[Adopted 6-10-1974 by Ord. No. 2-1974 (Ch. 21, Part 1, of
the 1998 Code of Ordinances)]
No railroad or street railway shall hereafter be constructed
on or in any Township road nor shall any railroad or street railway
crossing nor any gas pipe, water pipe, electric conduits or other
piping be laid upon or in nor shall any telephone, telegraph or electric
light or power poles or any coal tipples or any other obstructions
be erected upon or in any portion of a Township road except under
such conditions, restrictions and regulations relating to the installation
and maintenance thereof as may be prescribed in permits granted by
the Township for such purposes.
The application for a permit shall be on a form prescribed by
the Township and submitted to the Township in triplicate. The application
shall be accompanied by a fee in accordance with the schedule of fees
set forth by the Department of Transportation for highway occupancy
permits and restoration charges. In addition, the applicant shall
submit three copies of a sketch showing such dimensions as the location
of the intended facility, width of the traveled roadway, right-of-way
lines and a dimension to the nearest intersecting street.
A permit shall be issued to the applicant after all the aforementioned
requirements have been filed.
Upon completion of the work, the applicant shall give written
notice thereof to the Township for inspection of same to assure compliance
in accordance with this article.
Upon completion of the work authorized by the permit, the Township
shall inspect the work and, when necessary, enforce compliance with
the conditions, restrictions and regulations prescribed by the permit.
Where any settlement or defect in the work occurs, if the applicant
shall fail to rectify any such settlement or other defect within 60
days after written notice from the Township to do so, the Township
may do the work and shall impose upon the applicant the cost thereof,
together with an additional 20% of such costs.
[Amended 8-12-1996 by Ord. No. 3-1996; 3-16-1998 by Ord. No. 2-1998]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this article, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before
a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement
of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure,
shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs
and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment
not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues
or each section of this article which shall be found to have been
violated shall constitute a separate offense.
[Adopted 3-16-1998 by Ord. No. 2-1998 (Ch. 21, Part 2, of
the 1998 Code of Ordinances)]
Land shall be suited to the purpose for which it is being subdivided or developed. In general, the following factors shall be considered, in addition to those required in the Township Zoning Ordinance (Chapter
220) and the Centre County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance:
A. Hazards to life, health and property. Those areas which are subject
to hazards of life, health or property as may arise from fire, flood,
disease, geologic movement or considered to be uninhabitable for other
reasons shall not be plotted for building purposes unless the hazards
have been eliminated or adequate safeguards have been taken to prevent
damage from such hazards.
B. Preservation of natural features. In all subdivisions or land developments,
care should be taken to preserve natural features such as trees, watercourses,
watersheds, views, historic features (including buildings), and topographical
continuity.
This section defines the street classification system and provides
a list of all the Township streets and their classifications. Various
factors that influence street location and layout are then outlined,
including topography, alignment, cuts and fills, number of lanes,
pavement widths, rights-of-way, intersections, turnarounds, curbs,
sidewalks, bicycle paths and trees.
A. Street classification system.
(1) Streets are classified into four categories: arterial, collector,
subcollector and local (see Figure 1). In some ASCE and NAHB publications,
there are only three categories: arterial, collector and access. Herein,
the access is separated into subcollector and local, allowing the
term "access" to mean simply a way of approach or entrance.
(a)
An arterial is a high-volume street that should have no residences
accessing directly onto it.
(b)
Collectors are the principal traffic carriers within residential
or commercial areas. Their function is to promote free flow of traffic;
parking along a collector should be discouraged.
(c)
Subcollectors are relatively low-volume streets which provide
frontage and access to adjoining properties, but also carry some through
traffic to lower order (local) streets.
(d)
Local streets are sometimes called access streets. The local
street usually carries no through traffic and includes short streets,
culs-de-sac and courts.
(2) The following are special types of streets:
(a)
Marginal access streets. Streets which are parallel and adjacent
to arterial or limited access streets and which are intended to provide
access to abutting properties.
(b)
Partial or half streets. Streets generally parallel and adjacent
to a property line having a right-of-way width less than the required.
(c)
Private or nonpublic streets. All streets which are not public,
including, but not limited to, streets maintained by private agreements,
by private owners for which no maintenance responsibility has been
established, and including all private driveway access easements or
rights-of-way for access.
