a manner
that the edge of the fixture shield shall be level with or below the
light source envelope.
(i)
The use of white strobe lighting for tall structures such as
smokestacks, chimneys, and communications towers is prohibited, except
as otherwise required under Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
D.
Residential streetlighting fixture placement. Where required, streetlighting
fixtures in residential developments shall be placed at the following
locations:
E.
Plan submission.
(1)
In all commercial and industrial districts, lighting plans shall
be submitted to the Borough for review and approval with applications
for conditional use or special exceptions, preliminary or final subdivision,
or land development plans, or variance applications. In addition,
the Zoning Officer may require the submission of a lighting plan with
any building permit application for other than single-family residential
use. The required lighting plans shall include the following information:
(a)
A site plan containing a layout of the proposed fixture locations
by location and type. The site plan shall also include, as applicable,
structures, parking spaces, building entrances, traffic areas (both
vehicular and pedestrian), vegetation that might interfere with lighting,
and adjacent uses that might be adversely impacted by the lighting.
(b)
Footcandle plots for individual fixture installations and ten-foot-by-ten-foot
illuminance grid plots for multi-fixture installations, which demonstrate
compliance with the intensity and uniformity requirements set forth
in this chapter.
(c)
Description of the proposed equipment, including fixture catalog
cuts, photometrics, glare-reduction devices, lamps, control devices,
mounting heights, pole foundation details, and mounting methods proposed.
(2)
When requested by the Borough, the applicant shall submit a visual
impact plan that demonstrates appropriate steps have been taken to
mitigate on-site and off-site glare.
(3)
Post-approval alterations to lighting plans or intended substitutions
for approved lighting equipment shall be submitted to the Borough
for review and approval.
(4)
When necessary, the Borough may retain the services of a qualified
lighting engineer to review proposed lighting plans.
The following standards are hereby established to create a transition
between potentially incompatible land uses and to reduce conflicts
between these uses.
A.
Applicability. Buffer areas shall be located between uses defined
by this section and shall be required in addition to the landscaping
requirements of this section. Buffer areas shall be classified as
Class A, B, C or D buffer, and shall be required between the following
uses (inclusive of on-site parking and loading/unloading areas):
(1)
Class A buffer. Any development consisting of 10 or more multifamily
dwelling units, single-family attached dwelling units (townhouses),
or mobile home parks adjoining any residentially zoned district, or
residential use, shall provide a Class A buffer.
(2)
Class B buffer. Any commercial use, office use, institutional use,
or any off-street parking facility that is the principal use of a
lot, adjoining any residentially zoned district or residential use
shall provide a Class B buffer.
(3)
Class C buffer. Any industrial use, unless otherwise specified in
this chapter, outdoor storage areas, utility uses, or agricultural
uses, adjoining any residentially zoned district or residential use
shall provide a Class C buffer.
(4)
Class D buffer. A junkyard, recycling center or similar intensive
uses shall provide a Class D buffer between fencing and the street
line and along all property lines.
(5)
Other uses determined to be potential conflicts shall provide the
buffer class specified by the Borough Council, upon recommendation
by the Planning Commission.
B.
Buffer class standards. After determining the required buffer class,
the applicant shell select an appropriate planting option listed below.
Plantings are not required to be aligned on property or right-of-way
boundaries; rather, the applicant is encouraged to site plantings
as necessary to achieve the optimal screening level. Plant materials
shall be selected from the plant materials list in Appendix VI.[1]
(1)
Class A. One canopy tree every 30 feet, plus one evergreen every
40 feet of boundary; or one canopy tree every 60 feet, plus one flowering
tree every 40 feet, plus one evergreen every 40 feet of boundary.
(2)
Class B. One evergreen every 20 feet, and one flowering tree every
40 feet of boundary; or one canopy tree every 40 feet, and one evergreen
tree every 30 feet plus one flowering tree every 60 feet of boundary.
