[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
Widths and locations of easements and rights-of-way shall be determined by the Borough 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 § 22-428.
C. 
The owner of any lot, upon written request by Phoenixville 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 Chester County and at the sole expense of the property owner.
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 or unusual size and/or depth may require additional easement width, as determined by the Borough Engineer.
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 Borough Engineer, or the appropriate utility agency.
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 Borough 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 Borough Council, upon recommendation of the Borough Engineer.
A. 
In order to promote or 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, cable and Internet) 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 shall be complied with as required by the Zoning Ordinance.[1] Power source for such standards shall be placed underground as required.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 27, Zoning.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Street System.
A. 
Streets shall be designed according to the function they are to serve in conformance with the standards provided in this section and the Chester County Multi-Modal Handbook.
B. 
If lots resulting from a subdivision are large enough to permit further subdivision, or if a portion of the tract is not subdivided, adequate street rights-of-way to permit further subdivision shall be provided as necessary, to be no less than the rights-of-way then required.
C. 
Where a land development abuts or contains an existing or proposed collector or arterial street, the Borough may require dedication of additional right-of-way specified hereinafter, as well as marginal access streets, rear service alleys, reverse frontage lots, or such other treatment as will provide protection for abutting properties, reduction in the number of intersections with the major street and separation of local and through traffic.
D. 
Where warranted because of additional traffic, drainage or comparable problems or conditions resulting from the proposed development, said public street is to be improved as a responsibility of the applicant, by means of sufficient funds escrowed for use by the Borough to execute such improvement as per the conclusion of a traffic impact study.
E. 
New half or partial streets shall not be approved.
F. 
The applicant shall be required to provide standard traffic control signs and pavement markings for all streets within the development. The proposed location of said signs and pavement markings must be shown on the development plan.
G. 
The Borough may require that proposed streets and rights-of-way be extended to the common property line of the subject property and an adjoining tract(s), where further extension or connection may be made by future development of the adjoining tract.
2. 
All new streets and extensions and widenings of existing streets:
A. 
Shall be offered for dedication to the authority having jurisdiction over the street at the time of plan approval. The Borough may accept or refuse dedication of lands which are not accepted by other jurisdictions.
B. 
Shall conform with the circulation element of the Phoenixville Comprehensive Plan and county or state highway plans and be coordinated with existing streets.
C. 
Shall provide appropriate access between abutting tracts of land for immediate or future use.
D. 
Shall create a road hierarchy among interior land development streets and exterior streets to ensure proper through-traffic flow, local access, and internal traffic distribution and flow.
E. 
Shall be related closely to existing topography to assure reasonable grades, alignment and drainage and appropriate access to lots and to minimize regrading and removal of vegetation.
F. 
Shall be designed to continue existing streets at equal or greater right-of-way and cartway width, as recommended by the Borough Engineer and Planning Commission.
G. 
Curbs and storm sewers shall be installed along all existing and proposed public and private streets and common parking areas, except when this requirement is waived at the discretion of the Borough Council, upon recommendation of the Borough Planning Commission and the Borough Engineer.
H. 
The developer shall assign street names, subject to the approval of the Borough Council, and use street numbers as assigned by the County 911 Office.
I. 
Median strips or other traffic-calming devices may be required by the Borough Council to provide for public safety and traffic efficiency. Traffic calming shall be planned and designed in accordance with PennDOT Publication 383, Pennsylvania's Traffic Calming Handbook.
3. 
Private Streets. Whenever a developer proposes to establish a street which is not offered for dedication of public use, the Borough Council shall require the applicant to submit, and also to record with the plan, a copy of the agreement made with Phoenixville on behalf of his heirs and assigns. Such streets shall be constructed in conformance with the Borough Standard Construction Details.[1] Maintenance responsibility shall be outlined and defined by the applicant and reviewed by Phoenixville prior to final approval. When, in the determination of the Borough Council, it becomes necessary for Phoenixville to assume responsibility for a private street in order to maintain the health, safety, and welfare of the residents, the Borough may do so and assess the property owner(s) or abutting owners who use the street for any improvements necessary to restore the street to conformance with Borough specifications.
A. 
Residential Private Streets. Private streets shall be designed and built to the same standards as public streets.
