Widths and locations of easements and rights-of-way shall be
determined by the Norristown Engineer or the appropriate authority
or utility company for all utilities, including stormwater facilities,
and shall be governed by the requirements herein.
1. General standards.
A. Easements and required front, side or rear yards may co-occupy the
same land.
B. Nothing shall be permitted to be placed, set, or put within the areas of an easement unless it is a portable or removable object. The area shall be landscaped in accordance with §
282-433 of this chapter.
C. The owner of any lot, upon written request by Norristown and at the
owner's sole expense, shall remove anything placed, planted,
set or put (with or without knowledge of these regulations) within
the area of any easement.
D. To the fullest extent possible, easements shall be adjacent to rear
or side lot lines and occupy only a portion of one lot (not centered
on two lots).
2. No right-of-way or easement for any purpose whatsoever shall be recited
or described in any deed unless the same has been shown on the approved
plan. Any error found in a deed shall be immediately corrected and
rerecorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Montgomery County
and at the sole expense of the subdivider or developer.
3. Utility easements. A minimum width of 20 feet shall be provided for
common utilities and drainage when provided in undedicated land for
one use. Multiple utility uses within one easement require additional
easement width.
4. Public utilities. All water, sewer and gas mains and other underground
facilities shall be installed prior to street paving at locations
approved by the Norristown Engineer.
5. Underground utilities. All water, sewer and gas mains shall be installed
underground. All electric, telephone and communication services, both
main and service lines, shall be provided by underground cables, installed
in accordance with the prevailing standards and practices of the utility
or other companies providing such services, except where it is demonstrated
to the satisfaction of the Municipal Council that underground installations
herein required are not feasible because of physical conditions of
the lands involved. All main underground cables which are within the
right-of-way of a street shall be located as specified by the utility
company, subject to approval by the Municipal Council, upon recommendation
of the Norristown Engineer.
A. In order to promote and facilitate the underground installation of
utility distribution lines, a letter of endorsement shall be required
from the suppliers of utility service (not limited to electrical,
telephone, or cable television) of the developer's choice wherein
the applicant acknowledges that underground utilities are feasible
and shall be consummated as part of the improvement plan.
B. A statement relative to the intent of the developer to provide underground
utility service shall be placed on the final plan requisite to final
approval of the plan.
C. The provisions in this chapter shall not be construed as to limit
or interfere with the construction, installation, operation and maintenance
of public utility structures or facilities which may hereafter be
located within public easements or rights-of-way designated for such
purposes.
D. Light standards are to be placed as required by the Zoning Ordinance.
Power source for such standards shall be placed underground as required.
E. Along arterial and collector roads, all new electrical service should
be placed underground.
Every street, road, or highway within Norristown shall be classified
by its function as one of the following and shall be subject to the
requirements for its classification as contained in this article,
including vehicular access analysis and other requirements. These
classifications are based on the Montgomery County Transportation
Plan Element which incorporates standards established by the American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO),
and used by PennDOT, and are intended to provide appropriate standards
for each road, as well as to coordinate street functions and improvements
among neighboring municipalities, the region, and the state.
1. Expressways. The highest type of highway is an expressway, which
is a multilane divided highway with fully controlled access provided
only at grade-separated interchanges. Expressways serve high volumes
of traffic at high speeds while providing high levels of safety and
efficiency. The typical posted speed is 55 miles per hour.
2. Arterials (Figure 4.8). Arterials provide a high degree of mobility in order to
better serve trips of longer length. Since access to abutting property
is not their major function, access controls are desirable to enhance
mobility. They are further classified as follows:
A. Principal arterials. The design standards for principal arterials
are contained in Figure 4.7. Principal arterials generally provide between two and
four through lanes of travel, depending upon traffic volume and land
use density. Principal arterials have typical posted speeds of 45
miles per hour.
B. Minor arterials. Minor arterials interconnect with and augment principal
arterials in serving major activity centers. They typically accommodate
trips between three and five miles in length. They are spaced at intervals
consistent with population density and carry traffic within or between
several municipalities of the county. Lastly, they link other villages
not connected by principal arterial and provide key connections between
roads of higher classification. The design standards for minor arterials
are included in Figure 4.7.
