[Ord. 10/13/1971, § 500]
1. 
All subdivisions and land developments approved by the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors must comply with the following standards. The standards outlined herein shall be considered minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, morals and general welfare.
A. 
General standards.
(1) 
In the design and development of subdivisions and land developments, every possible means to preserve the natural terrain, natural drainage, existing topsoil, trees, historic sites and appropriate community landmarks and assets shall be taken.
(2) 
Land shall be subdivided or developed only for uses in conformance with the Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 27, Zoning, and other ordinances and regulations in effect in the Township.
(3) 
Land subject to hazardous conditions such as open quarries, floods, precipices and a water supply which does not meet U.S. Public Health Service standards shall not be subdivided or developed until the hazards have been eliminated or unless adequate safeguards against such hazards are provided by the final plans.
(4) 
All portions of a tract being subdivided or developed shall be taken up in lots, streets, public lands or other proposed uses so that remnants and land-locked areas are not created.
(5) 
Reserve strips controlling access to lots, public rights-of-way, public lands or adjacent private lands are prohibited.
(6) 
Subdivisions or land developments shall be designed to avoid the necessity for excessive cut or fill.
[Ord. 10/13/1971, § 510; as amended by Ord. 7/6/1979B; by Ord. 12/15/1987; by Ord. 12/12/1991A, § 13; and by Ord. 8/11/2005]
1. 
General requirements.
A. 
Proposed streets shall conform in all respects to the Comprehensive Plan as officially prepared and adopted by the Township.
B. 
Proposed streets shall further conform to such county or state street and highway plans as have been prepared, adopted and/or filed as prescribed by law.
C. 
Streets shall be logically related to topography so as to produce reasonable grades, satisfactory drainage and suitable building sites.
D. 
Residential streets shall be laid out so as to discourage through traffic; however, the arrangement of streets shall provide for continuation of existing or platted streets and proper access to adjoining undeveloped tracts suitable for future development.
E. 
If lots resulting from an earlier subdivision are large enough to permit resubdivision or a portion of the tract is not subdivided, openings for future rights-of-way to permit further development shall be provided as necessary.
F. 
Dead-end streets shall be prohibited, except as stubs to permit future street extension into adjoining tracts or when designed as culs-de-sac.
G. 
Stub streets greater than one lot depth in length and joining acreage available for future development shall be provided with a temporary turnaround to the standards required for culs-de-sac or paved to the full width of the right-of-way for the last 25 feet of their length.
H. 
Streets that are extensions of or obviously in alignment with existing streets shall bear the names of the existing streets. Street names should generally not be repeated within the Township and all street names shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors.
I. 
Private streets serving more than five single-family dwellings or more than five dwelling units in a multiple-dwelling project shall be prohibited. Private streets serving one or two lots for single-family dwellings shall include a cartway built with a fifty-foot-wide right-of-way, a maximum grade of 15% and sufficient base, drainage and width to provide year-round mud-free passage. Private streets serving three or four lots for single-family dwellings or not more than four dwelling units in an apartment building or townhouse structure shall be constructed with a cartway of six-inch subbase within a fifty-foot-wide right-of-way, with a maximum grade of 12%. Private streets serving five lots for single-family dwellings or five dwelling units in a multiple-dwelling project shall meet the design and construction standards of this chapter for local streets. Any private street proposed to serve more than one dwelling shall meet the following requirements:
(1) 
A right-of-way use and maintenance agreement executed by all interested parties providing for the right to use and maintain the proposed private street shall be submitted and included as a required part of the subdivision plan covenants.
(2) 
The proposal shall be referred to the Township Roadmaster and the Township Engineer for a site-specific determination that the lesser level of improvements normally intended for private roads will adequately address drainage and safe access for the number of lots proposed.
(3) 
The request shall be evaluated by the Planning Commission with regard to whether adjacent land is suitable and likely to develop and whether there would then be a need or opportunity for coordinated access from such adjacent developments which might compel development of a road dedicated to the Township.
J. 
