A. 
Activities denied prior to final approval. No person, firm, or corporation contemplating subdivision or development of a tract of land shall proceed with any grading of the site until preliminary approval has been granted or shall record or sell any lots until he/she has received final approval of his/her plan from the Planning Commission.
B. 
Unsuitable conditions jeopardizing approval. The Borough may refuse to grant approval of all or a part of certain plans that provide inadequate access or that are unsuitable for development by reason of flooding hazard, steep slopes, poor drainage, slide-prone soils, or nonconformity with the Borough Comprehensive Plan.
C. 
Preliminary sketch plan. Any developer may present at developer's option a preliminary sketch plan for the Planning Commission's review at a regular meeting. The developer is urged to attend to answer questions and receive advice. The sketch plan shall show the entire property, slopes and grading, parking if a multifamily, commercial or industrial project, streams and storm drainage, easements, natural features of the property and relationship of the site to major roads and landmarks in the vicinity. In addition, the plan shall contain the name of the property owner, developer, preparer of plan, proposed number of dwelling and/or commercial units, and average area and frontage of lots. The purpose of this section is to provide guidance. No recommendations of the Commission are binding on the developer.
D. 
Exchanges of property. When a property is being divided or property lines rearranged with particular buyers and sellers, each parcel to be transferred in title shall be identified with the seller's and buyer's name so that the line of conveyance is clear.
E. 
County review. All applications for subdivision and/or land development approval within the Borough shall be forwarded upon receipt to the Indiana County Planning Commission for a nonbinding review and report consistent with Section 502(b) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[1] Any fees for this review shall be the responsibility of the developer.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10502(b).
Developers seeking approval of a minor subdivision or lot line revision as defined in § 405-4 may disregard the preliminary plan stages and proceed to final plan application. Ten copies of the final plan shall be submitted. All steps in the final review procedure, with the exception of those guaranteeing provision of streets and public utilities, shall apply to a minor subdivision. The approved final plan shall be officially stamped as approved, dated, and signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Commission and shall be recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Indiana County within 90 days thereafter or such approval will be void.
A. 
Submission. Any person proposing to subdivide or develop land, except for minor subdivisions, shall submit 10 copies of the information, plans, and profiles required by this section to the Planning Commission at least 10 days prior to a regular monthly meeting. The Commission may, at its option, postpone consideration of the plan and official receipt of it until the developer can be present at a regular meeting.
B. 
Review. The Planning Commission shall review the submitted documents for conformance with this chapter and inclusion of recommendations made at the preapplication meeting. The Planning Commission may hold a public hearing when it deems necessary. It shall submit one copy of the submission to the Borough Council, one copy to the Planning Commission, and other copies to the Indiana County Planning Commission, as well as state or federal agencies and professional consultants, as appropriate.
C. 
Approval. The Planning Commission shall render its decision granting approval, denying it, or granting preliminary approval with conditions not later than 90 days after officially reviewing the plan at a regular meeting. The decision shall be in writing and shall be communicated to the applicant personally or mailed to applicant's last known address not later than 15 days following the decision. The decision shall set forth the reasons for the disapproval, if that is the decision, specifying the defects found, describing the requirements which were not met and citing the provisions of the statute or ordinance relied upon. Failure of the Commission to reach a decision or to communicate it within the time limits shall be deemed an approval of the plan as presented. Failure of the developer to accept any and all conditions upon approval shall render the approval void. No amendment to this chapter after official receipt of a subdivision plan shall detrimentally affect the plan or its processing unless the plan is withdrawn and resubmitted, nor shall such intervening amendment adversely affect the right of a developer to commence and complete any approved plan or portion of a plan within five years of the date of preliminary approval. Preliminary plan approval shall only be an expression of tentative approval and authorization to proceed to the final plan application. The plan shall be stamped, dated and signed by the Commission Chairman and Secretary upon granting of the preliminary approval.
A. 
Submission. Having received preliminary approval, the developer or developer's authorized representative shall within three years or such time as permitted by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code submit a final plan application for all or part of the plan given preliminary approval. Ten copies of the application shall be provided, plus a permanent copy for recording of the plan. If the developer does not appear at the meeting at which developer's plan is received, the Planning Commission may postpone review until the developer can be present at a regularly scheduled meeting.
B. 
Review. The Planning Commission shall review the submitted documents for conformance with this chapter and inclusion of any conditions attached to preliminary approval. Distribution and submission of materials shall follow the pattern for distribution of copies for preliminary plan applications.
C. 
Approval. The Planning Commission shall render its decision within 90 days after officially receiving the plan at a regular meeting. The decision shall be in writing and shall be communicated to the applicant personally or mailed to applicant's last known address not later than 15 days following the decision. The decision shall set forth the reasons for the disapproval, if that is the decision, specifying the defects found, describing the requirements that were not met and citing the provisions of the statute or ordinance relied upon. Failure of the Commission to reach a decision or to communicate it within the time limits shall be deemed an approval of the plan as presented. The final plan shall be dated and signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Commission if approved, using the official stamp. The developer shall within 90 days of final approval record the approved plan in the Indiana County office of the Recorder of Deeds. Failure to record within the time limit shall void the plan. At the time of submittal of the final plan, the developer shall pay a fee in accordance with § 405-37 of this chapter.
D. 
