Article IV Development Design Standards

If an applicant proposes streets or building development which would destroy existing tree growth, whether by reason of street alignment, grading or otherwise, the applicant shall:

Propose a method of subdivision which would preserve as many of the existing trees as is reasonably possible that are of twelve-inch and greater DBH; and

As a condition of the Supervisors' approval, the applicant shall provide replacement tree plantings as specified in § 109-427I.

The purpose of this particular regulation shall be to maintain natural vegetation, prevent erosion of the topsoil on the site and surrounding properties, and generally promote the health, safety and welfare of the citizens.

§ 109-402 Lot design.

General lot design standards.

Lot dimensions, areas and orientation shall be appropriate for the type of development and use contemplated, and shall provide the required space for off-street parking and other accessory uses.

Side lot lines shall be at right angles to straight street lines, and radial to curved street lines and cul-de-sac turnarounds.

Lot lines shall follow municipal boundaries rather than cross them, in order to avoid jurisdictional problems.

The depth of residential lots shall be not less than one or more than three times their width.

Tract frontage standards.

All tracts proposed for subdivision or land development shall have direct access to a public street and, where applicable, shall have a frontage in accordance with zoning standards, but in no case shall such access be less than a minimum width of 50 feet, with the ability to demonstrate adequate traffic safety to enter the highway.

Any proposed lots abutting an existing or proposed arterial or collector street in the Township shall be designed as reverse frontage lots having access to the street with a lower function, as required in Chapter 129, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury.

All residential lots using reverse frontage shall have a rear yard with a minimum depth of 75 feet, measured in the shortest distance from the proposed dwelling unit to the proposed right-of-way, and shall, within such rear yard and immediately adjacent to the right-of-way, have a planting screen easement of at least 10 feet in width, across which there shall be no right of access.

Building setback lines. The minimum building setback line shall be in accordance with Chapter 129, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury.

Interior lots. No interior lots shall be permitted.

Crosswalks.

Crosswalks may be required by the Board of Supervisors to facilitate pedestrian circulation and to give access to community facilities where situations warrant concern for the safety and welfare of Township residents.

The design and installation of required crosswalks shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and approved by the Township Engineer.

§ 109-403 Monuments and markers.

Monument standards.

Permanent concrete monuments shall be accurately placed at the intersection of all lines forming angles and at changes in directions of lines in the boundary (perimeter) of the property being subdivided.

All monuments shall be placed by a registered professional engineer or surveyor so that the scored point created by an indented cross or drilled hole in the top of the monument shall coincide exactly with the point of intersection of the lines being monumented.

Monuments shall be set with their top level with the finished grade of the surrounding ground.

All streets shall be monumented on the right-of-way line at the following locations:

At least one monument at each intersection;

At changes in direction of street lines;

At each end of each curved street line, (e.g., points of curvature and tangency); only one side of each street need be monumented;

An intermediate monument wherever topographical or other conditions make it impossible to sight between two otherwise required monuments; and

At such other places along the line of streets as may be determined by the Township Engineer to be necessary so that any street may be readily defined in the future.

Utility pipeline rights-of-way shall be monumented at all property lines.

Open space areas shall be monumented.

Marker standards.

Markers shall be accurately placed at all lot corners within subdivision.

Markers shall consist of solid iron rods or pins, with a minimum diameter of 1/2 inch, and shall have a minimum length of 24 inches and installed vertically.

Markers shall be placed in concrete to ensure that they will not be removed.

All monuments for buildings, streets, open space areas and utilities shall be placed prior to issuance of the first use and occupancy permit for the subdivision or land development. All markers for lots shall be placed prior to the issuance of the use and occupancy permit for the lot.

§ 109-404 Street system.

Proposed streets shall be consistent with such street plans or parts thereof as have been officially prepared and adopted by the Township, including recorded subdivision plans and the Comprehensive Plan or Official Map if adopted by the Township.

Proposed streets shall further conform to such Township, county and state road and highway plans as have been prepared, adopted and/or filed as prescribed by law. All new streets and driveways shall have a Level of Service C or better for the design year, five years from the date of application.

Thoughtful and imaginative design of streets and their relationship to the arrangement and shape of lots is required.

Local streets shall be laid out so as to discourage through traffic, but provisions for street connections into and from adjacent areas may be required.

Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed major thoroughfare, the Board of Supervisors may require dedication of additional right-of-way specified hereinafter and marginal access streets, rear service alleys, reverse frontage lots, or such other treatment as will provide protection for abutting properties, reduction in the number of intersections with the major thoroughfare and separation of local and through traffic.

New partial streets shall not be permitted.

Dead-end streets shall not be permitted.

Where streets and other public improvements continue into adjoining municipalities, evidence of compatibility of design, particularly with regard to street widths, shall be submitted and approved by both municipalities. The applicant shall coordinate such design with both municipalities to avoid abrupt changes in cartway width or in improvements provided.

Where a proposed subdivision abuts an existing subdivision having a dedicated residential street dead-ending at a common property line, the proposed subdivision shall make provision for extension of such dedicated residential street within the proposed subdivision. In the design of a proposed subdivision, provision shall be made for continuation of the width, gradient, general alignment and direction of traffic flow of a collector street that dead-ends at a common property line or is proposed in the Township Comprehensive Plan whenever such proposal has been adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

Where lots abut an existing street, additional right-of-way, paving and other street improvements may be required for such an existing street to the extent deemed by the Supervisors to be in the public interest.

If lots resulting from original subdivision are large enough to permit resubdivision, or if a portion of the tract is not subdivided, adequate street rights-of-way to permit further subdivision shall be provided in accordance with § 109-405 of this article.

Private streets in residential developments may be permitted only in a gated/guarded community with a homeowners' association that shall guarantee the maintenance of the streets, except as provided for in § 109-504C.

§ 109-405 Street right-of-way widths.

The minimum right-of-way, cartway and shoulder widths for all new streets in the Township shall be as follows:

Street Function	Right of Way Width (feet)	Cartway Width (feet)	Shoulder* Width (feet)
Arterial streets
Principal arterial	Per PennDOT	Per PennDOT	Per PennDOT
Minor arterial	Per PennDOT	Per PennDOT	Per PennDOT
Collector streets
Major collector	60	32	8
Minor collector	50	32	6
Local streets
Primary distributor	50	24**	4
Secondary distributor	50	24**	4
Local access streets*	50	24**	4
Cul-de-sac streets	52	28	8
Commercial streets	60	32	8

NOTES:
*	Including single-access loop streets.
**	Does not permit on-street parking without four-foot increase to cartway width spec.

Divided cartway streets (or boulevards), or parts thereof, may be permitted subject to approval by the Supervisors, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, and the following requirements:

Each cartway shall be one-way and 12 feet in width with a shoulder as required in § 109-405A, above.

The minimum separation between cartways shall be 10 feet and shall not exceed 20 feet, and such separation area shall be landscaped according to a plan recommended by the Planning Commission and approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Each side of each cartway shall be curbed, where required, with curbs meeting the specifications of § 109-415.

The minimum right-of-way of divided cartway streets shall meet the requirements of § 109-405A plus one foot for each foot of separation between one-way cartways.

A boulevard street shall not be considered in lieu of meeting the requirements of a single-access street.

Eyebrow-type street sections may be permitted subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, and shall meet all applicable design standards of §§ 109-407, 109-408, 109-409 and 109-410 of this article.

The Township may require additional right-of-way and cartway widths for the following purposes:

To promote public safety and convenience.

To provide parking space in commercial districts and in areas of high-density residential development.

§ 109-406 Increase of right-of-way widths.

To accommodate special topographic circumstances which may result in cut/fill slopes extending beyond the standard right-of-way in all circumstances to assure accessibility for maintenance operations.

Rights-of-way of lesser width than prescribed in this section shall not be permitted.

Subdivisions abutting existing streets may be required to provide, for dedication, sufficient land to provide the ultimate right-of-way for such existing streets in accordance with the provisions of this section.

Where a subdivision abuts an existing street of improper cartway or right-of-way width or alignment, the Supervisors shall require the dedication of land sufficient to widen the street or correct the alignment and require the escrow of money where deemed necessary in order to improve said cartway.

In the case where lots created within a subdivision are large enough to accommodate either further subdivision, or a higher intensity of development, and thus may result in higher traffic levels, the Township may require that additional right-of-way be provided to permit the future development of a higher functional classification street.

§ 109-407 Street grades.

There shall be a minimum center line grade of 1%. Center line grades shall not exceed the following:

Street Function	Maximum Grade
Arterial	6%
Collector	7%
Local	8%

In the approach to an intersection, the street grade shall not exceed the following percentage for the classification of street indicated below. These approach grades shall extend for a minimum of 100 feet from the nearest right-of-way of the intersection street:

Street Function	Maximum Grade
Arterial	3%
Collector	4%
Local	6%

At all changes of street grades where the algebraic difference exceeds 1%, vertical curves shall be provided per AASHTO, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets.

Under no circumstances shall maximum grades be permitted using the minimum curve radii.

§ 109-408 Street alignment.

Whenever street lines are deflected in excess of 5°, connection shall be made by horizontal curves.

The minimum center line radii for horizontal curves shall be provided per AASHTO, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. Center line radii and superelevation shall be provided in accordance with AASHTO standards.

A tangent of at least 100 feet shall be introduced between all horizontal curves on collector and arterial streets and between reverse curves on local streets.

Super elevation in accordance with PennDOT standards shall be required when curve radii are less than 600 feet on arterial streets.

§ 109-409 Street intersections.

Right angle intersections shall be required.

No more than two streets, creating a four-way intersection, shall cross at the same point.

Intersections with arterial and collector streets shall be located not less than 500 feet apart, measured from center line to center line.

Streets entering from opposite sides of another street shall either be directly across from each other or offset by at least 150 feet on local and collector streets, and 300 feet on arterial streets, measured from center line to center line.

Where curbs are required, curb radii shall not be less than 25 feet, forming a tangential arc, and the top curb grade lines for intersecting streets shall be so designed that would meet at a common point if projected. For all intersections involving arterial and collector streets, a forty-foot radius shall be required.