3. Collectors (Figure 4.9). Collectors serve a dual function of providing a mix of
accessibility and mobility. They typically serve trips of up to four
miles in length and channel or distribute traffic to or from a road
of a higher classification. They are further subclassified as major
and minor collectors.
A. Major collectors. These types of roads provide a combination of mobility
and access with a priority on mobility. Ideally access is partially
controlled with preference given to through traffic. Access is permitted
with at-grade intersections and major access driveways of selected
land uses such as a retail or employment centers. Few, if any, individual
driveways should be permitted off of major collectors. They accommodate
trips within and between neighboring municipalities. Lastly, major
collectors may serve as the major road through large industrial complexes
or office parks or provide key connections between roads of higher
classification. The typical posted speed is 35 to 40 miles per hour.
The design standards for major collectors are in Figure 4.7.
B. Minor collectors. Minor collectors provide a combination of access
and mobility with more emphasis on access. They allow more access
to abutting properties with little or no restriction. Individual driveway
access is permitted. Generally, minor collectors accommodate trips
only within a small segment of a municipality. They are spaced at
intervals to collect traffic from local roads and neighborhoods and
channel it to major collectors and arterials. Finally, minor collectors
may serve as a major road through a residential neighborhood. The
typical posted speed is 25 to 30 miles per hour. The design standards
for minor collectors are in Figure 4.7.
4. Local roads (Figure 4.10). Local roads and streets have relatively short trip lengths
generally not exceeding one mile. Because property access is their
main function, there is little need for mobility and high operating
speeds. This function is reflected by use of lower posted speeds between
20 and 30 miles per hour. Through traffic is discouraged from using
local roads. They only provide a link between property access and
the collector road network.
A. Residential streets. New streets or extensions of existing streets
in residential developments function primarily to provide vehicular
access and street frontage for each lot. The design standards for
residential streets are in Figure 4.7. Residential streets shall be assumed to have parking on
both sides unless no driveways take access on them or the development
otherwise provides significant off street public parking which is
convenient to all the proposed houses.
B. Nonresidential access streets: shall function primarily to provide
vehicular access and street frontage for industrial office, institution
and commercial lots and land uses. The standards for nonresidential
access streets are in Figure 4.7.
Sight distance, horizontal and vertical curvature, superelevation,
and maximum and minimum street grades shall be determined by the Norristown
Engineer in compliance with the standards contained in A Policy on
Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, published by the American
Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, most recent
edition, or PennDOT standards, whichever is more restrictive. In addition,
the following standards and guidelines shall be complied with:
1. Minimum horizontal and vertical curvature for all local access streets
shall conform with the standards in Figure 4.11.
2. Long-radius, gentle curves shall be used rather than shorter-radius
curves connected by tangents.
3. Curve-tangent relationships shall follow accepted engineering guidelines
for safety and efficiency. For example, minimum radius curves shall
not be used at the ends of long tangents.
4. Street grades shall be measured along the center line in accordance
with the following:
A. Minimum grade for all streets shall be 1%.
B. Maximum grades for arterials and collectors shall be 5% and for residential
streets shall be 10%.
C. Curve-grade combinations shall follow accepted engineering guidelines
for safety and efficiency. For example, minimum-radius horizontal
curves will not be permitted in combination with maximum grades.
D. At all approaches to intersections, street grades shall not exceed
4% for a minimum distance of 50 feet from the intersection of curblines
or edges of cartways.
E. Streets shall be designed to provide a minimum K value of 25 pci.
All street intersections shall be governed by the standards
of this section and the Municipality's Engineering Standards.
1. Number of streets. Not more than two streets shall intersect at the
same point.
2. Three-way/four-way intersections. Three-way or T-intersections should
be used instead of four-way intersections, unless the four-way intersection
can be justified in terms of necessary and desirable traffic movements.
3. Angles of intersection.
A. All intersection approaches shall be designed at ninety-degree angles
for a minimum of 50 feet from the edge of the cartway of the road
intersection road unless sufficient reason exists to justify a lesser
angle.
