The purpose of this optional plan is to provide an opportunity for the applicant/developer and the Borough Planning Commission to review the intended subdivision or land development plan prior to preparation of extensive engineering drawings and to allow for comments and recommended modifications prior to preparation of a preliminary plan. A sketch plan is not required for any subdivision and shall not constitute an official submission to the Borough.
A. 
The sketch plan shall generally contain the location of property lines, existing physical features, approximate topography from United States Coast and Geodetic Survey data, all existing and proposed rights-of-way and a general outline of the intended subdivision or land development scheme.
B. 
The sketch plan may be submitted to the Borough and, after the required fees have been paid, shall be transmitted to the Borough Planning Commission.
C. 
A minimum of 10 prints of the sketch plan shall be submitted to the Borough Planning Commission for review by its members. It is not necessary to submit a copy of the sketch plan to the Bucks County Planning Commission.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The subdivider shall submit 20 copies of the preliminary plans. One additional copy of the plans is required if the site is within the Borough of Chalfont Historic District. The Police Chief of the Central Bucks Regional Police Department, Fire Marshal and Roadmaster shall each be sent one copy of the set of plans by the Borough Secretary. The subdivider shall also submit one copy of the Borough application form, one copy of the Bucks County Planning Commission application form, one copy of the plan review checklist and one copy of the deed for the subject property to the Borough Secretary, accompanied by a fee as hereinafter stipulated. Initial plans for tracts and subsequent plans not in conformity with previously approved preliminary plans shall be considered preliminary plans. If the submission is complete in all respects, including the payment of all fees, the application will be date-stamped and forwarded to the appropriate Borough staff, Borough Planning Commission, County Planning Commission and Borough Council. On receipt of the plans, the Borough Secretary shall forward one copy to the Engineer and six copies to the Borough Planning Commission (one copy for the County Commission). Copies of the supporting data shall be transmitted to the Planning Commission and the Engineer. In order to be placed on the agenda of the Borough Planning Commission meeting, the complete application and supporting documents must be date-stamped by the Borough 15 business days prior to the Planning Commission meeting.
A. 
The Borough Manager shall have such plans reviewed with respect to their general conformity or lack of conformity with Chapter 440, Zoning; Chapter 180, Construction Codes, Uniform; Chapter 345, Solid Waste, and other pertinent ordinances and regulations of the Borough. He shall report the findings to the Borough Planning Commission.
B. 
The Engineer shall review such plans and report on their general feasibility as regards storm and sanitary drainage, utility connections and such other technical matters as may seem pertinent. He shall report his findings to the Borough Planning Commission.
C. 
If the proposed development is wholly or partially in the Borough of Chalfont Historic District, the Manager shall cause a copy of the plan to be provided to the Borough of Chalfont Historic and Architectural Review Board for its review and recommendation.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also § 237-6A, Advisory role, of Ch. 237, Historic Preservation.
D. 
The Borough Zoning Officer shall ascertain whether a plan also conforms to the details of zoning (Chapter 440), health, building (Chapter 180), and other pertinent ordinances, codes and regulations and whether any necessary exceptions or variances thereto have been officially authorized by the various boards and commissions having jurisdiction thereon. The Zoning Officer shall then transmit his findings to the Borough Planning Commission.
E. 
The Borough Planning Commission shall review such plans as regards their functional design and general layout with regard to nearby streets and community facilities. The Commission shall consult with the staff of the County Planning Commission and shall consult also with the Borough Manager and the Engineer on any modifications it may wish to recommend in the design of the subdivision. The Planning Commission shall discuss the plan with the subdivider or give him reasonable opportunity to be heard. The Borough Planning Commission shall report its findings and those of the Engineer, the Manager and the County Planning Commission staff to the Borough Council or a committee thereof. The Commission shall transmit to the Borough Council a copy of the plan showing any modification which it recommends. The review process for all preliminary plan applications shall require no more than 90 days following the date of application, which is determined as the date of the regular meeting of the Borough Planning Commission next following the date that a complete application, including all required plans, documents, application forms, required fees and studies, is filed; provided that, should the next regular meeting occur more than 30 days following the filing of a complete application, the ninety-day period shall be measured from the 30th day following the day that the complete application was filed. Said ninety-day period may be extended where the subdivider or land developer agree, in writing, to an extension of time. The decision of the Borough shall be in writing and shall be communicated to the applicant personally or mailed to him at his last known address not later than 15 days following the decision. When the application is not approved, the decision shall specify the reasons therefor, citing the provisions of the statute or ordinance relied upon. When the application is approved with conditions, the specific conditions to be met by the final plan shall be stated.
F. 
