A.
The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of
all streets shall conform to the Official Map of Bethel Township as
adopted or amended, and shall be considered in their relation to existing
and planned streets, to topographical conditions, to public convenience
and safety, and in their appropriate relation to the proposed uses
of the land to be served by such streets.
B.
Where such is not shown in the Official Map, the arrangement of streets
in a subdivision shall either provide for the continuation or appropriate
projection of existing principal streets in surrounding areas; or
conform to a plan for the neighborhood approved or adopted by the
Board of Township Supervisors to meet a particular situation where
topographical or other conditions make continuance or conformance
to existing streets impracticable.
C.
Local streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic
will be discouraged.
D.
Dead-end streets (culs-de-sac), designed to be so permanently, shall
be provided at the closed end with a turnaround having an outside
cartway radius of at least 40 feet and a right-of-way-line radius
of at least 50 feet. Such streets shall be not longer than 600 feet,
measured from its intersecting center line to the center of the turnaround,
except where topographical or other conditions make this limitation
impracticable as determined by the Planning Commission and Board of
Supervisors.
E.
If the lots resulting from the original subdivision are large enough
to permit resubdivision, or if a portion of the tract is not subdivided,
suitable access and street openings for such an eventuality shall
be provided.
A.
Where a subdivision abuts or contains a present or proposed arterial
collector street, the Board of Township Supervisors shall require
reverse frontage with a screen planting contained in a nonaccess easement
along the rear property line, marginal access street or such other
treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential
properties and other abutting properties and to afford separation
of through and local traffic.
B.
Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited
except where control thereof is vested in the Township under conditions
approved by the Board of Township Supervisors. When the subdivision
adjoins unsubdivided acreage, new streets shall be provided through
to the boundary lines of the development with temporary easements
for turnaround.
A.
Street jogs with center line offsets of less than 150 feet shall
be avoided.
B.
Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible
at right angles, and no street shall intersect any other street at
less than 60°.
C.
Right-of-way lines at street intersections shall be rounded with
a radius of 25 feet or of a greater radius where the Board of Township
Supervisors may permit comparable cutoffs or chords in place of rounded
corners.
D.
To the fullest extent possible, intersections with major traffic
streets shall not be located less than 800 feet apart, measured from
center line to center line.
E.
Multiple intersections involving the junction of more than two streets
shall be avoided, and, where such avoidance is impossible, such intersections
shall be designed with extreme care for both vehicular and pedestrian
safety.
G.
Proper sight lines shall be maintained at all intersections of streets.
There shall be a clear sight triangle measuring 75 feet along the
intersecting street lines from the point of intersection indicated
on the plan, that is maintained free and clear of shrubs, structures,
signs and other visual obstructions.
H.
The intersection should be designed and graded to allow for proper
drainage.
A.
Street right-of-way, cartway widths and minimum building line setbacks shall be as shown in Chapter 480, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Bethel, except that they shall be not less than as follows:
[Amended 6-9-1987 by Ord. No. 98-A]
|
Street Types
|
Rights-of-Way
(feet)
|
Cartway
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Arterial
|
120
| ||
|
Collector
|
60
|
36
| |
|
Secondary-residential (minimum lot)
|
60
|
36
| |
|
Residential
|
50
|
27
| |
|
Rural-residential
|
50
|
24
|
B.
Additional rights-of-way and cartway widths than those specified
in this chapter or other resolutions may be required by the Board
of Township Supervisors in order to lessen traffic congestion, to
secure safety from fire, panic and other dangers, to facilitate the
adequate provision for transportation and other public requirements
or to promote the general welfare.
C.
Half streets shall be prohibited, except where essential to the reasonable
development of the subdivision in conformity with the other requirements
of this chapter. If circumstances render this impracticable, adequate
provision for the concurrent dedication of the remaining half of the
street shall be finished by the subdivider. Wherever a half street
is adjacent to a tract to be subdivided, the other half of the street
shall be platted within such tract.
A.
Except for secondary-residential streets, there shall be a tangent
of at least 100 feet measured at the center line between curves.
B.
The minimum radius at the center line for curves on collector streets
shall be 300 feet, and for secondary-residential and rural-residential
streets it shall be 150 feet. Proper superelevation shall be provided
for curves less than 600 feet in radius on collector streets.
A.
Street grades, wherever feasible, shall not exceed the following:
|
Street Type
|
Percent Grade*
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Arterial
|
6%
| |
|
Collector
|
6%
| |
|
Secondary-residential
|
10%
| |
|
Rural-residential
|
10%
|
|
NOTE:
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
*
|
Where unusual topographical, grading or other physical condition
makes these limitations impracticable, the allowable grades may be
increased by 2%.
| |
B.
Vertical curves shall be used at changes of grade exceeding 1% and
shall be designed in relation to the extent of grade change and to
provide the following minimum lengths of curves:
C.
