[Adopted 10-16-2006[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Art. IV, Driveways.
It is in the public interest to regulate:
A. 
The location and construction of utility facilities and other structures within the municipality's right-of way; and
B. 
The location, design, construction, maintenance and drainage of access driveways and private streets within the municipality's right-of-way, for the purpose of ensuring the structural integrity of the street, economy of maintenance, preservation of proper drainage, and the safe and convenient passage of traffic.
For application to this article, the following terms and phrases shall be defined as indicated.
ACCESS DRIVE
A means, other than a street, which provides vehicular access from a street or public road to a lot or property, i.e., a driveway or private right-of-way.
CLEAR SIGHT TRIANGLE
The area of unobstructed vision at street or driveway intersections defined by lines of sight between points at a given distance from the intersection of the street and/or driveway center lines.
DRIVEWAY
A minor vehicular right-of-way providing access between a public or private street and a parking area or garage within a lot or property.
MUNICIPALITY
The Township of Mahoning, Montour County, Pennsylvania.
STREET, PRIVATE
All streets not dedicated, accepted, or maintained as public streets.
STREET, PUBLIC
All streets open to public use and maintained by, or dedicated to and accepted by, Mahoning Township, the county, the state or the federal government.
A. 
No work shall be performed within the right-of-way of any public road or street of the municipality involving the placing or repair of utility facilities or other structures, opening of the surface for any purpose, laying out or constructing driveways or roads or any other means of ingress or egress, or altering of drainage without first obtaining a permit from the municipality.
B. 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a permit in advance for emergency repairs necessary for the safety of the public or restoration of service, but application for such permit and the fees shall be submitted as herein prescribed within five days after the commencement of the work. (See also § 207-25 below.)
The application for a permit shall be on a form prescribed by the municipality and shall be submitted in triplicate to the municipality's designated representative. The application for a permit shall be accompanied by three copies of a plan detailing the location and pertinent dimensions of the opening, the proposed installation and related street features (width of traveled roadway, right-of-way lines, distance to the nearest intersecting street and, for driveways, distance to side property lot lines).
The application for a permit shall be accompanied by the appropriate fee provided for in the Schedule of Fees set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for Highway Occupancy Permits and Restoration Charges. Such fee shall cover the cost of processing the application and the first inspection of the work. Fees for additional inspections will be based on the cost of making the inspection.
A. 
Drainage control.
(1) 
No increase in the flow of water onto the roadway or right-of-way or onto the property of some other person will be permitted without a drainage control plan.
(2) 
If an increase of runoff as described in Subsection A(1) above will occur, appropriate releases shall be obtained from the owners of land receiving the increased runoff and shall be submitted to the municipality with the application. The drainage release shall be notarized and recorded in the Office of the Montour County Recorder of Deeds.
B. 
Work standards. All work shall be done in such a manner as shall be consistent with the safety of the public. Where traffic control is necessary, it shall be accomplished in accordance with the appropriate standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulating work site traffic control if in effect at the time the work is performed.
C. 
Damage to public facilities. The permittee shall restore all pavement and shoulders to the former condition at the expense of the permittee and shall be responsible for repairing any failure of such facilities within two years of completion of the work. If the permittee fails to comply with this section, the municipality shall complete the necessary repairs and collect the costs as per § 207-28 of this article.
D. 
Indemnification. The permittee shall fully indemnity and save harmless and defend the municipality, its agents and employees of and from all liability for damage or injury occurring to any person(s) or property through or in consequence of any act or omission of any constructor, agent, servant, employee or person engaged or employed in, about or upon the work, by, at the instance, or with the approval or consent of the permittee; from any failure of the permittee or any such person to comply with the permit or this article; and for a period of two years after completion of the permitted work, from the failure of the highway in the immediate area of the work performed under the permit where there is no similar failure of the highway beyond the area adjacent to the area of the permitted work.
All driveways and access drives shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the standards set forth in the Mahoning Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[1] and the provisions of this article.
A. 
Driveway and access drive locations.
(1) 
All driveways and access drives shall be located where street alignment and profiles are favorable and should avoid sharp curves and steep grades where possible. In addition, all such driveways and access drives shall be designed, constructed and maintained so as not to interfere with the design, maintenance and drainage of the street or road being intersected. (See Subsection F below for pipe installation requirements.)
