[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
For any of the regulated activities of this chapter, prior to the preliminary approval of subdivision and/or land development plans, or the issuance of any permit, or the commencement of any regulated earth disturbance activity, the owner, subdivider, developer or his agent shall submit a drainage plan and receive municipal approval of the plan.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
1. 
The following items shall be included in the drainage plan:
A. 
General.
(1) 
General description of project.
(2) 
General description of proposed permanent stormwater controls.
(3) 
The name and address of the project site, the name and address of the owner of the property and the name of the individual or firm preparing the drainage plan.
B. 
Map(s) of the Project Area Showing:
(1) 
The location of the project relative to highways, municipalities or other identifiable landmarks.
(2) 
Existing contours at intervals of two feet. In areas of steep slopes (greater than 15%), five-foot contour intervals may be used. Off-site drainage areas impacting the project including topographic detail.
(3) 
Streams, lakes, ponds or other bodies of water within the project area.
(4) 
Other features including flood hazard boundaries, existing drainage swales, wetlands, closed depressions, sinkholes and areas of natural vegetation to be preserved.
(5) 
Locations of proposed underground utilities, sewers and water lines. The locations of all existing and proposed utilities, sanitary sewers and water lines within 50 feet of property lines of the project site.
(6) 
An overlay showing soil types and boundaries based on the Northampton County Soil Survey, as applicable, latest edition. Any hydric soils present on the site should be identified as such.
(7) 
An overlay showing geologic types, boundaries and any special geologic features present on the site.
(8) 
Proposed changes to land surface and vegetative cover.
(9) 
Proposed structures, roads, paved areas and buildings.
(10) 
Final contours at intervals of two feet. In areas of steep slopes (greater than 15%), five-foot contour intervals may be used.
(11) 
Stormwater management district boundaries applicable to the site.
(12) 
Clear identification of the location and nature of permanent stormwater BMPs.
(13) 
An adequate access easement around all stormwater BMPs that would provide municipal ingress to and egress from a public right-of-way.
(14) 
A schematic showing all tributaries contributing flow to the site and all existing man-made features beyond the property boundary that would be affected by the project.
(15) 
The location of all public water supply wells within 400 feet of the project and all private water supply wells within 100 feet of the project.
C. 
Stormwater Management Controls and BMPs.
(1) 
All stormwater management controls and BMPs shall be shown on a map and described, including:
(a) 
Groundwater recharge methods such as seepage pits, beds or trenches. When these structures are used, the locations of septic tank infiltration areas and wells shall be shown.
(b) 
Other control devices or methods such as rooftop storage, semipervious paving materials, grass swales, parking lot ponding, vegetated strips, detention or retention ponds, storm sewers, etc.
(2) 
All calculations, assumptions and criteria used in the design of the BMPs shall be shown.
(3) 
All site testing data used to determine the feasibility of infiltration on a site.
(4) 
All details and specifications for the construction of the stormwater management controls and BMPs.
D. 
The BMP operations and management plan, as required in Part 7, describing how each permanent stormwater BMP will be operated and maintained and the identity of the person(s) responsible for operations and maintenance. A statement must be included, signed by the landowner, acknowledging that the stormwater BMPs are fixtures that cannot be altered or removed without approval by the municipality.
E. 
An existing resources and site analysis plan that describes the following:
(1) 
The extent to which the proposed grading and impervious cover avoid disturbance of significant environmental resources and preserve existing site hydrology.
(2) 
An assessment of whether alternative grading and impervious cover site design could lessen the disturbance of significant environmental resources and/or make better use of the site hydrologic resources.
(3) 
A description of how the proposed stormwater management controls and BMPs serve to mitigate any adverse impacts on environmental resources on the site.
(4) 
Significant environmental resources considered in the site design assessment include, but are not limited to, steep slopes, ponds, lakes, streams, wetlands, hydric soils, floodplains, riparian vegetation, native vegetation and special geologic features.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
1. 
For regulated activities specified in § 23-105, Subsections 1 and 2:
A. 
The drainage plan shall be submitted by the developer to the municipal secretary (or other appropriate person) as part of the preliminary plan submission for the subdivision or land development.
B. 
Four copies of the drainage plan shall be submitted.
C. 
Distribution of the drainage plan will be as follows:
(1) 
One copy to the municipal governing body.
(2) 
One copy to the municipal engineer.
(3) 
Two copies to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, except for drainage plans involving less than 10,000 square feet of additional impervious cover.
D. 
Drainage plans involving more than 10,000 square feet of additional impervious cover shall be submitted by the developer to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission as part of the preliminary plan submission. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission will conduct an advisory review of the drainage plan for consistency with the Lower Mount Bethel Township Act 167 Stormwater Management Plan. The LVPC will not review details of the erosion and sedimentation plan or the BMP operations and maintenance plan.
(1) 
Two copies of the drainage plan shall be submitted.
(2) 
The LVPC will provide written comments to the developer and the municipality, within a time frame consistent with established procedures under the Municipalities Planning Code,[1] as to whether the drainage plan has been found to be consistent with the stormwater management plan.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
2. 
For regulated activities specified in § 23-105, Subsections 3 and 4, the drainage plan shall be submitted by the developer to the municipal building permit officer as part of the building permit application.
