The Board of Supervisors of West Hempfield Township, pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247 of 1968, as amended and reenacted by Act 170 of 1988;[1] hereby enacts and ordains the following Ordinance governing subdivisions and land developments within the limits of the Township or West Hempfield, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
This ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the "West Hempfield Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance of 1990."
This ordinance is adopted for the following purposes:
A. 
To promote and protect the public health, safety, morals and welfare.
B. 
To promote orderly, efficient, integrated and harmonious development in the Township.
C. 
To require sites suitable for building purposes and human habitation in keeping with the standards of quality existing in the Township and to alleviate peril from fire, flood, erosion, excessive noise, smoke or other menace.
D. 
To coordinate proposed streets and other improvements with existing or proposed streets, parks or other features of the Comprehensive Plan and to provide for drainage, water supply, sewage disposal and other appropriate utility services.
E. 
To encourage preservation of adequate open spaces for recreation, light and air and maintenance of the natural amenities characteristic of the Township and its residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, and public areas.
F. 
To ensure conformance of subdivision and land development plans with the Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance[1] and public improvement plans and to ensure coordination of intergovernmental improvement plans and programs.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 145, Zoning.
G. 
To secure equitable treatment of all subdivision and land development plans by providing uniform procedures and standards.
H. 
To ensure that developments are environmentally sound by requiring preservation of the natural features of the areas to be developed to the greatest extent practicable, to maintain the economic well-being of the Township and to prevent unnecessary or undesirable blight, runoff and pollution.
I. 
To secure the protection of water resources and drainage ways.
J. 
To establish provisions governing the standards by which streets shall be designed and improved, and walkways, curbs, gutters, streetlights, fire hydrants, water and sewage facilities and other improvements shall be installed as a condition precedent to final approval of plans.
No subdivision or land development of any lot, tract or parcel of land shall be made, and no street, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, stormwater management facility, water main, or other improvement or facilities in connection therewith shall be laid out, constructed, installed, opened or dedicated for public use or travel, or for the common use of the occupants of buildings abutting thereon, except in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance.
A. 
Review by Township Planning Commission. In order that the actions of the Board under this ordinance may be correlated with all relevant dates and procedures, the Board hereby designates the Township Planning Commission as the agency of the Township:
1. 
To which all applications are forwarded relating to pre-application review, and site analysis studies of subdivision and land development plans shall be reviewed for comment;
2. 
To which all applications relating to either preliminary or final approval of subdivision and land development plans shall be submitted;
3. 
Which shall make recommendations to the Board concerning approval, disapproval, modification and conditions of approval of such plans; and
4. 
Which shall make recommendations to the Board concerning the interpretation of and the granting of modifications to provisions and standards of this ordinance.
B. 
Review by County Planning Commission. Plans for subdivisions and land developments located within West Hempfield Township shall be submitted to the Lancaster County Planning Commission for review and report. Said submission shall take place before approval of any plans by the Township. However, if a report is not received from the County Planning Commission within 30 days after submission, the Township may proceed without the report.
C. 
Approval by Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors shall have jurisdiction to finally approve or disapprove subdivision and land development applications. Action by the Board shall be taken in accordance with the requirements of the Municipalities Planning Code.