This article sets forth the required submittal, processing and review procedures for all subdivision and/or land development plans. As mentioned later in this article, full-sized drawings shall be considered 24 inches by 36 inches and half-sized drawings 11 inches by 17 inches.
A. 
Prior to formal submittal of a subdivision and/or land development plan, applicants are urged to meet with the Township Planning Commission to present a concept (sketch) plan for the development.
B. 
Applicants desiring to meet with the Township Planning Commission shall notify the Township at least 25 days prior to the meeting at which the concept plan will be presented.
C. 
Applicants shall submit a completed concept plan application form, as provided by the Township, together with a minimum of seven copies of the concept plan, to the duly authorized Township representative not more than 25 days and not less than 10 days prior to the regular meeting of the Township Planning Commission at which the plan will be formally presented.
D. 
The purpose of meeting with the Township Planning Commission is to discuss the impact of the proposal upon the Township, inform the applicant of regulatory constraints upon the proposed development, explain the applicant's responsibility for reimbursing the Township for costs associated with professional consultants' review fees, technical reports, inspections and related services for the plan, and suggest to the applicant the procedures that should be followed to expedite approval of the plan.
E. 
Review and comment on the concept (sketch) plan shall not be subject to any time limit and shall not be binding on any subsequent action of the Township.
A. 
Applicants seeking approval of a residential subdivision of not more than three lots, and which does not require the extension of any streets or public utilities, may, at their discretion, decide not to submit separate preliminary and final plans and instead may elect to concurrently submit a preliminary/final plan.
B. 
Applicants seeking approval of a subdivision plan that only adjusts property lines, and which does not create additional lots or eliminate existing lots, may, at their discretion, decide not to submit separate preliminary and final plans and instead may elect to concurrently submit a preliminary/final plan.
C. 
Applicants seeking approval of a land development plan with less than 5,000 square feet of new building area may request a modification from the requirement that a separate preliminary and final plan be filed, allowing the plan to be concurrently submitted as a preliminary/final plan.
D. 
All other preliminary subdivision and/or land development plan applications shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
E. 
Applicants seeking preliminary approval of subdivision and/or land development plans shall submit a completed preliminary plan application form, as provided by the Township, together with three full-size and 10 half-size copies of the preliminary plan, and the required fee(s), to the duly authorized Township representative not more than 30 days and not less than 20 days prior to the regular meeting of the Township Planning Commission at which the plan will be formally presented.
F. 
The applicant shall attend the scheduled Township Planning Commission meeting and formally present the preliminary plan to the Commission. The Commission shall review the plan as to its conformance with the requirements of this chapter and with other applicable Township regulations. If the Commission is satisfied that all such requirements have been met, it shall formalize its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. The Commission may table its review of the plan if the applicant and/or his representative are not present at the meeting.
G. 
If the Township Planning Commission determines that certain aspects of the preliminary plan as submitted are deficient, the Commission shall inform the applicant of the deficiencies and note the deficiencies in its meeting minutes. The Commission shall offer the applicant an opportunity to revise the plan to correct the deficiencies before the Commission formalizes its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. If the applicant agrees to revise the plan and represent it at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Commission, the Commission may table its review of the plan. If the applicant elects not to revise the plan, the Commission shall complete its review of the plan, as submitted, and formalize its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
H. 
The Township Planning Commission shall forward its recommendations on the plan to the Board of Supervisors.
I. 
The applicant shall submit the preliminary plan to the County Planning Commission for review/comment.
J. 
Upon completion of the County Planning Commission's review, the applicant shall attend and formally present the preliminary plan to the Board of Supervisors at its next regularly scheduled meeting or workshop, at which time the Board may review the plan with the applicant and/or the Board may decide to call and hold a public hearing on the preliminary plan. In either case, the Board shall render a decision on the preliminary plan not later than 90 days following the date of the meeting at which the preliminary plan was initially reviewed by the Planning Commission and not subsequently rejected due to incompleteness. The Board's official decision shall be transmitted, in writing, to the applicant at his last known address not later than 15 days following the Board's decision. If the application is not approved in terms as filed, the decision shall specify any conditions of approval and/or defects found in the application and describe the requirements which have not been met and cite to the provisions of the statute or ordinance relied upon. Failure or refusal by the applicant to accept any/all conditions of approval within 30 days of receipt of the Board's written decision shall constitute disapproval of the preliminary plan.
K. 
Failure of the Board of Supervisors to render a timely decision and/or communicate it to the applicant within the prescribed time or in the manner specified shall be deemed an approval of the application as filed, unless the applicant has agreed, in writing, to an extension of time or change in the manner of notification.
L. 
Preliminary plan approval binds the applicant to the plan as approved. Approval of a preliminary plan shall not be construed to constitute final approval, but only an authorization to proceed with preparation of the final plan application. An approved preliminary plan does not authorize the recording, sale, or transfer of lots, nor shall the plan be recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of Butler County.
