[Ord. 114, 10/13/1996, Art. II, § 1]
1. 
From and after the date of enactment of this Part, a stormwater management plan and other information specified herein shall be submitted to the Township for all lands subdivided or for which land development plans are prepared after the enactment of this Part. A stormwater management plan and other information specified herein shall be submitted at the same time and together with submission of a preliminary subdivision or land development plan, along with a completed checklist supplied by the Township indicating the items contained within the submission.
2. 
Such plans and information shall be considered part of said zoning, subdivision documents and shall be reviewed in accordance with procedures established thereunder. Preliminary approval or final approval of a subdivision or land development plan, or the issuance of a zoning permit, shall be contingent upon the submission of a stormwater management plan and other materials specified herein, and approval of the stormwater management plan in accordance with provisions of this Part.
3. 
All stormwater management plans shall be submitted to the Township Engineer for review and comment. Such review shall include a statement by the Township Engineer specifying the provisions of this Part which have not been met by the plan as submitted.
4. 
Once a stormwater management plan has been approved, together with a subdivision or land development plan approval, or together with the issuance of a zoning permit, said stormwater management plan shall be valid only for the subdivision, land development or zoning permit approved. Any further development on the lot or lots requiring a revision of the approved plan or other construction or activities as defined by Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter 27] shall require the submission of a new, amended or revised stormwater management plan and other information specified herein.
[Amended by Ord. No. 190, 12/11/2018]
A. 
Exemptions From Plan Preparation. The following activities are specifically exempt from the plan preparation and submission provisions of this Part, but remain subject to the design standards and criteria specified in Subpart C of this Part (which include soil erosion requirements):
(1) 
Use of land for gardening for home consumption.
(2) 
Agriculture.
(3) 
Forest management operations.
(4) 
Utilizing the following table, and at the discretion and written confirmation of the Planning Commission, development may be exempt from submitting a stormwater plan based on proposed impervious coverage on a given size property.
Total Parcel Size*
(acres)
Minimum Distance
(feet)**
Impervious Area Exemption
Less than 0.5
15
Less than 10% of total lot area
0.5 to 1
15
2,500 square feet
1 to 2
35
5,000 square feet
2 to 5
50
7,500 square feet
5+
100
10,000 square feet
*In the case of subdivisions submitted after enactment of this Subsection A, the total parcel size refers to the parent tract.
**The minimum distance between the proposed impervious cover and/or stormwater management features to the downslope property boundary.
B. 
If a developer returns to Ralpho Township with a contiguous parcel, or a separate phase of the same lot, within five years from the date of the approved plan, the developer will be required to prepare a plan as well as account for the post-development flow generated from the first exempt plan.
[Ord. 114, 10/13/1996, Art. II, § 2]
1. 
The content of the plans shall consist of annotated maps, drawings, engineering plans and construction details. Said plan shall be prepared by a registered professional land surveyor, qualified geologist, landscape architect, architect or engineer licensed in the State of Pennsylvania, with said preparer's seal and registration number affixed to the plan. Plans for tracts of less than 20 acres shall be drawn at a scale of one inch equals no more than 100 feet. Plans shall be submitted on the following sheet sizes: 18 inches by 24 inches, 24 inches by 36 inches or 36 inches by 42 inches. All lettering shall be drawn to a size to be legible if the plans are reduced to half size. All sheets comprising a submission shall be on one size.
2. 
The following information, unless specifically exempted in writing by the Township Engineer, must be shown on the plans, prepared in a form which meets the requirements for recording in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania:
A. 
The name of the proposed development and the name and address of the owner of the property and the individual or firm preparing the plan.
B. 
Date of submission and revision.
C. 
Graphic and written scale.
D. 
North point.
E. 
Total tract boundary with distances marked to the nearest foot and bearings to the nearest degree and total acreage of the tract.
F. 
Key map showing all existing natural and man-made features beyond the property boundary affected by the project and the extent of the watershed or subbasin which drains through the project site.
G. 