(3)
Class C. One evergreen every 20 feet, plus one berm four feet high;
or six-foot high cedar or spruce fencing with one flowering or evergreen
tree every 20 feet of boundary.
(4)
Class D. In addition to required fencing of at least six feet in
height, the following plantings shall be provided between the fence
and street or property line: one canopy or flowering tree at an average
of one tree every 30 feet, plus one evergreen tree at an average of
one tree every 20 feet; or one evergreen tree at an average of one
tree every 20 feet, plus one shrub every five feet. The Class D buffer
yard width shall be the setback specified for the required fence for
the individual use in Article X, Supplemental Regulations.
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix VI is included at the end of this
chapter.
C.
Plant materials.
(1)
Each plant option listed in Subsection B, above, may use any of the plant materials listed in Appendix VI.[2] Minimum plant size shall be as indicated in Appendix VI.
The use of native plant species, as indicated in Appendix VI, is strongly
encouraged. For reasons of permanency and resistance, a mixing of
two or more varying plant materials shall be required in meeting the
requirements of this section. Borough Council, upon recommendation
by the Planning Commission, may permit other plant types if they are
hardy to the area, are not subject to blight or disease, and are of
the same general character and growth habit as those listed in Appendix
VI. All planting materials shall meet the standards of the American
Association of Nurserymen.
[2]
Editor's Note: Appendix VI is included at the end of this
chapter.
(2)
Where it is determined that, due to topography or other factors, the buffer classes prescribed in Subsection B, above, do not alone provide an adequate buffer between adjoining incompatible uses, the planting shall be placed upon a berm at a height of three feet to five feet to increase its effectiveness.
(3)
Existing plantings, woodlands, hedgerows, topography, or man-made
structures can reduce or eliminate the buffering requirements if they
partially or completely achieve the same level of screening as the
planting requirements outlined in this section. This determination
shall be made at the discretion of the Borough Council, upon recommendation
by the Planning Commission.
(4)
Existing trees within the required buffer yard greater than three
inches in caliper or greater than eight feet in height shall be preserved
to the extent feasible. Such trees may be counted towards required
plant materials, as determined by the Borough Council, upon recommendation
by the Planning Commission.
(5)
Required plantings for buffering chosen shall not interfere with
preexisting overhead wiring or other preexisting overhead permanent
structures.
D.
General buffering requirements.
(1)
Buffer yards shall be maintained and kept clean of all debris, rubbish,
weeds and tall grass.
(2)
Planting in the buffer area shall be installed and thereafter maintained
by the property owner. Required buffer plantings shall not be removed
without the prior approval of the Borough. If such plantings are removed,
the Borough may require that they be replaced, in kind, at the expense
of the property owner.
(3)
The locations, dimensions, and spacing of required plantings shall
be adequate for their proper growth and maintenance, considering sizes
of such plantings at maturity and their present and future environmental
requirements, such as soil, pH, moisture, and sunlight. The buffer
planting shall be so placed that, at maturity, vegetation extends
not closer than 1 1/2 feet from any street right-of-way.
(4)
A clear sight triangle, in accordance with this chapter, shall be
maintained at all street intersections and at all points where private
accessways intersect public streets.
(5)
No structures may be placed within the buffer area and no manufacturing
or processing activity or storage of materials shall be permitted,
except for the following:
(a)
Landscaped treatments, such as berms, fences or walls which
aid in screening and do not conflict with the character of adjoining
properties, including drainage, light, and air flow, or block clear
sight distance required at intersections.
(b)
Structures relating to and used for landscaping, such as tree
wells, tree guards, tree grates and retaining walls to preserve stands
or specimens of existing trees or used for other functional purposes.
(c)
Roads which provide direct ingress/egress for the tract or lot,
including appurtenant structures within road rights-of-way, such as
curbs, sidewalks, signs, lighting or benches.
(d)
Underground utilities.