Safe sight distances shall be provided at all street intersections. Within such lines of sight, no vision-obstructing object, including plant materials, shall be permitted. Safe sight distances shall be provided for all intersections in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Design Manual, Part 2, Highway Design, Publication 13M (DM-2).

Greater safe sight distance dimensions imposed by PennDOT for intersections with the state highway system shall supersede the above.

Whenever a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed street with an ultimate right-of-way of 60 feet or more, the Planning Commission may recommend and the Board of Supervisors may require restriction of access to the street by:

Provision of reverse frontage lots;

Provision of service streets along the rear of the abutting lots, together with prohibition of private driveways intersecting the streets; or

§ 109-410 Single-access streets/culs-de-sac.

Provision of marginal access streets, provided that the reserve strips establishing such marginal access streets shall be dedicated to the Township under an agreement meeting the approval of the Township.

A single-access street shall not be approved wherever a through street is feasible as determined by the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation of the Planning Commission.

A single-access street shall not be more than 1,000 feet in length and shall not furnish access to more than 20 existing or proposed dwelling units. In the case of single-access streets, the measurement of the length shall be taken between the farthest edge of the cartway and the center line of the cartway of the first through street to which it connects. In the case of a cul-de-sac, such measurement shall be taken between the center of the turnaround and the center line of the cartway of the first through street to which it connects.

The Board of Supervisors may, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, require the following for single-access streets:

Provision of a constructed street stub(s) extending to the boundary of the tract where appropriate to provide connection with an adjoining tract(s).

Provision of emergency access designed to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors.

§ 109-411 Acceleration, deceleration and turning lanes.

Right-of-way for future connection.

Any constructed street stub for access to an adjoining tract or because of authorized staged development shall be provided with a temporary, all-weather turnaround within the subdivision, and the use of such turnaround shall be guaranteed to the public until such time as the street is extended.

The Board of Supervisors may require, as a condition of approval and to be noted on the plan of record, and as a restrictive covenant recorded against the parcels in question, that parcels with access to a single-access street that are capable of further subdivision or land development under current zoning regulations shall not be subdivided and/or developed until the single-access street becomes a through street.

Single-access streets, permanently designed as such, shall have a minimum length of 500 feet.

All cul-de-sac streets, whether permanently or temporarily designed as such, shall be provided at the closed end with a fully paved turnaround, unless a fully curbed planting island is constructed, in which case the minimum radius of the pavement shall be 21 feet. When a fully curbed planting island is to be constructed, the applicant shall be required to submit a proposal, acceptable to the Township for the maintenance of such planting island. In addition, an area providing for snow storage on cul-de-sac streets shall be required subject to approval of the Board of Supervisors.

The minimum radius to the pavement edge or curbline shall be 45 feet and the minimum radius of the right-of-way line shall be 60 feet.

The center line grade on a cul-de-sac street shall not exceed 8% and the grade of the diameter of the turnaround shall not exceed 5%.

The turnaround right-of-way of a cul-de-sac street shall be placed adjacent to the tract boundary and a fifty-foot right-of-way width shall be provided along the boundary line to permit dedication, in accordance with § 109-605 of this chapter, and extension of a street at full width, unless future expansion of a cul-de-sac street is clearly impractical or undesirable. The small triangles of land beyond the cul-de-sac to the boundary shall be dedicated to the Township.

Deceleration or turning lanes shall be required by the Township, upon the recommendation of the Township Engineer, along existing and proposed streets.

Deceleration lanes shall be designed to the following standards:

The lane shall have a minimum width of 12 feet, or in the case of intersections with state highways, such width as is required by the applicable regulations and standards of PennDOT.

The lane shall be paved the required width for the entire length, which shall be measured from the center line of the intersecting road. In addition, there shall be a seventy-five-foot taper, indicated by a painted yellow stripe, provided at the beginning of the lane so that traffic can leave the main travel lane smoothly.

The minimum lane length shall be as follows:

Posted Speed Limit (mph)	Minimum Taper (feet)	Deceleration Lane Length (feet)
25 mph	75	165
35 mph	75	275
45 mph	75	300

Subject to § 109-411D below, acceleration lanes are required only when the need is indicated by a traffic impact study or the recommendation of the Township Engineer in accordance with § 109-411D. The design shall be as per the recommendation of the Township Engineer. As necessary, a paved taper shall be provided for right-hand turns.

Upon the recommendation of the Township Engineer, acceleration and deceleration lanes shall be provided for:

All streets intersecting with streets of a functional classification of collector and greater.

All commercial development, the length of acceleration and deceleration lanes to be determined by the traffic impact study.

§ 109-412 Street construction.

All materials used in the construction of streets, and the methods of construction and drainage, shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specifications Publication 408, latest revision thereof, and shall be supplied by vendors approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for the supply of such materials. The thickness of all materials shall be as described in the Material Thickness Table, below, and detailed in the Standard Construction and Materials Specifications for Public Improvements for the Township of Sadsbury. Inspection of materials and construction methods shall be as approved, and in accordance with § 109-601 of this chapter.

Street design.

Thickness of base and paving for new Township streets shall meet the minimum requirements outlined in the Materials Thickness Table, below:

Materials Thickness Table
	Reference*	Local Streets (inches)	Arterial Streets Commercial Streets (inches)
ID-2 wearing course	420	1 1/2	1 1/2
ID-2 binder course	420	0	2
Bituminous concrete base course (BCBC)	305	6	6
PA DOT No. 2A coarse aggregate subbase	703.2	6	6

Notes to Materials Thickness Table:
1.	All thickness specifications are for compacted materials.
2.	BCBC over 5 inches in depth shall be laid in two passes.
3.	All base courses and/or ID-2 binder course shall be overlaid with a wearing course no later than one year after installation unless approved otherwise by the Township.
4.	Binder course shall be installed immediately following base course installation.
*	Reference to section number PA DOT Publication 408, latest revision.

Paving design is based on overall soil conditions in the Township. The Supervisors may require additional paving, base or subbase materials where soil types are inferior, wet or otherwise unsuitable as indicated by the "Soil Survey of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania," prepared by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service or where, in the opinion of the Township Engineer, such conditions exist.

Subgrade.

The area within the limits of the proposed road surface shall be shaped to conform to the line, grade and cross section of the proposed road.

All unsuitable subgrade materials shall be removed or stabilized.

Wet or swampy areas shall be permanently drained and stabilized, as permitted by the regulatory agency having jurisdiction.

Fills shall be made with suitable materials approved by the Township Engineer and thoroughly compacted for the full width in uniform layers of not more than eight inches thick. No more than two feet of fill shall be laid between inspections by the Township Engineer.

The subgrade shall be thoroughly compacted by rolling with a minimum ten-ton, three-wheel roller. Equivalent vibratory sheepsfoot or rubber-tired rollers may be used at the discretion of the Township Engineer. Subgrade shall be compacted, tight and dry, to 95% compaction at optimum moisture and shall not be soft and spongy under the roller. Compaction of the subgrade shall extend the full width of the cartway, including the width to be occupied by shoulders.

In fill areas compaction tests meeting ASTM or ASHA standards are required for each three feet of fill thickness. The tests shall be conducted in each eight-inch layer at 150-foot intervals. The tests must be performed by a certified testing laboratory and results submitted to the Township Engineer. All compaction must be 95% compaction at optimum moisture. Any layer not conforming to this standard will be removed or rerolled until suitable compaction is obtained.

As an alternate to the compaction and testing requirements described above, the subgrade may be proof-rolled. Proof-rolling shall consist of several passes of a smooth drum vibratory compactor that is capable of imparting a total (static plus dynamic) drum force of not less than 550 pounds per linear inch of drum width. It may be necessary to operate the equipment in the static mode if the groundwater level is close to the subgrade elevation. Should any unsuitable areas be detected by the proof-rolling that cannot be stabilized by additional passes of the equipment, the material in such unsuitable areas shall be undercut and replaced with compacted aggregate fill. The determination of what, if any, areas are unsuitable shall be at the sole discretion the Township Engineer. Any unsuitable areas, as determined by the Township Engineer, shall be repaired to his satisfaction prior to the subbase installation.

Paving.

Paving and base thickness and materials shall be as specified in § 109-412A, herein.

The subbase course where required shall be installed and compacted in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation specifications and shall extend 36 inches on all streets beyond the paving line when curbs are not to be installed.

Bituminous base, binder and surface courses shall be laid to the specified thickness measured, after compaction. All bituminous courses shall be laid with a mechanical bituminous paver in accordance with specifications of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specifications, Publication 408, latest edition.

Crown board and straight edge shall be used for checking street construction. Maximum tolerance shall not exceed 1/4 inch in the finished surface.

Delivery slips for all material deliveries shall be furnished to the Township Engineer.

Failure to adhere to the above specifications shall give the Supervisors cause to refuse to accept streets for dedication.

Grading and shoulders.

Streets shall be graded for the full width of the right-of-way on each side. Shoulders or berm areas, including planting strips behind curbs, shall be graded with a minimum slope of 1/2 inch per foot and a maximum slope of one inch per foot. Beyond the limits of this grading, banks shall be sloped to prevent erosion, but this slope shall not be more than three to one vertical with tops of slope in cuts rounded. All unpaved areas between the street line and the curb or shoulders (as the case may be) shall be covered with not less than four inches of topsoil, fertilized and seeded in manner and with materials approved by the Township Engineer.

§ 109-413 Private streets.

Private streets may be permitted in a unified development that is under single ownership, subject to all of the road design and construction standards of this article and in accordance with § 109-404L.

§ 109-414 Private driveways.

Private driveways shall be permitted only in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 67, Driveways, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury. Shared driveways shall not be permitted.

§ 109-415 Curbs.

Curbs shall be installed along both sides of all proposed streets.

Grass swales may be permitted, in lieu of curbs, within rights-of-way in developments of less than 10 lots, subject to the approval of the Township; however, all subdivisions or land developments with lots of less than one acre shall provide curbs.