The Borough Council shall approve the plans, disapprove them or approve them subject to specified conditions. Such action shall be noted on three copies of the plans, one copy of which shall be filed with the Engineer, one copy with the Borough Planning Commission and one copy with the subdivider. The Borough Secretary shall notify the staff of the County Planning Commission of the action taken by the Council and may transmit to said staff the fourth copy of the plans to illustrate the modifications, if any, required by the Council. The Borough may approve plans subject to conditions which may require the consent of the applicant, in which event the applicant shall advise the Borough Council prior to the final vote by the Borough Council on the plan as to whether he accepts or rejects said conditions.
G. 
After preliminary plans have been approved, the Council may authorize the issuance of building permits for sample homes as it deems proper. Furthermore, in the case of small subdivisions involving no new streets, the Council may, at its discretion, approve the plans as final plans and authorize the preparation of a copy for recording.
After preliminary plans have been approved or conditionally approved, the subdivider shall submit to the Borough Manager 20 copies of his final plans. Submittal of plans shall be accompanied by payment of a fee as hereinafter stipulated. The Secretary shall transmit two copies of the plans to the Borough Planning Commission (one for the County Planning Commission) and one copy of the plans, with street and utility plans and profiles and the statement of the type of buildings to be erected, to the Engineer. The Secretary shall transmit the remaining copies of plans to the Council, along with the Engineer's and Planning Commission's reports.
A. 
The Borough Planning Commission shall review the plans for conformity with the previously approved preliminary plans as to general layout and design. If the plan is found to be in conformity with the preliminary plans, the Borough Planning Commission shall notify the Engineer to proceed with technical review. The Commission shall notify the Borough Manager of its findings and return to him its copy of the final plans. If the plans are found not to be in conformity with the preliminary plans, the Commission shall report this finding to the Council and to the Engineer, and the Borough Manager shall advise the subdivider of the points of nonconformity. The Planning Commission shall also review comments from the Borough of Chalfont Historic and Architectural Review Board if the development is within the Borough of Chalfont Historic District.
B. 
The Engineer shall review conforming plans for technical compliance with pertinent Borough regulations and ordinances relating to construction standards and specifications. He shall estimate the cost of construction and installation of required public improvements and shall report his findings to the Borough Manager. He shall review nonconforming plans only when instructed to do so by the Borough Council.
C. 
The Borough Manager shall ascertain whether a plan also conforms to the details of zoning (Chapter 440), health, building (Chapter 180), and other pertinent ordinances, codes and regulations and whether any necessary exceptions or variances thereto have been officially authorized by the various boards and commissions having jurisdiction thereon. The Borough Manager shall also obtain from the Borough Solicitor certification that the financial guaranties required by the Borough are in proper legal form and duly executed. The Borough Manager shall then transmit the plans and report his findings to the Council. No plans which will require access to a highway under the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation shall be finally approved unless the plan contains a notice that a highway occupancy permit is required pursuant to Section 420 of the Act of June 1, 1945 (P.L. 1242, No. 248), known as the "State Highway Law,"[1] before driveway access to a state highway is permitted.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 36 P.S. § 670-101 et seq.
D. 
The Council shall act on the plans, either to approve them or disapprove them, and its action shall be noted on the face of the plans over the signature of the presiding officer, attested by the Borough Secretary. The review process for all final plan applications shall require no more than 90 days following the date of application, which is determined as the date of the regular meeting of the Borough Planning Commission next following the date that a complete application, including all required plans, documents, application forms, required fees and studies, is filed; provided that, should the next regular meeting occur more than 30 days following the filing of a complete application, the ninety-day period shall be measured from the 30th day following the day that the complete application was filed. Said ninety-day period may be extended where the subdivider or land developer agree, in writing, to an extension of time. The decision of the Borough shall be in writing and shall be communicated to the applicant personally or mailed to him at his last known address not later than 15 days following the decision. When the application is not approved, the decision shall specify the reasons therefor, citing the provisions of the statute or ordinance relied upon.
E. 
Adequate guaranty for construction and maintenance of required public improvements shall consist of a performance bond or other guaranty acceptable to the Borough Solicitor for the satisfactory construction and installation of all required public improvements and for the restoration of all existing streets affected by the proposed construction in accordance with the requirement of law. The amount of such bond shall be determined in accordance with § 370-10A of this chapter.
F. 
Four copies of the approved plan on linen or Mylar paper shall be filed with the Borough, along with two copies in digital format (.dwg). One copy of the linen or Mylar may be returned to the subdivider.
The Borough Solicitor shall record a copy of the approved final plans in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of Bucks County within 90 days after the date of approval set forth in Article III hereof.
Application fees for subdivisions and land development shall be paid to the Borough Secretary by the applicant at the time of filing a plan, in accordance with the Borough Fee Schedule.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The current Fee Schedule is on file in the Borough offices.