B. Where angled intersections are used, it is preferable to design them
so that the heavier traffic flow will make the obliquely angled turn
rather than the acutely angled turn.
4. Improvements to existing intersections. When existing streets intersect
at odd angles or have more than four approaches, the applicant shall
improve the intersection, to bring it into compliance with this chapter,
as required by the Municipal Council, which shall first seek the advice
of the Norristown Engineer and Planning Commission and other technical
advisors or agencies, as appropriate. For state and county highways,
improvements shall comply with the requirements of the appropriate
agency.
5. Waiver of improvements. The Municipal Council may waive the above
requirements for improvements under one or more of the following conditions:
A. When changes made on the applicant's land will not improve the
intersection's deficiencies.
B. When other road improvements are already planned which would correct
the problem without changes required of the applicant.
C. When not required by PennDOT where the intersections are under its
jurisdiction.
6. Approaches to intersections. Approaches to intersections shall follow
a straight course for a minimum of 50 feet for local roads. All other
streets shall follow a straight course in accordance with accepted
engineering standards, but in no case less than 50 feet. Measurement
shall be made from the intersection of curblines or edges of cartways
for each corner.
7. Single-access street intersections.
A. Intersections with single access shall be designed with the single-access
street extending as a side street from the through street.
B. Four-way intersections may be created using two permanent single-access
streets intersecting directly opposite one another along a through
street, when the through street is a local access street.
8. All intersections shall provide clear sight distance in compliance
with PennDOT standards.
9. Street intersection spacing shall be in compliance with the regulations
contained in this section, measured from center line to center line.
A. The applicant shall prepare a vehicular access analysis for all street
intersections proposed along arterials and collectors.
B. The spacing listed in Figure 4.11 shall be considered minimum spacing. Where greater spacing
is required in compliance with AASHTO or PennDOT standards, the greater
spacing distances shall be applied, as determined by the Norristown
Engineer, in relation to the vehicular access analysis.
C. Offset intersections. In any case where the center lines of street
intersections are, or would be, within 150 feet of each other, they
shall be made to coincide by relocating the street within the applicant's
land, unless additional problems of sight distance or other safety-related
problems would be created. As an alternative, relocation further away
from the offset intersection may be done in compliance with the intersection
spacing requirements contained herein, when approved by the Municipal
Council.
D. Street intersections with major collectors shall be spaced a minimum
of 500 feet apart.
E. Street intersections with minor collectors shall be spaced a minimum
of 350 feet apart.
F. Street intersections with local roads shall be spaced a minimum of
300 feet apart.
Any street which is served by only one intersection with a through
street shall be considered a single-access street, regardless of the
street's configuration within the proposed subdivision or land
development.
1. Single-access streets shall be classified as one of the following:
B. Single-access loop streets.
2. Single-access loop streets shall be subject to the requirements for
their classification of street, notwithstanding their single-access
status.
A. They shall not serve more than 10 dwelling units.
B. In addition to required sidewalks, they shall be served by an appropriately
located pedestrian accessway when required by the Municipal Council
to connect surrounding neighborhoods and pedestrian destinations.
3. The Municipal Council may request the applicant to provide a permanent
easement for snow removal. The easement shall have a minimum length
along the right-of-way line of 40 feet and a depth of 15 feet. When
curbing is required, a curb depression shall also be placed in this
easement area. No shrubbery, fence, mailbox, or any other obstruction
shall be placed within the easement to hinder the placement of the
snow.
4. Single-access loop streets shall not under any circumstances exceed
1,200 feet in length, measured from the intersection with the through
street, along the entire center line, around to its intersection with
itself.
5. Cul-de-sac streets:
A. Shall be permanently closed to vehicular traffic at one end.
B. Shall be identified by a standard warning sign stating "No Outlet"
when deemed appropriate by the Municipal Council to help avoid mistaken
turning movements.
C. Shall not be permitted when a through street is possible for the
tract under consideration. All culs-de-sac must be approved by the
Municipal Council, with Norristown reserving the right to reject any
and all culs-de-sac proposed. The following shall be used to determine
the necessity of the cul-de-sac:
1)
Adverse topography, such as steep slopes, floodplains, streams,
etc.
