(a)
The purpose of this article is to establish and define
the public improvements which will be required to be constructed by
the applicant as a condition for final plan approval and, in addition,
to provide specifications as to how these improvements are to be constructed.
(b)
All construction shall be completed in accordance
with the specific conditions of the commitment and the accepted drawings
and specifications and in the manner acceptable to the Board of Supervisors.
(a)
The improvements included in this article are minimum
requirements, however, the Board of Supervisors reserves the right
in any case to increase the same if conditions so warrant.
(b)
Where literal compliance with the improvements hereinafter
specified is clearly impractical, the Board of Supervisors may modify
or adjust the improvements and standards to permit reasonable utilization
of property while securing substantial conformance with the objectives
of these regulations.
When changes from the accepted drawings and
specifications become necessary during construction, written acceptance
by the Board of Supervisors, with the advice of the Township Engineer,
shall be secured before the execution of such changes.
Adequate provisions for the satisfactory maintenance
of all streets shall be made by dedication to and acceptance for maintenance
by the Township, or by other acceptable means. During the course of
development and prior to dedication, maintenance shall be the responsibility
of the developer.
(a)
The developer shall install streetlights in accordance
with the methods for streetlight installation approved by the Board
of Supervisors. The location of streetlights shall be in accordance
with a plan approved by the developer and approved by the Board of
Supervisors. All streetlights shall be serviced by underground conduit
and shall be in conformity with the standards and specifications for
streetlighting established by the Board of Supervisors. The installation
of new poles may be waived by the Board of Supervisors in such instances
as approved by the Board of Supervisors due to the existence of wooden
poles already in place.
(b)
Provisions shall be made for energizing said lighting
after 50% or more of the dwellings or nonresidential floor area in
a given subdivision or land development or section of a subdivision
or land development has been occupied.
(c)
The developer shall be responsible for all charges
or rates of the streetslights until such time that the streets are
accepted or condemned as public streets by the Board of Supervisors.
(a)
Monuments shall be placed at each change in direction
of the boundary, two to be placed at each street intersection, at
angle points along the street and at the beginning and end of curves.
Utility easements shall be monumented at their beginning and at their
end and at angle points. Areas to be conveyed for public use shall
be fully monumented at their external boundaries.
(b)
Monuments shall be placed in the ground after final
grading is completed, at a time specified by the Township Engineer.
The monuments shall be concrete, the size and length as may be approved
by the Township Engineer.
(a)
As specified in § 1230.45, sidewalks shall be constructed within the subdivision or land development unless, in the opinion of the Board of Supervisors with the advice of the Planning Commission, they are unnecessary for public safety and convenience.
(b)
Driveway aprons shall be constructed at all private
driveways and within residential areas and at all driveway approaches
of ingress and egress from abutting industrial or commercial properties.
(a)
Curbs shall be provided along both sides of all existing
and proposed streets. Handicapped accessible curbs and ramps shall
be constructed where indicated by the Township Engineer.
(b)
Along the existing street on which a subdivision or
land development abuts (hereinafter called "boundary streets"), the
existing paved cartway shall be widened to the curb. The location
of curbing along a boundary street shall be determined by the width
of the existing or ultimate right-of-way of the road as established
by the Board of Supervisors.
(c)
The location of curbing along existing streets shall
be determined by the width of the required cartway of the road.
(d)
All curb shall be seven inches by eight inches by
18 inches, plain cement concrete curb along all state highways. Seven
inches by eight inches by 18 inches plain cement concrete curb or
Belgian block curb shall be installed along all other roadways.
(e)
No less than a five-foot radius of curvature shall
be permitted for all curblines in parking areas.
(f)
Depressed curb. Whenever curbs are to be constructed
across private driveways within residential areas or driveway approaches
of ingress or egress from abutting industrial or commercial properties,
the curb shall be depressed to the driveway surface. The minimum longitudinal
length of a depressed curb for private driveway crossings shall be
14 feet and the maximum longitudinal length for driveway crossings
in commercial or industrial areas shall be 35 feet. Depressed curb
shall have curb returns with a length of 18 inches and have two No.
5 reinforcing rods at each crossing.
