[Ord. 2014-01, 1/6/2014]
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words, terms,
and phrases have the meaning indicated herein:
ABUTTING OWNER
The owner of record of a parcel of land which is contiguous,
at any point, to the parcel to be subdivided and/or developed or which
has frontage on a common road or street (public or private) across
from the parcel to be subdivided and/or developed.
ACCELERATION LANE
An added roadway lane which permits integration and merging
of slower moving vehicles into lanes of the main vehicular flow.
ACCESS
A way or means of approach to provide physical ingress to
and egress from a parcel, tract, or other lot.
ACCESS DRIVE/ACCESSWAY
A paved or unpaved strip of land across public or private
property designed and intended to provide a means of vehicular access
from a public street to a tract of land, structure or parking area.
ACT 247
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), as amended.
ADVERSE EFFECTS
Results contributing to a harmful or degraded condition and/or
producing an unfavorable outcome.
AGENT
Any person or entity, other than the landowner or developer,
who, acting upon written authority for the landowner or developer,
files subdivision and/or land development plans with the Township
for the purpose of obtaining approval thereof.
ALLEY
A right-of-way providing secondary vehicular access to the
side or rear of two or more lots.
ALTERATION
Any change in the exterior or structural portions of a building;
any change to or in a building which would alter its use classification.
ALTERNATIVES
Choices between or among two or more plans, layouts, approaches,
solutions and/or outcomes.
APPLICANT
A landowner or developer, who has filed an application for
subdivision and/or land development, as hereinafter defined, including
his heirs, successors, assigns, and grantees.
APPLICATION FOR SUBDIVISION AND/OR LAND DEVELOPMENT
The action taken to complete, sign and file the application
form as therein provided and as provided by this chapter, which shall
also include the filing of the number and type of plans, documents,
and other submissions required by this chapter for the review and/or
approval of a preliminary plan and thereafter a final plan, and the
necessary fees in accordance with the prevailing application fees;
an application, whether preliminary or final, required to be filed
and approved prior to the conveyance or other transfer of lots and/or
the commencement of construction and development, including an application
for the approval of a subdivision plat or plan and an application
for the approval of a development plan. No application shall be complete,
considered filed or considered as accepted by the Township until all
of the foregoing requirements have been fulfilled.
APPLICATION FORM
A form available from the Township Secretary which is to
be used to provide information to aid in the review of a subdivision
and/or land development plan and for general administrative purposes.
ARCHITECT
A person duly registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
to practice architecture.
BENEFICIAL EFFECTS
Results contributing to an improvement in condition and/or
producing a favorable outcome.
BERM
A mound of earth which serves purposes such as: directing
the flow of surface water runoff, preventing soil erosion or supporting
plant materials to aid in screening.
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE (BMP)
State of the art technology as applied to a specific problem
typically associated with stormwater management and erosion and sediment
pollution control.
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Characteristics of the natural environment manifest in its
flora and fauna. The disposition of these characteristics is typically
expressed in vegetation and/or wildlife units such as: tree, woodland,
or forest stands and related understory and ground cover growth; and
aquatic and terrestrial wildlife and/or their habitats.
BLOCK
A developed area bounded by three or more streets.
BUILDER
A person, who is not necessarily the owner of the land or
agent of the same, who by contract or other agreement is charged with
the responsibility of construction of buildings or other structures,
or of making any construction improvements on any parcel of land.
BUILDING PERMIT
A document issued by the Township Building Code Official
granting permission for the construction, repair, alteration of, or
addition to a structure in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform
Construction Code (UCC) as adopted by the Township.
BUILDING SETBACK LINE
The line which establishes the minimum depth of front yard
for the particular district as measured from the street right-of-way.
CALIPER
The diameter of a tree trunk measured at a point six inches
from the ground surface at the center of the base of the tree.
CARTWAY
That area of a road or other street within which vehicles
are permitted including travel lanes but not including shoulders,
curbs, gutters, sidewalks, or drainage swales.
CATCH BASIN
An inlet designed to intercept and redirect surface waters.
