Township of London Grove, PA PART 6 DEVELOPMENT DESIGN STANDARDS AND REQUIRED IMPROVEMENTS

§ 22-601 Application.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990]

1. The following principles, standards, and requirements shall be applied by the board and the planning commission when evaluating plans for proposed subdivision and land development.

2. The standards set forth in the township zoning ordinance [chapter 27] for the particular district in which the subdivision or land development is taking place shall govern the layout and size of lots, design of buildings, parking lot requirements, and requirements for other facilities.

3. The standards and requirements outlined herein shall be considered minimum standards and requirements for the promotion of public health, safety, and general welfare.

4. All improvements and facilities specified in this part and any other improvements or facilities required by the township shall be installed at the expense of the developer and shall be maintained by the developer until, in the case of temporary facilities, such facilities should be dismantled, or in the case of permanent facilities, the responsibility for management has been transferred to the township, a community association, a private management group, or some other official agency.

5. Where it can be clearly demonstrated by the applicant to the satisfaction of the board that, because of peculiar conditions pertaining to a tract of land the literal enforcement of these standards would cause undue hardship, such variations from their literal interpretation may be permitted as may be reasonable and consistent with the purpose and intent of this chapter.

6. Whenever other township, county, state, or federal regulations impose more restrictive standards and requirements than those contained herein, such other regulations shall be observed.

§ 22-602 Township Policies.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990]

1. The integrity of township and state highways within the township shall be preserved. Multiple entrances from abutting properties shall be controlled to maintain and improve the ability of streets to carry traffic throughout the township without undue restriction. The board will therefore require, wherever practical, the use of interior streets to serve all lots abutting on township and state roads and will discourage thereby the preparation of plans which provide for development of lots in strips fronting on township or state roads within the township boundaries.

2. Land shall be suitable for the purpose for which it is being subdivided or developed.

3. Land potentially hazardous to life, or property shall not be subdivided for residential or public use purposes until such hazards have been eliminated or unless adequate safeguards against such hazards are provided by the subdivision plan.

4. Proposed subdivisions shall be coordinated with existing nearby neighborhoods, so that the community as a whole may develop in a coordinated fashion.

§ 22-603 Monuments and Markers.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990]

1. Permanent stone or concrete monuments, as defined in part 3, shall be accurately placed at the intersection of all lines forming angles, at changes in direction of lines in the boundary (perimeter) of the property being subdivided, and at such intermediate points as may be required.

2. Iron markers, as described in part 3, shall be accurately placed at all lot corners within a subdivision so that the location of property lines may be readily ascertained after development of the subdivision.

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

4. All monuments and markers shall be set or drive with their top level with the finished grade of the surrounding ground.

§ 22-604 Blocks.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990]

1. The length, width, and shape of blocks shall be determined with due regard to provisions of adequate sites for building of the type proposed, the township zoning ordinance [chapter 27], topography, safe and convenient vehicular circulations, and thoughtful and innovative design to create an attractive community.

2. Blocks shall have a maximum length of 1,600 feet and as far as practicable, a minimum length of 500 feet. In design of blocks longer than 1,100 feet, special consideration should be given to access for fire protection. Blocks along arterial highways shall not be less than 1,000 feet long.

3. Blocks two lot depths in width shall be preferred, except in the case of reverse-frontage lots. Reverse-frontage lots are prohibited, except where employed to prevent vehicular access to major thoroughfares.

§ 22-605 Lots and Lot Sizes.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 70-B, 1/6/1992; Ord. No. 220, 4/28/2022]

1. The minimum area, width, and building setback lines for lots shall be as required by the area, width, and yard regulations of the township zoning ordinance [chapter 27].

2. Lot sizes greater than specified in the zoning ordinance [chapter 27] may be required when necessary to ensure proper functioning of on-lot sewage disposal or water supply.

3. Lot lines shall be substantially perpendicular or radial to street lines.

4. Residential lots shall front on a municipal street, whether existing or proposed.

5. Wherever possible, lot lines shall follow municipal boundaries in order to avoid jurisdictional conflict.

6. Excessively deep lots shall be avoided, if possible, and a depth to-width ratio of not more than three to one shall be considered a desirable proportion for lots.

7. House numbers shall be assigned to each lot by the township upon recommendation by the United States Postal Service.

8. Interior lots. The creation of such lots shall be minimized and limited to those circumstances dictated by the configuration of the site; however, the applicant shall not be permitted to use interior lots to avoid constructing or extending streets.

9. No more than two lots in depth shall be created along a new or existing street.

§ 22-606 Driveways.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990]

1. Private driveways shall be provided for all residents and other land developments requiring vehicular access. The construction shall be in accordance with the regulations of this section in order to provide safe access to township and state roads, to minimize problems of stormwater runoff, and to assure sufficient area for access to off-street parking.

2. Driveways serving a single residence shall have a minimum paved or graveled width of 10 feet. Where a driveway crosses a bridge, such bridge shall be at least 10 feet wide. Common driveways shall have a minimum paved or graveled width of 10 feet, per above, with pull-off areas widened to 16 feet over a forty-foot length at 200-foot intervals. Driveways serving all other uses shall have a minimum paved width of 12 feet per lane of ingress and egress.

3. Driveways to single-family residences shall intersect streets at angles of no less than 60°. All other driveways shall intersect streets at right angles where practical, and in no case less than 75°. The angle of intersection is defined as the acute angle made by the intersection of the centerline of the driveway with the curb line of the road. See appendix.

4. Driveway entrances into all nonresidential, single use properties shall be no less than 24 feet in width, shall not exceed 36 feet in width at the street line unless provided with a median divider. Radius of curb returns no less than 35 feet.

5. For a length of 25 feet as measured along the centerline of the driveway from the edge of the cartway, the driveway shall have a maximum grade of 4%. Any remaining portion of the driveway shall have a maximum grade of 15%.

6. The edge of any driveway shall be no less than 80 feet from the nearest end of the paving radius at a street intersection.

7. Clear-sight triangles shall be provided at all driveway entrances and shall be shown on plans. Within such triangles, no object greater than 2 1/2 feet in height from the centerline of the road and no other object that would obscure the vision of a motorist shall be permitted. The legs of such triangles shall be at least 100 feet in both directions for residential driveways, and at least 300 feet in both directions for nonresidential driveways, as measured from a point 12 feet back from the edge of the cartway of the intersecting street. Greater distances may be required if warranted by specific circumstances. Any landscaping elements within the clear-sight triangle shall be maintained to a height of 2 1/2 feet or less, and nothing hanging less than 15 feet.

8. Driveways shall be graded so that, wherever possible, surface drainage will be discharged to the owner's property. Otherwise, adequately sized pipes, inlets, or headwalls shall be installed and gutter improvements shall be made to direct surface drainage into the road drainage system and not onto the paving of the intersecting road or a neighboring property. Road drainage systems shall be upgraded to a condition satisfactory to the township by the developer to accommodate the additional runoff created by the development.

9. Where applicable, the driveway crossing of a roadside swale shall be maintained as a paved crossing matching existing swale (maximum six-inch depth). A pipe may be placed under a driveway entrance only when approved by the township.

10. Culverts for driveways shall be designed to withstand a ten-year storm.

§ 22-607 Sanitary Sewers.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 163, 12/1/2010]

1. General Requirements.

A. Each lot shall be suitable for a sewage system in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the county health department, and the township.

B. All sewage facilities shall be in accordance with the township's Act 537 official sewage facilities plan.

C. All sewage facilities shall be designed and constructed in strict accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, county health department, and the township municipal authority regulations, requirements and specifications.

D. Each lot shall be connected to a public sewage system if treatment and disposal capacity is available and if consistent with the township's Act 537 official sewage facilities plan. Where public sewage system capacity is not available, the developer shall install capped sewer lines to the limits of the subdivision or land development, including lateral connections as may be necessary to provide adequate service to each lot when connection to a public sewage system is made. The developer shall also provide all necessary sewage collection and conveyance infrastructure, or financial security sufficient for municipal installation of same, as may be necessary to convey sewage flows from the subdivision or land development to the public sewage system treatment facilities upon availability of capacity. Design and installation of all capped sewers, lateral connections, and collection and conveyance infrastructure shall be subject to the approval of the township municipal authority and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Financial security shall be in a form and amount acceptable to the township and the township municipal authority. Individual on-site sewage systems in accordance with the standards of Subsection 3 of this section, excepting the requirement for replacement disposal areas, shall be provided until public sewage system capacity is available. Where the developer can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the township that minimum residential lot sizes as permitted by right in the township zoning ordinance [chapter 27] and as proposed by the developer preclude installation of individual on-site sewage systems, the developer may instead provide a community sewage system in accordance with the standards of Subsection 4 of this section, excepting the requirement for a replacement disposal area, until public sewage system capacity is available. Upon written notification from the township municipal authority that public sewage system collection, conveyance, treatment, and disposal capacity is available to serve the subdivision or land development, all lots therein shall connect to the public sewage system and all individual on-site sewage systems or community sewage systems provided in accordance with this section shall be properly abandoned in accordance with all township, township municipal authority, and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection standards. The developer shall provide financial security in a form and in an amount acceptable to the township and the township municipal authority to assure said abandonment of interim sewage facilities.

E. Where approved public sewage system is not planned, approved on-site sewage systems will be provided by the developer.

F. Sewage systems shall not be used to carry stormwater and shall be guarded against infiltration.

G. Water and sewer lines shall be separated by a ten-foot horizontal distance or by 18 inches vertical distance as required by the Ten States Standards. When it is impossible to obtain proper horizontal and/or vertical separation, the sewer line shall be concrete encased.

H. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all new construction south of U.S. Route 1 shall connect to public sewage system, excepting detached single-family residential development on lots of one acre or larger net lot size, which may utilize individual on-site sewage systems where permitted by the township zoning ordinance [chapter 27], as amended.

2. Public Sewage System. Public sewage system installed by the developer shall conform to the requirements of any authority having applicable jurisdiction, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Rules and Regulations, as amended, Act 537, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act, as amended, and the township Act 537 official sewage facilities plan.

3. Individual On-Site Sewage System.

A. Where lots are to be served by individual on-site sewage facilities, a primary area and a replacement area for sewage disposal shall be identified and plotted on the preliminary plan, or final plan in the case of a minor subdivision. Sewage disposal system absorption areas shown shall be of a specific permissible design consistent with all township, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and county health department requirements. The final subdivision or land development plan shall note the following restriction and this restriction shall be recited in all deeds conveying title to each lot or parcel within the subdivision: "No earth disturbance, construction or paving shall be permitted on or within 10 feet of the primary and replacement on-site disposal areas, except as necessary for sewage system installation and maintenance, unless and until such time as the lot is approved by the township and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to be connected to a public sewage system, connection has been completed and placed in service in accordance with all London Grove Township Municipal Authority and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requirements, and the individual on-site sewage system is properly abandoned in accordance with all township requirements, at which time the lot owner may take steps to remove the deed restriction and township shall provide documentation necessary to accomplish the same."

B. Preliminary and final plans shall indicate placement of protective fencing at least 10 feet around the perimeter of accurately delineated primary and replacement absorption areas to prevent disturbance during construction of other site improvements.

C. Where individual on-site sewage systems are to be used, each lot so served shall be the necessary size and shape to accommodate the required dimensions of both a primary and a replacement absorption area in accordance with all minimum isolation distances specified by the township, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the county health department. Both primary and replacement areas for individual sewage systems shall be located entirely upon the same parcel as the use which is served.

D. The surveyed location of the primary and replacement sewage disposal system absorption areas and the well shall be shown prior to final plan approval.

E. The applicant or applicant's agent shall either install an approved on-site system prior to the sale of each lot or parcel within the subdivision or shall require by deed restriction the installation of an approved on-site system prior to occupancy. Said deed restriction shall remain in effect unless and until such time as the lot is occupied, or the lot is approved by the township and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to be connected to a public sewage system and connection has been completed and placed in service in accordance with all applicable township municipal authority and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requirements, at which time the lot owner may take steps to remove the deed restriction and the township shall provide documentation necessary to accomplish the same.