(1) 
Private streets shall function solely as local access streets and shall conform to the requirements of § 22-409, Subsection 1D.
(2) 
Provisions for the maintenance of private streets shall be stated in the community association document to be submitted prior to plan approval.
B. 
Alleys and Service Streets.
(1) 
Alleys may be provided to provide alternate access to "rear loading" residential units in accordance with the Borough of Phoenixville Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27) provisions. An alley shall never be considered the primary frontage street for any development or portion thereof.
(2) 
Except where other adequate provision is made for off-street loading and parking consistent with the use proposed, service streets shall be required in commercial and industrial districts and shall have a minimum paved width of 16 feet.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Borough Standard Construction Details are included as an attachment to this chapter.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Street Classifications.
A. 
Expressway. Multilane roads with access only by interchange. Properties fronting upon expressways have no direct access. Services interstate and interregional traffic.
B. 
Arterials. 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:
(1) 
Principal Arterial. Multilane roads with intersections at grade and some access provided to properties with frontage. Intended for high-speed inter city and commuter traffic.
(2) 
Minor Arterial. Usually two travel lanes with a separate turning lane at intersections. Links boroughs with villages. Access limited depending upon adequate site distance.
C. 
Collectors. 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.
(1) 
Major Collector. Roads designed to collect traffic from residential areas and feed it to the arterial and expressway system. Links neighborhoods. Serves some local-oriented traffic. Provides direct access for abutting residential lots in rural areas.
(2) 
Minor Collector. Roads designed to collect traffic from residential areas and feed it to the arterial system. Mostly locally oriented traffic. Serves as through road in neighborhoods. Provides direct access for abutting residential lots in rural and suburban areas.
D. 
Local Access. Roads designed to provide access to all abutting lots. Not intended for through trips, although may be used as such, particularly in rural areas. Includes culs-de-sac and other single-access streets. These local access roads may be public or private.
2. 
The widths for rights-of-way and cartway shall conform to the Borough of Phoenixville Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27) provisions.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
Sight distance, horizontal and vertical curvature, super elevation and maximum and minimum street grades shall be determined by the Borough 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 (AASHTO), most recent edition, or PennDOT standards, whichever is more restrictive. In addition, the following standards and guidelines shall be complied with:
1. 
Whenever street lines are deflected in excess of 5°, connection shall be made by horizontal curves.
2. 
To ensure adequate sight distance, minimum center-line radii for horizontal curves shall be according to AASHTO standards related to design speed. In any event, the following minimum radii shall be met:
A. 
On local public access roads and as established by proper engineering practices for private local access roads: 200 feet.
B. 
On collector roads: 300 feet.
C. 
On arterial roads: 500 feet.
D. 
PennDOT standards shall be applied to expressways.
3. 
A tangent of at least 100 feet shall be introduced between all horizontal curves on collector and arterial roads.
4. 
Super elevation shall be required on arterial roads where the curve radius is less than 600 feet.
5. 
Minimum curve radius shall not be permitted on maximum grade.
6. 
Street grades shall be measured along the center line in accordance with the following:
A. 
Center-line grades shall not be less than 1%.
B. 
Center-line grades shall not exceed 6% on arterial and collector streets or 10% on local access streets. PennDOT standards for grade shall be applied to expressways.
C. 
At all changes of street grades where the algebraic difference exceeds 1%, vertical curves shall be provided to permit a minimum sight distance related to design speed as specified by AASHTO standards; in any event, a minimum sight distance of 200 feet along local access streets, 300 feet along collector streets and 500 feet along arterials. PennDOT standards for sight distance shall be applied to expressways.
D. 
Street grades at intersections shall, in general, be less than 4% on all approaches measured within 75 feet of the intersection of right-of-way lines.
E. 
The slope ratio of banks shall not be less than four to one horizontal to vertical (4:1).
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
All street intersections shall be governed by the standards of this section:
1. 
Streets shall be laid out to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. No street shall intersect another at an angle of less than 60°, as measured at the center lines.
2. 
No more than two streets shall cross at the same point.
3. 
Adequate stopping sight distance shall be provided at all street intersections according to AASHTO standards.
A. 