2)
The shape of the tract does not lend itself to a through street.
D. Shall be a minimum of 250 feet but not exceed 500 feet in length.
Measurement of the length shall be made from the center line of the
abutting through road or point of intersection with another cul-de-sac
to the center line of the turnaround, measured along the cul-de-sac
street's center line.
E. Shall be provided with a vehicular turnaround at the closed end with
a right-of-way radius of at least 50 feet and a paving radius of at
least 40 feet. Alternative vehicular turnaround designs are encouraged
to improve traffic flow and overall design of the subdivision. If
an offset bulb turnaround is used, the left-side bulb configuration
is preferable. In addition, parking is prohibited on the cul-de-sac
by order of the Fire Marshal.
F. No more than four lots shall have frontage on the circular turnaround
portion of a cul-de-sac street, and no more than four driveways shall
have access to the circular turnaround portion.
G. Shall not extend from a single-access loop street.
H. Existing temporary culs-de-sac and rights-of-way located on adjacent
parcels, whether improved or not, shall be used by the developer to
tie in his/her proposed roadway system. It shall be the responsibility
of the developer of the tract to complete all roadway improvements
at his/her expense within the existing rights-of-way of adjacent parcels
to service his/her tract.
I. Shall be served by an appropriately located and constructed emergency
accessway when required by the Municipal Council, using the following
standards:
1)
Minimum cartway width shall be 10 feet.
2)
Pavement shall satisfy the standards of the Norristown Engineer.
3)
When not paved, the cartway shall be constructed of crushed
stone of appropriate size, depth, and compaction to support the largest
municipal fire trucks under all weather conditions. Placed on top
of the six inches of crushed stone shall be an interlinked porous
pavement constructed of fiber-reinforced polyethylene or concrete
grass pavers. All void areas shall be filled with topsoil and seeded
with an appropriate grass mix.
4)
Markings or appropriate form of identification shall be placed
at the entrance to the emergency accessway. If necessary, breakaway
bollards shall be installed at each end of the emergency accessway.
5)
Emergency accessways shall be maintained through properly recorded
easements or deed restrictions which, at a minimum, prohibit the planting
of any vegetation except grass within the accessway.
6)
May be made available for pedestrian access.
J. Landscaped cul-de-sac islands are encouraged and shall conform to
the following standards:
1)
Shall be located within the bulb of a cul-de-sac and be concave
for use as part of the stormwater management infrastructure. Efforts
should be made to retain the existing vegetation on the site within
these islands.
2)
Shall have a maximum radius of 24 feet and be surrounded by
paving on all sides.
3)
Shall be designed to allow for emergency vehicle access into
the cul-de-sac.
4)
In the event that right-of-way grading will not permit the retention
of existing vegetation in a cul-de-sac, the landscaping proposed for
the island shall be of low-maintenance varieties as approved by the
Municipal Council. The landscaping plan shall specifically describe
the maintenance required for any landscaping proposed on the landscape
island.
6. Stub streets:
A. Shall be provided in appropriate locations for vehicular access to
abutting undeveloped lands when required by the Municipal Council,
upon advice of the Norristown Planning Commission and Engineer.
B. Shall not be longer than:
1)
The depth of one building lot abutting the collector street;
or
2)
The width of two building lots abutting the stub street.
C. Shall be provided with a vehicular turnaround.
D. Shall be constructed to the property line in accordance with the
standards of this chapter applicable to the classification of streets
they will be upon extension.
Parking and related internal driveways shall be governed by
the following regulations.
1. General.
A. The specific purposes to be served by these requirements are:
1)
To add visual character and improve the appearance of parking
areas by reducing their massiveness into smaller units.
2)
To integrate parking areas into the pedestrian circulation system.
3)
To provide shade for parked cars and reduce heat islands, stormwater
runoff, and air pollution.
4)
To reduce random vehicular flow across parking areas.
5)
To permit a high level of visibility for those uses for which
visibility is an important factor.
