Township of West Vincent, PA Design Standards and Required Improvements

Permanent stone or concrete monuments shall be accurately placed at the intersection of all lines forming angles and at changes in directions of lines in the boundary (perimeter) of the property being subdivided.

All monuments shall be placed by a registered engineer or surveyor so that the scored point created by an indented cross or drill hole in the top of the monument shall coincide exactly with the point of intersection of the lines being monumented.

Monuments shall be set with their top level with the finished grade of the surrounding ground.

All streets shall be monumented on one side along the right-of-way line at the following locations:

At least one monument at each intersection.

At changes in direction of street lines.

At all points of curvature and tangency.

An intermediate monument wherever topographical or other conditions make it impossible to sight between two otherwise required monuments.

At such other places along the line of streets as may be determined by the Township Engineer to be necessary so that any street may be readily defined in the future.

Marker standards.

Markers shall be accurately placed at all lot corners within a subdivision.

Markers shall consist of solid iron pipe or pins, with a minimum diameter of 0.5 inch and shall have a minimum length of 18 inches.

Markers shall be driven level with the finished grade.

§ 315-36 Blocks.

The length, width and shape of blocks shall be determined with due regard to provision of adequate sites for buildings of the type proposed, the Township Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code), topography, and safe and convenient vehicular and pedestrian circulation.

Blocks shall have a maximum length of 1,600 feet and, as far as practicable, a minimum length of 800 feet.

Blocks along arterial highways shall not be less than 1,000 feet long.

Blocks two lot depths in width shall be preferred, except in the case of reverse-frontage lots.

No single lot shall have two street frontages, except for corner lots. Corner lots shall have access along only one frontage and shall access the street with the least traffic.

§ 315-37 Lots and lot sizes.

[Amended 10-11-1999 by Ord. No. 102; 6-10-2002 by Ord. No. 117]

The minimum area, width and building setback lines for lots shall be as provided in the area and bulk regulations of the Township of West Vincent Zoning Ordinance (See Chapter 390, Zoning, Appendix F, of the Township's Code).

Lot sizes greater than specified in Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code may be required when necessary to ensure proper functioning of on-lot sewage disposal and/or water supply.

Lot lines shall be substantially perpendicular or radial to street lines.

All lots shall front upon a public street or private street built to public street standards or have an access easement or right-of-way to a public or private street built to public street standards. Such frontage, easement or right-of-way shall comply with § 390-154A of Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code and be adequate to provide the minimum lot width at the building setback line. The minimum building setback distance may be decreased on lots which front a cul-de-sac turnaround, with the consent of the Board of Supervisors.

Wherever possible, lot lines shall follow municipal boundaries in order to avoid jurisdictional problems.

Excessively deep lots shall be avoided where practicable, and a depth-to-width ratio of not more that 2.5 to one shall be considered a desirable proportion for lots. The lot depth-to-width ratio may be increased in cases where the lot size is greater than the minimum required by Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code, special topographic or natural features exist, or to achieve a more desirable lot design or layout.

All house numbers shall be assigned by the Township upon recommendation by the United States Postal Service and the Chester County Department of Emergency Services.

§ 315-38 Driveways.

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 Township and state roads, to minimize problems of stormwater runoff, and to assure sufficient area for access to off-street parking.

Within the road right-of-way of a Township or private road or for a distance of 20 feet from the edge of the cartway, whichever is greater, all driveways accessing a paved road or street shall be paved with a base of Pennsylvania 3A modified stone compacted to a depth of at least eight inches covered by ID-2A bituminous concrete wearing course compacted to a depth of no less than 2 1/2 inches. If the remaining portion of the driveway is paved, such paving shall adhere to these standards above as a minimum. If the remaining portion of the driveway is to remain unpaved or if the driveway accesses an unpaved road, it shall be surfaced with 3A modified stone compacted to a minimum depth of eight inches over undisturbed subsoil. Neither bituminous concrete nor gravel shall be laid over undisturbed or graded topsoil. All driveways accessing a state road shall comply with the specifications contained in Chapter 441, Access to and Occupancy by Driveways and Local Roads, of Title 67 of the Pennsylvania Code.

Driveways serving a single residence shall have a minimum paved or graveled width of nine feet. Driveways serving more than one lot or dwelling and all nonresidential uses shall have a minimum paved width of 12 feet per lane for ingress and egress.

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.

Driveway entrances into all nonresidential, single-use properties shall be no less than 20 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.

Any curves or turns along the length of driveways shall have a minimum radius of 25 feet.

All driveways shall be designed and constructed with a turnaround or backup area at the end of the driveway to adequately accommodate emergency vehicles.

For a length of 20 feet as measured along the center line of the driveway from the edge of the cartway, the driveway shall have a maximum grade of 4%. Any remaining portion of the driveway shall have a maximum grade of 15%.