Distances for collector and arterial roads shall be in conformance with PennDOT standards but shall in no case be less than 500 feet in each direction along the arterial road and 300 feet for a collector road. Distances for local access streets, except single-access streets, shall be no less than 200 feet in each direction along the local access street.
B. 
A clear sight triangle shall also be provided. The sight triangle shall be measured from a point in the center of the street 75 feet back.
4. 
To the fullest extent possible, intersections with major arterials and major collectors shall be located not less than 600 feet apart, as measured from center line to center line.
5. 
Streets entering from opposite sides of another street shall either be directly across from each other or offset by at least 250 feet on local access and 300 feet on arterial roads, as measured from center line to center line.
6. 
Street curbing at intersections shall be rounded by tangential arc with a minimum radius of 20 feet for intersections involving only local access streets, 25 feet for intersections including other types of streets, or such greater radius as is suitable to the specific intersection, or as required for emergency vehicle access.
7. 
Whenever a development abuts an arterial street, the Borough may require reverse frontage lots to regulate access to said arterial street. Building access shall be governed by the Borough of Phoenixville Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27) provisions.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Single-access streets shall function as local access streets. All standards applicable to local access streets shall apply to single-access streets in addition to the following:
A. 
A single-access street shall not be more than 500 linear feet from the near edge of the adjoining street to the end of the cul-de-sac.
B. 
A single-access street to be publicly maintained shall have no less than 250 linear feet of cartway.
C. 
Cul-De-Sac and Dead-End Streets.
(1) 
Dead-end streets are prohibited unless designated as a permanent cul-de-sac street or when designed as a temporary cul-de-sac for future access to adjoining properties.
(2) 
Any street dead end for access to an adjoining property or because of authorized phased development shall be provided with a temporary, all-weather turnaround within the development. The use of the turnaround shall be guaranteed to the public until such time as the street is extended. Street right-of-way shall be extended to the tract boundary in such cases.
(3) 
Circular turnarounds shall have a minimum paved radius of 50 feet.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Paving. The pavement of all streets and all commercial, industrial, and multifamily parking areas and driveways into and out of parking areas shall be installed as shown on the final plan and in accordance with the following standards:
A. 
General. All paving shall be constructed, both as to materials and methods, generally in conformance with applicable portions of PennDOT Specifications Publication No. 408, latest revision.
B. 
Pavement design. Pavement construction shall conform to the minimum standards for different types of streets and parking areas as indicated in the Borough Standard Construction Details.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Borough Standard Construction Details are included as an attachment to this chapter.
C. 
Paving cross section. All pavements, except where superelevated for curves, shall conform to typical roadway cross sections in the Borough Standard Construction Details.
D. 
Paving material requirements should conform to the Borough Standard Construction Details.
2. 
Driveways. Driveways normally used by not more than 25 vehicles per day shall comply with the standards contained in the Pennsylvania Code, Title 67, Transportation, Chapter 441, Access to and Occupancy of Highways by Driveways and Local Roads, Section 441.8(i)(5), Grade requirements where curbs and sidewalks are present. Driveways normally used by more than 25 vehicles per day shall comply with standards appropriate for their anticipated traffic volumes in conformance with accepted engineering standards and practices.
3. 
Maximum grade requirements shall not be waived unless extremely difficult circumstances exist and cannot be mitigated by alternative locations, designs, or lotting, in which case a safe, practical alternative may be permitted by the Borough Council, upon recommendation of the Borough Engineer.
4. 
All adjacent structures and areas disturbed or damaged during construction shall be properly repaired, restored, or replaced to the satisfaction of the Borough by the party causing the damage.
5. 
All trees, roots, stumps, brush, down timber, wood, rubbish and any objectionable material shall be removed from the full legal right-of-way or as recommended by the Borough Engineer. Efforts shall be made during construction of roadways to preserve any vegetation specifically for preservation identified in the landscaping plan.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Private driveways shall be provided for all residences and other land developments requiring vehicular access. The construction shall be in accordance with the regulations of this section in order to provide safe access to Borough streets and state highways, to minimize problems of stormwater runoff, and to assure sufficient area for access to off-street parking.
2. 
Driveway intersects with streets:
A. 
Shall provide adequate stopping sight distance in compliance with PennDOT standards according to AASHTO requirements.
B. 
