[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
No regulated earth disturbance activities within the municipality shall commence until approval by the municipality of the BMP operations and maintenance plan which describes how the permanent (e.g., post-construction) stormwater BMPs will be properly operated and maintained.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
1. 
The BMP operations and maintenance plan for the project site shall establish responsibilities for the continuing operation and maintenance of all permanent stormwater BMPs, as follows:
A. 
If a plan proposes municipal ownership or maintenance of any or all, and ownership of any or all of the BMP facilities, a detailed operations and maintenance plan, including any required access easement(s) and a detailed annual maintenance cost schedule shall be provided.
B. 
If a plan proposes private ownership or maintenance of any or all, and ownership of any or all of the BMP facilities, a detailed operations and maintenance plan, with detailed annual maintenance costs, along with responsible entities, shall be provided.
C. 
Any plan which proposes both municipal and private ownership and/or maintenance of any or all of the BMP facilities shall include a separate, color coded sheet which depicts the ownership and maintenance responsibilities proposed for each entity in separate, distinct colors.
D. 
The municipality shall make the final determination on the continuing operations and maintenance responsibilities. The municipality reserves the right to accept or reject the operations and maintenance responsibility for any or all of the stormwater BMPs.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
It shall be unlawful to alter or remove any permanent stormwater BMP required by an approved BMP operations and maintenance plan or to allow the property to remain in a condition which does not conform to an approved BMP operations and maintenance plan unless an exception is granted in writing by the municipality.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
1. 
The applicant and property owner shall sign an operations and maintenance agreement with the municipality covering all stormwater BMPs that are to be privately owned. The agreement shall be in a form prepared by the municipality's solicitor.
2. 
Items in addition to the stormwater BMPs shall be included in the operations and maintenance agreement where determined by the municipality to be reasonable or necessary to guarantee the satisfactory operation and maintenance of all permanent stormwater BMPs. The agreement shall be in a form prepared by the municipality's solicitor.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
Stormwater management easements shall be provided by the applicant and property owner if necessary for access for inspections and maintenance or for preservation of stormwater conveyance, infiltration, detention areas and other BMPs by persons other than the property owner. The purpose of the easement shall be specified in any agreement under § 23-704. The easement(s) shall be by deed of dedication in a form acceptable to the municipality's solicitor and shall be accompanied by an opinion of record title, in form acceptable to the municipality's solicitor, prepared by applicant's counsel (who must not be affiliated with the developer, must be licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and must maintain an office in Pennsylvania), to satisfy the municipality's solicitor that all easements, as conveyed, are free and clear of liens and encumbrances that could adversely affect the municipality's ownership or use thereof.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
1. 
The municipality or its designated representative shall record the following documents in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds for Northampton County, concurrently with the recording of the applicable subdivision and development plan and improvements agreement.
A. 
The approved operations and maintenance plan or a summary thereof
B. 
The approved and executed operations and maintenance agreements under § 23-704.
C. 
The approved easements under § 23-705.
2. 
The municipality will not record approved subdivision/land development plans until all documents required above are available for recordation.
3. 
The applicant/owner shall reimburse the municipality for all expenses related to the processing and recording of the above documents.
[Ord. 2014-03, 9/8/2014]
1. 
If stormwater BMPs are proposed to be accepted by the municipality for dedication, the applicant shall pay a specified amount to the Municipal Stormwater BMP Operations and Maintenance Fund to help defray costs of operations and maintenance activities. (It is noted that the municipality is under no obligation to accept dedication of the BMPs and may decide whether or not to accept dedication in its sole and absolute discretion.) The amount shall be determined as follows:
A. 
If the BMP(s) is to be owned and maintained by the municipality, the amount shall cover the estimated costs for operation and maintenance in perpetuity, as determined by the municipality. The cost shall include but not be limited to, cleaning of snouts, cutting of grass, replacement of structures following their useful lives, etc.
B. 
The amount shall then be converted to present worth utilizing an anticipated rate of return of 2%.
C. 
The perpetual maintenance fee shall be paid to the municipality prior to the recording of any record plan of subdivision or land development submitted by the applicant in connection with the drainage plan for which approval is sought.
2. 