The edge of any driveway shall be located a minimum distance from the nearest end of the paving radius at a street intersection based on the standards contained in § 390-136J of Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code.

Clear sight triangles shall be provided at all driveway entrances and shall be shown on plans. Within such triangles, no object greater than 3.5 feet in height and no other object that would obscure the vision of a motorist shall be permitted. The legs of such triangles shall be a minimum length in both directions as established in § 390-136B of Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code, measured from a point 10 feet back from the edge of the cartway of the intersecting street. Greater distances may be required if warranted by specific circumstances. Any landscaping elements within the clear sight triangle shall be maintained to a height of 3.5 feet or less.

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 into the road drainage system and not onto the paving of the intersecting road or a neighboring property. Road drainage systems shall be upgraded to a condition satisfactory to the Township Engineer by the developer to accommodate the additional runoff created by his/her development.

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 Township Engineer. The acceptability of such a pipe will be governed by the gutter depth on each side of the driveway. The property owner shall be responsible for the maintenance of any pipe.

Shared driveways.

A single driveway may be shared by no more than three lots or units.

Shared driveways shall have a minimum paved or graveled width of at least 12 feet.

Shared driveways with a cartway width of less than 16 feet and a total length of 200 feet or more shall have a sixteen-foot-wide turnout of sufficient length to accommodate a single motor vehicle located every 200 feet along the driveway.

§ 315-39 Sewerage.

General requirements.

Each lot shall have a sanitary sewer system in accordance with the provisions of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Chester County Health Department.

Each property shall connect with an approved public sewer system, when accessible. Where the sewer is not yet accessible but is planned for extension to the vicinity of the subdivision, the developer shall install the sewer lines, including lateral connections as may be necessary to provide adequate service to each lot when connection with the sewer system is made. The sewer lines shall be capped at the limits of the subdivision, and the laterals shall be capped at the street right-of-way line. When capped sewers are provided, on-site disposal facilities shall also be provided.

Where an approved public sanitary sewerage system is not accessible or planned, an approved on-site sewage disposal system shall be provided by the developer. This system shall comply with the requirements of the Township Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan, the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Chester County Health Department rules and regulations, and the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, known as "Act 537."[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.

Sanitary sewers shall not be used to carry stormwater and shall be guarded against infiltration.

All sanitary sewer facilities shall be subject to requirements of Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, and current rules and regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection.

All sanitary sewer facilities shall comply with the Township standards for construction of water and wastewater facilities.

All sanitary sewage systems shall be designed, constructed, and maintained so as not to adversely impact or affect any existing or future water supplies.

Public sewerage. Public sanitary sewers installed by the developer shall conform to the requirements of any Authority having jurisdiction over sanitary sewers in the subdivision and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection rules and regulations and Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.

On-site sewage disposal.

Each lot to be served by an individual on-site sewage disposal system shall be of a size and shape to accommodate the necessary length of tile fields at a safe distance from proposed building(s) in accordance with the regulations of the Township, the Chester County Health Department, and the state, and shall be so plotted.

Soil percolation tests shall be performed for all subdivisions wherein building(s) at the time of construction will not be connected to a public or community sanitary sewage disposal system in operation. Soil percolation tests shall be made in accordance with the procedures required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Chester County Health Department, by either a registered sanitarian or the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act Sewage Enforcement Officer, at a rate of not less than one per lot. For lots less than one acre in size and/or in cases when soil percolation tests indicated suitability for an elevated sand mound system, two sets of approved soil percolation tests shall be required per lot so as to identify both primary and replacement disposal areas. The metes and bounds for both areas shall be described on all plans and in the deed for each lot.

The backfilling of all percolation test pits on the tract shall be accomplished within the time period specified in the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, Act 537,[2] and by the Chester County Health Department.

[2]

Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.

Community sewage disposal facilities. In such cases where public sanitary sewage disposal facilities are not available and on-site facilities are not approved, the applicant shall provide a complete community sanitary sewage disposal system. The design and installation of any community system shall be subject to the approval of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Chester County Health Department, and the Township Engineer, and such systems shall be further subject to satisfactory provisions for the maintenance thereof. A copy of the approval of such system, where applicable, shall be submitted prior to the approval of the final plan.

§ 315-40 Water supply.

All wells and water supplies shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 368, Water, Article I, Well Development, and Chapter 184, Fire Prevention, of the Code of the Township of West Vincent.

All water systems shall comply with the Township's Standards for Construction of Water and Wastewater Facilities.

Central water supply systems.

Where a public or an approved community or piped common water supply system is accessible or approved, all properties in the subdivision shall be connected to such system.

