Borough of Trappe, PA Design Standards

Conformance with Borough development plans, county and state plans. The development plans of streets shall conform to existing streets and to such Borough, county and state road and highway plans as have been duly adopted by said agencies.

Arrangement. Streets shall be arranged in a manner which is consistent with both existing and planned streets, and located so as to allow proper development of surrounding properties. Collector and primary arterial streets shall be connected with such existing streets and highways to form continuations thereof. Residential streets shall be laid out so as to discourage their use as collectors and primary arterials. Where in the opinion of Borough Council it is desirable to provide for street access to adjoining property, streets shall be extended by dedication to the boundary of such property.

Conformity with topography. Streets shall be adjusted to the contour of the land so as to produce usable lots and streets of reasonable grade, alignment and drainage.

Grading. The street shall be graded to the full width of the right-of-way and provision made for slopes beyond the right-of-way in conformance with specifications.

Provisions of streets for future development. Access shall be given to all lots and portions of the tract in the subdivision and to adjacent unsubdivided territory. Streets giving such access shall be improved to the limits of the subdivision. Remnants, reserve strips and landlocked areas shall not be created.

New streets. New streets shall be designed to continue existing streets at equal or greater right-of-way and cartway width, where practical.

Dead-end streets. Dead-end streets are prohibited, unless designed as culs-de-sac or designed for access exclusively to neighboring tracts.

Street names. Continuations of existing streets shall be known by the same name. Names for new streets shall not duplicate or closely resemble names of existing streets. All street names are subject to approval of Borough Council.

Half streets. The dedication of half streets at the edges of a new subdivision is prohibited. If the circumstances render this impracticable, adequate provision for the concurrent dedication of the remaining half of the street must be furnished by the subdivider, developer or builder. When there exists a half street in an adjoining subdivision, the remaining half shall be provided by the proposed development.

Private street. Whenever a subdivider or developer proposes to establish a street which is not to be offered for dedication for public use, Borough Council shall require the applicant to submit, and also to record with the plan, a copy of the agreement made between the Borough and the applicant, including his heirs and assigns. This agreement must be signed by the Borough Solicitor, and shall establish the conditions under which the street may later be offered for dedication. The agreement should stipulate:

That the street shall conform to the Borough's specifications or that the owners of the abutting lot shall include with the offer of dedication sufficient money, as estimated by the Borough Engineer, to restore the street to conformance with Borough specifications.

That an offer to dedicate the street shall be made only for the street as a whole.

That agreement by the owners of 51% of the front footage shall be binding on the owners of the remaining lots. Such condition shall be noted in the deeds for these properties.

Street alignment.

Sight distance. For all streets, a sight distance of 200 feet should be maintained. Sight distance should be measured at the center line of the street and at the driver's eye height of four feet.

Horizontal curves. The minimum horizontal radius at the center line for curves on primary roads shall be 500 feet; for collector roads, they shall be 300 feet; and for local residential roads, they shall be 150 feet. Minimum right-of-way for development along existing streets will correspond with the ultimate right- of-way for these streets. Except for local streets, there shall be a tangent of at least 100 feet measured at the center line between reverse curves.

Vertical curves. Vertical curves shall be used at changes in grade of more than 1%. The length of the curve shall approximate 50 feet for each 1% change in grade. Over summits or bumps, vertical curves shall not produce excessive flatness in grade.

Street grades.

There shall be a minimum grade of at least 1% on all streets.

Grades in excess of 5% shall be avoided where possible, and no grade shall exceed 10%. The grade shall be measured along the center line.

All streets shall be graded to the grades shown on the street profile and cross section plan submitted and approved with the final plan of subdivision or land development. They shall be inspected and checked for accuracy by the Borough Engineer.

Street intersections. The grade within 50 feet of any intersection shall not exceed 3%.

Right-of-way widths, paving widths and curbing.

New streets, extensions of existing streets. The minimum widths of the ultimate right-of-way, the paving and the curbing shall not be less than the following:

	Widths		Curbing
	Right-of-Way (feet)	Paving (feet)	Curbing
Primary arterial	80	52	Required
Collector street	60	36	Required
Residential road	50	30	Required
Cul-de-sac	50	30	Required

Where subdivisions or land developments are proposed with frontage along existing streets without paved cartways meeting the above requirements, the applicant shall widen the cartway along their frontage to the required half width.

Borough Council may also require widths in excess of these standards where necessary for public safety and convenience.

Where on-street parking is proposed, the street paving shall be widened a minimum additional 10 feet.

The areas between an existing right-of-way line and the ultimate right-of-way line should be offered for dedication to the authority having jurisdiction over the road when land is subdivided or developed along an existing right-of-way.

Islands, medial strips and channelization may be required in any area where traffic volumes warrant their use for safety and efficiency, and may be permitted in any area at the discretion of the Borough Council. Such devices on all roads must meet or exceed the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

To the greatest extent possible, through streets shall be provided. The feasibility of a through street will be based on the physical features of the development tract and/or adjoining lots, the potential for extension of the street to adjoining lands based on existing development patterns, restrictions imposed by other government regulations and other recorded documentation, and the ability of the design to meet all other requirements of this chapter.

Culs-de-sac should be utilized only where required by topography and natural features. Culs-de-sac shall not be used where it is possible to create grid pattern streets.

When cul-de-sac streets are proposed, the application shall be accompanied by a written analysis of the merits of the design and the reasons that a through street would not be practicable.

A cul-de-sac shall not be less than 250 feet in length nor more than 500 feet in length measured from center of cul-de-sac to nearest right-of-way line of intersecting street or in accordance with current Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Liquid Fuel Reimbursement Standards, except in cases approved by Borough Council where conditions of the land so warrant the variation in length.

[4]

A cul-de-sac shall have a right-of-way of 50 feet and shall have a circular turnaround with a minimum right-of-way radius to curb line of 50 feet and an outer paving radius of 40 feet. The center-line grade on a cul-de-sac street shall not exceed 10%, and the grade of the diameter of the turnaround shall not exceed 5%.

[5]

A cul-de-sac shall not serve more than 20 lots.

[6]

The paved edge of a driveway entering a cul-de-sac shall be a minimum of 12 feet from the right-of-way line.

(h)

Where it is proposed that a street be constructed to an abutting property line with the intention that such a street will be extended onto the property at a future date, a temporary circular turnabout shall be built wholly within the right-of-way. The right-of-way, whether permanent or temporary, shall have a minimum radius of 50 feet, and the cartway of the turnabout shall have a radius of 40 feet.

(i)

No fences, hedges, shrubbery, walls, plantings or other obstructions shall be located or be permitted within the right-of-way except for ground covers, such as grass, ivy, or horizontally spreading shrubs less than one-foot high, or retaining walls necessitated by street widening and constructed by the authority having jurisdiction over the street.

Street intersections.

Number of intersections. No more than two streets shall cross at the same point. Four-way intersections are to be avoided in the layout of minor streets in residential areas when three-way or T-intersections can be utilized. When existing streets intersect at odd angles or have more than four approaches, the subdivider, developer or builder shall be required to make corrective changes to eliminate the odd angle or reduce the number of approaches to the intersection by curving the lesser street.

Minimum angle of intersection. Right-angle intersections shall be used whenever practicable, especially when local streets empty into primary or collector thoroughfares; there shall be no intersection angle, measured at the center line, of less than 60°.

Radii of pavement and right-of-way at intersection. Street intersections shall be rounded with tangential arcs at pavement edge (curbline) and right-of-way lines as listed below. Where two streets of different right-of-way widths intersect, the radii of curvature for the widest street shall apply.

	Minimum Radius of Arc at Intersection of Pavement Edge or Curb Line (feet)	Minimum Radius of Arc at Intersection of Right-of-Way Line (feet)
Primary arterial	40 (or more as may be required)	20 (or more as may be required)
Collector street	30	20
Residential road	25	15
Cul-de-sac	25	15

Sight line at intersections. Proper sight lines should be maintained at all intersections of streets. Measured along the center line, there should be a clear sight triangle of 75 feet, from the point of intersection. No building, trees, hedges, shrubbery or other obstruction whatsoever will be permitted in this area. Any obstruction to sight shall be removed at the time a building or structure is erected.

Center line. Where center line of streets open into opposite sides of a major arterial within 100 feet of each other, they shall be made to coincide by curving the minor street or streets.

Street paving. All street paving as well as driveways and parking spaces shall be constructed in accordance with the following specifications:

All streets, new streets and culs-de-sac, and widened portions of existing rights-of-way intended for public use: 9.5 mm bituminous wearing course, 19 mm bituminous binder course, on six-inch bituminous concrete base course (BCBC), on h25 mm 2A stone subbase. Construction shall conform to the current editions of PennDOT Publication 408/2003; Publication 213; Publication 72M, Standards for Roadway Construction, Series RC-1M to 100M; Publication 111M, Standards for Traffic Control Signing, Series 7700 and 7800, current edition, including all supplemental specifications, circular letters and amendments. All streets and related features shall be constructed to the line, grade and dimension shown on the plans, profiles and cross sections and typical sections as approved on the final land development plan.

Driveways intended for use by two or more families daily; driveways intended for use by 10 or more workers daily; driveways providing access to 10 or more parking spaces; parking areas comprised of 10 or more parking spaces: one-and-one-half-inch bituminous wearing course, 9.5 mm on two-inch bituminous binder course, 19 mm on eight-inch crushed aggregate base course or approved equal.

Driveways intended for use by more than two but fewer than 10 workers daily; driveways providing access to more than two but fewer than 10 parking spaces; parking areas comprised of not less than three nor more than nine parking spaces: one-and-one-half-inch bituminous wearing course, 9.5 mm on two-inch bituminous binder course, 19 mm on six-inch crushed aggregate base course (No. 4 ballast stone chocked with fine aggregate) or approved equal.