(d)
Public streets. Streets ordained or maintained or dedicated
and accepted by the Township, the county, the state or the federal
government and open to public use.
(3) The average daily traffic (ADT) is an aid in classifying streets.
Typical ranges are given below in Table 1.
|
Table 1
|
---|
|
Street Classes Based on Traffic Volume
|
---|
|
Class
|
Usual ADT Range
|
---|
|
Local street
|
0 to 250
|
|
Subcollector
|
250 to 1,000
|
|
Collector
|
1,000 to 3,000
|
|
Arterial
|
Greater than 3,000
|
|
Streets are also classified in various other ways; for example,
according to the number of lanes, the location or the agency responsible
for maintenance.
|
|
|
---|
|
Figure 1. Hierarchy of Streets
|
B. List of Potter Township Streets.
[Amended 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2-2005]
|
Potter Township, Centre County
|
---|
|
T-523
|
Airport Road
|
|
T-450
|
Ashford Manor Drive
|
|
T-522
|
Bible Road
|
|
T-410
|
Black Hawk Road
|
|
T-451
|
Blarney Lane
|
|
T-631
|
Bloom Road
|
|
T-606
|
Boal Gap Road
|
|
T-421
|
Bradley Road
|
|
T-423
|
Brian Drive
|
|
T-608
|
Bubb Road
|
|
T-503
|
Carriage Lane
|
|
T-425
|
Charles Street
|
|
T-632
|
Chestnut Street
|
|
T-611
|
Church Hill Road
|
|
T-515
|
Cider Press Road
|
|
T-609
|
Colyer Road
|
|
T-440
|
Decker Road
|
|
T-630
|
Decker Valley Road
|
|
T-612
|
Dogtown Road
|
|
T-536
|
Egg Hill Road
|
|
T-431
|
Emery Road
|
|
T-430
|
Foust Road
|
|
T-516
|
Geary Road
|
|
T-519
|
Goodhart Road
|
|
T-406
|
Gregg Station Road
|
|
T-502
|
Hidden Lake Drive
|
|
T-605
|
High Street
|
|
T-424
|
Homan Lane
|
|
T-501
|
Hoot Road
|
|
T-538
|
Indian Lane
|
|
T-422
|
Jacks Lane
|
|
T-434
|
Kreitzer Avenue
|
|
T-604
|
Lake Road
|
|
T-435
|
Lane Avenue
|
|
T-614
|
Lingle Road
|
|
T-633
|
Lower Georges Valley Road
|
|
T-436
|
Luse Road
|
|
T-437
|
Manor Road
|
|
T-517
|
McCool Road
|
|
T-439
|
Middle Road
|
|
T-610
|
Mountain Back Road
|
|
T-504
|
Neff Road
|
|
T-420
|
Oakwood Lane
|
|
T-441
|
Penns Court
|
|
T-607
|
Polecat Road
|
|
T-438
|
Pond Lane
|
|
T-613
|
Race Track Road
|
|
T-518
|
Red Mill Road
|
|
T-400
|
Rimmey Road
|
|
T-521
|
Short Road
|
|
T-537
|
Shunk Road
|
|
T-524
|
Sinking Creek Road
|
|
T-411
|
Strawberry Hill Road
|
|
T-527
|
Summit Circle
|
|
T-526
|
Summit Drive
|
|
T-600
|
Taylor Hill Road
|
|
T-603
|
Treaster Kettle Road
|
|
T-520
|
Tucker Road
|
|
T-601
|
Tussey Sink Road
|
|
T-525
|
Tusseyville Road
|
|
T-500
|
Wagner Road
|
|
T-540
|
Weaver Road
|
|
T-508
|
Williams Road
|
|
T-442
|
Wynwood Drive
|
|
T-602
|
Zerby Road
|
C. General street layout and naming of streets.
(1) Proposed streets shall be properly related to existing street plans
or parts thereof as have been officially adopted by the Township and
shall be coordinated with existing or proposed streets in adjoining
subdivisions or land developments.
(2) Streets shall conform to the requirements of this article in order
to best provide for public safety, efficiency, quality and convenience.
They shall be related appropriately to the topography to produce usable
lots served by streets of reasonable grade such that all building
sites are located as close as possible to the grades of streets.