CHANNEL
An area which conveys the normal continuous or intermittent
flow of water.
CLEAR SIGHT DISTANCE
The required length of a line of unobstructed vision from
a point 4 1/2 feet above the center line of a street to the nearest
point at the top of an object four inches high on the same center
line and to another object 4 1/2 feet high on the same center
line.
CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE
An area of unobstructed vision at street intersections defined
by lines of sight between points at a given distance from the intersection
of street center lines.
COMMON OPEN SPACE
A parcel or parcels of land or an area of water, or a combination
of land and water within a development site and designed and intended
for the use or enjoyment of residents of the planned residential development,
not including streets, off-street parking areas, and areas set aside
for public facilities.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES
The services which provide for various community health,
education, safety, leisure, and like needs and the locations at which
these services are provided. Typical community facilities include:
schools, parks, recreation areas, libraries, hospitals, and other
health care facilities, fire protection, police, ambulance and rescue
service, and postal services.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The Douglass Township Comprehensive Plan, as adopted in 1973
and updated from time to time, including maps, tables and text which
constitute a policy guide for decisions regarding land use, circulation,
community facilities and utilities in the Township.
CONSERVATION/EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL (E&SC) PLAN
A plan filed as and forming a part of the preliminary plan
and the final plan detailing the measures to be taken by the landowner
or developer for the purposes of the protection of watercourses, notable
trees and other important natural features and the control and other
management of surface water runoff, erosion and sedimentation, in
compliance with regulations established by the Pennsylvania DEP and
the Berks County Conservation District.
CONSTRUCTION
Any disturbance of the land or the erection of structures
thereon, including the cutting of trees or clearing of brush; provided,
however, that staking or the clearing for survey lines, or performing
engineering or other scientific tests to obtain data shall not be
deemed as construction.
CONTINUOUS VISUAL BUFFER
A visually impenetrable screen created through the effective
use of plant materials, fencing, walls, and/or earthen berms.
CONTOUR
An invisible line on the surface of the earth along which
all points are at the same elevation above sea level. Such lines are
represented on maps relative to data furnished by such agencies as
the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) or other organizations duly certified
to produce such information.
COUNTY
The County of Berks, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS
Areas including: flood hazard and flood fringe areas; prime
agricultural soils; steep and very steep slopes; prime woodlands,
visually sensitive areas and historic and cultural sites and structures.
CROSSWALK (INTERIOR WALK)
A publicly or privately owned right-of-way for pedestrian
use extending from a street into a block or across a block to another
street.
CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT
A representation of man's influence on land and/or water
through the use, organization, adornment, and maintenance of property
and structures.
CULVERT
A structure designed to convey water under a street or pedestrian
walk.
CURB
A stone or concrete boundary marking the edge of the cartway
or paved area.
CUT
A portion of land or other area from which earth has been
removed or will be removed by excavation; or, the depth below the
original ground surface or excavated surface.
DATE OF FILING
The date on which a complete application for subdivision
and/or land development, as herein defined, has been submitted to
the Township Secretary and accepted by the Township.
DATUM
A reference point from which elevations are measured. The
standard datum is sea level as established by the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS).
DECELERATION LANE
An added roadway lane that permits vehicles to slow down
and leave the main vehicular flow.
DEDICATION
A gift or other donation of property by the owner thereof
to the Township or other entity.
DEED
A legal document conveying an estate or other right, title
or interest in property.
DEP or PADEP
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
DETENTION BASIN
A structure designed, built and used for the temporary storage
of stormwater runoff.
DEVELOPER
Any landowner, equitable owner, or authorized agent of such
landowner who makes or causes to be made a subdivision of land or
a land development.
DEVELOPMENT
The division of a parcel of land into two or more lots; the
construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration, relocation,
or enlargement of any structure; any mining, excavation, landfill,
or land disturbance; any use or extension of the use of land.
DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The provisions for development of a planned residential development,
including a plat of subdivision, all covenants relating to use, location
and bulk of buildings and other structures, intensity of use or density
of development, streets, ways and parking facilities, common open
space and public facilities. The phrase "provisions of the development
plan" when used in this chapter shall mean the written and graphic
materials referred to in this definition.
DITCH
A small drainage channel.
DRAINAGE
A system for conveying surface water or groundwater from
the land by facilities or structures which serve to control or otherwise
manage runoff and minimize sedimentation and soil erosion during and
after construction or development.
DRAINAGE FACILITY
Any trench, ditch, swale, gutter, pipe, culvert, storm sewer,
or other similar depression or structure designed, intended, or constructed
for the purpose of diverting surface water or groundwater from a subdivision,
land development area or contiguous areas.
DRAINAGE PLAN
A plan which depicts existing and proposed drainage as required
by this chapter.
DRAINAGEWAY
Any watercourse or trench, ditch, swale, gutter, pipe, culvert,
storm sewer, or other similar depression or structure in which water
flows in a definite direction either continuously or intermittently
and has a definite channel, bed and banks, and includes any area adjacent
thereto subject to inundation by reason of overflow.
DRIVEWAY
A portion of a lot which provides access for vehicles to
a parking space, garage, dwelling, or other structure from a street.
DRYWELL
A covered pit with open jointed lining through which water
from roofs, basement floors, or areaways may seep or leech into the
surrounding soil.
EARTHMOVING ACTIVITY
Any construction or other activity which disrupts, but not
limited to excavations, embankments, land development, subdivision
development, mineral extraction and the moving, depositing or storing
of soil, rock or earth.
EASEMENT
A right, privilege, or other interest granted or reserved
for the use of land for a particular purpose.
ECONOMIC AND FISCAL CHARACTERISTICS
Characteristics related to the expenditures and revenues
in conjunction with the management of income of a household, private
business, community, association, and/or government.
ELEVATION
A vertical distance above or below a fixed reference level;
or, a scale drawing of the front, rear, or side of a building.
ENGINEER
A person duly registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
to practice professional engineering.
ENVIRONMENT
The conditions, resources and/or characteristics which exist
within and surround the area to be affected by a proposed subdivision
and/or land development including natural elements such as land, water,
air, minerals, natural flora, and natural fauna; and man-made components
such as objects of historic or aesthetic significance, infrastructure,
and man-related attributes of a social and economic nature.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT
An assessment which objectively describes, analyzes, and documents both the beneficial and adverse environmental effects of a proposed subdivision and/or land development and the measures to be undertaken to mitigate adverse effects in accordance with the provisions set forth in this chapter and the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27].
EXCAVATION
Removal or recovery by any means whatsoever of soil, rock,
minerals, mineral substances, or organic substances other than vegetation
from water or land or beneath the surface thereof, whether exposed
or submerged.
FILL
Material such as sand, gravel, earth, and other suitable
and approved composition; or, any act by which earth, sand, gravel,
rock, or any other material is placed, pushed, dumped, pulled, transported,
or moved to a new location above the natural surface of the ground
or on top of a stripped or otherwise cut surface.
FLOODING
A general or temporary condition of partial or complete inundation
of areas from the overflow of inland waters and/or the unusual and
rapid accumulation of water on or under the ground.
FLOODPLAIN
A relatively flat or low area adjoining a river, stream,
or water-course which is subject to partial or complete inundation
from an adjoining or nearby stream, river or watercourse; and any
other area subject to the unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff
of surface areas.
FORESTED AREAS
Those areas of extensive vegetation in which the dominant
plants are trees that are indigenous to the area.
GRADE
The slope of a street, road, or other installation expressed
as a percent; or, the elevation of existing, finished or proposed
conditions as hereinafter defined.
GRADE, EXISTING
The elevation, relative to a given datum, of the ground surface
prior to any excavation, cut, or fill.
GRADE, FINISHED
The elevation relative to a given datum, of the ground surfaced
after completion of any excavation, cut, or fill.
GRADE, PROPOSED
The elevation, relative to a given datum, of the ground surface
proposed to be achieved by excavation, cut, or fill.
