A. 
The construction of improvements in a subdivision is the responsibility of the subdivider since it is his property which is being developed. Adequate streets, utilities and other improvements are essential elements in the creation and preservation of stable residential, commercial and industrial areas. Once the subdivider disposes of the lots and the improvements are accepted by the local government, the responsibility of maintaining such improvements and correcting any construction errors falls on the local government.
B. 
Any or all of the following improvements as may be recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission and approved by the Board of Commissioners, pursuant to the authority granted in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code of 1968 as amended,[1] considering the needs of the area in which the proposed subdivision is located, must have been completed in accordance with the requirements established by this chapter as well as in accordance with the requirements of the responsible public authority affected, public officials or the Township Engineer for that portion included in the final plat.
[Amended 12-12-1997 by Ord. No. 281]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
C. 
If the improvements are not completed, then satisfactory arrangements should be made with the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Commissioners to the satisfaction of all public authorities concerned regarding proper completion of such improvements prior to the consideration of a final plat.
Monuments shall be placed at all block corners, angle points, points of curves in streets and intermediate points as determined by the Township Engineer. Monuments shall be of such size, length and material as approved by the Township Engineer.
A. 
The subdivider shall construct a system of water mains and connect with such public water supply system where a public water supply is available at plat boundary or within a reasonable distance thereto [1,000 feet of subdivision]. Waterlines shall be so located and of such size as approved by the Vanport Township Municipal Authority (VTMA).
B. 
If a public water supply system is not available under the conditions stated above, the subdivider may provide individual or community wells to serve 25 or more units which shall be approved by the State Department of Environmental Protection.
C. 
Wells.
(1) 
Where individual wells provide a water supply in a large subdivision, at least one test well shall be drilled in the proposed area for each 50 lots or 25 acres, whichever is smaller, or upon the requirements of the local Health Officer.
(2) 
Test wells shall ordinarily be drilled to a reasonable depth which will produce safe potable water in sufficient quantity for the use intended and shall be approved by the State Department of Environmental Protection Officer.
D. 
All public water systems shall be laid wherever possible in the planting strip on the north and east side of the street and constructed in accordance with the standards of the VTMA and the State Department of Environmental Protection.
E. 
All phases of construction, including minimum size six-inch line, excavation, trench, type pipe, backfill, hydrants, tees and valves, shall be in accordance with approved construction drawings, State Department of Environmental Protection standards and inspected by the VTMA Engineer or his authorized representative during the entire construction period.
A. 
The subdivider shall construct a sanitary sewer system and connect with such sewer main and provide lateral connections for each lot where a public sanitary sewer main is available at plat boundary or within a reasonable distance thereto [1,000 feet of subdivision].
B. 
If a public sanitary sewer main is not available under the conditions stated above, the subdivision or area may be considered as one where it is necessary to construct a public or community disposal system or other satisfactory method as approved by the Township Engineer, the State Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.
C. 
If, in the opinion of the State Department of Environmental Protection Officer, the Township Engineer, the Planning and Zoning Commission or the Board of Commissioners, factors exist which would create a public health and sanitation problem if a certain area is platted, the Planning and Zoning Commission or Board of Commissioners will not approve the subdivision and platting of such area until such factors are corrected by an adequate sanitary sewer system.
D. 
All sanitary sewers shall be constructed and installed according to the standards of the authority or municipal department operating such sewers. Stormwater shall not be permitted to enter sanitary sewers.
E. 
All phases of construction, including excavation, trench, pipe size, grade, backfill and manholes, shall be in accordance with approved construction drawings, State Department of Environmental Protection and inspected by the Township Engineer, his authorized representative, authority representative or local Health Officer during the entire construction period.
F. 
In areas where a municipal sewer is planned to be available but not yet built, laterals shall be extended to the center of the street or into the right-of-way and trunk lines provided to the edge of the subdivision closest to the municipal trunk location and capped. Until such time as a municipal sewer becomes available, a project system must be installed. In the case of a project system, a trunk line shall be provided to connect into the municipal system.
A. 
A drainage system adequate to serve the needs of the proposed new streets or the entire subdivision will normally be required in new subdivisions. When a public storm sewer main is available at the plat boundary or within 1,000 feet, the subdivider shall construct a storm sewer system and connect with such storm sewer main.
B. 
Bridges or culverts shall be designed to support and carry loads according to the judgment of the Engineer and shall be constructed the full width of the cartway plus additional length as deemed necessary by the Engineer to satisfy local drainage pattern.