(3) Streets being offered for dedication must meet PennDOT and Township
requirements for liquid fuel allocation.
(4) Proposed streets shall be located such that congestion is minimized
and hazardous intersections are avoided. They shall be properly related
to official street and/or highway plans or parts thereof as have been
officially prepared and adopted by the Township or other applicable
plans as have been officially adopted.
(5) Streets located in floodplain or flood-prone areas shall meet the standards of the Township Floodplain Ordinance (Chapter
96).
(6) Local streets shall be laid out to discourage through traffic. However,
provision for the extension and continuation of streets into and from
adjoining areas may be required. Where a subdivision or land development
abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, the Township
may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage lots or such
other treatment as will provide protection for abutting properties,
reduction in the number of intersections and/or curb cuts with an
arterial street, the separation of local and through traffic, and
the preservation and enhancement of traffic safety on the arterial
street.
(7) If lots resulting from the proposed subdivision or land development
are large enough to permit resubdivision or if a portion of the tract
is not subdivided, adequate street rights-of-way to permit further
subdivision or land development shall be provided as necessary and
located so as to allow proper development of surrounding properties.
(8) Where a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing
street right-of-way of improper width or alignment, the Township may
require the dedication or reservation of additional land (ultimate
right-of-way) sufficient to widen the street or correct the alignment.
Where an additional dedication or reservation is required, all building
setback lines will be measured from such dedicated or reserved right-of-way.
(9) Applicant for a subdivision or land development abutting a state
highway shall be responsible for obtaining approval of any proposed
improvements and for obtaining a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
highway occupancy permit for any proposed improvements, including
driveways. Assurance must be given that sight distances are adequate
for driveways connected to state highways. PennDOT permits are required
prior to Township approval.
(10)
Where a subdivision or land development is partially located
in another municipality, the provisions of this article shall apply
to the portion located in Potter Township.
(11)
Where it is estimated that a subdivision or land development
will generate over 750 vehicle trips a day (based on ITE generation
rates), the applicant shall provide a traffic engineer report indicating
an estimated volume of vehicular traffic movement and the adequacy
of the proposed and existing streets and highways to carry the traffic
both within and beyond the proposed subdivision or land development
and possible solutions to such problems as may be there identified.
(12)
Proposed streets which are obviously in alignment with others
already existing and named shall bear the names of the existing streets.
(13)
In no case shall the name of proposed streets not in alignment
with others so named duplicate the names of an existing or platted
street or approximate such names by the use of suffixes such as "lane,"
"way," "drive," "court" or "avenue." The applicant shall submit the
proposed street names for review to the Township prior to filing a
preliminary plan.
D. Partial, half, dead-end and cul-de-sac streets.
(1) New half or partial streets will not be permitted except where essential
to reasonable subdivision or land development of a tract in conformance
with the other requirements and standards of this article and where,
in addition, satisfactory assurance of completion and dedication to
the remaining part of the street can be obtained. Wherever a tract
to be subdivided borders on an existing half or partial street, the
other part of the street shall be plotted within such tract and applicable
building setback lines established.
(2) When a tract is being subdivided or developed which includes or is
adjacent to a nonpublic or private road or street not serving the
lots created by said subdivision, building setback lines shall be
established from the center line of said road or street such that
eventual dedication may be accomplished. In no case shall this setback
be less than 50 feet from the center line of said road or street.
(3) Dead-end streets shall be prohibited except as temporary stubs to
permit future street extension into adjoining tracts or when designed
as permanent culs-de-sac.
(4) Any dead-end street which is constructed for future access to an
adjoining property or because of authorized stage development, and
which is open to traffic, shall be provided with a temporary, all-weather
turnaround. The turnaround shall be completely within the boundaries
of the subdivision or land development, and the use of the turnaround
shall be guaranteed to the public until such time as the street is
extended.
(5) Cul-de-sac streets designed to be permanent shall meet the following
requirements:
(a)
The street shall terminate in a turnaround of the same construction
material as the cartway.
(b)
The length of the cul-de-sac streets shall be measured from
the corner of the originating street to the center of the turning
radius.