Where the grade of any street at the approach to an intersection
exceeds 7%, a leveling area shall be provided having a minimum length
of 50 feet measured back from the street line within which no grade
shall exceed a maximum of 5%. Furthermore, the maximum grade within
an intersection shall not exceed 1%.
D.
No street grade shall be less than 0.5%.
E.
All streets except arterials shall be graded to the full width of
the right-of-way. Maximum side slopes within the right-of-way shall
not exceed 1 1/2 feet horizontal to one foot vertical and shall
be adequately stabilized with appropriate plant materials.
No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused
with the names of existing streets. Street names shall be subject
to the approval of the Board of Supervisors.
Private streets or lanes serving more than two single-family
dwellings shall be prohibited. A private street or lane shall lie
in a strip of land as part of the lot it serves. For one lot, the
lane shall not be less than 10 feet wide in cartway and 16 feet in
width of the land. For two lots, the lane shall be not less than 16
feet wide in cartway and 25 feet in width of land. In the case of
a lane serving two lots, the strip of land shall be part of one lot
in entirety, and the right of passage by easement shall be provided
as necessary to the other lot. The use and location of private streets
or lanes is subject to the approval of the Planning Commission and
Board of Supervisors.
A.
Alleys are prohibited in residential developments.
B.
Alleys shall be provided in commercial and industrial districts,
except that the Board of Township Supervisors may waive this requirement
where other definite and assured provision is made for service access,
such as off-street loading, unloading and parking consistent with
and adequate for the uses proposed.
C.
The width of an alley shall not be less than 25 feet.
D.
Alley intersections and sharp changes in alignment shall be avoided,
but, where necessary, corners shall be cut off sufficiently to permit
safe vehicular movement.
E.
Dead-end alleys shall be avoided where possible, but, if unavoidable,
shall be provided with adequate turnaround facilities at the dead
end, as determined by the Board of Township Supervisors.
A.
Easements across lots or centered on rear or side lot lines shall
be provided for utilities where necessary and shall be at least 10
feet wide.
B.
Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel
or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage
right-of-way conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourse,
and such further width or construction, or both, as will be adequate
for the purpose.
A.
The lengths, widths and shapes of blocks shall be determined with
due regard to:
B.
To the extent possible, block lengths shall not exceed 1,600 feet,
or be less than 500 feet.
C.
Residential blocks shall be of sufficient depth to accommodate two
tiers of lots, except where reverse frontage lots bordering a street
are used.
D.
Pedestrian crosswalks, with a minimum right-of-way of 12 feet and
a minimum pavement width of four feet, shall be required where deemed
essential to provide circulation, or access to schools, playgrounds,
shopping centers, transportation and other community facilities.
A.
The lot size, width, depth, slope and orientation, and the minimum
building setback lines, shall be appropriate for the location of the
subdivision and for the type of development and use contemplated.
B.
Lot dimensions shall conform to the requirements of Chapter 480, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of Bethel, as amended.
C.
Corner lots for residential use shall have extra width to permit
appropriate building setback from and orientation to both streets.
D.
The subdividing of the land shall be such as to provide, by means
of public street, each lot with satisfactory access to an existing
public street.
E.
Double frontage and reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except
where essential to provide separation of residential development from
traffic arteries or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography
and orientation. A visual buffer screen, in an easement of at least
10 feet in width, across which there shall be no right of access,
shall be provided along the line of lots abutting such a traffic artery
or other disadvantageous use.
F.
Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to
street lines.
G.
Generally, lot depths shall not be less than one nor more than three
times the average width.
B.
In the design of drainage facilities, special consideration shall
be given to problems which may arise from concentration of stormwater
runoff over adjacent properties.
C.
Storm sewers, as required, shall be placed in back of curb when located
in a street or right-of-way. When located in undedicated land, they
shall be placed within an easement not less than 20 feet wide, as
approved by the Township. Open ditches shall be limited in length
as required.
D.
In some cases, stormwater must travel in original stream beds or
in open channels. Concreted or rip-rapped channels shall be required.
Open channels, whether concreted or not, shall generally be straightened,
widened or otherwise adjusted to conform to hydraulic requirements.
E.
Storm sewers shall have a minimum diameter of 18 inches and a minimum
grade of 1/2%. Changes in alignment shall be by straight sections
connected by inlets or manholes.
F.
Where a storm sewer passes between houses, sufficient width shall
be allowed between houses to accommodate said sewer. The ground will
drain in the same direction as the sewer. No pockets or craters shall
be left in the road or on the ground.
G.
Manholes shall be not more than 300 feet apart on sizes up to 24
inches and not more than 450 feet apart on greater sizes. Inlets may
be substituted for manholes on approval by the Township.
H.
Inlets and manhole covers and frames shall conform to Township standards.