The finished elevation of proposed streets, except for marginal access streets, shall not be below the one-hundred-year flood elevation.
K. 
Streets shall be designed and constructed in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Publication 70, "Guidelines for Design of Roads and Local Streets."
L. 
Any underground utility situate under a street or shoulder thereof shall be installed utilizing a four-inch in depth stone bedding as approved by the Township Engineer and shall be completely backfilled with eight-inch mechanically compacted layers of Type 2A aggregate.
M. 
Design of all public use facilities, such as sidewalks, streets, recreational facilities, etc., shall provide for handicapped access and use in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.
N. 
The Township Roadmaster, in consultation with the Township Engineer and/or the Township Surveyor, as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Board of Supervisors, shall visit proposed and constructed private streets and make a determination whether any such street poses a safety hazard. If a safety hazard is determined to exist or would result from the proposed private street, the Township Roadmaster shall so advise the property owner and parties involved and shall issue instructions for corrective actions or preventive measures to abate or avoid such a hazard, along with a reasonable deadline for completion of the required actions. The Township Road-master shall revisit the site to confirm that required actions have been completed. If such remedial actions have not been completed, the matter shall be reported to the Board of Supervisors for appropriate enforcement.
O. 
Safety hazards or potential safety hazards involving private streets or driveways shall be deemed to occur if:
(1) 
Drainage from the private street will create an ice hazard on a public street.
(2) 
Drainage from the private street will create a sediment deposit hazard on a public street.
(3) 
Drainage from the private street will create drainage onto adjacent property in such volume and manner that property damage or safety problems are likely.
(4) 
Construction of the private street cartway or driveway is of inadequate width or inadequate supporting materials to enable normal ingress and egress of light-duty personal vehicles and typical delivery vehicles.
(5) 
Sight distance is obstructed so that vehicles approaching the private street or driveway are unable to see vehicles preparing to exit onto a public street.
(6) 
Steep grades on the private street or driveway would prevent a complete stop before ingress and egress during slippery conditions.
(7) 
Sharp angles at the public street intersection with the private street or driveway would impair or prevent normal ingress and egress, causing excessive maneuvering on the public street.
(8) 
Construction of the private street or driveway was done without a drainage pipe or other means to enable proper flow of runoff along the Township road or state highway.
2. 
Street Standards. Where a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing street of inadequate right-of-way width, a future right-of-way width shall be indicated on the plan to conform to the standards herein. Provision for additional street width may be required by the Board of Supervisors in specific cases for on-street parking in commercial, industrial or high-density residential areas; additional widening where minimum widths will not meet the requirements of a specific street; and public safety and convenience.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Table of Road and Highway Design Standards for Montour Township, which immediately followed this subsection, is included as an attachment to this chapter.
3. 
Street alignment.
A. 
Horizontal Curves. To ensure adequate sight distance when street cartway lines deflect more than five degrees, connection shall be made by horizontal curves. The minimum center line radii for local streets shall be 150 feet; and of all other streets, 300 feet. A tangent shall be required between curves and between a curve and street intersection.
B. 
Vertical Curves. Vertical curves shall be used as changes of grade exceeding 1% and designed to provide minimum sight distances of 200 feet for minor streets and 300 feet for all other streets (as determined by the current specifications of the American Association of State Highway Officials).
C. 
Grades. Center-line grades shall not be less than 1/2 of 1%. Center-line grades shall not exceed 6% for collector and arterial streets and 10% for all other streets. Where the grade of any street at the approach to an intersection exceeds 7%, a leveling area shall be provided at least 20 feet in length, measured behind the right-of-way line, having not greater than 4% grades. The maximum grade within any intersection shall not exceed 1%.
4. 
Street intersections.
A. 
Intersections of local streets with collector streets shall be kept to the minimum which will permit sound development of the abutting land.
B. 
No more than two streets shall intersect at one point.
C. 
Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles; except, if shown to be impractical, angles of less than 90° may be permitted, providing the angle of intersection is not less than 60°.
D. 
