The standards outlined in this article shall be applied by the
Planning Commission in evaluating plans for proposed subdivisions.
The standards outlined herein shall be considered minimum standards,
and the Planning Commission may require more restrictive standards.
Whenever Borough or other applicable regulations impose more restrictive
standards, such other regulations shall control.
The location of the subdivision shall conform to the General Plan for the Borough, and the use of land in the subdivision shall conform to Chapter 475, Zoning, of the Montgomery Borough Code.
A.
Hazardous areas. Land subject to hazards to life, health, or property
as may arise from fire, floods, disease, excessive noise, falling
aircraft, or considered uninhabitable for other reasons, may not be
subdivided for building purposes unless:
B.
Coordination with adjacent subdivisions. The subdivision shall be
coordinated with adjacent existing or proposed subdivisions.
A.
Classification.
(1)
Major streets shall be those which provide for movement of traffic
from one area to another, and which provide for limited amounts of
access to abutting properties and include arterial and collector streets.
(2)
Local streets shall be those whose purpose is to provide access to
abutting properties. They should not serve through traffic.
B.
System.
(1)
Local streets in a new development shall be laid out to discourage
through traffic. However, provision for the extension and continuation
of major streets into and from adjoining areas is required.
(2)
Proposed streets shall conform to any applicable Official Map, or
the General Plan.
(3)
If lots resulting from the subdivision are large enough to permit
resubdivision, or if a portion of the tract is not subdivided, adequate
street rights-of-way to permit further subdivision shall be provided
as necessary.
(4)
Dead-end streets shall be prohibited, except as stubs to provide
future street extension into adjoining tracts, or when designed as
culs-de-sac.
A.
Alignment. Whenever street lines are deflected in excess of 5°,
connection shall be made by horizontal curves.
B.
Grades.
(1)
Center-line grades shall not be less than 1/2 of 1%.
(2)
Center-line grades of local streets shall not exceed 12%.
(3)
Center-line grades of arterial or collector street shall not exceed
7%.
(4)
Vertical curbs shall be used at changes of grade exceeding 1%, and
shall be designed to provide a minimum sight distance of at least
100 feet for local streets and 200 feet for arterial or collector
streets.
(5)
Where the grade of any street at the approach to an intersection
exceeds 7%, a leveling area shall be provided having not greater than
4% grades for a distance of 25 feet measured from the nearest right-of-way
line of the intersection street.
C.
Width. Minimum street and right-of-way widths shall be as follows:
D.
As an alternate to alleys or service drives provided for above a
development may be laid out with provisions for utility easements,
where needed, with a minimum width of 15 feet and a maximum width
of 22 feet and access drives to each individual lot from abutting
streets. If access drives are included in the plans for any subdivision
the following design standards shall apply:
(1)
No access drives shall have a width of less than 12 feet, nor more
than 35 feet. No lot shall have more than one access drive, except
where one owner constructs a residence on a multiple-lot site having
more than 200 feet frontage, in which case for purposes of constructing
a circular or U-shaped driveway, two access drives shall be permitted.
(3)
The minimum angle between the center line of an access drive and
the abutting street shall not be less than 65°.
(4)
Access drives must be located in safe relationship to sight distance
and barriers to vision. The drive may not exceed a slope of 5% within
25 feet of the street right-of-way line. Where a drive enters a bank
through a cut, the shoulders of the cut may not exceed 50% in slope
within 25 feet of the point where the drive intersects the street
right-of-way.
Intersections involving the junction of more than two streets
are prohibited. Permitted intersections shall conform to the following:
A.
Design.
(1)
Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. No
street shall intersect another at an angle of less than 60°.
(2)
Streets entering opposite sides of another street shall be laid out
either directly opposite one another or with a minimum offset of 125
feet as measured between their center lines.
(3)
Minimum curb or edge of pavement radii at intersections involving
only local streets shall be not less than 15 feet, and not less than
25 feet for intersections involving other streets.