C. 
Where open watercourses are planned, adequate safety, erosion control, drainage (stagnant water), protection of capacity and appearance measures shall be taken by the subdivider to insure proper, safe, healthful disposal of stormwater.
D. 
Minimum grade of drainage courses shall be designed to create a cleaning effect [velocity of five feet per second] except that a minimum cleaning effect [velocity of three feet per second] may be permitted by the Township Engineer where greater grade cannot be achieved.
E. 
At intersecting streets, water in gutters and ditches shall be placed in adequate culverts.
F. 
Location of storm sewers shall be in accordance with existing systems or in accordance with standards suitable to the Township Engineer.
G. 
Storm sewers shall have a minimum diameter of 15 inches and a minimum grade of 1/2 of 1%.
H. 
Manholes shall normally be spaced 300 feet apart where pipe sizes of 24 inches or less are used and not over 450 feet where larger sizes are installed. Inlets may, if approved by the Township Engineer, be substituted for manholes.
I. 
Special sections of 10 to 15 feet radii shall be installed where abrupt changes in direction are made.
J. 
Pipe or tile culverts shall normally be required under driveways and shall not be less than 12 inches in diameter and 16 feet in length. Reinforced concrete or corrugated metal pipe may also be used and shall be laid so as to maintain the flow line of the open ditch.
K. 
All phases of construction of open ditches, gutters or storm sewers, including width, depth, shapes, erosion control, minimum grade, size and area, shall be in accordance with the requirements of these regulations, and all storm drainage facilities shall be inspected and certified by the Township Engineer prior to being covered.
A. 
Grading.
(1) 
All streets shall be graded to the full width of the right-of-way and the adjacent side slopes graded to blend with the natural lay of the land or in accordance with the cross section presented to the satisfaction of the Township Engineer. Where fill material is necessary to establish uniform grades, compacting shall be required in accordance with the standards established by the Township. A slope of two horizontal feet to one vertical foot beyond the right-of-way line in cut or fill shall ordinarily be required.
(2) 
Street cross sections or local and collector streets shall be in accordance with the standards established by the Township. Where alternatives are available, the Board of Commissioners may designate the cross sections to be used on the advice of the Township Engineer. All details of the cross section, crowns, curbs, pavement, subgrade and roadside ditches shall conform to the designated cross section. Arterial street cross sections shall be as designed by the Township Engineer and approved by the Board of Commissioners (state approval required where necessary).
B. 
Curbing.
(1) 
Curbing shall be of concrete or of a bituminous mix, either straight, battered or rolled.
(2) 
The requirement of curbs or curbs and gutters will vary in accordance with the character of the area and density of development involved.
(a) 
Curbs shall ordinarily be required where:
[1] 
Streets are designed to serve areas in which the net residential density of the area surrounding the proposed subdivision equals or exceeds three families per acre.
[2] 
Lot frontage is less than 80 feet.
[3] 
Commercial development or other similar intensive urban uses exist.
(b) 
If curbs exist on abutting property, the Board of Commissioners, based on the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission, will ordinarily require their extension throughout the proposed subdivision.
(c) 
The Board of Commissioners, based on the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission, may require curbs and gutters to be installed on arterial, collector or local streets if such construction is deemed necessary for public safety, control of water runoff or clearly defined driving and parking areas.
(d) 
When curbed streets are constructed, the space behind the curb shall be filled and graded to drain to the street at a slope of 1/4 inch per foot.
C. 
Base course. Base course shall be eight-inch-thick (rolled measurement) native stone, subject to the approval of the Board of Commissioners or limestone or crushed slag properly graded and meeting the requirements of the current specifications of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and subject to its complete tests. Lesser base courses, to a minimum of six inches, may be authorized by the Planning and Zoning Commission on advice of the Township Engineer on lesser streets where the character of the drainage of the subgrade, the size of the subdivision and nature of the traffic warrants.
D. 
Pavements.
(1) 
A 2 1/2 inch bituminous plant mixed surface shall be placed on the prepared base to meet the requirements of the specifications of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
(2) 
Where concrete pavement is used, the standard requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation shall govern and all work, shall be performed in the manner prescribed in the standard specifications for road construction of said Department and shall be approved by the Engineer. Local streets shall be at least six inches in thickness and conform to other specifications of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
(3) 
Either type of pavement listed above must be approved by the Board of Commissioners and Township Engineer before application. Said installation shall be under the direct supervision of the Township Engineer.
