Township of Easttown, PA Article XII Village of Berwyn Streetscape Design Standards

[Amended 8-19-2013 by Ord. No. 417-13]

§ 274-47 Streetscape design standards.

The design and planting of streetscapes within the Village Business District (VB), Village Transition District (VT), and Village Residential District (VR) should take into consideration the scale of the space, in accordance with the following guidelines. These guidelines will apply to both sides of the street in areas where a district boundary is coincident with a street center line.

A. Paving and sidewalks.

(1) Sidewalks should conform to the specifications enumerated herein. In instances where existing conditions dictate alternative specifications (i.e., where space limitations inhibit strict conformance with the dimensional requirements of the design specifications), the essence of the overall streetscape design should be maintained. Alternative specifications should be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

(a) Sidewalk Specification 1: Lancaster Avenue within the Village Business District (VB). Sidewalks shall be constructed to include two bands. (See Figure 1.)

[Amended 1-15-2018 by Ord. No. 433-18]

[1] Curbside: six-foot brick paver at curb (minimum of three feet where six feet is not practical). This area is to provide space for trees, lighting poles, fire hydrants, signage, and other obstructions. Brick pavers should be arranged in a herringbone pattern and be constructed of E.P. Henry Brick Stone Autumn Blend (source: www.ephenry.com) or equivalent, subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors. Street trees should be planted generally 25 feet to 30 feet apart in the center depending on the species and reach of canopy. The intent is to provide a continuous canopy along the street.

[2] Pedestrianway: six-foot clear concrete walking area (minimum width of four feet where six feet is not practical); should be constructed of scored concrete sections (each section measuring 2.0 feet by 2.0 feet square; see Figure 1).

(b) Sidewalk Specification 2: All streets within the Village Business District (VB) not subject to the requirements of Subsection A(1)(a) herein, all streets within the Village Transition District (VT) and all streets within the Village Residential District (VR). Sidewalks shall consist of a five-foot clear pedestrian way (minimum of four feet where five feet is not practical) constructed of scored concrete sections (each section measuring 2.5 feet by 2.5 feet square for five-foot-wide sidewalks, or 2.0 feet by 2.0 feet square for four-foot-wide sidewalks; see Figure 2).

[Amended 1-15-2018 by Ord. No. 433-18]

Figure 1

Sidewalk Specification 1

Figure 2

Sidewalk Specification 2

(2) All paving materials should be ADA compliant.

(3) Paving should be designed to avoid uneven edges resulting from heaving and subsiding and drainage and erosion problems.

(4) Pavement materials resistant to deicing salts should be used.

(5) Sidewalks should be provided to connect bus stop areas with commercial and office properties.

B. Lighting.

(1) The Hadco Hagerstown (T03) fixture is the approved lighting standard for streets in the Village Business District (VB) and Village Transition District (VT). See the manufacturer's specification sheet, which is on file in the Township offices, for detailed specifications.

[Amended 6-2-2014 by Ord. No. 422-14]

(2) Banners and holiday lighting may be permitted on light poles.

(3) Lighting shall conform to the requirements of § 455-39 of Chapter 455, Zoning.

[Amended 1-15-2018 by Ord. No. 433-18]

C. Site furnishings (VB District only).

(1) Site furniture, including, but not limited to, benches, kiosks, gazebos, outdoor dining furniture, and litter receptacles, should be provided.

(2) Site furniture shall be reviewed and approved by the Board of Supervisors. Specifications are provided for benches and litter receptacles as follows:

(a) Bench. Framers Modern Series, Model FB-324, six-foot length, black powder coat finish with mahogany wood. Source: Victor Stanley, Inc., 800-368-2573, www.victorstanley.com.

Figure 3

Bench

(b) Litter receptacle. Production Series, Model PRS-36, black powder coat finish. Source: Victor Stanley, Inc., 800-368-2573, www.victorstanley.com.

Figure 4

Litter Receptacle

(3) Site furnishings should be of a scale and placement where appropriate to use, e.g., benches should be placed in areas where people might congregate, or near building entrances and bus stops, and in sufficient quantity for the anticipated use level.

(4) Site furnishings should be firmly anchored to the pavement surface, or embedded in a concrete footing, for stability.

D. Fencing (VB, VT, and VR Districts).

(1) Fencing may be installed to define pedestrian space, courtyards, and to screen separate uses.

(2) Solid fencing utilized for the purpose of screening views may be subject to additional requirements of § 455-36 of Chapter 455, Zoning.

E. Street trees (VB, VT, and VR Districts).

(1) Street trees, as required by § 274-42, should be provided in planting pits with an expanded root zone area, such as is provided by continuous trenches beneath sidewalk pavement.

(2) Additional systems should be utilized to ensure the provision of adequate air and water exchange areas, such as is provided by structural soil and/or piping.

(3) The soil in the planting pits should be protected from excessive compaction. This may be accomplished through the use of tree grates, porous pavement, physical barriers, such as fencing or bollards, and ground cover plantings.

(4) If utilized, tree grates should be expandable and vandal-resistant.

(5) The expanded planting pit systems should be designed to avoid uneven pavement edges at changes in materials. They should be designed to minimize heaving and subsidence.

F. Planters (VB District only).

(1) The provision of planters is encouraged.

(2) Planters may be pots, urns, or boxes, placed at ground level, in windowsills, or provided as hanging baskets. The bottoms of hanging baskets should be at least eight feet above the pavement surface, to provide for pedestrian clearance and clear visibility.

(3) The preferred specifications for planters placed at ground level are as follows: planter should be a round, rolled-rim, tapered pot with one or more body rolls, with drainage holes, manufactured from cast stone, polyresin plastic, or other suitable material. Plastic models should be anti-shock, crackproof, and UV fade-resistant with a deep rolled rim as reinforcement. Pots should be modeled in the Campania style in the following options:

(a) Size:

[1] Twenty-four-inch diameter by seventeen-and-one-half-inch height.

[2] Twenty-six-inch diameter by twenty-two-inch height.

[3] Thirty-one-inch diameter by twenty-four-inch height.

(b) Color: weathered stone.

(c) Additional design detail: round medallion.

(4) All planters should be located to avoid conflicts with pedestrians, vehicular passage and access to parking lots, drainage flow, and the ability to open doors of vehicles parked in on-street parking spaces.

Figure 5

Planter

G. General provisions.

(1) All street furnishings should be located to avoid conflicts with pedestrians, vehicular passage and access to parking lots, drainage flow, and the ability to open doors of vehicles parked in on-street parking spaces.

(2) A detail sheet should be provided, listing manufacturer and specifications for each streetscape element. Alternative products with equivalent specifications to those listed herein for lighting, benches, litter receptacles, planters, or other site furnishings may be used should specific products not be available, subject to the review and approval by the Board of Supervisors.

(3) Maintenance of pavement and street furnishing should be the responsibility of the property owner.

(4) Any furnishing, structure and/or other improvement which is damaged, destroyed or otherwise nonfunctional should be repaired or replaced within 60 days of receipt of notice from the Township.