Driveways intended for use by one family: two-inch bituminous surface course, 9.5 mm on six-inch 2-A stone base or approved equal.

Each driveway shall:

Be properly graded for drainage.

Be maintained in good condition, free of weeds, dust, trash or debris.

Consist of a minimum eighteen-foot-deep space, surfaced to whatever extent necessary to allow use under all normal seasonal conditions of weather, available for a temporary stopping, standing or storage of one or more motor vehicle(s).

Comply with the driveway requirements of § 295-10, Reserve strips, easements, alleys, driveways.

In order to reduce stormwater runoff and increase soil-water recharge, the use of porous paving is encouraged.

Porous paving materials may be used in parking lots and driveways, including overflow or temporary parking areas, when approved by Borough Council upon the recommendation of the Borough Engineer. Porous paving shall consist of a porous asphalt surface, three inches thick, consisting of uniformly graded three-eights-inch aggregate, with an asphalt binder equal to about 6% of the aggregate's dry weight on a layer of small gravel, 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter on a reservoir of two-inch to two-and-one-half-inch stone, which yields approximately 40% void space in the cavity.

A depth of the reservoir may be as little as nine inches, but must be deep enough to contain the water generated by the design storm and may require extra volume to accommodate the percolation process. Factors such as the slope of the site and the soil percolation rate must be considered. The bottom and sides of the excavated reservoir shall be covered by filter fabric capable of preventing sedimentation.

The Borough Engineer shall determine if fill is required to be placed below the required stone base of all driveways. The applicant shall provide for all testing of earth materials as may be required by the Borough Engineer to render said determination, including but not limited to evidence of meeting DEP clean fill due diligence requirements.

All fill material must be approved by the Borough Engineer.

Imported fill material shall be free from debris, organic material, brick, lime, concrete and any other material that, in the opinion of the Borough Engineer, would prevent the adequate compaction and/or performance of the fill material.

Structural fill material shall consist of well-graded granular soil with a maximum particle size of three inches, less than 30% retained on a three-quarter-inch sieve, and less than 15% fines (materials passing the No. 200 sieve). The liquid limit of the fines shall not exceed 35, and the plasticity index shall be a minimum of 15.

Fill material must be moistened or dewatered to obtain optimum moisture for compaction.

Fill material shall be homogenous and shall be placed in such a manner that it is free from lenses, pockets, voids and other imperfections.

Fill material shall be placed to extend at least one foot beyond the edge of the driveway.

Fill shall be placed as a minimum eight-inch layer, compacted to not less than 95% of maximum dry density as measured by ASTM D698.

The Borough Engineer shall inspect the fill and shall confirm same has been correctly placed prior to the installation of the driveway's stone base. In the event the applicant installs said stone base prior to the Borough Engineer's inspection and confirmation, the Borough Engineer may require the applicant to remove the stone base materials to allow for said inspection and confirmation.

If the required density is not attained, the applicant shall provide additional testing as may be required by the Borough Engineer so as to determine adjustments needed to the minimum thickness of the fill layer, the minimum thickness of the stone base, compaction equipment, moisture content, and/or compactive effort.

Street names. All public rights-of-way, including alleys, streets and roadways, shall be named and designated by the developer after approval by the Borough Council upon recommendation of the Borough Planning Commission. The developer shall be responsible and bear the costs for erecting appropriate street signs as required by Borough Council upon the recommendation of its engineer.

Streetlighting. The owner/developer will be responsible for the costs of the erection and construction of such streetlighting as is deemed necessary by the Borough. The Borough Engineer, in cooperation with the public utility, will indicate the type, location and number of streetlights to be provided. The subdivision and development plan shall indicate the location of such streetlighting, and the type and design thereof.

§ 295-9 Sidewalks and curbs.

To provide adequate and proper pedestrian circulation, sidewalks shall be required within all subdivisions and shall be constructed to the following minimum specifications:

Sidewalks shall be PennDOT Class A concrete (3,300 psi, twenty-eight-day strength) with dimensions as follows:

District/Use	Minimum Width (feet)	Setback from Curb (feet)(a)
Village Commercial	8(b)	5
Community Commercial/Limited Industrial	5	5
Residential districts on arterial roads	5	5
Residential districts on collector/local streets, 5 or more units/acre	5	2
All other districts/uses	4	2

Setback shall be landscaped in all but Village Commercial.

Eight-foot width shall be clear of street furniture, door swings, or other encumbrances.

Minimum thickness at driveways: six inches.

Nonresidential driveways shall include 6x6 - W2.9xW2.9 welded wire fabric.

Minimum thickness all other areas: four inches.

All sidewalk improvements must be approved by the Borough Engineer.

In land developments with common areas, sidewalks shall be located appropriately to serve as access between parking areas and buildings and in common areas to serve as internal site circulation.

Sidewalks shall be located between the curb and public street right-of-way line four feet from the curb line. The grade and paving of the sidewalk shall be continuous across driveways except in certain cases where heavy traffic volume dictates special treatment.

Sidewalks not less than 10 feet wide and with concrete or asphalt paving not less than four feet wide may be required where necessary to provide access to schools, churches, parks and commercial areas. They shall be maintained by the abutting property owners in the same manner as sidewalks on public streets.

Sidewalks shall be constructed so as to discharge drainage to the street, the grade of which shall not be less than 1/4 inch per foot.

All construction and materials to be in conformance with PennDOT Form 408.

Curbs.

Concrete curb shall be installed on each side of all new or widened streets. Concrete curb shall be 18 inches deep, seven inches wide at the top and eight inches wide at the base. The normal distance from the top of the curb to flow line of the gutter shall be eight inches.

Parking lot curb reveals shall be six-inch minimum.

Curbing shall be built in ten-foot lengths and an approved expansion joint of one-quarter-inch minimum thickness shall be used at each joint. A combination curb and gutter may be used at the option of the developer when approved by the Borough Engineer. Where combination of curb and gutter is used, it must be placed on a minimum of four inches of crushed stone or gravel to provide adequate drainage beneath the curb.

All concrete used in the construction of improvements shall be certified to develop a compressive stress of at least 3,300 psi at twenty-eight-day strength with certification of the mix furnished to the Borough Engineer.

Concrete shall be placed in forms that are straight and securely braced. Care shall be taken to control the water content to prevent separation of aggregates. All concrete shall be thoroughly stamped in the forms. After the concrete has set sufficiently, the form shall be removed and the exposed surface shall be rubbed to provide an even finish. All edges shall be finished with an approved edging tool.

To provide for driveways, depressions in the curbing may be constructed and finished during this time period.

All construction and materials to be in accordance with PennDOT Form 402.

§ 295-10 Reserve strips, easements, alleys, driveways and parking.

Reserve strips controlling access to streets, subdivisions or adjacent areas are prohibited.

Easements.

Utility easements.

If easements are used at the rear of lots to provide sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water or gas mains, a minimum easement of 10 feet from the rear of each lot must be provided, or a total minimum easement of 20 feet.

Drainage easements shall be required along all natural watercourses to a minimum width of 15 feet from the center line and may be used for the storm and sanitary sewers and as open space. Where conditions warrant, such as in floodplains, additional width shall be required in such cases where runoff treatment requires a wider easement. Runoff studies must prove such requirements beyond the floodplain.

Nothing shall be permitted to be placed, set or put within the area of an easement. It shall be maintained as lawn.

Rights-of-way or easements for road construction shall be required by the Borough Council as needed. The location and width in each case shall be determined by that body.

Building setback lines shall be measured from the nearest side of the right-of-way or easement to the proposed building.

Nothing shall be permitted to be placed, planted, set or put within the areas of an easement. The area shall be kept as lawn.

The owner of any lot, upon written request by the Borough and at the owner's sole expense, shall remove anything placed, planted, set or put (with or without knowledge of this regulation) within the area of an easement.

No right-of-way nor easement for any purposes whatever shall be recited or described in any deed unless the same has been shown on the approved plan.

Any error found in a deed shall be immediately corrected and rerecorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds for Montgomery County at Norristown, Pennsylvania, at the sole expense of the subdivider.

Alleys. Alleys are prohibited in the Borough.

Driveways.

Location. Driveways shall be so located as to provide reasonable sight distance at intersections with streets. A stopping area measured 20 feet behind the right-of-way line shall be provided not to exceed a 4% grade. Driveways shall be located not less than 40 feet from the street intersection as measured from the right-of-way to the driveway center line, regardless of the street side of the driveway. When developing areas zoned CC Community Commercial District, the specific requirements regarding driveway location as found in Chapter 340, Zoning, shall be complied with. In addition, driveways shall provide access to the street of a lesser classification when there are streets of different classes involved.

All driveways shall be located, designed and constructed in such a manner as not to interfere or be inconsistent with the design, maintenance and drainage of the highway.

Access driveways should be located in such a manner that they will not unduly cause the following:

Interference to the traveling public.

A hazard to the free movement of normal street traffic.

Areas of traffic congestion on the street.

Lots with frontage of 50 feet or less shall be limited to one driveway. No more than two driveways shall be provided to any single property tract or commercial/business establishment except where the frontage exceeds 300 feet in length.

Driveways shall be paved to the width and grades as follows:

Land Use	Minimum* Paving Width (feet)	Minimum Radius at Curb (feet)	Maximum Grade	Maximum Change of Grade per 10 (feet)
Single-family residential	10	5	10%	10%
Multifamily residential	12 (one-way)	10	8%	10%
Multifamily residential	24 (two-way)	10	8%	10%
Commercial and industrial	12 (one-way)	10	5%	7%
Commercial and industrial	24 (two-way)	15	5%	7%

NOTE:
*	Driveways shall be flared to meet street paving.

The Borough Council shall have the authority to approve driveways intended for the use of two or more families, multifamily developments, commercial and industrial projects where usage by the occupants constitutes essentially a private street. Driveways constituting private streets are those accessways used by two or more families daily or 10 or more workers daily for vehicular circulation. Driveways serving as private streets shall not be dedicated to the Borough and the Borough shall not assume any responsibility for their maintenance.

The Borough Council shall evaluate the location, placement and alignment of driveways serving as private streets based upon the ease of accessibility to and efficient maneuverability through the development for protective services of fire and police.

The owner, and all successors of any property which is to abut any driveway serving as a private street shall be fully responsible for the permanent improvement of the driveway(s) and for the maintenance thereof in a good and safe condition.

The construction of all driveways shall include provisions for drainage and stormwater runoff and shall approved by the Borough Engineer.

All driveway entrances along Main Street, in the Borough of Trappe, shall be so constructed, wherever physically and economically practicable in accordance with the design features set forth as Alternative No. 1, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein. In the event that the Borough Council, upon recommendation of its engineer, determines that the driveway entrance and ramp cannot be practically constructed in accordance with Alternative No. 1, then the driveway entrance and ramp shall be designed and constructed in accordance with Alternative No. 2, attached hereto and made a part hereof. In the event that Borough Council determines, pursuant to recommendation of its engineer, that it is impractical to construct the driveway entrance and ramp in accordance with Alternatives No. 1 and 2, then Alternative No. 3, which design is attached hereto and made a part hereof, shall be used, and the driveway entrance and ramp shall be so constructed in accordance with that design standard and detail.

Parking areas.

Automobile parking facilities shall be provided off street whenever feasible, in accordance with requirements of Chapter 340, Zoning, and this chapter.

At no time shall angle or perpendicular parking along the curbs of local, public or private access roads or streets be permitted except where permitted by Borough ordinance. All parking lots and bays allowing any parking other than parallel shall be physically separated from the cartway by a minimum of seven feet and confined by barrier curbing.

No one area for off-street parking of motor vehicles in residential areas shall exceed 30 cars in capacity. Separate parking areas on a parcel shall be physically separated from one another by ten-foot planting strips.

No less than 20 feet of open space shall be provided between the curb line of any parking area and the outside wall of the dwelling unit in residential areas.

No parking shall be permitted within 10 feet of any property line, therefore providing a sufficient buffer area which shall include a screen required in § 295-26 of this chapter. See also § 340-55, Vehicular access; parking and sidewalks, Subsection B(4).

In commercial and industrial districts, provision of common parking facilities is hereby encouraged in recognition of this increased flexibility and efficiency. Subject to formal arrangements between the proposed users of the common parking facilities, satisfactory to the Borough, the Zoning Hearing Board may reduce the aggregate amount of required parking space upon determination that greater efficiency is affected by joint use of the common parking area. When common parking facilities are approved, side and/or rear yard parking requirements may be waived in order to establish unified and continuous parking areas. In such cases, access drives and sidewalks shall be so aligned as to maximize parking efficiency and minimize traffic congestion. Entrances and exits must have good visibility so that, both going in and coming out, drivers can see and cars can be seen.

Parking space dimensions shall be as follows:

For parking spaces that are at a 90° angle to the plane of travel: 18 feet by nine feet.

For parking spaces that are at a 60° angle to the plane of travel: 21 feet by nine feet.

For parking spaces that are at a 45° angle to the plane of travel: 19 feet by nine feet.

All handicapped parking spaces shall meet design requirements as set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; 28 CFR Part 36).

Screen planting requirements shall be applicable to parking lot facilities, along the area fronting streets and along the area adjacent to other properties.

All dead-end parking lots shall be designed to provide sufficient backup area for the end stalls.

No less than five-foot radius of curvature shall be permitted for all curbline in all parking areas.

(11)

Parking lot aisle widths shall be no less than the following:

For 90° angle of parking, one-way aisle: 25 feet.

For 90° angle of parking, two-way aisle: 25 feet.

For 60° angle of parking, one-way aisle: 18 feet.

For 60° angle of parking, two-way aisle: 20 feet.

For 45° angle of parking, one-way aisle: 15 feet.

For 45° angle of parking, two-way aisle: 18 feet.

(12)

Where curbs are not provided in a parking area, all parking spaces shall include a concrete wheel stop. Said wheel stop shall be located no more than three feet from the front of the parking space.

(13)

Parking lot grades shall not exceed 5%.

(14)

To comply in part with parking requirements of Chapter 340 Zoning, garages, carports, and other enclosed or semienclosed spaces must meet the minimum parking space dimensions listed above.

§ 295-11 Blocks.

General. The lengths, widths and shapes of blocks shall be determined with due regard to:

Preservation of adequate sites for buildings of the type proposed.

Zoning requirements.

Topography.

Requirements for safe and convenient vehicular and pedestrian circulation, including the reduction of intersections with arterial streets.

Size. Block length or width or acreage within bounding roads shall be as such as to accommodate the size of lot required in the area by Chapter 340, Zoning, and to provide for convenient access, circulation control and vehicular and pedestrian safety. Whenever practicable, blocks shall be of such width as to provide two tiers of lots of the minimum size permitted under the applicable zoning classification.

Through lots. Double-frontage lots are to be avoided and generally will not be permitted except where reversed frontage is desired away from a major thoroughfare to a street of lesser traffic volume.

Commercial and industrial blocks. For commercial or industrial use, the block size shall be sufficient in the judgment of Borough Council to meet all area and yard requirements for such use. Adequate provision shall be made for off-street parking and loading area as well as for the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic so as not to inhibit the flow of such traffic on public rights-of-way.

§ 295-12 Lots.

Area. All lots shall be no smaller than the minimum lot area requirements of the applicable zoning classification.

Depth. Lots excessively deep in relation to width are to be avoided.

Width. The width of a lot shall be that width specified for the applicable zoning district or greater.

Corner lots. All corner lots shall have the setback from both streets as required by Chapter 340, Zoning, for the front setback.

Building lines. Building lines for all lots shall be in conformance with the minimum front, side and rear yard line requirements of the applicable zoning district.

Building numbers. House or building numbers shall be assigned by the Borough.

Frontage. Every lot shall have frontage along the ultimate right-of-way line of a street for at least 50 feet. Modifications are possible in multiple-family, commercial, industrial and rear lot developments as described below.

Rear lots.

Rear lotting shall be allowed only when it is demonstrated by the applicant that no other method of subdivision is practical or desirable on the subject tract, the result is clearly superior to the conventional approach, and would not set an undesirable precedent for the neighborhood.

Rear lotting shall be permitted only in residential subdivision, limited to the lower-density areas, and in the case of a sizable tract, the access strip can logically serve as a public street for future development.

Rear lots shall only be permitted as one tier behind a lot with full frontage.

When it is determined that utilization of a rear lotting technique is justifiable, certain criteria shall be established:

Rear lots shall be connected to a public street by an access strip held in fee simple ownership or by an irrevocable easement, approved by the Borough Solicitor and Engineer, providing unconditional egress and ingress to no more than two of the rear lots.

The access leg shall not be included in the calculations of net lot area required by the minimum standards of the applicable zoning classification.

Access strips must be at least 25 feet wide, but must not exceed a vertical grade of 8% and must not contain a horizontal turn greater than 45°.

Where public sanitary sewers exist or are proposed for the near future, rear lotting shall be permitted only on the tract if it is connected to the sewer system.

No more than two access strips shall abut on another. When two access strips abut, a common access point must be shared, and preferably a common driveway shall be provided. A road frontage lot and an abutting rear lot are also encouraged to share a common access point or driveway.

Sidelines. Whenever feasible, the sidelines of a lot shall be set at right angles or radial to the right-of-way.

§ 295-13 Subdivision or land development with existing structures.

No subdivision or land development will be approved with the property line extending through any portion of any existing structure, unless the structure was obviously built to house more than one family and the purpose of the subdivision is to separate the structure and surrounding land into two or more parcels for different ownership.

If structure(s) is to remain:

In residential zoning districts of the Borough, the lot and lot dimensions of the newly created lot containing the structure(s) must be in scale with the height and bulk of the structure, even if this requires a lot area and/or dimension exceeding the minimum zoning requirement for that district.

In cases where the principal building use has not been as a dwelling, its conversion to a dwelling shall comply with all of the requirements of Chapter 340, Zoning, and the Building Code of the Borough.[1]

Editor's Note: See Chapter 135, Construction Codes.

If existing structure(s) is to be removed. Subdivision or land development approval will be issued upon the condition of the expeditious removal of the existing structure in complete conformity to all other Borough procedural requirements. In commercial and industrial areas, plots of land that have been cleared, as well as the existing vacant portions of such lands should be developed in conformity with the long-range needs of the area to the extent possible and all developmental requirements embodied in the Building Code and zoning regulations shall be adhered to.

If existing structure is to be replaced or expanded. Demolition plans and/or construction plans must be detailed as part of the subdivision plan review and subsequent subdivision approval will be conditional upon compliance with said proposed details. Renovation work to the remaining portion of a structure following partial demolition must be completed promptly and expeditiously.

§ 295-14 Grading.

Excavation. No permanent excavation shall be made with a cut face steeper in slope than three horizontal to one vertical except under one or more of the following conditions.

The material in which the excavation is made is sufficiently stable to sustain a slope of steeper than three horizontal to one vertical, and written statement of a geotechnical engineer, licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to the effect is submitted to the Borough Engineer and approved by him. The statement shall indicate that the site has been inspected and that the deviation from the slope specified herein before will not result in injury to persons or damage to property.

A concrete or stone masonry wall constructed according to present or future designs of the Borough is provided to support the face of the excavation or fill.

Slopes and fences. The top or bottom edge of slopes shall be a minimum of three feet from property, or right-of-way lines, of streets or alleys in order to permit the normal rounding of the edge without encroaching on the abutting property. All property lines (where walls, or slopes are steeper than one horizontal to one vertical and five feet or more in height) shall be protected by a chain-link fence four feet in height, approved by the Borough. The fence shall be an integral part of the wall.

