[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Hanover at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Construction standards — See Ch. 67.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 155.
Subdivision and land development — See Ch. 159.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "Hanover Township Driveway Ordinance."
The Board of Supervisors of Hanover Township finds that it is in the public interest to regulate the design, location and construction of access driveways in such a manner so as to facilitate the safe and unobstructed movement of vehicular traffic on Township roads.
A. 
These regulations shall apply to all driveways that enter Township roads.
B. 
Any person desiring to construct or lay out such driveway shall make application to the Township Zoning Administrator in writing for the approval, design and mode of construction of such driveway, and for permission to proceed. Application forms are available at the municipal building.
C. 
The construction or layout of a proposed driveway will not be started prior to receipt of a written permit approving the location, design and mode of construction thereof, signed by the Zoning Administrator and containing such reasonable terms and conditions as he may deem necessary to impose.
A. 
All driveways shall be located, designed and constructed in such a manner as not to interfere or be inconsistent with the design, maintenance and drainage of the Township road.
B. 
Driveways should be located in such manner that they will not cause the following: interference to the traveling public; a hazard to the free movement of normal traffic; or areas of undue traffic congestion on the roadway. In accordance with this principle, driveways should be located where the road alignment and profile are favorable; i.e., where there are no sharp curves, or steep grades, and where sight distance in conjunction with the driveway access would be adequate for safe traffic operation.
C. 
Access driveways should not be located at interchanges, ramp areas, or locations that would interfere with the placement and proper functioning of road signs, signals, detectors, lighting or other devices that affect traffic control.
D. 
Where curbs exist, driveway approaches shall be installed with depressed curb 11/2 inches above the adjacent road or gutter grade to maintain the proper drainage, or subject to such other conditions as the Township shall direct.
The permissible number, arrangement and width of driveways shall be governed in part by the road frontage of the property. The number of driveways permitted shall be the minimum number required to serve adequately the needs of the property. Frontage of 50 feet or less shall be limited to one driveway. Normally not more than two driveways need to be provided to any single property tract or business establishment. An exception may be made where the frontage exceeds 300 feet in length or where the frontage is along a divided road. In such instances requests for additional driveways shall require prior approval from the Hanover Township Board of Supervisors.
A. 
The location and angle of a driveway approach in relation to the road intersection shall be such that a vehicle:
(1) 
Entering the driveway may do so in an orderly and safe manner and with a minimum of interference to through traffic; and
(2) 
Leaving the driveway may enter safely into the lane of traffic moving in the desired direction.
B. 
Where the driveway approach and road pavement meet, a radius shall be provided to allow safe, easy turning of the vehicle when entering or departing from the driveway.
C. 
No part of any driveway shall be constructed outside of the applicant's frontage.
D. 
Each business or commercial establishment shall provide sufficient parking or storage space off the right-of-way to prevent the stopping of vehicles on the driveway or the backing up of traffic on the traveled roadway.
E. 
No part of the road right-of-way shall be used for servicing of vehicles, displays or conducting a private business. The area between the edge of the pavement and the right-of-way line shall be kept clear of all buildings, sales exhibits, business signs, parking areas, service equipment, etc., and any impediment to proper vision.
F. 
Improvements on private property adjacent to the right-of-way shall be so located that parking, stopping and maneuvering of vehicles on the right-of-way will not be necessary in order for vehicles or patrons to be served properly.
A. 
Driveways relative to limited access right-of-way. No driveway shall be located within 30 feet of the terminus of a limited access highway or within 30 feet of a limited access road right-of-way line measured along the near edge of the driveway pavement.
B. 
Angle of driveway approach.
(1) 
Control dimensions.
(a) 
Single driveway: as near 90° as site conditions permit.
(b) 
Two driveways:
[1] 
Two-way operation: as near 90° as site conditions permit.
[2] 
One-way operation: as near 90° as site conditions permit. Forty-five-degree minimum allowable.
(2) 
Single driveway approaches shall be positioned at right angles (90°) to the roadway or as near thereto as site conditions permit. When two driveways are constructed on the same property frontage and used for one-way operation, each of these driveways may be placed at an angle less than a right angle, but not less than 45° to the road.
C. 
Property line clearance. No residential driveway shall be located within five feet of the property boundary line, except in those cases where a driveway is common to two adjacent properties. All other driveways shall not be located within 10 feet of the property boundary except in those cases where a driveway is common to two adjacent properties.
D. 