GRADING
The changing of the surface of the ground by cutting, filling,
or excavation, including land in its cut or filled condition.
GUARANTEE, COMPLETION
The financial security that may be accepted by the Township
as a guarantee that improvements required as part of an application
for subdivision and/or land development are completed to the satisfaction
of the Township. Such financial security shall include, but is not
limited to, performance bonds, federal or commonwealth chartered lending
institution irrevocable letters of credit, and restrictive or escrow
accounts in such lending institutions.
GUARANTEE, MAINTENANCE
The financial security that may be accepted by the Township
as a guarantee that improvements required as part of an application
for subdivision and/or land development will be in first class condition,
state of repair, and working order for a specific period of time.
Such financial security shall be similar to that accepted for a completion
guarantee.
GUTTER
That portion within a street right-of-way, outside the cartway,
designed for surface drainage, whether paved or otherwise.
HISTORIC RESOURCES
Sites, areas, structures, trails, and/or routes which are
valued due to their significance as example and/or locations of events,
customs, skills, and/or arts of the past, including those having a
present significance.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
A surface comprised of materials that do not normally absorb
rainfall or surface water such as buildings, paved or gravel parking
areas, paved walks, and similar surfaces.
IMPOUNDMENT
A body of water, such as a pond, detention, or retention
basin, confined by a headwall, dike, floodgate, or other barrier,
in the nature of a dam.
IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT
An agreement (in a form and manner acceptable to the Township)
requiring a subdivider or developer to install the improvements required
by this chapter and any improvements or amenities which appear on
the plan in accordance with the requirements of the Township.
IMPROVEMENTS
Physical additions and changes to land such as grading, paving,
curbing, fire hydrants, water mains, sanitary sewers, capped sewers,
storm drains, catch basins, culverts, sidewalks, monuments, crosswalks,
bridges, earthworks, street lights, wells, on-site sewage disposal
systems, street trees and other plantings, and other structures that
may be necessary to produce usable and desirable land development.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The basic installations and facilities on which the continuance
and growth of a community depend such as roads, schools, electrical
transmission facilities, transportation, and communication systems.
INVERT
The lowest visible surface of a drainage conduit or channel.
LAND DEVELOPMENT
The improvement of one lot or two lots or more lots, tracts,
or parcels of land for any purpose involving a group of two or more
residential or nonresidential buildings, whether proposed initially
or cumulatively, or a single nonresidential building on a lot or lots
regardless of the number of occupants or tenure; or the division or
allocation of land or space, whether initially or cumulatively, between
or among two or more existing or prospective occupants by means of,
or, for the purpose of, streets, common areas, leaseholds, condominiums,
building groups or other features; a subdivision of land or development
in accordance with § 503(1.1) of the Municipalities Planning
Code.
LANDOWNER
The legal or beneficial owner or owners of land including
the holder of an option or contract to purchase (whether or not such
option or contract is subject to any condition) or other person having
a proprietary interest in land. A lessee under a lease, who has authorization
of the legal owner, shall be deemed to be a lawmaker for the purpose
of this chapter.
LOT
A parcel of land which is intended for transfer of ownership, improvement or development, and which conforms to the provisions of this chapter, the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27] and all other Township ordinances, codes, regulations, plans and maps; a parcel or tract of land.
LOT AREA
The total area within the lot lines of a lot, excluding any
street rights-of-way.
MARKER
An iron pipe or steel bar 3/4 of an inch in diameter, and
30 inches in length.
MOBILE HOME
A transportable, single-family dwelling intended for permanent
occupancy, office, or place of assembly contained in one unit, or
in two units designed to be joined into one integral unit capable
of again being separated for repeated towing, which arrives at a site
complete and ready for occupancy except for minor and incidental unpacking
and assembly operations, and constructed so that it may be used without
a permanent foundation.
MOBILE HOME LOT
A parcel of land in a mobile home park, improved with the
necessary utility connections and other appurtenances necessary for
the erection thereon of a single mobile home, which is leased by the
park owner to the occupants of the mobile home erected on the lot.
