No subdivision or land development of any lot, tract, or parcel of land shall be made and no public improvements or other improvements in connection therewith shall be laid out, opened, or dedicated for public use or travel or for the common use of occupants of buildings abutting thereon except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Where any provision of this chapter impose restrictions different from those imposed by any other ordinance, rule or regulation, or other provision of law, the most restrictive provision or that provision imposing the higher standards shall govern.
Changes or amendments of the zoning, subdivision, or other governing ordinances or plan shall affect the approval of applications for preliminary or final plan approval as provided in Section 508(4) of the MPC.[1]
A. 
Effect on pending applications. From the time an application for approval of a preliminary or final plat is duly filed as provided in this chapter, and while such application is pending approval or disapproval, no change or amendment of the zoning, subdivision or other governing ordinance or plan shall affect the decision on such application adversely to the applicant, and the applicant shall be entitled to a decision in accordance with the provisions of the governing ordinances or plans as they stood at the time the application was duly filed. In addition, when a preliminary application has been duly approved, the applicant shall be entitled to final approval in accordance with the terms of the approved preliminary application as hereinafter provided. However, if an application is properly and finally denied, any subsequent application shall be subject to the intervening change in governing regulations.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
Effect on other applications; vested rights.
(1) 
Five-year protection period. When an application for preliminary or final plat approval has been approved without conditions or approved by the applicant's acceptance of conditions, no subsequent change or amendment to the zoning, subdivision or other governing ordinance or plan shall be applied to adversely affect the right of the applicant to commence and complete any aspect of the approved development in accordance with the terms of such approval within five years of the date of such approval. The five-year period shall be extended for the duration of any litigation, including appeals, which prevents the commencement or completion of the development and for the duration of any sewer or utility moratorium or prohibition which was imposed subsequent to the filing of an application for preliminary approval of a plat. In the event of an appeal filed by any party from the approval or disapproval of a plat, the five-year period shall be extended by the total time from the date the appeal was filed until a final order in such matter has been entered and all appeals have been concluded and any period for filing appeals or requests for reconsideration has expired; provided, however, no extension shall be based upon any water or sewer moratorium which was in effect as of the date of the filing of a preliminary application.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(2) 
Calculation of five-year protection period. When approval of a final plat is preceded by approval of a preliminary plat, the five-year period shall be counted from the date of the preliminary plat approval. If there is any doubt as to the terms of a preliminary plat approval, the terms shall be construed in the light of the governing ordinances or plans as they stood at the time when the application for such approval was duly filed.
(3) 
Protections afforded. When the applicant has substantially completed the required improvements as depicted upon the final plan within the aforesaid five-year limit, or any extension thereof as may be granted by the Supervisors, no change to a Township ordinance or plan enacted subsequent to the date of filing of the preliminary plat shall modify or revoke any aspect of the approved final plat pertaining to zoning classification or density, lot, building, street or utility location.
(4) 
Protection periods for multiphase developments. In the case of a preliminary plat calling for the installation of improvements beyond the five-year period, a schedule shall be filed by the landowner, with the preliminary plat delineating all proposed sections as well as deadlines within which applications for final plat approval of each section are intended to be filed. Such schedule shall be updated annually by the applicant on or before the anniversary of the preliminary plat approval, until final plat approval of the final section has been granted, and any modification in the aforesaid schedule shall be subject to approval of the Board of Supervisors in its discretion. Each section in any residential subdivision or land development, except for the last section, shall contain a minimum of 25% of the total number of dwelling units as depicted on the preliminary plan, unless a lesser percentage is approved by the governing body in its discretion. Provided that the applicant has not defaulted with regard to or violated any of the conditions of the preliminary plat approval, including compliance with the applicant's aforesaid schedule of submission of final plats for the various sections, then the aforesaid protections afforded by substantially completing the improvements depicted upon the final plat within five years shall apply, and for any section or sections, beyond the initial section, in which the required improvements have not been substantially completed within said five-year period, the aforesaid protections shall apply for an additional term or terms of three years from the date of final plat approval for each section.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(5) 
Loss of protections. Failure of the applicant to adhere to the aforesaid schedule of submission of final plats for multiphase developments shall subject any such phase to any and all changes in zoning, subdivision, and other governing ordinances enacted by the Township after the date of the initial preliminary plat submission.[5]
[5]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10508(4).