F. Soil percolation test requirements.

(1) Soil percolation tests shall be performed to determine site suitability of every on-site sewage system absorption area, primary and replacement, for all subdivision or land developments. Where technology that does not utilize percolation testing is proposed, all soils testing required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the county health department to determine suitability must be conducted.

(2) Soil test pit examinations and percolation tests shall be made in accordance with the procedure required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the county health department by a licensed professional engineer, a Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act sewage enforcement officer, or similarly qualified professional.

(3) Soil percolation tests shall be performed within the site of the proposed on-site sewage facilities. Soil test pits shall be within 10 feet of the absorption area.

(4) The results of the soil test pit examinations and percolation tests shall be analyzed in relation to the physical characteristics of the tract being subdivided or developed and of the general surrounding area. These factors shall be utilized in conjunction with all applicable Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and county health department requirements to determine the specific permissible dimensions of all sewage disposal systems. The final plan lot layout shall be based on this analysis.

4. Community Sewage System.

A. The planning, design and construction of any community sewage system shall be subject to the review and approval of the township municipal authority, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the county health department.

B. A primary area and replacement area for community wastewater disposal shall be identified on the preliminary plan, unless spray irrigation is utilized for disposal, in which case no replacement disposal area is required. Primary and replacement wastewater disposal areas shown shall be of a specific permissible design consistent with all township municipal authority, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and county health department standards.

C. The final subdivision and/or land development plan shall note the following deed restriction and this restriction shall be recited in all deeds conveying title to all lands upon which the community sewage system disposal area is located: "No construction or paving shall be permitted on or within 10 feet of the primary and replacement disposal areas unless and until such time as all properties served by the community sewage system are approved by the Township and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to be connected to a public sewage system, all such connections have been completed and are placed in service in accordance with all London Grove Township Municipal Authority and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requirements, and the community sewage system is properly abandoned in accordance with all Township and London Grove Township Municipal Authority requirements, at which time the property owner may take steps to remove the deed restriction and Township shall provide documentation necessary to accomplish the same."

D. All soils testing, hydrogeologic studies, and design necessary to document the adequacy of both primary and replacement sites shall be provided, consistent with all township municipal authority, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and county health department requirements. This documentation shall be included in any preliminary plan submission.

E. The applicant shall provide the township with financial security, in a form and amount acceptable to the township and the township municipal authority, for the installation cost of the replacement wastewater disposal facility, which the township shall retain in escrow for a period not to exceed 10 years. Approval of any community sewage system is further subject to satisfactory provisions for establishment and funding of a capital reserve fund which shall be for the sole purpose of funding all installation costs of the replacement wastewater disposal facility if needed upon release of the financial security provided by the applicant and due to sewage system malfunction as determined by the county health department, the township municipal authority, or the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

F. Ownership of community sewage systems shall be at the discretion of the board of supervisors. In all cases, a continuing offer of dedication to the township or the township municipal authority, as deemed appropriate by the board of supervisors, shall be made for community sewage systems and the land on which these facilities are located, and the township or the township municipal authority, as applicable, may, but is not obligated to, accept dedication of the facilities by resolution at any time.

G. An operation and maintenance agreement shall be provided in instances where the board of supervisors approves ownership of a community sewage system by an entity other than the township or the municipal authority. This agreement shall include operation and maintenance procedures, schedules, financial security, and township and/or township municipal authority oversight provisions in a form acceptable to the township prior to final plan approval.

§ 22-608 Water Supply.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 163, 12/1/2010]

1. Central Water Supply.

A. Where a public water supply or an approved community water supply is accessible or approved, all properties in the subdivision shall be connected to such system. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all new construction south of U.S. Route 1 shall connect to public water supply, excepting detached single-family residential development on lots of one acre or larger net lot size, which may utilize individual on-site water supplies where permitted by the township zoning ordinance [chapter 27], as amended.

B. Each central water supply shall be either municipally owned or shall be otherwise made subject to the regulations of the county health department, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the public utilities commission, and the township municipal authority.

C. The design and installation of a central water supply shall be subject to the approval of the township and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection; such system shall also be subject to satisfactory provisions of the maintenance thereof.

D. Standards and materials for the construction of any central water supply system shall meet or exceed those requirements described in the "Public Water Supply Manual," as amended, of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the "Specifications for Installation of Potable Water and Sanitary Sewer Mains," as amended, of the township municipal authority and shall be further subject to the approval of the township engineer. A minimum of 30 PSI (pounds per square inch) at the highest fixture or the minimum pressure needed to satisfy all required fire suppression and protection standards, whichever is greater, shall be required.

E. Where a permit is required from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, or any other applicable agencies, it shall be presented with the application for building permits as evidence of department review and approval before construction commences.

F. In the event that connection to the public water system is required and no capacity is available, the developer shall provide other such facilities as may be approved by the board of supervisors until such time capacity becomes available. The developer shall construct such necessary facilities for connection to the public water supply in anticipation of immediate connection once capacity becomes available.

2. Individual On-Site Water Supply.

A. Where a public water supply or an approved community water supply is not accessible or provided, an approved individual on-site water supply shall be provided.

B. The applicant shall be responsible either to install the individual on-site water supply or to guarantee by deed restriction or otherwise as a condition of the sale of each lot or parcel within the subdivision that it shall be installed by the purchaser of such lot or parcel prior to occupancy. Said deed restriction or condition of sale shall remain in effect unless and until such time as the lot is approved by the township to be connected to a public water supply and connection has been completed and placed in service in accordance with all applicable township municipal authority requirements at which time the lot owner may take steps to remove the deed restriction and the township shall provide documentation necessary to accomplish the same.

C. Individual on-site water supply shall be designed and installed in accordance with all applicable standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Projection and the county health department.

3. Fire Hydrants.

A. All subdivisions to be served by a central water supply shall feature fire hydrants arranged so that no proposed building is more than 500 feet from a fire hydrant.

B. Fire hydrants shall be constructed according to "Specifications for Installation of Potable Water and Sanitary Sewer Mains," as amended, of the township municipal authority.

C. The water pressure in mains supplying fire hydrants shall be sufficient to provide water to all hydrants along the main at pressure no less than that recommended by the middle Department Association of Fire Underwriters.

D. Where central water supply is not available, standpipes may be provided and installed by the developer, builder or landowner, subject to the approval of the township municipal authority, the board of supervisors and all applicable commonwealth and federal agencies.

E. Fire hydrants and standpipes shall be designed to be compatible with the firefighting equipment of the fire company having jurisdiction.

F. Fire hydrant location, construction, and water pressure must be reviewed and deemed acceptable by the fire marshal.

§ 22-609 Other Utilities.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990]

1. In accordance with the provisions of Act 287, the applicant shall contact all applicable utility companies and accurately determine the locations and depths of all underground utilities within the boundaries of the tract proposed for development prior to excavation. A list of the applicable utilities and their telephone numbers shall appear on preliminary plans submitted for review, and proof of contact shall be presented to the township prior to final plan approval.

2. All utility lines including, but not necessarily limited to, electric, gas, street light supply, cable television, and telephone, shall be placed underground when practical.

3. Installation of all utilities shall be in accordance with the engineering standards and specifications of the township, municipal authority, or other public utility involved.

4. Where underground utilities lie under a proposed cart-way, such utilities shall be put in place, and approved before the streets are constructed and before any person is permitted to occupy any building to be served by such utilities.

§ 22-610 Erosion and Sediment Control.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 70-A, 9/9/1991; Ord. No. 105, 4/13/2005; Ord. No. 167, 4/6/2011]

1. The purpose of this section shall be to control accelerated erosion and the resulting sediment pollution to waters of the commonwealth that occur on earthmoving sites within the township.

2. It shall be unlawful for any person, landowner, developer, business, or corporation to undertake any earthmoving activities in excess of 3,500 square feet without developing and implementing measures specified in a required erosion and sedimentation control plan approved by the board of supervisors and without a grading permit issued by the building inspector. The erosion and sedimentation control plan must accompany the preliminary and final subdivision and land development plans.

3. The applicant shall use techniques and specifications for erosion and sedimentation control plan preparation and implementation which are approved by the county conservation district and prescribed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection set forth in Title 25, Chapter 102, or superceding regulations. The plan shall include a site specific, detailed, construction sequence relating to erosion and sedimentation control. Alternative techniques may be proposed, but the applicant must demonstrate their efficacy to the satisfaction of the county conservation district and the township engineer.

4. Prior to the granting of a grading permit by the township, an erosion and sedimentation control plan must be submitted to and approved by the county conservation district. All erosion and sedimentation control plans for major subdivisions and land development will require the approval of the township engineer. The township engineer may require additional control measures, techniques, and specifications beyond the county conservation district's approval. The building inspector may request review by the township engineer of any erosion and sedimentation control plan, particularly if minor subdivisions or land developments have problems related to soil type, slope, vegetation, or proximity to surface waters. The requirement for an erosion and sedimentation control plan will be waived by the county conservation district upon receipt of a copy of a Department of Environmental Resources earth disturbance permit for sites involving more than 25 acres of earthmoving. In order to ensure compliance with erosion and sediment pollution control requirements, review of all earth disturbance permits by the township engineer shall occur prior to granting of a grading permit.

5. For all major subdivisions and land development and any earth-moving activity requiring additional permits from state or federal agencies, a preconstruction meeting shall be held prior to granting of a grading permit. The applicant must provide the township engineer with a copy of all permits from state or federal agencies and copies of the application materials which were submitted to obtain the permits. Those in attendance at the preconstruction meeting shall include the applicant, township engineer, township building inspector, township subdivision officer, and the county conservation district. Any work requiring a permit shall be indicated on the final plans, and the area to which the permit pertains shall be delimited on the plans. A copy of all permits shall be available on site. The outcome of a preconstruction meeting wherein all requirements of this chapter have been met shall be the issuance of grading permit signed by the township building inspector.

6. For all earth-moving activities which do not constitute a major subdivision, the township building inspector may request the presence of the township engineer and the county conservation district at the preconstruction meeting. The outcome of a preconstruction meeting wherein all requirements of this chapter have been met shall be the issuance of a grading permit signed by the building inspector.

7. An inspection of implemented erosion and sediment pollution control measures and facilities by the building inspector shall be required prior to the granting of a building permit. Any changes to the approved plan shall be approved by the township and the conservation district prior to implementation. The building inspector may ask that erosion and sediment pollution control measures and facilities be inspected by the township engineer prior to granting of a building permit.

8. The maintenance of erosion and sediment pollution control measures and facilities by the applicant is required. Inspection, and if necessary, repairs of the erosion and sediment pollution control measures and facilities by the applicant or agents for the applicant are required within four days following storms. The latest revision of the plan shall be available on the site.

9. Both during and after construction, clearing of the vegetation, earthmoving, or other disturbance activities, the total amount of sediment leaving the site, and/or entering a watercourse within the site, shall not exceed the amount of sediment which would have naturally left the site prior to earth-moving activities. On sites which are experiencing accelerated erosion resulting in sediment pollution to waters of the commonwealth due to prior land use practices, the county conservation district or township engineer may require site stabilization adequate to prevent sediment pollution to the waters of the commonwealth prior to the beginning of earth-moving activities.

10. During construction, the deposition of mud on existing roads shall be minimized by implementation of a stabilized construction entrance with a length of drive up to a maximum of 100 feet for individual lots with a width equal to the proposed entrance (fifteen foot minimum) and will flare to meet with an existing road.

11. All surface-disturbed areas shall be seeded and mulched within 20 days after earthmoving activities have ceased. Stabilization of slopes greater than 15% shall require stricter measures and shall be specified on the erosion and sedimentation control plan.