MOBILE HOME PAD
A concrete pad at least six inches in thickness with at least
six tie-down rings to which the mobile home shall be secured, and
equal in length and width to the dimensions of the mobile home to
be placed thereon.
MOBILE HOME PARK
A parcel of land under single ownership which has been planned
and improved for the placement of mobile homes for nontransient use,
consisting of two or more mobile home lots.
MONUMENT
A monument shall be a concrete monument of 30 inches in length
and have a flat top at least four inches square with the bottom sides
being two inches greater, the monument shall contain a copper or brass
dowel (plug).
ON-SITE SEWAGE DISPOSAL
A single system of piping, a septic tank or other approved
facility serving a single lot and collecting and disposing of sewage
in whole or in part into the soil through a septic tank filter field.
ON-SITE WATER SUPPLY
An individual well serving one lot and/or a water supply
on a lot occupied or to be occupied and serving permitted buildings.
ONE-HUNDRED-YEAR FLOOD
A flood that, on the average, is likely to occur once every
100 years; i.e., that has a one-percent chance of occurring each year,
although the flood may occur in any year.
OPEN SPACE
Lands characterized as critical environmental areas or used
for noise and/or visual buffers.
PENNDOT
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE
A bond requiring the construction of certain improvements
as required by this chapter.
PHYSICAL RESOURCES
Characteristics of the natural environment manifest in its
landforms, soils, geological structure of surface and/or subsurface
rock, minerals, natural bodies of water and/or man-made impoundments,
watercourses, groundwater and the like. The disposition of these characteristics
is typically expressed in physiographic, topographic and/or hydrologic
units such as: rock formations, slopes, elevations, soil types, watersheds,
surface water types, wetlands, floodplains, aquifers, or aquifer recharge
areas and the like.
PLAN
A draft, diagram, or drawing or set thereof showing the present and proposed physical features of and improvement to land and the proposed development thereto; see also Part
4 for classification and requirements of plans. The term "plan" includes profiles, cross-sections and the like.
PLAN, AS-BUILT
A plan prepared by a surveyor or engineer showing dimensions
and locations of all improvements as actually constructed.
PLAN, FINAL
A complete and exact subdivision or land development plan
(including all required supplemental data) prepared for official recording
as required by this chapter, to define property lines, proposed streets
and other improvements.
PLAN, IMPROVEMENT CONSTRUCTION
A plan prepared by an engineer, architect, or landscape architect
showing the construction details of streets, drains, sewers, bridges,
culverts, and other improvements as required by this chapter, and
shall include horizontal plans, profiles, and cross-sections.
PLAN, LAND DEVELOPMENT
A preliminary or final plan including written and graphic
documentation showing the provision for development of a subject tract
when plans of subdivision would not be applicable.
PLAN, OFFICIAL
The Comprehensive Development Plan and/or Master Plan and/or
Future Land Use Plan and/or Ultimate Right-of-Way Plan and/or Official
Map and/or Topographical Survey and/or other such Plans, or portions
thereof, as may have been adopted, pursuant to statute, for the area
of the Township of Douglass in which the subdivision is located.
PLAN, PRELIMINARY
A tentative subdivision and/or land development plan filed as a basis for consideration and approval prior to preparation of a final plan depicting all features required in §
22-403 herein including an improvements construction plan, conservation plan, and all other plans, documents, and submissions required therein.
PLAN, PROFILE
A plan prepared by an engineer, architect, or landscape architect,
showing the vertical section of the existing grade along the center
line of any proposed street and any street appurtenances to be constructed
or installed, which must include cross-sections of the street and
other improvements construction.
PLAN, RECORD
An exact copy of the approved final plan which has been officially
recorded with the Berks County Recorder of Deeds.
PLAN, SKETCH
A conceptual plan at the option of the applicant recommended
to permit discussion of zoning or development related issues which
would need to be addressed as part of the formal preliminary/final
plan process. A sketch plan submission is considered an unofficial
submission to the Township and as such no formal action by the Township
other then general discussion would be undertaken or required. A sketch
plan is not considered an official submission under the Pennsylvania
Municipalities Planning Code (MPC).
