Any application for development shall conform to the standards
set forth in this article. The standards specified in this article
are minimum design requirements.
In reviewing any application for development, the Planning Commission
and the Board of Supervisors shall refer the application for development
to the Township Engineer for a recommendation concerning technical
compliance with these design standards and the Township Construction
Standards.
Private streets, as defined herein, may be authorized in a minor
subdivision only if all of the following requirements are met.
A. Creating a new private street. A new private street may be created
which serves no more than three lots, provided all of the following
requirements shall be met:
(1) The proposed lot or lots have no other access to a public street.
If the original parcel from which the subdivision is created has its
principal vehicular access from the private street, it shall be counted
as a lot on the private street, even though it has legal frontage
on a public street.
(2) In the case where a new private street is proposed, the property
from which the new lots are subdivided and over which the private
street is proposed shall have frontage on an improved public street.
(3) The private street shall meet all of the following requirements:
(a)
The minimum width of the right-of-way required for a private
street shall be 20 feet, unless there is the possibility that the
property fronting on the private street or property at the terminus
of the private street can be further subdivided, then the minimum
width of the right-of-way required for the private street shall be
50 feet.
(b)
The minimum width of the cartway required for a private street
serving no more than three lots shall be 16 feet.
(c)
The cartway for a private street shall be improved to meet the
Township Construction Standards for a private street.
(4) A notation shall be placed on the plat for recording indicating that
the Township has no maintenance responsibilities for the private street.
(5) The plat for recording shall contain a notation and the deeds for
each lot shall contain a reference to an executed and recorded agreement
obligating the property owners to maintain the private street.
(6) The plat for recording and the deeds for each lot shall contain a
statement that any future request by the lot owners to have the street
accepted by the Township as a public street shall be subject to the
owners assuming the total cost of improving the private street to
the current Township Construction Standards for a public street.
(7) House numbers for dwellings located on private streets shall be placed
at the intersection of the private street and the public street and
shall be visible from the public street.
(8) The owners of the lots shall provide signage approved and installed
by the Township in the public right-of-way to indicate the name of
the street, that the street is private, and that there is no outlet.
(9) If the Township Supervisors grant a modification to this §
242-71A to permit more than three lots along the frontage of a new private street in accordance with all the requirements of Article
X of this chapter, such approval shall be subject to the requirement to increase the right-of-way for the private street to 50 feet. In granting such modification, the Township Supervisors shall consider whether an increase in the width of the cartway is warranted.
B. Subdivisions on an existing private street. Subdivisions may be approved
on an existing private street, provided all of the following requirements
are met:
(1) The proposed private street shall not be extended.
(2) The proposed lot or lots have no other feasible access to a public
street. If the original parcel from which the subdivision is created
has its principal vehicular access from the private street, it shall
be counted as a lot on the private street, even though it has legal
frontage on a public street.
(3) On an existing private street which has a right-of-way which is less than 50 feet wide, the total number of lots fronting on the private street shall not exceed three lots unless the right-of-way is increased to at least 50 feet. If the right-of-way for the entire existing private street is increased to at least 50 feet, then the subdivision on the private street shall be subject to §
242-71B(4) below.
(4) On an existing private street which has a right-of-way width of at
least 50 feet, the total number of lots along the private street right-of-way
shall not exceed six lots, unless the entire street is dedicated to
the public and the cartway of the entire street is improved at the
lot owner's expense to current Township Construction Standards for
public streets.
(5) No improvements shall be required to the cartway for lots which are
recorded on an existing private street right-of-way unless the number
of lots mandates the dedication and construction of a public street.
(6) A notation shall be placed on the plat for recording indicating that
the Township has no maintenance responsibilities for the private street.
(7) The plat for recording shall contain a notation and the deeds for
each lot shall contain a reference to an executed and recorded agreement
obligating the property owners to maintain the private street.
(8) The plat for recording and the deeds for each lot shall contain a
statement that any future request by the lot owners to have the street
accepted by the Township as a public street shall be subject to the
owners assuming the total cost of improving the private street to
the current Township Construction Standards for a public street.