Site grading plan. The Borough Engineer shall require a grading plan in conjunction with the plan of subdivision or land development in order to ensure compliance with the above standards. The grading plan must be approved by the Borough Engineer before grading is started.

§ 295-15 Stormwater management.

See Chapter 283, Stormwater Management, for additional requirements.

§ 295-16 Floodplain areas.

The regulations contained herein shall apply to those areas defined and established as floodplain in Article XX of Chapter 340, Zoning, and not in conflict with the information provided in the Flood Insurance Study. The Flood Boundary and Floodway Map shall be available for inspection in the Borough Office.

The regulations contained herein are intended to conform to the requirements of Section 60.3d of the National Flood Insurance Program, P.L. 93-234, and the Pennsylvania Flood Management Act, P.L. 851, No. 166 of 1978,[1] and as either is amended. Furthermore, it is the purpose of these regulations to:

Regulate the subdivision and development of floodplain areas in order to promote the general health, welfare and safety of the community.

Require that each subdivision lot or development site in floodplain areas be provided with a safe building site with adequate access; and that public facilities which serve such sites be designed and installed to preclude flood damage at the time of initial construction.

Protect individuals from buying land which is unsuitable for use because of flood hazards by prohibiting the subdivision and development of unprotected floodplain areas.

Maintain the certification of the Borough of Trappe and the eligibility of the property owners in the Borough for the benefits of the National Flood Insurance Program, P.L. 93-234.

Editor's Note: See 32 P.S. § 679.101 et seq.

Prospective developers shall consult with the Zoning Officer to make a determination as to whether or not the proposed subdivision or land development is located within an identified floodplain.

When not prohibited by this chapter or any other codes or ordinances, land located in floodplain may be subdivided or developed with the provision that the developer construct all buildings and structures to preclude flood damage in accordance with this chapter and any other codes and ordinances regulating such development.

The net buildable area of such subdivision, less all required floodplain setbacks, must meet or exceed the minimum lot area requirements of the underlying zoning district.

The finished elevation of proposed streets within floodplain areas shall be no more than two feet below the base flood elevation. Drainage openings shall be sufficient to discharge flood flows without unduly increasing flood heights on- and off-site.

Storm drainage facilities shall be designed to convey the 100-year flow without risk to persons or property. The drainage system shall ensure drainage at all points along streets, and ensure conveyance of drainage away from buildings.

All new or replacement sanitary sewer systems, whether public or private, and all appurtenances thereto (including, but not limited to, pumping stations) located in floodplain areas shall be floodproofed up to a point 1 1/2 feet above the base flood elevation.

All new or replacement water systems, whether public or private, in floodplain areas, shall be floodproofed to a point 1 1/2 feet above the base flood elevation.

All other new or replacement public or private utilities and facilities in floodplain areas shall be elevated to a point 1 1/2 feet above the base flood elevation.

Waivers. Guidelines for relaxation from the requirements set forth in this section are as follows:

A waiver shall only be issued within any designated regulatory flowery if any increase in flood levels during the base flood discharge shall result.

A waiver shall only be issued if there is:

A showing of good and sufficient cause;

A determination that failure to relax the requirements would result in exceptional hardship to the applicant;

A determination that the relaxing of a requirement will not result in increased flood heights, additional threats to public safety, extraordinary public expense, create nuisances, cause fraud on or victimization of the public conflict with existing local laws or ordinances or adversely impact adjacent landowners.

A waiver shall only be issued upon a determination that the waiver is the minimum necessary, considering the flood hazard to afford relief.

The Borough shall:

Maintain a record of all waivers including justification for their issuance; and

Report such decisions issued in its annual report submitted to the Federal Insurance Administrator.

See Chapter 173, Flood Damage Prevention, for additional requirements.

§ 295-17 Special drainage problems and watercourses.

Any development which creates a significant change in the characteristics of the watershed, thus increasing volume and velocity of surface water runoff, due to the decrease in retention and infiltration of stormwater, shall not be permitted until guarantees are made of improvements that will reduce the likelihood of erosion, sedimentation, inundation, and water drainage from peak periods of precipitation and provide for controlled disposal of excess surface water. Such improvements must satisfy the requirements and regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureaus of Water Quality Management and Dams and Encroachments.

All continuously flowing natural watercourses shall be maintained at their natural alignments and gradients.

Intermittent watercourses shall be maintained essentially at their existing alignments and gradients. Paving of such watercourses shall not be allowed, nor shall piping except under roads, driveways and walkways.

§ 295-18 Erosion and sediment control.

Where any excavation or grading is proposed, or where any existing trees, shrubs or other vegetative cover will be removed, the developer shall consult the Montgomery County Conservation District representative concerning plans for erosion and sediment control, and the geologic conditions of the site in order to determine the type and magnitude of development the site may safely accommodate. Before undertaking any excavation or grading, the developer shall conform to all pertinent laws, regulations and ordinances of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Trappe Borough. Furthermore, for standard subdivisions and land developments, the Borough reserves the right to require on-site sampling and profiling by a qualified soil professional to ensure the design and construction accuracy necessary for intensive land use.

No subdivision or land development plan shall be approved unless:

There has been a plan approved by the Borough Council that provides for minimizing erosion and sedimentation consistent with this section, and an improvement bond or other acceptable securities are deposited with the Borough in the form of an acceptable guarantee which will insure installation and completion of the required improvements; or

There has been a determination by the Borough Council that a plan for minimizing erosion and sedimentation is not necessary.

The Borough Council, in its approval of any preliminary plan of subdivision and land development, shall condition its approval upon the execution of measures designed ton prevent accelerated soil erosion and resulting sedimentation, as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. All applicable regulations and permit requirements of said department as stipulated in its Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Manual shall be followed by all parties engaged in earthmoving activities. The manual is available at the office of the Montgomery County Conservation District, Norristown, Pennsylvania. The Borough Engineer shall assure compliance with the appropriate specifications and requirements.

Performance standards. The following measures are effective in minimizing erosion and sedimentation and shall be included where applicable in the control plan:

Stripping of vegetation, regrading, or other development shall be done in such a way that will minimize erosion.

Development plans shall preserve salient natural features, keep cut-fill operations to a minimum, and ensure conformity with topography so as to create the least erosion potential and adequately handle the volume and velocity of surface water runoff.

Whenever feasible, natural vegetation shall be retained, protected and supplemented.

The disturbed area and the duration of exposure shall be kept to a practicable minimum.

Disturbed soils shall be stabilized as quickly as practicable.

Temporary vegetation and/or mulching shall be used to protect exposed critical areas during development.

The permanent (final) vegetation and structural erosion control and drainage measures shall be installed as soon as practical in the development.

Provisions shall be made to effectively accommodate the increased runoff caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development. Where necessary, the flow of surface water runoff will be structurally controlled.

Sediment in the runoff water shall be trapped until the disturbed area is stabilized by the use of debris basins, sediment basins, silt traps, or similar measures.

Excavations and fills.

Cut and fill slopes shall not be steeper than 3:1 unless stabilized by a retaining wall or cribbing, except as approved by the Borough Council when handled under special conditions.

Adequate provisions shall be made to prevent surface water from damaging the cut face of excavations of the sloping surfaces of fills.

Cut and fills shall not endanger adjoining property.

No increased surface runoff will be permitted to leave the property being subdivided or developed by way of natural watercourses or storm drainage pipes without first being suitably retained in such a way as to maintain runoff volume existing on the site previous to subdivision or development.

Fill shall be placed and compacted so as to minimize sliding or erosion of the soil and shall be clean and free of material that will decay, settle, or otherwise not meet accepted engineering standards.

Fills shall not encroach on natural watercourses or constructed channels.

Fills placed adjacent to natural watercourses or constructed channels shall have suitable protection against erosion during periods of flooding.

Grading will not be done in such a way as to divert water onto the property of another landowner without the written consent of that landowner and the approval of the Borough Council.

During grading operations, necessary measures for dust control will be exercised.

Grading equipment will not be allowed to cross live streams. Provision will be made for the installation of temporary culverts or bridges, if necessary.

Responsibility.

Wherever sedimentation is caused by stripping vegetation, regrading or other development, it shall be the responsibility of the person, corporation or other entity causing such sedimentation to remove it from all adjoining surfaces, drainage systems and watercourses and to repair any damage at his expense as quickly as possible.

Maintenance of all drainage facilities and watercourses within any subdivision or land development is the responsibility of the developer until they are accepted by the Borough or some other official agency, after which they become the responsibility of the accepting agency.

It is the responsibility of any person, corporation, or other entity doing any act on or across a communal stream, watercourse or swale or upon the floodplain or right-of-way thereof, to maintain, as nearly as possible, in its present state the stream, watercourse, swale, floodplain or right-of-way during the activity and to return it to its original or equal condition after such activity is completed.

Maintenance of drainage facilities or watercourses originating and completely on private property is the responsibility of the owner to their point of open discharge at the property line or at a communal watercourse within the property.

No person, corporation, or other entity shall block, impede the flow of, alter, construct any structure, or deposit any material or thing, or commit any act which will affect normal or flood flow in any communal stream or watercourse without having obtained prior approval from the Borough or Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, whichever is applicable.

Each person, corporation or other entity which makes any surface changes shall be required to handle the existing and potential off-site runoff through his development by designing to adequately handle the storm runoff from a fully developed area upstream.

Compliance with regulations and procedures.

Stream channel construction on watersheds with drainage areas in excess of 320 acres, or in those cases where downstream hazards exist, will conform to criteria established by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Final plans for minimizing erosion and sedimentation as approved will be incorporated into the agreement and bond requirements as required under Article VI of this chapter.

