A.
The standards and requirements outlined herein shall be considered
minimum standards and requirements for the promotion of the public
health, safety and general welfare.
B.
If any provision of this chapter is shown by the applicant to be
unreasonable and causes undue hardship if strictly applied to a proposed
subdivision or land development, the Township Supervisors may grant
a waiver of such provision to such applicant so that substantial justice
may be done and the public interest secured, provided that such waiver
will not have the effect of nullifying the intent and purpose of this
chapter.
C.
In granting waivers, the Township Supervisors may impose such conditions
as will, in its judgment, secure substantially the objectives of the
standards or requirements so waived.
A.
All portions of a property being subdivided shall be taken up in
lots, streets, public lands or other proposed uses so that remnants
and landlocked areas shall not be created.
B.
Reserve strips controlling access to lots, public rights-of-way,
public lands or adjacent private lands shall be prohibited unless
their control is definitely placed in the Township under conditions
approved by the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors may
request inclusion of reserve strips to control access to major highways
or prohibit industrial or commercial access to secondary streets.
C.
In general, lot lines shall follow Township boundary lines rather
than cross them.
D.
Where trees, groves, waterways, scenic points, historic facilities
or other community assets and landmarks are located within a proposed
subdivision or land development, every possible means to the fullest
extent shall be provided to preserve these features. All features
shall be included on every set of plans.
E.
Subdivisions and land developments shall be properly designed in
order to prevent the necessity for excessive cut or fill.
F.
Subdivisions and land developments shall be subject to conditions set forth in the Floodplain Management Ordinance [Chapter 131]. (This is a separate ordinance and shall be secured from the Township offices.)
A.
The arrangement, character, extent, grade and location of streets
shall conform to the Falls Township Street Plan and shall be considered
in their relation to existing and planned streets, to topographical
conditions, to public convenience and safety and in their appropriate
relation to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such streets.
B.
Proposed streets shall further conform to such Township, county and
state street and highway plans as have been prepared. When ambiguity
or conflict exists, the Supervisors shall determine which plans shall
apply.
C.
Where such is not in the Falls Township Street Plan, the arrangement
of streets in a subdivision or land development shall either provide
for the continuation of appropriate projection of existing streets
in surrounding areas or conform to a plan for the neighborhood approved
or adopted by the Board of Supervisors to meet a particular situation
where topographical or other conditions make continuance or conformance
to existing streets impractical.
D.
Secondary streets shall be so laid out so that their use by through
traffic will be discouraged.
E.
Where a subdivision or development abuts or contains an existing
or proposed major highway, the Board of Supervisors, with the advice
of the Planning Commission, may require either marginal access streets,
reverse frontage with screen planting along the rear property line
or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection
of properties, to afford separation of through and local traffic and
to reduce the number of access points on major highways.
F.
Streets that are extensions of or obviously in alignment with existing
streets shall bear the names of the existing streets in the Township
or within the post office address area. Street names shall not be
repeated or streets assigned names which may be confused with names
of existing streets, and all street names shall be subject to the
approval of the Board of Supervisors.
G.
Where the subdivision or development adjoins unsubdivided acreage,
the Supervisors may require stub streets to the boundary lines with
temporary easements for turnarounds.
H.
Whenever an applicant proposes to establish a street which is not
offered for dedication and not required to be offered for dedication,
he shall enter into an agreement with the Township binding himself,
his heirs and successors, to the requirement that such street shall
comply with the design standards for streets set forth in this chapter.
Said agreement shall be subject to the Township Solicitor's approval
and shall be recorded with and referenced on the subdivision plan.
Said agreement shall establish conditions under which the streets
may later be offered for dedication and stipulate among other things:
(1)
That the street shall be in good state of repair as certified by
the Township Engineer, or that the owners of the lots along it agree
to include with the offer of dedication sufficient money, as estimated
by the Township Engineer, to restore the street to conform to Township
specifications.
(2)
That an offer to dedicate the street shall be made only for the street
as a whole.
(3)
That the method of assessing repair costs shall be stipulated.
(4)
The agreement to offer the street for dedication by owners of 60%
of the lots shall be binding on owners of the remaining lots.
I.
The Township Supervisors will, when considering a preliminary major
subdivision or land development, in the interest of highway safety
and the safety of the area residents and in order to promote orderly
community development, require the owner/developer of any large commercial
complex, shopping centers, industrial parks or plants, housing projects,
apartment complexes, major educational or recreational facilities
and other significant traffic generators, to have prepared a traffic
impact study by a qualified traffic engineer with previous traffic
study experience and to meet with a representative of the Township
Engineer's office, the Township Traffic Engineer's office, and the
Pennsylvania Department of Highways to achieve a high level of design
from the standpoint of traffic. A traffic impact study is required
if one or more of the following criteria are met in the major subdivision
or land development:
(1)
Residential: 100 or more dwelling units.
(2)
Commercial: a commercial building or buildings consisting of 25,000
square feet or more of gross leasable floor space and all fast-food
restaurants.
(3)
Office: a development consisting of 25,000 square feet or more of
gross leasable floor space.
(4)
Industrial: a development consisting of 50,000 square feet or more
of gross leasable floor space.
(5)
Institutional:
(a)
Medical, public or educational: all developments of 25,000 square
feet or more of floor space.
(6)
When deemed appropriate by the Township, upon consideration of the
specific conditions of the proposal.
J.
Any applicant who encroaches within the legal right-of-way of a state
highway is required to obtain a highway occupancy permit from the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The applicant shall submit
the highway occupancy permit plans and application to the Township
for review and comment prior to submission of the application to the
Department of Transportation, and shall include the Township on all
correspondence with the Department of Transportation regarding the
application.