(c)
The turnaround must be circular shape and be designed to permit
the turning of the largest Township truck with snowplow. Other shapes,
such as "L" and "T," are not permitted. The circular form shall have
a minimum outside radius to the edge of the pavement of 40 feet. The
radius of the right-of-way for the turnaround shall be a minimum of
50 feet.
(d)
Cul-de-sac streets shall not exceed 750 feet in length.
[Amended 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2-2005]
(e)
The center line grade on a cul-de-sac street shall be determined from
Table 2 or
Table 3. The grade of the diameter of the turnaround shall not
exceed 4%.
(f)
The maximum number on a cul-de-sac shall be three.
[Added 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2-2005]
(6) Service streets and alleys are not permitted in residential subdivisions
except as may be required to conform with the existing street layout.
However, service streets may be permitted in other types of land development.
E. Private streets.
(1) It is the policy of the Township that all streets shall be planned to be dedicated as public streets. However, sometimes private streets, to be maintained by the adjoining landowners, are preferred. Where agreement of adjoining landowners is required in Subsection
E(1)(b) through
(d), agreement of the owners of 51% of the frontage thereon shall be binding on the owners of the remaining lots. Private streets shall only be permitted when the following conditions are met:
(a)
When the private streets shall serve not more than five lots
and a complete private right-of-way agreement is obtainable.
(b)
When the adjoining landowners agree that the street shall not
be dedicated but shall be maintained by the adjoining landowners.
(c)
When the adjoining landowners agree to the maintenance of the private street as required in
Table 3 and agree that the adjoining lot owners shall provide
for repair, snow removal and any other necessary maintenance.
(d)
Where the adjoining landowners agree on a procedure for future
dedication of the street as a public street.
(e)
Where such agreement is in writing and addresses all of the
general provisions for right-of-way agreement in a form suitable for
recording and acceptable to the Township Solicitor.
(f)
Where said street is described and laid out in conformity with
all the requirements of this subsection.
(g)
Any subdivision consisting of five or more lots must construct
roads to public road standards as if the road(s) were being offered
for dedication and all lots' driveways in the subdivision must
access the newly created road(s).
[Added 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2-2005]
(2) General provisions of right-of-way agreement. A checklist of provisions that should be incorporated into a private right-of-way for ingress, egress and regress is given in
Appendix A.
(3) The private street system shall be designed to accommodate the type
and volume of traffic anticipated to be generated and shall be constructed
to a sound all-weather driving surface, reasonably smooth and free
from mud, dust or standing water. The private street system shall
be built to at least the following design requirements, which shall
first be reviewed by the Township Engineer and approved by the Supervisors:
(a)
The minimum right-of-way width shall be 50 feet. The minimum
cartway width shall be 18 feet.
(b)
Cartway construction specifications. Six inches of hard stone base appropriately compacted and graded to provide a permanent, all-weather surface which will facilitate stormwater drainage patterns. See
Table 3.
(c)
The maximum allowable grade for private access streets shall
be finished grade of 12% slope. Special drainage considerations shall
be required to eliminate or control erosion, sedimentation and stormwater
management, especially on grades exceeding 6% slope. These shall include
special roadway cross sections, grading, shoulder construction and
stabilization, cross drainage and fill slopes as approved by the Township
Engineer.
(d)
Culs-de-sac shall be designed according to Subsection
D.
(e)
Building setback lines shall be located as provided in the Township
zoning regulations.
(f)
A notation shall be placed on the final plan identifying the
right-of-way as "private."
(g)
Private streets shall be considered a required improvement and
must be constructed prior to final plan approval or, in lieu of completion
of improvement, the applicant must provide financial security as per
Section 509 of the Municipalities Planning Code and as approved by the Township.
F. Rights-of-way.
(1) The right-of-way width should not be less than that required for all the elements of the design cross sections. Refer to
Table 2.
(2) The Township shall reserve the right to require right-of-way greater
than PennDOT regulations and standards set forth in the references
document included as Attachment 2 at the end of this chapter.
(3) All of the right-of-way shall be graded similar to the street grade.
The slope of the banks measured perpendicular to the street center
line shall be no steeper than one foot vertical for three feet horizontal
measurement for fills and one foot vertical for two feet horizontal
measurement for cuts. In cuts through bedrock, formation may be one
to one. Where the cut or fill slope abuts a sidewalk, there shall
be a two-foot level area adjacent to sidewalk, and the fill slope
shall not exceed three-to-one slope.
G. Private driveway access easements.
(1) In general, the policy of the Township is that all private driveway
access shall be to a public street. However, private driveway access
to private streets or across the land of another shall only be permitted
in the following circumstances:
(a)
Private driveway access shall be permitted to private streets when said streets are permitted under Subsection
E.
(b)
Private driveway access over lands of another shall be permitted
where:
[1]
Not more than two lots are involved.
[2]
A complete right-of-way or easement agreement is prepared in
a form suitable for recording and as approved by the Township.
[3]
The total number of lots involved shall include all existing
and proposed lots utilizing the private driveway for access.
[4]
All of the other requirements of Subsection
G are met.
(2) The requirements for the private driveway access agreement are as
follows:
(a)
The private driveway access easement shall be designed to provided a driveway to accommodate the type and volume of traffic anticipated to be generated and shall be constructed to provide a sound, all-weather driving surface, reasonably smooth and free from mud, dust or standing water. See
Table 3.
(b)
A private right-of-way agreement shall be properly executed and recorded in the Centre County Recorder of Deeds office between the landowner granting access and all affected parties abutting and adjoining said easement and shall create a private right-of-way which shall be a covenant running with the land. As a condition of final plan approval, this agreement shall include all provisions listed in
Appendix A.
(c)
Such private right-of-way easement shall be a minimum of 50
feet in width, except when lots served by the right-of-way or easement
by virtue of size or restrictions are not capable for further subdivision.
In which case, the minimum width shall be 20 feet.
(d)
The maximum allowable grade for a private driveway access shall
be 12%, except that for distances not greater than 500 feet, the grade
may be increased to 14%.
(e)
The private driveway access must be constructed and found acceptable
by Township review and inspection prior to final plan approval.
H. Access over land of others. When a "landlocked" parcel exists which
is proposed to be developed or subdivided, the landowner/developer
shall give notice to prospective buyers that the access is not a public
street. The notice shall be in three forms:
(1) A letter shall be submitted from the subdivider's attorney.
This letter shall contain specific identification of the plan by name
and number and a statement that the subdivider has authorized the
letter. The letter should specifically identify the location of the
access road and describe the existing and proposed features (i.e.,
right-of-way width, length, cartway width, type of construction, etc.).
(a)
It should also list all construction and design standards as
specified in this article which cannot be met and provide reasons
why the normal standards cannot be met.
(b)
The letter must also contain a clear opinion of the subdivider's
attorney that the subdivider and all prospective purchasers will have
either an easement or right-of-way across intervening lands of others.
There must be a statement that access is not restricted in any manner,
other than such limitations expressly contained in the letter.
(c)
Please be advised that generally the same road construction
specifications should apply within the easement/right-of-way over
lands of others as shall apply within the property being subdivided.
It shall be the subdivider's responsibility to make any required
improvements, subject to obtaining the necessary rights to do so over
lands of others.
(2) Notation on the plan to be recorded should reflect the above situation
and be in a prominent location of larger and bolder type than customary
plan notes. The note should describe the location and design of the
access road over land of others, identify all normal construction
or design standards which are not met and describe the legal nature
of the subdivider's use (i.e., easement right-of-way). This notation
should also relieve the Township and County of any liability with
respect to the provision of an access road by a statement placing
such responsibility on either the seller and/or buyer.
(3) Preparation of proper legal documentation concerning the easement
rights and responsibilities for that portion of the access easement
"over lands of others" for recording in the Centre County Recorder
of Deeds office.
I. Intersections, sight distances.
(1) Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect another at an angle less than 75° or more than 105°. Refer to
Table 4.
(2) No more than two streets shall intersect at the same point.
(3) Curb returns shall be rounded by a tangential arc with a minimum radius of 20 feet for intersections involving only local streets, 35 feet for intersections involving a collector street, and 50 feet for intersections involving an arterial street. See
Table 4 for additional minimum curb radii.
(4) The corner sight distances for various types of intersections should
be as specified in Table 7A. Sight distances are measured as shown in Figure 2.