Each central water supply system shall be either municipally owned or shall otherwise be made subject to the regulations of the Chester County Health Department, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the Public Utilities Commission.

The design and installation of a central water supply system shall be subject to the approval of the Township and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; such system shall also be subject to satisfactory provisions for the maintenance thereof.

Standards and materials for the construction of any central water supply shall meet or exceed those requirements described in the Public Water Supply Manual of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and shall be subject to the approval of the Township Engineer.

Where a permit is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, it shall be presented as evidence of Department review and approval before construction commences.

On-site systems.

Where a public or an approved community or piped common water supply system is not accessible or provided, an approved individual on-site water supply system shall be provided.

The applicant shall be responsible either to install the on-site water supply system or to guarantee (by deed restriction or otherwise) as a condition of the sale of each lot or parcel within the subdivision that the system can be installed by the purchaser of such lot or parcel.

Individual on-site systems for residential use shall have a production capacity in accordance with the standards contained in Chapter 368, Water, Article I, Well Development, of the Code of the Township of West Vincent.

On-site water supply systems shall be designed and installed in accordance with all applicable standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Chester County Health Department.

Fire hydrants.

All subdivisions to be served by public or community water supply systems shall feature fire hydrants arranged so that no proposed building is more than 600 feet from a fire hydrant.

In the absence of fire hydrants, standpipes may be required in streams or ponds wherever feasible to provide a source of water for firefighting equipment.

Fire hydrants and standpipes shall be designed to be compatible with the firefighting equipment of the fire company having jurisdiction.

Fire hydrants shall be installed which meet the specifications contained in Chapter 184, Fire Prevention, of the Code of the Township of West Vincent.

§ 315-41 Other utilities.

All new utility lines or any lines being relocated, replaced or upgraded as part of a subdivision or land development, including, but not limited to, electric, gas, streetlight supply, cable television, and telephone, shall be placed underground. Installation of all utilities shall be in accordance with the engineering standards and specifications of the Township, municipal authority, or other public utility involved. All such underground utilities shall be put in place, connected, inspected by a qualified Township representative in accordance with § 315-56C, and approved before the streets are constructed (where such utilities lie under the proposed cartway) and before any person is permitted to occupy any building to be served by such utilities.

In accordance with the provisions of Act 287, as amended,[1] the applicant shall contact all applicable utility companies and accurately determine the locations and depths of all underground utilities within the boundaries of the tract proposed for development prior to excavation. A list of the applicable utilities and their phone numbers shall appear on preliminary plans submitted for review, and proof of contact shall be presented to the Township prior to final plan approval.

[1]

Editor's Note: See Pennsylvania One Call Law, 73 P.S. § 176 et seq.

§ 315-42 Erosion, sediment control, and stormwater management.

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]

See Chapter 302, Stormwater Management, of the Township's Code for current requirements.

§ 315-43 Streets.

Street system.

Proposed streets shall be properly related to such street plans or parts thereof as have been officially prepared and adopted by the Township, including recorded subdivision plans, the Township Official Map and the Comprehensive Plan of the Township, and shall be classified according to their function.

Proposed streets shall further conform to such Township and state road and highway plans as have been prepared, adopted and filed as prescribed by law.

Thoughtful and site-sensitive design of streets and their relationship to the arrangement of lots is required. Streets shall be logically related to the topography so as to produce optimum access to lots, reasonable grades, proper alignment and drainage, and to provide for adequate vision.

Streets shall be designed according to the function they are to serve in conformance with the standards provided in this section.

If lots resulting from a subdivision are large enough to permit resubdivision 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.

Where a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing or proposed collector or arterial street, the Board 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.

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 himself, or by means of sufficient funds escrowed for use by the Township to execute such improvement as per the conclusion of a traffic impact study.

(8)

New half or partial streets shall not be approved.

(9)

The applicant shall be required to provide standard traffic control signs for all streets within the subdivision. The proposed location of said signs must be shown on the preliminary plan.

(10)

The Township may require that proposed streets and rights-of-way be extended to the property line of a tract where further extension or connection may be made to such extensions by future development.

Right-of-way and paving widths for streets.

Street classifications.

Expressway. Multi-lane roads with access only by interchange. Properties fronting upon expressway have no direct access. Serves interstate and inter-regional traffic.

Principal arterial. Multi-lane roads with intersections at grade and some access provided to properties with frontage. Intended for high-speed inter-city and commuter traffic.

Minor arterial. Usually two travel lanes with a separate turning lane at intersections. Links boroughs and villages. Access limited depending upon adequate sight distance.

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, and provides direct access for abutting residential lots in rural areas.

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 and provides direct access for abutting residential lots in rural and suburban areas.

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.

Widths for rights-of-way and cartway.