Shall not cause or contribute to hazards to the free movement of normal street traffic or interference with the design, maintenance and/or drainage of the street.
C. 
Shall fully comply with PennDOT regulations when intersecting a state highway. PennDOT permits shall be obtained by the applicant prior to or as a condition of final plan approval.
3. 
Driveway intersections serving individual parcels of land may be prohibited by the Borough where such intersections would create congestion, interference and/or hazards to traffic flow and safety by reason of street grades, land forms, vegetation, frequency of driveway intersections, limited sight distance and/or high-speed traffic flow. In such cases, the Borough may require alternative forms of vehicular access by means of marginal access streets or driveways, shared driveways, reverse frontage lots or other means of access which are technically suitable to the Borough. When streets of different classes are involved, access shall be provided to the street of the lesser classification, unless the Borough determines that this requirement is not desirable for reasons of safety, grading, drainage, traffic or other reasons.
4. 
In order to facilitate safe and efficient access between streets and driveways, the number of driveways permitted to serve individual parcels of land shall be kept to the minimum needed to adequately serve the parcel in question.
A. 
Properties with frontages of 100 feet or less may be permitted not more than one driveway intersection with a street. Exceptions may be made when adjacent property owners share parking or when the need is determined in a traffic study prepared by a qualified traffic engineer.
B. 
Not more than two driveway intersections with the same street may be permitted for any parcel of land unless anticipated traffic volumes warrant more than two, and then only when supported by a traffic study prepared by a qualified engineer warrants more than two driveway intersections.
5. 
Distance From Street Intersections. Driveways shall be located as far from street intersections as is reasonably possible, as determined by the Borough Engineer.
6. 
Choice of Streets. When streets of different classes are involved, the driveway shall provide access to the street of lesser classification, unless this requirement is waived by the Borough Council for reasons of sight distance, incompatibility of traffic, grading, drainage, or other major reasons presented by a qualified traffic engineer and recommended by the Borough Engineer.
7. 
Stopping Areas. Regardless of the driveway classification, all driveways shall be provided with a stopping area within which the grade shall not exceed 4%. Any remaining portion of the driveway shall have a maximum grade of 10%. The stopping area shall be measured as follows:
A. 
The length of the stopping area shall be a minimum of 20 feet, or the length of the longest vehicles anticipated to use the driveway, whichever is greater.
B. 
Stopping areas shall be measured from the cartway line for all streets.
8. 
Maximum Grades for Driveways.
A. 
Residential driveways shall not exceed fifteen-percent grade.
B. 
All other driveways shall not exceed seven-percent grade.
C. 
All driveways shall be provided with a stopping area within which the grade shall not exceed 4% for 20 feet from the edge of the cartway.
D. 
Driveways with a sidewalk crossing within the right-of-way shall include an ADA compliant pedestrian access route with a maximum cross-slope of 2.0%.
9. 
Sight Distance Determinations. Determination of sight distances at intersections of new driveways and streets with existing Borough roads shall be in accordance with the following provisions:
A. 
Access driveways shall be located at a point within the property frontage limits which provides at least the minimum safe stopping sight distance (SSSD) as determined by the standards within Chapter 441 (Access to and Occupancy of Highways by Driveways and Local Roads), Title 67, of the Pennsylvania Code.
B. 
The calculated minimum SSSD shall be obtainable and measured from a point 10 feet back of the pavement edge and 3.5 feet above the road surface.
C. 
If the minimum required SSSDs cannot be achieved, the Borough may exercise one or more of the following options:
(1) 
Prohibit left turns by exiting vehicles.
(2) 
Restrict turning movements to right turns in and out of a driveway.
(3) 
Require installation of a right-turn acceleration lane or deceleration lane.
(4) 
Require installation of a separate left-turn standby lane.
(5) 
Alter the horizontal or vertical geometry of the roadway.
(6) 
Deny access to the road.
10. 
Driveway Construction.
A. 
Driveway construction shall conform to the Borough Standard Construction Details.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Borough Standard Construction Details are included as an attachment to this chapter.
B. 
Driveways serving residential uses shall have a minimum paved width of nine feet. Driveways serving all other uses shall have a minimum paved width of 11 feet per lane for ingress and egress.
