[Adopted 4-8-1998 by Ord. No. 219]
In accordance with the provisions of Section 2322 of Article XXIII of
the Second Class Township Code,[1] as amended, no railroad or street railway shall hereafter be constructed
upon any township road, nor shall any railroad or street railway crossings,
nor any gas pipe, water pipe, electric conduits or other piping be laid upon
or in, nor shall any telephone, telegraph or electric light or power poles
or any coal tipples or any other obstructions be erected upon or in any portion
of a township road, except under such conditions, restrictions and regulations
relating to the installation and maintenance thereof as may be prescribed
in permits granted by the township for such purposes.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 67322.
The application for a permit shall be in a form prescribed by the township
and submitted to the township. Skippack Township has established minimum backfill
and compaction requirements. A detail of this backfill requirement is included
as part of any highway opening permit. By issuance of the permit, the permittee
agrees to comply with the minimum standards established by the backfill detail.
The detail provides that the trench will be stronger, less subject to subsidence
and a structural feature exceeding the adjacent roadways. The application
shall be accompanied by a fee in accordance with the Schedule of Fees set
forth by the Department of Transportation for highway occupancy permits and
restoration charges. In addition, the applicant shall submit three copies
of a sketch showing such dimensions as to the location of the intended facility,
width of the traveled roadway, right-of-way lines and a dimension to the nearest
intersecting street.
A permit shall be required for cutting or excavating beneath curbs and
sidewalks. This permit shall be in a form prescribed by the township and shall
be submitted to the township. The application shall be accompanied by a fee
in accordance with the Schedule of Fees adopted by the township.[1] Excavations beneath these concrete features will require a full-depth
backfill of well-compacted 2-A modified stone. Beneath the concrete sidewalk,
a four-inch layer of 2-B clean stone must be placed, spread and leveled. All
concrete replacement will be done with PennDOT Class A concrete material.
All joints must be made with clean saw cuts. Concrete sidewalk must be replaced
at the closest control joint beyond the area affected by the excavation. Concrete
curbing will need to be replaced by saw cutting the closest control joint
or at a minimum length of five linear feet. Concrete curbing will need to
be formed using suitable forming materials to preserve and maintain the alignment
of the curb to match the adjacent existing curb sections. The poured curb
shall not be more than 1/4 of one inch in either the horizontal or vertical
direction. The workplace must be cleaned of debris. All lawn areas must be
spread with a minimum four-inch depth of clean top soil, raked, seeded and
restored to a level acceptable by either the Township Code Enforcement Official
or the Township Engineer.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said Schedule of Fees is on file in the township
offices.
The township shall also collect a fee for inspection. This fee is to
be set by resolution of the Board of Supervisors and is payable at the same
time as the application is filed and is in addition to the application fee.
A permit shall be issued to the applicant after all the aforementioned
requirements have been filed and good cause is shown to the township for the
necessity of the street and/or curb and sidewalk to be opened.
Upon completion of the work, the applicant shall give written notice
thereof to the township.
Upon completion of the work authorized by the permit, the township shall
inspect the work authorized by the permit and, when necessary, enforce compliance
with the conditions, restrictions and regulations specified by the township.
In addition to that inspection, the Board of Supervisors or its agents may
reinspect the work not more than two years after its completion, and, if any
settlement of the road surface or other defect appears in the work contrary
to the conditions, restrictions and regulations of the township, it may enforce
compliance therewith. If the applicant fails to rectify a defect
which presents an immediate or imminent safety or health problem within 48
hours or after any other defect within 60 days after written notice from the
Board of Supervisors to do so, the Board of Supervisors or its agents may
do the work and impose upon the applicant the costs thereof, together with
an additional 20% of the cost, which may be recovered by an action in assumpsit
in the Court of Common Pleas of the county. All fees received by the township
shall be paid into the township treasury. Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require a permit in advance for emergency repairs necessary for
the safety of the public or the restoration or continuance of public utility
service or other public service, but application for the permit and the fees
shall be submitted within five days after completion of the work, after which
time the remaining provisions of this section apply.
Any person, firm, corporation or utility who or which shall violate
any of the provisions of this article shall be subject upon conviction before
a District Justice to a fine of not more than $1,000 and the costs of prosecution
in accordance with the rules and regulations and ordinances of the Township
of Skippack.