K.
Any applicant who encroaches within the legal right-of-way of a Township
road is required to obtain a road occupancy permit from the Township
Manager after approval by the Township Engineer.
L.
The Township Traffic Engineer shall review all design issues related
to streets, driveways, and off-street parking facilities. There may
be certain instances where the proposed design of a street, driveway,
or off-street parking facility will be more complicated than these
design standards adequately describe. In those instances the Township
Traffic Engineer and the Township Engineer shall together determine
if the proposed design is acceptable.
A.
Streets shall be constructed in accordance with the following requirements:
|
Minimum Requirements
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Street Classification
|
Classifica- tion Develop- ment
|
Right-of-Way
(feet)
|
Cartway1
(feet)
|
Curbs
|
Sidewalks2
|
Operating Speed
(mph)
|
Design Speed
(mph)
| |
|
Major Highways:
| ||||||||
|
Interstate and limited access
|
D
|
Varied3
|
Varied3
|
55
|
75
| |||
|
Principal arterial street
|
A, B, C, D
|
1003
|
483
|
Varied4
|
Yes
|
50
|
55
| |
|
Minor arterial street
|
A, B, C
|
80
|
403
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
45
|
50
| |
|
Collector street
|
A, B, C, D
|
60
|
36
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
40
|
45
| |
|
Secondary Streets:
| ||||||||
|
Local Street
|
A, B, C, D
|
50
|
32
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
35
|
40
| |
|
Limited residential street
|
B
|
50
|
26
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
25
|
30
| |
|
Marginal access street
|
A, B
|
50
|
265
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
25
|
30
| |
|
C
|
50
|
32
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
25
|
30
| ||
|
NOTES:
| |
|---|---|
|
1
|
Dimension of pavement width alone where no curbs are used, but
face to face where curbs are used.
|
|
2
|
Sidewalks shall be provided along both sides of all streets
unless the Board of Supervisors grants a waiver because they are unnecessary
for the public safety and convenience.
|
|
3
|
As determined by the Board of Supervisors with the advice of
the Township Engineer and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
where state roads are involved.
|
|
4
|
Curb required only where the Township Engineer determines that
they are essential for drainage purposes.
|
|
5
|
Marginal access streets that have driveways fronting on one
side only, the cartway may be reduced in width to 22 feet.
|
B.
Classification of subdivision or land development:
(1)
Residential: density up to 3.5 dwelling units per acre.
(2)
Residential: density over 3.5 dwelling units per acre.
(3)
Nonresidential representing districts: PIP, HI, MPM, RR, FM, HIA,
LI, CR, OIP and MOZ-1 (sidewalks not required in PIP, HI, MHC and
MPM Districts).
(4)
Nonresidential representing districts: HC, NC, and SC.
C.
Where a subdivision or land development abuts or contains an existing street of inadequate right-of-way width, a future right-of-way width shall be indicated on the plan, to conform to the standards under Subsection A. The Township shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive Falls Township Street Classification Map with the advice and consultation of the Falls Township Planning Commission.
A.
Horizontal alignment.
(1)
Horizontal curves shall be used when centerlines are deflected in
excess of 5°.
(2)
Minimum radii for horizontal curves shall be the minimum radius at
the centerline for curves which on principal arterial streets shall
be 960 feet, minor arterial streets shall be 760 feet, on collector
streets shall be 600 feet, on local streets shall be 450 feet, and
on limited residential streets shall be 250 feet. Proper superelevation
shall be provided for curves on arterial and collector streets. Superelevation
is a cartway where the paved surface is banked so that one side is
of a higher elevation than the opposite side.
(3)
Except for secondary streets, there shall be a tangent of at least
100 feet measured at the centerline between reverse curves. Secondary
streets shall have a tangent of at least 50 feet measured at the centerline
between reverse curves.
(4)
A long-radius curve shall be preferred in all cases to a series of
short curves and tangents.
B.
Vertical alignment. Vertical curves shall be used in changes of grade
exceeding 1% shall have a minimum K value of 30 and shall be designed
for maximum visibility. Intersections shall be approached on all sides
by leveling areas. Such leveling areas shall have a minimum length
of 50 feet measured from the edge of pavement of the traverse street,
within which no grade shall exceed a maximum of 4%.
C.
Stopping sight distance. Proper stopping sight distance should be
provided with respect to both horizontal and vertical alignment. Measured
along the centerline, this should be a minimum of 500 feet for principal
arterial streets, 435 feet for minor arterial streets, 360 feet for
collector streets, and 250 feet for all secondary streets.
A.
A minimum grade of 1/2% shall be established on all streets, except
that excessively flat grades through long vertical curves will not
be approved.
B.
Maximum grades of 5% shall generally apply. In exceptionally hilly
areas, a maximum grade of 6% on principal arterial streets, 7% on
minor arterial streets, 8% on collector streets, 9% on local streets,
and 10% on limited residential streets for a maximum distance of 1,500
feet will be permitted, subject to approval by the Township Engineer.
C.
A combination of minimum radius horizontal curves and maximum grades
will not be approved.
A.
Multiple intersections involving junction of more than two streets
shall be avoided.
B.
Streets shall be laid out to intersect as nearly as possible at right
angles. No street shall intersect another street at an angle of less
than 60°.
C.
Secondary streets shall not intersect on the same side of a major
highway at an interval of less than 800 feet between the nearest right-of-way
lines.
D.
Sight distances.
(1)
Proper clear sight triangles shall be maintained at all street intersections.