3. 
For regulated activities specified in § 23-105, Subsections 5, 6, and 7:
A. 
The drainage plan shall be submitted by the developer to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission for coordination with the DEP permit application process under Chapter 105 (Dam Safety and Waterway Management), Chapter 106 (Floodplain Management) of DEP's Rules and Regulations and the NPDES regulations.
B. 
One copy of the drainage plan shall be submitted.
4. 
Earthmoving for all regulated activities under § 23-105 shall be conducted in accordance with the current federal and state regulations relative to the NPDES and DEP Chapter 102 regulations.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
1. 
The municipality shall review the drainage plan, including the BMP operations and maintenance plan, for consistency with the adopted Lower Mount Bethel Township Act 167 Stormwater Management Plan as embodied by this chapter and with any permits issued by DEP. The municipality shall also review the drainage plan against any additional storm drainage provisions contained in the municipal subdivision and land development or zoning ordinance, as applicable.
2. 
The municipality shall notify the applicant in writing whether the drainage plan, including the BMP operations and maintenance plan, is approved.
3. 
The municipality shall not approve any subdivision or land development (regulated activities § 23-105, Subsections 1 and 2) or building permit application (regulated activities § 23-105, Subsections 3 and 4) if the drainage plan has been found to be inconsistent with the stormwater management plan.
4. 
The applicant shall provide an "as-built survey" of all stormwater BMPs. If the "as-built survey" discloses discrepancies with the approved drainage plan, the applicant shall be required to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the municipality, in consultation with the municipality's engineer, that the minimum requirements of this chapter are met by the BMPs constructed in violation of the approved drainage plan. If the applicant is unable to satisfy the municipality, in the municipality's sole and absolute discretion, that the BMPs actually constructed meet the minimum requirements of this chapter, the applicant shall remove the BMPs constructed and shall construct the BMPs consistent with those shown on the approved drainage plan.
5. 
The Township's approval of a drainage plan shall be valid for a period not to exceed two years. If stormwater management facilities included in the approved stormwater management plan have not been constructed, or if an as-built survey of these facilities has not been approved within this two-year time period, then the Township may consider the drainage plan disapproved and may revoke any and all permits. Drainage plans that are considered disapproved by the Township shall be resubmitted in accordance with § 23-406 of this chapter.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
1. 
A modification to a submitted drainage plan for a proposed development site which involves a change in control methods or techniques, or which involves the relocation or redesign of control measures, or which is necessary because soil or other conditions are not as stated on the drainage plan (as determined by the municipality) shall require a resubmission of the modified drainage plan (and fee) consistent with § 23-404 subject to review and approval per § 23-405 of this chapter.
2. 
Following approval of the drainage plan, modifications to the approved drainage plan must be submitted to the Township Engineer for review and approval. If the modification involves a change in control methods or techniques, or which involves the relocation or redesign of control measures, or which is necessary because soil or other conditions are not as stated on the drainage plan (as determined by the municipality), the applicant must obtain approval of the modified drainage plan from the municipality's Board of Supervisors.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
The municipality may hear requests for waivers where it is alleged that the provisions of this chapter inflict unnecessary hardship upon the applicant. The waiver request shall be in writing and accompanied by the requisite fee based upon a fee schedule adopted by the municipality. A copy of the waiver request shall be provided to each of the following: municipality, Municipal Engineer, Municipal Solicitor and Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. The request shall fully document the nature of the alleged hardship.
1. 
The municipality may grant a waiver provided that all of the following findings are made in a given case:
A. 
That there are unique physical circumstances or conditions, including irregularity of lot size or shape, or exceptional topographical or other physical conditions peculiar to the particular property, and that the unnecessary hardship is due to such conditions, and not the circumstances or conditions generally created by the provisions of this chapter in the Stormwater Management District in which the property is located;
B. 
That because of such physical circumstances or conditions, there is no possibility that the property can be developed in strict conformity with the provisions of this chapter, including the "no harm" provisions, and that the authorization of a waiver is therefore necessary to enable the reasonable use of the property;
C. 
That such unnecessary hardship has not been created by the applicant;
D. 
That the waiver, if authorized, will represent the minimum waiver that will afford relief and will represent the least modification possible of the regulation in issue; and
E. 
That financial hardship is not the criteria for granting of a hardship waiver.
2. 
In granting any waiver, the municipality may attach such conditions and safeguards as it may deem necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter. If a hardship waiver is granted, the applicant must still manage the quantity, velocity, direction and quality of resulting storm runoff as is necessary to prevent injury to health, safety or other property.
A. 
For regulated activities described in § 23-105, Subsections 1 and 2, the Board of Supervisors shall hear requests for and decide on hardship waiver requests on behalf of the municipality.
B. 
For regulated activities in § 23-105, Subsections 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the Zoning Hearing Board shall hear requests for and decide on hardship waiver requests on behalf of the municipality.
C. 
The municipality will process all eligible waiver requests in accordance with this section and the provisions of § 23-304, Subsection 21.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
An occupancy permit shall not be issued unless the stormwater management facilities approved for the lot have been installed and found satisfactory to the Township Engineer.