(6)
Mechanical equipment, storage structures, garbage and waste disposal
facilities, and similar facilities shall be fully screened from view
from adjacent streets or residential districts or uses, through the
use of fences or buffering planting materials.
(7)
The applicant is encouraged to install buffer plantings in naturalistic
groupings rather than in linear strips, if a satisfactory buffer can
be achieved.
(8)
Where buffering is required, a landscape plan for the new use or
development shall be submitted to the Borough which displays all proposed
plantings required to buffer the use or development and how the requirements
of this section have been achieved on that property for that particular
use or development.
(9)
Where earthen berms are required to provide effective screening,
the specified elevation of the berm shall be that achieved after the
earth has settled.
(10)
To the extent possible, landscaping around detention basins
shall be naturalized (e.g., clusters of evergreens interspersed with
groupings of deciduous tress and shrubs) and designed to blend with
the surrounding environment. When buffering stormwater detention basins,
trees shall not be planted on the basin berm or dam; however, shrubs
may be planted in this area.
(11)
Buffering standards shall not apply to front yards of lots,
except for Class D buffers.
E.
General landscaping requirements.
(1)
Any part of a lot which is not used for buildings, other structures,
loading or parking spaces and aisles, sidewalks and designated storage
areas shall be planted with an all season ground cover approved by
Borough Council. It shall be maintained to provide an attractive appearance,
and all nonsurviving plants shall be replaced.
(3)
Landscaping requirements for shade and street trees shall be followed
in accordance with this chapter.
F.
Landscaping requirements for off-street parking. The following standards
shall be required for off-street parking facilities having greater
than five parking spaces.
(1)
Raised planting islands shall be located at each end of a parking
space row and between every 12 consecutive parking spaces in a row.
Planting islands shall be a minimum of three feet in width, extend
the length of a parking space, and shall be planted with one shade
tree per island, with such trees selected from the list in Appendix
VI. Existing trees can be credited toward this requirements if in
good condition and located as required.
(2)
Perimeter plantings shall be provided around all parking areas and
shall have a minimum width of three feet. Such areas shall meet the
requirements of Class B buffer of this section.
(3)
Perimeter planting strips and raised planting islands shall be protected
by curbs.
(4)
Surface treatment of raised planting islands and perimeter plantings
shall be grass, ground cover, or low-maintenance shrubs, or other
Borough-approved plant materials.
A.
Traffic impact study.
(1)
A traffic impact study shall be submitted in the following instances:
(a)
A residential subdivision or land development of five or more
lots and/or dwelling units.
(b)
A nonresidential land development containing 40,000 square feet
or more of gross floor area.
(c)
Any nonresidential land development within 1/4 mile of an intersection
involving an arterial street or two collector streets.
(d)
Provided, however, that the Borough Council reserves the right to require a traffic study for any subdivision or land development other than a minor residential subdivision, lot annexation, abbreviated residential subdivision, and plan for revision to lot lines when the Borough Council deems such a study necessary to adequately review the impact of the subdivision or land development on existing and proposed streets in accordance with §§ 395-20 and 395-21.
(2)
The traffic impact study shall be prepared by a qualified professional
traffic engineer or traffic planner with verifiable experience in
preparing such studies.
(3)
The study area for the traffic study shall be based on engineering
judgment and an understanding of existing traffic conditions at the
site and represent the area which is likely to be affected by the
development. The study limits shall be initially agreed upon by the
applicant, his engineer, and the Borough.
(4)
The traffic impact study shall contain the following elements:
(a)
The study area boundary and identification of the roadways included
within the study area.
(b)
A general site description, including:
[1]
Size, location, existing and proposed land uses and dwelling
types, construction staging, and completion date of the proposed development.
[2]
Existing land uses, approved and recorded subdivision and land
developments and subdivisions and land developments proposed but not
yet approved and recorded in the study area that are agreed upon by
the Borough, applicant, and traffic engineer as having bearing on
the development's likely impact shall be described and considered.