Topographic conditions of both existing and proposed elevations at intervals of two feet for land with an average natural slope of 4% or less, and at intervals of five feet for land with an average natural slope exceeding 4%.
H. 
Drainage areas do not have to be placed on the plans. However, drainage maps do have to be submitted as part of the stormwater management narrative calculation.
I. 
Existing and proposed use, including the total area of impervious surfaces after construction.
J. 
Existing soil types, floodplain boundaries, sinkholes, undrained depressions, rock outcrops, streams, drainage courses, wetlands, based on existing sources and references and vegetation.
K. 
Complete drainage systems for the site, including details for construction. All existing drainage features which are to be incorporated in the design shall be so identified. If the site is to be developed in stages, a general drainage plan for the entire site shall be presented with the first stage and appropriate development stages for the drainage system shall be indicated. In cases where subdivisions do not provide for stormwater management utilizing regional stormwater management facilities, and where financial security is not placed for individual on-lot stormwater management improvements, the developer shall provide a model stormwater management design for each lot based on the impervious coverage shown on the subdivision plan.
[Amended by Ord. No. 190, 12/11/2018]
L. 
Location and selected plant material used for vegetative filter paths to sinkholes, and the location of all notices to be posted, as specified in Subpart C, § 112, Subsection 2D.
M. 
If stormwater management facilities are off site, a note on the plan referring to location and agreements indicating responsibility for conveyance to and maintenance of the facilities; all such off-site facilities shall meet the design standards and criteria specified in Subpart C and details of the facilities shall be included with the plan.
N. 
Proposed easement locations, including drainage, maintenance and access easements in conformance with Subpart C, § 112, Subsection 2L, of this Part.
O. 
A statement, signed by the landowner, acknowledging the stormwater management system is to be maintained in accordance with the approved ownership and maintenance program and remain a permanent fixture which can be altered or removed only after approval of a revised plan by the Township of Ralpho.
P. 
The location of permanent watercourse to which stormwater from the site will drain.
Q. 
The location of all erosion and sedimentation control facilities.
R. 
Horizontal location and vertical profiles of all open channels including hydraulic capacity.
S. 
A note indicating that as-built drawings will be by the developer for all stormwater facilities prior to occupancy, or the release of the surety bond. Only reproducible plans will be acceptable.
T. 
The following signature block for the registered professional preparing the stormwater management plan:
"I, __________, hereby certify that the stormwater management plan meets all design standards and criteria of the Ralpho Township Stormwater Management Ordinance."
U. 
The following signature block for the Township Engineer reviewing the stormwater management plan:
"I, __________, have reviewed this stormwater management plan in accordance with the design standards and criteria of the Ralpho Township Stormwater Management Ordinance.
[Ord. 114, 10/13/1996, Art. II, § 3]
In addition to the plan information enumerated in § 112, above, the following information shall be submitted:
1. 
A written description of:
A. 
The overall project concept.
B. 
Stormwater runoff computations as specified in Subpart C, § 111, Subsection 4A and B, and C, and in accordance with criteria contained in Appendix A:
(1) 
Horizontal cross-sections and vertical profiles of any existing watercourses, drainageways, channels or streams, including hydraulic capacity. These requirements apply as well to proposed channels.
(2) 
Hydraulic, hydrologic and structural computations for all proposed stormwater management facilities and measures.
C. 
Stormwater controls both during and after development.
D. 
Expected project time schedule.
2. 
The effects of the project on runoff volume, time to peak flow and rate of now on adjacent property and upon an existing Township stormwater drainage system when such will be utilized.
3. 
Description of all watercourses, impoundments and wetlands on or adjacent to the site or into which stormwater flows.
4. 
Soils investigation report, including boring logs, compaction requirements and recommendations for construction of detention basins.
5. 
A soil erosion and sedimentation pollution control plan, including all reviews and approvals, by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and/or Northumberland County Conservation District.
6. 
All easements, deed restrictions, covenants and maintenance measures of the system shall be outlined in an ownership and maintenance program in accordance with Subpart C, § 124, of this Part.
7. 
All permits required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Army Corps of Engineers and other regulatory agencies.