12. Where drainage swales are used to convey concentrated runoff, an erosion control blanket, depending on the type of flow, shall be specified and implemented.

13. Sediment laden runoff shall be trapped on-site until the area is stabilized by the use of debris basins, sediment basins, silt traps, or similar measures. Sediment basins shall be desilted as needed, and upon the stabilization of the site/watershed, the basin(s) shall be desilted and/or removed, and the area shall be stabilized.

14. The area(s) to be disturbed during earth-moving activities shall be staked out on the site prior to said earth-moving activities beginning. Area(s) which are not to be disturbed, including septic and infiltration beds will be staked out on the site with a different color stake prior to earth-moving activities beginning.

15. In no event shall earth disturbance activity occur between October 15 and February 15 of the succeeding year without authorization of the board of supervisors. In order for any earth disturbance activity to take place during the above-referenced period, all of the following conditions must be met. These conditions are in addition to the requirements of the approved erosion and sediment control plan.

A. Any area of earth disturbance must be directly accessible from a street that has been graded and stabilized with a minimum of the proposed base course and binder course.

B. The street of access must have been in place prior to October 15.

C. All earth disturbance, whether temporary or permanent, that falls beyond the street of access must be covered by the end of each Friday of the disturbance week with a minimum of three tons of hay or straw per acre and secured in place by approved methods.

D. Any disturbed areas covered by straw or hay must be maintained continuously.

E. Disturbed areas must be located no more than 200 feet from the street of access.

Any ground disturbance activity that does not meet and conform to all of the conditions as stated above shall be discontinued immediately. The disturbed area shall be immediately stabilized through the use of straw or hay at the rate of three tons per acre. Failure to meet these requirements may result in the loss of the issued grading and/or building permit and other legal recourses as provided in the township's ordinances.

16. The fees for the review of the erosion and sedimentation control plan that will be charged by the county conservation district and the township engineer are the responsibility of the applicant. The fees for the inspection of sedimentation and control measures by the township building inspector shall be the responsibility of the applicant. The board of supervisors shall, by resolution, establish a schedule of inspection fees. These fees shall be paid prior to the granting of a grading permit for a minor subdivision or land development, or deposited in an escrow account prior to the granting of a grading permit for a major subdivision or land development.

17. The township, authorized by the Municipalities Planning Code, and the county conservation district, authorized by Title 25, Chapter 102, are directed to conduct both routine and emergency site inspections of ongoing earth moving operations, without the requirement of prior notification to establish compliance with the approved erosion and sedimentation control plan.

18. All violations of the approved erosion and sedimentation control plan determined during a site inspection shall be listed on an inspection report which itemizes the following items for each violation:

A. Specific type of violation, including location and scope.

B. A period of time during which the person(s) responsible for the earth moving activity may correct the violations without the assessment of any penalties.

The completed inspection report shall be signed by the Building Inspector. No other written notification of the violations, or deadline for correcting same will be provided by the township.

19. Should the person(s) responsible for undertaking the earth-moving operations fail to meet the deadline for correcting violations of this chapter, as specified in the official inspection report, the township shall issue a notice of violation to said person(s). The notice will list for each violation that has occurred, a penalty of not less than $50, and not more than the maximum provided under § 515.3 and 617.2 of the Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. for allowable civil proceedings. Additionally, violations of this chapter may result in the issuance of a cease and desist order by the township or the institution of any appropriate actions or proceedings to prevent or restrain, building, construction, or conduct of business, and to correct or abate accelerated erosion and the resulting sediment pollution to the waters in of the commonwealth on the site identified in the notice of violation.

§ 22-611 Cut and Fill.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990]

1. Cut and fill within residential property shall be sloped at no greater than 1:4 where possible. Slopes greater than 1:4 and longer than 25 feet horizontal shall not be included in the lot area calculation.

2. Cut and fill slopes shall not be steeper than 1:3 slope for road embankments and 1:4 slope on residential lots unless authorized by the board. The maximum weight of all cuts and fills shall conform to the requirements of the county conservation district. Finished grades shall not be less than 1%.

3. No cut and fill shall encroach upon or endanger adjoining properties.

4. Fills shall not encroach upon or be placed adjacent to natural watercourses or constructed channels.

5. Fill shall be placed and compacted so as to minimize sliding, slumping, and erosion of soil.

§ 22-612 Streets.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 70-J, 6/5/2001; Ord. No. 205, 12/7/2016]

1. Street System.

A. Proposed streets shall be properly related to such street plans or parts thereof as have been officially prepared and adopted by the township, including recorded subdivision plans, the township comprehensive plan, and the official map of the township.

B. Proposed streets shall further conform to such township, county, and state road and highway plans as have been prepared, adopted, or filed as prescribed by law.

C. Streets shall be logically related to the topography so as to produce optimum access to lots, reasonable grades, proper alignment and drainage and to provide for adequate sight distance.

D. All streets shall be classified according to their function as either a local access street, a collector street, an arterial street or an expressway.

E. All proposed streets shall also be classified according to function. Streets shall be designed according to their function in conformance with the standards of this section.

F. Local access streets shall be designed to discourage through traffic, but provision for street connections into and from adjacent areas may be required.

G. If lots resulting from a subdivision are large enough to permit resubdivision, or if a portion of the tract is not subdivided, adequate street rights-of-way to permit further subdivision shall be provided as necessary, to be no less than the rights-of-way then required.

H. Where a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing or proposed collector or arterial street, the board may require dedication of additional right-of-way specified hereafter, as well as marginal access streets, rear service alleys, reverse frontage lots, or such other treatment to provide protection for abutting properties, reduce the number of intersections with the major street, and separate local traffic from through traffic.

I. Where a proposed development will directly impact the existing street system, creating additional traffic, drainage, or comparable problems or conditions, the township may require the applicant to make improvements to the road system sufficient to offset such impacts. Alternately, the applicant may provide sufficient funds in escrow for use by the township to execute such improvements. The existence and extent of such impacts as well as offsetting improvements shall be per the conclusion of a traffic impact study.

J. New half or partial streets shall not be permitted, except where a proposal abuts an existing half or partial street and the new half or partial street is needed to provide adequate right-of-way for construction of a street meeting the standards of this section.

K. The applicant shall be required to provide standard traffic control signs for all streets within the subdivision. The proposed location of said signs must be shown on the preliminary plan.

L. Continuations of existing streets shall bear the same name as said existing street, but names for other streets shall not duplicate or closely resemble names for existing streets within the township or having the same zip code. The board may reject street names and suggest alternate names.

M. Dead-end streets shall be prohibited, except as stubs to permit future street extension into adjoining tracts, when approved by the board or when designed as cul-de-sac, according to the specifications of this section. The township may require that proposed street and rights-of-way be extended to the property line of a tract where further extension of connection may be made to such extensions by future development.

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

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

2. Right-of-Way and Paving Widths for Streets.

A. New streets within the township shall have right-of-way width of at least 50 feet and a cartway width of at least 26 feet, except under the following conditions:

(1) For major collector and arterial streets, both existing and proposed and all state roads, a sixty-foot minimum right-of-way and twenty-six-foot minimum cartway shall be required.

(2) No parking shall be permitted along any street.

(3) Additional right-of-way and cartway widths may be required by the board of supervisors if necessary to promote public safety and convenience, or if necessary to accommodate special topographic circumstances which result in cut-and-fill slopes extending the standard right-of-way.

(4) All boulevard streets shall have a minimum right-of-way of 80 feet with two twenty-foot minimum cartways and a six-foot minimum width landscaped island. The island shall be surrounded by a vertical curb. Additional width to the cartway, island or adverse topography may cause the right-of-way to be increased.

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

C. Subdivisions abutting existing streets shall provide for dedication of at least the minimum right-of-way widths for those streets in accordance with the provisions of this section.

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

3. Street Alignment.

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

B. To ensure adequate sight distance, minimum center line radii for horizontal curves shall be as follows:

(1) One hundred fifty feet on local access streets.

(2) Five hundred feet on all other streets.

(3) A tangent of at least 100 feet shall be required between reverse curves.

(4) Superelevation shall be required on arterial roads where the curve radius is less than 600 feet.

(5) Minimum curve radius shall not be permitted on maximum grade.

4. Street Grades.

A. Centerline grades shall not be less than 1/2%.

B. Centerline grades shall not exceed 10% on local access streets, 7% on all other streets.

C. At all changes of street grades where the algebraic difference exceeds 1%, vertical curves shall be provided to permit a minimum sight distance in accordance with ASSHTO standards.

D. At any street, the approach to an intersection shall have a leveling area not greater than 4% grade over a distance of 75 feet from the intersection of the centerline of the street.

5. Street Intersections.

A. Right angle or nearly right angle intersections shall be preferred in all cases. No street shall intersect another at an angle of less than 75°, as measured at the centerlines.

B. No more than two streets shall cross at the same point.

C. Clear sight triangles, as illustrated in the appendix, shall be provided at all street intersections. Within such triangles, no object which obscures vision above a height of 30 inches and below a height of 15 feet each shall be permitted. Heights shall be measured from the centerline grade of the street intersection. Such triangles shall be established by a distance from the curb line of the intersected street according to street function.

(1) Distances for collector and arterial roads shall be in conformance with PennDOT standards, but shall in no case be less than 400 feet in each direction along the collector or arterial road.

(2) Distances for local access streets, except single access streets shall be no less than 250 feet in each direction along the local access street. See appendix "C."

(3) Distances for single access streets shall be no less than 150 feet along the single access street.

(4) Where an intersection is controlled by a stop sign or traffic signal, the sight triangle shall be measured from a point in the center of the controlled or lesser street 25 feet back from the curb line, or pavement edge if there is no curb, of the uncontrolled or through street.

(5) The sight triangle shall be measured from a point in the center of the street 75 feet back from the curb line, or pavement edge if there is no curb, for all other intersections not equipped with a stop sign or traffic signal.

D. To the fullest extent possible, any streets entering from the same side, which intersect with an arterial or collector shall be located not less than 1,000 feet apart, as measured from centerline to centerline.

E. Streets entering from opposite sides of another street shall either be directly across from each other or offset by a minimum distance of 200 feet from centerline to centerline along local access and collector streets and 300 feet from centerline to centerline along arterial streets.

F. A minimum paving radius of 25 feet shall be provided at all street intersections. The board may increase the required radii when such design is advised by the township engineer.

G. Acceleration and deceleration lanes shall be required at the discretion of the board.

H. The approach to an intersection shall have a minimum tangent distance of 100 feet.

6. Street Construction.

A. General.

(1) All materials entering into the construction of the streets and the methods of construction and drainage shall be in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specifications, Publication 408, dated 1987, or the latest revision thereof. Section numbers listed below refer to this publication and their related sections.

(a) Soil tests for pavement design shall be performed by a Pennsylvania certified soil scientist or registered professional engineer. The soil tests shall be performed every 200 feet (maximum) or at/near any physical changes which will affect the road construction. Areas which require a fill section greater than two feet shall have compaction tests performed every 50 feet to a depth of at least one foot below virgin soil or as approved by the township. The results shall be submitted to the township engineer prior to the placement of the base.

(b) The road section submitted shall meet a minimum structural number of 3.12 (local roads) and 3.80 (collector and arterial roads). Specific site conditions may cause the value to increase as required.

B. Subbase.

(1) Shall conform to § 350 or latest revision thereof.

(2) Whenever possible the subbase shall be in cut or undisturbed subsoil. In no case shall the subgrade consist of topsoil or frozen soils. All deleterious material such as tree roots, leaves, branches, trash, stones and miscellaneous construction debris shall be removed from the subbase.

(3) Fills shall be of suitable material and shall be compacted to 95% density at optimum moisture content at a maximum uncompacted lift of eight inches. Testing shall be the applicant's responsibility.

(4) Areas which are wet or contain hydric soils shall be drained and stabilized. The underdrains shall conform to sections 22-605, 22-610, and 22-612 or latest revision thereof.

(5) If soil stabilization is required, it shall be submitted with road section design.

(6) Backfill of trenches within the cartway and curb area shall be compacted to 95% density at optimum moisture content in eight-inch lifts, prior to application of the base course.

(7) The density tests shall be performed by a Pennsylvania certified soil scientist or engineer.

(8) If a stone base course is used, completion will consist of brooming to expose 1/2 inch to 3/4 of an inch of the upper most layer of stone over a minimum of 75% of the road surface. No large areas of stone screenings or loose stone areas will be permitted.

(9) Positive draining away from the roadway shall be provided at all times.

C. Base.

(1) Shall conform to § 300 or latest revision thereof.

(2) No material shall be placed on wet or frozen subgrade.

(3) Prior to placement of base course, a primer coat shall be applied, conforming to § 461 or latest revision thereof.

(4) A two-inch layer of fine aggregate, conforming to § 703 or latest revision thereof, shall be spread over the entire subgrade.

(5) If base course is constructed of bituminous concrete base course (BCBC), it will need to be covered within 150 days or, at the latest, by October 31 of that year.

D. Bituminous Surface.

(1) Shall conform to § 400 or latest revision thereof.

(2) The cartway shall have a minimum crown of three-eighths of an inch per foot from edge of pavement to the centerline. Superelevated curves shall have a minimum slope of three-eighths of an inch per foot slope from the inside to outside edge of the cartway.

(3) Culs-de-sac shall have a minimum slope of 1% across the diameter or 1/4 inch per foot if sloped from the centerline.

(4) If the base course is not covered the same of paving, a tack coat conforming to § 460, or latest revision thereof, shall be used.

E. Binder and Wear Course.

(1) The binder course shall be constructed of an ID-2A material and shall have a minimum compacted layer of two inches when applied to the base course. In no case shall the binder course be applied over a frozen, saturated, or excessively silt-laden base course.

(2) The wear course shall be constructed of an ID-2A material and shall have a minimum compacted layer of two inches when applied to the binder course. In no case shall the wear course be applied over a frozen, saturated, or excessively silt-laden binder course.

(3) If the wear course is not applied the same day of the application of the binder course, a tack coat, conforming to § 460 or latest revision thereof, shall be applied prior to the application of the binder or wear course.

7. Single Access Streets and Single Access Residential Developments.

A. Single access streets shall function as local access streets. All standards applicable to local access streets shall apply to single access streets in addition to the standards of this subsection.

B. A single access street shall not have more than 600 linear feet nor less than 250 linear feet of cartway and shall not have a tangent exceeding 400 feet.

C. A single access street shall not furnish access to more than 20 dwelling units.

D. Residential developments having more than 25 dwelling units shall be provided with two separate fire apparatus access roads. The need for emergency access only driveways and fulltime access roads shall be determined by the fire marshal and the board of supervisors.

E. Culs-de-sac and dead end streets.

(1) Dead-end streets are prohibited unless designed as a permanent cul-de-sac, or when approved by the board as a temporary cul-de-sac for future access to adjoining properties.

(2) Any street dead-end for access to an adjoining property or because of authorized phased development shall be provided with a temporary, all-weather circular turnaround within the subdivision. The use of the turnaround shall be guaranteed to the public until such time as the street is extended. The street right-of-way shall be extended to the tract boundary in such cases.

(3) A cul-de-sac providing access for more than two dwelling units shall have a circular vehicular turnaround with a minimum paved radius of 48 feet, and in all cases the right-of-way shall extend no less than 10 feet beyond the pavement edge.

(4) There shall be a maximum of four lots containing accesses along the turnaround portion of a cul-de-sac.

(5) A snow storage easement shall be provided in all culs-de-sac in a location approved by the township public works department. The easement shall be a minimum of 30 feet wide and 15 deep from the right of way. A curb cut shall be provided for the full width of the snow removal easement.

8. Alleys and Service Streets.

A. Service streets shall be prohibited in residential subdivisions.

B. No part of any dwelling, garage, or other structure shall be located within 16 feet of the centerline of a service street.

C. Except where other adequate provision is made for off-street loading and parking consistent with the use proposed, service streets shall be required in commercial and industrial districts and shall have a minimum paved width of 24 feet.

9. Street Signage. Street signs shall be installed with breakaway posts, as per township specifications and in accordance with the latest edition of the Federal Highway Administration Publication, "Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices."

10. Other Street Design Standards. In addition to the design standards in sections 22-613.1 through 613.9, the following shall apply:

A. Deceleration lanes shall be constructed for any new development. The length of such lanes shall be subject to the recommendation of the township engineer.

B. Street intersections shall be upgraded for any new development to improve such intersections, and to create safe sight distance and safe vehicular traffic movements. Intersection improvements shall be created at existing intersections abutting the tract at the discretion of the board of supervisors.

C. Road embankments shall be graded so that all such embankments are mowable.

§ 22-613 Curbs and Sidewalks.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 205, 12/7/2016]

1. Curbs shall be provided along all streets and at all intersections of streets.

2. Except when waived by the board of supervisors, the ground shall be graded to a slope of three-quarters to one inch per foot to the right-of-way line and either seeded or sodded to such standards as shall be prescribed by the board. In cut areas, this slope shall be toward the curb or shoulder; in fill areas, it shall be away from the curb or shoulder.

3. Curbs shall be of vertical design, as illustrated in appendix H of this chapter.

4. All curbs shall be constructed of class A cement concrete as specified by PennDOT Publication 408, latest edition, or of granite. Curbs shall be constructed to the dimensions specified in appendix H of this chapter.

5. Excavations shall be made to the required depth, and the material upon which the curb is to be constructed shall be compacted to a firm, even surface. Where the subgrade is soft and spongy, a layer of crushed stone not less than four inches thick shall be placed under the curb.

6. Concrete Curb Construction Standards.

A. Curbing shall be constructed in ten-foot lengths. A premolded bituminous-impregnated 1/2 inch expansion joint shall be placed between sections or curbing at intervals of not more than 30 feet.

B. Depressed curbs at driveways shall be between 1/2 inch and one inch above the finished street surface. Pipes, grates, wood planks, or other materials shall not be placed in the gutter to form a driveway ramp.

C. Where it is necessary to replace existing vertical curbs with depressed curbing, ten-foot long sections of existing vertical curb shall be removed down to the subgrade. Disturbance of the adjacent cartway paving shall be minimized. The depressed curb shall then be formed and poured in place. Any portions of the cartway disturbed during curbing removal or installation will be repaired to new condition.

D. When curbing must be cut for any reason, the length of the remaining section shall be no less than four feet between expansion joints. The cut shall be made in a neat manner with a power saw equipped with a proper masonry-cutting blade.

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

F. The length of any single area of depressed curbing shall not exceed 36 feet unless a safety island is provided. The length of such safety island shall not be less than 15 feet in length and two feet in width.

7. Granite Curb Construction Standards.

A. Granite curbing shall be in blocks with a minimum height of 10 inches, minimum top width of four inches, and a maximum length of five feet. Base width shall not be less than the top width. Reveal shall not be less than four inches, nor greater than six inches, nor greater than 1/2 times the block height. Blocks shall be separated by a mortar joint no less than 1/2 inch wide.

B. Depressed curbs at driveways shall have a reveal not less than 1/2 inch nor greater than one inch and a total height of not less than 6 1/2 inches. Pipes, grates, wood planks, or other materials shall not be placed in the gutter to form a driveway ramp.

8. Sidewalks.

A. Sidewalks shall be required along all streets. Sidewalks shall be placed within the street right-of-way parallel to and three feet minimum, from the street line. A grass planting strip shall be provided between the sidewalk and street line. Sidewalk placement shall be reviewed by the township for acceptability.

B. All pedestrian facilities shall be constructed to comply with the latest requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

C. Concrete sidewalks should not be less than four feet in width and four inches in thickness, except for crossing driveways where the minimum thickness shall be six inches.

D. The base material shall be four inches in depth for the full width of the sidewalk, except at driveway crossings where the depth shall be six inches.

E. Sidewalks shall be designed as a logical extension of the existing sidewalk system.

§ 22-614 Outdoor Lighting.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 95A, 10/13/2004]

1. Purpose.

A. To require and set minimum standards for outdoor lighting to:

(1) Provide for and control lighting in outdoor public places where public health, safety and welfare are issues.

(2) Protect drivers and pedestrians from the disabling glare of non-vehicular light sources.

(3) Protect neighbors and the night sky from nuisance glare and light trespass from poorly shielded, aimed, placed, applied or maintained light sources.

(4) Promote energy efficient lighting design and operation.

(5) Protect and retain the intended character of the township.

2. Applicability.

A. For uses that are proposed to operate during hours of darkness where there is public assembly and/or traverse, including but not limited to the following: commercial, industrial, public recreational, institutional, multi-family residential developments, and single family developments with lot sizes of 20,000 square feet or less, where on-street parking is permitted and where cartway widths are 20 feet or less.

B. The township may require that lighting be incorporated for other uses or locations or may restrict or deny lighting in any of the above uses, as deemed necessary.

C. The glare-control requirements herein contained apply to lighting in all above-mentioned uses as well as, but not limited to, sign, architectural, landscape, recreational and residential lighting.

D. Temporary decorative/seasonal lighting is exempt from all but the glare control requirements of this chapter.

3. Definitions.

A.

FOOTCANDLE

A unit of incident light quantity measurable with an illuminance meter, a.k.a. footcandle meter or light meter.

B.

FULL CUTOFF

A term that describes a lighting fixture from which no light is emitted at or above a horizontal plane through the bottom of light-emitting aperture portion of the fixture and no more than 10% of the lamp's intensity is emitted at any angle within 10° below that horizontal plane, at all lateral angles around the fixture.

C.

GLARE

The sensation produced by excessive direct or reflected light that causes annoyance, discomfort or loss in visual performance of the eye. Sensitivity to glare increases with the viewer's age.

D.

ILLUMINANCE

The quantity of incident light measured with a light meter in footcandles.

E.

LIGHT TRESPASS

Light, measured in footcandles, projected beyond the boundaries of the property on which the installation is sited.

F.

LUMEN

In the context of this chapter, the published light-output rating of a lamp.

4. Lighting Criteria.

A. Illumination Levels.

(1) Lighting, where required or permitted by this chapter or as otherwise required by the township, shall have intensities and uniformity ratios in accordance with the current recommended practices of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) as contained in the IESNA Lighting Handbook or separately in IESNA Recommended Practices or Design Guides.

(2) Future amendments to said above-referenced IESNA recommended practices shall become a part of this chapter without further action of the township.

(3) Examples of intensities for typical outdoor applications, as extracted from the IESNA Lighting Handbook, are presented below but are not intended to be all-inclusive.

	Use/Task	Maintained Footcandles	Uniformity Ratio
(a)	Streets, local commercial	0.9 Avg.	6:1 Avg: Min
	Streets, residential, when required by the township	0.4 Avg.	6:1 Avg: Min
(b)	Parking, multi-family residential,
	• Low vehicular/pedestrian activity	0.2 Min.	4:1 Avg: Min*
	• Medium vehicular/pedestrian activity	0.6 Min.	4:1 Avg: Min*
(c)	Parking, industrial/commercial/institutional/recreational
	• High activity, e.g., regional shopping centers/fast food facilities, major athletic/civic/cultural events	0.9 Min.	4:1 Avg: Min.*
	• Medium activity, e.g., community shopping centers, office parks, hospitals, commuter lots, cultural/civic/recreational events	0.6 Min.	4:1 Avg: Min.*
	• Low activity, e.g., neighborhood shopping, industrial employee parking, schools, church parking	0.2 Min.	4:1 Avg: Min.*
(d)	Sidewalks
	• Commercial	1.0 Avg.	5:1 Avg: Min.
	• Residential	0.5 Avg.	5:1 Avg: Min.
(e)	Building entrances, commercial, industrial, institutional per L&I	5.0 Avg.	—
(f)	Service station pump islands	10.0 Avg.	4:1 Avg: Min.
(g)	Car dealerships front row/other sales areas	20/10 Max.	5:1 Max: Min.