Two streets intersecting from opposite sides of another street shall intersect at their center lines; if offset, however, the offset shall be at least 125 feet.
E. 
Clear sight triangles of 50 feet, measured along street right-of-way lines from their points of junction, shall be provided at all intersections; and no building, structure, fence, grade or planting higher than two feet above the center line of the street shall be permitted within such sight triangles. Necessary utility poles and streetlight standards may be placed within the aforementioned sight triangles.
F. 
Intersections with arterial or collector streets shall be located not less than 800 feet apart, measured from center line to center line.
G. 
Table of Road Intersection Sight Distance Standards.
Design Speed 2-Lane*
Minimum Sight Distance 4-Lane*
Collector/Local Arterial
Collector/Local
(mph)
Arterial
(feet)
(feet)
(feet)
(feet)
60
600
1,050
710
1,170
50
500
875
580
975
40
400
700
475
790
30
300
530
350
590
NOTES:
*
The number of lanes and highway classification refers to the highway being intersected.
Source: Based upon PADOT Guidelines for Local Roads and Streets, Publication 70, April, 1983 Edition and Pa. Code, Title 67, Chapter 441, January, 1982 Edition.
1.
At locations where turning volumes are significant, the intersection approaches should be widened to allow a left-turn lane, and in heavy volume situations channelization may be needed.
2.
Pedestrian movements should be considered in the design where current or expected volumes warrant.
3.
Corner radii of intersections shall be not less than 50 feet, except on local roads with few truck movements, where 35 feet may be approved by the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation of the Township Engineer.
5. 
Street Access. Where a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing or proposed public street, the Board of Supervisors may require such measures considered appropriate to protect abutting properties, reduce the number of intersections with major streets and separate local and through traffic.
A. 
Arterial or Collector Streets. Marginal-access streets, reverse-frontage lots or, in the case of corner lots, access to the street of lower classification may be required where a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an arterial or collector street.
B. 
Access driveways.
(1) 
Driveways connecting public streets with parking lots or parking stalls shall meet the following requirements:
Driveway
Type of Development
Minimum Width
(feet)
Maximum Grade
Minimum Curb Radius
(feet)
Minimum Intervals
(feet)
Single-family
1-2 lots
Not specified
15%
5
40*
3-4 lots
12
12%
5
50*
Multifamily residential
10 each lane (12 desired)
8%
10
200**
Nonresidential
12 each lane (15 maximum)
5%
15
200**
NOTES:
*
Between intersection and first driveway.
**
Between any two points of access, including both driveways and public streets.
All access driveways shall provide a stopping area measured 20 feet behind the right-of-way line, with a grade not exceeding 4%.
(2) 
Table of Driveway Sight Distance Standards:
Sight Distance — Cars/Small Trucks*
Road Class
Posted Speed
Left and Right
(feet)
Minor arterial
55
740
Major collector
45
555
Minor collector
35
395
Local road
35
395
30
320
25
255
Marginal-access road
25
255
NOTES:
Source: Chapter 21 of the Montour Township Code.
*
Sight distance is measured from a point 42 inches above the center of the proposed driveway and 10 feet back into the driveway from the edge of the traveled or paved portion of the Township road to points 42 inches above the center of the Township road both to the right and left of the proposed driveway.
6. 
Culs-de-sac. Culs-de-sac permanently designed as such shall not exceed 600 feet in length and shall furnish access to not more than 15 dwelling units. Culs-de-sac shall have, at the closed end, a turnaround with a right-of-way having a minimum outside radius of not less than 50 feet and paved to a radius of not less than 40 feet. Drainage of culs-de-sac shall preferably be toward the open end, although alternative designs may be considered.
7. 
Alleys. Alleys should not generally be permitted except where required to ensure continuity in present street patterns and where other methods of entrance and exit are impractical. No lots shall front on an alley.
8. 
Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be required on both sides of the street in residential subdivisions having a typical lot width of 100 feet or less and in all residential land developments. Sidewalks may also be required in nonresidential developments or residential subdivisions having a lot width greater than 100 feet if the character of the neighborhood is such that continuation of existing sidewalks, access to community facilities or intra-site access is important.
