Brecknock Township places great value on the open exchange of ideas between the applicant and Brecknock Township before the applicant invests considerable time and funds in the preparation and submittal of the applicant's subdivision and/or land development plan. The applicant is encouraged, but not required, to initiate the subdivision and land development process by initiating and completing the sketch plan process. The sketch plan shall be prepared in accordance with Article
V and is a permissive and not a mandatory submission. The submission of the sketch plan would enable Brecknock Township to openly discuss the applicant's plans and project and to make recommendations for the applicant to consider in preparing the formal submission. Brecknock Township has prepared the following flow chart as a summary of the plan processing procedures. The flow chart does not, nor shall it be construed to, override or supersede the processing requirements set forth in this chapter but is provided as an additional aid to the applicant.
A. General. All applicants for subdivision or land development may submit
a sketch plan to Brecknock Township for review prior to submission
of a formal application; however, submission of a sketch plan is not
mandatory. Submission of a sketch plan does not constitute a formal
subdivision or land development application.
B. Plan information.
(1) Sketch plan reviews are not required to be consistent with procedures of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. Sketch plans prepared for review and discussion shall include those items listed in §
98-24.
(2) If the developer accesses a collector, arterial, or state road, the
sketch plan shall depict the proposed access and frontage improvements.
C. Submission, meeting, and consultant review. The applicant shall submit
eight copies of the sketch plan, along with any required supplemental
data and an application form, to Brecknock Township. The applicant
may request a review meeting with the Municipal Engineer and/or Zoning
Officer, at the applicant's sole cost and expense. The applicant
may request that the Municipal Engineer and/or legal consultant perform
a written review of the sketch plan, at the applicant's sole
cost and expense. In such case, the written review shall be provided
to the applicant with copies to Brecknock Township and the Brecknock
Township Planning Commission.
D. Review by Brecknock Township Planning Commission. The Brecknock Township
Planning Commission shall review the sketch plan submission and, as
applicable, consultant reviews, and advise the applicant how the proposed
subdivision or land development may conform or fail to conform to
the requirements and objectives of this chapter and other applicable
plans and ordinances. The Brecknock Township Planning Commission may
then submit its written comments and recommendations to the applicant.
Said comments shall not be deemed to be an approval of any application
or to vest any rights in the applicant.
E. Review by Board of Supervisors. The applicant may, but need not,
request further review of the sketch plan submission by the Board
of Supervisors at a regularly scheduled meeting. The Board of Supervisors
may provide written comments to the applicant. Said comments shall
not be deemed to be an approval of any application or to vest any
rights in the applicant.
The following plans shall be processed as a single submission
and handled as a final plan: center line separation plans, lot consolidation
plans, lot add-on plans, and revised subdivision plans.
A. Plan types.
(1) Center line separation plan: a complete and exact subdivision plan that creates two lots by using a street center line as the common boundary, which meets the criteria specified in §
98-21 and is designed in accordance with the requirements of §
98-27.
(2) Lot consolidation plan: a plan for the consolidation of two or more existing lots or tracts to create fewer lots or tracts with revised lot lines, designed in accordance with the requirements of §§
98-21 and
98-27.
(3) Revised subdivision plan: any replatting of recorded plans due to survey corrections or revision due to survey corrections of approved final plans which have not yet been recorded can be made if it is in conformance with the criteria specified in §§
98-21 and
98-27.
(4) Lot add-on plan: a complete and exact subdivision plan, the sole purpose of which is to increase the lot area of an existing lot or tract, designed in accordance with the requirements of §§
98-21 and
98-27.
B. Plan criteria. Plans shall only be permitted when all of the following
criteria are satisfied:
(1) The resultant lots meet all requirements of the applicable zoning
district.
(2) The resultant lots shall retain adequate access to accommodate potential
development in accordance with the current zoning district regulations.
(3) Drainage easements or rights-of way are not altered.
(4) Access to the affected parcels is not altered or modified.
(5) Street alignments are not changed.
(6) The resultant lots meet all previously approved sewage module requirements,
including, where applicable, minimum lot size.
(7) No public improvements or land disturbance is proposed with the submission.