C. 
Driveways to single-family residences shall intersect streets at angles of no less than 60°. All other driveways shall intersect streets at right angles where practical, and in no case less than 75°. The angle of intersection is defined as the acute angle made by the intersection of the center line of the driveway with the curbline of the road.
D. 
Driveway entrances into all nonresidential, single-use properties shall be no less than 22 feet in width, shall not exceed 36 feet in width at the street line unless provided with a median divider, and shall be clearly defined by the use of curbing.
E. 
The edge of any driveway shall be at least 60 feet from the nearest end of the paving radius at a street intersection.
F. 
Driveways shall be graded so that, wherever possible, surface drainage will be discharged to the owner's property. Otherwise, adequately sized pipes, inlets, or headwalls shall be installed and gutter improvements shall be made to direct surface drainage to an approved on-site stormwater management facility prior to release to a municipal separate storm sewer system. Road drainage systems shall be upgraded to a condition satisfactory to the Borough Engineer by the developer to accommodate the additional runoff created by his or her development.
G. 
Where applicable, the gutter line shall be maintained as a paved swale matching existing gutters. A pipe may be placed under a driveway entrance only when approved by the Borough Engineer. The acceptability of such a pipe will be governed by the gutter depth on each side of the driveway.
H. 
Existing driveways to development and redevelopment properties shall be reconstructed as necessary to meet the requirements of this section and the Borough Standard Construction Details.
11. 
Shared Driveways.
A. 
A single driveway may be shared by not more than two lots or units. A single property access shared by more than two lots or units shall be considered a private street and as such shall conform to the applicable requirements for residential private streets (§ 22-408, Subsection 3A).
B. 
Shared driveways with a cartway width of less than 16 feet and a total length of 200 feet or more shall have a turnout of such a width so as to provide an aggregate sixteen-foot-wide cartway for the driveway, and said turnout area shall be of sufficient length to accommodate a single motor vehicle located every 200 feet along the driveway.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
Bridges and culverts shall be designed to meet the requirements and approval of the Borough Engineer with regard to design, adequacy and location. Culverts shall be of reinforced concrete. Wherever the drainage area of the watercourse involved consists of more than 320 acres, a permit shall be obtained from the dams and waterway management section of the PADEP in conformance with Chapter 105 of the rules and regulations of the DEP.[1] Such permit shall be submitted to the Borough Council who shall make appropriate notation of receipt upon, and prior to approval of, the preliminary plan and upon the Borough copy of such plan. All culverts and bridges not under DEP control shall be designed for a fifty-year storm.
1. 
Bridges and culverts shall be designed to meet current PennDOT standards to support expected loads and to pass design stormwater flows. They shall be constructed to the full width of the planned cartway. Allowance for sidewalk must also be made.
2. 
Where county-owned roads or bridges are involved, the County Engineer must review and approve all proposals.
3. 
It is unlawful to construct any dam or other water obstruction, or to make any change in or addition to any existing water obstruction, or in any manner to change or diminish the course, current, or cross section of any stream or body of water, without first having made written application to and obtained a permit or consent in writing from PADEP.
4. 
The following information is required: drawings to include location plan; cross section of present bridge if one exists; and profile of stream for a reasonable distance above and below the bridge site, showing slopes of bed, normal water surface and floodwater surface. If the bridge is on a skew, give the angle of the center line of the bridge with the direction of the line of flow. In addition, the following information is required for new bridge construction: the total drainage area above the bridge site; a description of the watershed; the length of stream from source to bridge site and to the mouth; the character of streambed and stream banks; the extent and depth of overflow during floods; the effect of previous floods upon bridges, their span and clearance; and whether the bridge will be within backwater influence of a parent stream.
5. 
A complete set of structural computations and drawings shall be submitted with plans involving construction of bridges and culverts.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 25 Pa. Code Chapter 105.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
1. 
Street Names. Street names shall be determined in consultation with the Borough and county. Street names should bear a reasonable relationship to significant natural features or history of the community. Efforts should be made to reduce the occurrence of similar names or similar-sounding names within the Borough or the postal delivery area. In no case shall the name of a proposed street duplicate an existing street name in the Borough. All street names are subject to approval by Borough Council.
2. 
A proposed street which is obviously in alignment with an already existing and named street shall bear the name of the existing street.
3. 
Street Signs. The developer shall erect at every intersection a street sign or street signs having thereon the names of the intersecting streets. At intersections where streets cross, there shall be at least two such street signs, and at the intersections where one street ends or joins another street, there shall be at least one sign. Street signs shall be erected when the first dwelling on the street is occupied. Temporary street signs may be erected with the permission of the Borough Council. Any temporary signs will be replaced prior to roadway dedication. All street signs are subject to approval by Borough Council.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016; as amended by Ord. No. 2021-2322, 1/12/2021; by Ord. No. 2022-2348, 6/14/2022; by Ord. No. 2024-2387, 5/14/2024]
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. 
Off-street parking facilities shall be provided in compliance with the parking requirements of the Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 27) and the regulations contained herein.
C. 
Angled or perpendicular parking shall not be permitted along public or private streets, except where specifically permitted by this chapter or other ordinances.
D. 
The terms "parking lot," "parking area" and "parking" are interchangeable. "Parking" includes the driveway which provided direct access to the parking spaces.
2. 
Design Standards for 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.
B. 
Parking areas shall not be located closer than two feet from any tract boundary line or less than two feet from any ultimate right-of-way line. The additional requirements for buffer yards supersede these minimum setback requirements per the Phoenixville Borough Zoning Ordinance (§ 27-406).
C. 
Dead-ended parking areas are 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 provided for the end stalls.
(2) 
More than 30 parking spaces may be located in a dead-ended parking area only if 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 Borough.
D. 
No parking lot shall have a slope in excess of 5%.
E. 
Parking Area Dimensions.
(1) 
Parallel parking stalls shall have minimum dimensions of seven feet by 22 feet. Parallel parking stalls at each end of a row of parallel parking having no other physical obstruction may be reduced to 18 feet in length.
(2) 
Perpendicular parking stalls shall have minimum dimensions of nine feet by 18 feet with a twenty-two-foot aisle. Compact spaces are not permitted.
(3) 
Angled parking stalls shall have minimum effective parking dimensions of nine feet by 18 feet and be oriented at an angle of either 60° or 45° as dictated by the most efficient layout for the site. Parking drive aisles for areas with angled parking shall be one-way and have a minimum width of 18 feet for sixty-degree stalls and 15 feet for forty-five-degree stalls. Angled parking is not acceptable for on-street parking.
(4) 
Where parking stalls abut sidewalks, parked vehicles shall not overhang the sidewalks. Parking areas shall be set back from sidewalks by at least two feet or wheel stops shall be installed to allow for full pedestrian use of the sidewalks.
(5) 
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). Parking spaces for physically disabled persons requiring van accessibility shall be 16 feet wide, consisting of a stall eight feet in width and a striping aisle also eight feet in width.
F. 
All parking lot construction and material specifications shall be as specified by PennDOT current specifications.
G. 
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 ADA. Slopes within the designed ADA parking spaces and required aisles shall not exceed 2.0% in any direction.
H. 
Provisions for pedestrian safety within a parking lot shall be required by providing sidewalks and delineated crosswalks.
3. 
Residential Parking Lots.
A. 
Parallel rows of parking spaces, which are not separated by a driveway or aisle, shall be separated by a raised and curbed, landscaped planting strip, a minimum of six feet wide edge to edge.
B. 
A single row of parking spaces located parallel to and between two driveways, shall be separated from one of the driveways by a raised and/or curbed, landscaped planting strip, a minimum of five feet wide edge to edge.
C. 
Parking lots shall be divided into sections of not more than 20 cars each, with the sections separated by raised and/or curbed, landscaped planting strips, a minimum of nine feet wide.
D. 
The entire parking lot perimeter shall be buffered and landscaped in accordance with § 22-428.
E. 
All parking lots shall be paved with asphalt, concrete or concrete pavers and be constructed in accordance with the Borough Standard Construction Details,[1] or other paving material which will achieve the same or better performance specifications as determined by the Borough Engineer. Designers are encouraged to consider use of pervious paving materials and other green technology when designing parking areas, and the overall site design shall meet the requirements of the Phoenixville Borough Stormwater Management Ordinance.[2]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Borough Standard Construction Details are included as an attachment to this chapter.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 23, Stormwater Management.