No drainage of any kind shall be conducted over the top of curbs and sidewalks and all underground drainage conductors shall be installed in accordance with the Standard Construction and Materials Specifications for Public Improvements for the Township of Sadsbury.

Curbs shall be provided in all new parking areas located within a land development.

All curbs shall be constructed of monolithic concrete. Such concrete shall develop a compressive strength of 3,500 pounds per square inch (psi) in 28 days. Certification of the concrete mix shall be provided to the Township. Belgian block may be used as an option on curbing with approval of the Board of Supervisors.

Curbs shall be installed in accordance with the Standard Construction and Materials Specifications for Public Improvements for the Township of Sadsbury.

Curbs shall have clean-cut joints, a minimum of two inches deep, every 10 linear feet and expansion joints every 60 linear feet or less, at structures, and at the end of a day's work. Expansion joints shall be 1/2 inch in width with premolded expansion joint filler.

All curbs shall have a depth of not less than 18 inches and shall be eight inches in thickness at the base and seven inches in thickness at the top. Curbs shall be constructed with an eight-inch reveal and shall rest on a compacted bed of AASHTO No. 57 (PennDOT 2B) crushed stone of a depth of not less than four inches.

When a curved curb joins with a tangent curb, at curb returns, on sharp curves, where a curb is jointed to an inlet, and elsewhere as directed by the Township Engineer, there shall be embedded in the concrete two No. 4 reinforcing bars 24 inches long. Such bars shall extend 12 inches into the curb on each side of the joint. The portion of the bar extending into the tangent curb shall be rendered bondless by a coating of approved material and enclosed in part in approved tubes or caps which will provide a one-half-inch minimum positive clearance pocket. The top surface of the curb shall be finished true to line and grade in a smooth, neat and even manner and the edge of the faces and back shall be rounded to a radius of one inch.

The depressed curb at driveways shall be no higher than 1 1/2 inches above the street surface. The length of this depressed curb shall not exceed 35 feet without a safety island that shall not be less than 15 feet in length. Pipes, grates or other similar, materials or structures shall not be placed in the gutter to form a driveway ramp.

Where it is necessary to replace existing vertical curbs with depressed curbing, two ten-foot-long sections of existing curb shall be removed down to the subgrade without disturbing the adjacent cartway paving. Any portions of the cartway disturbed during curbing removal or installation shall be repaired to new condition.

Any depressed curb sections that are unused when a development or phase of a development is completed, shall be completely removed and replaced with full section upright curbing to line and grade of adjacent curbing. Forming and pouring vertical curbing on top of an existing curb depression will not be permitted.

Curb cut ramps, for use by the handicapped, shall be provided at all street intersections, and shall be installed in accordance with the Standard Construction and Materials Specifications for Public Improvements for the Township of Sadsbury.

§ 109-416 Street names and signs.

Proposed streets that are in alignment with already existing and named streets shall bear the names of the existing streets.

In no case shall the name of a proposed street duplicate, or be similar to an existing street name in the Township or in any postal district located in the Township or in an adjacent municipality, irrespective of the use of the suffix, street, road, avenue, boulevard, driveway, place, court, lane, etc.

All street names shall be subject to the recommendation of the Township Planning Commission and the approval of the Board of Supervisors.

Street name signs shall be installed at all street intersections. The design and placement of such signs shall be subject to approval by the Township and installed in accordance with the Standard Construction and Materials Specifications for Public Improvements for the Township of Sadsbury.

Traffic control signs shall be shown on final plans for all streets. Signs and posts shall meet PennDOT standards. The Township may require additional signs prior to dedication of roads.

§ 109-417 Sidewalks.

All residential developments shall have concrete sidewalks on both sides of all streets, whether existing or proposed.

The Township may require sidewalks or trails at off-site locations deemed by the Board of Supervisors to be necessary for the safety and convenience of the public, relevant to the application for development.

Sidewalks shall be provided along all new streets and parking areas located in nonresidential subdivisions or land developments.

Sidewalk design and construction.

Sidewalks, in all new developments or street construction, shall be located within the street right-of-way a minimum of three feet seven inches measured from the street side of the curb to the street side of the paved edge of the sidewalk. In no case shall a sidewalk be located closer than three feet from the ultimate right-of-way. Where the dimensional standards for street pavement and sidewalk pavement and location dictate, an increased right-of-way shall be provided. Sidewalks shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of this section and the Standard Construction and Materials Specifications for Public Improvements for the Township of Sadsbury.

A grass planting-strip shall be provided between the curb and sidewalk. All required street trees shall be installed on the residence side of the sidewalk at a distance of at least two feet outside of the ultimate street right-of-way line, unless otherwise specified elsewhere, in which case the greater distance shall apply. In developed areas of the Township, the existing conditions shall be considered in the application of these location requirements. Curb cut ramps, for use by the handicapped, shall be provided at all street intersections, and shall be installed in accordance with the Standard Construction and Materials Specifications for Public Improvements for the Township of Sadsbury.

All sidewalks shall be constructed of monolithic concrete with a minimum thickness of four inches. Said concrete shall develop a compressive strength of 3,500 pounds per square inch (psi) in 28 days. Certification of the concrete mix shall be provided to the Township.

The paved width of sidewalks shall be a minimum of (not less than) four feet, and be compliant with ADA standards, in all new developments or street construction. In no case shall a bike path be combined with a sidewalk. In developed areas of the Township, the existing conditions shall be considered in the application of these requirements.

Where sidewalks abut a building, wall or other permanent structure, a premolded expansion joint filler, 1/2 inch in thickness, shall be placed between the building, wall or other permanent structure and the sidewalk for the full length of such building, wall or other permanent structure.

Sidewalks shall have clean-cut joints, a minimum of one inch deep, every five linear feet, and expansion joints every 30 linear feet or less, at structures, and at the end of a day's work. Expansion joints shall be one-half inch wide with premolded expansion joint filler. Expansion joint material shall also be placed between any curb and driveway apron. All sidewalks shall have a broom finish.

Sidewalks shall be placed on a minimum four-inch compacted base of AASHTO No. 57 (PennDOT 2B) crushed stone. Driveways crossing sidewalks shall be a minimum of six inches thick and shall include six-inch x six-inch x ten-inch gauge welded wire fabric (WWF) and shall be placed on a minimum four-inch compacted base of AASHTO No. 57 (PADOT 2B) crushed stone.

§ 109-418 Parking areas.

All parking areas shall comply with the standards of Chapter 129, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury and the specifications contained herein.

All parking areas shall be paved and curbed in compliance with the specifications for residential streets as provided in §§ 109-412 and 109-415 of this article.

The parking of recreational vehicles shall not be permitted in residential districts except on single-family detached dwelling lots.

The following standards shall apply to all parking areas that exceed 5,000 square feet in area:

[Added 8-2-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-02]

There shall be raised landscaped islands at least 10 feet wide with curbs at the ingress and egress driveway from drive aisles, alleys, and streets the full length of a parking space to prevent encroachment of moving vehicles into parking spaces.

Interior landscaped islands between adjacent parking spaces shall be the length of one parking space and at least six feet in width.

No one row of parking spaces shall exceed 12 parking spaces. Raised landscaped islands shall be at intervals not to exceed 12 spaces with beds offset on alternating sides of parking rows.

There shall be a planting strip incorporated for every four rows of parking spaces. Such planting strip shall run parallel to parking rows and shall have a minimum width of five feet.

Two or more establishments may join together and provide a common parking lot, provided that the total number of parking spaces provided equals or exceeds the sum of the individual requirements.

§ 109-419 Street trees.

[Amended 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

Street trees shall be installed within a four-foot-wide planting strip located a minimum of two feet outside of and parallel to the ultimate street right-of-way line, as follows:

Street trees shall be provided at the rate of one tree per 50 feet of road frontage along both sides of all streets.

Street trees shall be comprised of material from the Appendix A plant list,[1] or alternate species as approved by the Township.

§ 109-420 Sewage treatment and disposal.

Editor's Note: Said appendix is included as an attachment to this chapter.

No fewer than 65% of proposed street trees shall be native to the region.

Street trees may be clustered into groupings rather than regularly spaced as approved by the Township.

Street trees shall be relocated or comprised of appropriate smaller species when in conflict with overhead utilities.

No fences, walls, hedges, or other plantings shall be permitted within the right-of-way of a street.

The proposed method of sanitary sewage disposal shall be in accordance with the Township of Sadsbury Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan, as amended.

Sanitary sewers shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Township standards. A copy of the approval by the Township of such systems shall be submitted with the final plan. Permits, where required, shall be obtained before construction of a sanitary sewer system is started.

Sanitary sewers shall not be used to carry stormwater.

§ 109-421 Water supply.

Adequate and potable water supply system(s) shall be installed consistent with design principles and requirements contained in this chapter and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection regulation.

All subdivisions and land developments which can be served shall be served by a public water system. The design and installation of such public system shall be subject to the approval of the Township and the public water supply provider.

Fire hydrants shall be installed for fire protection and shall meet the specifications of the Insurance Services Office (ISO). The location of all fire hydrants shall be approved by the Township.

Fire hydrants shall be located on a minimum looped eight-inch line.

Fire hydrants shall be spaced in a development so that all proposed building(s) will be no more than 600 feet from the hydrant measured along traveled ways and shall provide a minimum of 1,000 gallons per minute (GPM) at a residual pressure of 20 pounds per square inch (PSI) for a two-hour period at the highest usable floor.

For additional fire protection, a dry hydrant may be required to be incorporated into existing and proposed ponds or reservoirs and an access easement provided for emergency use.

Minimum water supply requirements.

In all subdivisions and land developments the following water pressure and volume requirements shall apply:

Residential use. A minimum domestic pressure of 50 pounds per square inch (PSI) shall be provided at each house to be connected to the water main. The system to which the residential unit is connected shall have sufficient capacity to supply a minimum of 300 gallons of water per residential unit per day within the subdivision or land development.

Commercial or industrial use.