Minimum street widths for proposed streets and extension or continuations, as follows:

[Amended 12-26-2001 by Ord. No. 112]

Classification	Cartway Width (feet)	Right-of-Way Width (feet)
Expressway	As determined by PennDOT
Principal arterial	As determined by PennDOT
Minor arterial	24	80
Major collector	22	60
Minor collector	20	60
Local access	20	50
Cul-de-sac vehicular turnaround	40 radius	50 radius

If driveways in proposed subdivisions are less than 50 feet in average length and/or average lot sizes are less than one acre, street widths shall be adequate to allow on-street parking and adequate drainage in accordance with the applicable standards of this section.

If parking is to be permitted or required along a major collector, minor collector, or local access road, an additional eight feet of cartway width shall be required for parking along one side of the street; an additional 16 feet of cartway width shall be required if parking is to be permitted or required along both sides of the street.

No parking shall be permitted along an expressway, principal arterial, or minor arterial.

Additional right-of-way and cartway widths may be required by the Board if necessary to promote public safety and convenience, provide adequate drainage, or if necessary to accommodate special topographic circumstances which result in cut-and-fill slopes extending beyond the standard right-of-way.

Rights-of-way of lesser width than prescribed in this section shall not be permitted, circumstances described in § 315-33D being excepted.

(g)

Subdivisions abutting existing streets shall provide at least the minimum right-of-way widths for those streets in accordance with the provisions of this section for dedication.

(h)

Where a subdivision or land development abuts an existing street of improper cartway or right-of-way width or alignment, the Township shall require the dedication of land sufficient to widen the street or correct the alignment and require escrow of money where deemed necessary in order to improve said cartway.

(i)

The Township has the right to determine the location of the cartway within the right-of-way.

Street grades.

Center-line grades shall not be less than 1%.

Center-line grades shall not exceed 4% on arterial streets or 10% on collector and local-access streets. PennDOT standards for grade shall be applied to expressways.

At all changes of street grades where the algebraic difference exceeds 1%, vertical curves shall be provided to permit a minimum sight distance of 200 feet along local-access streets, 300 feet along collector streets, and 400 feet along arterials. PennDOT standards for sight distance shall be applied to expressways.

The slope ratio of banks shall not exceed three to one horizontal to vertical for fills and two to one for cuts for the extent of the cut or fill area. Measurement of slope ratio shall be made perpendicular to the street right-of-way line.

Street alignment.

Whenever street lines are deflected in excess of 5°, connection shall be made by horizontal curves.

To ensure adequate sight distance, minimum center-line radii for horizontal curves shall be as follows:

One hundred fifty feet on local access roads.

Three hundred feet on collector roads.

Five hundred feet on arterial roads.

PennDOT standards shall be applied to expressways.

A tangent of at least 100 feet shall be introduced between all horizontal curves on collector and arterial roads.

Superelevation shall be required on arterial roads where the curve radius is less than 600 feet.

Minimum curve radius shall not be permitted on maximum grade.

Street intersections.

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.

No more than two streets shall cross at the same point.

Clear sight triangles shall be provided at all street intersections. Within such triangles, no object which obscures vision above a height of 30 inches and below a height of 10 feet shall be permitted. Heights shall be measured from the center-line grade of the street intersection. Such triangles shall be established by a distance from the curbline or edge of pavement of the intersected street according to the following street function:

Distances for collector and arterial roads shall be in conformance with PennDOT standards, but shall in no case be less than 400 feet in each direction along the collector or arterial road.

Distances for local-access streets, except single-access streets, shall be no less than 250 feet in each direction along the local-access street.

Distances for single-access streets shall be no less than 150 feet along the single-access street.

Where an intersection is controlled by a stop sign or traffic signal, the sight triangle shall be measured from a point in the center of the controlled or lesser street 25 feet back from the curbline or edge of pavement of the uncontrolled or through street.

The sight triangle shall be measured from a point in the center of the street 75 feet back from the curbline or edge of pavement if there is no curb, for all other intersections not equipped with a stop sign or traffic signal.

To the fullest extent possible, intersections with major arterials and major collectors shall be located not less than 800 feet apart, as measured from center line to center line.

Streets entering from opposite sides of another street shall either be directly across from each other or offset by at least 150 feet on local access and collector roads and 300 feet on arterial roads, as measured from center line to center line.

Street curbing or the cartway edge at intersections shall be rounded by a 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 in the case of intersections involving state roads, as determined by PennDOT.

In the case of boulevard streets or streets with center planting islands, the planting island shall be set back at least 50 feet from the cartway edge of the intersecting road to allow access by emergency vehicles. Planting islands may be located less than 50 feet from the intersecting street if other design specifications result in adequate provision for emergency vehicle access.

