Any application for approval of a subdivision or land development shall conform to the standards set forth in this article. The standards specified in this article are minimum design requirements.
In reviewing any application for approval of a subdivision or land development, Township Supervisors shall refer the application for development to the Township Engineer for a recommendation concerning technical compliance with these design standards and the Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications.
A. 
Grading, filling, removal of topsoil, erosion and sedimentation control. All grading, filling, removal of topsoil and erosion and sedimentation control shall be performed in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 170, Grading and Excavation, and the requirements of the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law[1] and Ordinance 102 of the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection governing erosion control.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq.
B. 
Planting and cutting of trees; removal of debris.
(1) 
Large shade trees shall be adequately protected from injury and preserved to the extent practical.
(2) 
All lot areas which slope towards streets or adjacent lots shall be required to be seeded with grass or planted with ground cover so as to prevent washing and erosion.
(3) 
During construction, the developer shall remove and dispose of all uprooted trees, stumps, brush, rubbish, unused building materials and debris promptly in the interest of public safety.
C. 
Flood-prone areas. Land identified as flood-prone on maps issued by the Federal Insurance Administration shall be subject to the regulations of the National Flood Insurance Program.
A. 
Layout.
(1) 
Streets shall be planned to conform with the layout of existing and planned streets and so located as to allow proper development of surrounding properties. Local streets shall be laid out so as to discourage through traffic. Collector streets shall be designed to provide adequate flow of traffic from local streets to major community facilities and to arterial streets.
(2) 
Intersections of more than two streets at one point shall not be permitted. Dead-end streets shall not be permitted, unless the requirements of Subsections E and F of this section are met. Half streets shall not be permitted.
B. 
Topography. Proposed streets shall be planned to conform to the contour of the land, to the fullest extent possible to provide buildable lots, to have a suitable alignment and grade and to allow proper drainage. Streets shall comply to the street grade requirements of Section 3 of the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement And Development Specifications.
C. 
Street grades. Minimum and maximum grades of all streets shall comply with Section 3, Street Alignment, of the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications.
D. 
Right-of-way and paving widths; curbs; shoulders.
(1) 
Minimum widths of rights-of-way and minimum widths of paving shall be provided in accordance with the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications.
(2) 
Curbs shall be provided on all streets in accordance with the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications.
(3) 
Street shoulders shall be constructed which are uniformly and thoroughly compacted by rolling and which are level with the tops of curbs.
E. 
Culs-de-sac.
(1) 
A cul-de-sac street shall not be approved when a through street is practical and shall not be more than 600 feet in length. The length of a cul-de-sac street shall be measured from the point of intersection of the center lines of the two intersecting streets to the back of the curb of the cul-de-sac turnaround.
(2) 
A cul-de-sac shall have a minimum right-of-way radius and an outer minimum paving radius as specified in the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications.
F. 
Temporary turnarounds. A temporary turnaround may be required where a road is constructed to an adjoining property line or where the terminus of a road adjoins property in a future phase of the plan. The temporary turnaround shall be paved. The right-of-way width required for a temporary turnaround shall be a minimum of 100 feet and the paving radius of the temporary turnaround shall be 40 feet, exclusive of the required curb.
G. 
Visibility.
(1) 
No fence, hedges, shrubbery, walls, planting (other than trees and grass) or similar obstructions shall be located within the right-of-way and no such obstruction shall obscure visibility at any intersection. The location of fences and walls shall be further subject to the requirements of Chapter 320, Zoning.
(2) 
A clear sight triangle, as defined by this chapter, shall be maintained free of any obstructions at intersections so that there shall be a minimum clear sight triangle measured along the center line from the points of intersection in accordance with the requirements of the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications. The clear sight triangle shall be shown on the final plat for recording.
H. 
Street names. All new streets, public and private, shall be named. All new street names shall be approved by the Township, Washington County 911 and the post office. Names of new streets shall be sufficiently different in sound and spelling from existing names of streets in the Township, postal zip code or in the 911 service area so as not to cause confusion. A street which is planned as a continuation of an existing street shall bear the same name. Street signs shall be provided in accordance with § 270-81 of this chapter.
I. 
Sidewalks. The width of sidewalks shall conform to the standards specified in the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications. Sidewalks shall be located in line with existing sidewalks on adjacent lots or, where none exists, shall be located at the edge on the cartway. The grade and paving of the sidewalk shall be continuous across driveways. All sidewalks shall be constructed in accordance with the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications.