A public water supply shall be required for all new commercial and industrial subdivisions and/or land developments. The public water supply provider shall certify, in writing, to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors, that sufficient water pressure and volume is available to serve the commercial or industrial use. A minimum pressure of 50 pounds per square inch (PSI) shall be provided at each commercial or industrial building connected to the water supply main.

For purposes of fire protection in commercial and industrial districts, 1,000 GPM at 20 pounds per square inch (PSI) residual pressure, at the highest usable floor, is required or as required for ISO certification. A fire flow test for a minimum of two hours shall be conducted.

Approvals conditioned upon adequacy of public water supply. No subdivision or land development application proposing public water usage shall be granted preliminary or final approval unless the applicant demonstrates, full compliance with the provisions of this section.

§ 109-422 Other utilities.

All other utility lines, including but not limited to electric, gas, streetlight supply, cable television, other electronic services and telephone, shall be placed underground. Installation of all utilities shall be in strict accordance with the engineering standards and specifications of the public utility concerned.

In accordance with the provisions of Act 178, all developers, contractors, etc., will contact all applicable utilities and accurately determine the locations and depth of all underground utilities within the boundaries of the tract proposed for development, prior to excavation. A list of the applicable utilities and their phone numbers shall appear on the plans submitted for review and proof shall be presented to the Township prior to final plan approval.

Gas, electric and petroleum product pipelines. There shall be a minimum distance of 50 feet, measured at the shortest distance, between any proposed dwelling and any existing natural gas, electric, telecommunications or petroleum product transmission right-of-way line.

§ 109-423 Stormwater management.

Stormwater management.

[Amended 12-3-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-07]

Storm drainage required. A stormwater management system including a storm sewer system and all appurtenances and retention or detention facilities shall be required to be constructed by the applicant in any area from which the surface or subsurface drainage could impair public safety, cause physical damage to adjacent lands or public property, or be required by the provisions of Chapter 104, Stormwater Management, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury, as amended, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

The standards for design of stormwater drainage and management systems are contained in Chapter 104, Stormwater Management, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury, as amended.

Maintenance of stormwater management facilities shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 104, Stormwater Management, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury, as amended, and in Chapter 102 of the DEP manual.[1]

§ 109-424 Stripping, piling, replacement or removal of topsoil.

Editor's Note: See 25 Pa. Code Chapter 102.

Initial construction of any site shall consist of stripping and piling of topsoil from all areas planned to be disturbed. The area stripped shall be kept to a minimum. Upon completion of other construction, the entire amount of topsoil stripped shall be replaced on the site. No topsoil shall be disposed of, by sale or otherwise, off the site of the construction without the approval of the Township.

The removal of topsoil from any site resulting from the sale of trees shall not be permitted without the replacement of an equal amount of topsoil.

§ 109-425 Park, recreation and open space.

Purpose. The purpose of this section is to implement the recreation and open space goals of the Township as contained in the Township of Sadsbury Open Space, Recreation and Environmental Resources Plan, including:

Providing a variety and balance of facilities that can meet the varied recreational needs of the residents of the Township;

Preserving open space and protecting the environmental, scenic, historical and cultural features of the Township;

Developing a system of facilities that can deliver recreation services effectively and efficiently;

Providing equitable and convenient accessibility to recreation facilities;

Supporting community development and stability by providing recreation sites and open space.

In the preparation of subdivision and land development plans, the applicant shall consider whether community facilities, especially parks, recreation and open space areas, are adequate to meet the needs of the additional dwellings proposed by the subdivision or land development. The Township of Sadsbury Open Space, Recreation and Environmental Resources Plan identifies existing and proposed standards for these facilities. The Planning Commission shall make a recommendation, based upon the proposed plan and the proposals submitted by the applicant, as required by the provisions of the Open Space, Recreation and Environmental Resources Plan and this section, to determine if the plan satisfies the requirements of the Township.

Land for recreation or open space. All subdivision and land development plans shall provide suitable public recreation land and improvements, and/or open space land to be dedicated to meet public recreation and open space needs or a fee in lieu when approved by the Board of Supervisors. All proposed public recreation and open space facilities are to be designed in accordance with the provisions of the Open Space, Recreation and Environmental Resources Plan.

The amount and composition of land to be provided shall meet the following standards:

The amount of land to be dedicated (see Percentage of Tract Area to be Dedicated Table, below) is based on the lot area proposed for development.

All land is to be offered for public dedication, but can remain as private property for use by the residents of the proposed project at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors.

The applicant is responsible for providing and installing recreation equipment and/or site improvements suitable to the area of land, subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors.

Percentage of Tract Area to be Dedicated
Type of Development**	Total	Active Recreation	Passive Recreation/Open Space
Residential lots greater than 10.0 acres	0%	—	—
Residential lots of 6.0 to 10.0 acres	5%	0%	5%
Residential lots from 2.0 acres to less than 6.0 acres	10%	0%	10%
Residential lots from 25,000 square feet to less than 2 acres	20%	0%	20%
Residential lots from 10,000 square feet to less than 25,000 square feet	25%	5%	20%
Residential lots from 3,000 square feet to less than 10,000 square feet and mobile home parks	30%	20%	10%
Residential lots of less than 3,000 square feet, and apartments, townhouse and condominium development sites	40%	25%	15%
Adult community and adult community mobile home park	20%	0%	20%
Industrial uses	20%	0%	20%
Commercial uses	20%	0%	20%
Institutional uses	25%	0%	25%

NOTES:
**	If the proposed development includes clustering, the net lot size shall be used to determine the lot sizes.

If the Board of Supervisors approves a fee in lieu of land dedication and required improvements to satisfy the requirements of this section, the amount of any fee shall be established annually by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

Open space characteristics and design standards. In designating areas for open space and recreation within the subdivision or land development, the applicant shall adhere to the following criteria and standards. The designated areas for open space and recreation shall be:

Consistent with the Township of Sadsbury Comprehensive Plan;

Suitable for active recreational uses, without interfering with adjacent dwelling units, parking, driveway, and streets. The land used for active recreation shall not be in the floodplain, on slopes exceeding 3%, in wetlands, or comprised of surface water;

Consistent with natural features and historic features protection provisions, as contained in § 109-428 of this chapter.

The linkage of erosion and sediment control or stormwater control facilities with open space and recreation areas may be permitted and is encouraged by the Township if the presence of such facilities does not conflict with proposed activities or detract from the aesthetic values associated with the open space and recreation areas. Plans for combining these facilities should be submitted to the Township for review and approval.

Interconnected with open space or recreation areas on abutting parcels wherever possible, including provisions for pedestrian trails, for general public use to create linked pathway systems within the Township.

Coordinated with applicable open space and recreation plans of any federal, state, county, regional, adjacent municipal, or private organizations to compliment various programs increasing the utility of the open space and recreation network.

Comprised of areas not less than 75 feet in width, and not less than 1/2 acre for active recreation facilities, or two acres for passive recreation or open space facilities.

Provided with sufficient parking, as determined by the Board of Supervisors upon recommendation of the Township Engineer, Township Planner and the Planning Commission, with safe and convenient access by adjoining street frontage or other rights-of-way or easements capable of accommodating pedestrian, bicycle, maintenance, and vehicle traffic and containing appropriate access movements.

§ 109-426 Outdoor lighting requirements and standards.

Undivided by any public streets, except where necessary for proper traffic circulation, and then only upon recommendation of the Planning Commission.

(10)

Free of all structures, except those related to outdoor recreational uses.

(11)

Suitably landscaped either by retaining existing vegetation and wooded areas and/or by a landscaping plan for enhancing open space and recreation areas through plantings that are consistent with the purposes of this section and which minimize maintenance costs.

(12)

Conveniently accessible to the general public to improve the utility of the facility and to promote its use among the residents of the Township. This applies to private facilities with limited access, should such a facility be offered for dedication to the Township.

Outdoor lighting facilities shall be required for all off-street parking areas and off-street loading areas and for all driveways providing ingress and egress thereto and along all road and pedestrianways in all major subdivisions and land developments. The requirements and standards of this section shall also apply to sign, architectural and landscape lighting.

Lighting plans for all major subdivisions and land developments shall be submitted as part of the preliminary plan requirements of § 109-303 of this chapter. Such lighting plans shall include a schematic layout of all proposed lighting fixture locations and isofootcandle plots of individual fixture installations and ten-foot by ten-foot illuminance grid plots for multifixture installations that demonstrate full compliance with the intensity and uniformity standards of this section. The lighting plans shall also include the lighting fixture manufacturers' descriptions of the equipment (catalog cuts), including luminaires, glare control devices, lamps, standards as well as mounting heights and means, hours of operation of the lighting, and maintenance schedule.

The Board of Supervisors may require the applicant to demonstrate that no nuisance glare or disabling glare will result from implementation of the proposed lighting plan, or, if unavoidable, the provision of adequate measures to mitigate nuisance glare and disabling glare both on the site and on adjoining properties and uses.

Outdoor lighting design standards and illumination standards.

All lighting facilities for major subdivisions, land developments and uses governed by this section shall provide an illumination level utilizing the current recommended practices and standards of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA).

Illumination where required by this section shall have the lighting intensities and uniformity ratios as provided in the Lighting Handbook of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), Ninth Edition, and in accordance with the Pennsylvania outdoor lighting standards, as follows:

Use	Maintained Footcandles	Uniformity Avg:Min
Parking, multifamily
Vehicular/pedestrian activity low activity	0.2 Min	4:1
Medium activity	0.6 Min	4:1
Parking, industrial/commercial/institutional/municipal
High activity (regional shopping centers/fast food facilities/major athletic/civic/cultural facilities)	0.9 Min	4:1
Medium activity (community shopping centers, office parks, hospitals, commuter parking lots, cultural/civic/recreational facilities)	0.6 Min	4:1
Low activity (neighborhood shopping, industrial employee parking, schools, church parking)	0.2 Min	4:1
Streets, local residential	0.4 Avg	6:1
Streets, local commercial	0.9 Avg	6:1
Walkways and bikeways	0.5 Avg	5:1
Community mailboxes	0.9 Avg	6:1
Building entrances	5.0 Avg	N/A

Notes:
1.	Illumination levels are maintained horizontal footcandles on the task; e.g., pavement or area surface.
2.	Uniformity ratios dictate that average illuminance values shall not exceed minimum values by more than the product of the minimum value and the specified ratio; e.g., for commercial parking, high activity, the average footcandles shall not exceed 3.6 (0.9 x 4)

Lighting fixtures shall be of a type and design appropriate to the lighting application and sensitive to the architecture and overall character of the area in which they are located.

For lighting horizontal surfaces such as roadways, pedestrianways, bikeways and parking areas, fixtures shall meet IESNA "full cutoff" criteria.

The use of floodlighting, spotlighting, wall-mounted fixtures, decorative globes and other fixtures not meeting IESNA "full cutoff" criteria may be permitted by the Board of Supervisors, only when the applicant can demonstrate acceptable glare and light trespass control and approved by the Township Engineer.

Fixtures shall be equipped with or be capable of being retrofitted with light directing devices, such as shields, visors or hoods, when necessary to redirect offending light distribution.

Control of nuisance glare and disabling glare.

All outdoor lighting shall be aimed, located, designed, installed and maintained so as not to present a hazard (disabling glare) to drivers or pedestrians by impairing their ability to safely traverse, and so as not to create a nuisance by projecting or reflecting objectionable light (nuisance glare) onto a neighboring property or use.

Floodlights and spotlights shall be so installed and aimed so that they do not project their output into the windows of neighboring residences, adjacent uses, directly skyward or onto a roadway or pedestrianway.

Unless otherwise permitted by the Board of Supervisors for reasons of safety and security, all exterior lighting of streets and pedestrianways in the Township shall be controlled by automatic switching devices, such as time clocks or combination motion detectors and photocells, to permit extinguishing light between 11:00 p.m. and dawn so as to mitigate nuisance glare and skyward light trespass.

When all-night, safety or security, lighting is permitted by the Board of Supervisors, the average site lighting intensity levels shall not exceed 25% of the levels normally permitted by this section.

Vegetative or other screens shall not be employed as the primary means of controlling glare, but rather glare control shall be achieved through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields and baffles and the appropriate selection and application of fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming angle and fixture placement.

The intensity of illumination projected onto a residential property from an adjoining property shall not exceed 0.1 vertical footcandle anywhere on such residential property.

Fixtures meeting IESNA "full cutoff" criteria shall not be mounted in excess of 20 feet above finished grade, in commercial, office and industrial developments, nor in excess of 14 feet above finished grade in residential developments. Fixtures not meeting IESNA "full cutoff" criteria, when permitted by the Board of Supervisors, shall not be mounted in excess of 16 feet above finished grade in commercial, office and industrial developments, nor in excess of 10 feet in residential developments, unless specifically approved by the Board of Supervisors.

Fixtures used for architectural lighting, e.g., façade, fountain, feature and landscape lighting, shall be aimed so as not to project their output beyond the objects intended to be illuminated and shall be extinguished between 11:00 p.m. and dawn, unless specifically approved by the Board of Supervisors.

When outdoor lighting is required in major subdivisions and land developments, such lighting shall provide illumination of street name signs so that they can be read by occupants of vehicles approaching the intersection when entering the area. The street name sign shall not be directly lighted; however, the immediate area of the sign shall be lighted to maintain a minimum of one footcandle per square foot. In addition, community mailboxes, where permitted, shall be illuminated.

Installation.

Electrical feeds for exterior lighting standards shall be placed underground.

Exterior lighting standards shall be placed a minimum of five feet outside paved areas or on concrete pedestals at least 30 inches high above the pavement or suitably protected by other means as approved by the Township.

Maintenance. Lighting fixtures and ancillary equipment shall be maintained by the owner or lessee of the property on which they are located, or if located within a public right-of-way, the owner of the right-of-way. Such maintenance shall be performed so as to continuously meet the requirements of this section.

Inspection and compliance.

The Township may conduct a post-installation nighttime inspection to verify compliance with the requirements of this section and if appropriate require remedial action, the cost of which shall be borne by the applicant.

Nuisance glare and inadequate illumination.

The owner of an exterior lighting installation that produces unacceptable levels of nuisance glare, skyward light, excessive or insufficient levels of illumination or otherwise does not conform to the requirements of this section shall be notified thereof by the Township and shall be required to take remedial action.

Remedial action must be completed within 30 days of notification by the Township, after which the Township may pursue enforcement action against the property owner if the hazard continues to exist.

Nonconforming exterior lighting. Any lighting fixture or lighting installation existing on the effective date of this chapter that does not conform to the requirements of this section shall be considered a legal nonconformance, however, shall be required to conform to the requirements of this section when:

It is deemed to create a safety hazard.

§ 109-427 Landscaping, screening, buffering and riparian buffers.

It is replaced or relocated.

A completely landscaped visual barrier, or landscape screen, shall be provided and continually maintained between any use for which this standard is required by Chapter 129, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury, and adjoining residential uses and districts. Such required screening and buffering shall conform to the requirements of this section.

The provisions of this section shall apply to the following development and construction activities:

All nonresidential building construction excluding agricultural buildings and buildings accessory to residential uses.

All residential dwellings excluding single-family detached dwellings not otherwise requiring subdivision and land development approval.

All parking areas that exceed 5,000 square feet in area.

[Amended 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

All loading or storage areas for equipment or materials that exceed 2,000 square feet in area.

[Amended 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

Construction of any of the following structures or facilities that exceed 2,000 square feet in ground coverage:

Public utility structures and facilities.

Liquid and solid waste collection, storage, conveyance and treatment facilities.

Any other structure or facility of a similar character or impact.

Land disturbance activities, excluding those of an agricultural nature, exceeding one acre.

Any activity for which a landscape buffer or screen is required, as a condition of approval, by the Zoning Hearing Board or the Board of Supervisors.

The applicant shall submit a landscape plan, prepared by a landscape architect, registered as such in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, that demonstrates compliance with all provisions of this section and which indicates how the applicant's landscape planning and design is based upon the required existing resources and site analysis required in § 109-302 of this chapter.

Any portion of a lot or tract not used for buildings, other structures, loading or parking spaces and aisles, sidewalks and designated storage areas shall be planted and continually maintained with an all-season ground cover and otherwise shall be landscaped in accordance with a landscape plan approved by the Township. Landscaping shall comply with the design and planting standards and the criteria for the selection of plant material of this section.

[Amended 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

No trees shall be planted within five feet of any property line nor shall trees be planted within any utility easement or right-of-way.

Minimum planting and landscape design standards.

[Amended 9-7-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-02; 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

Buffers and planting screens are required as follows:

Required buffer:

A minimum fifty-foot-wide tract perimeter buffer shall be provided around all nonresidential land developments, where they abut residential uses or zoning districts. Plantings are required as follows:

[a]

Two shade trees per 100 feet of length.

[b]

Four evergreen trees per 100 feet of length.

[c]

Ten shrubs per 100 feet of length.

Where an applicant demonstrates that the adjacent residential use or zone will be permanently screened from the nonresidential use by a complete year round visual barrier, the Township may reduce the required buffer width to no less than 25 feet.

A minimum twenty-five-foot-wide tract perimeter buffer shall be provided around all nonresidential land developments not requiring fifty-foot buffers, and around all multifamily developments, townhouse developments, residential twin developments, and single family developments exceeding three dwellings. Plantings are required as follows:

One shade tree per 100 feet of length.

Two evergreen trees per 100 feet of length.

Five shrubs per 100 feet of length.

A minimum twenty-five-foot-wide tract perimeter buffer shall be provided along any road from which no lot in a development derives access. Plantings are required as follows:

One shade tree per 100 feet of length.

Two evergreen trees per 100 feet of length.

Five shrubs per 100 feet of length.

Low vegetative screens shall be used around the outer perimeters of all parking lots or other similar vehicular use areas, including service stations, sales lots for motorized vehicles, vehicular stacking lanes associated with a drive-through, and around trash enclosures. They shall be comprised of evergreen or dense deciduous shrubs to form a continuous screen or hedge from adjacent properties or roads, which shall reach a minimum height of three feet after two years' growth. Decorative fencing or walls, such as brick, latticework or split-face concrete block, a minimum of three feet tall may be used in lieu of some or all of the shrubs.

High vegetative screens shall be placed around loading areas, vehicular storage areas that are not used as parking lots or sales areas, around the perimeter of tank farms and similar facilities, and around utility towers and equipment yards. They shall consist of evergreen trees and/or large evergreen shrubs, spaced as needed to form a continuous screen at a height of six feet after two years' growth. Decorative fencing or walls, such as brick, latticework or split-face concrete block, a minimum of six feet tall may be used in lieu of some or all of the trees or shrubs.

Parking lot landscaping. For any parking lot that exceeds 5,000 square feet in area:

Each parking lot landscape island shall be planted with one shade tree. Where two adjacent islands connect, two trees shall be provided. Where landscape islands are less than eight feet in width, understory tree species should be used.

Parking lot planting strips between rows of parking spaces shall contain one shade tree for each 50 linear feet of length. Rain gardens with appropriate water quality/habitat plantings may be incorporated in addition to the required trees.

Parking areas shall be bordered by planting areas at least 10 feet in width where adjoining office, townhouse, or multifamily buildings and at least 20 feet in width around the outer perimeter, except where interrupted by accessways.

One shade or ornamental tree shall be provided for each 50 linear feet of building facade length between parking and the nearest facade of any commercial, office, industrial, or multifamily building. Shade trees within parking lot islands adjacent to buildings may be applied to this requirement.

Planting areas shall be placed so as to facilitate snow removal and proper surface water drainage and to provide for safe movement of traffic and pedestrians. Planting areas shall be elevated above the parking lot surface or bordered appropriately to prevent erosion or damage from vehicles. Bollards may be used to afford protection of trees and planted areas.

Stormwater management basin landscaping. All surface stormwater management basins shall be planted in 100% native vegetation, which shall consist of herbaceous wetland/meadow species and may include woody perennial trees and shrubs. Trees shall not be planted on berms and fill slopes associated with basins. Where basin structures are visible from buildings, parking, or recreational areas, those structures shall be appropriately screened with vegetation.

