[Amended 10-11-1999 by Ord. No. 102; 6-10-2002 by Ord. No. 117]
A. 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).
B. 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.
C. Lot lines shall be substantially perpendicular or radial to street
lines.
D. 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.
E. Wherever possible, lot lines shall follow municipal boundaries in
order to avoid jurisdictional problems.
F. 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.
G. 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.
[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.
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.
A. Paving.
[Amended 6-20-2016 by Ord. No. 170]
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) 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.
(4) 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.
(5) 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.
(6) 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.
(7) 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.
B. Curbing.
(1) Curbing shall be required by the Board of Supervisors in those cases
where it is deemed necessary for proper drainage.
(2) All curbs shall be of the vertical type. Adequate provision shall
be made for driveway entrances.
(3) 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.
(4) Concrete curbing.
(a)
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.
(b)
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.
(c)
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.
(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 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-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.
(5) Granite curbing.
(a)
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.
(b)
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.
C. Sidewalks/walking paths.
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) 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]
(4) 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.
D. 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.
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:
A. 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.
B. Trails shall be intended for Township residents and their guests
and not for commercial purposes, unless specifically granted by the
landowner.
C. The applicant may alter the course of the trail within the tract
for which development is proposed under the following conditions:
(1) The points at which the trail enters and exits the tract remain unchanged,
if practical.
(2) 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)]
(3) The proposed alteration does not run coincidentally with a paved
road intended for use by motorized vehicles.
D. Trail location, design and use shall be consistent with the Township
Open Space and Recreation Plan and Township Trail Plan.
E. Where feasible, trails shall be located within common open space
areas.
F. No trail shall be designed with the intent to accommodate motorized
vehicles.
G. Trail easements for public use may be credited toward the open space requirements described in §
315-47 of this chapter.
H. An applicant may propose and develop a new trail. If said trail is available for use by the general public and connects with an existing trail, the easement for said trail may be credited toward the open space requirement described in §
315-47 of this chapter and shall be eligible for a discretionary density bonus. The applicant shall be responsible to construct or install any new trail as part of the improvements for the development prior to the issuance of any use and occupancy permits. The costs of such trail improvements shall be included in the escrow agreement for the development.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
I. Where feasible, new trails shall connect to existing trails, open
space or recreation areas on adjacent tracts.
J. Improvements to trails shall demonstrate adherence to principles
of quality trail design, enhancing the enjoyment of the rural qualities
of the Township. The costs of such improvements shall be included
in the escrow agreement for the subdivision or development.
K. If necessary, trails shall be screened from adjacent dwellings in accordance with the requirements contained in §
390-139B of Chapter
390, Zoning, of the Township's Code. Such screening shall be completed as part of the improvements required of the subdivision or land development.
L. Trails shall have a vertical clearance of no less than 10 feet.
M. Trails shall be located in an easement or right-of-way with a minimum
width of 10 feet.
N. Width of the trail surface may vary depending upon type of use to
be accommodated, but in no case shall be less than three feet or greater
than six feet.
O. Trails and their easements shall be dedicated to the public sector,
donated to a land trust or private conservation organization, or placed
under the care of a community association in order to assure continuing
maintenance of the trail and trail easement. Alternatively, a trail
may be maintained by the abutting property owner, but only upon the
request of the said property owner and with the approval of the Board
of Supervisors.
P. The Township may, but shall not be required to, accept dedication
of a trail easement, provided: 1) such trail is accessible to the
residents of the Township; 2) there is no cost of acquisition (other
than any costs incidental to the transfer of ownership); and 3) the
Township agrees to and has access to maintain such trail. Trail easements
accepted for dedication to the Township shall qualify the applicant
for a discretionary density bonus.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
Q. All trail easements or rights-of-way shall be clearly shown on the
approved subdivision plans and recorded on all lot deeds with the
County Recorder of Deeds office.
Historic features and other points of interest shall be preserved and may be credited toward greenway or open space requirements in accordance with the standards contained in Article
XXV of Chapter
390, Zoning, of the Township's Code and under the following additional conditions:
A. The feature being preserved shall be listed upon a Township, county,
state, and/or national roster or inventory of features, monuments
or places of historic or general interest, or the applicant shall
be some other means demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board of
Supervisors that the said feature is of sufficient public interest
to warrant preservation. Features may include, but shall not necessarily
be limited to: historically, culturally or architecturally significant
buildings, monuments or sites; unique or historic landscape elements,
such as historic gardens or Penn oaks; archaeological sites; and any
other feature which shall be deemed by the Board of Supervisors to
be of historic or cultural value to the Township.
B. The feature shall be situated upon a tract of land of sufficient
size to preserve an impression, although not necessarily the exact
condition, of the environs of the said feature prior to construction
of the proposed development. The amount of credit toward open space
requirements shall be equivalent to the size of this tract.
C. The feature shall not be moved unless deemed necessary by the Board
of Supervisors to protect public safety and/or to facilitate preservation
of the feature.
D. The developer may be required to provide interpretive signage explaining
the significance of the feature.
E. The feature and the tract upon which it is located shall be maintained
by the owner of the tract, a community association, a public agency
or a private conservation group, which shall be responsible for the
maintenance of the feature and its grounds.
F. The developer shall be responsible for improvements to the site deemed
necessary by the Board of Supervisors to protect public safety.
G. The Township shall maintain a permanent record of all historic features
which have been credited to open space requirements as well as the
amount of land per feature so credited.
H. If potential or actual archaeological resources have been identified,
phase I and II archaeological studies shall be required or the area
of the resource shall be deed-restricted against any excavation or
construction activities until such studies are completed.