(8)

Whenever a subdivision abuts an arterial street or any street where visual resources are located as identified in the Township Open Space and Recreation Plan, the Board of Supervisors may require reverse-frontage lots or parallel streets to regulate access to said arterial street or "scenic" road.

Single-access streets. 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 single-access street shall not have more than 1,000 linear feet of cartway and shall not have a tangent exceeding 400 feet.

A single-access street shall not furnish access to more than 20 dwelling units except in the case of a single-access street within Tier III and IV subdivisions as allowed and defined in Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code, which shall not furnish access to more than 30 dwelling units.

A single-access street to be publicly maintained shall have no less than 250 linear feet of cartway.

Cul-de-sac and dead-end streets.

Dead-end streets are prohibited unless designed as permanent cul-de-sac street or when designed as a temporary cul-de-sac for future access to adjoining properties.

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 subdivision. 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.

A cul-de-sac providing access for more than two dwelling units shall have a vehicular turnaround of sufficient size and shape to allow service and emergency vehicles to execute a 180° turn with no more than one backing motion.

Circular turnarounds shall have a minimum paved radius of 40 feet.

[Amended 12-26-2001 by Ord. No. 112]

There shall be a maximum of four lots containing any access along the turnaround portion of a cul-de-sac street. A maximum of eight lots may be permitted to access along the turnaround of a cul-de-sac, at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors, if the site is developed under the Tier III or IV options of Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code.

All cul-de-sac streets shall incorporate an eased area for snow removal and snow stockpiling purposes. The eased area shall be located at or near the terminus of the cul-de-sac turnaround, in a location to be determined by the Township. The easement shall run in favor of the Township and any entity that is obligated to perform snow removal for the cul-de-sac. The eased area shall be sufficiently marked for snow removal purposes (i.e., through signage and/or delineators) and shall be accessible by way of a curb cut. If parking is generally permitted in a cul-de-sac, no parking shall be permitted along the bulb turnaround portion of a cul-de-sac during periods of snow accumulation of four inches or greater or during a declared snow emergency until all snow is cleared.

[Added 12-23-2013 by Ord. No. 157]

(g)

If a cul-de-sac is offset, it shall not be offset to the right (from the perspective of a vehicle entering into the cul-de-sac).

[Added 12-23-2013 by Ord. No. 157]

Private streets.

Private streets shall be built to the same standards as public streets, as specified above.

Private streets shall function solely as local-access streets.

Provisions for the maintenance of private streets shall be stated in the community association document to be submitted and approved with the preliminary plan.

Private streets shall be owned in common by the property owners served by the street. Ownership shall be transferred along with conveyance of the lots and shall not remain with the developer.

Alleys and service streets.

No part of any dwelling, garage or other structure shall be located within 16 feet of the center line of a service street or alley.

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 22 feet.

Street names and signs.

A proposed street which is obviously in alignment with an already existing and named street shall bear the name of the existing street.

In no case shall the name of a proposed street duplicate an existing street name in the Township, in the fire company service area having jurisdiction, or in the postal district, irrespective of the use of the suffix Street, Road, Avenue, Boulevard, Driveway, Place, Court, Lane, etc.

All street names shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors, upon review by the fire company and post office having jurisdiction, the Township Emergency Coordinator, and the Chester County Emergency Services Department.

Street name signs shall be installed at all street intersections at the expense of the developer. The design and placement of such signs shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors and shall be in compliance with the applicable standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

[Amended 10-11-1999 by Ord. No. 102]

Street trees. Within any land development or subdivision, street trees shall be planted along all streets, whether public or private, where suitable street trees do not exist in accordance with § 390-139A(6) of Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code and the following additional standards. In the case of any discrepancies or inconsistencies, the more restrictive standard shall prevail.

Street trees shall be planted at intervals of not more than 50 feet apart, or an equivalent number shall be planted in an informal arrangement.

Street trees shall not be planted opposite each other, but shall alternate.

Street trees shall not obstruct the clear sight triangle as described in Subsection E(3) of this section.

If the planting strip between the curb and a sidewalk is less then seven feet wide, the street trees shall be planted on the lots.

Street trees and other required plants shall be nursery stock, of generally symmetrical growth, free of insects, pests and disease, suitable for street use, and durable under the location and maintenance contemplated.

The trunk diameter shall be a minimum of three inches caliper.

Suitable species of street trees include, but are not limited to, the following:

American maple	Acer ginnala
Norway maple	Acer platanoides
Sugar maple	Acer saccharum
White ash	Fraxinus americana
Green ash	F. Penna. lanceolata
Sweet gum	Liquidambar styraciflua
Tulip	Liriodendron tulipfera
Amur cork	Phellodendron amurense
London plane (sycamore, buttonwood)	Platanus acerifolia
White oak	Quercus alba
Red oak	Quercus borealis
Scarlet oak	Quercus coccinea
Willow oak	Quercus phellos
Linden	Tilia cordata, Tilia europaea

Scenic roads.