The approval of plans and specifications for the control of erosion and sedimentation shall be concurrent with the approval of the final plats of subdivision or land development, and become a part thereof.

In the event the developer proceeds to clear and grade prior to recording plats, the Borough Council may revoke the approval of the preliminary plan.

§ 295-19 Bridges and culverts.

Bridges and culverts shall be designed to meet current Pennsylvania Department of Transportation standards to support expected loads and to carry expected flows. They shall be constructed to the full width of the right-of-way.

Approval of the Department of Environmental Protection is required when the area drained upstream of the point under consideration exceeds an area of 1/2 square mile.

§ 295-20 Public utilities.

All water and gas mains and other underground facilities shall be installed prior to street paving at locations approved by the Borough for the full width of the right-of-way.

All gas and water mains shall be installed underground. All electric, telephone, and communication services both main and service lines shall be provided by underground cables, installed in accordance with the prevailing standards and practices of the utility or other companies providing such services. All main underground cables which are within the right-of-way of a street shall be located as specified to the satisfaction of the Borough Engineer.

In order to promote and facilitate the undergrounding of utility distribution lines, a letter of endorsement shall be required from the suppliers of utility service (not limited to electrical telephone or cable television) of the developer's choice wherein the applicant acknowledges that underground utilities are feasible and shall be consummated as part of the improvement plan. A statement relative to the intent of the developer to provide underground utility service shall be placed on the final plan requisite to final approval of such plan.

The provisions of this chapter shall not be construed as to limit or interfere with the construction, installation, operation and maintenance of public utility structures or facilities which may hereafter be located with public easements or rights-of-way designated for such purposes.

Light standards are to be placed as required by ordinance. Power source for such standards shall be placed underground as required.

Along collector roads and major highways, all new electrical service should be placed underground.

§ 295-20.1 Key lock box systems.

All nonresidential uses shall provide for a key lock box system. A key lock box system shall likewise be provided for restricted common areas at multifamily residential uses; said areas include but are not limited to apartment building lobbies, clubhouses and similar facilities.

The Trappe Borough Fire Marshal shall approve the make and model of the key lock box system to be installed.

Unless otherwise required by the Fire Marshal, the key lock box shall be installed on the front of the structure, and adjacent to the main entry door on the right-hand side of said door, and at a height between five feet and seven feet above the grade or floor at this location. The Fire Marshal may require installation at another location he deems to allow for a more efficient and effective response by emergency personnel. The Fire Marshal shall have the final determination as to the location of the key lock box.

The key lock box shall contain the keys for exterior doors and/or gates at the property, the keys for interior doors and/or gates within the building, and the keys to doors and/or panels that control access to shared systems (i.e., HVAC, elevators, alarm panels, sprinkler controls and electrical panels), as required by the Fire Marshal. Each key shall be clearly labeled and easily identifiable.

§ 295-21 Sanitary sewers and waste disposal.

Sewers. Whenever practicable, sanitary sewers shall be installed and connected to the Borough sanitary sewer system. The areas not presently served by public sanitary sewers, the Borough Council may require, in addition to installation of temporary, individual on-site sewage disposal facilities, the installation and capping of sanitary sewer mains and house connections, if studies by the Borough Council indicate that extension of public sanitary sewer trunks or laterals to serve the property subdivided appears probable or necessary to protect public health.

When private streets are utilized, the subdivider or the applicant shall execute a recordable covenant with the Borough and/or the Borough Sewer Authority that, for the purposes of sewer connections, assessments and rentals, the rights and liabilities of himself and his grantees, heirs, successors, and assigns shall be the same as if his property abutted a public street.

Size and grade. Sanitary sewers shall have a minimum inside diameter of eight inches and a minimum grade of 0.4%.

Manholes. Manholes shall be located at intervals of 250 feet and at each change of line or grade. In exceptional cases, the interval may be extended to not more than 300 feet. Manhole appurtenances shall conform to current Borough standards.

Laterals. Lateral connections to each lot shown on the final plan shall be installed to the right-of-way line of the street. Each building shall have a separate connection to the Borough sanitary sewer system, when accessible, except that the garage accessory to dwellings may be connected to the dwelling line.

On-lot disposal system. If public sewage disposal is not available, and the sewage treatment is on a project or individual lot basis, such private facilities must be installed by the subdivider, developer or builder under the direct supervision of the state or local health officer. Conformance with Act 208 of 1976, as amended, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act,[1] is required, including, but not limited to, a disclosure statement on certain land sales.

Necessary tests and inspection. Such officer shall require percolation tests, soil samples and other data to determine the size and extent of facilities needed. During installation of such facilities and before final coverage, the state or local health officer and his officers shall make inspections and check to assure that all requirements and specifications have been met. They shall be granted free access to the development area at all times during this period.

Certificate of approval. After assuring that all requirements and specifications have been met, the appropriate board will then issue a certificate of approval to the Secretary of the Borough as a requirement of final plan approval.

Proximity to other improvements on the lot (minimum isolation distances). In no instance shall a septic tank, tile field or other effluent disseminating system be located closer to other lot improvements than the distances described in Title 25, Rules and Regulations, Part I, Department of Environmental Protection, Chapter 73, and as amended.

Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 750.1 et seq.

§ 295-22 Water supply.

All water mains and lines, as indicated on the preliminary plan shall be installed from each lot to the municipal supply. Where no public water is available, it must be furnished by the developer on the project on an individual lot basis. If wells are installed on each lot, and the lot also contains its own sewage disposal facilities, the well shall be drilled, cased to a depth of 50 feet and grouted. The state and local health officer shall inspect and check the well installation for conformance to standards, shall ascertain an ample supply of pure water and shall issue to the Secretary of the Borough a certificate of approval as a requirement to final plan approval.

Hydrants. Fire hydrants shall be located at accessible points throughout the subdivision when public water supply is available, and shall be at 1200-foot intervals.

§ 295-23 Survey monuments.

Monuments shall be of stone or concrete and located on the right-of-way lines at corners, angle points, beginning and end of curves and as otherwise required. Monuments shall be indicated on all plans. They shall be placed after a new street has been completed. The center line of all new streets shall be marked with spikes and referenced to permanent monuments or structures. A certified copy of this referenced information shall be given to the Borough Engineer. Permanent reference monuments of case concrete or durable stone 20 inches by four inches by four inches, with 45° beveled edges shall be set by the subdivider, developer, or builder, at all corners and angle points of the boundaries of the original tract to be subdivided or developed, and at all street intersections and intermediate points as may be required.

Bench marks. The Borough elevations are based on the Borough Sanitary Sewer System Datum. Location and elevation are available to all engineers and surveyors upon request to the Collegeville-Trappe Municipal Authority office. All contours and elevations shown on plans must be based on the system.

Staking requirements. All lots shall be staked by the registered engineer or surveyor for the subdivider, builder or developer, when final grading has been completed. This stake out shall be visible and completed before an owner or occupant moves into the property. All lot corner markers shall be permanently located and shall be at least five-eighths-inch metal pin, with a minimum length of 24 inches, located in the ground to existing grade.

§ 295-24 Natural or historic feature preservation.

Limit of contract. Where the applicant is offering for dedication, or is required to establish a reservation of open spaces or preserve an area of scenic or historic importance, a "limit of contract" which will confine excavation, earth-moving procedures and other changes to the landscape may be required to ensure preservation and prevent destruction of the character of the area.

Topsoil protection. No topsoil shall be removed from the site or used as spoil. Topsoil must be removed from the areas of construction and stored separately. Upon completion of the construction, the topsoil must be redistributed on the site uniformly. All areas of the site shall be stabilized by seeding or planting on slopes of less than 10% and shall be stabilized by sodding on slopes 10% or more as shown on the final grading plan.

Preserved landscaping. When there is a conscientious effort to preserve the existing natural integrity and character of a site and where such preservation includes areas of woodland and trees comparable to required planting improvements, i.e., landscaping and buffer screening, the plan may be received in lieu of additional landscaping requirements.

§ 295-25 Preservation and replacement of existing vegetation.

Preservation of existing vegetation. Each mature tree, tree mass or woodland on the site shall be designated TO RETAIN or TO BE REMOVED in accordance with the following criteria:

All subdivisions and land developments shall be laid out in such a manner as to minimize the removal of healthy trees and shrubs on the site. Special consideration shall be given to major specimen trees.

It shall be incumbent on the applicant to prove that vegetation removal is minimized. If challenged by the municipality, the applicant shall produce evidence such as written documents or plans certified by a registered landscape architect or other alternative layouts are possible and that no alternative clearing or grading plan would reduce the loss of mature trees, tree masses and woodlands.

A mature tree, tree mass or woodland shall be considered "to remain" only if it meets all of the following criteria:

The outermost branches of the tree(s) are at least five feet from any proposed buildings, structures, paving, parking, or utilities (overhead or underground).

The outermost branches of the tree(s) are at least five feet from any proposed changes in grade or drainage such as excavations, mounding or impoundments.

The tree(s) are clear of any proposed sight triangles and do not, by their location or apparent health, pose any undue threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the community.

Mature trees, tree masses, or woodlands that do not fit the above criteria shall be designated "to be removed." These trees will be removed in the field during the construction process.

The applicant may remove up to 25% of the existing trees which are six inches dbh or greater on the site without needing to replace any of them. However, any proposal to remove more than 25% of the existing trees which are six inches dbh or greater on the site shall replace all the trees that are to be removed as prescribed below in Subsection E. Trees which are prohibited from removal may not be removed as part of the 25% removal allowance.

An applicant may not have removed more than 25% of the trees which are six inches dbh or greater on the site during any time in the five years prior to submitting the application for a land development or subdivision unless such tree removals were part of a tree cultivation program, of which the Borough was notified in writing before tree removal.