A. 
The minimum width of combination sidewalk and curb shall be six feet. Where the sidewalk and curb are separated by an unpaved planting section, the minimum width of the sidewalk alone shall be four feet along all streets. The sidewalk should be located within the street right-of-way, starting one foot inside the right-of-way line and extending toward the curb.
B. 
The grades and paving of the sidewalk shall be continuous across driveways, except in nonresidential and high-density residential developments and in certain other cases where heavy traffic volume dictates special treatment.
[Ord. 10/13/1971, § 520; as amended by Ord. 11/10/1988A]
1. 
Parking Requirements. Off-street automobile parking facilities shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 27, Zoning. At no time shall angle or perpendicular parking be permitted along the public streets; parallel parking along public streets shall not count toward meeting the zoning requirements.
2. 
Parking Lot Design. All parking lots and bays shall be:
A. 
Set back from the street line a distance of at least five feet.
B. 
Not exceeding 50 cars in any one lot.
C. 
Separated from one another by eight-foot planting strips.
D. 
Separated from the outside wall of any dwelling unit by 20 feet.
E. 
Designed so that vehicles may proceed to and from any stall without requiring the moving of any other vehicle.
F. 
Designed so that dead-end lots are provided with backup areas for end stalls.
3. 
The design and installation of individual parking stalls shall be not less than the following dimensions:
Stall
Driveway*
Angle of Parking
Width
(feet)
Depth
(feet)
One-Way Use
(feet)
Two-Way Use
(feet)
90°
10
20
20
24
60°
10
21
18
21
45°
10
20
15
18
30°
10
18
12
15
Parallel
8
22
12
18
NOTE:
*
Refers only to driveway serving lot or stall in question; access driveways between lots and public streets are governed by § 22-502(5).
[Ord. 10/13/1971, § 530; as amended by Ord. 12/12/1991A, § 14; and by Ord. 7/10/1997, § 5]
1. 
The size, shape and orientation of lots shall be appropriate for the location of the subdivision and the type of development and use contemplated.
A. 
Lot dimensions shall meet the requirements of Chapter 27, Zoning.
B. 
Except as otherwise provided in § 22-502(1)(I), all lots shall abut on a public street. Lots where front and rear property lines abut public streets are prohibited except where employed to prevent vehicular access to arterial or collector streets.
C. 
Lot depths shall be not less than one nor more than 2 1/2 times the average width.
D. 
Depth and width of parcels laid out or reserved for nonresidential use shall be adequate for the use proposed and sufficient to provide satisfactory space for off-street parking and unloading.
E. 
Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to street lines.
2. 
Block Requirements. The length, width and shape of blocks shall be determined with due regard to the provision of adequate sites for the type of buildings proposed, applicable municipal zoning requirements, topography and the requirements for safe and convenient vehicular and pedestrian circulation.
A. 
Blocks shall have a maximum length of 1,200 feet and, insofar as practical, a minimum length of 500 feet. Special consideration shall be given to the requirements of satisfactory fire protection.
B. 
Residential blocks shall be of sufficient depth to accommodate two tiers of lots, except where reverse-frontage lots bordering an arterial street or the cluster design option are used.
C. 
Pedestrian interior walks may be required where necessary to assist circulation or provide access to community facilities. Such easements shall have a width of not less than 15 feet and a paved walk of not less than four feet.
3. 
Easements.
A. 
Easements Shall Be Provided as Necessary for Utilities and Drainage. To the fullest extent possible, easements shall be centered on or adjacent to rear or side lot lines and be at least 20 feet wide.
B. 
Consistent with the functional requirements of the utility involved, accessory uses may be permitted within the area of easement. The area shall be kept as lawn if not utilized for other purposes.
C. 