If stormwater BMPs are to be maintained by the applicant, subsequent lot owner(s), homeowners' association(s) or other nonpublic entity, the applicant shall establish a stormwater BMP Operation and Maintenance Funding Program to the satisfaction of the municipality to ensure that the person or entity responsible for maintenance is financially capable of maintaining the BMPs.
A. 
If maintenance and operation is to be assigned to one or more lot owners (but not an association), the applicant shall submit an estimated annual maintenance cost to the municipality. The required maintenance program to be assumed by the lot owner(s) must be approved by the municipality. The municipality reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to approve of BMP maintenance programs which are proposed to be assigned to four lot owners or less. If the approved annual estimate of the operation and maintenance costs exceeds $500, the municipality may require the applicant to pay a fee to the municipality pursuant to Subsection 1 to be used to offset the maintenance costs of the lot owners.
B. 
If a homeowners' association or similar entity is established, the association formation documents (i.e., the declaration) shall be provided to the Township Solicitor for review and approval prior to recording. The formation documents must clearly describe the maintenance, operation and funding mechanism relative to the perpetual operation and maintenance of the BMPs. The association formation documents shall also include provisions requiring the establishment of a segregated capital improvements fund for stormwater BMP maintenance. The association or similar entity shall provide annual audits to the municipality within 45 days of the close of the association's or similar entity's fiscal year. Access to the segregated capital improvements fund shall be limited to maintenance of the BMPs only and for no other purpose. The municipality shall be given the right to access the segregated capital improvements fund. In the event the funds from segregated capital improvements fund are expended, the association or similar entity shall specially assess all members to replenish the segregated capital improvements fund. Until the association's segregated capital improvements fund is adequately funded, as determined by the municipality in its sole discretion, the applicant shall provide security to the municipality in the form of an irrevocable letter of credit to cover operation and maintenance costs.
C. 
In the event the lot owner(s) or association fails to perform any duty or maintenance obligation as required under this chapter, the Township shall have the right to require the lot owner(s) or association to perform such obligation by notifying the lot owner(s) or association in writing. In the event the lot owner(s) or association shall fail to undertake such performance within 30 days of receipt of the aforesaid notice from the Township, the Township shall have the right to undertake such performance and charge the lot owner(s) or association therefor; provided, however, that the Township shall not be obligated to wait for the expiration of such thirty-day period if the Township determines that an emergency exists. No action taken by the Township shall be deemed in any way to relieve the lot owner(s) or association from the performance of its obligations under this chapter, to obligate the Township to perform such service on a regular basis, and/or to be deemed an acceptance by the Township of such BMPs.
(1) 
If an association is responsible for maintenance, payment for such services or repairs shall be made to the Township from any funds under the control of the association for any purpose.
(2) 
In the event the lot owner(s) or association fails to reimburse the Township within 30 days of receipt of a written bill for such assessment or if funds received from the lot owner(s) or association are insufficient to fully reimburse the Township, the Township shall have the right, after first providing written notice to the lot owner(s) or association and the owners, to assess the lot owner(s) or association and the owners directly, in accordance with their respective percentage interests, for their proportionate share of such cost or deficiency. Each such assessment shall be an assessment hereunder which each owner has covenanted and agreed to pay in accordance with the provisions of Part 7 hereof, and shall entitle the Township to the same enforcement rights and remedies afforded to the association for delinquent and unpaid assessments, including, without limitation, the right to record a lien upon the unit against which such assessment is made. Each such assessment, together with interest and the cost of collection thereof (including but not limited to reasonable fees for legal counsel and court costs), in addition to a fee of up to 20% of the maintenance expenses incurred by the Township as an administrative fee, shall also be the joint and several personal obligations of the owners of the unit at the time the assessment fell due and a continuing lien against such unit even if title to the unit shall change.
D. 
No association which is responsible for maintenance of BMPs may dissolve without the express consent of the Township.
3. 
If stormwater BMPs are to be maintained by the applicant, subsequent lot owner(s), homeowners' association(s) or other nonpublic entity, the applicant shall not propose any BMPs within any area intended for dedication to the Township (other than easements described in this chapter), such as a public road right-of-way. All privately owned and maintained BMPs must be located outside of municipal property.