Borough of Edgeworth, PA General Performance Standards

Study requirements.

Inventory. The study shall examine the Borough's street and highway network and make a preliminary determination as to the streets and intersections likely to be affected by the proposed development. For purposes of this finding, the expected addition of as many as 20 vehicles per hour traveling in any direction along the affected street or approach to an intersection during either the a.m. or p.m. peak hour shall be deemed to be a significant effect. For these significantly affected streets and roadways, an inventory of pavement widths and conditions, travel speeds, traffic flow composition, twenty-four-hour traffic flows along the streets and a.m. and p.m. peak street traffic hour period (two hours each) turning movement counts at the intersections shall be obtained. The physical inventory data shall include locations and lengths of restricted sight distances, restricted lateral clearances, traffic and parking regulatory controls and pertinent observations concerning traffic operating conditions. Traffic flow data shall be adjusted to represent the expected flow on an average annual day through application of appropriate PennDOT adjustment factors.

The most current available three-year history of accidents as filed with the police department shall be obtained for each affected intersection. Collision diagrams shall be prepared for any high accident location (five or more per year) along the affected street system.

Traffic flow analyses.

For each study intersection, a level-of-service capacity study, using the techniques for signalized or unsignalized intersections as described in the current edition of the Transportation Research Board's Highway Capacity Manual shall be completed. For these purposes, intersections shall be treated as if they are signalized with an optimum timing plan.

Any section of the affected street system which is carrying 300 or more vehicles per hour on a two-lane section, also shall be subjected to the appropriate capacity study.

(c)

The presentation of the findings of these studies shall include findings on what improvements, if any, are indicated as being needed under existing conditions, and their relationship to the improvements and priorities described in Edgeworth Borough's Zoning and Subdivision and Land Development regulations. These findings shall include an examination of the volume and accident warrants for signalization in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, as they may apply to any of the unsignalized study intersections which have need for immediate signalization.

(4)

Trip generation.

The expected number of trips to be generated by the proposed development shall be estimated for the a.m. and p.m. peak hours and for a twenty-four-hour period by use of the appropriate trip generation factors in the current edition of Trip Generation, published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. The expected numbers of vehicles to be generated to and from the site may be adjusted downward by the estimated proportion of passersby in the existing flow which will be intercepted by the new development. This adjustment shall be reasonable and, wherever possible, based on actual survey results.

In similar fashion, for complex multiuse sites, the number of off-site movements may be adjusted downward by estimating the synergistic absorption of movements between different generators on-site. Again, this adjustment shall be reasonable and defendable.

(5)

Trip distribution.

The expected distribution of the generated movements throughout the defined study area shall be estimated for the a.m. and p.m. peak hours and for a twenty-four-hour period. This distribution shall be based on the best available information as to the likely movement directions to and from the site. The directional distribution and magnitudes of existing traffic flows may be employed for this purpose as well as origin and destination data for the area which can be obtained from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC).

The distributed flows shall be added to the existing volumes and turning movements for the a.m. and p.m. peak hour and for a twenty-four-hour period. These shall then be the estimated flows which are expected to prevail upon completion of the development.

(6)

Staged development.

For projects which will take several years to complete, the projected overall development plan shall be presented, and specific portions for which permits are sought shall be sufficiently detailed to make the above-described studies. The timetable for completion of each section for which permits are sought shall be specified and the study shall be broken into phases in accordance with this schedule.

The trips for the first section shall be added to the existing flows for a current year estimate and the trips for subsequent sections shall be added to the estimated volumes expected on the street system for each appropriate year plus the generated trips added for each prior section. It is to be noted that this procedure covers only those sections for which permits are being sought and does not constitute any obligation or assurance concerning future sections of the development on the part of Edgeworth Borough or the developer.

(7)

Adjustment of study area. If the above studies shall disclose that there are parts of the street system or intersection approaches beyond those originally examined which will be affected in either peak hour or to the extent of 20 or more added vehicles, the study area shall be extended and necessary inventory data gathered to incorporate them into the study process. Conversely, if any are found to fall below that threshold, they may be dropped from further consideration.

(8)

Impact analyses.

For each established study location, appropriate level-of-service capacity studies shall be made to ascertain the expected impact on the traffic flow. If the expected level of service is "D" or less, appropriate corrective measures shall be identified and described. If the prescribed corrective measures are already identified in the Edgeworth Borough Zoning or Subdivision and Land Development regulations, that fact shall be noted. If the expected level of service has changed from "D" to "E" or "F" as a result of the added traffic, that fact shall also be noted.

For each identified high hazard location, and for each study intersection with five or more accidents per year, and studies shall be presented of the extent to which these may be due to existing physical or control conditions and the extent to which the added traffic may exacerbate the condition. Appropriate corrective measures, along with their relationship to the minimum levels of service established by Edgeworth Borough, shall be identified and described.

(c)

If the developer desires to volunteer to undertake any of the identified corrective measures at his cost in the interest of timely completion in respect to his project, they should be identified in the impact report.

(9)

Site access.

The location and design details of all proposed site access points shall be presented along with estimates of expected peak-hour entrance and exit flows and turning movements. Sight distances along the access streets at the access points shall be stated and any proposed modifications or controls of the access street which the developer proposed to build or install shall be described. An analysis of the expected level of hazard which may exist at the access points when in operation shall be presented.

In the case of multistage, multiyear projects, the overall development project shall identify the anticipated final access point layout, but only those access points being provided to handle the development traffic for those sections which permits are requested, need be subjected to this detailed analysis.

(10)

Study presentation. Six copies of the completed traffic study shall be submitted at the time applications for approvals are filed. The professional person(s) responsible for the content of the report shall be available to present and defend the report at subsequent technical review meetings and formal hearings.

§ 130-40 Environmental standards.

The developer shall determine the presence of environmental or natural features on the site and shall meet the following standards of environmental protection. Site alterations, regrading, filling or clearing of vegetation prior to approval of the plans for development shall be a violation of this chapter.

Forest. No more than 50% of any forest may be cleared or developed. The remaining 50% shall be maintained as permanent open space.

Ponds, watercourses or wetlands. These areas shall be left as permanent open space. No development, filling, piping or diverting shall be permitted except for required roads.

Stormwater drainage and management. Stormwater drainage and management plans shall be developed for each subdivision or land development plan at both the preliminary and final plan submittal stage, and for each individual lot for which improvements are proposed, in accordance with the following:

Where additional impervious surface coverage will result from the installation of improvements to any lot, tract or parcel, whether occurring singularly or as a consolidation of lots, stormwater shall be managed to discharge the postdevelopment rate of runoff at 90% of the predevelopment rate.

On-lot stormwater management facility design and construction shall be consistent with the applicable provisions of Chapter 107, Stormwater Management, § 113-25 of the Borough's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and Chapter 113, Appendix A, Best Management Practices.

Soil erosion and sedimentation. All developments shall protect streams and ponds from sedimentation damage and control erosion in accordance with the Clean Streams Law, P.L. 1987, Chapter 102,[1] and the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Manual, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, May 1, 1981, and in accordance with § 113-30 of Chapter 113, Subdivision and Land Development, as amended. In addition, all commercial or industrial developments of any size shall submit a soil erosion and sedimentation plan as part of the required final land development submittals.

[1]

Editor's Note: See 35 P.S. § 691.1 et seq.

§ 130-41 Bufferyards.

Bufferyards are required for any mobile home park, hospital or commercial use which adjoins any lot on the perimeter of a residential zoning district, and where otherwise specified.

The bufferyard shall be measured from the district boundary line or from the nearest street line where a street serves as the district boundary line.

The bufferyard may be coterminous with required front, side or rear yards, and, in case of conflict, the larger yard requirements shall apply.

In all bufferyards, the twenty-foot width or other specified width, shall be maintained and kept clean of all debris, rubbish, weeds and tall grass.

No structure, manufacturing or processing activity or storage of materials shall be permitted in the bufferyard.

All bufferyards, except as provided in Subsection F herein, shall include a dense screen planting of trees, shrubs or other plan materials, or both, along the full length of the lot line to serve as a barrier to visibility, airborne particles and glare. Such screen planting shall be in accordance with the following requirements:

Plant materials used in the screen planting shall be at least three feet high when planted and be of such species as will produce a dense visual screen at least eight feet high within five growing seasons.

The screen planting shall be maintained permanently, and any plant material which does not live shall be replaced within one year.

The screen planting shall be so placed that at maturity it will not overhang any street or property line.

(4)

In accordance with the provisions of § 130-32, a clear sight triangle shall be maintained at all street intersections and at all points where private accessways intersect public streets.

(5)

The screen planting shall be broken only at points of vehicular or pedestrian access.

The screen planting shall be required along streets which form district boundary lines, provided that:

No outdoor processing or manufacturing activity and no outdoor storage of materials shall be so located as to be visible from the adjacent residential district.

Only the front of any proposed building shall be visible from the adjacent residential district.

Special planting shall be required in any bufferyard located in the C-2 District in the event that the lot in the C-2 District is contiguous to a lot in a residential district, even where the boundary between the two districts is formed by a highway or street. This special planting shall be in harmony with the planting established in adjacent bufferyards and shall conform the following criteria:

The bufferyard shall be curbed on each of its sides.

Trees shall be planted in the bufferyard no more than 60 feet apart, and such trees shall be at least 3 1/2 inches DBH at the time of planting.

The species of tree to be planted in the bufferyard shall be pin oak or other species acceptable to the Planning Commission.

Prior to the issuance of any zoning permit, complete plans showing the arrangement of all bufferyards, the placement, species and size of all plant materials and the placement, size, materials and type of all fences to be erected in such bufferyards, shall be reviewed by the Zoning Officer to ascertain that the plans are in conformance with the terms of this chapter.

Size of bufferyards. The minimum bufferyard for any commercial district, mobile home park and hospital site, when abutting a residential district, shall be 50 feet.

§ 130-42 Odor.

No use shall emit odorous gases or other odorous matter in such quantities as to be offensive at any point on or beyond its lot lines. The guide for determining such quantities of offensive odors shall be the 50% response level of Table I, Odor Thresholds in Air, Research on Chemical Odors: Part I - Odor Thresholds for 53 Commercial Chemicals, October 1968, Manufacturing Chemists Association, Inc., Washington, D.C.

§ 130-43 Storage and waste disposal.

No highly flammable, explosive or toxic liquids, solids or gases shall be stored in bulk above ground, except the following:

Tanks or drums of fuel connected directly with energy devices or heating appliances located and operated on the same lot as the tanks or drums of fuel.

Tanks or drums for storage of less than 300 gallons of fuel oil (other than that used for home heating) or gasoline, provided that such tanks are located no closer than 25 feet to any building or lot line or 50 feet to any street line.

All outdoor storage facilities for fuel, raw materials and products and all fuel, raw materials and products stored outdoors shall be enclosed by an approved safety fence.

No materials or wastes shall be deposited upon a lot in such form or manner that they may be transported off the lot by natural causes or forces, nor shall any substance which can contaminate wells, watercourses, or potable water supplies otherwise render such wells, watercourses or potable water supplies undesirable as sources of water supply or recreation, nor shall any substance which will destroy aquatic life be allowed to enter any wells, watercourses or potable water supplies. Any such use shall also be in compliance with applicable federal, state, county and Borough laws and regulations.

Any materials or waste which might cause fumes or dust or which constitute a fire hazard or which may be edible or otherwise attractive to rodents or insects shall be stored outdoors only if enclosed in containers adequate to eliminate such hazards.

All nonconforming storage and water disposal uses must be brought into conformity with this section within three years of the adoption of this chapter.

§ 130-44 Smoke.

No emission at any point from any chimney or otherwise of visible smoke in excess of that permitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, airshed regulations, shall be permitted.

§ 130-45 Dust, fumes, vapors and gases.

The emission of dust, dirt, fly, ash, fumes, vapors or gases which can cause any damage to human health, to animals, to vegetation or to property or which can cause any soiling or staining of persons or property at any point beyond the lot line of the use creating the emission is hereby prohibited. Any such use shall also be in compliance with applicable federal, state, county and Borough laws and regulations.

§ 130-46 Glare.

No use shall produce a strong, dazzling light or a reflection of a strong, dazzling light beyond its lot lines or onto any public road. Spillover lighting shall not exceed two footcandles per square foot beyond the property line.

§ 130-47 Vibration.

No use whether temporary or permanent, shall cause earth vibrations or concussions detectable beyond its lot lines without the aid of instruments, including vibration produced as a result of temporary construction or soil compaction activity.

§ 130-48 Discharge or emissions.

No discharge at any point into any private sewage disposal system or stream or into the ground of any materials in such a way or in such nature or of such temperature as can contaminate any water supply or otherwise cause the emission of dangerous or objectionable elements or the accumulation of solid wastes conducive to the breeding of rodents or insects is permitted.

§ 130-49 Heat, cold, dampness or movement of air.

No activities producing heat, cold, dampness or movement of air are permitted which shall produce any material effect on the temperature, motion or humidity of the atmosphere at the lot line or beyond.

§ 130-50 Noise.

No new use proposed in any district which, by the nature of its use, operation or activity, produces noise of objectionable character or volume as noted by a person at the property line of the parcel upon which the offending use is located will be permitted.

Residential uses:

[Amended 10-20-2015 by Ord. No. 541]

In excess of 60 dba for any period of time between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

In excess of 80 dba for any period of time between the hours of 7:01 a.m. and 9:59 p.m.