There shall be a clear sight line formed by a distance measured along
the centerline of the higher classified street, a distance perpendicular
to the said centerline measured along the centerline of the intersecting
street to a point 15 feet past the edge of the proposed cartway (or
curbline projected), and the line closing the triangle. There shall
be a total of two sight lines for each intersection (left and right).
The desirable sight distance along the centerline of the higher classified
street shall be as follows:
(a)
On a principal arterial street the distance shall be 700 feet.
(b)
On a minor arterial street the distance shall be 575 feet.
(c)
On a collector street the distance shall be 530 feet.
(d)
On a local street the distance shall be 435 feet.
(e)
On a limited residential street the distance shall be 300 feet.
(f)
For a commercial or industrial driveway intersecting a street
the distance shall be a minimum of 500 feet.
(g)
For a residential driveway the distance shall be 100 feet. (Ordinance 2000-7, Chapter 189, Driveway Ordinance.)
(h)
PennDOT roads shall have a sight distance in accordance with
PennDOT requirements.
(2)
These corner sight triangles shall be indicated on all plans of street
alignment. No existing or proposed structures or plantings, the highest
point of which is 3.5 feet above the road centerline, shall be permitted
in this area.
E.
Street curb intersections shall be rounded by a tangential arc with
a minimum radius of 20 feet for local and limited residential streets
and 30 feet for intersections which incorporate collector, principal
or minor arterial streets. Right-of-way intersections shall be rounded
by a tangential arc with a minimum radius of 11 feet for local or
marginal access streets, and a minimum radius of 12 feet for intersections
which incorporate collector or arterial streets. The right-of-way
intersection arc shall be parallel to the street curb arc.
F.
Local streets shall be so laid out that through traffic will be discouraged.
In general, the intersection interval of secondary streets entering
any existing or proposed streets from opposite directions shall be
located at not less than 125 feet from centerline to centerline of
the next nearest intersection point of the entering street from the
opposite side.
G.
The approaches to an intersection shall follow a straight course
for at least 50 feet from the future right-of-way line of the intersecting
street with a maximum grade of 4%.
H.
Intersections shall be approached from all sides by leveling areas.
Where the grade exceeds 7%, such leveling areas shall have a minimum
length of 50 feet measured from the edge of pavement of the transverse
street, within which no grade shall exceed 4%.
A.
Cul-de-sac streets permanently designed as such shall not exceed
in length the maximum length permitted for any block in accordance
with this chapter, except as waivers are permitted by the Board of
Supervisors upon request for a waiver presented by the applicant,
which request may be granted if it can be clearly shown that by reason
of unfavorable contours or irregular shape of the plot from which
the subdivision is being made, a normal street pattern cannot be established
or a hardship would be caused by not granting such a waiver.
B.
Cul-de-sac streets shall be secondary streets and conform to the provisions of § 191-31, except that any cul-de-sac permanently designed as such for residential use shall not exceed 500 feet in length. The minimum right-of-way shall be 50 feet and the minimum cartway shall be 26 feet. A cul-de-sac is a street that has no outlet and at the end of the roadway is a circle of a minimum required radius permitting vehicles to travel in a circular manner to the left reversing their direction with a continuous motion. The cul-de-sac is measured along the centerline from the center of the circle to the centerline of the nearest intersection with another street.
C.
A turnaround shall have a minimum right-of-way radius of 60 feet
and an outer paving radius of 40 feet.
(NOTE: Must also conform to Ord. No. 2000-7, Chapter 189, Driveways.)
A.
Driveways shall be located, designed and constructed as to provide a clear sight triangle with streets. For residential driveways, a triangle of clear sight shall be provided beginning at a point on the centerline of the driveway, 12 feet from the edge of the cartway of the street and a distance of 100 feet each way along the centerline of the street. Driveways in nonresidential zoning districts shall see § 191-34D for sight line distances. No existing or proposed structures or plantings, the highest point of which is 3.5 feet above the road centerline, shall be permitted in this area. A stopping area measured 20 feet behind the right-of-way line shall be provided, not to exceed a grade of 8%.
B.
Driveways, except in a Manufactured Home Community District, shall
be located not less than 40 feet from the nearest intersection corner
of corner lots and shall provide access to the street of lower classification
when a corner lot is bounded by streets of two different classifications
as herein defined, except that commercial and industrial developments
shall be prohibited from access to residential streets.
C.
Driveways in a Manufactured Home Community District shall be located
not less than 20 feet from the nearest intersection corner of corner
lots and shall provide access to the street of lower classification
when a corner lot is bounded by streets of two different classifications
as herein defined. Driveways in Manufactured Home Community District
shall be a minimum of 20 by 20 feet to provide for two-car, side-by-side
parking.
D.
All driveways, except for single-family dwellings, shall have curbs
meeting the specifications of the Falls Township Design Details and
Practices.[1] All driveways, except for jointly shared driveways in
a residential district, shall not be less than 12 feet from the property
line. Minimum design standards for the various types of development
shall be as follows:
|
Driveways
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Classification of Development
|
Minimum Width at Curb
(feet)
|
Minimum radius
(feet)
|
Maximum Grade
|
Maximum Change of Grade per 10 Feet
|
|
A
|
9
|
3
|
8%
|
10%
|
|
B
|
12 (one-way)
|
10
|
5%
|
7%
|
|
24 (two-way)
|
15
|
5%
|
7%
| |
|
C
|
12 (one-way)
|
20
|
5%
|
7%
|
|
24 (two-way)
|
25
|
5%
|
7%
| |
|
NOTES:
|
|---|
|
Classification of land development or subdivision:
|
|
A: Residential: density up to 3.5 dwelling units per acre.
|
|
B: Residential: density over 3.5 dwelling units per acre.
|
|
C: Nonresidential (sidewalks not required in PIP, HI, MHC and
MPM Districts).
|
B.