Where a subdivision or land development is traversed by a watercourse, there shall be provided a drainage easement or right-of-way conforming substantially with the line of such watercourse and of such width as will be adequate to preserve natural drainage but not less than 20 feet or as may be required or directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
[Ord. 10/13/1971, § 540; as amended by Ord. 12/15/1987; and by Ord. 12/12/1991A, § 15]
1. 
In addition to the other provisions of this section, the developer shall comply with all requirements of the Clean Streams Act, 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq., including, but not limited to, sedimentation and erosion control, and the Storm Water Management Act, 32 P.S. § 680.1 et seq.
A. 
Land developments of all types shall be designed to preserve, to the maximum extent practical, natural stormwater runoff regimes and watercourses, currents and cross-sections of watercourses and to protect and conserve groundwater and groundwater recharge areas.
(1) 
Land developments of all types shall be designed to induce, to the maximum extent practical, the absorption of stormwater on site or in nearby proximity for recharge of groundwater.
(2) 
Land developments of all types shall be designed to be consistent with any official Stormwater Management Plan(s) adopted by Montour Township and/or Columbia County.
(3) 
Subdivision and land development plans shall be reviewed to ensure that construction of structures and modification of terrain does not create obstructions which will be damaged by floods or washed away and cause damage to downstream properties.
(4) 
Subdivision and land development plans shall be reviewed to ensure that encroachments are not allowed on floodways, which would cause damage to other properties by increasing the height or velocity of floods.
(5) 
Subdivision and land development plans shall be reviewed for the purpose of preventing pollution of watercourses during floods by preventing the placement or storage in the floodway of unsanitary or dangerous substances.
(6) 
Blocks and lots shall be graded to secure proper drainage away from buildings and prevent the collection of stormwater in pools.
(7) 
All drainage provisions shall be of such design as to carry surface waters to the nearest practical street, storm drain or natural watercourse.
(8) 
The owner shall construct and/or install such drainage structures and/or pipes necessary to prevent erosion damage and satisfactorily carry off such surface waters. The owner shall properly grade, stabilize and seed slopes and fence any open ditches when it is deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors.
(9) 
No excavation shall be made with a cut face steeper in slope than two horizontal to one vertical, except under one or more of the following conditions:
(a) 
The excavation is located so that a line having a slope of one horizontal to one vertical and passing through any portion of the cut face will be entirely inside of the property lines of the property on which the excavation was made.
(b) 
The material in which the excavation is made is sufficiently stable to sustain a slope of steeper than one horizontal to one vertical and a written statement of a civil engineer (licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and experienced in erosion control) to that effect is submitted to the Engineer and approved by him. The statement shall state that the site has been inspected and the deviation from the slope specified hereinbefore will not result in injury to persons or damage to property.
(c) 
A concrete or stone masonry wall constructed in accordance with approved standards is provided to support the face of the excavation.
(10) 
No fill shall be made which creates any exposed surface steeper in slope than three horizontal to one vertical, except under one or more of the following conditions:
(a) 
The fill is located so that settlement, sliding or erosion will not result in property damage or be a hazard to adjoining property, streets, alleys or buildings.
(b) 
A written statement from a civil engineer (licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and experienced in erosion control) certifying that he has inspected the site and the proposed deviation from the slope specified above will not endanger any property or result in property damage, is submitted to and approved by the Engineer.
(c) 
A concrete or stone masonry wall constructed in accordance with approved standards is provided to support the face of the excavation.
(11) 
The top or bottom edge of slopes shall be a minimum of five feet from property or right-of-way lines of streets or alleys in order to permit the normal rounding of the edge without encroaching on the abutting property.
B. 
Storm sewerage system.
(1) 
Storm drains and appurtenances shall be required to be constructed by the owner to take surface water from the bottom of vertical grades, lead water away from springs and avoid excessive use of cross gutters at street intersections and elsewhere.
(2) 
Only natural watercourses which are of sufficient size to come under the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (i.e., draining 1/2 square mile or more) shall be permitted to enter or flow through a developed subdivision within an open (non-conduit) channel. All other drainage, watercourses, channels or ditches shall be incorporated into a storm sewer system and shall flow through pipes from a point of intersection with the exterior boundary lines of a subdivision or land development at its exits.