(a)
The owner shall construct a water distribution system
in such a manner as to provide an adequate water supply to each lot,
dwelling unit or occupied structure within the subdivision or land
development. The entire system, including, but not limited to, the
source of supply, containment, treatment facilities, distribution
lines, hydrants and meters, if any, shall be designed, constructed,
activated and maintained in accordance with the requirements and standards
set forth in Chapter 65, Water Service, of the Pennsylvania Code as
may be hereafter amended and/or revised, the Public Utility Law of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,[1] such standard specifications (including, but not limited
to, standard pipeline installation, customer service line and meter
installation specifications) as may be adopted or hereafter amended
by any PUC certificated water company servicing a franchise area in
the Township and such rules and regulations as may be adopted by resolution
of the Board of Supervisors for the Township of Lower Gwynedd. Further,
prior to the release to the owner of approved final plans, whether
subdivision or land development, the owner shall produce and deliver
to the Township a copy of the final fully executed contract with the
PUC certificated water company providing service to said project,
establishing that the nature, extent, location and description of
such facilities are the same as those depicted and described on said
approved final plan of subdivision and/or land development.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 66 Pa. C.S.A. § 101
et seq.
(b)
The system shall be so designed as to provide the
necessary capacity and distribution of hydrants for adequate fire
protection, in accordance with the requirements of the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) and the Insurance Services Office (ISO),
Grading Schedule for Municipal Fire Protection. In addition, the system
shall be reviewed by the local Fire Marshal and shall be subject to
his approval.
(c)
The water system shall be looped to provide alternate
directions of water flow to facilitate firefighting ability. The water
distribution system shall be arranged so that the water supply to
a given area cannot be isolated by closure of a single valve or obstruction.
(d)
The developer shall be responsible for all charges
or rates for the adequate water supply to each fire hydrant within
the subdivision or land development until such time as the streets
within said subdivision or land development are accepted or condemned
as public streets by the Board of Supervisors.
(a)
The owner shall construct a sanitary sewer collection
and/or conveyance system in order to provide adequate sanitary sewer
service available to each lot or dwelling unit within the subdivision
or land development in areas designated for public sewer service under
the Township's official sewage facilities plan (Act 537).
(b)
The entire system shall be designed, constructed,
activated and maintained in accordance with the specifications, requirements
and standards set forth in the Standard Construction and Material
Specifications for Sanitary Sewer Extensions Manual adopted by and
as may be hereafter amended by resolution of the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of Lower Gwynedd and/or the Lower Gwynedd Township
Sewer Authority.
(c)
The landowner or developer shall follow the Act 537
official sewage facilities plan revision/supplement process established
under the PADEP rules and regulations, 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 71. During
the subdivision/land development process, the landowner/developer
shall complete and submit to the Township the necessary components
of PADEP planning module for land development.
(d)
The Board of Supervisors will review the proposal(s)
and solicit comments from the Township Engineer and the Township Planning
Commission. The Supervisors reserve the right to require the implementation
of a different alternative if their review shows that it will have
long-term environmental or economic savings to the Township.
(a)
If public sewer facilities are neither available nor
accessible, the developer or landowner shall provide a sewage disposal
system on either an individual or community basis in accordance with
rules, regulations, terms and conditions of 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 73,
Standards for Sewage Disposal Facilities, Department of Environmental
Protection, adopted January, 1983, and any amendments thereafter.
(b)
All on-site tests required for the sewage system by
the PADEP rules and regulations shall be observed and certified by
the County Health Department. Before covering and backfilling, all
on-site facilities must be inspected by the County Health Department
and must be so installed that they can be approved as complying with
the approved engineering drawings. A copy of such approval by the
County Health Department shall be tendered to the Township. Two copies
of an as-built drawing of on-site facilities shall be provided to
the Township showing the location, sizes and capacities of all pipes,
tanks, clean outs, vents and tile fields.
(c)
The landowner or developer shall follow the Act 537
official sewage facilities plan revision/supplement process established
under the PADEP rules and regulations, 25 Pa. Code, Chapter 71. During
the subdivision or land development process, the landowner or developer
shall complete and submit to the Township the necessary components
of PADEP planning module for land development.
(d)
The Board of Supervisors will review the proposal(s)
and solicit comments from the Township Engineer and the Township Planning
Commission. The Supervisors reserve the right to require the implementation
of a different alternative if their review shows that it will have
long-term environmental or economic savings to the Township.
(e)
Soil percolation test requirements.
(1)
Soil percolation tests shall be performed for
all proposed on-site sewage systems.
(2)
The results of the soil percolation tests shall
be analyzed by the County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection, if necessary, and the final plan lot
layout shall be based on this analysis. If the analysis of the soil
percolation test results reveals that this soil is unsuitable for
the intended use, the area shall not be used for an on-site sewage
system.
(3)
The County Health Department's report to the
Board of Supervisors shall identify the type of system to be used
on each lot.
(f)
Each proposed lot designated under the Townships official
sewage facilities plan for on-lot sewage systems shall qualify for
an on-lot system before final subdivision or land development plans
are approved.