4. 
Nonresidential Parking Lots.
A. 
Parking lots shall require a raised, curbed, landscaped planting strip, a minimum of six feet wide, around the entire perimeter, except where site constraints require placement of buildings, driveways and walkways in such proximity to the parking area.
B. 
Parking lots with parallel rows of parking stalls shall be separated by raised and/or curbed landscaped planting strips, a minimum of six feet wide. A single row of parking stalls shall not exceed 20 stalls without being separated by a raised and/or curbed, landscaped planting island, a minimum of nine feet wide.
C. 
Parking lots for more than 100 cars shall be divided into sections by raised and/or curbed, landscaped planting strips, a minimum of six feet wide.
(1) 
These planting strips shall be located parallel to the rows of parking to separate main access (entrance-exit) driveways from rows of parking spaces; to separate other major driveways from rows of parking spaces (service drives, general internal circulation); to separate large parking areas into smaller units at intervals of not more than four rows of parking stalls within each unit capacity not greater than 100 stalls. Within each row, raised and/or curbed, landscaped planting islands shall separate each group of 20 parking stalls.
(2) 
The ends of rows of parking shall be marked as islands by means of painted lines or the use of different paving materials such as paving blocks, bricks or round stones. Marked end islands shall be equal in size to one parking space for each row of spaces. Parking shall be prohibited on these islands. The first parking space abutting the end of each island shall be reserved and marked for handicapped parking, at the end of the row closest to the building. Ramps shall be provided at convenient intervals for access between parking surface and sidewalks.
(3) 
For parking areas with an ultimate capacity greater than 500 cars, the above requirements may be modified by the Borough to provide separation into units at intervals of six rows of parking stalls, with each unit capacity no greater than 150 cars.
D. 
The entire parking lot perimeter shall be buffered and landscaped in accordance with § 22-428.
E. 
All parking lots shall be paved with asphalt, concrete or concrete pavers and be constructed in accordance with the Borough Standard Construction Details, or other paving material which will achieve the same or better performance specifications as determined by the Borough Engineer. Designers are encouraged to consider use of pervious paving materials and other green technology when designing parking areas, and the overall site design shall meet the requirements of the Phoenixville Borough Stormwater Management Ordinance.
5. 
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. 
Street trees and any buffering/screening shall adhere to the requirements in the Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 27, § 27-406.
6. 
Internal Driveways. 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) shall be in accordance with § 22-414, unless otherwise required by PennDOT standards governing the volume of traffic anticipated.
C. 
Internal 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.
D. 
Internal driveways along other nonresidential buildings shall be a minimum paved width of 22 feet, except where a dropoff/pickup lane is proposed.
E. 
Parking aisles with perpendicular parking stalls shall be a minimum 22 feet wide, with two-way traffic flow for convenience and efficiency.
F. 
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.
7. 
Electric Vehicle Parking.
A. 
Electric Vehicle Make-Ready Standards.
(1) 
Any land development proposing more than 20 parking spaces shall install new main electrical switchgear or replace existing electrical switchgear that provides sufficient space and capacity to support the operation of Level 2 EVCS for at least 20% of the parking spaces, with a dedicated branch circuit and overcurrent protection for each Level 2 EVCS.
(2) 
Any land development proposing a parking structure shall make all parking spaces located within the parking structure EV capable with conduit installed throughout the structure and electrical subpanels sized to accommodate a Level 2 EVCS for each parking space.
(3) 
Any land development proposing one- and/or two-family structures with garages and/or townhouses with garages shall provide in each garage a 220-240-volt/40 amp outlet on a dedicated circuit and in close proximity to designated vehicle parking to accommodate the potential future hardwire installation of a Level 2 electric vehicle charging station.
B. 
Electric Vehicle Charging Station Standards.
(1) 
Installation of EVCS shall meet the requirements of National Electrical Code Article 62, "Electrical Vehicle Charging and Supply Equipment Systems."
(2) 
Connectors for a Level 1 and Level 2 EVCS shall comply with the North American Standard J1772 for electrical connectors maintained by SAE International.