All subdivisions and land developments proposals shall address the scenic qualities of roads within the Township as identified on the Visual Resources Inventory Map in the Township Open Space and Recreation Plan and shall, as far as reasonably and safely possible:

Preserve and enhance tree lines along roadways;

Preserve existing natural vistas from roads;

Preserve and enhance points of interest, such as barns, ruins, unique or remarkable tree specimens, and historic features.

Berms and buffers required in § 315-46 shall be designed to harmonize with the natural landscape and enhance the visual quality of the land as observed from adjacent or nearby roads.

If preserved in a natural state, scenic vistas observed upon the lands of a proposed subdivision or land development from nearby or adjacent roads may be credited toward the open space requirements for that proposal, as set forth in § 315-47, even if the lands within the vista are privately owned and provide no physical access to the public. The area credited shall be limited to the area between the road and the nearest ridgeline or other natural visual obstruction and shall be subject to the following conditions:

The ridgeline shall not lie between the required building setback line and the cartway.

No new structures or other improvements, with the exception of landscaping, shall be visible from the road from which the vista shall be observed.

The vista is naturally occurring and has not been created by destruction of vegetation.

The vista shall not be artificially restricted by the use of berms, landscaping elements, or any other means.

Future development or subdivision on the lands within the preserved vista shall be prohibited by deed restriction.

The open space credit shall not affect Township requirements for active recreational areas. The Township may still require facilities for active recreation to be located within the subdivision.

§ 315-44 Paving, curbing and sidewalks.

All streets, public or private, shall be paved, curbed and furnished with sidewalks in accordance with this section, as otherwise specified by Township regulations, or as otherwise directed by the Board of Supervisors.

Paving.

[Amended 6-20-2016 by Ord. No. 170]

Whenever possible, the subgrade shall be in cut or undisturbed subsoil. In no case shall the subgrade consist of filled or undisturbed topsoil or frozen soils. All deleterious material, such as tree roots, leaves, branches, trash, stones exceeding six inches in diameter, and miscellaneous construction debris, shall be removed from the subgrade. Compaction shall be accomplished by sheep's-foot, smooth-wheel, vibratory roller, or rubber-tired roller, at the discretion of the Township Engineer.

The subgrade shall be compacted tight and dry and shall not be soft and spongy when check- or proof-rolled. Compaction of the subgrade shall extend the full width of the cartway, including the width to be occupied by shoulders where applicable. The required road crown shall be built into the shaped subgrade. Upon inspection of the compacted subgrade by the Township Engineer, the placement of a geotextile material may be required.

All collector, residential, nonresidential, local-access streets, and commercial parking areas shall be constructed in accordance with the paving detail shown in Appendix B. All street widening shall also be constructed in accordance with the paving details shown in Appendix B.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: Appendix B, Streets and Driveway Specifications, is an attachment to this chapter.

The subbase course shall consist of a stone application meeting with requirements of PennDOT Publication 408. A 10-ton or 12-ton vibratory roller shall be used for the stone compaction.

The base course shall consist of superpave asphalt mixture, PG 64-22, 0.0 to 0.3 million ESALs, 25.00 mm mix, SRL H, meeting the requirements of the current PennDOT Publication 408.

When required, a superpave asphalt mixture design, HMA binder course, PG 64-22, 0.0 to 0.3 million ESALs, 19.0 mm mix, SRL H shall be placed over the base course, meeting the requirements of the current PennDOT Publication 408. In no case shall the binder course be applied over a frozen, saturated or excessively dirt-laden base course.

After proper cleaning, repairing and preparation of the binder course as directed by the Township Engineer, a tack coat shall be applied to the binder course prior to placing the wearing course. The tack coat shall consist of materials meeting the specifications of the current PennDOT Publication 408.

(8)

The wearing course shall consist of a superpave asphalt mixture design, HMA wearing course, PG 64-22, 0.0 to 0.3 million ESALs, 9.5 mm mix, SRL H, meeting the requirements of the current PennDOT Publication 408.

(9)

After application of the wearing course, all curb, inlet, manhole, driveway and similar joints shall be sealed with a PennDOT-approved joint sealer applied to neat lines with a minimum width of six inches.

(10)

All roads shall have a crown in accordance with the paving details located in Appendix B, sloping away from the center line unless otherwise directed by PennDOT or the Township Engineer.

Curbing.

Curbing shall be required by the Board of Supervisors in those cases where it is deemed necessary for proper drainage.

All curbs shall be of the vertical type. Adequate provision shall be made for driveway entrances.