No less than 15 feet of open space shall be provided between the curbline of any uncovered parking area and the outside wall of a dwelling unit or any building other than a single-family dwelling. All driveways or parking spaces within vehicle parking facilities shall not be less than 12 feet from a property line, except common driveways associated with dwellings other than single-family detached dwellings, as defined in Chapter 209. Curbing, meeting the specifications of the Falls Township Design Details and Practices,[1] shall be installed for all parking facilities, except for single-family dwellings and driveway parking associated with other dwellings as defined in Chapter 209.
C.
Parking lot dimensions shall be no less than those listed in the
following table. Where the angle of parking is not the same on both
sides of the driveway, the larger driveway width shall prevail. Disabled
parking facilities shall meet the applicable regulations of the Americans
with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.) and the
Pennsylvania Universal Accessibility Act (71 P.S. § 1455.1
et seq.).
|
Parking
|
Driveway
| |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Angle of Parking
|
Stall Width
(feet)
|
Stall Depth
(feet)
|
One-Way
(feet)
|
Two-Way
(feet)
|
|
90°
|
9
|
18
|
22
|
25
|
|
60°
|
9
|
18
|
18
|
20
|
|
45°
|
9
|
18
|
16
|
20
|
|
30°
|
9
|
18
|
12
|
18
|
|
Parallel1
|
8
|
18
|
12
|
18
|
|
Handicap (car)
|
8 (minimum)2
|
18
|
22
|
25
|
|
Handicap (access aisle)
|
5 (minimum)2
|
18
|
22
|
25
|
|
Handicap (van)
|
8 (minimum)2
|
18
|
22
|
25
|
|
Handicap (van access)
|
8 (minimum)2
|
18
|
22
|
25
|
|
NOTES:
| |
|---|---|
|
1
|
Parallel parking shall be permitted only where the Supervisors
determine angled parking is not practical.
|
|
2
|
Preferred handicap stall width is nine feet; however, the minimum
requirements shall be those published in the latest revision of the
Americans with Disabilities Act. (See Falls Township Design Details
and Practices for minimum design requirements.)
|
D.
Parking lot areas shall be designed so that each motor vehicle may
proceed to and from the parking space provided for it without requiring
the moving of any other motor vehicle and to permit any vehicle to
enter and leave the area in a forward facing position.
E.
No less than a five-foot radius of curvature shall be permitted for
all curblines in parking areas.
F.
Except at entrance and exit drives, all parking areas shall be set
back from the future right-of-way line as provided in the Falls Township
Zoning Ordinance[2] or at least five feet, whichever is greater. The distance
between this required setback and the future right-of-way shall be
permanently maintained as a planting strip.
G.
The following is required for all off-street parking facilities except
for single-family dwellings:
(1)
No one row of parking spaces shall exceed 20 spaces. Curbed raised
planting beds shall be at intervals not to exceed 20 spaces with beds
offset on alternating sides of parking rows. Curbed planting islands
shall be located at each end of a parking row.
(2)
Curbed raised planting beds shall be planted with one shade tree per bed. The selection of trees shall be from the approved shade tree listing in § 191-48H.
(3)
Where necessary for vehicular directional control and where determined
necessary by the Board of Supervisors for pedestrian safety, a double-loaded
row of parking spaces shall include a ten-foot-wide curbed raised
planting strip. The planting strip shall have curbed raised planting
beds at the ends of the parking row. The planting strip shall include
a sidewalk, light standards and street trees. The location of the
trees and the light standards shall not interfere with each other.
(4)
All parking areas shall have at least one tree of 1 1/2 inch caliper minimum for every six parking spaces in single rows and one tree of 1 1/2 inch caliper minimum for every 12 parking spaces in double-loaded rows of parking spaces. Trees shall be planted in such a manner as to afford maximum protection from the sun for parked vehicles. The selection of trees shall be from the approved shade tree listing in § 191-48H.
I.
The depth and width of lots reserved or laid out for commercial and
industrial uses shall be adequate to provide for the off-street parking
generated by the use.
A.
All parking areas and walkways thereto and appurtenant passageways
and driveways serving apartments, townhouses or commercial, industrial
or other similar land development having common off-street parking
and/or loading areas, and building complexes requiring area lighting
shall be adequately illuminated.
B.
The lighting plan in and around the parking areas, private driveways
and walkways shall provide for nonglare lights focused downward. The
light intensity provided at ground level shall be a minimum of 0.3
footcandle anywhere in the area to be illuminated. Lighting shall
be provided by fixtures with a mounting height of not more than 25
feet or the height of the building.
C.
Any other outdoor lighting, such as building and sidewalk illumination,
driveways with no adjacent parking and ornamental lighting, shall
be shown on the lighting plan in sufficient detail to allow determination
of the effects to adjacent properties, traffic safety and overhead
sky glow.
D.
To achieve these requirements, the intensity of such light sources,
the light shielding and similar characteristics shall be subject to
approval by the Board of Supervisors upon receipt of the recommendations
of the Township Engineer.
E.
The objective of these specifications is to minimize undesirable
off-premises effects. No light shall shine directly into windows or
onto streets and driveways in such manner as to interfere with or
distract driver vision.
A.
The minimum width of all sidewalks within or along the street right-of-way
shall be five feet. There shall be a minimum three-foot planting strip
between the curb and sidewalk. Combination sidewalks and curbs are
not permitted in residential areas.
