City of Easton, PA Impact Assessment and Mitigation

The impact assessment report shall be prepared by a certified design professional and address the following:

If a site development plan is needed, including notes pertaining to the number and type of lots or units, the square footage and/or acreage of the lot(s) and a depiction of the features which are proposed, such as streets, driveways, parking areas, buildings and other structures, and all impervious surfaces, it shall be drawn at a scale of not more than 50 feet to the inch and may be submitted as an attachment to the report.

(2)

Floor plans and elevations depicting the proposed size, square footage and height of buildings and/or other structures.

(3)

A statement indicating the existing and proposed ownership of the lot(s) and, where applicable, the type of ownership, operation and maintenance proposed for areas which may be devoted to open space or otherwise not under the control of a single lot owner.

(4)

A statement indicating the proposed staging or phasing of the project and a map depicting the boundaries of each stage or phase of the project. Such boundaries shall be superimposed on a version of the site development plan.

(5)

An identification of the land use conditions and characteristics associated with the lot(s), such as current and past use, land cover and encumbrances, and the relationship of these to adjacent lot(s). The identification of land use conditions and characteristics includes a narrative description of the above. In addition, the following maps, drawn at a scale of not more than 50 feet to the inch, shall be incorporated into the report or submitted as attachments to it:

(a)

A map depicting the land cover characteristics of the tract. Such map shall define existing features, including buildings, paved or other impervious surfaces, lawns and landscaped areas, wooded areas, wetlands, streets, other water resources, and any other existing conditions.

(b)

A map depicting any encumbrances to the tract. Such map shall define easements and other areas where certain use privileges exist.

(c)

A map depicting the land uses adjacent to the proposed tract. Such map may be at the same scale as the location map.

(6)

An identification of the natural areas associated with or adjacent to the lot(s) at issue, such as areas listed on the Natural Heritage Inventory or Natural Areas Inventory of Lehigh and Northampton Counties, the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI), or similar study.

(7)

An identification of the historic resources associated with the lot(s), such as areas, structures and/or routes and trails which are significant. Areas, structures and/or routes and trails included on the National Register of Historic Places, the Pennsylvania Inventory of Historic Places, the Historic American Building Survey, the City Comprehensive Plan and any which may otherwise be identified by the City must be depicted. The identification of historic resources includes a narrative description of the above. In addition, a map drawn at a scale of not more than 50 feet to the inch, depicting historic resources should be incorporated into the report or submitted as an attachment to the report.

(8)

An identification of the community facility needs associated with the users and/or residents of the proposed project.

(a)

The community facility needs assessment should indicate in narrative form the type of services which will be in demand. Where applicable, community facilities (such as schools, park and recreation areas, libraries, hospitals and other health-care facilities, fire protection, police protection and ambulance and rescue service) should be discussed in terms of the ability of existing facilities and services to accommodate the demands of future users and/or residents of the lot(s) and the need for additional or expanded community facilities.

(b)

For schools, the following schoolchildren yields shall be used:

	1 Bedroom	2 Bedroom	3 Bedroom	4 Bedroom or More
Single-family, two-family	—	—	0.63	1.30
Multifamily residential	—	0.22	0.65	1.50
Midrise/highrise	0.05	0.35	0.60	—

(9)

An identification of the utility needs associated with the users and/or residents of the proposed project. The utility needs assessment should indicate in narrative form the type of installations which will be in demand. Utilities, such as those used for water supply, sewage disposal, storm drainage, communications and electrical transmission, shall be discussed in terms of the ability of existing utility installations to accommodate the demands of the future users and/or residents of the lot(s), the need for additional or expanded utility installations and the ability to achieve an adequate system for storm drainage and stormwater management.

(10)

An identification of the relationship of the transportation and circulation system needs of the proposed project to the existing street, alley or highway network. A discussion of this relationship should be in narrative form and indicate factors such as methods to be used for traffic control within the tract and at points of ingress and egress and expected traffic volumes generated from the project, including their relationship to existing traffic volumes on existing streets for both peak-hour and non-peak-hour traffic conditions. In addition, there should be a discussion of the physical condition of existing streets that will service the proposed project and what parking improvements are proposed to remedy any physical deficiencies at, beyond or worse than level-of-service D.

(11)

Development of regional significance. An identification of any development that would affect the City and any adjoining municipalities in an adverse manner due to its character, magnitude, location, traffic generation, height, impervious cover, or incongruent land uses.

(12)

An identification of characteristics and conditions associated with existing, construction-related and future air and water quality and noise levels, vibrations, toxic materials, electrical interference, odor, light, glare and heat, fire and explosion, smoke, dust, fumes, vapors and gases, radioactive materials and/or other noxious conditions.

(13)

A subsurface investigation report on the presence of karst topography and the stability of the rock formation and the vulnerability of the subsurface to subsidence (sinkholes). The characteristics, which should be presented in narrative form, include percolation tests, soil borings, or other similar tests or data.

(14)

An identification of compliance with the environmental controls and protections as required in Chapter 595, Zoning, Article XXIX, Environmental Controls and Protection, of the Code of the City of Easton. Where standards of use are set by other agencies, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or the Department of Environmental Protection, such standards shall be used.

(15)

Alternatives to the proposed project. To indicate such alternatives, the applicant shall submit exhibits or diagrams which will depict the type of alternatives described in narrative form. The applicant shall comment on how alternatives such as redesign, layout or siting of buildings, streets and other structures, reduction in the size of proposed buildings and structures, reduction in the number of buildings, reduction in density of intensity, and the like, would preclude, reduce or lessen potential adverse impact or produce beneficial effects.

(16)

The implications of the proposed project in terms of the type of beneficial or adverse impacts which may result from it. To indicate such effects, there should be a discussion of the implications of the proposed project to the resources, conditions and characteristics described in this section. In addition to a narrative presentation of implications, the applicant should display where the project adversely impacted the lot(s), resources, conditions or characteristics through the use of a map, drawn at a scale of not more than 50 feet to the inch, wherein the areas adversely affected from proposed development are highlighted. Such map may be either incorporated into the report or submitted as an attachment to the report. Further, the applicant should demonstrate and specify in the report how and where the findings in the report and its attachments are reflected in the subdivision, land development or other plan.

In making its evaluation, the Planning Commission may request any additional information it deems necessary to adequately assess potential impacts.

The impact assessment and mitigation report shall be prepared by a certified design professional and shall be paid for by the applicant. The applicant shall request approval from the City for the authors of the impact assessment and mitigation report, and the City shall determine if the author(s) proposed by the applicant is (are) qualified to prepare said report. If the City determines that the author(s) proposed by the applicant is (are) not qualified to address the report requirements, in whole or in part, then the City may hire qualified design professionals to prepare all or parts of the report, and the applicant shall reimburse the City for all reasonable fees and expenses for such design professionals.