A. 
This article sets forth the application requirements for obtaining approval of a stormwater management site plan. The form of the plans referred to in this article and information required to be forwarded with such plans shall be as specified in Article IV.
B. 
Manheim Borough shall not approve any SWM site plan that is deficient in meeting the requirements of this chapter. At its sole discretion and in accordance with this article, when an SWM site plan is found to be deficient, Manheim Borough may either disapprove the submission and require a resubmission or, in the case of minor deficiencies, Manheim Borough may accept submission of revisions.
Whenever the Zoning Ordinance[1] provides that the use proposed by the applicant for a subdivision or land development approval shall constitute a use by special exception or conditional use, or when a variance from the terms of the Zoning Ordinance is required to develop in accordance with the plan, the applicant shall obtain such special exception, variance, or conditional use approval from the Borough Zoning Hearing Board or Borough Council, as applicable, prior to the submission of the plan. The plan shall be designed and developed in accordance with any conditions which have been imposed upon the grant of such special exception, variance, or conditional use by the Borough Zoning Hearing Board or Borough Council, as applicable.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 220, Zoning.
[Amended 5-16-2025 by Ord. No. 693]
All applications shall follow these application and processing requirements.
A. 
Formal application/submission deadlines. All applications for approval of a stormwater management site plan shall be made by the developer filing an application form, to be supplied by the Borough, together with the appropriate plans. The plan shall include studies, reports, supporting data (including all plans, reports, and correspondence with the Lancaster County Conservation District, if required under Chapter 102), and the required filing fee. Applications may be filed with the Borough on any business day; however, Borough Council will review a plan at a particular meeting only if the plan was filed at least 30 business days prior to that meeting.
B. 
Application requirements. All plan applications shall include the following:
(1) 
One copy of the plan(s). All plans shall be either black-on-white or blue-on-white paper prints and prepared in conformance with the provisions of Article IV of this chapter.
(2) 
One copy of all reports, notifications, and certifications which are not provided on the plan.
(3) 
One copies of the application form as provided by the Borough.
(4) 
One electronic copy (PDF format) of all submitted documents.
(5) 
Filing and review escrow fees in the amounts as specified on the fee schedule adopted by resolution of the Borough Council and available at the Borough Office.
(6) 
One copy of all reports required by Article IV.
(7) 
Plans which require access to a highway under the jurisdiction of the PennDOT shall include two copies of the plans prepared to support the application for a highway occupancy permit.
(8) 
The applicant shall provide the Borough with five copies of the most-current plan at least five business days before the plan is scheduled to be reviewed by Borough Council.
(9) 
Applicants are encouraged to schedule a preapplication meeting to review the overall stormwater management concept with the Borough staff/Engineer. The preapplication meeting is not mandatory and shall not constitute formal filing of a plan with the Borough.
C. 
Distribution. The applicant shall submit one copy of the above-required information to the Borough and one electronic copy (PDF format) to the Borough Engineer for their respective reviews. The developer is responsible for submitting plans to any other agencies, such as the Lancaster County Conservation District, PennDOT, DEP, etc., when permits from these agencies are required.
D. 
Initial application. The Borough staff shall have seven business days from the date of submission of an application to check the plans and documents to determine if on their face they are in proper form and contain all information required by this chapter. If defective, the application shall be returned to the applicant with a statement explaining the reason(s) of rejection, within 12 business days following the date of submission by the applicant; otherwise, it shall be deemed accepted for filing as of the date of submission. Acceptance for filing shall not, however, constitute a waiver of any deficiencies or irregularities. Under this section, the applicant may appeal a decision by the Borough staff to the Borough Council.
E. 
Amendments or corrections to an application. The Borough staff shall have seven business days from the date of submission of an amended or corrected application or plan to determine whether such amended or corrected application results in a substantial amendment to the plan or if the application or plan filed is/was/has changed so as to be considered a new plan. If the Borough staff determines that the amended or corrected application constitutes a substantial amendment, the applicant shall be informed of the determination within 12 business days from the date of the submission of the amended or corrected application, and the Borough staff shall further inform the applicant that the Borough shall consider the ninety-day review procedure to have been restarted as of the date of the filing of the substantial amendment. If the Borough staff determines that the amended or corrected application constitutes a new plan, he shall so inform the applicant and shall inform the applicant that a new application and new fees are required. Under this section, the applicant may appeal a decision by the Borough staff to the Borough Council.
F. 
Plan review process.
(1) 
All complete applications for approval of a plan shall be acted upon by the Borough Council, which shall render its decision and communicate it to the applicant not later than 90 days following the date the completed application is filed.
(2) 
The decision of the Borough Council shall be in writing and shall be communicated to the developer personally or mailed to him at his last known address not later than 15 days following the decision.
(3) 
When the application is not approved in terms as filed, the decision shall specify the defects found in the application and describe the requirements which have not been met and shall, in each case, cite the provisions of the ordinance(s) relied upon.
(4) 
Failure of the Borough Council to render a decision and communicate it to the applicant within the time and in the manner required herein shall be a disapproval of the application in terms as presented, unless the applicant has agreed in writing to an extension of time or change in prescribed manner of presentation or communication of the decision; in which case, failure to meet the extended time or change in manner of presentation or communication shall have like effect.
(5) 
Approval of a stormwater management site plan by the Borough shall be obtained by the applicant/developer prior to the issuance of a zoning permit by the Borough. No regulated activity may begin until proof of recording of the required ownership and maintenance program is presented and a zoning permit is obtained by the applicant in accordance with the Borough Zoning Ordinance, as amended.
G. 
Procedure for modifications of the provisions of this chapter to be applied to the submitted plan.
(1) 
Application requirements. A request for a modification may be submitted to the Borough at any time. All requests shall be in writing and accompanied by a plan prepared to the minimum standards of a minor land disturbance plan (see § 187-20). The written request shall identify:
(a) 
The specific section of this chapter which is requested to be modified.
(b) 
The provisions proposed as an alternate to the requirements. The alternate provisions must be equal to or better than the requirements of, and consistent with the intents of, this chapter and shall not be contrary to the general public interest.
(c) 
Justification for the modification. The request shall state in full the grounds and facts of unreasonableness or hardship on which the request is based.
(2) 
Borough action.
(a) 
A modification request that is submitted as part of an application for a stormwater management site plan shall be processed along with that application of which it is a part. The plan processing procedures outlined in this section shall apply.
(b) 
If a modification request is not submitted with an application for subdivision, land development, lot add-on, or improvement construction plan, then the processing procedures outlined in this section shall apply.
(c) 
The Borough may determine that a modification constitutes a substantial modification as specified in § 187-17E of this chapter, whereupon the application may be deemed to be a new plan.
H. 
A disapproved SWM site plan may be resubmitted, with the revisions addressing the Borough's concerns, to the Borough in accordance with this article. The applicable review fee must accompany a resubmission of a disapproved SWM site plan.
I. 
All stormwater management permits or approvals shall expire 12 months from the date of issuance unless an extension of time is approved. An extension of an unexpired stormwater management permit or approval shall be issued by the Code Enforcement Officer following the submission of a written request if, in the opinion of the Code Enforcement Officer, the subject property or affected surrounding area has not been altered in a manner which requires alteration to the stormwater management site plan.