PLANNED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
An area of land, controlled by a landowner, to be developed as a single entity for a number of dwelling units, the development plan for which does not correspond in lot size, bulk, or type of dwelling, density, lot coverage and required open space to the regulations established any one residential district created, from time to time, under the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27].
PLANTING STRIP
A strip of land lying between the curb line, or edge of the cartway, and the sidewalk or walkway and any area requiring a planting screen as specified in this chapter, the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27] or any other Township ordinances, codes, regulations, plans, and maps.
PLANTING, SCREEN
An area for the installation and maintenance of trees, shrubs, ground covers and other landscaped materials, of length, width, height, composition, etc., in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27].
PLAT
A map or plan representing a tract of land, showing the boundaries
and location of individual properties and streets. A map or plan of
a subdivision or land development, whether preliminary or final.
PRIMARY EFFECTS
Results of a direct nature which have a principal influence
on a particular condition or state.
PUBLIC GROUNDS
Includes:
(1)
Parks, playgrounds, and other public areas.
(2)
Sites for schools, sewage treatment, refuse disposal, and other
publicly owned or operated facilities.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT
An improvement such as a road, street, water main, sewer
main, detention basin or other like type feature that is dedicated
to the Township.
RE-SUBDIVISION
The further division of lots or the relocation of lot lines
of any lot or lots within a subdivision previously made and, approved
or recorded; or, the alteration of any streets or the establishment
of any new streets within any such subdivision. Re-subdivision does
not include conveyances made so as to combine entire existing lots
by deed or other instrument.
RESTRICTION
A limitation on property which may be created in a deed,
lease, mortgage, through certain zoning; subdivision or other Township
codes, ordinances, regulations, plans, or maps or conditions of approval
of an application for subdivision and/or land development.
RETENTION BASIN
A pond, pool, or other reservoir of water designed, built,
and used to permanently retain stormwater and surface water runoff.
REUSE
A use for an existing building or parcel or lot of land other
than the use for which it was originally intended or made.
REVIEW
An examination of the preliminary and/or final plan by the
Township Planning Commission, Township Engineer, other Township officials,
representatives and bodies and the Board of Supervisors to determine
compliance with this chapter and its regulations, design standards,
and all other Township ordinances, codes, regulations plans, or maps.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
A strip of land granted or reserved for public or private
use.
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RIGHT-OF-WAY, EXISTING — The legal right-of-way as currently
established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or other appropriate
governing authority.
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RIGHT-OF-WAY, ULTIMATE — The right-of-way deemed necessary
to provide adequate width for future improvements as prescribed by
this chapter based upon the functional classification of the road
in question.
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SANITARY SEWAGE SYSTEM
A system designed to collect, treat, and disposal of sewage
from users in compliance with state and local regulations.
SANITARY SEWER, COMMUNITY SYSTEM
A sewage disposal system which collects, treats, and disposes
of sewage from more then one source by a system of pipes to a central
treatment and disposal plant, generally servicing a neighborhood area.
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SANITARY SEWER, MUNICIPAL OR PUBLIC SYSTEM — A sewage
disposal system which collects, treats, and disposes of sewage from
more then one source by a system of popes to a central treatment and
disposal plant, which is owned and operated by or under the authority
of the township or another public entity.
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SANITARY SEWER, ON-LOT SYSTEM — A sewage disposal system
which collects, treats, and disposes of sewage or holds sewage from
only one dwelling, principal use, or lot.
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SCREENING
The use of plant materials, fencing, walls, and/or earthen
berms, or combinations thereof, to aid in the concealment of such
features as parking areas and vehicles within them, and to provide
privacy between two or more different land uses or activities, a visual
and/or sound buffer, or other barrier.
SECONDARY EFFECTS
Results of an indirect nature which have an influence on
a particular condition or state derived from primary effect.
