Township of Bethlehem, PA Article IV Sketch Plan

§ 230-26 Consultation prior to submission.

Prior to submission of a sketch plan, applicants for larger developments are encouraged to informally discuss their intent with the Zoning Officer, Township Administrator and/or Planning Commission.

§ 230-27 Sketch plan submission and drawing requirements.

A. Prior to the submission of a preliminary plan, applicants are very strongly encouraged to submit a sketch plan. A sketch plan review often allows an applicant to save substantial time and engineering costs, because many concerns about layout and issues concerning Township ordinances can be resolved prior to detailed engineering, thereby reducing the need for future redesign at a more detailed stage.

B. Sketch plans shall be subject to the review of the Township staff, the Township Engineer, the Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners; however, no official action shall be required on a sketch plan.

C. When submitted, sketch plans and the accompanying application shall be submitted to the Plans Administrator a minimum of 21 days prior to the Planning Commission meeting at which the applicant desires review.

D. Prints. When submitted, 15 print copies of the sketch plan shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of this article.

E. Drawing requirements. A sketch plan shall be drafted to scale and shall include the following:

(1) Approximate property boundaries (may be obtained from County Tax Map or similar sources).

(2) General directions of natural drainage, any creeks or large drainage channels, approximate areas of any slopes over 15% and any areas of woods.

(3) Proposed lot and street layout with approximate or average areas of lots and existing and proposed widths of street right-of-way and street cartways.

(4) Site data including:

(a) Acres of entire tract.

(b) Number of lots and dwelling units (and types of dwellings if other than single-family detached dwellings).

(c) Zoning district and minimum lot area and minimum tract area (if applicable).

(5) North arrow and graphic and written scale, and preliminary name of project (may be owner's name).

(6) Approximate proposed building locations (if known) and proposed types of uses (if nonresidential).

(7) A location map showing the general location of the project in relation to adjacent lots, streets and waterways (such as from the Township Zoning Map or USGS map, at scale no smaller than one inch equals 2,000 feet).

(8) Approximate location of any area within the one-hundred-year floodplain (from Federal Insurance Administration map).

(9) General provisions for stormwater management, and if any detention basins are proposed to be maintained by the Township or homeowners or homeowner associations.

(10) Whether the applicant proposes to dedicate common open space or fees-in-lieu of land and the proposed locations of any common open space and whether any open space is proposed to be maintained by the Township or a homeowner association.

(11) General information on the methods and feasibility of providing water and sewer service.

(12) Land uses of adjacent lots, and any zoning district boundaries in the area. Approximate locations of buildings within 200 feet of the project.

(13) Plans to a scale of one inch equals 100 feet or larger.

(14) Name and address of person responsible for the preparation of the plans, and the date of preparation and any revision.

(15) Approximate locations of possible wetlands.

F. JPC review. If a subdivision or land development would be expected to have regional impact, one copy of the sketch plan should be submitted to the Joint Planning Commission for an informal review.