(3) 
In the design of storm sewerage systems, the future use of undeveloped areas upstream shall be taken into account in calculating pipe sizes.
C. 
Bridges and culverts.
(1) 
Bridges and culverts shall be designed to meet current Pennsylvania Department of Transportation standards to support expected loads and carry expected flows. They shall be constructed to the full width of the right-of-way.
(2) 
Approval of or a permit waiver from the Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Dams and Waterways Management shall be required for all waterway encroachments. All Department of Environmental Protection regulations regarding waterways, bridges and culverts shall be followed.
[Ord. 10/13/1971, § 550; as amended by Ord. 12/12/1991A, § 16]
1. 
Community Facilities. The Board of Supervisors may require the dedication or private reservation of land for recreational parks, playgrounds, schools, open space or other public use or the construction of recreational facilities, the payment of fees in lieu thereof, or a combination, as a condition precedent to final plan approval, subject to Section 503.11 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[1]
A. 
Areas set aside for recreational purposes shall be reasonably compact parcels, placed to serve all parts of the subdivision or land development and accessible from a public street.
B. 
Playgrounds for active sports shall be of adequate size to provide sufficient area for proposed uses.
C. 
In developments intending to provide housing for more than 50 families, recreation space shall be required as follows:
Dwelling Units to Be Served
Recommended Recreation Space
(acres)
50 to 150
3
151 to 350
5
351 to 600
7
601 to 900
9
Each additional 300 units
2
[1]
Editor's Note: See now 53 P.S. § 10503, Subdivision (11), regarding provision requiring public dedication of land.
2. 
Street buffer plantings.
A. 
Trees should be planted along the development side of all streets where suitable street trees do not exist. They shall be planted as a mix of low- and medium-height shrubs and evergreen trees together with canopy trees in an arrangement which will produce by the end of a ten-year growth period the screening opacity level as required by the approved land development plan. See § 22-506(3).
B. 
At intersections, trees shall be located at least 20 feet from the intersection of the street right-of-way lines. Where the planting strip between the street curb and the sidewalk is less than six feet, the trees shall be planted on the lots.
C. 
Trees shall be of nursery stock grown under climatic conditions comparable to those of the Township. They shall be of symmetrical growth, free of insects, pests and disease and suitable for street use and durable under the maintenance contemplated.
D. 
In particular, approved trees include the following:
(1) 
Acer ginnala — Amur Maple.
(2) 
Acer platanoides — Norway Maple.
(3) 
Acer saccharum — Sugar Maple.
(4) 
Cortnus florida — Flowering Dogwood.
(5) 
Fraxinus americana — White Ash.
(6) 
Fraxinum Pennsylvanica lanceolata — Green Ash.
(7) 
Ginkgo biloba — Ginkgo.
(8) 
Gleditsia tricanthos inermis — Moraine Locust.
(9) 
Liquidambar styraciflua — Sweet Gum.
(10) 
Liridendron tulipifera — Tulip Tree.
(11) 
Phellodendrun amurense — Amur Cork Tree.
(12) 
Platanus acerifolia — London Plane Tree.
(13) 
Qercus alba — White Oak.
(14) 
Quercus borealis — Red Oak.
(15) 
Quercus coccinea — Scarlet Oak.
(16) 
Quercus phellos — Willow Oak.
(17) 
Robina pseudoacacia inermis — Thornless Black Locust.
(18) 
Tilia — Linden; all species hardy to the area.
(19) 
Zelkova serrata — Japanese Zelkova.
3. 
Buffering. Along the border of two different land uses, the developer shall provide a landscaped buffer area of low- and medium-height shrubs and evergreen trees together with canopy trees designed to produce, by the end of a ten-year growth period, the screening opacity level as required by the approved land development plan. The following table is intended as a guide for the review of such plan and indicates the opacity levels as a percentage number.
