A.Â
All words used in this subdivision chapter shall carry their customary
definitions except where specifically defined herein.
B.Â
Words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural
include the singular.
C.Â
The word "person" includes a corporation and unincorporated association,
partnership or individual.
D.Â
The words "shall" and "will" are mandatory unless otherwise indicated.
The word "may" is permissive.
E.Â
Words used in the present tense include the future tense.
F.Â
The word "lot" shall include the words "parcel" and "tract."
G.Â
Words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender.
H.Â
References to "chapter" or "this chapter" shall refer to the North
Versailles Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.
The following terms shall be interpreted as defined except where
expressly defined otherwise:
A private drive providing access between a public or private
street and a parking area within a land development, any driveway
servicing a nonresidential land development or any driveway servicing
two or more residential dwelling units.
Any structure, excepting parking lots, that bears or houses
a use incidental or supportive of a principal establishment within
the same lot or planned group of nonresidential uses.
Land development applications submitted more than one calendar
year after the date on which the initial occupancy certificate was
issued by the Township where said occupancy directly followed the
Board approval of a land development on the respective lot or lots
where:
Additions that are 1,000 square feet or less than or equal to
10% of the principal structure shown on the most recent site plan
approved by the Board, whichever is less. Where no such plan has been
approved, said addition shall be limited to one administrative approval;
or
Accessory buildings not expressly exempt from site plan or land
development requirements that are equal to or less than 10% of the
principal structure, not excepting instances where additional accessory
buildings were constructed or exist that were not approved by the
Board through a standard approval process; or
Expansion of parking that is 10% or less than the parking, inclusive
of the surface area covered by all access drives and pavement, approved
through the last site plan approved by the Board where no change is
proposed in terms of site access and circulation. Where no site plan
was previously approved, expansion of parking as an administrative
approval is limited to one such approval; or
Revisions to the landscaping or lighting plan approved by the
Board.
Subdivisions that shall be administered by the Zoning Officer
with an informal review by the Planning Commission Chair and Chairman
of the Board which conform to one of the following criteria:
The consolidation or combination of two or more lots of record.
A subdivision involving a lot line change between two existing lots that will result in only two lots, where all lots lie within the same zoning district, and where resulting lots conform to the requirements of Chapter 300, Zoning, in terms of minimum lot size and setbacks.
The subdivision of dwelling unit lots relating to a condominium
arrangement, the finalization of which relies upon as-built surveys
and results in no material change, wherein the existing plan was granted
final subdivision approval under this chapter.
A meeting, as requested by an individual who intends to act
as an applicant for subdivision or land development either with the
Zoning Officer and applicable staff, or with the Planning Commission
at a publicly advertised meeting, wherein the Zoning Officer or the
Commission offer verbal commentary on design principles and proposals
presented by the potential applicant.
The designated planning agency of Allegheny County.
A service road that provides secondary means of through access
to lots.
Financial security required by this chapter for private improvements.
An individual bearing a proprietary interest in a particular
site, who makes formal application for a subdivision or land development,
in accordance with this chapter.
An approval granted with conditions found by the Board to
represent the minimal conditions necessary and reasonable to ensure
the objectives and standards of this chapter are met in the approval
of the related plan, as accepted by the applicant in accordance with
this chapter.
Traffic volume calculated in accordance with the most recent
edition of the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation
Manual.
The Board of Commissioners of North Versailles Township.
A structure having a roof intended for the support, enclosure,
shelter or protection of persons, animals or property; or a combination
of materials to form a permanent structure having walls and a roof,
including all manufactured homes and trailers to be used for human
habitation, storage, or commercial use, whether defined as accessory
or principal structures.
Measured along the center lines of the intersecting streets,
where L equals the distance along the center line of the primary through
street, measured from its intersection with the center line of the
secondary intersecting street, to an approaching vehicle on the primary
street and on the secondary intersecting street, from a point at least
20 feet back from the edge of the pavement of the primary through-street,
which is 3.5 feet above the surface of the pavement.
An approval automatically given where the Board fails to
meet specified timelines, absent a waiver from the applicant, as stated
herein.
