A. 
The design standards herein specified are minimum standards. When restrictive covenants or deed restrictions imposed by the developer are more restrictive, they shall govern.
B. 
Where the literal compliance with the standards specified is clearly impractical, a modification may be granted in accordance with the procedures and criteria specified in Article VII of this chapter.
C. 
Land susceptible to flooding, exceptionally high water table, unstable subsurface conditions, steep or unstable slopes, presence of high voltage or high pressure overhead or underground utilities, etc., shall not be approved for subdivision or development unless the hazards have been eliminated or unless the proposed plan shows safeguards adequate, in the opinion of the Township Engineer, to protect the proposed use of the land.
D. 
The subdivision or land development plan shall conform to the Township's Comprehensive Plan and Chapter 300, Zoning, and shall represent a logical extension of the municipal street, sewer and water networks, or, if extending across municipal boundaries, to these networks in the adjoining municipalities.
E. 
Design standards and criteria for the construction of all required improvements, as shown on any subdivision plat or land development plan given final approval, shall comply with the specifications of Appendix A, Butler Township Standard Details, attached to this chapter.[1]
[Added 12-21-2009 by Ord. No. 846]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Appendix A is included at the end of this chapter. Ordinance No. 846 provided that said Appendix may be amended from time to time by resolution of the Board of Commissioners.
A. 
Layout and continuity.
(1) 
The layout of streets in a subdivision or plan shall be logically related to topography in order to produce usable lots or areas for development, reasonable grades and preserve the amenities of the site.
(2) 
Local streets in a subdivision or plan shall be designed to discourage through traffic.
(3) 
Streets shall be extended to the boundaries of the subdivision or plan where such extension will connect to an existing or recorded street in an adjacent subdivision or plan or shall represent a logical connection into undeveloped adjacent land because of topography or shape of the adjacent land.
(4) 
Where a subdivision or plan abuts a major highway, the arrangement within the subdivision or plan shall be oriented away from the major highway, and the number of access points to the highway shall be kept to a minimum.
(5) 
Where a subdivision or plan abuts an already existing public road owned and maintained by Butler Township or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the right-of-way width of which is less than 50 feet, the applicant shall be requested to offer for public dedication, land abutting said right-of-way to provide a minimum aggregate right-of-way width of 50 feet or a maximum of 25 feet on each side, measured from the center line of the right-of-way. In the case of variable width rights-of-way where Pennsylvania Department of Transportation or Butler Township standards require greater right-of-way widths, additional land shall be requested for public dedication to provide continuity of design and safety to vehicular traffic.
[Amended 12-21-2009 by Ord. No. 846]
(6) 
Half streets or partial streets shall be prohibited, except that, where a proposed subdivision or plan abuts property along such a public street on the abutting property, the proposed subdivision or plan shall complete the street, and it shall be recorded in the plan. At least 25 feet of right-of-way width, measured from the center line of the public street, shall be provided on the property proposed for subdivision. The applicant shall be requested to offer, for public dedication, land abutting said right-of-way where the existing right-of-way width is less than 50 feet. A minimum width of 25 feet, measured from the right-of-way center line, on either side of right-of-way shall be requested from the applicant in order to provide continuity of design and safety to vehicular traffic.
[Amended 12-21-2009 by Ord. No. 846]
(7) 
Alleys shall not be permitted in residential developments, but may be provided in commercial or industrial developments where needed for loading, unloading or secondary access. Where authorized by the Township, alleys shall have a minimum right-of-way width of 30 feet and shall be paved with a minimum base which meets the standards of § 252-28 of this chapter for a Township street.
B. 
Street alignment.
(1) 
Street alignment and intersections. All streets and intersections shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of the latest edition of A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, issued by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
(2) 
Street grades.
(a) 
Center-line grades shall not exceed 12% over a distance not in excess of 300 feet, and all center-line grades over a distance in excess of 300 feet shall not exceed 10%.
(b) 
Minimum grades along center lines shall be not less than 1%.
(c) 
Vertical curves shall be installed on all street grade changes exceeding 1%.
(d) 
Center-line grades on culs-de-sac shall not exceed 6%.
(3) 
Street widths.
(a) 
Rights-of-way shall be at least 50 feet in width.
(b) 
All streets shall be curbed and the cartways of curbed streets shall be at least 24 feet in width.
(4) 
Culs-de-sac.
(a) 
Cul-de-sac streets shall not exceed 1,200 feet in length and shall be provided at the closed end with a circular turnaround having a paved area at least 80 feet in diameter within a right-of-way whose diameter is at least 100 feet.
(b) 
If a subdivision or plan is developed over several stages and roads are to be extended as development proceeds, cul-de-sac streets produced in one stage to be extended in a later stage shall be provided within the limits of the first phase of the plan or on the adjacent remnant parcel on which the next phase is proposed, provided that the right-of-way for the cul-de-sac is recorded with the approved phase of the plan and the construction of the cul-de-sac is guaranteed by the improvement bond posted for the approved phase. In the event that the street is extended in the future, the abandonment of the right-of-way for the cul-de-sac shall be subject to the concurrence of all owners in the recorded plan on which the right-of-way is recorded.