J. 
Crosswalks. Crosswalks may be required wherever necessary to facilitate pedestrian circulation and to give access to community facilities such as parks, playgrounds, schools or public buildings.
Service streets, as defined by this chapter, may be permitted in commercial and industrial developments where needed for loading, unloading or secondary access. Service streets shall be constructed in accordance with Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications.
Easements for sanitary sewers, water lines and stormwater management facilities shall be required to have a minimum width of 20 feet. Where a subdivision or land development is, or will be, traversed by a watercourse, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way of a width sufficient for the purpose, but not less than 20 feet.
The following standards shall apply to all lots proposed to be subdivided or developed in accordance with this chapter.
A. 
Area.
(1) 
Minimum lot areas shall conform to the requirements of Chapter 320, Zoning.
(2) 
When a tract is subdivided into lots that are larger than the minimum lot area required by Chapter 320, Zoning, such lots or parcels shall be so arranged as to permit a logical location and opening of future streets and resubdividing with provisions for adequate utility connections for each subdivision.
B. 
Frontage. All lots created by subdivision shall have frontage along the right-of-way of either a public street or private street of 50 feet, provided further that the criteria in § 270-88B(1)(a) through (i) are met. Every lot shall be accessible to emergency service, public safety and firefighting vehicles and equipment.
[Amended 5-23-2006 by Ord. No. 3-06]
(1) 
Private street frontage.
(a) 
A private street may be recorded to serve no more than three lots.
(b) 
A private street right-of-way width shall be 50 feet.
(c) 
Private streets shall be designed to provide frontage to all lots in the subdivision including the parcel from which the subdivision is created.
(d) 
The minimum width of a private street cart way shall be 10 feet and shall be constructed of a mud-free, dust-free surface. The maximum grade of a private street shall be 12%.
(e) 
A notation shall be placed on the plat for recording indicating that the Township has no maintenance responsibilities for the private street.
(f) 
The plat for recording and the deeds for each lot shall contain a statement that any future request by the lot owners to have the street accepted by the Township as a public street shall be subject to the owners assuming the total cost of improving the private street to the current Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications.
(g) 
Lots on private streets shall comply with all other parts of § 270-88.
(h) 
An association or other legally binding organization of landowners with access rights on the private street shall be formed and administrated for the purpose of maintenance of the private street.
(i) 
The maximum length of a private street shall be 600 feet.
C. 
Double frontage. Double frontage lots shall be avoided; however, where a double frontage lot is the only practical alternative, vehicular access shall be limited to only one street and that street shall be the street with the lower volume of traffic, if physically feasible. The final plan shall contain a notation restricting vehicular access to one street frontage.
D. 
Side lines. Whenever practical, the side lines of a lot shall be at right angles or radial to the right-of-way lines of streets.
E. 
Front building lines. Front building lines of lots shall conform to the minimum requirements of Chapter 320, Zoning, and shall be shown on the final plat.
F. 
Grading of lots. Lots shall be graded to provide drainage away from buildings and water shall be drained to the street, rather than to adjoining property. The developer shall be required to provide drains or other drainage facilities, as approved by the Township Engineer, to drain off surface water within the development. All grading shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 170, Grading and Excavation.
G. 
Driveways.
(1) 
No driveway shall have a slope of more than that permitted by the Cross Creek Township Infrastructure Improvement and Development Specifications, Driveway Standard Detail, Exhibit 7.[1] Driveways may extend from the right-of-way line of the street to the cartway of the street, but shall not change the grade or contour of the street right-of-way, nor shall any person cut into, fill, or in any way alter any gutter, curbing, drainage ditch or storm sewer, within the right-of-way of a street or easement for the purpose of extending a driveway; or for any other purpose without first obtaining a permit there for from the Township. All curb cuts shall conform to Township specifications. Paved driveways shall have a joint at the public street right-of-way. Driveways shall not be constructed in such a way that creates a drainage problem on adjoining property. No catch basin shall be placed where a driveway intersects a street.
[1]
Editor's Note: Copies of said exhibit are on file in the Township offices.
(2) 
Driveways intersecting Township streets shall have an improved surface with a minimum thickness of four inches bituminous concrete or six inches cement concrete. Driveways intersecting state roads shall be constructed in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Design Manual.