A use where two dwelling units are contained in and constitute
the sole principal uses of one building and which are arranged such
that the uses possess separate exterior entrances and where the stories
occupied are arranged adjacent to and not above or below the other
dwelling unit.
Areas of steep slopes, wetlands, and floodplains.
Any structure which houses or is used in connection with
and as an accessory to an agricultural operation and where no access
to the general public is permitted in connection with a retail or
service-related business.
Any lot approved pursuant to the standards of Chapter 300, Zoning, the sole access of which is provided by a strip of land under the same fee simple ownership as the remainder of the lot, where the strip of land accessed provides less than the required street frontage in the district in which the lot is situated.
A report prepared by a qualified engineer demonstrating the
stability of soils, mining overburden, slopes, and other applicable
areas, and the minimum measures necessary to demonstrate long-term
stability and integrity of proposed buildings or paved areas constructed
thereon.
Any area defined as a wetland by the Federal Manual for Identifying
and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands.
The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots,
tracts or parcels of land for any purpose involving a group of two
or more residential or nonresidential buildings, whether proposed
initially or cumulatively; a single nonresidential building on a lot
or lots regardless of the number of occupants or tenure, or the division
or allocation of land or space, whether initially or cumulatively,
between or among two or more existing or prospective occupants by
means of or for the purpose of streets, common areas, leaseholds,
condominiums, building groups or other features.
A lot separately designated as a lot, tract, parcel or otherwise
on a plat of subdivision duly recorded pursuant to statute or referred
to in a deed or described by metes and bounds in a deed recorded in
the office of the Recorder of Deeds of Allegheny County.
Any land development which proposes the improvement of a
lot comprised of 1,500 or more square feet of lot coverage by building
or structure, 1,500 or more square of paving, or a combination of
lot coverage by building or structure and paving that equals or exceeds
1,500 square feet, excepting administrative and revised land developments.
Major land developments and major subdivisions as defined
herein.
Any proposed subdivision bearing more than five lots or that
which proposes the construction of a street intended to provide primary
access to any one of said lots, excepting administrative subdivisions.
A proposed movement of lot line location where:
Any land development which proposes the improvement of a
lot comprised of less than 1,500 square feet of lot coverage by building
or structure, or less than 1,500 square feet of paving, or a combination
of lot coverage by building or structure and paving which totals less
than 1,500 square feet, excepting administrative and revised land
developments.
Minor land developments and minor subdivisions as defined
herein.
Any proposed subdivision bearing less than or five lots which
does not propose the construction of a street intended to provide
primary access to any one of said lots, excepting administrative subdivisions.
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247 of
1968, as reenacted and amended by Act 170 of 1988, and as subsequently
amended, 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
Any arrangement of attached dwelling units, excepting duplexes.
Any area utilized for the storage or parking of vehicles,
on a short- or long-term basis.
The Planning Commission of North Versailles Township, Allegheny
County; and where subdivisions or land developments submitted are
of regional significance and impact as defined by cooperative agreement
with adjoining municipalities party to a multimunicipal Comprehensive
Plan. "Planning Commission" shall also mean a joint planning commission
(in addition to the North Versailles Planning Commission) established
by ordinance, resolution and/or cooperative agreement, where such
exists.
Plantings consisting of shrubs and any other plant species
that is greater than two feet in height at planting and less than
six feet in height at planting. All measurements and plant quality
shall be consistent with the American Standards for Nursery Stock,
published by the American Association of Nurserymen, Inc., Washington,
D.C.
A building or structure housing the primary uses integral
to an establishment or establishments on a property or planned group
of nonresidential uses.
Any improvements required by this chapter and intended to
be privately held and maintained, wherein no dedication to the Township
is anticipated, including but not limited to landscaping, parking
lots, access drives, lighting, and private streets.
Persons who provide expert or professional advice, including,
but not limited to, architects, attorneys, certified public accountants,
engineers, geologists, land surveyors, landscape architects or planners.
The holding of fee simple title via deed to a property, short
certificate, or of any contract, whether subject to any condition
or not, or a certificate of title or other legal document whereby
a person shall have the legal or equitable rights of the landowner
in all matters relating to an application filed under this chapter,
where title or equitable title is held in the entirety or where joint
tenants or tenants in common convey such title.
Those improvements, as required by this chapter, which are
intended to be dedicated to, owned, and maintained by the Township.
A person who has a B.S. degree from a four-year school of
forestry accredited by the Society of American Foresters and a member
in good standing of the American Forestry Association.
Land development applications submitted less than one calendar
year after the date on which the initial occupancy certificate was
issued by the Township where said occupancy directly followed the
Board approval of a land development on the respective lot or lots
where:
Additions that are 1,000 square feet or less than or equal to
10% of the principal structure shown on the most recent site plan
approved by the Board, whichever is less. Where no such plan has been
approved, said addition shall be limited to one administrative approval;
or
Accessory buildings not expressly exempt from site plan or land
development requirements that are equal to or less than 10% of the
principal structure, not excepting instances where additional accessory
buildings were constructed or exist that were not approved by the
Board through a standard approval process; or
Expansion of parking that is 10% or less than the parking, inclusive
of the surface area covered by all access drives and pavement, approved
through the last site plan approved by the Board where no change is
proposed in terms of site access and circulation. Where no site plan
was previously approved, expansion of parking as an administrative
approval is limited to one such approval; or
Revisions to the landscaping or lighting plan approved by the
Board.
The area comprised of all existing parcels subject to a proposed
subdivision, the phase as shown on an approved preliminary plan within
five years of said approval, or the area to be disturbed as part of
a proposed land development.
The plan submitted for purposes of an advisory review, in
a manner as outlined in this chapter.
Areas of existing topography where, in over a one-hundred-foot
horizontal distance, or where the difference in elevation is over
20 feet, the slope equals or exceeds 25% from the top to bottom of
the break in grade.
A strip of land, including the entire right-of-way, publicly
or privately owned, serving primarily as a means of vehicular travel,
encompassing the following types:
ARTERIALA public street intended to carry a large volume of local and through traffic to or from collector streets and expressways with an ADT greater than 3,000.
COLLECTORA street that collects and distributes traffic between local access and arterial streets. Such streets provide intraregional connections between residential areas and shopping areas, employment centers and other local traffic generators.
RESIDENTIALOne thousand to 3,000 ADT.
NONRESIDENTIALEight hundred to 3,000 ADT.
MINOR COLLECTORA street that provides direct access to lots; and conveys traffic from local to collector streets.
RESIDENTIALFive hundred to 1,000 ADT.
NONRESIDENTIALZero to 800 ADT.
CUL-DE-SACA street with a single means of ingress and egress and a turnaround.
LOCALA street that provides access to abutting property and connections to collector streets with an ACT up to 500.
MARGINAL ACCESS STREETA service street that runs parallel to a higher-order street and provides access to abutting properties and separation from through traffic.
Anything constructed or erected on the ground or attached
to the ground, including buildings and parking, whether defined as
accessory or principal structures.
The consolidation of two or more lots or the division or
resubdivision of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means into
two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land, including
changes in existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or
future, of lease, partition by the court for distribution to heirs
or devisees, transfer of ownership or building or lot development;
provided, however, that the "subdivision" by lease of land for agricultural
purposes into parcels of more than 10 acres, not involving any new
street or easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be
exempted.
Trees whose height will ultimately exceed 40 feet, which
have a minimum caliper of 2.5 inches diameter measured at 4.5 feet
above natural grade at the time of planting.
Trees with an ultimate height of 25 to 40 feet, which have
a minimum caliper of 2.0 inches diameter measured at 4.5 feet above
natural grade at the time of planting.
Those trees whose ultimate height will not exceed 25 feet,
which have a minimum caliper of 1.5 inches diameter measured at 4.5
feet above natural grade at the time of planting.
An area of trees whose total combined canopy covers one acre
or more, in which at least 70% of the canopy trees have a DBH of 2.5
inches or more.
Chapter 300, Zoning, of the Code of the Township of North Versailles, as adopted by the Board and amended from time to time.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10401 et seq.