All curbs shall be constructed of Class A cement concrete as specified by PennDOT Publication 408, latest edition, or of granite, as required by the Board of Supervisors. Curbs shall be constructed to the dimensions shown in the Appendix.[2]

[2]

Editor's Note: See Appendix B, Streets and Driveway Specifications, which is attached to this chapter.

Concrete curbing.

Curbing shall be constructed in ten-foot lengths. A premolded bituminous-impregnated 1/2-inch expansion joint shall be placed between sections of curbing at intervals of not more than 30 feet.

Depressed curbs at driveways shall be between one and 1/2 inch above the finished street surface. Pipes, grates, wood planks, or other materials shall not be placed in the gutter to form a driveway ramp.

Where it is necessary to replace existing vertical curbs with depressed curbing, ten-foot-long sections of existing vertical curb shall be removed down to the subgrade 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 will be repaired to new condition.

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 in a neat manner with a power saw equipped with a proper masonry-cutting blade.

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-section 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.

Granite curbing.

Granite curbing shall be in blocks with a minimum height of 10 inches, minimum top width of four inches, minimum base width of four inches, and a maximum length of five feet. Base width shall not be less than top width. Reveal shall not be less than four inches nor greater than six inches, nor greater than 1/2 times the block height. Blocks shall be separated by a mortar joint no less than one-half-inch wide.

Depressed curbs at driveways shall have a reveal not less than 1/2 inch nor greater than one inch and a total height of not less than 6.5 inches. Pipes, grates, wood planks, or other materials shall not be placed in the gutter to form a driveway ramp.

Sidewalks/walking paths.

Concrete or paved sidewalks or walking paths shall be required along all streets or within common open space or recreational areas within a subdivision or to provide pedestrian linkage and access to adjacent tracts and developments.

Sidewalks shall be required along all streets within 1,000 feet of and leading to a school and at other locations deemed by the Board of Supervisors to be necessary for the safety and convenience of the public.

Sidewalks or walking paths shall be placed within the street right-of-way parallel to and a minimum of six feet from the street line or within a specially designated right-of-way or easement. Gradient and paving of all sidewalks or walking paths shall be continuous across all private driveways. Sidewalks or walking paths located within the street right-of-way shall be maintained by the abutting property owner. Sidewalk or walking path maintenance shall be the responsibility of the owner of the property traversed by the sidewalk or walking path when located within a specially designated right-of-way or easement. Maintenance includes but is not necessarily limited to snow removal, repair of cracks, and replacement of deteriorated sections.

[Amended 12-26-2001 by Ord. No. 112]

Sidewalks or walking paths shall be not less than four feet in width. Concrete sidewalks shall be no less than four inches in thickness, except for crossing driveways, where the minimum thickness shall be six inches and shall be constructed of plant mix certified to 3,000 pounds per square inch at 28 days. Paved sidewalks or walking paths shall be constructed in accordance with the specifications contained in § 315-38B of this chapter. Gravel walking paths shall be constructed in accordance with the specifications contained in § 315-48 of this chapter.

Finished grading. The finished grading for a street or cul-de-sac shall extend across all disturbed soils. The maximum slope between the right-of-way line and the top of the curb, or edge of the cartway if there is no curb, shall be one inch per foot, except that sidewalk or walking path paving shall slope 0.25 inch per foot as a maximum, unless otherwise directed by the Board of Supervisors.

§ 315-45 Bridges and culverts.

Bridges and culverts shall be designed to meet the requirements and approval of the Township Engineer with regard to design, adequacy and location. In all cases a culvert or bridge shall extend for the full width of the right-of-way. All culverts and bridges not under Department of Environmental Protection control shall be designed for a fifty-year storm. Culverts shall be of reinforced concrete or ABS plastic (smooth-lined). Corrugated metal pipe shall be prohibited.

Wherever the drainage area of the watercourse involved consists of more than 100 acres, a permit shall be obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Waterways Engineering and Wetlands, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in conformance with Chapter 105 of the rules and regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection (Title 25 Pa. Code). Such permit shall be submitted to the Board of Supervisors, who shall make appropriate notation of receipt of same upon, and prior to approval of, the preliminary plan and upon the Township copy of such plan.

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]

§ 315-46 Seeding and landscaping.

Landscaping, buffering and screening shall be provided under all those circumstances stipulated by § 390-139 of Chapter 390, Zoning, of the Township's Code in addition to the standards contained in this section.

Buffers shall be provided along the rear of reverse-frontage lots.

The plant material used to create the buffer shall be a minimum of six feet in height at the time of planting and shall be planted in a staggered arrangement in order to provide an immediate effect. Deciduous and semideciduous shrubs may be used with evergreens to provide an immediate effect and to provide accent and color. It is recommended that a landscape architect licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania be employed to ensure the proper use and arrangement of plant materials and to provide an aesthetically pleasing effect.