Radius curb; control dimensions. The maximum and minimum radius for curbs shall be as follows:
(1) 
Residential: five feet minimum, 20 feet maximum.
(2) 
Commercial: 20 feet minimum, 55 feet maximum.
E. 
Width of access driveway approaches.
(1) 
Control dimensions.
(a) 
Residential: 10 feet minimum, 20 feet maximum.
(b) 
Commercial: 15 feet minimum, 30 feet maximum.
(2) 
The width of driveways shall not exceed the above dimensions when measured at right angles to the center line of driveway. Where a commercial driveway approach and the road pavement meet, flaring of the driveway shall be required to allow safe and easy turning of the vehicle either into or out of a commercial development.
F. 
Driveway curbing. All driveway curbing within Township rights-of-way shall be constructed in accordance with Chapter 67, Construction Standards.
G. 
Sight distance.
(1) 
Driveways shall be located at a point of optimum sight distance along the roadway within the property frontage limits. The profile of the driveway and the grading of the right-of-way area shall provide a maximum sight distance so that the operator of a vehicle departing from such a driveway will have optimum visibility in either direction along the roadway.
(2) 
The location of the driveway will be at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors of Hanover Township or their properly designated official.
H. 
Slope of access driveway.
(1) 
All driveways shall be constructed in such a manner as not to impair drainage within the road right-of-way, alter the stability of the roadway subgrade or materially change the drainage of adjacent areas. Where open shoulders or berms exist, the grade of a paved driveway(s) shall slope away from the road pavement at the same rate as the existing shoulder (unless otherwise approved by the Board of Supervisors) for the prevailing width of the shoulder. The slope of a driveway beyond this point (within the highway right-of-way) shall be not less than 1/2 inch per foot.
(2) 
Driveway ramps may extend from the face of the curb up to the outer edge of the sidewalk area in those cases where there is a planting strip between the curb and sidewalk. The rate of slope for such driveway ramps preferably should not exceed one inch per foot. Where conditions are such that the one inch per foot slope is not obtainable the sidewalk area of the driveway may be lowered sufficiently to obtain the allowable ramp slope and the sidewalk may be warped up to meet the normal sidewalk grade, and a rate of slope not to exceed one inch per foot.
(3) 
Where a drainage ditch or swale exists, adequate pipe shall be installed under the driveway in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation specifications and Hanover Township specifications. Minimum diameter of such drainage pipe shall be 15 inches.
I. 
Driveway pavement. Driveways shall be paved or concrete between the road and the business or service area and shall be installed in accordance with Hanover Township specifications.
J. 
Removal of median divisors.
(1) 
It is the policy of the Board of Supervisors of Hanover Township to refuse requests for permits to remove median divisors along divided highways except in special cases considered to be in the best interest of the public in general, such as a public road crossing or the construction of a fire or police station adjacent to the divided road. Requests for the removal of median divisors at schools, public buildings, business establishments, etc., shall not be considered as an exception to this general policy.
(2) 
Concrete divisors, asphalt divisors and/or earth divisors or separations are included in the above.
Any person who shall open or excavate any Township road shall backfill and reconstruct said excavation in accordance with Township standards for the classification of the road as specified in Chapter 67, Construction Standards.
[Amended 6-22-2010 by Ord. No. 10-04]
The applicant is responsible for and shall supply and maintain all signage and traffic control for any work within the right-of-way of a Township road in accordance with PennDOT Publication 213.
No utility lines shall be laid or constructed and no existing utilities shall be extended in any of the Township roads until the exact location thereto and the plan therefor shall have been first approved by the Township.
All driveways, adjacent areas and areas between such driveways including paving, drainage, etc., installed by the permittee shall be maintained by the property owner in such a manner as not to interfere or be inconsistent with the design, maintenance and drainage of the Township road, or the safe and convenient passage of traffic upon the Township road.
A. 
Work authorized by a Township permit for construction of a driveway shall be performed at such time and in such a manner as to conform to all requirements and standards specified therein. Such work will be inspected by the Township.
B. 
If an inspection of the work discloses that it is not being or has not been properly performed, the permittee will be notified, in writing, by the Township to take immediate steps, at his own expense, toward placing the work in such condition as to conform to said requirements and standards.
Before any permit shall be issued under this chapter, the applicant shall pay to the Township a permit fee as set from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors to cover the cost of inspection and other incidental services in connection therewith.
All work in connection with openings, or entrances in any road, including excavation, protection, refilling and temporary paving, shall be done by the applicant at his expense.
In this chapter the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a District Justice under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense.