[Adopted 7-26-1976 by Ord. No. 129 (Ch. XXVI, Part 2A, of the 2013 Code of Ordinances)]
The grading, paving, construction and repairing of all sidewalks and the construction and repairing of all curbs and gutters in the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania, shall be performed in conformity with the following specifications, regulations and provisions.
The grade to which every curb, gutter or sidewalk shall be hereafter laid, constructed or repaired shall be that designated and established by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania, or as designated on Township approved and recorded subdivision plans.
All work performed hereunder shall be inspected by the Township Engineer of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
It shall be the duty of the owner or owners of the land abutting on any curbs, gutters and/or sidewalks to keep them in such repair and condition that they may not be or become dangerous to the welfare and safety of the traveling public. The Board of Supervisors of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania, is hereby empowered to notify property owners when sidewalks, curbs and gutters are in need of repair or renewal thereof shall be made by the property owner within 30 days after said written notice is given to said property owner(s), or other time limit as set forth in written notice.
It shall be unlawful to plant any tree, trees and/or shrub or shrubs within any of the street rights-of-way of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The phrase "street right-of-way" as herein used shall mean any area designated and/or used for public vehicular purposes together with the abutting area or areas designated and/or used for public pedestrian purposes. Each new tree and/or shrub shall be planted on the private property side of the street right-of-way and if located within the 100 feet sight triangle of any street corner the same shall be maintained by the owner thereof so as not to exceed two feet six inches in height.
No person or persons, firms or corporation shall construct or repair any sidewalk, curb or gutters without first applying for and obtaining from the Township Engineer of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania, a permit for same. The application for such permit shall set forth:
A. 
The full name and address of the owners of the land affected;
B. 
The name and address of the contractor, or the person to perform the work;
C. 
The precise location of the property upon which the work is to be performed;
D. 
The length of the proposed project; and
E. 
Such other pertinent information as may be considered necessary.
The cost of obtaining the sidewalk, curb or gutter permit referred to in § 394-10 of this article shall be designated and established by appropriate resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
[Amended 7-13-1987 by Ord. No. 196]
A. 
Curb, gutter, sidewalk and driveway specifications.
(1) 
All curbs, gutters, sidewalks and driveway entrances within street, road or alley areas shall be constructed of ready-mixed concrete with a minimum ultimate compressive strength of 3,000 psi at 28 days. All concrete shall be thoroughly compacted by suitable means during the placing, and shall be thoroughly worked in the corners of the forms. Exposed concrete surfaces shall be true and even, free from open or rough areas, depressions or projections. The finish shall be steel troweled with soft brush finish. No patching will be permitted. Forms shall be of wood or metal and constructed of materials sufficient in strength to hold the concrete without deforming. Forms shall be used at grade points in all cases.
(2) 
Curbs shall be made to the following specifications. The curb shall have a depth of not less than 24 inches and shall be constructed on a well-tamped four inch broken stone base. (2A modified slag may be substituted for the broken stone, and said curb shall be eight inches thick at the top and 10 inches thick at the bottom. The height of the curb above the gutter lines shall be eight inches.)
(3) 
Sidewalks shall be not less than four inches in thickness, and shall rest on a compact bed for broken stone (or 2A modified slag) a depth of at least four inches.
(4) 
In cold weather, adequate equipment shall be provided for heating the concrete materials and protecting the concrete during freezing or near-freezing weather. All concrete materials and all forms, fillers and ground with which the concrete is to come in contact, shall be free from frost. No frozen materials containing ice shall be used.
(5) 
Sidewalks, curbs, and gutters shall have scored joints every five linear feet of work. Approved expansion joints shall be placed every 30 linear feet or less of work.
(6) 
The radii of corners at street intersections shall not be less than the distance between the outside face of the curbing and the street line. The radii of corners at intersecting alleys of a width of more than 15 feet shall be 10 feet, unless the Engineer authorizes conformance to existing conditions.
(7) 
Driveway entrances over sidewalk at residential properties shall be at least eight inches thick, and 12 feet wide for a single driveway and 16 feet wide for a double driveway. Curb radii at the driveways shall be determined as the distance from the outside face of the curbing to the inside edge of the pavement. The curbing shall be eight inches thick and 24 inches in depth. Driveway and curbing are to be constructed on a well-tamped four inch thick base of broken stone or slag. Driveway entrances over sidewalk entrances at commercial and industrial properties shall comply with the foregoing and such additional requirements as may be prescribed from time to time by the Supervisors.
(8) 
Rain conductors. All rain conductors shall be service weight cast iron soil pipe within the street right-of-way.
(9) 
Drawings. Curbs, sidewalks, and driveways shall be constructed as shown on Drawings 4-0050 and 4-0050A, latest revision.
(10) 
Existing curb. Where existing curb has moved out of vertical and horizontal alignment of one inch or more, the property owner shall be notified in writing to replace, or realign the curb. Deterioration or fractured curbs also shall require replacement upon written notification.
(11) 
All sidewalks, curbs, gutters and/or driveway entrances heretofore installed within the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania, having a form of construction in deviation of the within specifications may be repaired and/or replaced, in kind, upon obtaining the written approval of the Township Engineer of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
B. 
In existing areas where the space between the sidewalk and curb is deemed to be narrow by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania, the sloping portion of the driveway may extend into the sidewalk area in accordance with certain standards designated and established by the said Board of Supervisors.
[Amended 8-10-2009 by Ord. No. 372]
The costs and expenses of the construction and/or repair of sidewalks, curbs and gutters in the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania, shall be determined and assessed by the Board of Supervisors of said Township, and shall be payable as set forth herein.
A. 
Any property owner assessed with improvement costs shall have the following payment options available to them for repayment of the costs to the Township:
(1) 
Payment may be made immediately consisting of a lump sum amount of the total amount due; or
(2) 
Payments may be made on a monthly basis for a total of 24 months which payments shall include interest at the rate of 6% per annum, pursuant to an agreement between the homeowner and the Township, such agreement being to the satisfaction of the Township Solicitor. Such agreement will include property owner's consent to placing a lien against the property for the principal amount, interest, and penalty, as allowed by law. Upon payment in full of the outstanding amount, said lien shall be released by the Township.
B. 
If there is a default in the payment of any installment and interest for a period of 60 days after it becomes due, the entire assessment and accrued interest shall become due and the Township Solicitor shall proceed to collect the assessment, and all interest, penalties and costs, under the general laws relating to the collection of municipal claims.
C. 
Any owner of property against whom assessment is made may pay the assessment, in full, at any time, together with interest and costs owing thereon through the due date of the next installment and that payment shall discharge the lien. There shall be no penalty for any such prepayment.
D. 
The Board of Supervisors of the Township of Spring does hereby approve, adopt and authorize the execution of Agreements between the Township and the affected homeowners, in accordance with the provisions of this section, without further Board action.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person or persons, firm or corporation constructing or repairing sidewalks, curbs or gutters or planting trees or shrubs in violation of any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a Magisterial District Judge under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be subject to the penalty provisions of § 1-12, Summary offenses, of the Code of the Township of Spring, for each and every offense.
If any sentence, clause, section or part of this article is for any reason found to be unconstitutional, illegal, or invalid, such unconstitutionality, illegality, or invalidity shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, sentences, clauses, sections or parts of this article. It is hereby declared as the intent of the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Spring, Berks County, Pennsylvania that this article would have been adopted and such unconstitutional, illegal, or invalid sentence, clause, section or part thereof should not be included herein.