(5) Any street intersecting with a collector street shall be located no closer than 300 feet from another street intersecting with the same collector street. Any street intersecting with an arterial street shall not be located closer than 800 feet from another street intersecting the same arterial street on the same side of said arterial street. Distances shall be measured from the center line of the two intersecting streets along the center line of said local, collector or arterial street. See
Table 4 for additional minimum distances for intersecting local,
collector and arterial streets.
(6) At intersections, all earth banks and vegetation shall be cut and removed when such will impede vision between the height of 2 1/2 and 10 feet above the center-line grades of the intersecting streets and within the sight triangle specified in
Table 4.
(7) Any subdivision or land development which can be expected to generate
more than 750 vehicle trips per day shall provide any or all of the
following facilities as may be required by the Township to provide
safe and efficient operation at any proposed driveway or street: acceleration
or deceleration lanes, concrete median barriers, left-turn lanes,
traffic signals, lane markers and such other traffic control devices
as may be necessary.
|
---|
Figure 2. Intersection Sight Distance.
|
J. Stormwater management. Stormwater management consists of the planning,
design and control of the conveyance of surface waters resulting from
precipitation. Major objectives are the protection of water quality,
the prevention of flooding erosion and the promotion of the natural
recharge of water. Requirements for stormwater management are those
of the Centre County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance enacted
June 28, 1983. Following are additional requirements.
(1) Storm sewers.
(a)
Where required by zoning or land use densities, storm sewers
shall be placed under or immediately adjacent to the roadway side
of the curb, or as directed by the Township when parallel to the street
within the right-of-way.
(b)
When located in undedicated land, storm sewers shall be placed
within a drainage easement not less than 20 feet wide, as approved
by the Township Engineer.
(c)
Storm sewers constructed in areas susceptible to sinkhole formation
shall have watertight joints to prevent exfiltration of stormwater
into the surrounding soil.
(d)
The use of properly designed, graded and turfed drainage swales
is encouraged in lieu of storm sewers in commercial and industrial
areas and, where approved by the Township Engineer, in residential
areas. Such swales are to be stabilized through the use of erosion
control fabrics and vegetation. The design capacity of storm sewer
and drainage swales shall be determined in accordance with the ten-year
frequency storm of the duration equal to the time of concentration.
(e)
In curbed sections, the maximum encroachment of water on the
roadway pavement shall not exceed half of a through traffic lane or
one inch less than the depth of curb during the ten-year design storm
of five-minute duration. Inlets shall be provided to control the encroachment
of water on the pavement. When inlets are used within the right-of-way
limits of a street in lieu of manholes, the spacing of such inlets
shall not exceed the maximum distance of 400 feet.
(2) Bridges and culverts. Bridges and culverts shall have ample waterway
to carry expected flows, based on minimum storm frequency of 10 years
for driveways, 25 years for local streets, 50 years for collector
streets and 100 years for arterials, or as required by the Township.
(3) All storm sewer systems shall be constructed in accordance with the
specifications contained in PennDOT Publication 408.
K. Guiderails. Guiderails shall be required as per PennDOT Design Manual
Part 2. Materials and construction of guiderails shall be as per PennDOT
Publication 408 and Standards for Roadway Construction, PennDOT Publication
72.
L. Trees. Street trees may be installed within street rights-of-way.
(1) Any plans to plant shade trees within the rights-of-way of new streets
must be approved by the Township. If trees are planted on both sides
of the street, they may be spaced no closer than the following:
|
Height of Tree at Maturity
(feet)
|
Distance
(feet)
|
---|
|
Under 30
|
30 to 40
|
|
30 to 50
|
41 to 50
|
|
Over 50
|
51 to 70
|
(2) No tree may be planted: a) within the clear sight triangle (see Figure
2) at the intersection of two streets; b) within the clear sight triangle
of proposed driveway entrances (see Tables 7a through 7d); c) less than 21 feet from the center line of the cartway;
or d) where their roots might interfere with underground drains or
utility lines.
(3) Where overhead utilities are present within the right-of-way, tree
species shall be those which do not exceed 30 feet in height at maturity.
(4) Existing trees within the proposed right-of-way may be retained,
provided the location and species requirements specified above are
not violated.