B.
The grades and paving of the sidewalk shall be continuous across
driveways except in nonresidential and high-density residential developments
and in certain other cases where heavy traffic volume dictates other
treatment.
C.
Sidewalks shall be laterally pitched at a slope not less than 1/8
inch per foot towards the street to provide for adequate surface drainage.
D.
At corners, pedestrian street crossing points, and other pedestrian
access points, sidewalks shall be extended to the curbline with an
adequate apron area for anticipated pedestrian traffic and handicapped
ramps. Handicapped facilities, including on-site sidewalks for subdivisions
and land developments, shall meet the applicable regulations of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.)
and the Pennsylvania Universal Accessibility Act (71 P.S. § 1455.1
et seq.) and shall be designed in accordance with the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation guidelines for handicap-accessible curb
ramps.
E.
Sidewalks shall not exceed a grade of 7%. Steps or a combination
of steps and ramps shall be utilized to maintain the maximum grades.
G.
Subdivisions and land developments having frontage on a street are
required to install sidewalks along the frontage. All new proposed
streets shall have sidewalks on both sides of these streets. Properties
within the PIP, HI, MHC, and MPM Zoning Districts are exempt from
this provision.
Refer to § 191-58.
All curbs shall be constructed in accordance with the Falls
Township Design Details and Practices.[1]
A.
The lengths, widths and shapes of blocks shall be determined with
regard to:
B.
In general, all blocks in a subdivision shall have a minimum length
of at least 500 feet and a maximum length of 1,600 feet.
C.
Whenever practicable, blocks shall be of such width as to provide
two tiers of lots of the minimum size permitted under the applicable
zoning classification, except in the case of lots along a major highway
where the lot fronts on a proposed street.
D.
Pedestrian rights-of-way and bicycle paths not less than 10 feet
wide and with paving not less than four feet wide shall be required
where deemed essential to provide circulation or access to schools,
playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation and other community
facilities. The right-of-way for these walks shall be offered for
dedication to the Township.
A.
The size, shape and orientation of lots shall be appropriate for
the location of the subdivision and for the type of development and
use contemplated.
C.
All lots shall abut on a street except for multifamily developments,
where lots may gain access through driveways. Lots where the front
and rear property lines abut streets shall be avoided except in the
case of reverse frontage along major highways.
D.
In general, side lot lines shall be at right angles or radial to
the street lines.
E.
The depth and width of lots reserved or laid out for commercial and
industrial uses shall be adequate to provide for the off-street parking
generated by the use.
F.
Lots excessively deep in relation to width or lots excessively irregular
in shape are to be avoided.
G.
House numbers shall be assigned in accordance with Township requirements.
B.
No excavation shall be made with a cut face steeper in slope than
one horizontal to one vertical, except under one or more of the following
conditions:
(1)
The excavation is located so that a line having a slope of one horizontal
to one vertical and passing through any portion of the cut face will
be entirely inside of the property lines of the property in which
the excavation was made.
(2)
The material in which the excavation is made is sufficiently stable
to sustain a slope of steeper than one horizontal to one vertical,
and a written statement of an engineer to that effect is submitted
to the Township Engineer and approved by him. The statement shall
state that the site has been inspected and that the deviation from
the slope specified above will not result in injury to persons or
damage to property.
(3)
A concrete or stone masonry wall constructed in accordance with minimum
engineering requirements is provided to support the face of the excavation.
The calculations supporting this design shall be submitted with the
signature and seal of the engineer who is responsible, and shall be
approved by the Township Engineer.
C.
No fill shall be made which creates any exposed surface steeper in
slope than 11/2 horizontal to one vertical, except under one or more
of the following conditions:
(1)
The fill is located so that settlement, sliding or erosion will not
result in damage to property, driveway or buildings.
(2)
A written statement from an engineer, certifying that he has inspected
the site and that the proposed deviation from the slope specified
above will not endanger any property or result in property damage,
is submitted to and approved by the Township Engineer.
(3)
A concrete or stone masonry wall constructed in accordance with minimum
engineering requirements is provided to support the face of the excavation.
The calculations supporting this design shall be submitted with the
signature and seal of the engineer who is responsible, and shall be
approved by the Township Engineer.
D.
The top or bottom edge of slopes shall be a minimum of five feet
from property lines in order to permit the normal rounding of the
edge without encroaching on the abutting property.
E.
All lawn areas shall be graded to have a minimum slope of 2% and shall be in accordance with Chapter 187, Stormwater Management.
F.
Spot elevations shall be shown at all critical points on the development
plan to ensure adequate drainage and grading.
G.
In order to provide more suitable sites for building and other uses,
improve surface drainage, and control erosion, the following requirements
shall be met:
(1)
All lots, tracts or parcels shall be graded to provide proper drainage
away from buildings and dispose of it without uncontrolled ponding.
All land within a development shall be graded to drain and manage
surface water without uncontrolled ponding, except as part of an on-site
stormwater management system (detention basin, etc.) for the site.
(2)
Concentration of surface water runoff shall be permitted only in
swales, watercourses, and retention or detention basins.
(3)
Grading shall in no case be done in such a way as to divert water
onto the property of another landowner.
(4)
During grading operations, necessary measures for dust control must
be exercised.
(5)
Grading equipment shall not be allowed to cross streams. Where applicable,
provisions shall be made for the installation of temporary culverts
or bridges with approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection.
A.
Easements with a minimum width of 20 feet shall be provided as necessary
for utilities and drainage. Ownership of easements shall remain with
the land upon which the easement is created.
B.
To the fullest extent possible, easements shall be centered on or
adjacent to lot lines.
C.
No permanent structure shall be permitted to be placed, planted,
set and put within the area of an easement. The area shall be kept
as lawn or ground cover.
D.
Where a subdivision or land development is traversed by waters of
the commonwealth, there shall be provided a drainage easement conforming
substantially with the line of such watercourse and of such width
as will be adequate to preserve natural drainage but not less than
20 feet or as may be required or directed by the Department of Environmental
Protection. The owner shall properly grade and seed slopes.
See Chapter 187.
Bridges and culverts shall be designed to meet current Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation standards to support expected loads and
to carry expected flows. They shall be constructed to the full width
of the cartway.
A.
Within any land development or subdivision, street trees shall be
planted along the sides of all streets where suitable street trees
do not exist. No owner, occupant or person having the possession or
control over any lot or parcel of real property shall permit or cause
to be planted any trees within the planting strip between the curb
and sidewalk.
B.
Street trees shall be planted at least 40 feet apart, or an equivalent
number shall be planted in an informal arrangement acceptable to the
Falls Township Board of Supervisors.
C.
Street trees shall be planted opposite to each other or alternating
as approved by the Board of Supervisors.
D.
At intersections, trees shall be located no closer than 30 feet from
the intersection of the street right-of-way lines nor within 15 feet
of a driveway entrance. In all cases trees shall be outside of the
clear sight triangle.
E.
Street trees and other required plants shall be of nursery stock
grown under climatic conditions comparable to those of Falls Township.
They shall be of symmetrical growth, free of insects, pests and disease,
suitable for street use and durable under the maintenance contemplated.
F.
The average trunk diameter measured at a height of six inches above
the finished grade level shall be a minimum of 2 1/2 inches.
H.
In buffer strips, between marginal access street cartways and major
highways and along the rear of reverse frontage lots, evergreen planting
shall be used to provide an adequate visual barrier. The plant material
used shall be of a minimum height of six feet at the time of planting
and shall be planted in a clustered arrangement in order to provide
an immediate effect and, when planted, be of such density that all
glare of automobile headlights is obscured throughout the full course
of the year. Deciduous and semideciduous shrubs may be used with evergreens
to provide an accent and color. The recommended evergreens for screening
purposes are listed in Appendix A to this chapter,[2] as approved by the Falls Township Shade Tree Commission.
[2]
Editor's Note: Said attachment is included as an attachment
to this chapter.
A.
Where a proposed park, playground, school or other public use is
located in whole or in part in a subdivision or land development,
the Board of Supervisors may require the dedication or reservation
of such area within the subdivision or land development in those cases
in which the Board of Supervisors deems such requirements to be reasonable.
B.
Where a proposed park, playground or other public use is indicated
on the proposed subdivision or land development plan, the Park and
Recreation Board shall review the plan and submit recommendations
to the Board of Supervisors.
D.
Where a proposed park, playground, school or other public use is
located in whole or in part on a plan for a proposed or existing development
within the Township, the Board of Supervisors may require the dedication
or reservation of such area before permitting any development or construction
of houses within the area included within the aforementioned plan.
A.
Developments shall in all respects conform to all applicable provisions
of the Falls Township Zoning Ordinance and the Floodplain Management
Ordinance, and manufactured home communities shall, in addition, conform
to all provisions of the Falls Township Manufactured Home Community
Ordinance.[1]
B.
Preliminary approval of the plan must be obtained for the entire
proposed development. Final approval may be obtained section by section,
but such development sections shall be specified on the preliminary
plan and must be numbered in the order that they are proposed for
development. Such order of development must be adhered to, and if
changes are required, plans must be refiled and reviewed and approved.
C.
Escrow procedures shall be completed in accordance with Section 509
of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
D.
Arrangement of buildings and facilities.
(1)
All of the elements of the plan shall be orderly and efficiently
organized in relation to topography, size and shape of the tract,
the character of the adjoining property and existing buildings proposed
to remain, and the type, size and internal organization of the buildings,
in order to produce a livable and economical land use pattern.
(2)
Arrangement of buildings and manufactured home lots shall be in favorable
relation to the natural topography, existing desirable trees, views
within and beyond the site and exposure to the sun and other buildings
on the site. Clustering of buildings into identifiable groupings separated
by well-organized open spaces and natural areas is strongly preferred
over a more uniform distribution of buildings over the tract.
E.
Access and circulation.
(1)
Access to the dwellings and circulation between buildings and other
important project facilities, such as clubhouse, swimming pool and
outdoor recreation, for vehicular and pedestrian traffic, shall be
comfortable and convenient for the occupants.
(2)
Access and circulation for fire-fighting equipment, furniture-moving
vans, fuel trucks, garbage collection, deliveries and snow removal
shall be planned for efficient operation and convenience.
F.
Yards. Yards shall assure adequate privacy, desirable outlook, adequate
natural light and ventilation, convenient access to and around the
dwellings and other essential uses.
G.
Grading.
(1)
Grading shall be designed for buildings, manufactured home lots,
lawns, paved areas and other facilities, to assure adequate surface
drainage, safe and convenient access to and around the buildings and
for the conservation of desirable existing vegetation and natural
ground forms.
(2)
Grading around buildings and manufactured home lots shall be designed
to be in order with natural topography and to minimize earthwork.
H.
Streets.
(1)
Streets shall be provided on the site where necessary to furnish
principal trafficways for convenient access to the living units and
other important facilities on the property.
I.
Driveways.
(1)
Driveways shall be provided on the site where necessary for convenient
access to the living units, garage compounds, parking areas, service
entrances of buildings (including manufactured homes), collection
of refuse and all other necessary services. Driveways shall enter
public streets at safe locations.
(2)
Driveways shall be planned for convenient circulation suitable for
traffic needs and safety.
J.
K.
Sidewalks.
(1)
Street sidewalks and on-site walks shall be provided for convenience
and safe access to all living units from streets, driveways, parking
areas or garages and for convenient circulation and access to all
project facilities.
(2)
Width, alignment and gradient of walks shall provide safety and convenience
for pedestrian traffic. Small jogs in the alignment shall be avoided
except to protect preexisting trees.
(3)
The alignment and gradient of walks shall be coordinated with the
grading plan to prevent the passage of concentrated surface water
on or across the walk and to prevent the pocketing of surface water
by walks.
L.
Refuse collection.
(1)
Outdoor collection stations shall be provided for garbage and trash
removal when individual collection is not made and indoor storage
is not provided. Bulk containers shall be provided using a formula
of one four-cubic-yard container for each 24 dwelling units or fraction
thereof. Labeled recycling containers shall also be provided.
(2)
Collection stations shall be located to avoid being offensive, shall
be convenient for both collectors and tenants and shall be screened
and landscaped.
M.
Natural area. The appeal and character of the site shall be preserved
and enhanced by retaining and protecting existing trees, streams,
lakes and ponds and other site features; and additional new plant
material shall be added for privacy, shade, beauty of buildings and
grounds and to screen out objectionable features.
O.
Fuel supply and storage. Liquid and gas fuel storage facilities and
connection devices to mobile homes shall be installed in such manner
as not to be subject to damage by vehicles or otherwise become a safety
or fire hazard.
B.
Subdividing of individual lots for commercial purposes shall be avoided
in favor of a comprehensive design of the land to be used for such
purposes.
C.
The subdivision of a portion of a tract for commercial purposes shall
be accompanied by a land development plan showing the intended development
of the entire tract.
D.
Additional width of streets adjacent to areas proposed for nonresidential
use may be required as deemed necessary by the Board of Supervisors
to assure the free flow of through traffic on abutting streets and
for vehicles entering or leaving the tract. For developments fronting
on an existing or proposed arterial or collector street, the Board
of Supervisors may require a marginal access street.
E.
When adjacent lots proposed for nonresidential uses front on a collector
or arterial street, the owners may be required to provide access between
adjacent lots.
F.
Adequate provisions shall be made for off-street loading and parking
consistent with the use(s) proposed.
Measures used to control erosion and reduce sedimentation shall,
at a minimum, meet the standards and specifications of the Bucks County
Conservation District and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection. The Township Engineer shall ensure compliance with the
appropriate specifications.
The purpose of this section is to protect the natural resources
of the environment by preserving floodplains, wetlands, lakes and
ponds, watercourses, steep slopes and woodlands. These regulations
apply to all zoning districts and all uses in the Township.
A.
Identification of lands with natural resources. The applicant for
a subdivision or land development shall identify all natural resources
on a lot when submitting an application for a subdivision or land
development. This inventory shall include the following resources:
floodplains, wetlands, lakes and ponds, watercourses, steep slopes,
woodlands and all soil types.
B.
Natural resource protection. The applicant shall incorporate the
following natural resource protection ratios in the subdivision or
land development. Each resource is defined and a resource protection
ratio is set for each resource. Site alterations, regrading, filling
or clearing of vegetation prior to approval of final plan is prohibited.
(2)
Wetlands.
(a)
Wetlands shall be those areas of lands defined as wetlands in
either the United States Army Corps of Engineers Technical Report
Y87-1, Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual; the United
States Environmental Protection Agency Wetlands Identification Delineation
Manual, Volume I, Rational Wetland Parameters and Overview of Jurisdictional
Approach, Volume II, Field Methodology, as most recently updated or
modified; or the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Wetlands Identification and Delineation, Chapter 105, Dam Safety and
Waterways Management Rules and Regulations, as most recently updated
or modified. Where a difference between the foregoing criteria exist,
the most restrictive criteria will be used in any particular case.
For the purposes of this definition and for its application to this
section, "most restrictive criteria" shall mean the criteria which
causes the preservation of the most extensive area of wetlands. Soils
which may be indicators of wetlands are Bo Bowmansville silt loam;
Ha Hatboro silt loam; Fa Fallsington; Do Doylestown; ToA Towhee; and
ToB Towhee Stony.
(b)
Wetlands shall not be altered, regraded, developed, filled,
piped, diverted or built upon except where required permits and approvals
have been obtained authorizing such activities from the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Resources and/or the United States Army
Corps of Engineers.
(3)
Steep slopes.
(a)
Areas where the natural grade of land is equal to or exceeds
15%.
(b)
Resource protection ratio for steep slopes:
[1]
Fifteen-to-twenty-five-percent slope: 70% shall
remain as resource-protected land. No more than 30% of the total of
all such areas shall be developed and/or regraded or stripped of vegetation.
[2]
Twenty-five percent or more slope: 85% shall remain
as resource-protected land. No more than 15% of the total of all such
areas shall be developed and/or regraded or stripped of vegetation.
(c)
Exemptions for steep slopes.
[1]
Areas of steep slope that are less than 3,000 square
feet shall be exempted from these standards.
[2]
Within the MPM Zoning District only, the lot or portion of a lot to be developed or used for marine port and terminal facilities, as permitted by § 209-30 of the Township Zoning Ordinance, may be exempted from the resource protection ratio for steep slopes in Subsection B(3)(b) above only if all the following conditions are met:
[a]
The area to be exempt from the steep slope resource
protection restrictions shall be limited to the area to be developed
and occupied by the marine port and terminal facility and shall not
extend to any other area of the lot or to other lots within the MPM
District.