C. Plan requirements. Where the above conditions are satisfactorily proven to exist, a plan shall be prepared in conformance with the provisions of §
98-27 and any other applicable requirements of law.
D. Submission. Official submission of the plan application to Brecknock
Township shall consist of:
(1) Plan. Twelve copies of the plan set (one for the Municipal Engineer,
one for Brecknock Township, five for the Brecknock Township Planning
Commission, three for the Board of Supervisors, one for the Zoning
Officer and one for the Solicitor), plus one additional copy if the
subject site is within one mile of a municipal boundary and one additional
copy if the subject site abuts a state road.
(2) Supplemental data. Two copies of all reports, notifications and certificates
that are not provided on the final plan.
(3) Application form. Two application forms completely and correctly
executed, with all information legible, and bearing all required signatures.
(4) Filing fee. A filing fee (in accordance with Brecknock Township's
current fee schedule) consisting of a check or money order made payable
to Brecknock Township.
(5) Written review from the Municipal Zoning Officer. A written review
from the Municipal Zoning Officer shall accompany the plan application.
(6) A copy of the Lancaster County Planning Commission plan processing
form indicating that the plans have been submitted for their review
under Act 247. It should be understood that the applicant is responsible
for submitting all plans and fees to the Lancaster County Planning
Commission.
[Amended 3-11-2014 by Ord. No. 196-2014]
(7) Application completeness review. All required plans and documents
and the required filing fee shall accompany the final plan application.
Brecknock Township shall have seven days from the date of submission
to check the plans and documents to determine if, on their face, they
are in proper form and contain all the information required by this
chapter.
E. Planning Commission action. Refer to §
98-20F under final plan.
F. Board of Supervisors' action. Refer to §
98-20G under final plan.
G. Notification of Board of Supervisors' action. Refer to §
98-20H under final plan.
H. Compliance with Board of Supervisors' action. Refer to §
98-20I under final plan.
I. Plan certification. Refer to §
98-20J under final plan.
J. Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors signatures required. Refer to §
98-20K under final plan.
K. Lancaster County Planning Commission signature required. Refer to §
98-20L under final plan.
L. Recordation of plan and deed.
(1) Recording of the plan. Upon approval and certification of a plan,
the applicant shall record the plan in the office of the Lancaster
County Recorder of Deeds. No plan may be recorded unless it bears
the signature of an authorized representative of Brecknock Township
denoting approval of the plan by the Board of Supervisors and the
signature of two individuals authorized to sign for the Lancaster
County Planning Commission per Section 513 of Act 247, as amended. In the event that the plan requires the installation of subdivision/land development improvements, then the final plan shall not be released for recording until the applicant has complied with the improvements construction guaranty requirements of §
98-31 hereof.
(2) Deeds.
(a)
A copy of the deeds to be recorded for the subject tract or
receiving and conveying tracts shall be submitted prior to recording
of the plan.
(b)
Recordation of such plan does not serve to join the receiving
tract with the acreage to be conveyed. To reflect the descriptions
as provided on the recorded plan, deeds must be recorded for the receiving
and conveying tracts.
(3) Time period of approval.
(a)
The developer shall, within 90 days of such final approval or
90 days after the date of delivery of an approved plat signed by the
Board of Supervisors, following completion of conditions imposed for
such approval, whichever is later, record such plat in the office
of the Recorder of Deeds per Section 513 of Act 247, as amended.
(b)
In the event the plat is not recorded as stated above, the Board
of Supervisors' action is null and void, unless the Board of Supervisors
granted a waiver by extending the effective time period of the approval.
(4) Recording number required. A recording number and a complete set
of plans with all signatures, stamps and seals must be provided to
Brecknock Township before any permits are issued.
(5) Reporting to GIS. A compact disc in CAD or GIS format of the approved
final plan, including parcel boundaries, streets, water, sewer, stormwater
management facilities and sewers, utilities, and building locations,
shall be provided to Lancaster County and the Township at the time
of plan recording.
M. Future development. Any development of the lots created through this
process must follow standard plan processing procedures as specified
in this article.