(9) House numbers for dwellings located on private streets shall be placed
at the intersection of the private street and the public street and
shall be visible from the public street.
(10)
If signage does not exist already, all owners along the existing
private street and any extension of the private street shall provide
signage approved and installed by the Township in the public right-of-way
to indicate the name of the street, that the street is private, and
that there is no outlet.
Service streets, as defined by this chapter, may be permitted
in residential, commercial and industrial developments where needed
for loading, unloading or secondary access. Service streets shall
be constructed in accordance with Township Construction Standards and shall meet the minimum design standards shown in Appendix
II for local streets, except that the minimum right-of-way width may
be reduced to 30 feet and the minimum cartway width may be reduced
to 20 feet.
Easements for sanitary sewers, waterlines and stormwater management
facilities shall be required to have a minimum width of 20 feet. Where
a subdivision or land development is, or will be, traversed by a watercourse,
there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way
of a width sufficient for the purpose, but not less than 20 feet.
The following standards shall apply to all lots proposed to
be subdivided or developed in accordance with this chapter.
A. Area. Minimum lot areas shall conform to the requirements of Chapter
280, Zoning.
B. Frontage.
(1) All lots created by a subdivision shall have frontage along the right-of-way of a public street, unless a private street is approved in accordance with the requirements of §
242-71 of this chapter, and the width of the frontage shall conform to the requirements of Chapter
280, Zoning.
(2) Flag lots shall be permitted only in a minor subdivision unless a modification is granted in accordance with Article
X of this chapter. The minimum frontage on a public street shall be 50 feet if the flag lot has sufficient lot area so that it has the potential to be further subdivided into three or more lots which meet the minimum requirements of Chapter
280, Zoning. The minimum frontage on a public street shall be 20 feet if the flag lot does not have sufficient lot area to be further subdivided into more than two lots which meet the minimum requirements of Chapter
280, Zoning.
C. Double frontage. Double frontage lots shall be avoided; however,
where a double frontage lot is the only practical alternative, vehicular
access shall be limited to only one street, and that street shall
be the street with the lower volume of traffic, if physically feasible.
The final plan shall contain a notation restricting vehicular access
to one frontage.
D. Side lines. Whenever practical, the side lines of a lot shall be
at right angles or radial to the right-of-way lines of streets.
E. Front building lines. Front building lines of lots shall conform to the minimum requirements of Chapter
280, Zoning, and shall be shown on the final plat.
F. Grading. Lots shall be graded to provide drainage away from buildings,
and water shall be drained to the street rather than to adjoining
property. The developer shall be required to provide drains or other
drainage facilities, as approved by the Township Engineer, to drain
off surface water within the development.
G. Driveways.
(1) No driveway shall have a slope of more than 12%. Driveways may extend
from the right-of-way line of the street to the cartway of the street
but shall not change the grade or contour of the street right-of-way,
nor shall any person cut into, fill or in any way alter any gutter,
curbing, drainage ditch or storm sewer within the right-of-way of
a street or easement for the purpose of extending a driveway or for
any other purpose without first obtaining a permit therefor from the
Township. All curb cuts shall conform to Township specifications.
Paved driveways shall have an expansion joint at the public street
right-of-way. Driveways shall not be constructed in such a way that
creates a drainage problem on adjoining property. No catch basin shall
be placed where a driveway intersects a street.
(2) Driveways shall be constructed in accordance with Township specifications
and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Design Manual,
Part 2, Chapter 18.
H. Accessibility. Every lot, building and structure shall be accessible
to emergency and public safety vehicles.
I. House numbers. House numbers shall be assigned by the developer,
subject to the approval of the United States Postal Service, and shall
be posted at each house so as to be easily visible and readable from
the street.
Stormwater management facilities shall be provided for subdivisions and land developments as required by Chapter
225, Stormwater Management, as now or hereafter amended.
Where applicable, all subdivision and land development plans
shall be designed to meet the current standards of the commonwealth
and federal law with respect to handicapped accessibility.