[3]
Within the study area, the applicant must describe existing
roadways and intersections (geometries and traffic signal control)
as well as improvements contemplated by government agencies or private
parties.
(c)
Analysis of existing conditions, including:
[1]
Daily and peak-hour traffic volumes. Schematic diagrams depicting
daily and peak-hour traffic volumes shall be presented for roadways
within the study area. Turning movement and mainline volumes shall
be presented for the three peak-hour conditions (a.m., p.m. and site-generated)
while only mainline volumes are required to reflect daily traffic
volumes. The source and/or method of computation for all traffic volumes
shall be included.
[2]
Volume/capacity analyses at critical points. Utilizing techniques
described in the Highway Capacity Manual Transportation Research Board
Special Report 209 (1985 or latest edition) or derivative nomographs,
an assessment of the relative balance between roadway volumes and
capacity are to be described. The analysis shall be performed for
existing conditions (roadway geometry and traffic signal control)
for the appropriate peak hours.
[3]
Level of service at critical points. Based on the results obtained
in the previous section, levels of service (A through F) shall be
computed and presented. Included in this section shall also be a description
of typical operating conditions at each level of service.
[4]
A tabulation of accident locations during the most recent three-year
period shall be provided.
(d)
Analysis of future conditions without the proposed development.
The future years for which projections are made will be specified
by the Borough and will be dependent on the timing of the proposed
development. The following information shall be included:
[1]
Daily and peak-hour traffic volumes. This section shall clearly indicate the method and assumptions used to forecast future traffic volumes. The schematic diagrams depicting future traffic volumes shall be similar to those described in Subsection A(4)(c)[1] of this section in terms of location and times (daily and peak hours).
[2]
Volume/capacity analyses at critical locations. The ability
of the existing roadway system to accommodate future traffic (without
site development) shall be described in this section. If roadway improvements
or modifications are committed for implementation, the volume/capacity
analysis shall be presented for these conditions.
[3]
Levels of service at critical points. Based on the results obtained
in the previous section, levels of service (A through F) shall be
determined.
(e)
Trip generation. The amount of traffic generated by the site
shall be presented in this section for daily and the three peak-hour
conditions. The trip-generation rates used in this phase of the analysis
shall be justified and documented to the satisfaction of the Borough
Council. Trip Generation (fourth or latest edition) published by the
Institute of Transportation Engineers shall be used unless the Borough
Council approves other studies.
(f)
Trip distribution. The direction of approach for site-generated
traffic shall be presented in this section for the appropriate time
periods. As with all technical analysis steps, the basic method and
assumptions used in this work shall be clearly stated in order that
the Borough can replicate these results.
(g)
Traffic assignment. This section shall describe the utilization of study area roadways by site-generated traffic. The proposed traffic volumes shall then be combined with anticipated traffic volumes from Subsection A(4)(d) of this section to describe mainline and turning movement volumes for future conditions with the site developed as the applicant proposes.
(h)
Analysis of future conditions with development. This section
shall describe the adequacy of the roadway system to accommodate future
traffic with development of the site. Any unique characteristics of
the site or within the study area (i.e., weekend tourists and antique
sales, or holiday shopping) affecting traffic shall be considered.
If staging of the proposed development is anticipated, analysis for
each stage of completion shall be made. The following information
shall be included:
[1]
Daily and peak hours, traffic volumes, mainline and turning
movement volumes shall be presented for the highway network in the
study area as well as driveways and internal circulation roadways
for the appropriate time periods.
[2]
Volume/capacity analysis at critical points. Similar to Subsection A(4)(c)[2] and (d)[2], a volume/capacity analysis shall be performed for the appropriate peak hours for future conditions with the site developed as proposed.
[3]
Levels of service at critical points. As a result of the volume/capacity
analysis, the level of service on the study area roadway system shall
be computed and described in this section.