(4)
Minimum right-of-way radii shall be not less than 25 feet for all
intersections.
B.
Clear sight triangle. There shall be a clear sight triangle of 50
feet measured along the center line from the point of intersection.
No buildings or obstructions are permitted in the area.
C.
Distance between intersections. Streets shall not enter into arterial
or collector streets at intervals of less than 800 feet as measured
from the center lines.
Permanently designed cul-de-sac streets shall not exceed 600
feet in length. They shall be provided with a paved turnaround having
a minimum radius of 40 feet to the outside curb or edge of pavement,
and with a right-of-way radius of 50 feet.
A.
Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be installed in subdivisions where semidetached
or attached structures are planned, or where lot widths are less than
80 feet. Sidewalks may also be required in subdivisions where lots
are greater than 80 feet but the character of the neighborhood is
such that they are considered necessary, or if it would be desirable
to continue existing sidewalks in adjoining subdivisions, or to provide
access to community facilities such as schools, shopping centers,
and recreation areas.
B.
Street trees. Street trees shall be permitted, provided that they
are planted between the sidewalk and the building line. No trees shall
be permitted between the sidewalk and the street unless the area is
at least six feet wide.
C.
Street signs. Street signs shall be provided at every intersection.
They shall be of a design approved by the Borough.
In general, the length, depth, and shape of blocks shall be
determined with regard to the proposed use of the land. Blocks should
be 500 feet to 1,600 feet in length and be two lot depths in width.
All lots shall conform to the provisions of the Borough of Montgomery
Zoning Ordinance.
Building setback lines shall conform to Chapter 475, Zoning, of the Montgomery Borough Code.
A.
Utility easements. Utility easements shall be not less than 15 feet
in width, and their location shall have been reviewed by the utility
company involved.
B.
Drainage easements. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse
there shall be provided a drainage easement or right-of-way conforming
substantially with the line of such watercourse, and of such width
as will be adequate to preserve natural drainage without damaging
adjacent property. Lots shall be graded to provide positive drainage
away from buildings and to prevent damage to adjoining properties.
In reviewing subdivision plans, the Planning Commission will
consider the adequacy of existing or proposed community facilities
to serve the additional dwelling units proposed by the subdivision,
and may request the reservation or dedication of land for the facilities.
For subdivisions containing 50 or more lots, the Planning Commission,
if it determines that recreation space is necessary, shall require
the dedication or grant in easement of 5% of the total area of all
lots or 10,000 square feet, whichever is greater. The Planning Commission
may require dedication of land for recreation space if the subdivision
contains less than 50 lots, or if a development of rental units should
have such an area.
Subdivisions shall be connected to public sewer and water systems.
A.
Approval of public sewer or water systems. The subdivider shall provide
evidence that the proposed system to be served by extension of existing
systems has been reviewed and approved for service by the owners of
the public system, or in the case of new systems, shall obtain approval
of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Storm sewers, culverts, and related facilities shall be required,
as necessary, to permit the unimpeded flow of natural watercourses
and ensure the drainage of low points along the street line. Facilities
shall be designed to handle the runoff from the entire drainage basin.
In developments laid out on irregular terrain, it is likely
that both cuts and fills will be a major aspect of the completed plan.
In order to eliminate difficulty in maintaining banks and slopes on
the part of the lot owners, to eliminate hazards to safety, and to
minimize maintenance problems which are caused by an improper sloping
of banks and fills, the following design standards must be adhered
to:
A.
Where a development of lots abuts an existing Borough road, the slope
of banks as measured perpendicular to the ditch line shall not exceed
30%.
B.
The slope of banks of lots abutting a newly-constructed street in
a development shall not exceed 30% as measured perpendicular to the
right-of-way line of such new street.
C.
All such banks created by cuts and fills shall be suitably planted
with perennial grasses or other vegetation to prevent erosion.