Notes:
1.	Illumination levels are maintained horizontal footcandles on the task, e.g., pavement or area surface.
2.	Uniformity ratios dictate that average illuminance values shall not exceed minimum values by more than the product of the minimum value and the specified ratio, e.g., for high activity commercial parking, the average illuminance shall not exceed 3.6 footcandles (0.9 x 4).
	*	In no case shall the maximum to minimum uniformity ratio for parking be in excess of 20:1.
3.	This tabulation is not intended to be inclusive of all permitted uses/tasks within the township, nor does the fact that a use/task is listed mean that the use/task is permitted nor that lighting for that use/task is permitted.
4.	The township, at its discretion, may permit the average to be increased to 20 footcandles, when the intensities at existing adjacent commercial uses so justifies.

B. Lighting Fixture Design.

(1) Fixtures shall be of a type and design appropriate to the lighting application and aesthetically acceptable to the township.

(2) For the lighting of predominantly horizontal surfaces such as, but not limited to, roadways, areas of vehicular and pedestrian passage, merchandising and storage areas, automotive fuel dispensing facilities, automotive sales areas, loading docks, cul-de-sacs, active and passive recreational areas, building entrances, sidewalks, paths, site entrances and parking areas, fixtures shall be aimed straight down and shall meet IESNA full-cutoff criteria. Any fixture whose aggregate wattage does not exceed the output of a standard 40-watt incandescent lamp, e.g., 500 lumens, shall be exempt from this requirement.

(3) For the lighting of predominantly non-horizontal surfaces such as, but not limited to, facades, landscaping, signs, fountains, displays, flags and statuary, where the use of fixtures meeting IESNA full-cutoff criteria is not practical or possible, fixtures shall be equipped with aiming and/or light-redirecting devices such as shields, visors, baffles, skirts or hoods when necessary to direct or redirect offending light distribution.

(4) The use of floodlighting, spotlighting, non-cutoff wall-mounted fixtures, internally illuminated decorative globes and spheres, lanterns and other fixtures not meeting IESNA full-cutoff criteria shall be permitted only with the approval of the township, based upon acceptable justification and achievement of suitable glare control. Any fixture whose aggregate wattage does not exceed the output of a standard 40-watt incandescent lamp, e.g., 500 lumen, shall be exempt from this requirement.

(5) NEMA-head fixtures, a.k.a. "barn lights" or "dusk-to-dawn lights," shall not be permitted where they create nuisance glare as seen from other uses or roadways, unless fitted with a reflector or shield to render them full cutoff.

C. Control of Nuisance and Disabling Glare.

(1) All outdoor lighting, whether or not required or permitted by this chapter, on private, residential, commercial, industrial, municipal, recreational or institutional property; shall be aimed, located, designed, fitted and maintained so as not to present a hazard to drivers or pedestrians by impairing their ability to safely traverse and so as not to create a nuisance by projecting or reflecting objectionable light onto a neighboring use or property.

(2) The use of floodlights, spotlights and omni-directional fixtures, except for residential applications, shall require approval by the township. All such fixtures, regardless of whether for residential or non-residential applications, shall be so installed and aimed that they do not project their output into the windows of neighboring residences, adjacent uses, skyward or onto a public roadway or pedestrian way.

(3) Lighting for commercial, industrial, public recreational and institutional uses, including but not limited to lighting for parking areas, roadways, pathways, facades, signs and landscaping, shall be extinguished by automatic means within 1/2 hour after the close of business. Where after-hours lighting is deemed reasonably necessary for safety and/or security, the intensity of such lighting shall not exceed 33% of the intensities permitted by this chapter during normal business hours.

(4) Only the United States and state flags, and no others, shall be permitted to be illuminated from dusk till dawn and such flags shall be illuminated by a single source with a beam spread and aiming angle no greater than necessary to illuminate the flags. Flag lighting sources shall not exceed 10,000 lumens per flagpole.

(5) Vegetation screens shall not be employed to serve as the primary means for controlling glare. Rather, glare control shall be achieved primarily through the use of such means as cutoff fixtures, shields and baffles, and appropriate application of fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming angle and placement.

(6) In no case shall the illumination cast by a source or sources onto an adjacent residential property exceed one-tenth vertical footcandle measured line-of-sight, from any point on the adjacent residential property.

(7) Externally illuminated signs and billboards shall be lighted by fixtures mounted at the top of the sign or billboard and aimed downward. Such lighting, when off-premises, shall be automatically extinguished between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and dawn.

(8) Directional fixtures, e.g., floodlights or spotlights, for such applications as facade, fountain, feature, sign, billboard, recreational and landscape illumination, when specifically approved by the township for use, shall be aimed so as not to project their output beyond the objects intended to be illuminated.

(9) Canopy lighting, for such applications as gas/service stations, bank and fast-food drive-throughs, shall be accomplished using flat-lens full-cutoff fixtures aimed straight down and shielded in such a manner that the lowest opaque edge of the fixture shall be below the light source.

D. Installation.

(1) Electrical feeds for fixtures mounted on poles shall be run underground, not overhead.

(2) Poles supporting lighting fixtures for the illumination of parking areas and located directly behind parking spaces, shall be placed a minimum of five feet outside paved area, curbing or tire stops, or on concrete pedestals at least 30 inches high above the pavement, or suitably protected by other approved means.

(3) Except as specifically approved by the township, e.g., for recreational lighting, fixtures meeting IESNA full-cutoff criteria shall not be mounted in excess of 20 feet above the finished grade of the area being illuminated.

(4) Except as specifically approved by the township, e.g., for recreational lighting, fixtures not meeting IESNA "full-cutoff" criteria, when their use is specifically approved by the township, shall not be mounted in excess of 16 feet above grade.

5. Street and Parking Lot Lighting for Residential Applications.

A. For residential developments where lot sizes are or average 20,000 square feet or less, on-street parking is permitted and cartways are 20 feet wide or less, street lighting, when required or allowed by the township, shall be lighted in accordance with the illuminance requirements contained in Subsection 4.A(1) above and provided as follows:

(1) At the intersection of public roads with entrance roads to the development.

(2) At the intersection of roads within the development.

(3) At cul-de-sac bulb radii.

(4) At terminal ends of center median islands and cul-de-sac islands having concrete structure curbing, trees, signs or other fixed objects.

(5) At defined pedestrian crossings located within the development.

(6) At cartway curves with radii of less than 300 feet.

(7) Along the length of any street where lot sizes permit the parking of less than three vehicles on the lot and thereby necessitate on-street parking.

(8) In off-street parking areas where five or more contiguous parking spaces are proposed for common use.

B. In multi-family developments, common parking areas shall be illuminated in accordance with the illuminance requirements contained in Subsection 4.A(3) above.

6. Recreational Lighting.

A. When facilities for such outdoor recreational activities as baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, football and miniature golf are specifically permitted by the township for operation during hours of darkness, the following requirements shall apply:

(1) Lighting shall be accomplished through the use of fixtures conforming to IESNA full-cutoff criteria. The township may consider the use of fixtures that are not full-cutoff compliant only when it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the township that acceptable control of glare and light trespass will be achieved, taking into consideration the proximity of the facility to adjacent uses that could be adversely impacted. Such a proposal shall be accompanied by a visual impact plan as described in Subsection 7.B below.

(2) Sporting events shall be timed so that all lighting in the sports facility, other than lighting for safe exit of patrons, shall be extinguished by 10:00 p.m., regardless of such occurrences as extra innings or overtimes.

(3) Golf driving ranges and trap shooting facilities and other sports requiring that the light be projected out at a horizontal or near horizontal angle shall not be lighted.

(4) The following outdoor recreational facilities shall not be illuminated if located within any residential district or sited on a nonresidential property located within 1,200 feet of a residential use: basketball, baseball, football, soccer, miniature golf, tennis, track.

(5) Maximum mounting heights for outdoor recreational lighting shall be in accordance with the following:

(a) Basketball—20 feet.

(b) Football—70 feet.

(c) Soccer—70 feet.

(d) Little league baseball:

1) Two-hundred-foot radius—60 feet.

2) Three-hundred-foot radius—70 feet.

(e) Miniature golf—20 feet.

(f) Tennis—20 feet.

(g) Track—20 feet.

7. Plan Submission.

A. For subdivision and land-development applications where site lighting is required or proposed, lighting plans shall be submitted to the township for review and approval with any preliminary or final subdivision/land-development plan application and with any conditional use application, where requested, and shall include:

(1) A plan or plans of the site, complete with all structures, parking spaces, building entrances, traffic areas (both vehicular and pedestrian), vegetation that might interfere with lighting, and adjacent uses that might be adversely impacted by the lighting, and a layout of all proposed fixtures by location, mounting height and type. The submittal shall include in addition to proposed area lighting, exterior architectural lighting, building-entrance lighting, landscape lighting, sign lighting, etc.

(2) Ten feet by 10 feet illuminance-grid (point-by-point) plot of maintained footcandles, plotted out to 0.0 footcandles, which demonstrates compliance with the light trespass, intensity and uniformity requirements as set forth in this chapter or as otherwise required by the township. The lamp lumen rating and type, maintenance (light-loss) factors and IES file names used in calculating the illuminance levels shall be documented on the plan.

(3) Description of the proposed equipment, including fixture catalog cuts, photometrics, glare reduction devices, lamps, on/off control devices, mounting heights, pole foundation details and mounting methods.

(4) Landscaping plans shall contain lighting fixture locations and shall demonstrate that the site lighting and landscaping have been coordinated to minimize conflict between vegetation and intended light distribution, both initially and at vegetation maturity.

B. When requested by the township, applicant shall also submit a visual-impact plan that demonstrates appropriate steps have been taken to mitigate on-site and off-site glare and light trespass and to retain the township's intended character.

8. Plan Notes. The following notes shall appear on the lighting plans:

A. Post-approval alterations to lighting plans or intended substitutions for approved lighting equipment shall be submitted to the township for review and approval.

B. The township reserves the right to conduct a post-installation nighttime inspection to verify compliance with the requirements of this chapter and as otherwise agreed upon by the township, and if appropriate, to require remedial action at no expense to the township.

§ 22-615 Park and Recreation Lands and Facilities.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 70-H, 6/7/2000; Ord. No. 70-L, 3/6/2002]

1. In reviewing a sketch plan or preliminary plan for a proposed subdivision or land development for residential purposes, the township planning commission and the applicant shall consider the needs of the prospective residents for park and recreation lands and facilities, and shall discuss their findings in relation to the requirements of this section as they deem necessary.

A. Particular attention will be paid to identifying the need for active recreation opportunities and meeting those needs, whether on-site or off-site, through the creation or improvement of community, neighborhood, and subneighborhood park lands and facilities.

B. Requirements for trails shall be as stipulated in this section and section 22-617.

2. Any preliminary plan for subdivision or land development for residential purposes shall demonstrate a proposed means of complying with the requirements of this section. In the review of the preliminary plan, the board, upon recommendation of the township planning commission and the township parks and recreation board, shall determine whether land and/or a fee in lieu of land will best meet the township's objectives for active recreational opportunities or, as specified in Subsection 3, below, other passive recreation and open land areas. Unless clearly infeasible, the township will place priority on the set-aside of neighborhood and/or sub-neighborhood park sites within the tract proposed for development.

3. The board of supervisors, at its sole discretion, may determine that land within the tract that meets objectives other than the provision of active recreation opportunities can satisfy some or all of the requirements of this section. It shall be the burden of the applicant to demonstrate why such land is a suitable alternative to active recreation land and how it will serve the residents of the development. In reaching its decision, the board shall evaluate the applicant's proposal in relation to objectives and factors that may include, among others:

A. The quality of passive recreation opportunities within the tract, and the potential needs and demands of prospective residents of the development for active versus passive recreation.