(3) 
EVCS cords shall be retractable or have a place to hang the cord and connector sufficiently above the pedestrian surface. Any cords connecting the charger to a vehicle shall be configured so that they do not cross a driveway, sidewalk, or passenger unloading area.
(4) 
EVCS outlets and connectors shall be mounted to comply with all relevant Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Where EVCS equipment is provided within an adjacent pedestrian circulation area, such as a sidewalk or accessible route to the building entrance, the charging equipment must be located so as not to interfere with accessibility requirements.
(5) 
EVCS pedestals shall be designed to minimize potential damage by accidents and vandalism and to be safe for use in inclement weather.
(6) 
EVCS shall be protected from vehicle impacts by curbs, wheel stops, bollards or other physical barriers. The EVCS shall be offset a minimum of 24 inches clear from the physical barrier.
C. 
Electric Vehicle Parking Space Design and Location.
(1) 
The minimum dimensions for any EVPS shall be in accordance with § 22-417.
(2) 
EVPSs shall be located in parking spaces which are desirable and convenient to incentivize the use of electric vehicles.
D. 
Required EV Parking Capacity and Minimum Parking Requirements.
(1) 
For any land development proposing at least ten (10) parking spaces serving residential uses, at least 10% of the parking spaces shall be EVPS served by a Level 2 EVCS connection.
(2) 
For any land development proposing at least twenty (20) parking spaces serving nonresidential uses, at least 5% of the parking spaces shall be EVPS served by a Level 2 EVCS connection. At least one EVPS or 10% of the EVPS provided to meet this requirement, whichever is greater, shall be available for public use. At least one EVPS shall serve an ADA accessible parking space.
(3) 
For any land development proposing at least two hundred fifty (250) parking spaces serving nonresidential uses, at least 1% of the parking spaces shall be an EVPS served by a Level 3 EVCS connection. This requirement is in addition to other Level 2 EVPS connection requirements. The Level 3 EVCS shall be available for public use.
(4) 
For developments with both residential and nonresidential uses, EV parking capacity and minimum parking requirements shall be calculated based on the proportional number of parking spaces allocated to each use.
E. 
Signage, Safety and Other Standards.
(1) 
Any EVPS available for public use shall be marked with a sign indicating that their use is either reserved for EVs or preferred for use by EVs.
(2) 
The following information shall be posted at each EVCS:
(a) 
Voltage and amperage levels;
(b) 
Hours of operation, time limits, and towing provisions which may be enforced by the property owner;
(c) 
Usage fees, if any;
(d) 
Safety information;
(e) 
Contact information to facilitate reporting when equipment is not operating correctly or other issues.
(3) 
Site lighting shall be provided wherever an EVCS is installed, unless the parking area is limited to daytime use only.
[Ord. 2016-2267, 10/11/2016]
Curbing shall be installed along all existing and proposed public and private streets, common driveways, and common parking areas.
1. 
General.
A. 
Regardless of the size of a land development 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 concrete paving or unit pavers with a properly engineered edge restraint system, the Borough Council, at the recommendation of the Borough Engineer, may waive curbing requirements partially or in full.
C. 
Asphalt paving will require concrete curb in all cases but may be flush with the pavement surface where practical for managing stormwater runoff.
D. 
Wheel stops will be required for all parking areas with flush curb or edge restraints.
2. 
Curb Construction.
A. 
All curbing shall be constructed in accordance with the Borough Standard Construction Details, most recent revision.
B. 
Pipes, grates, wood planks or other materials shall not be placed in the gutter to form a driveway ramp.
C. 
Where it is necessary to replace existing vertical curbs with depressed curbing, ten-foot-long sections of existing vertical curb shall be completely removed without disturbing the adjacent cartway paving. The depressed curb shall then be formed and poured in place. Any portions of the cartway disturbed during curbing removal or installation shall be repaired to new condition.
D. 
When curbing must be cut for any reason, the length of the remaining section shall be no less than four feet between expansion joints. The cut shall be made vertically, in a neat manner, with a power saw equipped with a proper masonry-cutting blade.
E. 
Any depressed curb sections that are unused when a development or phase of a development is completed shall be completely removed and replaced with full upright curbing to line and grade of adjacent curbing. Forming and pouring concrete vertical curbing on top of an existing curb depression will not be permitted.