(i)
Recommended improvements. In the event that the analysis indicates unsatisfactory levels of service (levels of service D, E or F) as described in Highway Capacity Manual, Transportation Research Board Special Report 209 (1985 or latest edition) will occur on study area roadways, a description of proposed improvements to remedy deficiencies shall be included in this section. These proposals would not include committed projects by the Borough and state which were described in Subsection A(4)(b)[3] of this section and reflected in the analysis contained in Subsection A(4)(c) and (d) The following information shall be included:
[1]
Proposed recommended improvements. This section shall describe
the location, nature and extent of proposed improvements to assure
sufficient roadway capacity. Accompanying this list of improvements
shall be preliminary cost estimates.
[2]
Volume/capacity analysis at critical points. Another iteration
of the volume/capacity analysis shall be described which demonstrates
the anticipated results of making these improvements.
[3]
Levels of service at critical points. As a result of the revised
volume/capacity analysis presented in the previous subsection, levels
of service for the highway system with improvements shall be presented.
(j)
Conclusion. The last section of the report shall be a clear,
concise description of the study findings. This concluding section
shall serve as an executive summary.
B.
The impact studies listed below shall be submitted to the Borough
in the following instances: a residential subdivision or land development
of five or more lots and/or dwelling units, and a nonresidential land
development containing 40,000 square feet or more of gross floor area;
provided, however, that the Borough Council reserves the right to
require impact studies for any subdivision or land development other
than a minor residential subdivision, lot annexation, abbreviated
residential subdivision, and plan for revision to lot lines when the
Borough Council deems such a study necessary to adequately review
the impact of the subdivision or land development.
(1)
Utilities impact study. A study shall be prepared by an engineer
indicating the impact of the proposed development on the existing
sanitary sewer, water, solid waste, and drainage systems serving the
Borough. Said impact analysis shall identify the existing capacity
of facilities which would serve the development, the prospects of
those facilities being able to provide service to it, and any improvements
that might be required as a direct result of the proposed development
and the improvements the applicant intends to make if capacity does
not exist to serve the proposed development. Additionally, the study
shall identify the likely ability of sanitary sewer, water, solid
waste, and drainage systems to continue to provide efficient and economic
service to existing residents and businesses within the Borough considering
added service requirements of the proposed development.
(2)
Recreation impact study. The study shall analyze the demand for recreational
facilities which the proposed development will generate and determine
whether adequate facilities exist or are planned or proposed. As a
minimum, the study shall include the following:
(a)
A description of the projected age breakdown of the residents
of the proposed development.
(b)
A description of any recreational facilities to be provided
by the applicant.
(c)
A description of existing municipal recreational facilities
and the impact of the proposed development on these facilities. Accepted
national standards for required recreation shall be used in the analysis.
(d)
Discussion of potential for any recreational facilities to be
provided by the applicant to compensate for any anticipated deficiencies
of the Borough's recreational facilities.
(e)
A description of any contributions the applicant plans to make
for Borough recreation to compensate for expected impacts.
(3)
Fiscal impact analysis. A fiscal impact analysis shall be prepared
identifying the likely impact of the development on the Borough and
Northern Lehigh Area School District's tax structure and expenditure
patterns. Included shall be a determination of the revenues to accrue
to the Borough and Northern Lehigh Area School District as a result
of proposed development, as well as an identification of the costs
associated with delivering services to the proposed development. The
fiscal impact analysis shall deal with the impact of the proposed
development on the ability of the Borough to deliver fire, police,
administrative, public works and utility services to the development
and on the Borough's economy. In order to prepare the analysis,
the applicant shall utilize a methodology from The New Guide to Fiscal
Impact Analysis (Rutgers Center for Urban Policy Research, 1985, as
modified from time to time), adapted as appropriate and to the Borough
satisfaction. Particular aspects of the Borough's service delivery
capability to be analyzed shall include:
(a)
Public works. This includes potential effects on the maintenance,
repair and upkeep of roads, signal systems, sanitary sewer, water
and drainage systems, open space and recreation areas or any other
applicable function. This study shall address projected cost increases
for the above mentioned items in terms of administration, personnel,
equipment and materials.
(b)
Administration. This includes time that would be required by
the Borough Council, Borough Secretary, Borough and other staff to
process the application and handle the project during construction,
as well as long-term administration demands. This should include,
but not be limited to, the handling of: plans, contracts, various
legal instruments or agreements, permits, special problems, and escrow.
Added demands on the code administration staff also shall be projected.
(c)
Fire and emergency services. The analysis shall incorporate
the development's impact on fire company capabilities, including
but not limited to, municipal water supply, pumping capacity, specialized
equipment and training requirements.
(d)
Police. The study shall project the overall effects of the proposed
development on existing Borough police personnel numbers, equipment,
vehicles and working space. The study shall include whatever facilities
or assistance the development will provide to handle emergencies,
criminal investigation, armed robbery, or other security-related problems.
(4)
Historic and archaeological resources impact study. All historic
and archaeological resources which have been identified and/or inventoried
by the Borough, the Northampton County Planning Commission, and/or
the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission located within the tract
shall be identified and the impact on such resources detailed. The
study shall contain as a minimum the following information:
(a)
Background information.
[1]
If not otherwise provided by the applicant, a general site description,
including topography, watercourses, vegetation, landscaping, existing
drives, etc.
[2]
General description and classification of all historic resources
located on the subject tract, on tracts immediately adjacent to the
subject tract or road, or within 100 feet of the subject tract or
road.
[3]
Physical description of all historic resources identified in Subsection B(4)(a)[2] above.
[4]
Statement of the significance of each historic resource, both
relative to the Borough and region in general.
[5]
Sufficient number of black-and-white, eight-inch-by-ten-inch photographs to show every historic resource identified in Subsection B(4)(a)[2], above, in its setting.
[6]
Narrative description of the historical development of the subject
tract or road.
(b)
Proposed change.
[1]
General description of project, including time table or phases.
[2]
Description of impact on each historic resource identified in Subsection B(4)(a)[2], above, with regard to architectural integrity, historic setting, and future use.
[3]
General description of effect of noise and traffic and any other
impacts generated by the proposed change on each historic resource.
(5)
Environmental impact study. The study shall include the following
impacts:
(a)
Habitats of Threatened and Endangered Species of Special Concern
in Pennsylvania within the tract, as established by the Pennsylvania
Biological Survey and/or Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory,
shall be identified and the impact on such resources detailed. If
such habitats exist on the tract, the measures proposed to protect
the habitats shall be indicated;
(b)
The suitability of the site for the intensity of use proposed
by the site's sails, slopes, woodlands, wetlands, floodplains,
aquifers, natural resources and other natural features;
(c)
The impact of the proposed use on the site's soils, slopes,
woodlands, wetlands, floodplains, natural resources and natural features,
the degree to which these are protected or destroyed, the tolerance
of the resources to development and any adverse environmental impacts
(d)
The impact of the proposal on the preservation of agriculture
and other land uses which are essential to public health and welfare;
and
(e)
The information specified in Appendix VI.
(6)
Hydrogeologic impact study. Such study shall be conducted by a qualified
hydrogeologist and consist of the following minimum considerations:
(a)
A description of the geologic conditions on and around the site.
Site geology, including stratigraphy, structure, and soils shall be
analyzed. Hydrogeology, including aquifer characteristics, groundwater
movement, local water use, aquifer yield, and water quality shall
be analyzed. Groundwater impacts, availability of groundwater, well
interference, water quality, and yield availability shall be analyzed.
(b)
Should it be determined that the proposed uses would result
in a degradation of groundwater quality, or eliminate the potential
groundwater use at nearby properties, the study shall present measures
that will be employed to prevent these adverse impacts.