At street intersections, inlets shall be placed in the tangent and
not in the curved portion of the curbing. Inlets shall generally be
Pennsylvania standard combination special inlets. They shall be located
at intersection and, as needed, between intersections. Inlets shall
be required when the design flow in any gutter exceeds seven cubic
feet per second. They shall be designed to deliver a rainfall intensity
of two inches per hour with one-hundred-percent runoff. The upstream
end of the inlet shall be recessed by 10 inches, and shall be depressed
to show eight inches or more of curb face instead of six inches as
shown elsewhere. Inlets shall be so placed in an intersection that
rainwater shall not have to cross any road before entering.
I.
Bridges and culverts shall have ample waterway to carry expected
flows. Culverts shall be provided with wing walls and constructed
for the full width of the right-of-way. Bridges shall be provided
with a paved flow line and with deep aprons and wing walls at each
end. Bridges shall be constructed no narrower than the cartway of
the road they serve; and, in addition, sidewalks on one side on rural
streets and both sides on all other streets shall be required.
A.
Where a proposed park, playground, school or other public use shown
in the Official Map is located in whole or in part in a subdivision,
the Board of Township Supervisors may require the dedication or reservation
of such area within the subdivision in those cases in which the Board
deems such requirements to be reasonable.
B.
Where deemed essential by the Board of Township Supervisors, upon
consideration of the particular type of development proposed in the
subdivision and especially in large-scale planned unit developments,
the Board may require the dedication or reservation of such other
areas or sites of a character, extent and location suitable to the
needs created by such development for schools, parks and other neighborhood
purposes.
C.
The following standards shall apply to the provision of recreation
space:
(1)
Areas set aside for recreational purposes shall be reasonably compact
parcels, placed to serve all parts of the subdivision, accessible
from a public street and not excessively irregular in terrain.
(2)
Playgrounds for active sports shall be not less than 2 3/4 acres.
(3)
In subdivisions which provide or are intended to provide housing
facilities for more than 50 families, suitable open areas may be required
for recreation. Standards to be used by the Board of Township Supervisors
in testing the adequacy of space provided shall be as follows:
(4)
Public access shall be provided by at least one service access not
less than 25 feet wide and one walkway not less than 12 feet wide
in land with a cindered or paved walk not less than four feet wide.
[Added 1-12-2021 by Ord.
No. 232]
A.
Intent.
(1)
In reviewing a sketch plan, preliminary plan or preliminary/final
plan for a proposed subdivision or land development, other than a
two-lot residential subdivision or a plan developed pursuant to the
Township's R-3 Planned Residential Development zoning, the Township
Planning Commission shall consider the needs of the prospective residents
for recreational lands and/or facilities, whether on-site or off-site,
as well as the impact of the proposed development on existing Township
recreational facilities, and shall discuss its findings in relation
to the requirements of this section.
(2)
The Board of Supervisors, after recommendation by the Planning
Commission, shall determine whether to accept public dedication of
land for park or recreational purposes as intended by the applicant.
In making that determination, the Board shall determine whether the
proposed dedication of land is suitable to meet the increased demands
the proposed development places on Township park and recreational
facilities. Alternatively, upon agreement with the applicant or developer,
the Board of Supervisors may impose the construction of recreational
facilities, the payment of fees in lieu of setting aside such land,
the private reservation of the land, or a combination thereof, for
park or recreation purposes as a condition precedent to final plan
approval.
(3)
Where the Board of Supervisors determines that the preliminary
plan does not provide land and facilities meeting the criteria of
this section, the Board of Supervisors may accept a fee in lieu of
the required recreational lands and facilities, as set forth below.
(a)
The Board, in its sole discretion, may accept a combination
of land, facilities, and fee where that arrangement best meets the
purposes of this section and the needs of Township residents.
(b)
Where an applicant proposes a combination of land and/or facilities,
and fee, the applicant may request that in determining the partial
fee amount the Board give appropriate credit for the value of any
improvements within the open space that may be proposed, including
trails. The Board may give the applicant credit for some, all, or
none of such value.
B.
Amount of land required for recreational areas.
(1)
Each residential subdivision and/or land development which would
result in three or more total lots, excluding plans developed as planned
residential developments under the Township's R-3 zoning, shall set
aside 2,000 square feet of land for each residential dwelling unit
in the proposed development for park or recreational purposes. Commercial,
industrial or other nonresidential subdivision or land development
shall set aside 150 square feet per 275 square feet of gross floor
area in the tract proposed to be developed for park or recreational
purposes. Area within required buffers shall be excluded from any
calculation of park or recreational land under this subsection.
(2)
In designing lands for recreational purposes within the subdivision
or land development plan, the following criteria and standards shall
be adhered to by the applicant. Areas shall be:
(a)
Consistent with the Township's Comprehensive Plan and the Township's
Open Space Plan.