A. 
Sidewalks shall be provided when considered necessary by the Board of Commissioners and the Planning and Zoning Commission for projection of the public or wherever it is determined that the potential volume of pedestrian traffic or safety consideration requires.
B. 
Sidewalks shall be provided where streets of a proposed subdivision are extensions of existing streets having sidewalks on one or both sides.
C. 
Sidewalks will be normally required on both sides of the street except that the Board of Commissioners may authorize sidewalks on one side only of U-shaped streets, culs-de-sac or where character of use does not require pedestrian access on both sides of the street.
D. 
The minimum width for sidewalks shall be four feet, but the Board of Commissioners may require a greater width in vicinity of shopping centers, schools and recreation facilities or where similar intensive urban uses exist.
E. 
Sidewalks, where provided, shall be within the right-of-way and in residential areas, where conditions permit, 2 1/2 feet from the edge thereof. Sidewalks should line up with adequate walks in adjoining subdivisions.
F. 
Sidewalks shall be of portland cement concrete, a minimum of four inches thick at driveway crossings and a minimum 2% transverse slope from property line to curb to facilitate drainage.
G. 
All phases of construction, subgrade, concrete, forms, grade and thickness shall be in accordance with the requirements of these regulations; the forms shall be inspected prior to pouring, and finished walks shall be inspected and certified by the Township Engineer.
Street name signs shall be installed at each street intersection in accordance with standards established by the Board of Commissioners.
Should the subdivider plan to provide trees, their proposed locations, spacing and species must be submitted for approval to the Board of Commissioners. On narrow rights-of-way or where the planting strip between sidewalk and the curb is less than five feet wide, trees will not be permitted, but are to be placed inside the property lines.
The minimum open space requirements shall be as follows:
A. 
Easements, adequate for all utilities: see § 160-21.
B. 
Buffer area or planning screen, minimum width: 10 feet.
C. 
When adequate public play space does not exist, in the opinion of the Board of Commissioners, within 1/2 mile of the site, the Board of Commissioners may request the developer to provide recreational space at the rate of 120 square feet per school-age children estimated for the project.
In wooded areas or where other natural conditions exist, in such a manner that their presence adds to the desirability of a subdivision, the Board of Commissioners shall require that the subdivider preserve as much of the original trees and natural conditions as is economically feasible and require that a minimum of grading be done other than the grading and excavating which is required in the construction of the improvements in accordance with the improvement standards included herein.
A. 
The Board of Commissioners shall ensure, through receipt of certificates of compliance from the appropriate official, that required improvements have been installed according to specifications on the final plat or alternately that adequate surety for such improvements has been posted.
B. 
A fixed fee covering the cost of inspection during the construction of the improvements of said subdivision must be submitted to the Township Engineer, his representative or any other municipal authority having jurisdiction over local streets or publicly owned utilities. The Township Engineer, his representative or any other public official responsible for publicly owned utilities shall issue certificates of approval to the Board of Commissioners upon completion of the improvements in accordance with the standards and specifications herein contained.
C. 
Alternately, the process may be modified so that the subdivider may file with the Board of Commissioners a performance bond or other surety acceptable to the Board of Commissioners, the amount to be fixed by the Board of Commissioners in a form satisfactory to the Township Solicitor for the installation or completion of improvements not yet constructed. In fixing the amount of said bond or other assurance, the Board of Commissioners shall give due consideration to the cost of the required improvements as estimated by the Engineer or Township authority having jurisdiction over the local roads, publicly owned utilities and drainage facilities involved.
D. 
In lieu of the performance bond a deposit may be made either with the Township Treasurer or responsible escrow agent or trust company of money or negotiable bonds in an amount equal to the estimated construction cost of such improvements. If a cash deposit is made, an agreement may be executed to provide that progress payments may be made to the contractor of the subdivider out of the deposit as the work progresses and is approved by the responsible Township official.
E. 
The development of existing dedicated streets and the extension of public utilities may be provided by one of the above methods described or an alternate method may be used whereby the adjoining property owner petitions the Township and upon proper action the improvements are provided and the costs assessed to the abutting property owners in accordance with the procedure outlined in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code of 1968, as amended.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
F. 
For additional regulations regarding performance guaranties, see 53 P.S. §§ 10509 through 10511.
[Added 12-12-1997 by Ord. No. 281]