Protection of existing vegetation. Existing vegetation designated "to remain," in accordance with Subsection A(2) of this section, as part of the landscaping of a subdivision or land development shall be identified in the field prior to any clearing and shall be physically protected throughout the construction process. A temporary physical barrier, such as a snow fence, shall be erected a minimum of one foot outside the dripline on all sides of individual trees, tree masses, or woodlands prior to major clearing or construction. The barrier shall be placed to prevent disturbance to or compaction of soil inside the barrier and shall remain until construction is complete. The barrier shall be shown on the landscape plan.

Hydrology. Alteration of existing drainage pattern and water supply for the protected vegetation shall be minimized.

Transplanting existing plant material. Specimen trees or individual trees from woodlands of tree masses designated "to be removed" are encouraged to be transplanted from one area of the site to another.

Tree replacement requirements.

Any subdivision or land development proposal which will result in the destruction of 25% of the existing trees six inches dbh or greater on a lot shall replace the removed trees that are in excess of the 25% threshold.

The total tree removal impact of woodland areas designated "to be removed" shall be measured by a forest density survey that calculates the approximate quantity of trees (with six inches or greater dbh) per square foot area. All individual specimens of 24 inches or greater dbh shall be individually counted and located on the plan for the entire woodland area to be removed. Calculated woodland tree removals and individual mature tree removals shall be listed on the plan.

Replacement trees shall be planted on the site to mitigate for the existing trees removed, in addition to other landscaping requirements. Proposed replacement tree plantings shall be listed on the plan.

Replacement ratio.

Tree replacement shall occur in the following manner:

Each tree six inches dbh or greater that is destroyed over the 25% threshold shall be replaced with one tree with a caliper of 2 1/2 inches.

Every effort shall be made to preserve trees greater than 36 inches dbh. The Borough may expect relocation of improvements by the applicant to preserve these trees.

Heritage trees shall not be removed under any circumstance. A "heritage tree" is one that has been determined to likely be old enough that it existed when Trappe was established as a Borough in 1896; or any tree determined by the Shade Tree Commission as being important, such as (but not limited to) any shade tree whose trunk is within 35 feet of the right-of-way of Main Street or any memorial tree. Any heritage tree larger than 36 inches dbh that is proposed to be removed shall be determined by a certified arborist or a dendrochronologist as to its probable age.

If 100% of existing trees that are 24 inches dbh or greater are preserved, the applicant may reduce the amount of replacement trees by up to 50%. If 75% of existing trees that are 24 inches dbh or greater are preserved, the applicant may reduce the amount of replacement trees by up to 20%.

Existing dead or imminently dying trees shall not be counted.

Replacement trees shall not be planted any closer than 15 feet apart, but preferably at least 20 feet to 40 feet apart, depending on the species.

(h)

Large shrubs that grow to at least eight feet in height can be counted as replacement trees at the rate of three shrubs per replacement tree. Shrubs may be substituted for a maximum of 30% of the replacement trees.

(i)

Evergreen trees may be counted as 1.25 replacement trees.

(j)

When more than six species are used as replacement trees, the total number of replacement trees may be reduced by 10%.

Replacement tree and shrub species shall be chosen from the list of recommended plants this article in § 295-30, Buffers.

Calculation and estimation of existing trees shall be performed before any clearing commences and shall be documented on the plan as required in the foregoing requirements.

Calculation and estimation of the existing trees remaining after construction shall be performed and compared with the calculations of the approved plan. Any tree removals in addition to those on the approved plan shall be replaced as required in this section prior to the issuing of any occupancy permits.

Tree replacement fee.

A fee in lieu of tree replacement may be allowed, subject to Borough Council approval. A tree replacement fee shall be required for each replacement tree required but not planted on the application site.

The tree replacement unit cost shall be established from time to time by Borough Council based on the market cost of a tree, installation (labor and equipment), maintenance for two years, and fund administration.

The amount of the fee shall be the tree replacement unit cost times the number of trees necessary to satisfy the tree replacement requirements of this chapter.

The fee shall be paid to the Borough prior to the issuance of a tree removal permit and placed in a separate account earmarked specifically for the planting of new trees in Borough owned parks, open spaces, or rights-of-way.

§ 295-26 Planting.

Lot siting, planting and beautification for subdivisions and land developments. In order to promote the highest environmental quality possible, the success to which the applicant of a subdivision or land development plan has preserved existing salient natural features and land forms intrinsic to the site shall be assessed. Terms of approval of a plan may be subject to the manner in which the layout or design or the plan has preserved existing natural features.

Shade trees. Shade trees shall be provided by the developer and planted at a minimum distance of five feet inside the lot line paralleling the right-of-way line. Trees shall be so located as not to interfere with the installation and maintenance of sidewalks and utilities. Trees shall be planted not less than 40 feet apart.

Plan requirements.

Preliminary landscape plan shall show the following:

Existing features. The location and character of existing buildings, mature trees standing alone; other limits of tree masses and other existing vegetation; the locations of floodplains, wetlands, and other natural features that may affect the locations of proposed streets, buildings, and landscape plantings.

Proposed landscaping.

Approximate location of all proposed landscaping required under this chapter.

Demarcation of existing vegetation "to remain" or "to be removed" and the means of protecting existing vegetation during construction.

Approximate location of proposed buildings, paving, utilities of other improvements.

Final landscape plan.

Drafting standards. The same standards shall be required as for a preliminary plan. (See § 295-34.)

Information to be shown:

Plan scale, date, North arrow, and location map with zoning district designations for the site and adjacent properties.

Locations of all existing and proposed buildings and structures.

Locations of all existing and proposed roads, parking, service areas, and other paved areas.

[4]

Locations of all outside storage and trash receptacle areas.

[5]

Sidewalks, berms, fences, walls, freestanding signs, and site lighting.

[6]

Existing and proposed underground and aboveground utilities, such as site lighting, transformers, hydrants, manholes, valve boxes, etc. (Reference may be made to other submission drawings.)

[7]

All existing and proposed contours at two-foot intervals to determine the relationship of planting and grading; areas with slopes in excess of 3:1 shall be highlighted on the plan.

[8]

Existing mature trees, woodland, and tree masses to remain.

[9]

Existing mature trees, woodland and tree masses to be removed.

[10]

Location of all proposed landscaping, including required street trees, stormwater basin landscaping, parking lot landscaping, property line buffer, and site element screen landscaping.

[11]

A planting schedule listing the scientific and common names, sizes, quantities and root conditions of all proposed plant material.

[12]

A schedule showing all landscape requirements and plantings proposed for each category.

[13]

Planting details, including method of protecting existing vegetation and landscape planting methods.

[14]

Information in the form of notes or specifications concerning seeding, sodding, ground cover, mulching and the like.

[15]

A detailed cost estimate shall be submitted with the public improvement escrow, showing the value of all proposed landscaping, including all labor, materials, and guarantee.

[a]

This condition may be satisfied through a land development agreement with sufficient and appropriate financial guarantees.

Certificates. When approved, the landscape plan must show:

The signature and seal of the registered landscape architect, horticulturist, or nurseryman responsible for preparing the landscape plan and details.

The signature of the subdivider, developer, or builder.

The signatures of the elected municipal officials, engineer, or landscape architect, and Planning Commission.

§ 295-27 Open space areas and community assets.

Whenever practicable, provision shall be made for suitable open space for parks, playgrounds, and recreational areas. Due consideration shall be given to the preservation of natural features, including large trees, groves, waterways, scenic areas, historical spots, and other community assets. In commercial areas, provisions shall be made for suitable open space for walkways (connecting parking facilities with commercial structures), malls, sitting areas, etc.

Dog walk areas. All residential developments possessing 30 or more existing and/or proposed residential units shall provide an area for a dog walk.

Dog walk area, design criteria.

Dog walk areas shall be at least 1/2 acre for developments possessing up to 30 existing and/or proposed units, and at minimum one acre for developments possessing 31 or more existing and/or proposed units.

Dog walk areas shall be located no closer than 15 feet from a property line, right-of-way or building.

Dog walk areas shall be located no closer than 100 feet from wetlands, basins and water surface areas.

Dog walk areas shall not be located within parking areas.

For every 100 feet of perimeter, the dog walk area shall be furnished with one covered trash receptacle, bag dispenser, and identification sign.

Dog walk areas shall be surrounded by a fence, minimum four feet height, chain-link or split rail with wire, equipped with a double-gated entry.

For every 40 feet of perimeter, the dog walk area shall provide one shade tree.

(h)

For every 1/2 acre, the dog walk area shall provide one bench.

Dog walk area, ownership and maintenance.

The dog walk area shall be situated on land privately owned and maintained by a homeowners' association, landlord, management association, management company or like entity.

A maintenance schedule for the dog walk area shall be included in the declaration for the community, or in a deed of restriction, in a form acceptable to the Borough, to be recorded in and for the Office of Deeds, Montgomery County.

Walkways in commercial areas.

Commercial land development plans shall include walkways from parking areas to building entrances, sitting areas, and adjacent residential areas and community facilities (parks, cultural establishments, schools, and government offices).

Such walkways shall be:

Paved, concrete or asphalt.

Minimum width: five feet.

Minimum thickness: four inches.

§ 295-28 Modular and mobile home inspections.

The applicant or developer shall inform the Borough Building Inspector of the delivery date of a modular and/or mobile home. The Borough Building Inspector shall inspect the modular or mobile home upon its arrival at the site prior to installation to determine if any damage has occurred to the unit during transportation to the site and to determine if it has been approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. No modular unit or modular home may be occupied before the Borough has received a copy of the structural engineering bulletin(s) indicating approval by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development of the dwelling or the components of the dwelling.

§ 295-29 Well sites.