Earthen berms may be incorporated into the landscaping plan along public road frontage and along property lines abutting existing dwellings.

Evergreen species approved for buffers include, but are not limited to, the following:

White pine	Pinus strobus
Canadian hemlock	Tsuga canadensis
Carolina hemlock	Tsuga caroliniana

For developments located in the (VCR) Village Center Residential District and/or the (VCC) Village Center Commercial District of Chapter 390, Zoning, a landscaped buffer with a minimum distance of 100 feet between lot lines and the perimeter property lines of the tract shall be required.

§ 315-47 Recreation and open space requirements.

The Board of Supervisors may require that portions of a subdivision be set aside for parks, playgrounds or other public uses. Areas set aside for recreational or school purposes shall be reasonably compact parcels, placed to serve all parts of the subdivision, accessible from a public street, and not excessively irregular in terrain.

Play lots for children of preschool age shall be at least 2,000 square feet in area.

Land set-asides for public recreational use and "fee in lieu" of open space alternatives. Applicants for new residential developments shall be required to set aside 5,000 square feet of land for each proposed new dwelling unit as undivided recreational land designated for public usage. Such land shall be suitable for active and/or passive recreation, with at least half the land suitable for active sports where such facilities are required by the Board. In lieu of a set-aside for public usage, two alternatives exist for the applicant proposing subdivision:

[Amended 12-26-2001 by Ord. No. 112]

The applicant may offer a set-aside limited to recreational usage by the residents of the proposed subdivision. If land is set aside in this manner for private recreational use, it shall also be permanently protected through a conservation easement enforceable by the Township and/or a land trust prohibiting future nonrecreational (or commercial recreational) uses.

The applicant may offer to pay a fee to the Township in lieu of any recreational land set aside. Situations in which it would be appropriate for the Township to accept such offers include cases where the land would not provide a particular public benefit because of its small size or location. Exceptions to this rule, where public use of relatively small land areas would still be appropriate, include situations in which the land could be used to buffer or extend public parks or public school grounds or could provide potential linkage in a future Township trail network. The decision whether to accept a fee-in-lieu offer by the applicant shall lie with the Board of Supervisors, which shall also establish the amount of the fee in lieu, based upon the Township's estimated cost of acquiring land that is similar in area and attributes which would better serve public recreational needs. In appraising alternative sites, the Township shall be guided by the site selection criteria contained in its Recreation and Open Space Plan. Such estimates shall be based on discussions with realtors or appraisers familiar with land values in the Township. Any fees established shall be payable prior to issuance of building permits for the development.

All fees collected in lieu of land shall be kept in an interest-bearing Township open space capital reserve fund, which shall be used only for the acquisition of open space land or capital improvements for open space and park and recreation purposes within the Township at locations consistent with the open space plans of the Township.

In Tier I and II subdivisions involving fewer than 10 dwelling units where, in the judgment of the Board, there would be no particular public benefit accruing from a public dedication (as described above) or from a set-aside for shared private recreational usage among the subdivision lot owners, the applicant may offer to place a conservation easement on certain areas of land within individual house lots where certain environmentally-sensitive features are present, without conferring common access rights or privileges for the subdivision residents or the broader public. The percentage of land that is thus protected shall generally be not less than 20% of the gross land area of the subdivision. This land may be access-restricted not only from the public but also from other residents in the subdivision.

In Tier III and IV subdivisions with fewer than 10 dwelling units, where there would be no particular benefit accruing from a public dedication (as described above), the recreational land that is part of the requirement for undivided open space shall be designated for private shared recreational usage among the subdivision lot owners.

Land set-asides for public recreational use and any fee in lieu required under this section shall be in addition to and shall not include any greenway lands required for any development in accordance with § 390-123.

[Added 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 197]

§ 315-48 Trails.

To preserve a unique feature and an important component of the Township circulation, open space and recreation systems and the Township rural character, applicants shall make provisions for the continued recreational use of trails when a subdivision or land development proposal is traversed by or abuts an existing trail customarily used by pedestrians and/or equestrians in accordance with the following standards:

Trail use is a privilege not a right. Abuse of this privilege by any trail user may restrict or result in the loss of this privilege.

Trails shall be intended for Township residents and their guests and not for commercial purposes, unless specifically granted by the landowner.

The applicant may alter the course of the trail within the tract for which development is proposed under the following conditions:

The points at which the trail enters and exits the tract remain unchanged, if practical.

The proposed alteration exhibits quality trail design according to generally accepted principles of landscape architecture. The Township recommends the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources publication titled "Pennsylvania Trail Design and Development Principles, Guidelines for Sustainable Nonmotorized Trails."

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]