[Adopted 6-22-1992 by Ord. No. 328]
A. 
Short title. This article shall be known and may be stated as the "Fire Cistern Ordinance of the Township of Exeter."
B. 
Purpose. These regulations are for the purpose of assuring the proper construction of new fire protection cisterns within the Township of Exeter, and to improve the development of water resources for fire protection throughout the Township, thereby creating conditions favorable to the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the citizens.
[Amended 8-13-2007 by Ord. No. 640]
A. 
General requirements.
(1) 
The owners and/or developers of all subdivisions containing five or more lots and/or land developments containing structures totaling 13,000 square feet in size, hereafter approved or constructed in the Township of Exeter, within which subdivisions or land developments there is no public water available, or the public water fails to meet the requirements of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for adequate fire protection, shall construct within such subdivisions or land developments fire protection cisterns in conformity with the provisions of this article and with Standard Drawing No. 101349 or approved equal.
(2) 
Any further resubdivisions resulting in a total of five or more lots, which include any lots from the original subdivision, or any further land developments resulting in a total of 13,000 square feet in size at the same location shall constitute cause for installation of a fire cistern(s).
(3) 
Said owners and/or developers shall include all such fire protection cisterns required as improvements covered by their improvements agreements for such subdivisions and/or land developments, providing the necessary security for the construction thereof. Upon the construction of such subdivisions and/or land developments the fire protection cisterns required shall be installed prior to the issuing by the Township of any building permits for other structures therein.
(4) 
Standard Drawing No. 101349 is hereto attached and made a part of the within article.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said drawing is included as an attachment to this chapter.
B. 
Cisterns shall be located no more than 1,000 feet fire truck travel distance from nearest lot line of the furthermost lot. In addition, cisterns shall be located at two-thousand-foot intervals, measured along streets or roadways. Each cistern shall be sited and located on the final subdivision or land development plans for approval by the Township.
C. 
In instances where adjoining existing subdivision or land development contains a fire protection cistern meeting the distance requirements outlined in Subsection B for the proposed subdivision and/or land development, the Township may waive the cistern requirement.
D. 
The design of the cistern shall be submitted to the Township for approval prior to construction. A minimum of two sets of design plans, sealed and signed by a registered professional engineer, shall be submitted.
E. 
All construction work done pursuant to the provisions of this article shall be observed and approved by the Township Engineer and Township Fire Marshal.
F. 
Lines and grades shall be approved on recorded plans of subdivisions and/or land developments or other such plans as may be approved by the Township Engineer. The cost for establishing such lines and grades shall be paid by the subdivider.
G. 
In the case that the Township Engineer finds that the ground condition and/or rock condition beneath a fire protection cistern area provides sufficient stability so that part or all of the subbase requirements may be waived, modified or charged and still comply with generally recognized, sound engineering principles, after appropriate tests have been taken, subbase requirements may be so waived, modified or changed by the Township Engineer.
H. 
In appropriate locations, the Township Fire Marshal may approve a pond with dry hydrant system in lieu of an underground fire cistern.
All trees, roots, stumps, down timber, rotten wood, rubbish and any other objectionable material shall be removed from the site, including the removal of any obstruction interfering with the proposed cistern construction, for the full right-of-way area, or as approved by the Township Engineer.
A. 
Subgrade shall be prepared to accommodate the placement of the cistern structure in conformity to the lines, grades and widths shown on the drawings and cross sections.
B. 
Subgrade shall be graded to the elevation and cross section required with suitable material, compacted to the required density.
C. 
In cases where the required density and stability cannot be obtained, the material in the area shall be excavated to a depth that when replaced and recompacted at a moisture content not exceeding optimum, the subgrade will have required stability.
D. 
The subgrade shall be properly prepared to receive the subbase.
E. 
The subdivider or land developer shall provide signs for "no parking" within 20 feet clear distance of structures contemplated hereunder.
F. 
During construction of the subdivision or land development, the developer shall maintain the fire protection cisterns. The Fire Department will take over the maintenance functions, except where development has a homeowners' association to operate and maintain the improvements therein.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 797]
Since cistern standard specifications of the Township from time to time may change, the Board of Supervisors of the Township reserves the right, as deemed necessary to assure proper new cistern construction, to amend and modify, by resolution of said Board, said cistern standard specifications. Public notice of such resolution shall be given and a written copy thereof shall be attached and become a part of the within article.
Notwithstanding anything hereinabove set forth, whenever the provisions of this article shall be inconsistent with Chapter 330, Subdivision and Land Development, of the Code of the Township of Exeter, and the provisions of said ordinance are more restrictive or contain more stringent requirements than set forth in the within article, the provisions of said Chapter 330, Subdivision and Land Development, shall prevail and be applicable.