The provisions of this article shall apply to all subdivision
and land development applications in Straban Township. A complimentary
Plan Requirements Checklist, listing documents that this chapter requires
to be submitted at each step of the review process, is available from
the Township office. The checklist shall be used as a guide, and does
not relieve the developer from adhering to all Straban Township ordinances,
whether specifically outlined in the checklist or not.
The application for a preliminary plan shall provide the following
elements listed below:
A. Preliminary plans and all required accompanying documentation shall
be submitted by a developer or his or her authorized representative
to the Township Secretary or such other official as may be designated
by the Supervisors.
B. Application and review procedure.
(1) Filing. Preliminary plan application is required for the following:
(a)
Subdivision of residential land for 10 or more lots.
(b)
Subdivision and/or land development of commercial or industrial
buildings over 50,000 square feet.
(c)
Subdivision or land development which includes construction of public improvements as defined in Article
II, Definitions.
(2) Submission of a preliminary plan, to be accepted by Straban Township,
must include:
(a)
Four completed copies of the appropriate application form available
from the Township (See Appendix 1).
(b)
Four blue- or black-line paper prints of the preliminary plan showing all information required in §
117-19.
(c)
Two copies of all other required documentation required in §
117-20.
(e)
Distribution of the preliminary plan to outside agency(s) pursuant to §
117-18.
Additional copies of the preliminary plan and accompanying documentation
shall be immediately forwarded by the applicant as follows:
A. One copy of the application, plan and accompanying documentation
to the Township Engineer.
B. One copy of the application, plan and accompanying documentation
to the Township Sewage Enforcement Officer.
C. One copy of the application, plan and accompanying documentation
to the Adams County Planning Agency.
D. One copy of the soil erosion and sedimentation control plan to the
Adams County Conservation District Office.
E. One copy of the plan to the District Office of the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation when a proposed subdivision abuts or is traversed
by a state road.
The preliminary plan shall be accompanied by the following supplementary
data, where applicable:
A. Submission of a planning module for land development or such other
applications, depending on the proposed sewage disposal, as required
by the PADEP.
B. Submission of erosion and sediment control plan requirements for
land development as required by the Adams County Conservation District
in accordance with Title 25, Pa. Code, Chapter 102, in accordance
with Pennsylvania Clean Streams Act.
C. Preliminary designs of any bridges or culverts which may be required.
Such designs shall meet all applicable requirements of PADEP and PennDOT.
D. Typical street cross-section drawings for all proposed streets.
E. Tentative profiles along the center line of the cartway (pavement)
or along the top of the curb for both sides of each proposed street
shown on the preliminary plan. Such profiles shall show natural and
finished grades.
F. The applicant, if proposing over 10 residential units, or 50,000
square feet of buildings (including associated impervious surfaces)
for nonresidential use, shall submit a feasibility report concerning
the availability and adequacy of sewer facilities in or near a proposed
land development. Said report shall be prepared by an engineer and
be submitted in conjunction with the preliminary plan for review and
recommendations by PADEP.
G. Where the preliminary plan covers only a part of the entire land
holdings, a sketch of the future street system, lot layout, and, if
applicable, estimated number of residential units in the unsubmitted
part shall be submitted. The street system of the submitted part will
be considered in light of adjustments and connections with future
streets in the part not submitted.
H. Where the land included in the subject application has an electric
transmission line, a gas pipeline or a petroleum (or petroleum products)
transmission line located within the tract, the application shall
be accompanied by a letter from the owner or lessee of such right-of-way
stating any conditions on the use of the land and the minimum building
setback and/or right-of-way lines. This requirement may also be satisfied
by submitting a copy of an easement or right-of-way agreement for
the subject right-of-way as recorded in the office of the Recorder
of Deeds of Adams County, Pennsylvania.
I. Water supply.
(1) If water is to be provided by means other than private wells owned
and maintained by the individual owners of lots within the subdivision
or development, applicants shall present evidence to the Board of
Supervisors that the subdivision is to be supplied by a certified
public utility, a bona fide cooperative association of lot owners
or by a municipal corporation, authority or utility. A copy of a certificate
of public convenience from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
(PUC) or an application for such certificate, a cooperative agreement
or a commitment or agreement to serve the area in question, whichever
is appropriate, shall be acceptable.