(2) 
Driveways shall be permitted only at locations with adequate sight distance and which will not create a traffic hazard. Locations of private streets shall conform to the standards of the Mahoning Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and Table 1 of this article.[2]
B. 
Points of intersection along lot frontage. Driveways or access drives for residential development shall be limited to one point of intersection along the lot's frontage, and access for nonresidential development shall be limited to two drives or intersections. Where, however, a residential lot's frontage exceeds 100 feet in width or a nonresidential lot's frontage exceeds 300 feet in width or exceptional circumstances exist, the Township Roadmaster or other municipally designated representative may authorize additional access intersections.
C. 
Proximity to other driveways, property lines, etc.
(1) 
No residential driveway shall be closer than 12 feet to any other driveway nor closer than five feet to a side property line, unless the two adjoining property owners mutually agree to a common driveway. In such an instance, a written agreement shall be prepared by the property owners and submitted to the Township Supervisors for review and approval. A copy of the approved agreement shall be recorded in the Office of the County Recorder of Deeds, and a receipt verifying such recording shall be submitted to the municipality's designated representative prior to the issuance of a driveway permit.
(2) 
Driveways or access drives shall also not intersect a street right-of-way within five feet of a catch basin or drainage inlet, nor within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
D. 
Curb radii requirements. The curb radii for driveway intersections for single-family residential uses shall be no less than 10 feet and no less than 15 feet for multifamily or nonresidential uses.
E. 
Clear sight triangle requirements. Clear sight triangles shall be provided at all street and driveway intersections. No significant obstructions or plantings measuring higher than 36 inches or hanging lower than nine feet above road grade shall be permitted within this area. The area required for such clear sight triangles shall be as provided below and shall be measured from the point of intersection of the street and driveway center lines. (Sight distance shall be measured at a height of 3 1/2 feet above road surface.)
(1) 
For the intersection of a driveway and a local street, the minimum distance between center lines shall be 50 feet;
(2) 
The minimum distance between center lines shall be 75 feet for the intersection of a driveway and a collector street; and
(3) 
Where a driveway is proposed to intersect a state route or arterial highway, the minimum distance between center lines shall be 100 feet or as may be required otherwise by PennDOT.
(See the Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance[3] for street definitions and Appendix A in the same chapter for a functional use classification of all streets in the municipality.)
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 211, Subdivision and Land Development.
F. 
Driveway pipes.
(1) 
The permittee shall cause to be installed a pipe, which shall be at least 18 inches in diameter along the edge of the Township roadway and underneath the entire section of the private driveway which intersects the Township road. The Roadmaster of the municipality or other municipally designated representative shall have the discretion to modify the type or diameter of pipe to be installed in the event of unique circumstances such as physical characteristics of the land, roadway or private driveway which would necessitate a modification.
(2) 
All pipes installed pursuant to this article along a Township roadway shall be maintained by the property owner of the private driveway in such a manner that the ends of as well as the pipes shall be kept free and clear of debris and/or material which would impede the flow of water through said pipes.
G. 
All driveways and access drives installed within the Township shall be properly tied into the Township streets or roads by either milling or sawcutting. Overlaid or "scabbed-in" tie-in joints are not permitted.
H. 
Driveway and access drive guidelines. In addition to the requirements set forth above, the Driveway and Access Drive Guidelines contained in Table 1 of this article shall be utilized to the greatest extent possible in the design and construction of such facilities. Where, however, the slope of a site at its road frontage exceeds 12%, driveway designs for the site shall be reviewed by the Township Engineer before a permit is issued.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 211, Subdivision and Land Development.
Upon completion of the work authorized by the permit, the municipality through its designated representative shall cause the work to be inspected and, when necessary, enforce compliance with the conditions prescribed by the permit and this article. If the permittee shall fail to rectify any defect within 60 days of written notice from the municipality to do so, the municipality may cause the work to be performed and impose upon the permittee the cost thereof together with an additional 20% of such cost to offset administrative costs.
Any person, fine, corporation, or utility which shall violate any provision of this article shall be subject, upon conviction before a court of competent jurisdiction, to pay a fine of not more than $300 and cost of prosecution and, in default of the payment of such fines and costs, to imprisonment in the County Jail for not more than five days. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.