Where any plan is submitted that encompasses land that would allow for the development of any use, present or in the future, under Chapter 340, Zoning, and/or this chapter, whether or not so provided or proposed in the plan submitted, for at least 30 residential dwellings or the equivalent EDUs where the said property is being used for commercial and/or industrial and/or manufacturing and/or residential use, the developer shall provide for adequate land to be dedicated to the Borough of Trappe suitable for the development and use of the municipal water well to be operated by the Collegeville-Trappe Joint Water Authority, as a public improvement, for the purpose of serving the development, presently or in the future, with municipal water. The aforesaid land to be so dedicated to the Borough of Trappe shall first be tested by a test well by the developer, at the developer's cost and expense, to assure that the well site:

Would provide a minimum of 100 gallons per minute;

Will conform to the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Delaware River Valley Basin Authority and be acceptable for the appropriate operational permit from said agencies;

Will meet the specifications of the Collegeville-Trappe Joint Water System as approved by their engineer;

Will have adequate ingress and egress for the construction and development of the well, as well as the future use and maintenance thereof, including the necessary easements for ingress and egress on the public road to the well site for the construction, use and maintenance thereof as well as for the laying of the necessary pipe to interconnect with the municipal water system; and

Shall meet the specifications, regulations, and applicable rules and ordinances of and concerning the Collegeville-Trappe Joint Water System.

If the development plan as submitted provides for more than 200 residential units or the equivalent of more than 200 EDUs for commercial and/or industrial and/or manufacturing and/or residential use or combination thereof, then one more well site shall be provided for each 200 residential units or portion thereof or for the equivalent 200 EDUs or portion thereof. In ascertaining the number of residential units or EDUs to establish the number of well sites and test wells to be provided, the number of residential units or the required EDUs for any industrial and/or manufacturing unit and/or commercial unit and/or residential unit or combination thereof shall control whether or not the proposed plan is for the development of said residential dwellings or units, commercial units, industrial and/or manufacturing units or combination thereof. The intention is to establish the maximum use for the site, whether or not the use is presently proposed for development, and to set aside the necessary well sites to provide for test wells thereon, even though the proposed development of the potential use may be in the future. Accordingly; the potential for ultimate development of the site is allowed under Chapter 340, Zoning, and this chapter rather than the development as proposed by the plans or application presented shall establish the number of residential units or EDUs.

Each site shall be dedicated to the Borough of Trappe, by fee simple deed, unencumbered by any lien, easement, or restriction, at the time of subdivision approval and shall provide for the appropriate ingress and egress to the public road for the construction, use and maintenance of any well thereon as well as the appropriate easement and right-of-way for piping, as well as the construction, maintenance and use of the appropriate pipe and appurtenances to interconnect the well with the Collegeville-Trappe Joint Water System.

Where, in the opinion of the engineer for the Collegeville-Trappe Joint Water System, adequate land and a test well cannot be provided to meet the standards and conditions aforesaid on the land to be so subdivided or developed, then the developer shall make a capital contribution equal to the fair market value of the cost of a well site that could then and there be developed in the Borough of Trappe for municipal water supply use by the Collegeville-Trappe Joint Water System and the cost of a test well. If the developer and the Borough of Trappe disagree as to the equivalent capital contribution aforesaid, in lieu of dedicating land, and the costs of establishing a test well, then each party shall select a licensed real estate broker, and the majority of the three licensed real estate brokers shall establish the fair capital contribution for the public improvement aforesaid. The decision of the majority of the three licensed real estate brokers shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties. Each party shall bear the cost and expense of paying their licensed real estate broker, and shall share equally in the costs and expense of the third licensed real estate broker.

§ 295-30 Buffers.

Screen buffer. Where required by this chapter or the Zoning Ordinance,[1] all screening plant materials shall be chosen from the following recommended plant material list:

Shade or canopy trees.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Acer rubrum	Red maple (native)
Celtis sp.	Hackberry (native)
Cladastris lutea	Yellowood (native)
Corylus colurna
Ginkgo biloba	Ginkgo (male only)
Gleditsia triacanthos, inermis	Thornless honey locust
Koelreuteria paniculata	Golden rain tree
Liquidamber styraciflua	Sweet gum (native)
Platanus occidentalus	Sycamore (native)
Quercus bicolor	Swamp white oak (native)
Quercus coccinea	Scarlet oak (native)
Quercus imbricaria	Shingle oak (native)
Quercus phellos	Willow oak (native)
Quercus prinus	Chestnut oak (native)
Quercus rubra	Red oak (native)
Sophora japonica	Japanese pagodatree
Tilia americana	American linden (native)
Tilia cordata	Littleleaf linden
Tilia tomentosa	Silver linden
Zelkova serrata	Japanese zelkova

Shade or canopy trees. Suitable for property line buffers and nonvehicular use areas only (minimum mature height: 30 feet or more).

Scientific Name	Common Name
Acer saccharinum	Silver maple (native)
Acer saccharum	Sugar maple (native)
Betula lenta	Sweet birch (native)
Betula nigra	River birch (native)
Carya ovata	Shagbark hickory (native)
Carya sp.	Hickory (native)
Fagus grandifolia	American beech (native)
Fagus sylvatica	European beech
Liriodendron tulipifera	Tuliptree (native)
Meta sequoia glypostroboides	Dawn redwood
Ostrya virginiana	Hop hornbeam (native)
Phellodendron amurense	Amur cork tree
Plantanus acerifolia	London plane
Prunus virginiana	Chokecherry (native)
Quercus alba	White oak (native)
Quercus coccinea	Scarlet oak (native)
Quercus palustris	Pin oak (native)
Quercus vellutina	Black oak (native)
Sassafras albidum	Sassafras (native)

Ornamental trees. Suitable for property line buffers or site element screens (minimum mature height: 15 feet or more).

Scientific Name	Common Name
Amelanchier canadensis	Serviceberry (native)
Carpinus carolinia	Ironwood (native)
Cercis candensis	Redbud (native)
Chionanthus virginicus	Fringetree (native)
Cornus florida	Flowering dogwood (native)
Cornus kousa	Japanese dogwood
Cornus mas	Cornelian cherry
Crataegus cv. Toba	Toba hawthorn
Crataegus mollis	Downy hawthorn
Crataegus oxycantha	English hawthorn
Crataegus Phaenopyrum	Washington hawthorn
Halesia carolinia	Silverbells (native)
Hammamelis virginiana	Witch hazel (native)
Koelreuteria paniculata	Golden raintree
Laburnum vossi	Goldenchain
Magnolia soulangeana	Saucer magnolia
Magnolis virginiana	Sweetbay magnolia (native)
Malus sp.	Crab apple species (native)
Oxydendrum arboreum	Sourwood (native)
Prunus sargentii	Sargent cherry
Prunus serrulata cv. Kwanzan	Kwanzan cherry
Styrax japonica	Japanese snowbell
Syringa amurensis japonica	Japanese tree lilac

Large deciduous shrubs. Suitable for use in property line buffers or site element screen (not clipped hedges) (minimum mature height: 15 feet or more).

Scientific Name	Common Name
Aronia arbutifolia	Black chokeberry (native)
Calycanthus floridus	Sweet shrub (native)
Cephalanthus occidentalis	Buttonbush (native)
Clethra acuminata	Summersweet (native)
Cornus serica	Red osier dogwood (native)
Enkianthus campanulatus	Redvien enkianthus
Forsythia sp.	Forsythia
Fothergilla major	Large fothergilla (native)
Ilex verticilata	Winterberry (native)
Lindera benzoin	Spicebush (native)
Lonicera spp. (shrubbery vat.)	Honeysuckle bush
Myrica pennsylvanica	Bayberry (native)
Philadelphus spp.	Mock orange
Physocarpus opulifolius	Common ninebark
Rosa multiflora	Multiflora rose
Sambucus canadensis	Elderberry (native)
Spirea nipponica	Snow mound spirea
Vaccinium corymbosum	Blueberry (native)
Viburnum dentatum	Arrow wood (native)
Viburnum lentago	Nannyberry (native)
Viburnum prunifolium	Black haw (native)
Viburnum spp.	Other large viburnums
Viburnum trilobum	American cranberry (native)

Deciduous or evergreen shrubs. Suitable for clipped hedges in property line buffers or site element screens (minimum mature height: four feet or more).

Scientific Name	Common Name
Aronia arbutifolia	Black chokeberry (native)
Berberis sp.	Barberry Sp.
Cornus mas	Cornelian cherry
Cotoneaster salicifolia	Willowleaf cotoneaster
Ilex crenata compacta	Compact Japanese holly
Ilex glabra	Inkberry (native)
Ilex crenata hetzi	Hetz holly
Juniperus chinensis glauca hetzi	Hetz blue juniper
Juniperus chinensis pfitzeriana compacta	Compact pfitzer juniper
Philadelphus lemoinei	Mock orange
Taxus canadensis	Canada yew
Taxus densiformis	Dense yew
Taxus media Hatfieldi	Hatfield yew
Viburnum dentatum	Arrow wood (native)
Viburnum lentago	Nannyberry (native)
Viburnum opulus	European cranberry bush
Viburnum prunifolium	Black haw (native)
Thuja sp.	Arborvitae

Evergreen shrubs. Suitable for site element screens (minimum mature height: four feet).

Scientific Name	Common Name
Azalea, evergreen species, must reach three-foot height	Azalea
Ilex crenata "hetzi"	Japanese holly
Ilex glabra	Inkberry (native)
Ilex mesevvea	Blue holly series
Juniperus chinensis "Hetzi Glauca"	Hetz blue juniper
Juniperus virginiana	Eastern red cedar (native)
Kalmia latifolia and cvs	Mountain laurel (native)
Leucothoe fontanessiana	Leucothoe
Pieris floribunda	Mountain andromeda (native)
Pieris japonica	Japanese andromeda
Rhododendron sp.	Various lg. rhododendrums
Taxus sp.	Yew
Thuja sp.	Arborvitae
Viburnum rhytidophillum	Leatherleaf viburnum

Evergreen trees. Suitable for property line buffers or site element screens (minimum mature height: 20 feet).

Scientific Name	Common Name
Abies concolor	White fir
Ilex opaca	American holly (native)
Picea abies	Norway spruce
Picea omorika	Siberian spruce
Picea pungens	Colorado spruce
Pinus strobus	White pine (native)
Pinus thunbergii	Japanese black pine
Pseudotsuga menziesii	Douglas fir
Tsuga canadensis	Canadian hemlock (native)
Tsuga caroliniana	Carolina hemlock (native)

Canopy trees. Suitable for stormwater detention basins.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Acer rubrum+	Red maple
Acer saccrarinum*	Silver maple
Betula nigra*	River birch
Illex opaca*	American holly
Liquidamber styraciflua+	Sweet gum
Nyssa sylvatica*	Black gum
Quercus phellos*	Willow oak
Quercus bicolor+	Swamp white oak
Quercus palustris*	Pin oak
Taxodium distichum+	Bald cypress

NOTES:
*	Suitable for usually well-drained areas that may be subject to occasional flooding.
+	Suitable for permanently wet areas.

Deciduous/evergreen ornamental trees. Suitable for stormwater detention basins.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Amelanchir canadensis*	Shadblow serviceberry
Carpinus carolinia*	Ironwood
Chionanthus virginicus*	Fringetree
Magnolia virginiana*	Sweetbay
Thuja occidentalis cv. nigra*	Arborvitae

NOTES:
*	Suitable for usually well-drained areas that may be subject to occasional flooding.
+	Suitable for permanently wet areas.

Deciduous or evergreen shrubs suitable for stormwater detention basins.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Aronia arbutifolia+	Red chokeberry
Caly canthus florida*	Sweetshrub
Cephalanthus occidentalis+	Button bush
Clethra alnifolia+	Summersweet
Cornus amonium+	Silky dogwood
Cornus serica+	Red-stem dogwood
Hammamelis virginiana*	Witch hazel
Illex glabra+	Inkberry
Illex verticilata+	Winterberry
Lindera benzoin*	Spice bush
Myrica cerifera*	Southern bayberry
Myrica pennsylvanica+	Northern bayberry
Rhododendron nudiflorum+	Pinxterbloom azalea
Rhododendron viscosim+	Swamp azalea
Sambucus canadensis*	Elderberry
Viburnum cassanoides*	Witherod
Viburnum dentatum*	Arrow wood
Viburnum lentago*	Nannyberry
Viburnum tribolum*	American cranberry

NOTES:
*	Suitable for usually well-drained areas that may be subject to occasional flooding.
+	Suitable for permanently wet areas.

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Herbaceous perennials. Suitable for stormwater detention basins.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Aster novae angliae*	New England aster
Chrysanthemum lencanthemum*	Ox-eye daisy
Echinacea purpurea*	Purple cornflower
Eupatorium dubium+*	Joe pye weed
Eupatorium fistulosum+*	Hollow joe pye weed
Hemerocallis sp.*	Day lily
Hesperis matronalis*	Dames rocket
Hibiscus moshentos+	Rose mallow
Iris pseudocaris+*	Yellow iris
Iris vericolor+	Blue flag
Lobelia cardinalis+*	Cardinal flower
Lobelia siphilitica+*	Blue lobelia
Monarda didyma*	Bee balm
Panicum virgatum+*	Switchgrass
Phalaris arundinacae*	Canary reed grass
Rudbeckia sp.*	Black-eyed susan
Scirpus acustus+	Hard stem bullrush
Typha angustifolia+	Narrowleaf cattail
Typha Iatifolia+	Common cattail
Vernonia noveboracensis+*	New York iron weed

NOTES:
*	Suitable for usually well-drained areas that may be subject to occasional flooding.
+	Suitable for permanently wet areas.

Editor's Note: See Ch. 340, Zoning.

Existing live trees that are in the buffer area shall be allowed to remain in that area and can be used to satisfy the requirements of the buffer.

Maintenance.

Required plant material shall be maintained for the life of the project to achieve the required visual effect of the buffer or screen. It shall be the ultimate responsibility of successive property owners to ensure that the required plantings are properly maintained. Dead or diseased plant material shall be removed or treated promptly by the property owner and replaced at the next growing season.

Safety. All sight triangles shall remain clear, and any plant material that could endanger safety such as unstable limbs shall be removed and the plant material replaced, if necessary. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to maintain all plantings and architectural elements to insure a safe environment.

Maintenance guidelines for the plantings are encouraged to be published by the planting plan designer, to be used by grounds maintenance personnel to ensure that the design's buffering and screening concepts are continued.

Landscape bond.

Any tree or shrub that dies within 18 months of planting shall be replaced by the current landowner or developer. Any tree or shrub that, within 18 months of planting or replanting is deemed, in the opinion of the municipality, not to have survived or not to have grown in a manner characteristic of its type, shall be replaced. Substitutions for certain species of plants may be made only when approved by the municipality.

The developer or landowner shall deposit with the municipality a sum of money equal to the amount necessary to cover the cost of purchasing, planting, maintaining, and replacing all vegetative materials for a period of 18 months.

§ 295-31 Land reserved for park and recreation purposes.

Intent.

To implement the objectives of the Borough's Comprehensive Plan and Parks and Open Space Plan (latest edition), it is the intent of this section to provide for the reservation of park and recreational facilities in residential subdivisions and land developments, or in lieu thereof, the payment of fees to the Borough, or the construction of recreational facilities, or a combination of these options.

To assure that developers of residential projects make suitable provision for the open space and outdoor recreational needs of the future occupants of their projects.

To encourage developers to consider the impact of their projects upon the natural environment and ways to mitigate that impact.

To assure that lands set aside for open space and outdoor recreational use are of appropriate type, size, and location for such uses.

To promote improvements to open space and outdoor recreational areas consistent with recreational use.

Criteria and standards for park land and open spaces.

Residential subdivisions and land developments shall contain open space recreational facilities of 4,000 square feet per dwelling unit in accordance with the design standards outlined below. Said open space and recreational facilities need not be dedicated to the Borough and shall be, at the discretion of the developer, private reservation of open space and recreational facilities in conjunction with the subdivision and development as proposed. If the property is not offered for dedication to the Borough, the developer shall establish a satisfactory arrangement, as approved by the Borough Council and its Solicitor, for the maintenance of such open space and recreational facilities, in perpetuity, for the benefit of the residents and property owners of said subdivision and land development, by establishing appropriate securities and escrows.

Parkland design standards. All land set aside for open space and recreational use shall:

Be contained within the proposed subdivision and land development.

Consist of one continuous tract of land.

Be readily accessible to all residents and properties within said subdivision and land development and have at least 50 feet of public road frontage.

Otherwise, be generally suitable for park and recreational purposes, taking into consideration traffic flows, prior uses of the parcel that may affect the health, welfare, or safety of the public or uses of other properties in the vicinity of the parcel that would adversely affect the use of the subject property for recreational or park use.

Be suitable for the location of facilities which can meet the various recreational needs of the residents, businesses, and industries.

Where possible, be suitable for accessible connection to an existing adjacent recreation area.

Be generally well drained and suitable for different forms of active and passive recreation with the following features:

No more than 15% of the area consisting of environmental constrains such as wetlands, 100-year floodplains, or areas with greater than 15% slopes.

No more than 50% of the area wooded.

Undivided by a public or private road.

[4]

No more than 15% of the area encumbered by easements, utilities, or stormwater management facilities. Land within utility easements may be used for recreation purposes only if the utility companies possessing legal rights to the easements do not prohibit their use for such purposes.

At the sole discretion of Borough Council, where Council determines that the intent of this chapter can be attained otherwise, Council may waive or modify, upon written application, the open space and recreational design standards aforesaid; and if Council deems necessary, impose such other conditions and/or standards to achieve the objective and purpose of this chapter.

Alternatives to private open space and recreational facilities.

Intent. It is the intent of this section to provide open space and recreational facilities for all new residential development.

Fee in lieu of private open space and recreational facilities. If a developer is unable to establish private recreational and open space facilities as per the design standards aforesaid, or if said developer determines not to set aside land for open space and recreational facilities within the development for private use of the development, and if approved by the Borough Council, the developer may pay a fee in lieu thereof, which shall be equal to the amount established by Borough Council from time to time based upon a certified appraiser's written opinion of the fair market value of open space in the Borough, times two to account for the cost of adding recreational facilities and related improvements thereto.

Use of fees due. Fee in lieu of payments shall be used to expand and improve existing public parks or to acquire land and develop new public recreational sites and facilities. Fee-in-lieu payments shall be deposited into the Open Space Fund and be used to acquire or develop open space or park sites in the Borough of Trappe.

Deposit of fees. Fees collected by the Borough shall be deposited in an interest-bearing Open Space Fund account.

Collection of fees. Fee-in-lieu payments shall be collected prior to the final plan approval.

Miscellaneous provisions.

Private park and recreational facilities established in connection with the proposed subdivision and land development application must be permanently dedicated to recreation and park use and the maintenance of such site must be adequately secured by deed restrictions, homeowner association agreements, or other applicable and acceptable provisions.

Borough Council shall determine whether the land proposed for private dedication meets the design standards set forth in this chapter. If Borough Council deems that the land proposed does not meet the criteria and standards set forth in this chapter, or that the securities for the maintenance of such site are not adequately secured, the applicant, within 10 days of notice of Council's decision, may file written objections therefor and request a hearing before Council. Borough Council, upon due notice, shall hold a public hearing; and thereafter, Council shall render findings of fact, decision and conclusions of law with respect to those matters objected to. The applicant shall bear the cost and expense of a stenographer.

Any land dedicated to the Borough shall be used only for the purpose of providing park and recreational facilities and for the preservation of open space and shall be available for use by all Borough residents.