In review of any site plan, the approving authority,
all advisory boards and professional advisors shall be guided by the
general and specific requirements contained herein.
A. Circulation.
(1) The review of the site plan shall consider pedestrian
and vehicular traffic movement within and adjacent to the site, with
particular emphasis on parking areas, off-street loading and unloading,
movement of people, goods and vehicles from access roads, within the
site, and between buildings and vehicles.
(2) All parking spaces shall be usable and safely and
conveniently arranged. Access to the site from adjacent roads shall
be designed so as to interfere as little as possible with the traffic
flow on these roads and to provide vehicles with a rapid and safe
ingress and egress to the site.
B. Building design and layout. The design and layout
of buildings and parking areas shall be reviewed so as to provide
an aesthetically pleasing and efficient design and arrangements. Particular
arrangements shall be made for safety and fire protection, impact
upon surrounding areas and environmental and ecological considerations.
C. Lighting. Adequate lighting shall be provided to ensure
safe movement of persons and vehicles and for security purposes. Directional
lights shall be arranged so as to minimize glare and reflection on
adjacent properties.
D. Buffering; where required. Buffering, where required,
shall be located around the perimeter of the site to minimize headlights
of vehicles, noise, light from structures, movement of people and
vehicles and to shield activities from adjacent properties. Buffering
may consist of fencing, evergreens, shrubs, bushes, deciduous trees
or combinations thereof to achieve these objectives.
E. Landscaping. Landscaping shall be provided as part
of the overall site plan and designed and integrated into building
arrangements, topography, parking and buffering requirements. Landscaping
may include trees, bushes, shrubs, ground cover, perennials, annuals,
plants, sculpture, art, street furniture and the use of building and
paving materials.
F. Signs. Signs shall be designed so as to be aesthetically
pleasing, harmonious with other signs on the site and located so as
to achieve their purpose without constituting hazards to vehicles
or pedestrians.
G. Environmental considerations. Environmental elements,
relating to soil erosion and sedimentation, preservation of trees,
protection of watercourses and water quality, noise pollution, topographic
limiting areas, wetland areas and other environmental and ecological
factors, will be considered by the approving authority to minimize
adverse effects from development.
[Added 5-19-1986 by Ord. No. 1023]
A. No person shall remove any tree for the construction
or contemplated construction of any structure, driveway, recreation
area or other improvement until such time as site plan approval and
a building permit have been issued. As used herein and hereunder,
the term "tree" shall apply to trees having a caliber of six inches
or greater.
B. The landscape plan required to be submitted pursuant to §
236-31 shall identify each and every tree proposed to be removed, as same relate to the building or structure, foundation or dwelling, garage driveway or recreation area, as applicable. Such plan shall further indicate the species and condition of all trees presently on the premises, the condition of which shall be reviewed by the Shade Tree Commission, its designated member or the Zoning Officer prior to the granting of site plan approval and the issuance of a building permit.
C. Criteria governing removal of trees. No tree shall
be removed unless the applicant demonstrates that one of the following
conditions is present:
(1) That the tree proposed to be removed is diseased or
infested so as to result in a danger to other trees in the surrounding
area.
(2) The tree is dead or its continued presence would result
in hardship, endangering the public, the applicant or an adjoining
property owner.
(3) The tree is located in an area to be occupied by a
building or structure, garage driveway, recreational area or certain
other improvements.
(4) The tree is located in an area determined to have
a cut or fill of land deemed injurious or dangerous to such tree as
determined by the Shade Tree Commission, its designated member or
the Zoning Officer.
D. During the period of construction, no material, machinery
or temporary soil deposit shall be placed within six feet of any existing
tree trunk and a protective barrier four feet high around each tree
shall be erected during such time as construction occurs within the
proximity of each such tree.
E. Any person violating any of the provisions of this
section shall be required to replace any trees improperly or illegally
removed from the premises with such other trees, the number and character
of which shall be determined by the appropriate land use agency and
which shall approximate the value of such tree or trees illegally
removed. The foregoing shall not preclude the Borough or the appropriate
land use agency from seeking to impose such penalties as are established
by law including the revocation of site plan approval or the construction
permit, if applicable.
Provisions shall be made for the proper storage
and collection of refuse. All such storage shall be maintained within
the confines of an enclosed building or structure and shall be reasonably
accessible for vehicular collection on the site or shall be appropriately
screened and landscaped where outdoor storage is provided.
Retaining walls shall be designed to be safe
and adequate for the purpose intended. The walls shall not detract
from the aesthetic beauty of the site when constructed, and the approving
authority may require such retaining walls to be fenced or landscaped.