(2) If water is to be supplied by private wells owned and maintained
by the individual owners or possessors of lots within the subdivision
or development, then the applicant must prove that there is sufficient
groundwater resources to meet the needs of the planning area without
depleting the supply of other existing uses in the site area. This
can be accomplished by following:
(a)
Where individual wells are proposed, the developer/subdivider
shall provide at least one test well per every five to 10 residential
lots or equivalent dwelling units (EDUs), or fraction thereof. The
test wells must be a minimum of 50 feet in depth, grouted into bedrock,
and have at least a production capacity of five gallons per minute
for each EDU. Alternately, wells may be installed on every anticipated
lot and demonstrate a production capacity of three gallons per minute.
(b)
Where individual wells are proposed, each lot must be of size
and shape to allow for installation of wells upslope from any sewage
disposal system. Wells must be at least 100 feet from any sewage absorption
field and at least 50 feet from any surface waters.
(3) If connection to a public water supply system is not possible and
depending on a development's water needs, a groundwater resource study
reporting the region's water supply and feasibility of constructing
a separate water supply system is required by the Township. The report
shall set forth the findings and shall include, among other factors,
a hydrogeologic study of groundwater occurrence and movement, aquifer
characteristics, available drawdown, yield, well efficiency, groundwater
volumes and recharge rates, location of existing wells, water demands,
quality of water and similar relevant factors.
J. Water facilities feasibility/hydrogeologic report.
(1) The purpose of a hydrogeologic study is to provide information regarding
the geology and hydrogeology of the area in the immediate vicinity
of the proposed development and to furnish professional analysis of
the information. A hydrogeologic study generally requires the compilation
and analysis of existing information but not development of new data,
except as may be required below. Study findings, maps, and conclusions
shall be presented in a clear and understandable report.
(2) Hydrogeologic studies shall be required for subdivisions or land
developments that propose the use of on-lot sewage disposal systems
for any on-site system that will serve nonresidential uses, community
systems serving more than one residential lot, residential subdivisions
of 10 or more lots, and in all areas as designated by the Township's
Sewage Facilities Plan or Township designation as either having high
and/or excess background levels (exceeding five ppm) of nitrate-nitrogen
(or those sites located within 1/4 mile of such an area). A map designating
known high and/or excess background levels of nitrate-nitrogen and
1/4 mile surroundings can be found in the Township's Sewage Facilities
Plan located at the municipal office. The study shall be subject to
the review of the Straban Township Engineer and shall be submitted
with the Sewage Planning Module for review by the PADEP on the prescribed
forms. In addition to other hydrogeologic study criteria as may be
required by the Township, the following items (at a minimum) shall
be reviewed in the hydrogeologic study:
(a)
Hydrogeologic studies shall at a minimum contain delineations
of the following:
[1]
Dispersion plume: volume of effluent and groundwater flowing
away from treatment disposal site towards receiving waters.
[2]
Mixing zone: portion of dispersion plume in which groundwater
quality does not meet federal drinking water standards.
[3]
Buffer zone: the groundwater surrounding the mixing zone, provided
for containment and restoration activities should groundwater (which
exceeds federal drinking water standards) leave the mixing zone.
(b)
An evaluation of the existing and proposed nitrate loading of
the groundwater.
(c)
An estimate of the velocity and direction of groundwater movement.
(d)
A map showing all lots and parcels within at least 1/4 mile
of the proposed development.
(e)
The location of all wells and parcels within 1/4 mile of the
proposed development.
(f)
An estimate of the area of potential contamination (above 10
ppm) that can be anticipated in the local aquifer.
(g)
An examination of impacts on water uses in the local area. This
shall include both existing and potential water uses.
(h)
A review of specific geologic characteristics of the area proposed
for subsurface disposal systems.
(i)
An identification of existing and potential water supplies that
will be affected by excessive nitrate-nitrogen levels. In addition,
the study shall contain an evaluation of methods of preventing use
of affected water for drinking purposes (exceeding 10 ppm).
(j)
A determination of the minimum land area required, without consideration
of any specialty treatment (i.e., denitrofication), to provide for
adequate dilution/dispersion of nitrate-nitrogen within the groundwater
system. This shall be used to determine the minimum lot size for the
proposed subdivision or land development.
(3) The final content of hydrogeologic studies shall be determined following
initial review by the Straban Township Engineer.
K. A traffic impact study (TIS) which addresses the traffic impact of a proposed development on the existing public streets; traffic circulation; public safety; traffic control; street improvements; and construction and pedestrian movement. Traffic impact studies shall be required, as established in §
117-52, for all preliminary and/or final subdivision and land development applications under the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance when land development is projected to generate 200 new ADT (average daily trips), or 20 or more new peak-hour trips, as established in the most recent edition of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) publication, “Trip Generation.” Prior to the start of the study, limits of the study must be established and a traffic engineer selected who will perform the study, both of which must meet the approval of the applicant and the Township.