B. Protection of important and characteristic scenic features, historic resources, flora, fauna, woodlands, and/or other natural features, particularly where such features and resources are delineated in the township open space and recreation plan or the township comprehensive plan.

C. The applicant must also demonstrate that the active recreation needs of the residents are adequately addressed by this proposal, and that the proposed alternative is consistent with the township's recreation and open space goals and programs including, but not limited to, those presented in the township open space and recreation plan.

4. Where the board determines that the preliminary plan does not provide land meeting the criteria of Subsection 2 or .3, above, it shall require that a fee be paid in lieu of land, as stipulated in Subsection 8.

A. The board, at its sole discretion, may accept a combination of land and fee where that arrangement best meets the purposes of this section and the needs of the residents. The land/fee combination may be seen by the board as particularly applicable where the neighborhood and/or sub-neighborhood park needs of the prospective residents can be met on-site, but the community park needs will best be served through off-site facilities.

B. Where a combination of land and fee is proposed, the applicant may request that the partial fee amount be established in relation to the value of proposed improvements within the land being set aside (exclusive of those trail corridor improvements provided in accordance with section 22-616). Where the board agrees with the applicant's request, it may credit some or all of this value against the otherwise applicable fee amount.

5. In determining its preference for the set-aside of land within the proposed development or the payment of a fee in lieu of land, the board may, as it deems appropriate, be guided by the following additional criteria:

A. The provisions of the township comprehensive plan and open space and recreation plan, particularly in relation to recommendations for community, neighborhood, and sub-neighborhood parks.

B. The proximity and accessibility of the proposed development to existing or proposed public open space and recreational areas.

C. The natural, historic, and scenic characteristics of the tract on which the development is proposed and their compatibility with active and passive recreation.

D. Any existing township commitments to purchase or improve land for park, recreation, or resource protection purposes.

E. Planned acquisition and/or development obligations of the township in relation to centralized, accessible community park sites.

6. The standards of this section are intended to apply to all residential subdivision and land development applications proposed in the township. For any proposed development in which the set-aside of open space is required under provisions of the township zoning ordinance [chapter 27], the board shall retain the right to require a fee in addition to the open space where it determines that the open space, as proposed, will not provide adequate recreation opportunities for the residents of the proposed development. The basis for calculation of the fee shall be as stipulated in Subsection 8, below.

7. Where the board determines that a set-aside of land within the tract proposed for development will satisfy the requirements of this section, the minimum amount of such land to be set aside shall be calculated on the basis of one acre per 20 new dwelling units to be constructed on the tract, or the proportional equivalent thereof.

8. Standards for fee in lieu of land.

A. Where a fee is to be contributed in lieu of the set-aside of land, the amount of the fee shall be equal to the fair market value of the land which the board would otherwise require to be set aside within the tract. Where the accepted fair market value, as determined by Paragraph B, below, is determined to be less than $1,000 per dwelling unit, however, the full amount of the fee shall be calculated on the basis of $1,000 per dwelling unit. Where the board determines that a combination of land and fee is to be contributed, the amount of the fee shall be prorated in accordance with the amount of land to be set aside.

B. The fair market value of the land shall be established by an appraisal, prepared by a real estate appraiser acceptable to the board, which is submitted by the applicant. The appraisal shall be reviewed by the township and, if accepted by the board, shall serve as the basis for calculating the fee. Where the appraisal is not accepted by the board, its deficiencies shall be indicated and a revised appraisal shall be submitted by the applicant. An acceptable appraisal shall determine the value of land within the tract on the basis of final approval of the subdivision or land development application and the availability of all improvements that will be necessary for development of the tract.

C. A note shall be placed on the plan submitted for final approval, stipulating the amount of the fee to be paid, as established through Subsection 8.A, and the means of payment, consistent with Subsection 8.D.

D. For any subdivision, the fee amount, as determined by Subsection 8.A, shall be paid in full or otherwise secured in a manner deemed acceptable by the board of supervisors, as a condition of final plan approval and prior to recording of the approved final plan.

E. All fees received pursuant to this section shall be placed in the township recreation fund, the purpose of which shall be to hold, invest and disburse such monies. Disbursements from this fund shall be made from time to time as the board shall deem appropriate, only in conjunction with the planning, purchase, improvement, replacement, and addition to township lands for use as open space and recreation for the benefit of the citizens of the township as provided for in the second class township code or other applicable rules, regulations, or statutes. All sums received for and deposited in the recreation fund shall be held, invested, and reinvested in the same manner as other funds of the township, but shall not be considered part of the general revenues of the township.

9. Characteristics and design standards for park and recreation lands.

A. In designating lands for park and recreation purposes within the subdivision or land development plan, the following criteria and standards shall be adhered to by the applicant. Areas shall be:

(1) Consistent with the township comprehensive plan and open space and recreation plan.

(2) Suitable for active recreation, neighborhood park, and/or sub-neighborhood park purposes, unless deemed acceptable by the board for other purposes, and in any case without interfering with adjacent dwelling units, parking, driveways, and roads.

(3) Comprised of open land which contains none of the following features: floodplains and wetlands (as defined by this chapter); woodlands, slopes exceeding 15%, streams, and ponds (as each is shown on the applicant's subdivision or land development plan submission) except where the board specifically accepts land with such features as satisfying the purposes of this section, consistent with Subsection 3, above.

(4) Accessible, to the maximum extent feasible, to the township trail network, including trails provided on-site in accordance with the requirements of section 22-617.

(5) Comprised of areas not less than 100 feet in width and not less than 15,000 square feet of contiguous area, except that the minimum width may be reduced to not less than 10 feet where:

(a) That portion of the land being set aside is serving as a connector to a trail corridor.

(b) The board determines that, in specific locations, narrower segments better accommodate site design objectives and do not detract from the overall function and value of the land being set aside.

(6) Provided with sufficient perimeter parking when necessary, and with safe and convenient access by adjoining street frontage or other rights-of-way or easements capable of accommodating pedestrian, bicycle, maintenance equipment, and other vehicular traffic, and containing appropriate access improvements.

(7) Undivided by any public or private streets, except where necessary for proper traffic circulation, and then only upon recommendation of the township engineer and township planning commission.

(8) Free of all structures, except those that are approved and related to outdoor recreation use.

(9) Suitably landscaped either by retaining existing natural cover and/or in accordance with a landscaping plan for enhancing open lands through plantings which are consistent with the purposes of this section, minimize maintenance costs and, to the maximum extent feasible, use native plant materials.

(10) Deemed acceptable, at the discretion of the board and consistent with this section, sections 22-607 and 22-610, the township Act 537 plan, and the township stormwater management ordinance [chapter 20], for use in the disposal of treated wastewater through land application or community subsurface methods or for use in the detention or retention of stormwater runoff. Where portions of the land being set aside are to be used for wastewater and/or stormwater management facilities, the area devoted to such facilities shall not be eligible for calculating the minimum required land area and shall be located and designed so as not to detract from the enjoyment and functional value to residents and users for which the land is intended.

10. Ownership, management, and maintenance.

A. Ownership of the land being set aside shall be by either of the following methods:

(1) Common ownership by an association comprised of the owners of the lots within the subdivision or land development, such association to be established and operated as stipulated by the terms of Subsection 11, below.

(2) At the discretion of the board, dedication to the township or to another public or non-profit entity acceptable to the board.

B. All such areas shall be subject to a conservation easement restricting further subdivision or land development of the land being set aside and setting forth the terms for use, conservation, and maintenance as established by the board. Such easement shall be granted in favor of a qualified conservation organization or, where the township will not be the owner of the land and at the board's discretion, the township. Such easement shall be subject to approval of the township solicitor and shall be recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county and noted on the final plan, as recorded. A copy of the easement, as recorded, shall be provided to the township prior to the issuance of any building permit.

C. Where the land is to be owned by a homeowners association, the subdivision or land development application shall include a plan for its long-term management. Such a plan shall address, at minimum:

(1) Management and maintenance responsibilities.

(2) Land management techniques to be used.

(3) Personnel resources necessary to manage and maintain the land.

(4) The source of money that will be available for such management and maintenance on a perpetual basis.

Where the township determines that the homeowners' association has failed to maintain the land in accordance with the terms of the approved plan, the township shall have the right to assume maintenance responsibility in the manner prescribed for planned residential developments in § 705(f) of the Municipalities Planning Code.

D. At the time ownership is to be transferred from the developer, the natural and/or developed characteristics of the land shall be as stipulated under the terms of the approved plan. No transfer shall occur until the receiving party is satisfied that such terms have been met. The transfer of ownership ship shall be completed prior to the acceptance of dedication by the township of any roads within the development.

11. Standards for the formation and operation of a homeowners association.

A. Where the land being set aside is to be owned in common among the lot owners, a homeowners association shall be formed in which all lot owners shall be members. It shall be governed, at minimum, by the following regulations:

(1) The applicant proposing to establish a homeowners association shall provide to the township a description of the organization, including its bylaws and documents governing maintenance requirements and use restrictions for the land.

(2) The association shall be established by the applicant and shall be operating (with financial subsidization by the applicant, if necessary) prior to the sale of any lots or dwelling units within the development.

(3) Membership in the association shall be mandatory for all purchasers of dwelling units within the development and for their successors.

(4) The association shall be responsible for maintenance of and insurance on the land being set aside.

(5) Unless demonstrated to be infeasible, the applicant shall arrange with the county board of assessment a method of assessment of the commonly-owned land which will allocate to each tax parcel in the development a share of the total assessment for such land. Such method of assessment shall be subject to approval of the board of supervisors.

(6) The members of the association shall share equitably the costs of maintaining, insuring, and managing the land, in accordance with procedures established for the association.

(7) The association shall have or hire adequate staff, as necessary, to manage and maintain the land. Proposed staffing shall be subject to approval by the township. The association shall provide an annual report to the township on the status of the land and its management and maintenance.

12. Requirements for nonresidential subdivisions and land developments.

A. Statement of Intent. Under the terms of this section, the township requires recreation lands and facilities, and/or fees in lieu thereof, to be provided as part of nonagricultural, nonresidential subdivisions and land developments. The intent of this requirement is to further and more effectively implement the township comprehensive plan and the open space plan as they relate to open space and recreation needs within the township. Nonresidential development creates its own additional demands for local recreational lands and facilities, beyond that which is provided through residential development. In response, the township requires developers of nonresidential land uses to contribute proportionately to meeting that demand.

B. Trails. An applicant for nonresidential subdivision or land development approval shall comply with the terms of section 22-616 regarding the retention and provision of trails on the site proposed for development.

C. Required Recreation Lands/Facilities or Fees in Lieu Thereof.

(1) Except as exempted subparagraph (2), below, any proposed nonresidential subdivision or land development shall provide recreational lands, facilities, and/or fees in lieu thereof in accordance with the terms herein. These requirements are designed to address the demand for park and recreation facilities resulting from the additional employees, customers, and/or clients that will be generated by the proposed development.

(2) Applications for subdivision or land development approval where the principal uses are to be agricultural, as defined by the township zoning ordinance [chapter 27], shall be exempt from the provisions of this Paragraph 12.

(3) To satisfy the terms of this section, the board may require that the applicant:

(a) Permanently set aside or dedicate recreation lands and facilities on the site for use by employees, customers, other visitors to and occupants of the site, and, as appropriate, the general public.

(b) Contribute a fee in lieu of on-site recreation lands and facilities, with such fee designated to create, expand, and improve community park facilities within the township that can serve occupants of the proposed site.

(c) Provide a combination of lands/facilities and fee, where on-site lands and facilities are deemed by the board to be desirable and important assets but will be insufficient to meet in full the requirements of this section.