SEDIMENT
Deposited silt or other matter that is being or has been
moved from its site of origin by water or other means of erosion.
SEPTIC SYSTEM
An underground system with a septic tank and filter field
used for the decomposition of domestic wastes and its safe disposal.
SEPTIC TANK
A watertight receptacle that receives the discharge of sewage
from a building, sewer or part thereof, and is designed and constructed
so as to permit settling of solids from this liquid, digestion of
the organic matter, and discharge of the liquid portion into disposal
area.
SERVICE ROAD
A separate and subordinate cartway abutting or within the
right-of-way of a street which is parallel to and connected at controlled
intervals with the principal cartway, and which serves as the means
of access to abutting lots.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
Results which are manifest for, or extending over, a short
period of time.
SIDEWALK
A paved, surfaced or leveled area, paralleling and separated
from the cartway of the street, used as a pedestrian walkway.
SILT
Finely divided particles of soil or rock, often carried in
cloudy suspension in water and eventually deposited as sediment.
SITE
A tract or parcel of land or combination of contiguous lots
or parcels of land.
SLOPE
The degree of deviation of a surface from the horizontal
depressed as a percent.
SOIL EROSION
The detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments, or
the wearing away of the land surface by water, wind, and ice.
SOIL PERCOLATION TEST
A field test conducted by a person qualified according to
the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection to determine the suitability of the soil for on-lot sanitary
sewage disposal facilities by measuring the absorptive capacity of
the soil at any given location and depth. Soil percolation testing
is also required in support of infiltration systems proposed for stormwater
management improvements.
SOIL SURVEY
A document entitled "Soil Survey of Berks County, Pennsylvania,"
issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the National Cooperative
Soil Survey (NCSC) in cooperation with the Berks County Conservation
District (BCCD).
SOLID WASTE
Garbage, refuse, or other discarded materials including,
but not limited to, nonliquid waste materials resulting from industrial,
commercial, institutional, agricultural, and residential activities.
STEEP SLOPES
Steep slopes are defined as those areas of the Township having slopes of 15% or more, Development of steep slope areas are subject to development controls set forth in the Township Zoning Ordinance [Chapter
27].
STORM SEWER
A sewer that carries storm, surface, and groundwater drainage
but excludes sewage and residential, commercial and industrial wastes.
STORMWATER
That water which accumulates from precipitation and is manifest
in surface runoff.
STORMWATER DETENTION
Any storm drainage technique that retards or detains runoff,
in rate, volume, or otherwise, such as a detention or retention basin,
parking lot storage, rooftop storage, porous pavement, dry wells,
or any combination thereof.
STREET
A public or privately owned right-of-way, serving as a means
of vehicular and pedestrian travel, furnishing access to abutting
lots and used to provide space for installation improvements such
as sewers, other utilities, street trees, sidewalks.
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ARTERIAL (MAJOR) STREET — A street serving a large volume
of comparatively high-speed and long distance traffic.
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COLLECTOR STREET — A street which, in addition to providing
access to abutting properties, intercepts minor streets to provide
a route serving 50 or more dwelling units to give access to community
facilities, arterial streets, or other collector streets. Streets
within an industrial or commercial development shall be considered
collector streets.
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CUL-DE-SAC STREET — A minor street, intersecting another
street at one end and terminating in a permanent vehicular turnaround
at the other end. In the design of cul-de-sac streets which provide
more than one end terminating in a vehicular turn around, both or
all of the portions of the street design which terminate in vehicular
turnarounds shall be considered part of the cul-de-sac street length.
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CUL-DE-SAC, TEMPORARY — A cul-de-sac street permitted
during authorized staged development of a subdivision to provide a
temporary all weather turn around until such time as the proposed
street is extended within the phased development.
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INTERNAL STREET — A minor street used for circulation
and access within a development involving multi-residential, commercial,
and/or industrial land uses.
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MARGINAL ACCESS STREET — A minor street, parallel and
adjacent to an arterial or collector street (but separated from it
by a reserve strip), which provides access to abutting properties
and control of intersections.