[b]
The area to be exempt from the steep slope resource
protection restrictions shall in addition be limited to a strip of
land no greater than 100 feet in width along the Delaware River, which
shall be measured perpendicular from the water's edge of the Delaware
River and extending inland.
[c]
The development of marine port and terminal facilities
shall be subject to all requirements of the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection, the United States Army Corps of Engineers
and any other federal, state or county agencies with jurisdiction.
The exemption from Township regulations of steep slopes shall in no
way exempt the applicant from compliance with other agency requirements
or other Township regulations.
(4)
Woodlands.
(a)
Woodlands are 1/4 acre or more of wooded land where the largest
trees measure at least six inches in diameter at breast height (dbh)
or 4.5 feet from the ground. The woodland shall be measured from the
dripline of the outer trees. Woodlands are also a grove of trees forming
one canopy where 10 or more trees measure at least 10 inches in diameter
at breast height (dbh).
(b)
Resource protection ratio for woodlands.
[1]
Woodlands in environmentally sensitive areas. No
more than 20% of woodlands located in environmentally sensitive areas
shall be altered, regraded, cleared or built upon. Environmentally
sensitive areas shall include floodplains, floodplain soils, steep
slopes, wetlands, wetland margins and lake or pond shorelines.
[2]
Other wooded areas. No more than 50% of woodlands
which are not located in environmentally sensitive areas (as defined
above) shall be altered, regraded, cleared or built upon.
(c)
Tree protection zone. Prior to construction, the tree protection
zone shall be delineated by the following methods:
[1]
The tree protection zone that is delineated on
the site prior to construction shall conform to the approved plans.
[2]
All trees scheduled to remain shall be marked,
and where groups of trees exist, only the trees on the edge need to
be marked.
[3]
A forty-eight-inch-high barrier fence mounted on
steel posts, located eight feet on center, shall be placed along the
boundary of the tree protection zone. This fence shall be inspected
during construction and replaced or repaired before further construction
shall begin.
[4]
Trees being removed shall not be felled, pushed
or pulled into a tree protection zone or into trees that are to be
retained.
(d)
Mitigation. If a proposed development is in conformance with all applicable Township ordinances but would not result in preservation of woodlands as required by this section, then the developer shall have the option of compliance by performing mitigation. Mitigation shall consist of the replacement, on a one-to-one ratio, of the trees removed with replacement trees. Replacement trees shall meet the tree size requirements of § 191-48G and may be of any species included on the above list of approved trees in § 191-48H.
(5)
Lakes and ponds.
(a)
Such areas shall not be altered, regraded, filled, piped, diverted
or built upon.
(6)
Lakes and pond shorelines.
(a)
For the purpose of this chapter, lake and pond shorelines shall
be measured 100 feet from the spillway crest elevation or the average
high-water elevation over a period of a year. No more than 20% of
such areas shall be altered, regraded, filled or built upon.
(7)
Watercourses.
(a)
Such areas shall not be altered, regraded, filled, piped, diverted
or built upon except where design approval is obtained from Falls
Township and, if required, from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection.
(8)
Wetland margins.
(a)
No more than 20% of such areas shall be altered, regraded, filled,
or built upon. In addition, any Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection regulations under Chapter 105 concerning activities in
wetlands margins shall be met.
(b)
For the purposes of this chapter, the wetlands margin shall
extend 100 feet from the wetland boundary as established by a certified
soil scientist or by a jurisdictional determination by the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers.
C.
Site capacity calculations. The purpose of this subsection is to
determine the intensity of use to which a specific site may be put.
The following calculations shall be submitted and shown on the record
plan of all preliminary and final plans by the applicant for all subdivisions
and land developments.
(1)
(2)
Step II. Determine natural resources land to be protected and
percent of base site area in resource-protected land.
(a)
Determine land subject to natural resource protection. All applications
shall include maps showing the locations of the resources together
with the calculations on the following chart. In the event two or
more resources overlap, only the resource with the highest protection
ratio shall be used.
|
Site Capacity Calculation Table
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Natural Resource
|
Percent of Resource to be Protected
(II)
|
Total Natural Resource Land in Acres
(III)
|
Total Resource Protected Land
(II x III)
| |
|
Floodplain
|
100%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Wetlands
|
100%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Wetlands margin
|
80%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Lakes and ponds
|
100%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Lake and pond shorelines
|
80%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Watercourses
|
100%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Slopes:
| ||||
|
Steep slopes (15-25%)
|
70%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Steep slopes (greater than 25%)
|
85%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Woodlands:
| ||||
|
Environmentally sensitive areas
|
80%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Other wooded areas
|
50%
|
_____Acres
|
_____Acres
| |
|
Totals:
|
_____ Acres
|
_____ Acres
| ||
(3)
Step III. Determine how land with resource restrictions is to
be protected.
(a)
Lands with natural resource restrictions may be preserved as
open space in accordance with Township ordinances. Where a minimum
open space ratio is required in a zoning district, lands with natural
resource restrictions may be used to meet this open space requirement.
(b)
Lands with natural resource restrictions which are required
to be protected by this section may occupy required side or rear yards,
provided that there is a minimum rear yard with a depth of not less
than 25 feet and minimum side yards with a width of not less than
10 feet which are free of lands with natural resource restrictions.
Lands with natural resource restrictions in side or rear yards shall
be protected from disturbance by means of a deed restriction.