A. 
Township fees. All Township fees for review of applications for subdivision and land development, for inspection of required improvements, and for other purposes in accordance with this chapter shall be assessed based on a specific fee schedule adopted by resolution of the Supervisors and reflecting actual costs of the Township. The review fees may include reasonable and necessary charges by the Township's professional consultants or engineer for review and report on the application. The applicable fees must be paid in accordance with this chapter.
B. 
Effect of disputed fees. The applicant shall notify the Township within 30 days of the billing date of any dispute of review fees charged. The Township shall not delay or disapprove a subdivision or land development application due to the applicant's request over disputed fees.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
C. 
Dispute resolution. If the Township and the applicant cannot agree on the amount of review fees which are reasonable and necessary, then the applicant and the Township shall follow the procedure for dispute resolution set forth in Section 510(g) of the MPC.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10510(g).
D. 
Form of payment. All fees due to the Township shall be paid by a check or money order payable to the Township of Chartiers. The Township, in its sole discretion, may request a certified check or cashier's check.
A. 
Compliance with state and federal laws. Applicants must comply with any other relevant state and federal codes and regulations in addition to this chapter. The approval of any subdivision or land development application does not waive the need to obtain other relevant land development permits or approvals.
B. 
Scope of approval. Approval of a plan by the Township shall not be construed as an indication that the plan complies with any standards, regulations, or requirements that are not contained in this chapter and imposed by private agreement or any local, state, or federal government agency; such approval indicates only that the plan complies with the requirements of this chapter.
C. 
Compliance with private restrictions, covenants, and agreements. The Township shall not enforce compliance with private restrictions, covenants, and agreements.
A. 
Enactment following public hearing and notice. The Supervisors may amend this chapter after holding a public hearing on the amendment pursuant to public notice.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
Planning agency review. The Supervisors shall submit proposed amendments to this chapter to the Planning Commission for recommendations at least 30 days prior to the date fixed for the public hearing on such proposed amendment, unless such proposed amendments shall have been prepared by the Planning Commission.
C. 
County Planning Commission review. The Township shall submit the proposed amendment to the County Planning Commission for recommendations at least 30 days before the date fixed for the public hearing on such proposed amendment.
D. 
Publication, advertisement and availability of ordinance.
(1) 
Notice of proposed enactment. Before enactment of an amendment, the Township Secretary or the Township Secretary's designated representative shall publish notice of proposed enactment of an amendment to this chapter. The notice of proposed enactment shall include the time and place of the meeting at which passage will be considered, a reference to a place within the Township where copies of the proposed amendment may be examined without charge or obtained for a charge not greater than the cost thereof.
(2) 
Publication of proposed amendment. The Township Secretary or the Township Secretary's designated representative shall publish the proposed amendment once in one newspaper of general circulation in the Township not more than 60 days nor less than seven days prior to passage. Publication of the proposed amendment shall include either the full text thereof or the title and a brief summary, prepared by the Township Solicitor and setting forth all the provisions in reasonable detail. If the full text is not included:[2]
(a) 
A copy thereof shall be supplied to a newspaper of general circulation in the Township at the time the public notice is published; and
(b) 
An attested copy of the proposed amendment shall be filed in the Washington County Law Library or other Washington County office designated by the Washington County Commissioners.
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(3) 
Substantial amendments to proposed amendments. In the event substantial amendments are made to the proposed amendment, before voting upon enactment, the Supervisors shall, at least 10 days before enactment, readvertise, in one newspaper of general circulation in the Township, a brief summary setting forth all the provisions in reasonable detail together with a summary of the amendments.
(4) 
Incorporation in ordinance books by reference. Subdivision and land development ordinance amendments may be incorporated into official ordinance books by reference with the same force and effect as if duly recorded therein.
E. 
File certified copy. Within 30 days after adoption, the Township Secretary or the Township Secretary's designated representative shall forward a certified copy of any amendment of the subdivision and land development ordinance to the County Planning Commission.