Existing Adjacent Land Use
Proposed Land Use
AG
C
HC
SR
VR
I
Agricultural (AG)
0%
0%
0%
25%
50%
0%
Conservation (C)
0%
0%
75%
25%
50%
25%
Highway Commercial (HC)
25%
75%
25%
50%
75%
25%
Industrial (I)
25%
25%
25%
50%
75%
0%
Suburban Residential (SR)
25%
25%
50%
25%
25%
50%
Village Residential (VR)
50%
50%
25%
25%
25%
75%
A. 
The screen planting shall be maintained permanently, and any plant material which does not live shall be replaced within one year.
B. 
In accordance with the provisions of § 22-502(4)(E), a clear sight triangle shall be maintained at all street intersections and where private accessways intersect public streets.
C. 
The screen planting shall be broken only at points of vehicular or pedestrian access.
4. 
Environmental Assessment. Subdivision and land development proposals will be required to demonstrate that the development will not create adverse impact upon the environment. Where determined necessary, the Commission may require an environmental assessment for a proposed subdivision or land development. If the environmental assessment finds significant adverse impact, an environmental impact statement may be required. Changes in the proposal may be required to avoid such impact.
A. 
Where land developments are proposed directly adjacent to wetlands, the developer will be required to demonstrate that the development will not endanger the wetlands.
B. 
Where large and/or intensive new developments are proposed which create potential land use conflicts, existing development will be surveyed, owners contacted, and the developer required to create buffers where incompatible land uses are adjacent, and employ site location and design measures to minimize incompatibilities.
5. 
Fencing.
A. 
Fences and screens in residential and commercial districts, except agricultural and agricultural boundary line fences, shall be positioned so as to allow mowing and maintenance on the outboard side without the necessity to cross over the property line. A minimum of a five-foot setback from the property line, including all outer limbs of any vegetative screens at full maturity, shall be required.
B. 
The height and types of fences and screens shall be designed to blend compatibility with adjoining preexisting fences and screens and neighborhood character.
C. 
Fences and screens shall be designed and positioned so as to respect the need for solar access and right to scenic view of adjoining preexisting developments.
D. 
In accordance with the provisions of § 22-502(4)(E), a clear sight triangle shall be maintained at all street intersections and where private accessways intersect public streets.
E. 
The screen planting shall be broken only at points of vehicular or pedestrian access.
[Ord. 10/13/1971, § 560; as amended by Ord. 7/6/1979B; by Ord. 12/4/1981, § 2; by Ord. 12/15/1987; and by Ord. 12/12/1991A, § 17]
1. 
Multifamily development.
A. 
The density, parking and area and building requirements shall in all respects conform to Chapter 27, Zoning, for multifamily developments.
B. 
Arrangement of buildings and facilities.
(1) 
All of the elements of the site plan shall be harmoniously and efficiently organized in relation to topography, the size and shape of the plot, the character of the adjoining property and the type and size of the buildings in order to produce a livable and economic land use pattern.
(2) 
Arrangement of buildings shall be in favorable relation to the natural topography, existing desirable trees, views within and beyond the site and exposure to the sun and other buildings on the site. Grading around buildings shall be designed to be in harmony with natural topography, at the same time ensuring adequate drainage and safe and convenient access.
C. 
Access and circulation.
(1) 
Access to the dwellings and circulation between buildings and other important project facilities for vehicular and pedestrian traffic shall be comfortable and convenient for the occupants.
(2) 
Access and circulation for firefighting equipment, furniture moving vans, fuel trucks, garbage collection, deliveries and snow removal shall be planned for efficient operation and convenience.
(3) 
Walking distance from the main entrance of a building to a street, driveway or parking area shall usually be less than 100 feet; exception to this standard should be reasonably justified by compensating advantages, such as desirable views and site preservation through adaptation to topography. In no case shall the distance exceed 250 feet.
D. 
Yards shall ensure adequate privacy, desirable outlook, adequate natural light and ventilation, convenient access to and around the dwellings and other essential uses.
E. 
Streets, driveways and parking areas shall be as specified in other sections of this Part.
F. 