(5) Trees in a right-of-way are the responsibility of the property owner,
who must provide for their maintenance. If trees or tree limbs become
a hazard to traffic or pedestrians, the Township may require the property
owner to have them removed. The Township reserves the right to remove
trees if such action is required for the maintenance or expansion
of the street or for installation of facilities such as sidewalks,
drains or shoulders for safety.
[Amended 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2-2005]
The following words and phrases shall have the meaning used
in this article:
ADT
Average daily traffic on a street.
AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES
Land used or available for use without substantial change
for farming activities such as raising of crops or livestock. Agricultural
purposes do not include extracting of any rock or mineral, or timbering
or raising forestry products, or processing, sorting or grading agricultural
products not raised on the property in question.
APPLICANT
A landowner or developer, as hereinafter defined, who has
filed an application for development, including his heirs, successors
and assigns.
BACKFILL
Material used to replace or the act of replacing material
removed during construction.
BASE COURSE
The layer or layers of specified or selected material of
designed thickness placed on a subbase or a subgrade to support a
surface course.
BCBC
Bituminous concrete base course meeting requirement set forth
in PennDOT Publication 408.
BOULEVARD
A type of street having the opposing travel lanes separated
by a landscaped median.
BRIDGE
A structure, including supports, erected over a depression
or an obstruction, as water, highway or railway, which has a track
or passageway for carrying traffic or other moving loads and having
an opening measured along the center of the pavement of more than
20 feet between supports.
BUS TURNOUT
The area provided to remove a bus from the traffic lanes
where the transit vehicle can pick up and discharge passengers in
an area completely separated from the travel lane.
CARTWAY
The portion of a street right-of-way designed or intended
for vehicular use.
CENTER LINE
A line running parallel to and equidistant from both sides
of a street.
CLASS A CONCRETE
Cement concrete meeting the requirements set forth in Publication
408.
CUL-DE-SAC
A street intersecting another street at one end and terminating
in a vehicular turnaround at the other end.
CURB RETURN
A curved curb or edge of paving connecting the intersecting
tangents of two streets or driveways.
CUT
An excavation whose depth is specified as the vertical distance
between a point on the original ground and designated point of lower
elevation on the final grade.
DEDICATION
The conveyance of land or objects to some public use made
by the owner and accepted for such use by or on behalf of the public
by a municipality.
DEPARTMENT
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
DESIGN SPEED
Speed selected for a specific street which governs the geometric
limits, such as degree of curvature, super elevation, sight distances,
etc., and which controls the safe operation of the vehicle as well
as allowing for safe pedestrian traffic. The design speed is governed
by the volume of traffic, parking, speed limits, turning movements
at intersections, intersection controls, land width and pavement surface
conditions.
DRIVEWAY
A corridor which provides motor vehicular access from a street
into or across a lot.
ENGINEER
A licensed professional engineer registered by the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.
EROSION
The removal of soil, stone and other surface materials by
the action of natural elements.
EXCAVATION
Any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock or any similar
material is dug into, cut, quarried, uncovered, removed, displaced,
relocated or bulldozed.
FILL
Any act by which earth, sand, gravel, rock or any other similar
material is placed, pushed, dumped, pulled, transported or moved to
a new location above the natural surface of the ground or on top of
the stripped surface; the difference in elevation between a point
on the original ground and a designated point of higher elevation
of the final grade; the material used to make fill.
FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT
A pavement structure which maintains intimate contact with
and distributes loads to the subgrade and depends on aggregate interlock,
particle friction and cohesion for stability.
GRADE
The slope of ground, street or other public way, specified
in percent of change in elevation per horizontal distance; the act
of altering the topography of undisturbed land.
IMPROVEMENT
Those physical additions and installations required to render
land suitable for the use intended, and including streets, curbs and
gutters, sidewalks, street signs and lights, walkways, sewer and water
facilities, monuments and markers, shade trees, grading and stormwater
drainage facilities.
MPC
See "Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code."
MUNICIPAL ENGINEER
A professional engineer licensed as such in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, duly appointed as the engineer for a municipality,
planning agency or planning commission.
PRIVATE DRIVEWAY ACCESS EASEMENT
Any existing, recorded or proposed easement for private driveways
in which a private right-of-way agreement is properly executed between
the landowner(s) granting access and all affected parties abutting
the easement.
PUBLIC HIGHWAY
Roads or streets of the state highway system, Township roads
or other public highways, as defined by the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code.