Where the applicant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board of Supervisors that existing vegetation and/or topographic conditions located within 100 feet of the existing tract boundaries or within 100 feet of the cartway of existing or new road segments will conceal, on a year-round basis, adjacent properties from view from such tract boundary or road segment, the linear footage of such tract boundary or road segment may be excluded from the calculation of required plantings. However, such area must be subject to a conservation easement or other perpetual restriction preserving such vegetation.

Street trees and plantings.

All street trees and other plantings used to comply with minimum planting standards shall meet the following criteria:

Shade trees: two-and-one-half-inch caliper, minimum.

Ornamental trees: eight feet height, minimum.

Evergreen trees: eight feet height, minimum.

[4]

Shrubs: 24 inches height, minimum.

Plantings and their measurement shall conform to the standards of the American or U.S.A. Standard for Nursery Stock, ANSI or USAS Z60.1 of the American Association of Nurserymen, as amended. All plant material used on the site shall have been grown within the same USDA hardiness zone as the site and shall be nursery grown unless it is determined by the Township that the transplanting of trees partially fulfills the requirements of this section.

To allow for design flexibility, planting material substitutions from the requirements may be permitted at the discretion of the Township. In such cases, the applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Township that the general intent of the ordinance is achieved and that the substitutions represent an equivalent monetary value to the required landscaping.

_____

In the event that the applicant establishes to the satisfaction of the Township that constraints incident to the land itself (including, without limitation, extreme topography, unsuitable soils, rock outcrops and existing uninterrupted dense canopy) render it impractical to locate on the lot the required number of plantings otherwise required to meet the landscaping, screening and buffering pursuant to this chapter then the applicant may elect to do one or both of the following:

Contribute to the Township the estimated installed and guaranteed cost as determined by the Township Engineer of those plantings which cannot practically be installed on the property to be used for the installation of landscaping elsewhere within the Township which enhances the landscape and natural setting at such time and in such locations as deemed appropriate by the Township.

Install fewer larger or more valuable plantings on the lot with an aggregate cost as installed and guaranteed not less than the estimated aggregate cost of the required number of plantings. In such cases, the applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Township Engineer that the intent of the ordinance is achieved and that the substitutions represent an equivalent monetary value to the required landscaping.

The cost as determined by the Township Engineer to implement Subsection F(7)(a)[1] and/or [2] above shall serve as the basis for calculating the required financial security in conformance with § 109-427J of this chapter.

Criteria for plant material selection.

Species selected by the applicant from the approved plant list in the Appendix A[1] shall reflect a careful evaluation of the required existing resources and site analysis and in particular the following:

Existing and proposed site conditions and their suitability for the plant material based upon the site's geology, hydrology, soils and microclimate.

Specific functional and design objectives of the plantings, which may include but not be limited to the provision of a landscape buffer, visual screening, noise abatement, energy conservation, wildlife habitat and aesthetic values.

Maintenance considerations, such as hardiness, insect and disease resistance, longevity and availability.

Editor's Note: Said appendix is included as an attachment to this chapter.

The applicant shall conform to the requirements of this section through the use of nursery grown native tree and shrub species, as follows:

[Amended 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

At least 65% of deciduous shade trees shall be species native to the region.

At least 65% of deciduous ornamental trees shall be species native to the region.

At least 65% of shrubs shall be species native to the region.

When 10 to 49 shade, street, ornamental, or evergreen trees are required, no more than 50% may be of one species.

When 50 or more shade, street, ornamental, or evergreen trees are required, no more than 30% may be of one species.

When 25 to 49 shrubs are required, no more than 50% may be of one species.

(g)

When 50 or more shrubs are required, no more than 30% of may be of one species.

Species for shade trees shall be selected on the basis of hardiness, growing habit considering pedestrian and vehicular passage, minimal need for maintenance and compatibility with other features of the site and surrounding environs.

In order to promote disease protection, minimum maintenance, diverse natural plant associations and long-term stability of plantings, the applicant is encouraged to choose those combinations of species which may be expected to be found together under natural conditions on comparable sites.

General landscape design standards.

[Amended 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

The minimum number of plantings shall be determined in accordance with §§ 109-419 and 109-427F, above; however, additional plantings may be provided to further the objectives of this section. The use of linear measurements to calculate the minimum number of plantings is not intended to specify a linear arrangement. Rather, groupings of plantings are encouraged consistent with the provisions of this section.

The applicant shall provide the plantings and other landscaping improvements such as berms, solid fencing and/or walls, as necessary, to mitigate any adverse impacts, including visual impacts that the proposed activity will have on the site and adjoining properties as well as the Township overall, and otherwise address all issues as identified in the review of the required existing resources and site analysis.

Plantings and other landscape improvements shall be provided according to a design in response to specific site conditions and which best mitigate adverse site activity impacts. The amount, density and types of plantings in any given location shall be based upon the natural features of the site, feasibility of using native species, proximity to existing dwellings, compatibility with adjacent uses, nature of views into an across the site and in consideration of privacy of residential uses that may be impacted.[2]

Editor's Note: Original Subsection H(4), concerning screening and buffering, and original Subsection H(5), Parking lot landscaping, which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019.

Planting areas shall be selected and designed to reflect the natural landscape characteristics that existed prior to site disturbance as well as those environmental conditions to be created on the site.

The locations, dimensions and spacing of required plantings shall be adequate for their proper growth and maintenance, with consideration of the sizes of such plantings at maturity and their initial and future environmental requirements such as moisture and sunlight. In the selection of shade trees, consideration shall also be given to the aesthetic qualities of the site and to the protection of solar access. In the selection of the layout of landscape screens and buffers or the location and mix of the required plantings, consideration shall be given to the natural topographical setting of the site and the texture, coloration and compatibility of the varying plant species. It is strongly encouraged that improved landscapes be designed creatively in such a manner as to be attractive while maintaining the integrity of the natural landscape within which such landscapes are proposed.

Plantings shall be limited or carefully selected for locations where they may be disturbed or contribute to conditions hazardous to public safety. Examples of such locations include but are not limited to parking area edges, underground and aboveground utilities and sight triangles at intersections. No trees shall be planted closer than 15 feet from fire hydrants, streetlights or stop signs.

Where a wall, fence or berm is employed, such structures shall be not less than three feet in height. Plantings and other screens shall be so arranged or placed as to divert attention (at initial planting) from or obstruct, when viewed six feet from the ground surface, at least 85% of an otherwise clear view of an objectionable or incompatible use or activity during all seasons of the year.

[Amended 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

Conservation of existing vegetation and natural features. In accordance with § 109-401B, no portions of tree masses or trees of 12 inches DBH or greater shall be cleared unless a landscape plan is prepared which demonstrates that two-and-one-half-inch caliper trees will replace those cleared. The applicant shall make all reasonable efforts to harmonize his plans with the preservation of existing trees.

[Amended 10-1-2019 by Ord. No. 4-2019]

When site disturbance necessitates the clearing of trees or portions of tree masses, the applicant shall be guided by the following criteria in the selection of vegetation for retention and clearing:

Aesthetic values including, but not limited to, autumn coloration, types of flower or fruit, bark and crown characteristics and amount of dieback present.

Susceptibility to disease and/or insect infestation.

Species longevity.

Wind firmness and capability of soil to hold trees.

Existence of disease, rot or other damage. Such damaged trees should be removed.

Protection of buildings and other structures.

(g)

The size of trees at maturity.

(h)

Protection of heritage trees.

The applicant shall exercise care to protect retained trees from damage during construction. The following procedures shall be utilized in order to protect trees:

Where trees are to be retained, no disturbance or construction shall be permitted within a critical root zone. Where trees to be retained are adjacent to proposed disturbance or construction, appropriate fencing, four feet in height, shall be placed at the limit of the critical root zone of such trees prior to any clearing or other site disturbance. Such fencing shall remain in place throughout the duration of construction activity. Roots shall not be cut within the dripline of retained trees.

No material shall be nailed or otherwise attached that may cause damage to trees during construction or site disturbance.

Tree trunks and exposed roots accidentally damaged during construction or site disturbance shall be protected from further damage by being immediately and professionally treated.

Tree limbs accidentally damaged during construction or disturbance shall immediately be sawed flush to the tree trunk.

Nondormant trees located adjacent to construction of site disturbance activity shall be given an application of the appropriate type and amount of fertilizer to aid in recovery from potential accidental damage.

Construction debris or other debris shall not be stored or disposed of within the critical root zone of retained trees except for mulched vegetative matter used to prevent soil compaction.

For trees of over 12 inches DBH to be removed, replacement trees shall be provided as follows:

For deciduous trees of 12 up to 24 inches DBH, one inch of new tree caliper shall be provided for every four inches of existing tree DBH cut or removed.

For deciduous trees of 24 up to 36 inches DBH, one inch of new tree caliper shall be provided for every three inches of existing tree DBH cut or removed.

For deciduous and evergreen trees of 36+ inches DBH, one inch of new tree caliper shall be provided for every two inches of existing tree DBH cut or removed.

No replacement trees shall be required for trees that are diseased, dead, dying, or otherwise nonviable; nor for invasive or otherwise undesirable species. The determination of a tree's health and its status as invasive or undesirable species shall be confirmed by the Township's landscape professional.

Compensatory trees are in addition to other required trees and shall be clearly labeled on the plan. They may be placed anywhere on the site in accordance with the requirements of this section. The compensatory trees shall meet the following size requirements:

Deciduous shade or ornamental trees shall be a minimum of 2 1/2 inches caliper.

Multistem shade or ornamental trees shall have a minimum height of eight feet.

Evergreen trees shall have a minimum height of eight feet.

Heritage trees shall not be removed except upon demonstration to the Township that there is no feasible configuration of development or improvements that could preserve the tree. Where protection of a heritage tree is determined by the Township to be of paramount importance, the Township may consider relief from other requirements in order to achieve preservation.