Sidewalks.
(1) 
Street sidewalks and on-site walks shall be provided for convenience and safe access to all living units from streets, driveways, parking areas or garages and convenient circulation and access to all project facilities.
(2) 
Width, alignment and gradient of walks shall provide safety and convenience for pedestrian traffic.
(3) 
The alignment and gradient of walks shall be coordinated with the grading plan to prevent the passage of concentrated surface water on or across the walk and to prevent the pocketing of surface water by walks.
G. 
Planting. The appeal and character of the site shall be preserved and enhanced by retaining and protecting existing trees and other site features; and additional new plant material shall be added for privacy, shade, beauty of buildings and grounds and to screen out objectionable features.
2. 
Mobile Home Park Development. Mobile home parks shall generally be located in areas appropriate for general residential usage and not in commercial areas. Sites selected for mobile home parks should be shielded from public streets and nonresidential land uses by topography, buffering or compatible land uses.
A. 
Zoning Requirements. Mobile home parks shall meet all appropriate Township zoning provisions.
B. 
Street and Driveway Improvements. Mobile home parks shall have paved driveways or streets, as appropriate, to, from and within each site. Such driveways or streets shall be constructed in accordance with specifications contained in §§ 22-403(1), 22-502(2) and 22-502(5)(B) herein.
C. 
Open Space. All mobile home parks shall provide not less than 10% of the total land area for open space purposes, and such lands shall be improved whereby the same will be accessible to all families residing within said tract and may be used for recreational purposes.
D. 
Utility Improvements. All mobile home parks shall provide to each lot line a continuing supply of safe and palatable water as approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, as well as a sanitary sewerage disposal system in accordance with and as approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, all such systems being provided to the lot lines of all lots in any such mobile home park.
E. 
Other Site Improvements. There shall be provided in each mobile home park such other improvements as the Planning Commission may require whereby such requirements shall be for the intent and purpose of safeguarding the public health, safety and general welfare and may include, but not be limited to, garbage and trash collection and disposal facilities as approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and an adequate park lighting system.
F. 
No part of any proposed mobile home park shall be placed in any floodway area (FW).
G. 
Mobile home lot requirements.
(1) 
The minimum area of a mobile home lot shall be 5,000 square feet.
(2) 
The minimum width of a mobile home lot shall be 50 feet.
(3) 
The minimum depth of a mobile home lot shall be 100 feet.
(4) 
The minimum distance between any mobile home, including appurtenances, and the front, side, or rear of a mobile home lot line upon which it is situate shall be 30 feet.
3. 
Nonresidential development.
A. 
Lotting of individual lots for commercial purposes shall be avoided in favor of a comprehensive design of the land to be used for such purposes.
B. 
All of the elements of the site plan shall be harmoniously and efficiently organized in relation to topography, the size and shape of the plot, the character of the adjoining property and the type and size of the buildings in order to produce a livable and economical land use pattern.
C. 
Additional width of streets adjacent to areas proposed for nonresidential use may be required as deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors to ensure the free flow of through traffic from vehicles entering or leaving parking areas.
D. 
When adjacent lots proposed for nonresidential uses front on a collector or arterial street, the owner may be required to provide a service road for ingress and egress; or, in lieu thereof, the owner may be required to provide an area adjacent to the proposed lots for off-street parking purposes.
E. 
Every effort shall be made to protect adjacent residential areas from potential nuisance of the proposed nonresidential developments, including the provisions of extra depths in parcels backing up on existing or potential residential developments and provisions for a permanently landscaped evergreen buffer strip.
F. 
Streets carrying nonresidential traffic shall not normally be extended to the boundaries of the adjacent existing or potential residential areas or connected to streets intended for predominantly residential traffic.
G. 
When possible, parking areas shall be located or designed in such a manner that they are visibly secluded from eye level of the surrounding area. Grading to depress the parking area, raised berms, landscaping or fencing are satisfactory methods to create such seclusion.
H. 
All area, design and parking requirements shall conform to Chapter 27, Zoning.