M. 
Final plans are required to be submitted to the Township within one year of the date of preliminary plan approval, unless the applicant submits a timely, written, and reasonable request for an extension of time and the request is approved by the Board of Supervisors. Failure to timely submit a complete final plan application package shall render the preliminary plan approval null and void.
A. 
The final plan application may be submitted for all or a part (phase) of the plan given preliminary approval, but the portion submitted shall be consistent in key design elements as identified on the approved preliminary plan, including the location of primary and backup on-lot septic systems where applicable. A key map shall be provided on the final plan showing the location and boundaries of the submitted part (phase) of the overall plan.
B. 
Applicants seeking final plan approval shall submit a completed final plan application form, as provided by the Township, together with three full-size and 10 half-size copies of the final plan and the required fee(s) to the duly authorized Township representative not more than 30 days and not less than 20 days prior to the regular meeting of the Township Planning Commission at which the final plan is to be formally presented.
C. 
The applicant shall attend the scheduled Township Planning Commission meeting and formally present the final plan to the Commission. The Commission shall review the plan as to its conformance with the requirements of this chapter, other applicable Township regulations, and the approved preliminary plan (including conditions of approval). If the Commission is satisfied that all requirements have been met, it shall formalize its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. The Commission may table its review of the plan if the applicant and/or his representative are not present at the meeting.
D. 
If the Township Planning Commission determines that certain aspects of the final plan as submitted are deficient or that the final plan application deviates substantially from the approved preliminary plan, the Commission shall inform the applicant of the deficiencies and/or discrepancies, in writing, and note the deficiencies and/or discrepancies in its meeting minutes. The Commission shall offer the applicant an opportunity to revise the plan to correct the deficiencies and/or discrepancies before the Commission formalizes its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. If the applicant agrees to revise the plan and re-present it at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Commission, the Commission may table its review of the plan. If the applicant elects not to revise the plan, the Commission shall complete its review of the plan, as submitted, and formalize its recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
E. 
The Township Planning Commission shall forward its recommendations on the final plan to the Board of Supervisors, indicating approval, disapproval or approval with conditions.
F. 
Upon completion of the Township Planning Commission's review, the applicant shall submit the final plan to the County Planning Commission for review/comment.
G. 
Upon completion of the County Planning Commission's review, the applicant shall attend and formally present the final plan to the Board of Supervisors at its next regularly scheduled meeting or workshop, at which time the Board may review the final plan with the applicant and/or the Board may decide to call and hold a public hearing on the final plan application. The Board shall render its decision on the final plan within 90 days following the date of the meeting at which the final application was initially reviewed by the Township Planning Commission, and not subsequently rejected due to incompleteness. The official decision shall be transmitted, in writing, to the applicant at his last known address not later than 15 days following the decision. If the application is not approved in terms as filed, the decision shall specify any conditions of approval and/or defects found in the application and describe the requirements which have not been met and cite to the provisions of the statute or ordinance relied upon.
H. 
Failure or refusal by the applicant to accept any/all conditions of approval within 30 days of receipt of the Board's written decision shall constitute disapproval of the final plan.
I. 
Failure or refusal by the applicant to comply with any/all conditions of final plan approval and submit the final plan for certification (i.e., signature) by the Board of Supervisors within one year of the date of the Board's written decision shall constitute disapproval of the final plan.
J. 
Failure of the Board of Supervisors to render a timely decision and/or communicate it to the applicant within the prescribed time or in the manner specified shall be deemed an approval of the application as filed, unless the applicant has agreed, in writing, to an extension of time or change in the manner of notification.
K. 
No final plan shall be approved and/or certified by the Board of Supervisors unless and until the applicant has completed all required public improvements, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, or has filed with the Board of Supervisors an improvement bond.
L. 
When requested by the applicant, in order to facilitate financing, the Board of Supervisors shall furnish the applicant with a signed copy of a resolution indicating approval of the final plan contingent upon the applicant obtaining financial security in a form satisfactory to the Board of Supervisors. The resolution's contingent approval shall expire and be deemed to be revoked if the financial security is not provided within 90 days from the date of the resolution, unless an extension of time is requested, in writing, by the applicant and granted by the Board of Supervisors.
M. 
Upon approval and certification of the final plan, the applicant shall within 90 days of certification or 90 days after the date of delivery of an approved signed plan following the completion of conditions imposed for such approval, whichever is later, record the plan with the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Butler County. Failure to timely record the plan shall render the final plan approval null and void, requiring resubmittal of the plan for review by the Township.
N. 
Within 30 days following recording, the applicant shall file a full-sized paper copy of the recorded plan with the Township.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Lot line revisions and minor plans require an administrative review only by the Township Engineer prior to review by the Board of Supervisors. "Minor plans" are those consisting of the division of land into three or fewer lots fronting an existing PennDOT-maintained roadway, Township-maintained roadway, or existing private access lane.