6)
To facilitate snow removal and storm drainage, and to conserve
energy in construction and resurfacing operations, by laying out the
paving surface with minimal obstructions.
B. The terms "parking lot," "parking area," and "parking" are interchangeable.
"Parking" includes the driveway which provides direct access to the
parking spaces.
C. Off-street parking facilities shall be provided in compliance with
the parking requirements of the Zoning Ordinance and the regulations
contained herein.
D. Angled parking shall not be permitted along public or private streets
or within parking lots, except where specifically permitted by this
chapter or other ordinances. Perpendicular parking shall not be permitted
along public or private streets.
E. The installation of stormwater storage/infiltration facilities, such
as infiltration galleries, or beds beneath parking areas, is strongly
encouraged. These facilities avoid negative visual impacts of surface
detention or retention facilities and enhance groundwater recharge,
with the attendant positive effects on stream flows and quality.
2. All parking lots.
A. Parking shall not be permitted along driveways which serve as the
entrance(s) or exit(s) to parking areas with a capacity of 50 cars
or more. A minimum driveway length of 50 feet shall be provided between
the road ultimate right-of-way line and the first parking space or
internal driveway intersection.
B. Parking areas shall be set back from tract boundary lines and ultimate
right-of-way lines in compliance with the requirements of the Zoning
Ordinance. In any case not regulated by the Zoning Ordinance, parking
areas shall not be located closer than 15 feet from any tract boundary
line and 10 feet from any legal right-of-way line.
C. All parking lots along the frontage of any building shall clearly
denote a designated fire lane according to the IFC.
D. Where the edge of an existing parking area is located close to a
street, driveway, or other parking area and the property is proposed
for subdivision and/or land development, a minimum separation of 10
feet shall be provided between these features, unless a shared parking
or cross-access arrangement is proposed. This spacing shall consist
of a landscaped area with planting in conformance with § 282-433.5,
Parking lot landscaping, herein.
E. Dead-ended parking areas shall be discouraged when the required parking
capacity can be accommodated in a layout that permits more-convenient
vehicular movements. However, extraneous through-traffic flow should
be avoided.
1)
Up to 30 parking spaces may also be located in a dead-ended
parking area if there is no more-desirable alternative feasible and
sufficient backup areas are provided for the end stalls.
2)
More than 30 parking spaces may be located in a dead-ended parking
area only if a turnaround area is provided at the closed end, suitable
for passenger car turning. The turnaround area may be circular, T-
or Y-shaped, or other configuration acceptable to the Municipal Council.
F. Parking spaces designed for exclusive use by disabled persons shall
be installed in all parking lots as close and convenient to building
entrances as is reasonable. The specific number and locations of handicapped
stalls shall be in conformance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA).
G. Provisions for pedestrian safety within a parking lot shall be required
by providing sidewalks and delineated crosswalks.
H. Parking areas may be constructed of porous pavement or other materials
that allow for the infiltration of stormwater, with approval of the
Municipal Engineer.
I. Planting islands shall be constructed within all parking lots with
more than 12 spaces, based on the following standards:
1)
One planting island shall be provided for every 10 parking stalls.
There shall be no more than 10 continuous parking stalls in a row
without a planting island.
2)
Alternative planting islands (without planting islands located
every 10 parking stalls) must provide one canopy tree for every 10
parking stalls in planting island areas and perimeter parking planting
areas, at the discretion of the Municipal Council.
3)
The ends of all parking rows shall be divided for driving lanes
by planting islands.
4)
Planting islands shall be a minimum of nine feet by 18 feet
in area. Unless designed to function as part of the stormwater management
system, planting islands shall be underlain by soil mounded up to
six inches minimum above the paved parking or drive area and shall
be protected by curbs or wheel stops.
J. Parking lots with more than 12 stalls shall require planting strips
around the entire perimeter of the parking lot, except where buildings,
driveways, and walkways are located.
K. Unless otherwise described in this chapter, where required, all planting
strips shall be a minimum of 10 feet wide and run the length of the
parking row. Unless designed to function as part of the stormwater
management system, planting strips shall be underlain by soil mounded
up to six inches above the paved parking or drive area and shall be
protected by curbs, wheel stops, or bollards.