(4) In making its decision from among the alternatives in subparagraph (3), above, the board may consider:

(a) Whether the location is especially important in complementing other existing or proposed recreation lands, or in meeting needs of an area with particularly strong demands.

(b) If the site is particularly well suited in response to broader public demand beyond that generated by the site itself.

(c) The potential relationship to future township plans and programs.

(d) Proximity to existing or planned community park facilities and the appropriateness of those facilities to meet the projected recreation demand.

(e) Whether the proposed use would normally be expected to provide on-site recreation facilities, e.g., an educational or child-care use.

(f) The factors in subsections 22-615.3 and 22-615.5, above.

(5) Where the board determines that a set-aside of land and facilities within the tract proposed for development will satisfy the requirements of this section, the minimum amount of such land to be set aside shall be calculated on the basis of 250 square feet of land meeting the criteria of this section to be set aside per each 500 square feet of gross floor area, or portion thereof, for the principal use of the property.

(6) Characteristics and design of lands to be set aside shall be in accordance with the standards in subsection 22-615.9, above.

(7) Responsibility for ownership and maintenance of recreational lands set aside on-site shall remain with the developer or subsequent owner of the site, unless the board accepts an offer of dedication of some or all of the land. Ownership of any trail corridor shall be in accordance with section 22-617.

(8) Where a fee is to be contributed in lieu of the set aside of on-site recreation land and facilities, the amount of the fee shall be equal to $1 per every square foot of gross floor area for the principal use of the property.

(9) Standards for the documentation, payment, deposit, and use of any fees shall be those in subsection 22-615.8, above.

§ 22-616 Trails.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 70-H, 6/7/2000; Ord. No. 87, 11/12/2003; Ord. No. 144, 4/2/2008; Ord. No. 179, 1/7/2013]

1. Existing Trails.

A. On any tract containing an existing trail, as shown on the comprehensive trail system map or as otherwise identified by the applicant or the township, the plan for development of the tract shall incorporate and protect the continuing viability of the trail.

B. The applicant may request the relocation of the existing trail corridor elsewhere within the tract, where the applicant alleges the existing location impedes the appropriate development of the tract in accordance with other applicable standards of this ordinance. Any such proposed relocation must be reviewed by the parks and recreation board, approved by the board of supervisors, and accomplished in a manner consistent with the terms of this section and other applicable standards of this chapter, including in particular the requirements of section 22-610, "Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control."

C. By means of the existing and/or relocated trail, the plan for the tract shall provide and maintain connections to the township's comprehensive trail system and to any other existing trails on contiguous properties.

D. Where a proposed subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing trail that is designated as an arterial trail by the comprehensive trail system map, the board may require creation and, as it deems necessary, dedication of additional trail cartpaths and/or shoulders to provide the minimum cartpaths and shoulders specified for an arterial trail by this section, or such other treatment as will provide protection for abutting properties, reduce the length and/or width of trail essentially serving the same purpose, and assure compatibility with other segments of the comprehensive trail system.

E. Where a proposed subdivision or land development contains an existing trail that is proposed to function as a local/collector trail but does not fully comply with the standards in this Section for such a trail, the board may require that the trail be improved to meet such minimum standards.

2. Creation of Trail Corridors and Links.

A. Where the tract does not contain an existing trail, new local/collector and, as applicable, multi-use arterial trails shall be created that enable pedestrian, bicycle, and/or equestrian connections to existing or potential trail corridors off the site and provide internal circulation and/or recreation opportunities. Trail routes and functions shall be established in consultation with the township parks and recreation board, shall be consistent with trail locations designated in the township's comprehensive trail system, and shall be coordinated with trails, or recorded plans for trails, on adjacent tracts. The applicant shall submit a trail map showing the location of the proposed trail and point(s) at which linkages will be made off-site. Linkages off-site shall correspond to major planned site entrances or to other identified linkages indicated on the comprehensive trail system map, unless waived by the board of supervisors.

B. Where no trail has been indicated on the comprehensive trail system map, the applicant shall provide for local/collector trails as a means of access to the trails indicated on said map. Provisions for trail connections into and from adjacent areas shall be required unless waived by the board of supervisors.

C. Any newly-created trail shall be available for public use, and generally shall be unrelated to and separate from streets within the tract. A trail route may utilize a sidewalk only where site design or open space alternatives do not exist, or where such location best facilitates an off-site connection with an existing trail. Approval of any such trail routing on sidewalks shall be at the sole discretion of the board of supervisors. At the option of the applicant, and consistent with township plans, the trail may be located adjacent to existing or proposed lot lines and/or within common open space.

D. Trail design.

(1) Thoughtful and imaginative design of trails and their relationship to the arrangement and shape of lots and open space areas is required.

(2) Trails shall be logically related to environmental features so as to minimize disturbance to such features while permitting observation of such features.

(3) Trails shall be curvilinear in design and constructed on reasonable grades, have proper drainage, and utilize solar energy.

(4) Trails shall provide for adequate vision and sight distances, and shall include design features, as determined appropriate by the township, to notify trail users of road crossings or other potentially hazardous locations. Such required features may include signage, bollards, fencing, gates, striping or other trail surface treatment, or other measures deemed necessary by the township.

E. Ownership and trail easement terms.

(1) Trail corridors traversing areas of common open space shall be owned and maintained by a homeowners association or similar entity, or by means of dedication to an organization capable of carrying out ownership and maintenance responsibilities that is specifically approved by the board of supervisors. Where a trail corridor traverses an individual lot, the lot owner shall be responsible for ownership and maintenance of the trail.

(2) Regardless of trail ownership, the developer shall, as a condition of final plan approval, prepare and submit a continuing offer of dedication of a trail easement to the township. Such easement shall, at minimum, cover the full width of the trail corridor right-of-way, as required by this section. Terms of the easement shall, at minimum:

(a) Assure that the trail is accessible to the public;

(b) Stipulate that there is no cost to the township of easement acquisition (other than any costs incidental to the transfer);

(c) Establish a maintenance agreement acceptable to the township; and

(d) Guarantee to the township the right of entry for inspection and emergency maintenance purposes.

F. Trail design and construction shall be consistent with the standards contained herein and with other segments of the township trail network.

G. The applicant shall obtain any applicable permits, approvals, or waivers from other regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over proposed trail location, materials, construction, or road crossing, or where the identified trail corridor will impact natural resources for which disturbance permits are required, including, but not limited to, stream crossing or wetland disturbance.

H. Dead-end trails shall be avoided, except as logical termini or as stubs to permit future trail extension into or from adjoining tracts.

I. Continuations of existing trails shall be known by the same name, but names for other trails shall not duplicate or closely resemble names for existing trails in the township or adjacent municipalities. Where trails continue into adjacent municipalities, evidence of compatibility of design, particularly with regard to trail surfacing, width, and right-of-way, shall be submitted. The applicant shall coordinate such designs with both municipalities to avoid abrupt changes in width or improvements.

J. With the exception of motorized wheel chairs and maintenance vehicles, motor vehicles may not be used on trails.

K. Hierarchy of trail components.

(1) Within the township's comprehensive trail system, each trail shall be designated as one of the following components, as defined in part 4 of this chapter:

(a) Multi-use arterial.

(b) Bikeway.

(c) Local/collector.

L. Trail widths.

(1) Except as provided in Paragraph T below, the minimum right-of-way width, cartpath, and shoulder widths for all new trails in the township shall be as follows:

Type of Trail	Right-of-Way	Cartpath	Shoulders
Multi-use arterial	12 feet	8 feet (5 feet minimum for one way)	2 feet (per shoulder)
Bikeway	12 feet	8 feet (5 feet minimum for one way)	2 feet (per shoulder)
Local/collector	12 feet	6 feet (4 feet minimum for one way)	1-2 feet (per shoulder)

(2) Additional right-of-way and/or cartpath widths may be required by the board of supervisors for the following purposes:

(a) To promote public safety and convenience.

(b) To assure proper management of stormwater runoff.

(c) To accommodate special topographical circumstances which may result in cut/fill slopes extending beyond the standard trail width. These should in all circumstances be included within the trail width to assure accessibility for maintenance operations.

M. Trail alignment.

(1) To ensure adequate sight distance, minimum center-line radii for horizontal curves shall be as follows:

(a) Multi-use arterial trails—35 feet.

(b) Bikeways—65 feet.

(c) Local/collector trails—15 feet.

(2) Curves shall not produce excessive flatness in grade. There shall be no dips, cross-gutter bumps, or humps in the surfacing.

(3) Sight lines and stopping sight lines for all new trails in the township shall be as follows:

Type of Trail	Sight Lines	Stopping Sight Line
Multi-use arterial	60 feet	50 feet
Bikeway	130 feet	150 feet-175 feet
Local/collector	30 feet	25 feet

N. Trail grades.

(1) Grades for any trail shall not exceed 5%, except that steeper grades may be permitted for short lengths, in no event exceeding 200 feet, where natural contours provide conditions for minimal grading at the steeper grade.

(2) Under no conditions will maximum grades be permitted with minimum curve radii.

(3) Applicants shall only propose locating a trail on a slope steeper than permitted above if it can be demonstrated that all other options for trail location have been exhausted. Under such circumstances, the board of supervisors may require the use of switchbacks as an effective technique for traversing steep slopes. Under certain circumstances, the board of supervisors may require the construction of stairs for safe climbing. When stairs are used, documentation of their design and construction shall be required. In particular, methods used to prevent erosion, safeguard the public, and provide long-term maintenance shall be documented.

O. Trail construction.

(1) All materials entering into the construction of trails and the methods of construction and drainage shall be in accordance with the terms of this section and the applicable standards of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Multi-use arterial trails shall not be designed and constructed for speeds in excess of 15 miles per hour. Bikeways shall not be designed and constructed for speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour. Local/collector trails shall not be designed and constructed for speeds in excess of 10 miles per hour.

(2) Surfacing. Multi-use/arterial trails, local collector trails and bikeways shall consist of a six-inch base surface of PennDOT 2A stone with a two-inch 12.5 mm Superpave asphalt top coat.

(3) All trails shall be underlined with geotextile fabric.

(4) Overhead clearance for all trails shall be no less than 10 feet.

(5) Trail shoulders shall be free of woody vegetation, graded to provide adequate drainage and smooth transition from the trail cartpath surface, planted and maintained with appropriate ground cover, and underlined with geotextile fabric.

P. Trail lighting.

(1) Trail lighting is generally not required unless the board of supervisors determines that parking areas, trailheads, or major road crossings warrant such.

(2) In the event lights are used, the style, type and manufacturer of trail lights shall be subject to the approval of the township.

Q. Trail signage.

(1) All aspects of trail signage, including design, number, and location, shall be reviewed by the parks and recreation board and subject to the discretion and approval of the board of supervisors.

(2) Trail signage shall conform to the standards of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices regarding sign shape and color (i.e., white lettering on brown background). FHWA standards regarding sign size shall not apply to trails, except as specifically required for bicycle facilities. Signs shall be clearly readable, easily understood, and sized according to the scale of the trail. Materials used in construction shall not detract from the scenic quality of the trail.

(3) Where applicable, signs shall conform to the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Handbook of Approved Signs or as otherwise approved by PennDOT.

(4) Unless specifically waived by the board of supervisors, the following types of signs shall be required at applicable points along trails and shall be provided by the applicant:

(a) Regulatory/Guidance Signs. Such signs shall serve two purposes:

1) For traffic control or to give operational requirements (examples include stop and yield signs, speed-limit signs, and right-of-way signs), and

2) For trail information or directions (examples include signs which point out local points of interest or nearby service facilities).

These types of signs should be accompanied by a trail map indicating the local trail segment, "you are here" location, and regional trail interconnections. Guidance signs, in the form of kiosks, shall be provided at any intersection of an arterial trail with another arterial trail, with a collector trail, or with a bikeway.