Site maintenance and guarantee.

All landscape improvements to be provided in accordance with this section shall be installed and maintained by accepted practices as recognized by the American Association of Nurserymen. Planting and maintenance of vegetation shall include, as appropriate and not limited to provisions for surface mulch, guy-wires and stakes, irrigation, fertilization, insect and disease control, pruning, and weeding.

The applicant shall guarantee in a form acceptable to the Township that all landscape improvements required in accordance with this section shall be installed and maintained in a healthy and/or sound condition, or otherwise be replaced by equivalent improvements, for a period of at least 18 months. After installation and prior to acceptance of the landscape improvements by the Township, the Township shall perform an inspection of such improvements for compliance with the approved landscape plan.

The installation of landscape improvements shall be guaranteed along with all other site improvements in accordance with Article VI of this chapter. The cost of the landscape improvements including material and installation shall be considered in determining the amount of the performance guarantee required. The applicant may be required to escrow sufficient additional funds for the maintenance and/or replacement of the installed plantings or other material during the 18 month replacement period.

In addition, the applicant shall submit as a condition of final approval a landscaping restrictive covenant in the form set forth in the Appendix to require the maintenance, preservation and replacement of all landscaping required to be installed as part of the approval.

[Added 9-7-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-02]

Variation.

[Added 9-7-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-02]

The cost as determined by the Township Engineer to implement Subsection J(6)(a)[1] and/or [2] above shall serve as the basis for calculating the required financial security in conformance with § 109-427J of this chapter.

Riparian buffers.

[Added 8-2-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-02]

The benefits of riparian buffers include the following:

Reduction of the amount of nutrients, sediment, organic matter, pesticides and other harmful substances that reach watercourses and wetlands from adjacent land uses.

The consumption of nitrogen and denitrification in surface and groundwater and the trapping of phosphorus-laden sediment and other pollutants from adjacent land uses.

Provision of stream bank stability which protects fish habitat and controls sediment and erosion.

Standards. The following standards are designed to foster water resource protection benefits provided by riparian buffer areas:

Zone One Inner Riparian Buffer shall consist of a natural area wherein no grading, clearing, impervious surfaces, or structures are permitted. Zone One vegetation shall consist of undisturbed existing woodlands or forest/successional woodland/meadow plantings and management executed in accordance with Appendix A. In addition to permitted planting and forestry management practices, allowable disturbance within Zone One is limited to trails with improved or unimproved surface as permitted by the Board of Supervisors, and to regulated activities permitted by the Commonwealth (e.g., permitted stream or wetland crossing).

Zone Two Outer Riparian Buffer shall consist of a limited disturbance area wherein no impervious surfaces or structures are permitted and a maximum 20% of the Zone Two land area may be graded or otherwise disturbed. Zone Two vegetation shall consist of forested and successional vegetation maintained or established through natural processes. Selective planting and management in accordance with Appendix A shall be implemented on sites devoid of natural vegetation to stimulate native species and discourage invasive species. In addition to permitted planting and natural succession management practices, allowable disturbance within Zone Two is limited to trails with improved or unimproved surface as permitted by the Board of Supervisors, and to regulated activities permitted by the Commonwealth (e.g., permitted stream or wetland crossing).

Any planting within riparian buffers shall be in accordance with a plan prepared by a registered landscape architect, or by a similarly qualified professional acceptable to the Township, and shall be in accordance with Appendix D, "Vegetated Riparian Buffers."[3]

Editor's Note: Said appendix is included as an attachment to this chapter.

On any existing lot of two acres or less, earth disturbance of less than 5,000 square feet within a buffer shall be exempt from the requirements of this section, provided such disturbance is not related to a subdivision or land development application.

§ 109-428 Natural and historic features protection.

Delineation. Before a plan is approved or a permit issued, the riparian buffer must be delineated in accordance with applicable standards and provisions of Chapter 129, Zoning.

Consideration shall be shown, and limitations or restrictions shall be identified for all natural features, such as large trees, watercourses, historic areas and structures, and similar community assets that, if preserved, will add attractiveness and value to the remainder of the subdivision or land development.

All uses and activities shall comply with the following standards. Site alterations, re-grading, filling or clearing of vegetation prior to the submission of applications for zoning or building permits or the submission of plans for subdivision or land development shall be a violation of this chapter. In the event that two or more resources overlap, the resource with the greatest protection standard (the least amount of alteration, regrading, clearing or building) shall apply to the area of overlap.

Streams, watercourses, wetlands, wetland margins, lakes or ponds shall not be altered, regraded, developed, filled, piped, diverted or built upon except in strict compliance with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection regulations and where no other reasonable alternative is available.

In the event that a wetlands delineation, validated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is shown to vary from the wetlands boundary shown on the plan in accordance with § 109-303C(1)(r), the Corps' delineation will govern. The wetlands margin will then be measured from the Corps' delineated boundary.

Trails.

When a subdivision or land development proposal is traversed by or abuts an existing trail customarily used by pedestrians and/or equestrians, the applicant may be required to make provisions for the continued recreational use of the trail.

The applicant may alter the course of the trail, unless otherwise restricted by the terms and conditions under which the trail was granted, within the tract for which development is proposed under the following conditions:

The points at which the trail enters and exits the tract remain unchanged.

The proposed alteration exhibits quality trail design according to generally accepted principals of landscape architecture. The Township recommends the Department of Environmental Protection publication, Nonmotorized Trails, prepared by the Pennsylvania Trails Program of the Bureau of State Parks as a guide for the development of high quality trails.

The proposed alteration does not run coincidentally with a paved road intended for use by motorized vehicles.

An applicant may propose and develop a new trail. If existing or proposed trails are available for use by the general public, the easement for said trail may be credited toward the passive recreation open space requirement described in § 109-425.

Improvements to trails shall demonstrate adherence to principles of quality trail design, enhancing the enjoyment of the rural qualities of the Township.

Trails shall have a vertical clearance of no less than 10 feet.

Trails shall be located in an easement or right-of-way with a minimum width of 20 feet.

The width of the trail surface may vary depending upon the type of use to be accommodated, but in no case shall be less than four feet or greater than 10 feet.

Trails shall be constructed of material as approved by the Township Engineer.

The base and binder course for trails and bridges, where required, behind any lot, shall be installed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy where required. The wearing course shall be installed at the time of the installation of the wearing course for the streets.

(10)

No trail shall be designed with the intent to accommodate motorized vehicles.

(11)

Trails and their easements or rights-of-way shall be offered for conveyance in fee simple to the Township.

Historic features and other points of interest shall be identified and preserved in accordance with the terms of Chapter 129, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Sadsbury and may be credited toward open space requirements under the following conditions:

The feature being preserved shall be listed upon a Township, county, state, and/or national inventory of features, monuments, or places of historic or general interest, or the Board of Supervisors may determine that a historic or other feature is of sufficient public interest to warrant preservation. Features may include, but shall not necessarily be limited to historically, culturally, or architecturally significant buildings, monuments, or sites; unique or historic landscape elements, such as historic gardens or large trees; archaeological sites; and any other feature which shall be deemed by the Board of Supervisors to be of historic or cultural value to the Township.

The feature shall be situated upon an area of land of sufficient size to preserve the impression of the environs of such feature prior to construction of the proposed development. The amount of credit toward open space requirements shall be equivalent to the size of the area preserved.

The historic feature shall not be moved.

The applicant may be required to provide interpretive signage explaining the significance of the feature.

The feature and the tract upon which it is located shall be maintained by the owner of the tract, a community association, a public agency, or a private conservation group which shall be responsible for the maintenance of the feature and its grounds.

The applicant shall be responsible for improvements to the site deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors to protect public safety.

The Township shall maintain a permanent record of all historic features that have been credited to open space requirements, as well as the amount of land per feature so credited.

§ 109-429 Town Center commercial development design standards.

Any dwelling unit or other permitted use contained within an historic feature shall be included within and counted against the maximum density or use requirements for the proposed subdivision or land development.

[Added 10-14-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-05]

The following design standards shall be required in all Town Center commercial developments, and shall supersede the standards of § 129-1404, Design standards, of Chapter 129, Zoning, where they are in conflict with the provisions of that section.

Town center commercial development architectural design standards. The architectural style of a Town Center commercial development shall be designed to avoid the massive scale and uniform appearance of a "big box" commercial center through various measures as set forth below, including facade articulation on sides of buildings with customer entrances. Such articulation may include building offsets, window treatments, variation in rooflines, entry treatments and upgraded building materials. In order to implement these goals, the following standards shall apply to all Town Center commercial developments:

First-floor activities that promote multiple pedestrian destinations, such as retail, restaurant, banking, and entertainment uses, are to be encouraged.

Building facades measuring greater than 150 feet in length and which have customer entrances, including separate buildings that are attached, shall have recesses or projections of at least 24 inches extending over at least 20% of the length of the facades. There shall be no uninterrupted length of the facade which exceeds 150 feet on any building facade on which there is a customer entrance. Such recesses or projections shall create architectural interest by articulating building planes and surfaces to create an interplay of light and shadow over each 100 feet in length of each building facade having a customer entrance.

First floor facades of buildings within the main street component of a Town Center commercial development which have or are intended to have customer entrances shall have display windows, arcades, awnings, pilasters, masonry banding, or other such features along no less than 60% of the horizontal length of that facade.

The customer entrance (if any) on each building facade exceeding 150 feet in length shall have clearly defined features, as follows:

Architectural details such as articulated masonry patterns, pilasters, articulated window heads and sills, and cornices which are integrated into the building structure and design.

Within the main street component of a Town Center commercial development, weather protection features such as awnings shall be installed within 30 feet of all customer entrances.

Variations in roof parapet heights shall be used to provide interest and reduce the scale of large buildings. Roofs visible from the perspective of individuals facing those building facades which have or are intended to have customer entrance shall have at least one of the following features:

Sloping roofs with overhanging eaves.

Articulated cornices.

At least one building within a Town Center commercial development shall have a clock tower.

Exterior building materials and colors contribute significantly to the visual impact of a building. The exterior building material on all facades which have customer entrances, or which are immediately adjacent to pedestrian walkways, may include:

Fiber cement siding.

Brick.

Stone.

Cast stone or cultured stone.

Concrete masonry unit (CMU), but only as split face block or block molded with a textured surface.

Glass. Warm and cool tones.

(g)

Stucco and synthetic stucco.

The exterior building material on all facades which have customer entrances, or which are immediately adjacent to pedestrian walkways, may not include:

Aluminum siding.

Vinyl siding.

Smooth-faced CMU.

Exposed aggregate panels.

Highly reflective glass.

Dominant building and roof colors must be low reflectance. The use of high intensity colors is prohibited. Building trim and accents, however, may feature brighter colors. Lighting of any type may not be used for building trim or accent.

Building siting; loading facilities; center plazas. Buildings shall be sited to form a progression of pedestrian-oriented open spaces or promenades, with visual and pedestrian connections between such spaces. Vehicular circulation and, in the main street component of a Town Center commercial development, limited parking directly on internal drive-aisles and accessways are permitted through these spaces. Open air pedestrian-oriented spaces shall act as connectors between buildings within the main street component of a Town Center commercial development, and shall contain amenities such as seating walls, tree grates, benches, bicycle racks, hitching posts, and opportunities for entertainment to provide a sense of place and orientation for their users.

The main street component of a Town Center commercial development shall be designed to provide a pedestrian-friendly orientation of buildings which have the appearance or functionality of small, traditional main street retail shops.

Loading docks and trash collection facilities for individual buildings within a Town Center commercial development with more than 25,000 square feet of floor area shall be screened in a fashion which is not visually or functionally obtrusive to patrons using the parking areas. Such screening may include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, masonry screen walls, berming, landscaping, retaining walls, and roofless enclosures for trucks.

A center square or plaza is meant to identify places where people would congregate within the main street component of a Town Center commercial development. Such places shall be designed and built as a gathering place and, if an outdoor space, marked with special pavements, trees in tree grates, benches, hitching posts, kiosks and/or bicycle racks and shall meet the following criteria:

At least one Main Street component in each Town Center commercial development shall include one or more center square(s) or plaza(s), the area of which shall be equal to not less than 1% of the floor area of all buildings within the Town Center commercial development. The center square or plaza area shall not be included in the allowable building area of an entire Town Center commercial development.

For Town Center commercial developments having (or contemplated to have at full build-out) 400,000 or more square feet of floor area, the required plaza area may be divided into two or more noncontiguous spaces, provided that none is smaller in area than 2,000 square feet.

When determining the area of a plaza, the only area that shall be included shall be the contiguous space which does not contain permanent buildings; provided, however, that buildings or portions of buildings which are used for maintenance functions may also occupy a portion of the plaza, provided further that such buildings or portions of buildings do not exceed 200 square feet in floor area.

Up to 60% of the plaza area may be used for outdoor cafe seating or for moveable carts used to sell handcrafts, flowers, snacks and similar wares.

Town Center commercial development site amenity standards. The following standards shall apply with regard to the referenced site amenities within Town Center commercial developments:

Awnings. Awnings shall be constructed of all weather material and, when used, shall be attached to buildings in such a manner as to provide at minimum vertical clearance of eight feet.

Benches. Benches installed within a Town Center commercial development shall comply with the following standards:

Benches shall be at least six feet in length.

At least one bench shall be provided for each 25,000 square feet of floor area within the Town Center commercial development which is open and accessible on a regular basis to members of the general public.

Benches shall be installed within the Town Center commercial development in locations which serve the greatest function for pedestrian-oriented buildings.

Five linear feet of seat wall (and/or similar structure) may be substituted for every one bench otherwise required within a town center commercial development.

Bicycle racks. Bicycle racks shall be installed within the Main Street component of the Town Center commercial development. Bicycle racks shall be installed such that secure rack spaces are provided for not less than five bicycles for every 100,000 square feet of gross building floor area in the Town Center commercial development.

Bus stops. Bus stops installed within a Town Center commercial development shall comply with the following standards:

A bus stop shall be required, and shall be situated within the Town Center commercial development at the location as may be recommended by the operator of such service; provided, however, that if such location shall be outside of a public right-of-way, such operator shall enter into an agreement on terms reasonably acceptable to the application with regard to the use and operation of such bus shelter. The area of a bus stop shall not be included in the overall building area of the Town Center commercial development.

In the event the Town Center commercial development is not served by public transportation, weather shelters shall not be required.

Horse and carriage parking sheds. Sadsbury Township retains its rural character, and is located within a region that is home to people that regularly use nonautomotive means of transportation. In recognition of that tradition, a Town Center commercial development shall include one parking space for a horse and carriage for each 100,000 square feet of gross floor area within the Town Center commercial development that is open and accessible on a regular basis to members of the general public. Parking spaces for horses and carriages shall be covered by a roof that is large enough to completely cover the horse. Hitching posts shall be constructed of material of sufficient strength and height to secure one mature horse and an attached carriage.

Kiosks. Kiosks installed within a Town Center commercial development shall comply with the following standards:

Kiosks shall be installed within the Main Street component of the Town Center commercial development, and shall be constructed with weather protection eaves and vandalproof covering materials shall be used to protect papers posted on the kiosk.

Kiosks shall not exceed eight feet in height as measured to the top of the reading board portion of the kiosk.

Lightpoles. Lightpoles shall be installed within the non-off-street parking areas of the main street component of a Town Center commercial development pursuant to the following standards:

Lightpoles shall be designed in a manner consistent with that depicted in the design guidelines and standards.

Lightpoles shall be installed throughout the main street component of the Town Center commercial development at intervals no greater than an average of 40 feet along vehicular and pedestrian ways.

Tree grates. Tree grates shall be installed within the main street component of a town center commercial development at intervals no greater than an average of 40 feet along walkways between building facades with customer entrances and off-street parking spaces and where street trees would otherwise be required but, in no event, within green spaces measuring at least 200 square feet in area.

Waste receptacles. Waste receptacles shall be situated throughout the Town Center commercial development.

(10)

Signage. Signs within a Town Center commercial development shall comply with Article XV, Signs, of Chapter 129, Zoning.

(11)

Design guidelines and standards. The applicant with regard to any Town Center commercial development shall submit during a conditional use hearing with regard to such development a manual of design guidelines and standards for site amenities required pursuant to this chapter or which may otherwise, at the discretion of the developer, be included within a Town Center commercial development. The contents of the design guidelines and standards shall be subject to the review of the Board of Supervisors as part of its deliberations with regard to the conditional use hearing with regard to the Town Center commercial development and, if a Final land development plan submitted pursuant to an approved conditional use application is approved, shall be referred to and, by such reference, incorporated into such plan and thereby constitute a covenant running with the Town Center commercial development.

Lighting. Lighting in Town Center commercial developments shall be designed and implemented to minimize from nuisance glare and stray light from poorly adjusted, placed, applied or shielded light sources.

All outdoor lighting, whether or not required by this chapter or by the design guidelines and standards presented pursuant to § 109-428 of this chapter shall be adjusted, located, designed, and maintained so as to not present a hazard to drivers or pedestrians by impairing their ability to safely traverse (disabling glare) and so as to not create a nuisance by directly projecting or reflecting onto neighboring properties light not typically associated with the uses within town center commercial development.

Floodlights or spotlights, when utilized, shall be installed and adjusted so as to not project their output into structures on adjacent lots used for residential purposes, skyward or onto adjacent roadways existing at the time that an application for conditional use approval for a Town Center commercial development is submitted.

Vegetative screens shall not be used as a means for controlling glare. Rather, glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use such means as cutoff fixtures (meeting IESNA's "cutoff" criteria), shields and baffles and appropriate application of fixture mounting, height, wattage, aiming angle and fixture placement.

Lighting fixtures used to illuminate parking areas, roadways, off-street loading areas, bank drive-through lanes, and customer entrances, shall be adjusted, located, designed and maintained to be aimed straight down and shall be required to meet IESNA's "cutoff" criteria.

The Township may require that grade-level windows be internally or externally illuminated during hours of darkness to facilitate police activities.

Point-by-point photometric calculations on a ten-foot by ten-foot grid and statistical calculations shall be provided for all off-street parking areas.

Parking facility and vehicular and pedestrian lighting (except for safety and security applications) shall, within one hour of the latest closing of a retail sales operation within the Town Center commercial development, be dimmed to not more than 50% of the average illumination levels achieved during operating hours; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not apply to parking facilities and vehicular and pedestrian ways associated with nonretail uses within the Town Center commercial development.

Walkways; crosswalks. Walkways and crosswalks in and around a Town Center commercial development shall comply with the following criteria:

The width of all walkways and crosswalks shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,[1] as the same may be applicable to the Town Center commercial development, and shall be comprised of either poured or stamped concrete or brick pavers separate and distinct in texture and color from drive aisles.

Editor's Note: See 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.

Walkways or crosswalks shall be provided along or between:

Any building facade fronting upon an area of off-street parking space;

Any building facade that adjoins a connecting passageway from a parking area to a center square or plaza;

Any building facade that has or is intended to have a customer entrance; and

Any areas intended to serve as a connection between the Main Street component(s) and in-line retail component(s) of a Town Center commercial development and between the Main Street component of a Town Center commercial development and other uses within the Town Center commercial development.

In the event that a Town Center commercial development is located within 500 feet of a residential development consisting of at least 10 dwelling units, a walkway shall be installed on the Town Center commercial development parcel to provide for a pedestrian link between the residential development and the Town Center commercial development. The location of such walkway shall be determined during the conditional use hearing with regard to a Town Center commercial development.

Crosswalks shall be provided at all intersections of internal accessways within a Town Center commercial development.

Landscaping; screening and buffering. Landscaping, screening and buffering within a Town Center commercial development shall comply with the following criteria:

In order to provide for enhanced buffering between a Town Center commercial development and adjacent residential development, the developer of a town center commercial development may elect to locate up to 25% of the required site landscaping and screening and buffering along the property line of the Town Center commercial development parcel closest to that residential development.