3. Parking area dimensions.
A. Parallel parking stalls shall have minimum dimensions of nine feet
by 22 feet.
B. Perpendicular parking stalls shall have minimum dimensions of nine
feet by 18 feet with a twenty-two-foot aisle.
C. At the discretion of the Municipal Council, the minimum length of
parking stalls may be reduced by one foot if stalls are designed to
allow vehicles to overhang an area of grass or other pervious surface.
Bumper stops shall be provided which allow the parked vehicle to extend
at least one foot over the edge of the pavement.
D. Where parking stalls abut sidewalks, parked vehicles shall not overhang
the sidewalks unless the sidewalk is widened by two feet. Wheel stops
are encouraged in order to allow for full pedestrian use of the sidewalks.
E. Parking spaces for physically disabled persons shall be 13 feet wide
and equal in depth to the spaces abutting them, in accordance with
standards developed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
F. Long-term parking areas. In parking lots which service the parking
needs of commuters or employees and have limited turnover of vehicles,
parking stalls will have a minimum dimension of 8 1/2 feet by
17 feet, with a twenty-two-foot aisle. The Municipal Council may allow
a twenty-foot aisle under one of the following conditions.
1)
The parking area will be used by smaller vehicles.
2)
The parking area lot serves less than 20 vehicles.
3)
The parking aisles intersect driveways on both sides.
4)
The parking lot serves as vehicle storage or valet parking.
5)
Elevated or underground parking is used.
G. Short-term parking areas. In parking lots that service residential,
institution or retail areas, stalls shall have a minimum dimension
of nine feet by 18 feet, with a twenty-two-foot aisle.
4. Residential parking lots.
A. Parallel rows of parking spaces, which are not separated by a driveway,
shall be separated by a planting strip.
B. A single row of parking spaces located parallel to and between two
driveways shall be separated from one of the driveways by a planting
strip a minimum of eight feet wide.
C. Large parking lots shall be divided into smaller parking areas of
no more than 40 stalls by planting strips.
D. No less than 20 feet of open area shall be provided between the curbline
of any parking area and the outside wall of the dwelling unit.
5. Nonresidential parking lots.
A. Parking lots with a capacity of from 41 to 100 cars shall require
a planting strip around the perimeter and one planting island for
every 10 spaces within the perimeter of the lot. Refer to Figure 4.15
for an illustration of generalized locations and use of planting strips
and planting islands.
B. Parking lots for more than 100 cars shall be divided into sections
no greater than 100 stalls each by planting strips.
1)
These planting strips shall be located parallel to the rows
of parking, to serve the following purposes:
a.
To separate main access (entrance-exit) driveways from rows
of parking spaces.
b.
To separate other major driveways (service drives, general internal
circulation) from rows of parking spaces.
c.
To separate large parking areas into smaller units at intervals
of not more than four rows of parking stalls.
2)
For parking areas with an ultimate capacity greater than 400
cars, the requirements may be modified by the Municipal Council to
provide separation into units at intervals of six rows of parking
stalls, with each unit capacity no greater than 100 cars.
3)
The applicant may request Norristown to permit an alternative
design which achieves the purposes of these parking area requirements
as well or better than the requirements herein. The final decision
to permit an alternative design shall be made by the Municipal Council,
with the advice of the Norristown Planning Commission and Engineer.
6. Parking garages. Parking structures should be designed to complement
the existing streetscape.
A. Where structured parking is located on the same lot with other uses,
it shall be designed as a mixed-use building, with storefronts or
other business uses on the street level, to encourage pedestrian activity
and reduce visual impacts.
B. Building facades of parking structures facing the street or other
public way shall be designed with vertical articulation and architectural
details that reflect the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
When structured parking is located on a tract with other existing
buildings, the facades shall be of a unified or complementary theme.
C. Vehicles shall be screened with grills, lattice, mock windows, louvers
or other facade treatments that complement the architectural style
of the building.
D. The minimum landscaping buffer and screening planting requirements
for structured parking facilities shall be determined by § 282-433.2.D
of this chapter.