PUBLICATION 408
A Department publication containing the Department's
highway construction specifications, as supplemented.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
The total width of any land reserved or dedicated as a street,
alley, crosswalk or for any other public or semipublic purposes, including,
but not limited to, the area reserved for cartway, shoulders, drainage
and easements.
RIGID PAVEMENT
A pavement structure which distributes loads to the subgrade,
having as one course a portland cement concrete slab of relatively
high bending resistance.
SHOULDER
The improved or graded portion of the highway, contiguous
to the traffic lanes, for accommodation of stopped vehicles, emergency
use or lateral support of base and surface courses of pavements.
STORM SEWER
A system of pipes or other conduits which carries intercepted
surface runoff, street water and other wash water or drainage, excluding
domestic sewage and industrial wastes.
STREET
A strip of land, including the entire right-of-way intended
for use as a means of vehicular and pedestrian circulation. (For additional
definitions, see below.)
A.
ARTERIALA high-volume street that should have no residences accessing directly onto it. Its function is to conduct traffic between communities and activity centers and to connect communities to major state and interstate highways.
B.
COLLECTORSThe principal traffic carriers within residential or commercial areas. Their function is to promote free flow of traffic; parking or residential entries along a collector should be discouraged.
C.
LOCAL STREETSSometimes called streets. The local street usually carries no through traffic and includes short streets, culs-de-sac and courts.
D.
MARGINAL ACCESS STREETStreets which are parallel and adjacent to arterial or limited access streets and which are intended to provide access to abutting properties.
E.
PARTIAL or HALF STREETSStreets, generally parallel and adjacent to a property line, having a right-of-way width less than that required.
F.
PRIVATE or NONPUBLIC STREETAll streets which are not public, including but not limited to streets maintained by private agreements, by private owners for which no maintenance responsibility has been established, and including all private driveway access easements or right-of-way for access.
G.
PUBLIC STREETStreets ordained or maintained or dedicated and accepted by the Township, the county, the state or the federal government and open to public use.
H.
SERVICE STREETA street parallel to a collector, subcollector or local street to provide access to abutting properties.
I.
SUBCOLLECTORSRelatively low-volume streets which provide frontage and access to residential lots, but also carries some through traffic to lower-order (local streets).
SUBBASE
The layers of specified or selected material of designed
thickness placed on a subgrade to support a base course.
SUBGRADE
The top surface of a roadbed upon which the pavement structure
and shoulders, including curbs, are constructed.
SURFACE COURSE
One or more layers of a pavement structure designed to accommodate
the traffic load, the top layer of which resists skidding, traffic
abrasion and the disintegrating effects of climate. The top layer
is sometimes called "wearing course."
TACK COAT
An application of bituminous material to an existing surface
to provide bond with a superimposed course.
VEHICLE
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property
is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, either motorized
or horse-drawn, or any other moving equipment.
[Added 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2-2005]
A. Surety bond. Developer/applicant/owner shall provide a surety bond,
letter of credit, or cash escrow equal to the cost of the top coat
of pavement (including materials and labor). Said surety shall be
for purposes of repairing any road(s) due to damages caused during
construction of any structures or improvements on a lot within the
subdivision. Said surety shall remain in effect until at least 90%
of all lots are developed and construction completed.
B. Prerequisite to offer of dedication. The surety referred to in this
section must be acquired and approved by the Township Supervisors
before any road may be offered to the Township for dedication.
[Added 12-12-2005 by Ord. No. 2-2005]
A. Prerequisites to offer of dedication. Prior to an offer of dedication
of a road to the Township, the party offering the road for dedication
shall:
(1) Have the road constructed to the standards listed in this article;
(2) Have the road inspected and approved by the Township Engineer and
Township Road Superintendent;
(3) Obtain all sureties/bonds as required under this article;
(4) Provide a draft of the proposed deed of dedication to the Township
for review;
(5) All fees and costs for the Township Engineer, Township Solicitor,
and Centre County must be paid in full; and
(6) All prerequisites listed herein shall be submitted by August 1.
B. Acceptance of road not guaranteed. Acceptance of road offered for
dedication is in the sole discretion of the Board of Supervisors.
Compliance with the requirements of this article does not guarantee
acceptance of an offer of dedication.