(b) Warning Signs. Such signs shall be used to point out existing or potentially dangerous conditions; examples include signs which warn of grade changes or changes in surface conditions and signs which warn of upcoming bridges, intersections or tunnels. Traffic signs intended to be placed at road crossings or traffic signals must be designed to provide for proper safety, site distances, and warning to trail users. Designs, including sketches, must be submitted for review and approved by the agency having jurisdiction over the road being crossed. Provisions for adequate long-term maintenance must accompany such submissions.

(5) Excessive signage shall be prohibited. For example, signage shall not be permitted to detract from the natural or scenic qualities of trails.

R. Trail maintenance.

(1) Where maintenance of trails is to be the responsibility of individual lot owners, a homeowners association or similar entity, or an organization capable of carrying out maintenance responsibilities, maintenance responsibilities shall be established in accordance with the terms of subsection 22-805.1. Clearing of snow and similar winter maintenance shall not be required except where otherwise specifically mandated, e.g., as part of a sidewalk system.

(2) While it is anticipated that trail usage will contribute significantly to trail maintenance, responsible parties shall inspect trails on a periodic basis and provide needed maintenance. The township shall have the right, but not the obligation, to keep trails passable. Maintenance undertaken by responsible individuals or entities shall not infringe upon passage by trail users.

S. Timing of trail installation.

(1) The trail system approved as part of the final plan for a tract shall be fully constructed and installed in accordance with the following:

(a) As required in subsection 22-412.4, all portions of multi-use arterial trails and bikeways located on the tract shall be installed prior to the issuance of any building permit.

(b) Building permits shall be issued for not more than 25% of the dwelling units approved for a site, or any phase thereof, until installation of any local/collector trail is completed for the site or phase, respectively.

T. Trails through woodland.

(1) Where a proposed multi-use arterial or local collector trail is to be routed though an area or areas of woodland, as defined by this chapter, the otherwise applicable standards of this section may be modified as follows:

(a) The minimum width of the cartpath of a multi-use arterial trail or local/collector trail, or selected portions thereof within a woodland may be reduced from the otherwise applicable standards of this section, but in no case shall be less than four feet.

(b) The surface of any multi-use arterial or local collector trail cartpath may remain in a natural condition; in such cases, the trail shall be constructed and maintained to remain free of vegetation.

(2) Trails with a natural surface within woodlands shall comply with the following additional requirements:

(a) Any such trail shall be designed with an outslope of 4% to 8% to provide drainage off the trail and down slope. Trail design shall include sufficient changes in grade to avoid collection and/or channelization of water on the trail surface.

(b) Trail shoulders shall be subject to selective removal of vegetation only, with a concentration on removal of invasive species and careful trimming of native species.

(3) Where feasible, on sloped portions of a trail route, the trail should be located on the uphill side of a tree to minimize impacts on root systems and help protect against erosion of the trail surface.

(4) Location and design of any trail through woodland shall be planned so as to enable construction with the lightest and least intrusive mechanical equipment feasible, while complying with the minimum standards of this section.

(5) The board of supervisors retains the right, at its discretion, to require the standards for multi-use arterial and/or local collector trails, as contained in subsections 22-616.2.L and .2.O, where the board finds that the application of such standards to a specific trail or trail segment is essential to the trails ability to perform its designated function and/or adherence to such standards will not adversely affect the woodland through which the trail is to be routed.

U. Site walks to establish trail routes.

(1) Trails to be provided on the tract shall be addressed during the pre-sketch plan site inspection required under sections 22-402 and 22-403. Existing trails on the site, general locations for new trails, and points of connection to trails on adjacent properties will be identified during this process.

(2) Following final plan approval but prior to any trail construction, a site walk shall be conducted for the purpose of specifically locating the trail route in relation to existing and proposed site features. Principal objectives will be to locate trail corridors so that:

(a) Earth disturbance is minimized;

(b) Within any area of woodland tree damage is avoided to the maximum extent feasible;

(c) Disturbance to wetlands and surface waters is minimized; and

(d) Trail corridors are appropriately located in relation to existing and proposed off-site connections. The site walk shall involve, at minimum, representatives of the developer, the parks and recreation board, and the township engineer, and may also include an arborist or similar vegetation professional as deemed necessary by the township.

§ 22-617 Cluster Development.

[Ord. No. 70, 7/16/1990; Ord. No. 70-J, 6/5/2001; Ord. No. 105, 4/13/2004]

1. The area configuration of the open space for a cluster development as required in the zoning ordinance [chapter 27], and as further governed by the provisions of part 27, open space provisions, shall be as follows:

A. Resource inventory and analysis. The tract's resources shall be delineated on an existing resources and site analysis plan, as required in part 5. In addition, the analysis shall include an inventory of all trees six inches or greater caliper within the buffer area and proposed areas to be disturbed, and in developed areas significant trees (six-inch or greater caliper) shall be retained to the fullest extent possible.

B. Five-step design process. Following the resource inventory and analysis, all residential subdivisions with required open space shall follow the five-step process set forth in subsection 22-403A, "Step 1— Delineation of Open Space and Development Areas," occurs as follows:

Open space and development areas shall be delineated according to the following procedure, as illustrated below, using as an example a hypothetical fifty-acre subdivision parcel.

Gross tract area	50 acres
Net tract area, per zoning section 27-202	40 acres
Minimum open space requirements:
Constrained land, per section 27-202	10 acres
Add
Community open space areas (50% of net tract area)	20 acres
Total open space (minimum)	30 acres
Development area (50% of net tract area)	20 acres

(1) All conservation open space, including floodplains, wetlands and prohibitive slopes shall be included within the required open space.

(2) The locations and boundaries of conservation open space shall, at a minimum, follow the actual boundaries of floodplains, wetlands and their required buffers, and prohibitive slopes.

(3) Additional minimum acreage requirements for open space shall consist of community open space.

(4) The locations and boundaries of community open space shall be based upon the applicant's analysis of the tract's resource features, using the design standards in this section and in part 27 of the zoning ordinance. The applicant shall also be guided by any written recommendations provided by the township regarding the delineation of community open space, following the site inspection.

(5) Development areas constitute the remaining lands of the tract outside of the designated open space areas, which in the above example consist of 20 acres, where house sites, streets and lots are to be delineated in accordance with steps 2—4 as set forth in subsection 22-402.1.

C. Prioritized list of resources to be conserved. In addition to including the required conservation open space, the design of open space in any subdivision or land development plan shall reflect the standards set forth in this part, and, to the fullest extent possible, incorporate any of the following resources if they occur on the tract (listed in order of significance):

(1) Stream channels, floodplains, wet soils, swales, springs and other lowland areas, including adjacent buffer areas which may be required to ensure their protection.

(2) Significant natural areas of species listed as endangered, threatened, or of special concern, such as those listed in the Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory.

(3) Areas of prohibitive and precautionary slope, particularly those adjoining water courses and ponds, where disturbance and resulting soil erosion and sedimentation could be detrimental to water quality.

(4) Healthy woodlands, particularly those performing important ecological functions such as soil stabilization and protection of streams, wetlands, and wildlife habitats.

(5) Areas where precipitation is most likely to recharge local groundwater resources because of topographic and soil conditions affording high rates of infiltration and percolation.

(6) Hedgerows, groups of trees, large individual trees of botanic significance, and other vegetation features representing the site's rural past.

(7) "Important Farmland Soils" as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Soil Conservation Service (SCS), including Prime Farmlands Soils, and Additional Farmland Soils of Statewide Importance.

(8) Historic resources as regulated in part 16.

(9) Visually prominent topographic features such as knolls, hilltops and ridges, and scenic view sheds as seen from public roads (particularly those with historic features).

(10) Lands to be used for various recreational and civic opportunities and pursuits (note that the recreational requirements of subsection 22-618.D below and section 22-617, shall be met under all circumstances).

(11) Existing trails connecting the tract to other locations in the municipality (note that the trails requirements in section 22-616 shall be met under all circumstances).

D. Unless the open space is proposed for agricultural use, at least 10% of the required community open space shall be made usable and physically prepared for parks, playgrounds, playfields, trails or other active recreation activities or facilities, including pavilions, gazebos, plazas, or other civic amenities. Such open space shall be suitable for active recreational uses to the extent deemed necessary by the board of supervisors, without interfering with adjacent dwelling units, parking, driveways, and roads.

E. In addition to the 10% active recreational area requirement per subsection 22-618.1.A above, at least 2% to 3% of the required community open space shall be made usable and physically prepared for greens as described below. A green, typically 5,000 to 10,000 square feet in area, shall be created and maintained as the open space area around which dwelling are arranged in a manner as illustrated in appendix I. The minimum percentage of open space in greens shall be determined as follows:

(1) Two percent of the required community open space, whenever the average cluster development lot size is 12,000 to 17,999 square feet.

(2) Three percent of the required community open space, whenever the average cluster development lot size is 9,000 to 11,999 square feet.

F. At least 25% of the required open space shall be arranged so as to encompass a single land parcel. However, open space parcels shall be linked together by a common means of circulation and access and shall be contiguous to the developed area and not separated from it by existing roads unless safe pedestrian access can be demonstrated.

G. Open space shall not include parcels smaller than three acres, have a length-to-width ratio of less than 4:1, or be less than 30 feet in width, except for such lands specifically designed for greens or trails.

H. At least 50% of the total number of dwelling units shall adjoin the required open space, directly or across the street.

I. The designated open space shall be arranged to maintain contiguity with other designated open space areas or similar areas on adjacent lands, either by direct contact or some common means of circulation and access. Open space areas shall be designed to accommodate pedestrian pathways and trails to be available for general public use in order to ensure the potential for a contiguous open space network throughout the township.

J. Clustered residential dwellings located along a tract or zoning district boundary shall have a minimum thirty-foot buffer along the boundary, which shall not be included in the minimum lot area. Such buffer shall contain natural or manmade landscaping, but shall not constitute more than 10% of the minimum required open space.

K. All designated open space shall be accurately and conspicuously delineated, or depicted, or otherwise noted on a map of the subject tract; such open space shall be differentiated as to its type, area, proposed maintenance, and proposed management.

2. The design of the green required in subsection 22-618.1.B shall be governed by the examples shown in appendix I.

3. The design of lots, the siting of dwellings, and the layout of roads and streets shall be guided by the examples shown in appendix J.

4. The design of open space shall be consistent with the township comprehensive plan and open space, recreation and environmental resources plan.

5. Required open space management plan.

A. All open space shall include a plan for the long term management of the restricted open space which is to be created as part of the cluster development, including maintenance and management of any wastewater disposal, stormwater management or any other common facilities located within the open space. Such plan shall include a narrative discussion of:

(1) The manner in which the open space and any facilities included therein will be owned and by whom it will be managed and maintained;

(2) The conservation, land management and agricultural techniques and practices which will be used to conserve and perpetually protect the restricted open space, including conservation plan(s) approved by the county conservation district where applicable;

(3) The professional and personnel resources that will be necessary in order to maintain and manage the property;

(4) The nature of public or private access planned for the open space; and

(5) The source of funding that will be available for such management preservation maintenance on a perpetual basis.

B. The board of supervisors may require that the management plan be recorded with the final plan, in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county. At the time of preliminary plan submission, the applicant shall submit a draft open space management plan to demonstrate feasible compliance with the provisions of this section. The board of supervisors may require as a condition of subdivision and/or land development approval that appropriate management contracts be established as evidence of the ability to adhere to the provisions of the approved management plan. In order to allow for the changing needs inherent in land management, the plan shall contain a provision to the effect that it may be changed by written application to the township. Approval of such application shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, so long as the proposed change is feasible, is consistent with the purposes of preserving open space set forth in this section and with the approved subdivision and land development plan, and so long as the plan avoids a likelihood of obligation for management and maintenance of the land falling upon the township without the consent of the board of supervisors.