7. Shared access. When required by the Municipal Council upon recommendation
of the Norristown Planning Commission, applicants should create agreements
for shared vehicular access as the preferred means of reducing the
total number of curb cuts, for traffic safety and congestion reasons.
Figure 4.16 illustrates one generalized example of this concept.
A. Nonresidential lots shall provide cross-access easements for parking
areas and access driveways guaranteeing access to adjacent lots. Interconnections
shall be logically placed and easily identifiable to ensure convenient
traffic flow.
B. When two or more abutting lots share an access driveway, the driveway
should be designed as the main access to those lots, and one or more
existing access driveways should then be closed.
C. Where development of three or more adjoining parcels consolidates
vehicular access into one shared driveway, that driveway may be upgraded
into a medium-volume driveway according to PennDOT standards.
D. Shared access may be located entirely on one lot or be split among
a common lot line.
E. Access easement and maintenance agreements or other suitable legal
mechanisms shall be provided, acceptable to the Municipal Council
in consultation with the Norristown Solicitor.
F. Liability safeguards for all property owners and lessees served by
the shared access shall be guaranteed to the satisfaction of the Municipal
Council in consultation with the Norristown Solicitor.
8. Driveways within sites proposed for nonresidential development. The
following requirements apply to all driveways within all sites proposed
for land development:
A. A smooth transition shall be provided between the driveway section
required for access to a public street and the driveway(s) required
for internal site circulation.
B. Main access driveways (entrance-exit), and service driveways handling
large trucks, shall be a minimum paved width of 30 feet, with one
lane in each direction, unless otherwise required by PennDOT standards
governing the volume of traffic anticipated.
C. Access driveways for cars and other small vehicles which are clearly
secondary in importance may be reduced to 20 feet in paved width,
unless otherwise required by PennDOT standards governing the volume
of traffic anticipated.
D. Interior storefront driveways in shopping centers shall be a minimum
paved width of 28 feet, to allow one lane in each direction and a
dropoff/pickup lane along the sidewalks.
E. Driveways along other nonresidential buildings shall be a minimum
paved width of 22 feet, except where a dropoff/pickup lane is proposed.
F. Parking aisles shall be a minimum 22 feet wide, with two-way traffic
flow for convenience and efficiency.
G. Wherever feasible, internal circulation driveways shall extend from
access drives in locations which permit and encourage entering traffic
to turn and enter the parking aisles without first traveling along
a building-front driveway. This feature is intended to reduce the
volume of vehicular traffic along building-front driveways to make
it safer for pedestrian traffic.
Curbing shall be installed along all existing and proposed public
and private streets, common driveways, and common parking areas.
1. General.
A. Regardless of small size of a land development or subdivision proposal,
curbs shall be required along all existing and proposed public streets
within the right-of-way, private streets, common driveways, and common
parking areas.
B. When utilizing an approved stormwater management technique, the Municipal
Council may waive curbing requirements in full or partially. Grass
swales and infiltration trenches along streets are encouraged in appropriate
locations in Norristown, provided that pedestrian safety and traffic
circulation is addressed.
C. If, for any reason, an interim waiver of these requirements is made, a sufficient guaranty shall be posted for the eventual installation of sidewalks, subject to approval by the Municipal Council upon recommendation of the Norristown Engineer and Solicitor, in accordance with §
282-502 of this chapter.
D. Curb construction. All curbing shall be constructed, both as to materials
and methods, generally in conformance with applicable portions of
PennDOT Specifications Publication 408, current edition. Curbs shall
be vertical profile with a minimum of eighteen inches' structure height.
(Curbing along streets shall have an eight-inch face, and curbs within
parking areas shall have a six-inch face.) Expansion joints shall
be placed every 30 feet, at structures and at the end of the day's
work. Concrete curb shall have contraction joints which shall be saw-cut
every 10 feet at a minimum of two inches. Concrete shall be a minimum
3,000 psi in compression strength.
E. Intersections where sidewalks are provided shall be provided with
depressions for wheelchair use at each corner and opposite each corner
on T-intersections.