Guarantee that improvements will be completed. Before approving any final plan application, the Planning Commission shall require that the developer deposit with the Borough Council a guarantee of completion of all improvements agreed upon at the time of final approval in the form of a bond or the deposit of funds or securities to be held in escrow, to the benefit of the Borough, such guarantee equal to 110% of the value of the improvement as estimated by a qualified engineer. The form and type of guarantee shall be approved by the Borough. The Borough may permit partial release of the guarantee funds as construction proceeds, provided that sufficient funds remain to complete all the improvements in the estimation of the Borough Engineer. Annually, the municipality may adjust the amount of financial security by comparing the actual cost of the improvements which have been completed and the estimated cost for the completion of the remaining improvements as of the expiration of the 90th day after either the original date scheduled for completion or a rescheduled date of completion. Subsequent to this adjustment, the municipality may require the developer to post additional security in order to assure that the financial security equals 110%.
E. 
Maintenance bond as condition of immediate acceptance. If the developer requests the Borough Council to accept the improvements covered under the guarantee immediately after their completion, each developer shall post a maintenance bond or shall deposit funds or securities to be held in escrow for the benefit of the Borough, such bond or deposit to equal 15% of the value of the improvements as completed to run for a period of 12 months. As a condition of accepting the developer's offer of a maintenance bond or escrow deposit, the Borough Council shall take responsibility for the improvements upon their completion. The form and type of maintenance guarantee shall be approved by the Borough Council.
A. 
General information. Names and addresses of the property owner, developer, and preparer of the plan; date that plan was prepared; total acreage of the property; total number of lots or commercial units to be accommodated; and density of development expressed as average lot size or number of dwelling units per acre in a multifamily development.
B. 
Map of existing conditions and proposed plan. Scale not smaller than one inch equals 50 feet or such scale as recommended by the Subdivision Administrator; North arrow; title block; graphic scale; boundary of the property showing bearings and distances of all lines and arcs; names of owners of abutting property which may be interpolated from USGS data; existing and proposed sanitary sewer, water supply and storm sewer lines in approximate locations; existing and proposed easements noting purpose; existing structures, railroads, streams and other natural features; proposed plan of lots showing approximate dimensions for each lot line; proposed location and height of existing and proposed buildings and parking areas; proposed areas of site grading indicating percentage of finished slopes; name and dimensional requirements of the zoning district, required lot and setback lines; and locational map relating the site to prominent features in the vicinity at a scale of the USGS map.
C. 
Profiles. Where the developer proposes new streets, sanitary sewers, and storm sewers the developer shall provide profiles along the center line of the improvements showing grades with approximate percentages, relationship to existing ground surface manholes, inlets, and approximate lengths of tangents and curves.
D. 
Engineer's report, at the discretion of the Planning Commission, a report of stormwater collection and retention in terms of impact on downstream properties may be required as well as feasibility of water supply if provided by wells as to quality, quantity, and likely depth, and presence of flood-prone or slide-prone land on the property or adjacent property.
A. 
General information. The plan shall be prepared in accordance with the Professional Engineers Registration Law (P.L. 913, No. 367)[1] and shall be presented on permanent material at a scale not smaller than one inch equals 50 feet or such scale as recommended by the Subdivision Administrator; North arrow; graphic scale; the preparing engineer's seal shall be shown; a key map shall be provided if the plan is in sections to show the relationship between the portion proposed for final approval and that given preliminary approval; a title block shall be placed in the lower right corner of the plan showing the plan name, name and address of property owner, and prospective developer, if different; name and address of engineer; and date of submission.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 63 P.S. § 148 et seq., the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law.
B. 
Plan for final approval and recording. All property boundary lines, lot lines, street lines, and easement lines shall be shown by bearings and distances to the nearest minute and tenth of a foot; zoning district and building setback lines on all properties; street and easement widths, pavement widths and street names; number of each lot running consecutively over the entire plan given preliminary approval or number corresponding to the assigned street number address, if requested by the Borough; location of all monuments; designation of areas to be dedicated for public or community use; names of abutting property owners and subdivisions; location of structures, including height of each and distances between adjacent buildings and between buildings and adjacent property lines in a multifamily, commercial or industrial plan; location of access points from adjacent roads, private drives and parking areas indicating number of spaces if a multifamily, commercial or industrial plan; proposed grading with contours at two-foot intervals if a multifamily, commercial or industrial plan; sewage collection lines showing line size, direction of flow and manholes; water distribution lines showing line size, valves and hydrants; stormwater lines showing line size, direction of flow, inlets and retention devices.
C. 
Profiles. Along the center line of all new street sections and sanitary sewer and storm sewer lines, profiles shall be drawn at the same scale as the plan showing the lengths and grades of tangents and curves and curve data of all roads; the lengths of sanitary and storm sewer line sections and slope of each; manholes and inlets with top and bottom elevations; stormwater impoundments showing dam, spillway and drainpipe.
D. 
Cross section. A section across a typical street right-of-way showing materials to be used, depth of materials, dimensions, and grading to create gutter lines.
E. 
Supporting documents. Evidence that the property is owned by the person submitting the plan or that person has entered into a sales agreement for the purchase; a statement describing in detail the improvements to be built by the developer, together with estimates of the cost of each; a completion bond properly executed and approved by the Borough Solicitor, or a certified check, drawn to Indiana Borough, to cover the full cost of the public improvements; and any restrictive covenants to be applied by the developer upon the sale of lots in the form of recording.