City of Lock Haven, PA Article VII Design Standards

§ 352-25 Streets.

A. Relation to traffic plan.

(1) The street and alley layout shall conform to the traffic plan and to any plans adopted by the Planning Commission for the development of the neighborhood in which the proposed subdivision is located and shall provide access to all lots and parcels of land within the subdivision. Where streets cross other streets, offsets shall not be created.

(2) The arrangements of streets shall make provision for the direct continuation of the principal existing streets in adjoining subdivisions (or their proper projection when adjoining property is not subdivided) insofar as they may be necessary for public requirements. In general, such streets shall be of a width at least as great as the existing streets and in no case less than the minimum requirements specified herein.

(3) When the plat submitted for subdivision covers only a part of the subdivider's tract, a sketch of the prospective future street system of the part submitted shall be considered in the light of adjustments and connections with the street system of part not subdivided.

(4) When the tract is subdivided into lots of an acre or more, the Planning Commission shall require an arrangement of streets such as to permit a later subdivision in conformity with the street requirements specified in these regulations.

(5) In general, streets shall not be laid out on the boundaries of the tract, except where such streets are desirable for further expansion or conformance to existing streets or where a previously dedicated half-street adjoins the tract, in which case, sufficient additional width of street shall be dedicated to make the street width conform to the minimum requirements specified herein.

(6) Proposed streets shall be adjusted to the contour of the land so as to produce usable lots and streets of reasonable gradient.

B. Intersections. In general, minor streets should intersect main highways or arterial streets at right angles. As far as is practicable, acute angles between streets at their intersections are to be avoided, and where a deflection angle of more than 10° in the street line occurs at any point between two intersecting streets, a curve of reasonably long radius shall be introduced. Intersections of more than two streets at one point shall be avoided.

C. Access.

(1) There shall be no reserve strips controlling access to streets except where the control of such strips is definitely placed in the control of the City under conditions approved by the Planning Commission. The subdividing of land shall be such as to provide each lot, by means of a public street, with satisfactory access to an existing public highway onto a thoroughfare as shown on the official plan.

(2) All new subdivisions along marked state highways shall be arranged to provide access to such highways at intervals of not less than 1,320 feet, except where impractical or impossible due to existing property divisions or topography. All roads and streets within such subdivision shall be arranged to permit access to adjacent future subdivisions without encroachment upon this regulation.

D. Street widths.

(1) Right-of-way widths.

(a) Minimum street right-of-way widths, measured from the lot lines, shall be as shown on the traffic plan adopted by the City Planning Commission or, if not shown thereon, shall meet the following standards:

[1] Major traffic street: eighty-foot right-of-way.

[2] Collector street: sixty-six-foot right-of-way.

[3] Minor street: fifty-foot right-of-way.

[4] Marginal access street: forty-foot right-of-way.

[5] Alley: sixteen-foot right-of-way.

(b) The widths shall be measured from lot line to lot line, and in cases where topography or other physical conditions make a street of a required minimum width impracticable, the Planning Commission may modify the above requirements.

(c) Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed major traffic street or a railroad, the Commission may require marginal access streets, rear service alleys, reverse-frontage lots or such other treatment as will provide protection for abutting properties, reduction in the number of intersections with the major street and separations with the major street and separation of local and through traffic.

(d) In all cases where a proposed subdivision borders on or includes a marked state highway, a right-of-way having a minimum width of 50 feet on each side of the center line shall be dedicated.

(2) Pavement widths. Minimum pavement widths, measured from curb to curb, shall be as shown on the traffic plan or, if not shown thereon, shall meet the following standards:

(a) Major traffic street: fifty-foot pavement width.

(b) Collector street: forty-foot pavement width.

(c) Minor street: thirty-two-foot pavement width.

(d) Marginal access street: twenty-four-foot pavement width.

(e) Alley: twelve-foot pavement width.

E. Street alignment. Streets shall be so laid out that there will be unobstructed sight distances along the center lines thereof, measured from a point five feet above the proposed grade line, to permit horizontal visibility as follows:

(1) Major traffic streets: 600 feet.

(2) Collector streets: 300 feet.

(3) Minor streets: 150 feet.

F. Alleys. Alleys will not be approved in residential districts, but may be required in business districts.

G. Dead-end streets. Streets designated to have one end permanently closed shall provide a closed cul-de-sac, having a minimum radius of 50 feet from the outside curb, or other suitable turnaround facilities.

§ 352-26 Blocks.

A. Length. Residential blocks shall ordinarily not exceed 1,200 feet in length and commercial blocks, 600 feet, except for unit shopping centers.

B. Width. Blocks shall be of sufficient width to permit two tiers of lots of appropriate depth, except where an interior street parallels a limited-access highway or major traffic street, or except where it backs up to a railroad, creek or other natural barrier or unsubdivided area.

§ 352-27 Lots.

A. Frontage. Each lot shall front on a street dedicated for public use, unless a private street is approved by City Council.

