Township of Millcreek, PA Title; Purpose

This chapter is enacted for the following purposes:

To assist the orderly, efficient and integrated development of the Township;

To promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the residents of Millcreek Township;

To secure equitable review and implementation of subdivision and land development plans by providing uniform procedures and standards;

To provide for the submittal and processing of plats, including the charging of review and inspection fees and specifications for such plats, including certification of the accuracy of plats and provisions for preliminary and final approval and for processing of final approval by stages of development;

To insure that the layout or arrangement of subdivisions or land developments shall conform to the Comprehensive Plan, the Official Map, the transportation plan, the recreation and open space plan and to all ordinances, regulations and maps adopted in furtherance thereof;

To insure that streets in and bordering a development shall be coordinated and of such widths and grades and in such locations as may be deemed necessary to accommodate prospective traffic and facilitate fire protection;

To insure that adequate easements or rights-of-way shall be provided for drainage and utilities;

To insure that reservations by the developer of any area designed for use as public grounds shall be of suitable size and location of their designated uses;

To insure that land which is subject to flooding, subsidence or underground fires either shall be made safe for the purpose for which such land is proposed to be used, or that such land shall be set aside for uses which shall not endanger life or property or further aggravate or increase the existing menace;

To govern the standards by which streets shall be designed, graded and improved and walkways, curbs, gutters, streetlights, fire hydrants, water and sewer facilities and other improvements shall be installed as a condition precedent to final approval;

To promote and encourage flexibility, economy and ingenuity in the layout and design of subdivisions and land developments;

To encourage use of renewable energy systems and energy-conserving building design;

To provide for soliciting reviews and reports from adjacent municipalities and other governmental agencies affected by a plan;

To provide for administering waivers or modifications to the minimum standards of the chapter when literal compliance with mandatory provisions is found by the Board of Supervisors or Planning Commission, where applicable, to be unreasonable, to cause undue hardship or when an alternative standard can be demonstrated to provide equal or better results;

To provide for approval of a preliminary or final plat subject to conditions acceptable to the applicant and a procedure for an applicant's acceptance or rejection of any conditions which may be imposed;

To provide standards for insuring that new developments incorporate adequate provisions for reliable, safe and adequate water supply to support intended uses within the capacity of available resources;

To provide in appropriate circumstances for the public dedication of land suitable for the use intended and, upon agreement with the applicant or developer, for construction of recreational facilities, the payment of fees in lieu thereof, the private reservation of the land or a combination thereof, for park or recreation purposes as a condition precedent to final plan approval;

To provide specifications for plats, including certification as to the accuracy of plats, stormwater calculations, delineations and other matters required to be included in a plat or application and for its full and proper implementation;

To preserve historic and conservation sites, wetlands, floodplains and floodways, trees, landmarks and other natural and/or distinctive resources;

To ensure that new development will be coordinated with existing development in Millcreek Township;

To provide regulation for access by drives, driveways and/or proposed local streets to public streets of Millcreek Township; and/or

To provide for preservation of open space in subdivisions or land developments where appropriate in the proposed development and/or to promote coordination with existing developments.