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MINOR STREET — A street used primarily to provide access
to residential properties.
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PRIVATE STREET — A street that is not a public street.
All private streets must meet public street standards with respect
to road construction standards (subbase, base and wearing surface).
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PUBLIC STREET — A street dedicated to the Township and
accepted by the Board of Supervisors as evidenced by a duly adopted
ordinance pursuant to the Second Class Township Code, 53 P.S. § 65101
et seq.
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SERVICE STREET (ALLEY) — A minor right-of-way providing
secondary vehicular access to the side or rear of two or more properties.
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STREET LINE
The dividing line between a lot and the outside boundary
or right-of-way line of a public street, road, or highway legally
open or officially platted.
STRIPPING
Cutting or any other activity which removes the vegetative
surface cover such as tree removal, clearing, grubbing, and removal
of top soil.
STRUCTURE
Any man-made object or improvement having an ascertainable
stationary location on land or in the water, whether or no affixed
to the land.
SUBDIVISION
The division or re-division of a lot, tract, or parcel of
land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other
divisions of land including changes in existing lot lines for the
purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, conveyance or other
transfer of ownership or building or lot development; provided, however,
that the division of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of
more than 10 acres not involving any new street or easement of access
shall be exempted.
SURVEYOR
A person duly registered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
to practice surveying.
SWALE
An elongated depression in the ground which channels surface
water runoff.
TOWNSHIP
Douglass Township, Berks County Pennsylvania.
TOWNSHIP CONSULTANTS
The Township Solicitor, Township Engineer, Township Planner,
Township Zoning Officer, Township Sewage Enforcement Officer, or other
like professional and professional consultants to Douglass Township.
TOWNSHIP ENGINEER
A professional engineer licensed as such in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania and appointed by the Township.
TOWNSHIP PLANNER
A professional certified planner or registered landscape
architect appointed by the Township.
TRACT
An area, lot, parcel, site, or property which is the subject
of a subdivision and/or land development application.
USE
The specific purpose for which land or a building is proposed
to be subdivided and/or developed or is otherwise designed, arranged,
intended or for which it is proposed or may be occupied or maintained.
UTILITIES
Facilities such as sewers, water mains, fire hydrants, street
lights, and other facilities of the same general character; installations
of a community which pertain to their consumption and emission characteristics,
including facilities such as those used for water supply, sewage disposal,
refuse disposal, storm drainage, communications, and electrical transmission.
VISUAL RESOURCES
Characteristics of the natural and/or cultural environment
which are visible. The visual resources of a particular area are typically
expressed in terms of their visibility, character, and/or attractiveness
relative to their amenity value and/or quality, or lack of it.
WALKWAY
A thoroughfare for pedestrian travel.
WALL
A man-made vertical structure typically made of brick, stone,
other masonry material, or wood placed or arranged to enclose, screen
or separate areas.
WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
A system designed to transmit water from the source to users,
in compliance with the requirements of all state agencies and the
Township.
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WATER SUPPLY, MUNICIPAL OR PUBLIC SYSTEM — A system of
water supply, collection, storage, transmission and delivery which
is proposed to service a community, which is owned and operated by
or under the authority of the Township or another public utility.
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WATER SUPPLY, ON-LOT WATER SYSTEM — A water supply system
which transmits water from a source on the lot to one dwelling, principal
use, or lot on the same lot.
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WATERCOURSE
Any natural or man-made stream, river, creek, brook, run,
ditch, channel, canal, conduit, culvert, swale, drain, waterway, gully,
ravine, wash or other conveyance of surface water having a defined
bed and banks, with perennial or intermittent flow. This definition
of watercourse shall exclude facilities constructed solely for stormwater
management.
WETLANDS
Those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or
groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and
that under normal circumstances do support. A prevalence of vegetation
typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands
generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas. For the
purposes of definition and regulation, the Township hereby adopts
the delineation criteria established by the Wetlands Delineation Manual
(Publication TRY-87-1, most recent edition) of the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers.