Plans are required for all subdivisions or land
developments in accordance with the procedures, plan requirements,
and design standards set forth in those regulations.
[Amended 1-21-1992 by Ord. No. 295]
For the purpose of having a subdivision or land development reviewed and approved by the Board of Supervisors, the applicant shall file with the Township Manager the respective plans and applications in accordance with Article IV.
[Amended 1-21-1992 by Ord. No. 295]
Changes in this chapter shall affect plats as
follows:
A.
From the time an application for approval of a plat,
whether preliminary or final, is duly filed as provided in this chapter,
and while such application is pending approval or disapproval, no
change or amendment of this chapter, zoning 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 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.
B.
When an application for approval of a plat, whether
preliminary or final, has been approved without conditions or approved
by the applicant's acceptance of conditions, no subsequent change
or amendment in this chapter, zoning or other governing ordinance
or plan shall be applied to affect adversely the right of the applicant
to commence and to complete any aspect of the approved development
in accordance with the terms of such approval within five years from
such approval.
C.
Where final approval is preceded by preliminary approval,
the aforesaid five-year period shall be counted from the date of the
preliminary approval. In the case of any doubt as to the terms of
a preliminary approval, the terms shall be construed in the light
of the provisions of this chapter or the governing ordinance or plans
as they stood at the time when the application for such approval was
duly filed.
D.
Where the landowner has substantially completed the
required improvements as depicted upon the final plat within the aforesaid
five-year limit, or any extension thereof as may be granted by the
Board of Supervisors, no change of any 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.
E.
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.
F.
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 Board of Supervisors
in its discretion. Provided that the landowner has not defaulted with
regard to or violated any of the conditions of the preliminary plat
approval, including compliance with landowner'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.
G.
Failure of landowner to adhere to the aforesaid schedule
of submission of final plats for the various sections shall subject
any such section to any and all changes in this chapter, zoning, and
other governing ordinance enacted by the Township of Upper Southampton
subsequent to the date of the initial preliminary plan submission.
[Amended 1-21-1992 by Ord. No. 295]
The following are exempt or partially exempt
from the provisions of this chapter:
A.
The conversion of an existing single-family detached
dwelling or single-family semidetached dwelling into not more than
three residential units, unless such units are intended to be a condominium.
B.
The addition of an accessory building, including farm
buildings, on a lot or lots subordinate to an existing principal building.
C.
The addition or conversion of buildings or rides within
the confines of an enterprise which would be considered an amusement
park. For the purposes of this subsection, an "amusement park" is
defined as a tract or area used principally as a location for permanent
amusement structures or rides. This exclusion shall not apply to newly
acquired acreage by an amusement park until initial plans for the
expanded area have been approved by proper authorities.
[Amended 1-21-1992 by Ord. No. 295]
A tentative sketch plan may be submitted by
the applicant as a basis for informal discussion with the Planning
Commission. Data furnished in the tentative sketch plan shall include
the following information:
A.
Name of the subdivision or land development.
B.
Name and address of the owner.
C.
Name and address of the engineer, surveyor, or architect.
D.
Tract boundaries.
E.
North point and date.
F.
Location map.
G.
Streets on and adjacent to the tract.
H.
Significant topographical and physical features.
I.
Proposed general street layout.
J.
Proposed general lot layout or building layout.
[Amended 6-20-1989 by Ord. No. 268]
The preliminary plan shall show or be accompanied
by the following information:
A.
Drafting standards.
(1)
The plan shall be drawn at a scale of one inch equals
50 feet or one inch equals 100 feet or other standard engineering
scale that provides greater detail.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
(2)
Dimensions shall be set in feet and decimal parts
thereof, and bearings in degrees, minutes and seconds.
(3)
Each sheet shall be numbered and shall show its relationship
to the total number of sheets.
(4)
Where any revision is made, or when the plan is a
revision of a previously approved plan, dotted lines shall be used
to show features or locations to be abandoned and solid lines to show
the proposed features.
(5)
The plan shall be so prepared and bear an adequate
legend to indicate clearly which features are existing and which are
proposed.
(6)
The boundary line of the subdivision or land development
shall be shown as a solid heavy line.
(7)
Preliminary plans shall be on standard engineering
size sheets and prepared in a form that meets the requirements of
the Recorder of Deeds.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
B.
Information to be shown (general).
(1)
Name of the subdivision or land development.
(2)
Name and address of the owner.
(3)
Name and address of the engineer, surveyor, or architect
responsible for the plan.
(4)
Present zoning classification.
(5)
Date, North point and scale.
(6)
A location map for the purpose of locating the site
to be subdivided or developed at a scale of not less than 800 feet
to the inch showing the relation of the tract of adjoining property
and to all streets, roads and municipal boundaries existing within
1,000 feet of any part of the property proposed to be subdivided or
developed.
C.
Existing features.
(1)
Complete outline survey of the property to be subdivided
or developed, showing all courses, distances, and area, and tie-ins
to all adjacent street intersections.
(2)
The location, names, and widths of streets, the location
and name of railroads, the location of property lines and names of
adjacent owners, the location of watercourses, sanitary sewers, storm
drains, and similar features within 400 feet of any part of the land
to be subdivided or developed, unless the Township Engineer determines
a lesser distance is satisfactory.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
(3)
Location of all existing monuments with references
to them.
(4)
Location, size, and ownership of all underground utilities,
and any rights-of-way or easements within the property.
(5)
Appropriate contours at two-foot intervals with sufficient
details to show the course, structure, and capacity of all drainage
facilities, and the method of drainage of the adjacent or contiguous
properties shall be exact elevations above U.S. Coast and Geodetic
datum.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
(6)
Location, character of existing buildings, species
and size of large trees standing alone, the outline of all wooded
areas quarries, marshy areas, areas subject to inundation, and other
data which may serve to affect the street or building layout.
(7)
The location of existing woodlands.
(8)
The location of all trees to be saved, including their
trunk and dripline locations. Driplines should be plotted accurately,
to scale. When groups of trees are to be saved only the locations
of the trees on the perimeter must be shown.
(9)
The tree protection zone shall be included on the
plan.
(10)
The location of proposed retaining walls around
trees shall be shown.
(11)
Construction details of all retaining walls
shall be provided, including special soil and fill mediums where applicable.
Any grade changes which would alter surface and/or subsurface water
movement either to or from the tree protection zone must also be indicated.
D.
Proposed layout.
(1)
The layout of streets, including name and width of
streets, alleys, and crosswalks.
(2)
The layout and approximate dimensions of lots.
(3)
The arrangement of buildings and parking areas in
commercial and multifamily developments.
(4)
Applicable zoning requirements and the location of
zoning district boundary lines affecting the subdivision.
(5)
A reference to any land dedicated for public use,
or offered for dedication for parks, recreation areas, schools, widening
of streets or other public uses.
(6)
For multifamily developments, the total area, total
dwelling units, number of buildings, proposed density, total parking
spaces, building coverage and the bedroom ratio shall be noted on
the plan.
(7)
For subdivisions, the total area, number of lots,
average and minimum lot size, and proposed length of new streets shall
be noted on the plan.
(8)
Location and size of storm drains, sanitary sewers,
culverts, watercourses, wells, springs and other bodies of water and
all appurtenances thereof, on-site sewage disposal facilities, gas
mains, water mains, fire hydrants, streetlights, planting, special
structures, and other underground conduits or structures.
(9)
A plan for the surface drainage of the tract to be
subdivided. A plan to control erosion during the construction period
may be required. This plan will receive approval of the Board of Supervisors
if it has been prepared by the Bucks County Soil and Water Conservation
District and reviewed by the Township Planning Commission.
(10)
Building setback lines, established by zoning
or other ordinances, or deed restrictions with distances from the
proposed right-of-way line.
(11)
An indication of any lots on which other than
a residential use is intended.
(12)
Rights-of-way and/or easements proposed to be
created for all drainage purposes, utilities, or other pertinent reasons.
(13)
Typical cross sections and center-line profiles
for each proposed street shown on the preliminary plan. These plans
may be submitted as separate sheets.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
(14)
A plan or proposed planting showing the locations
for street trees, the landscape treatment, reverse-frontage lots,
and any required buffer strips.
(15)
Where the preliminary plan covers only a part
of the owner's entire holding, a sketch shall be submitted of the
prospective street layout for the remainder.
(16)
The words "Preliminary Plan - Not to be Recorded"
shall be shown on the plan.
(17)
Clearly indicate on plan the boundary of the
various soil types and identification key as indicated in the Bucks
County Soil Survey Report, as required by the Zoning Ordinance. A
description of each soil type, the limitations of the soils for on-site
sewage disposal shall be included when applicable.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
(18)
Information relating to water supply, bodies
of water, sewage or sewage disposal systems on adjacent properties.
(19)
Direction and distance of the nearest sewage
treatment plant and information as to its future accessibility in
terms of time, finances, and load capacity.
The minor subdivision plan shall show or be
accompanied by the following information:
A.
Drafting standards.
(1)
The plan shall be drawn at a scale of one inch equals
50 feet or one inch equals 100 feet or other standard engineering
scale that provides greater detail.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
(2)
Dimensions shall be in feet and decimal parts thereof,
and bearings in degrees, minutes and seconds.
(3)
Preliminary plans shall be on standard engineering
size sheets and prepared in a form that meets the requirements of
the Recorder of Deeds.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
B.
Information to be shown (general).
(1)
Name of the subdivision.
(2)
Name and address of the owner.
(3)
Name and address of the engineer or surveyor responsible
for the plan.
(4)
Zoning classification and requirements.
(5)
Date, North point and scale.
(6)
A location map for the purpose of locating the site
at a scale of not less than 800 feet to the inch.
C.
Existing features.
(1)
Complete outline survey of the property to be subdivided,
showing all courses, distances, area, and tie-ins to all adjacent
street intersections.
(2)
The location, names and widths of streets; the location
of property lines and names of adjacent owners; the location of watercourses,
sanitary sewers, storm drains, easements or rights-of-way, and similar
features.
(3)
The location and character of existing buildings,
wooded areas, and other features.
In addition to all requirements of a preliminary plan as specified in § 160-84, the final plan shall show or be accompanied by the following information:
B.
Proposed layout.
(1)
Lot layout, including dimensions and bearings and
consecutive numbering of lots.
(2)
The proposed names, cartway width, and right-of-way
width of all proposed streets.
(3)
The arrangement of buildings and parking areas in
commercial and multifamily developments with all necessary dimensions
noted on the plan.
(4)
Sufficient data to determine readily the location,
bearing and length of every street, lot and boundary line.
(5)
The proposed building setback for each street, or
the proposed location of each building.
(6)
Accurate locations of all monuments: one to be placed
at each change in direction of boundary; two to be placed at each
street intersection; and one on one side of each street at angle points
and at the beginning and end of curves. Utility easements shall be
monumented at their beginning and at their end, and areas to be conveyed
for public use shall be fully monumented at their external boundaries.
(7)
The location, width, and purpose of all easements
or rights-of-way and boundaries by bearings and dimensions.
(8)
For multifamily developments, the total area, total
dwelling units, number of buildings, proposed density, total parking
spaces, building coverage, and the bedroom ratio shall be noted on
the plan.
(9)
For subdivisions, the total area, number of lots,
average and minimum lot size, and proposed length of new streets shall
be noted on the plan.
(10)
The location of all existing and proposed fire
hydrants and utilities.
(11)
Certification of water and sewer facilities
as from the Municipal Authority.
(12)
All lots shall have a number for each house
or lot as assigned by the Township.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
(13)
The area for each proposed lot shall be included
on the plan.
C.
Improvement construction plan (drainage and construction).
(1)
The plan shall be drawn at a scale of one inch equals
50 feet or one inch equals 100 feet or other standard engineering
scale that provides greater detail.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
(2)
Horizontal plan (streets) shall show details of the
horizontal layout, including:
(a)
Center line with bearings, distances, curve
data and stations corresponding to the profile.
(b)
Right-of-way and curblines with radii at intersections.
(c)
Beginning and end of proposed construction.
(d)
Tie-ins by courses and distances to intersections
of all public roads, with their names and widths.
(e)
Location of all monuments with reference to
them.
(f)
Property lines and ownership of abutting properties.
(g)
Location and size of all drainage structures,
public utilities, and street name signs.
(h)
Location of sidewalks.
(3)
Profile (streets):
(a)
Profile of existing ground surface along center
line of street.
(b)
Proposed center-line grade with percent of tangents
and elevations at fifty-foot intervals, grade intersection and either
end of curb radii.
(c)
Vertical curve data including length and elevations
as required by the Township Engineer.
(5)
Horizontal plan (storm drains and sanitary sewers):
(a)
Location and size of line with stations corresponding
to the profile.
(b)
Location of manholes or inlets with grade between
and elevation of flow line and top of each manhole or inlet.
(c)
Property lines and ownership, with details of
easements where required.
(d)
Beginning and end of proposed construction.
(e)
Location of laterals.
(f)
Location of all other drainage facilities and
public utilities.
(6)
Profile (storm drains and sanitary sewers):
(a)
Profile of existing ground surface with elevations
at top of manholes or inlets.
(b)
Profile of storm drain or sewer showing size
of pipe, grade, cradle, manhole, inlet locations, and elevation at
flow line.
(c)
Individual lot grading plans shall be approved
by the Township Engineer; prior to issuance of a building permit.
[Amended 2-21-2006 by Ord. No. 375]
The record plan shall be a clear and legible exact copy of the approved final plan and shall be prepared in a form that meets the requirements of the Bucks County Recorder of Deeds. The following information shall appear on the record plan, in addition to the information required in § 160-85:
B.
Acknowledgments.
(1)
A statement to the effect that the applicant is the
owner of the land proposed to be developed and that the subdivision
or land development shown on the final plan is made with his or their
consent and that it is desired to record the same.
(2)
Acknowledgment of said statement before an officer
authorized to take acknowledgments.
C.
Signatures. The following signatures shall be placed
directly on the record plan in black ink:
(1)
The signatures of the owner or owners of the land.
If the owner of the land is a corporation, the signatures of the president
and secretary of the corporation shall appear.
(2)
The signature of the notary public or other qualified
officer acknowledging the owner's statement of intent.
(3)
The signature of the licensed engineer or surveyor
who prepared the plan.
(4)
The signature of the Chairman and Secretary of the
Township Planning Commission.
(5)
Signature of the Township Engineer.
(6)
The signatures of the Chairman and Secretary of each
Municipal Authority that has approved any of the plans.
(7)
The signatures of the Chairman and Secretary of the
Township Board of Supervisors.