(5) 
Street names.
(a) 
Streets that are extensions of existing streets or are substantially in alignment with them shall bear the name of the existing street.
(b) 
Street names shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Commissioners and shall not duplicate names already in use within the same postal zip code zone.
(c) 
Street name signs shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of § 252-29 of this chapter.
(6) 
Private lanes.
(a) 
A private lane, as defined by this chapter, may be permitted only when such lane serves only one lot that has no other access to a public street, provided that the property from which the lot is subdivided has frontage on a public street.
(b) 
Such a lane shall not be subject to the standards of this chapter for construction of a public street, unless any lot or parcel it serves is proposed to be further subdivided into two or more lots with frontage on a private lane shall mandate construction of a public street in accordance with the requirements of this chapter for constructing a public street. The plan for recording shall contain a notation regarding this requirement to provide a public street if the property is resubdivided.
(c) 
No more than one private lane shall be permitted on any property legally existing prior to the adoption of this chapter.
(d) 
House numbers for dwellings located on private lanes shall be placed at the intersection of the private lane and the public street and shall be visible from the public street.
(e) 
The minimum width of the required right-of-way for a private lane shall be 15 feet, unless there is a possibility that the property fronting on the private lane can be further subdivided; then the minimum width of the required right-of-way for the private lane shall be 50 feet.
(f) 
The required width of the cartway shall be not less than 10 feet and shall have a mud-free, dust-free surface. The maximum permitted grade of a private lane shall be 12%.
(g) 
Approval of a private lane shall be subject to the execution and recording of an agreement between the adjoining property owners and the Township, where the Township is a third party beneficiary, to maintain the private lane and placement of a notation on the plan for recording indicating that the Township has no maintenance responsibilities for the private lane.
(h) 
The required side yard setback shall be provided from the right-of-way line for the private lane for all existing and proposed structures, as prescribed by Chapter 300, Zoning.
A. 
Public utilities.
(1) 
Where possible, utilities shall be placed within the street rights-of-way, but where that is not possible, they shall be placed, except to accommodate unusual sanitary or storm sewerage conditions, within easements centered on side or rear lot lines.
(2) 
Easements shall be not less than 10 feet in width and shall be aligned across blocks and across plans, but may be increased in width to meet the requirements of individual utilities using them.
(3) 
A minimum distance of 20 feet shall be maintained between any point of a residential building and the nearest petroleum products or natural gas transmission line.
B. 
Drainage. All subdivisions and plans shall comply with Chapter 242, Stormwater Management, of the Code of the Township of Butler.
[Amended 5-16-2011 by Ord. No. 855]
C. 
Dedications. Where sites for parks, schools, playgrounds or other public use areas are required for conformance with objectives of the Township's Comprehensive Plan within the subdivision plan, or open areas are proposed for dedication to the Township or a private association by the developer, such dedication shall be designated as "dedicated" or "reserved" on the final plat, together with the name of the agency responsible for their maintenance.
A. 
Every lot in a subdivision shall abut a public street, except for a single lot on a private lane authorized in accordance with § 252-23B(6) of this chapter.
B. 
Lots shall not be less in depth than their width nor greater in depth than 2 1/2 times their width, unless a modification to this requirement is granted because of unusual topographic, drainage or other special conditions in accordance with the procedures and criteria specified in Article VII of this chapter.
C. 
Side lines of lots shall be at right angles or radial to street lines as nearly as possible.
D. 
Corner lots shall be increased in width to allow a buildable area comparable to an interior lot.
E. 
Double-frontage lots shall be discouraged except where such lots abut a major highway along their rear line, in which case the rear building line of the lots shall be 75 feet from the major highway right-of-way line.
F. 
Minimum lot dimensions and areas shall not be less than those specified in Chapter 300, Zoning, for the zoning district containing the lot.
G. 
Within a subdivision or plan where public or community sewage disposal is not contemplated, soil percolation tests in accordance with procedures of the state regulatory agency shall be undertaken. Results of the tests shall be made available to the Planning Commission and shall be a determinant in deciding minimum lot size and/or density of development.
H. 
The arrangement within a subdivision or land development plan and areas set aside for community facilities and nonresidential uses shall be approved by the Planning Commission Board of Commissioners based on circulation, parking and location relative to the residential uses in the plan.
I. 
All land in a subdivision shall be platted for a specific purpose.
J. 
Lot lines within a subdivision shall be arranged to minimize the amount of drainage passing from one lot directly onto a neighboring lot. The Board of Commissioners may direct the developer to provide drainage easements or grade swales along lot lines to control drainage across lots.
K. 
Existing natural features, existing topography and significant trees shall be retained wherever possible, and clearance of ground cover shall be minimized to reduce erosion and maintain drainage patterns.