(3) 
Driveways which are shared among two or more lots shall have a minimum improved surface 12 feet in width. Common driveways shall be within a recorded easement at least 15 feet in width and shall be subject to a recorded agreement for maintenance which is noted on the plat and referenced in the deeds for each lot the driveway serves.
H. 
Accessibility. Every lot, building and structure shall be accessible to emergency and public safety vehicles.
I. 
House numbers. House numbers shall be assigned by the developer, subject to the approval of the Township, U.S. Postal Service and Washington County 911 and consistent with the basic house numbering system known as the equal interval addressing system, also known as the uniform measurement system, century system or benchmark system. House numbers shall be posted at each house so as to be readable from the street and shall be comprised of Arabic numerals or alphabet letters at least four inches high and with a minimum width stroke of 1/2 inch.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Stormwater management facilities shall be provided for all subdivisions and land developments in accordance with Chapter 257, Stormwater Management, and all applicable state and county regulations.
A. 
Installation. Installation of sanitary sewers and appurtenances shall be in accordance with all regulations of the Independence-Cross Creek Joint Sewer Authority, the Local Cooperative Sewer Council, and the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP).
B. 
Acceptance. Prior to the issuance of any building permit for construction of any building in a subdivision or land development governed by this chapter, the developer shall provide allassurancess required by the Independence-Cross Creek Joint Authority or the Local Cooperative Sewer Council for the completion of sewage facilities providing sewer service to the subdivision or land development. Prior to the issuance of any certificate of occupancy for any building sanitary sewers must be installed, inspected, tested and accepted by the Independence-Cross Creek Joint Sewer Authority.
A. 
The developer shall connect to the public water supply and construct a system of water mains with a connection for each lot.
B. 
If water is to be provided by means other than by private wells owned and maintained by the individual owners of lots within the subdivision or development, applicants shall present evidence to the governing body or planning agency, as the case may be, that the subdivision or development is to be supplied by a certificated public utility, a bona fide cooperative association of lot owners, or by a municipal corporation, authority or utility.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
In addition to all applicable design standards specified in §§ 270-82 through 270-92, all land developments shall comply with the following design standards:
A. 
Lighting of property.
(1) 
Parking and pedestrian areas on the property shall be lighted to create a level of not less than one footcandle when measured three feet above the pavement throughout the paved areas on the property. Such lighting may be from freestanding lampposts within the parking areas, from nearby streetlights or from lights mounted on buildings. Lighting shall be shielded or aimed so as not to create glare conditions on adjacent streets or properties. All lighting shall be the full cut-off design to insure that no lighting goes beyond the property boundary.
(2) 
Light standards in parking areas shall be protected from accidental damage by vehicles.
B. 
Landscaping.
(1) 
All areas of the property not paved or occupied by buildings shall be landscaped and maintained in grass, shrubs, trees, ground cover, mulching materials or other natural materials planted in accordance with accepted minimum standards. At least 5% of the total area of the property shall be set aside for landscaping. Lot areas not covered by buildings, sidewalks, pavement or other improvements shall be seeded with grass or other appropriate ground cover material compatible with the landscape and architectural design and condition of the surrounding areas. Landscaping materials shall not obstruct sight distances at access points to the property.
(2) 
Where required by Chapter 320, Zoning, buffer areas shall be provided which comply with the design standards specified in Chapter 320, Zoning. A landscaping plan shall be submitted which shows compliance with this chapter, any buffer area requirements and required landscaping and screening of parking areas and loading areas.
C. 
Garbage and trash containers. All organic rubbish and discarded materials shall be placed in tight vermin-proof containers on the property and shall be secured in side or rear yards screened from public view by means of a solid face fence or wall. Containers shall be emptied not less frequently than once a week. On properties where food is served in paper containers, covered waste receptacles shall be conspicuously located on the premises for use by patrons. The management shall be responsible for maintaining the property free of litter.
D. 
Parking areas. Parking areas shall be designed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 320, Zoning. Ingress and egress and interior circulation on the site shall be designed to ensure safety and minimize congestion. Adequate provision shall be made for safe pedestrian circulation within the parking areas and from the parking areas to the buildings. Fire lanes shall be adequately marked and maintained in locations approved by the Township.
All subdivision and land development plans shall be designed to meet the current standards of the commonwealth and federal law with respect to handicapped accessibility and verification of compliance shall be provided to the Township by the applicant.