(b)
Suitable for recreational uses, unless deemed acceptable by
the Board for other purposes, and in any case without interfering
with adjacent dwelling units, parking, driveways, and roads or any
buffer areas.
(c)
Comprised of open land which contains none of the following
features: aboveground stormwater management facilities, floodplains,
woodlands, slopes exceeding 15%, wetlands, and surface waters.
(d)
Interconnected with an existing trail network, parkland or open
space areas on abutting parcels wherever possible.
(e)
Comprised of areas not less than 100 feet in width and not less
than 15,000 square feet of contiguous area, except that the minimum
width may be reduced to not less than 10 feet where that portion of
the open space is being used solely as a trail corridor.
(f)
Provided with sufficient perimeter parking when necessary, and
with safe and convenient access by adjoining street frontage or other
rights-of-way or easements capable of accommodating pedestrian, bicycle,
maintenance equipment, and other vehicular traffic, and containing
appropriate access improvements.
(g)
Undivided by any public or private streets, except where necessary
for proper traffic circulation, and then only upon recommendation
of the Township Engineer and Township Planning Commission.
(h)
Free of all structures, except those related to outdoor recreational
use.
(i)
Suitably landscaped, whether by retaining existing natural cover
and/or by a landscaping plan, for enhancing open space areas through
plantings which are consistent with the purposes of this section and
which minimize maintenance costs.
(j)
Where the land is not dedicated to the Township, the land shall
be made subject to the terms of a conservation easement for the purpose
of preserving the open space land for the purposes intended.
C.
Fee in lieu of park and/or recreational lands. If provision for lands
designated as park or recreational land areas on the same tract as
the development conforming to the above-referenced criteria is, in
the sole opinion of the Township Board of Supervisors, not feasible,
a fee shall be paid to the Township for the purpose of providing park
or recreational uses elsewhere in the municipality. The fee shall
be $100,000 per acre of land that the applicant would otherwise be
required to designate as recreational land area, prorated for any
portion of an acre. The fee may be adjusted by the Township from time
to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, provided that the
fee shall at all times bear a reasonable relationship to the use of
the park and recreational facilities by future inhabitants of the
development or subdivision.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The current fees are on file in the Township
offices.
A.
Land subject to flooding or other hazards to life, health or property
and land deemed to be topographically unsuitable shall not be platted
for residential occupancy or for such other uses as may increase danger
to health, life or property or aggravate erosion or flood hazard until
all such hazards have been eliminated or unless adequate safeguards
against such hazards are provided by the subdivision plans.
B.
Such land within the subdivision shall be set aside on the plat for
uses as shall not be endangered by periodic or occasional inundation
or shall not produce unsatisfactory living conditions.
C.
Where flooding is known to have occurred within an area shown on
the plat, such area shall be clearly marked "subject to periodic flooding"
and shall not be platted in streets and lots.
A.
Wherever possible, the subdivider shall preserve trees, groves, waterways,
scenic points, historic spots, and other community assets and landmarks.
B.
Subdivisions shall be laid out as to avoid the necessity for excessive
cut or fill.
C.
Topsoil shall not be stripped, covered or removed from the subdivision
site.
[Amended 6-13-1989 by Ord. No. 104]
A.
Electric, telephone, cable television and all other utility facilities
shall be installed underground by the subdivider unless, in the opinion
of the Board of Township Supervisors, special conditions require otherwise.
In such event installations shall be as directed by the Board.
B.
Where telephone, electric service lines and cable television lines
are placed underground, conduits or cables shall be placed within
easements or dedicated public ways in a manner which will not conflict
with other underground services. Further, all transformer boxes shall
be located so as not to be unsightly or hazardous to the public.
[Amended 6-13-1989 by Ord. No. 104]
The Board of Supervisors may require the subdivider to furnish
all necessary public utilities including conduit for cable television
in and to the proposed subdivision. Water supply and sewage disposal
must be furnished in accordance with the plan approved by the appropriate
state, county and Township officials.
A.
Each proposed dwelling unit in a subdivision shall be provided with
a paved off-street parking space located behind the building setback
line. Such off-street parking space may be provided as an individual
garage or carport, a parking compound or driveway adjacent to or near
the dwelling it serves. Such parking compound or driveway shall provide
a usable space of not less than 180 square feet of paved parking surface
exclusive of the space needed for access and maneuvering.
B.
Each driveway required by this section shall be not less than 10
feet wide and paved in an all-weather surface approved by the Board
of Supervisors.
C.
Each driveway required by this section shall have a center-line grade
of not more than 5% for a distance of 25 feet measured from the street
curb or gutter, and shall have a center-line grade of not more than
15% on the remainder of the driveway to provide for parking and access
during severely inclement weather.
D.
No driveway shall be located less than 40 feet from a street intersection.