B. Arrangement. On all quadrangular lots, and so far as practicable on all other lots, the side lines shall be at right angles to straight street lines or radial to curved street lines, unless a variation to this rule will give a better street and lot plan.

C. Setback lines.

(1) Building setback line shall be established in all lots. Corner lots shall be laid out wide enough to permit building space back of the building line on each street.

(2) Building setback lines shall be shown on the plat for lots intended for residential use of any character and on commercial or industrial lots immediately adjoining residential areas.

(3) The subdivider shall establish building lines in accordance with the needs of each subdivision, but in no case shall such building lines be less than 25 feet from the right-of-way of the street or highway upon which the lot fronts and where business or industrial property faces residential property, such business or industrial structures shall be set back at least 25 feet from the established right-of-way of the street or highway.

D. Lot width and area.

(1) Residential lots shall have a minimum area of 6,000 square feet and a minimum width, measured in the shortest distance at the building line, of 50 feet, except as noted below.

(2) Lots which are not served by public sewers and/or public water shall conform to the following requirements designed to prevent unsanitary conditions and hazards to the public health:

(a) Where both water supply and sanitary sewage disposal are provided by individual on-lot facilities, residential lots shall have a minimum area of 20,000 square feet per dwelling unit and a minimum width, measured in the shortest distance at the building line, of 100 feet.

(b) Where either water supply or sanitary sewage disposal, but not both, are provided by individual on-lot facilities, residential lots shall have a minimum area of 10,000 square feet per dwelling unit and a minimum width, measured in the shortest distance at the building line, of 75 feet.

(c) Where either or both water supply and sanitary sewage disposal are provided by individual on-lot facilities and evidence indicates that the requirements of Subsections D(2)(a) and (b), above, are not adequate, the Commission may, after consultation with the Division of Environmental Hygiene of the State Department of Health, require tests, undertaken at the expense of the developer, as may be prescribed by said Department of Health, to determine the adequacy of the proposed water and sewage facilities in relation to the proposed lot size and existing grade and soil conditions. In all such cases where the tests indicate a larger lot size than allowed above to be necessary, the Commission may employ the services of a registered and qualified independent sanitary engineer for advice as to the minimum lot size and/or facilities necessary to prevent unsanitary conditions and hazards to the public health. In such cases, the cost of retaining the services of a qualified engineer shall be borne by the developer.

(d) Where commercial or multiple dwelling subdivisions are proposed to be served by either or both on-lot sanitary sewage disposal and water supply facilities, the lot area and dimensions required to prevent health hazards shall be subject to individual review and determination by the Commission.

(e) The depth-to-width ratio at the usable area of a lot shall ordinarily not be greater than three to one.

§ 352-28 Other considerations.

A. Easements. Where alleys are not provided, easements of not less than 10 feet in width shall be provided on each side of all rear lot lines where necessary for poles, wires, conduits, storm and sanitary sewers, gas, water, and heat mains or other utilities. Easements of greater width may be required along lines or across lots where necessary for the extension of main sewers and similar utilities. Easements shall also be provided for all storm sewers, drainage ditches and watercourses.

B. Preservation of natural features. The subdivider shall plan the layout to preserve the natural features of the site.

C. Tree planting. Street trees shall be planted in the parkway midway between the curb and the sidewalk. They shall be planted in a manner assuring healthy growth and shall be of a species and size approved by the Planning Commission.

D. Public open spaces. Where deemed necessary or desirable by the subdivider, with approval by the Planning Commission, upon considerations of the particular type of development proposed in the subdivision, and especially in large subdivisions, the subdivider may dedicate or reserve areas or sites of a character, extent and locations suitable to the needs created by such development for schools, parks and other neighborhood purposes.

E. Character of development. The Planning Commission shall confer with the subdivider regarding the type and character of development that will be permitted in the subdivision and may agree with the subdivider as to certain minimum restrictions to be placed upon the property to prevent the construction of substandard buildings and control the type of structures or the use of the lots which, unless so controlled, would clearly depreciate the character and value of the proposed subdivision and of adjoining property. Deed restrictions or covenants should be included to provide for the creation of a property owners' association or board of trustees for the proper protection and maintenance of the development in the future; provided, however, that such deed restrictions or covenants shall not contain reversionary clauses wherein any shall return to the subdivider because of a violation thereon of the terms of the restrictions or covenants.

F. Restrictions. The plat shall show a statement of all restrictions to be imposed upon any part of said subdivision.

§ 352-29 Hardship.

In any particular case where the subdivider or his engineer can show by plan and written statement that, by reason of exceptional topographic or other physical conditions, strict compliance with any requirement of this chapter would cause practical difficulty or exceptional and undue hardship, the Planning Commission may relax such requirements to the extent deemed just and proper, so as to relieve such difficulty or hardship; provided, such relief may be granted without detriment to the public good and without impairing the intent and purpose of this chapter or the desirable general development of the neighborhood and the community in accordance with any adopted long range plan. Any modification thus granted shall be entered in the minutes of the Planning Commission setting forth the reasons which, in the opinion of the Planning Commission, justified the modification.