(a)
The owner shall cause natural gas, electric power
and telephone facilities to be installed in such a manner as to make
adequate service available to each lot or dwelling unit in the subdivision
or land development.
(b)
All public utilities required to service subdivisions
and land developments shall be placed underground except for those
exceptions necessary to permit the overall installation of the utilities.
(c)
Wherever practicable, all utilities shall be located
within the street right-of-way; otherwise, easements or rights-of-way
of sufficient width for installation and maintenance shall be provided.
(d)
Final plans shall show locations of all utilities
and shall be coordinated with the required street tree planting drawings.
Grading and seeding shall conform in all respects
to the final plan and the requirements, standards and specifications
of this chapter.
Street trees and other required plant material
shall not be planted until the finished grading of the subdivision
or land development has been completed.
Drawings showing the drainage, size, shape and
geometric design of the proposed areas to be provided as off-street
parking areas or off-street loading areas shall be approved by the
Township and shall govern the limits of construction as herein specified.
(a)
The tree protection area shall be 15 feet from the
trunk of the tree to be retained or the distance from the trunk to
the dripline, whichever is greater. Where there is a group of trees
or woodlands, the tree protection area shall be the aggregate of the
protection areas for the individual trees.
(b)
The preliminary plan shall show the location of all
trees to be saved, including their trunk and dripline locations. Where
groups of trees are to be saved, only the locations of the trees and
their trunks and driplines on the perimeter must be shown.
(c)
Protection standards.
(1)
Grade changes and excavations shall not encroach
upon the tree protection area.
(2)
No toxic materials shall be stored within 100
feet of a tree protection zone, including petroleum-based and/or derived
products.
(3)
The tree protection area shall not be built
upon nor shall any materials be stored there, either temporarily or
permanently. Vehicles and equipment shall not be parked in the tree
protection area.
(4)
When tree stumps are located within 10 feet
of the tree protection area, the stumps shall be removed by means
of a stump grinder to minimize the effect on surrounding root systems.
(5)
Tree roots which must be severed shall be cut
by a back hoe or similar equipment aligned radically to the tree.
This method reduces the lateral movement of the roots during excavation,
which if done by other methods could damage the intertwined roots
of adjacent trees.
(6)
Within four hours of any severance of roots,
all tree roots that have been exposed and/or damaged shall be trimmed
cleanly and covered temporarily with moist peat moss, moist burlap
or other moist biodegradable material to keep them from drying out
until permanent cover can be installed.
(7)
Sediment, retention and detention basins shall
not discharge into the tree protection area.
(8)
Sediment, retention and detention basins shall
not be located within the tree protection area.
(9)
Prior to construction, all trees scheduled to
remain shall be marked; where groups of trees exist; only the trees
on the edge need to be marked.
(10)
A forty-eight-inch-high wooden snow fence mounted
on steel posts, located eight feet on center, shall be placed along
the boundary of the tree protection area.
(11)
When the wooden snow fence has been installed,
it shall be inspected and approved by the Engineer prior to commencing
clearing and further construction. The fencing along the tree protection
area shall be maintained until all work/construction has been completed.
Any damage to the protective fencing shall be replaced and repaired
before further construction shall begin.
(12)
Trees being removed shall not be felled, pushed
or pulled into a tree protection area or into trees that are to be
retained.
(d)
Retaining walls.
(1)
Where the original grade cannot be retained
at the tree protection area line, a retaining wall shall be constructed
outside of the tree protection zone.
(2)
The retaining wall shall be designed to comply
with the Township standards for retaining walls.
(3)
In addition, the following methods shall be
used to ensure survival of the tree:
(e)
The top of the wall shall be four inches above the
finished grade line.
(f)
The wall shall be constructed of large stones, brick,
building tile, concrete blocks or treated wood beams not less than
six inches by six inches; a means for drainage through the wall shall
be provided so that water will not accumulate on either side of the
wall; weep holes shall be required with any wall.
(g)
Any severed roots as a result of excavation shall
be trimmed so that their edges are smooth and are cut back to a lateral
root if exposed.
(h)
A layer of clean stone, sized 3/4 inch to one inch,
shall be placed one foot out from the wall to aid in drainage.
(i)
Trenching and tunneling.
(1)
If there is no alternative but to locate a utility
line through a tree protection zone, tunneling shall be used instead
of trenching, except where, in the opinion of the Engineer, survival
of the tree would not be affected by either method. The Engineer shall
determine the most desirable location for the utility line.
(2)
Trenches shall be filled as soon as possible
and tamped lightly to avoid air spaces.
