An ordinance establishing rules, regulations and standards governing the subdivision and land development within the Township of South Whitehall, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, setting forth the procedure to be followed by the Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners in applying and administering these rules, regulations and standards, and setting forth the penalties for the violation thereof.
These regulations may be known and may be cited as the "South Whitehall Township Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance."
The purpose of these regulations shall be to provide rules and standards to guide subdivision and land development activity within the Township of South Whitehall, Lehigh County, in order to:
A. 
Create conditions promoting the general health, safety, morals and welfare of the citizens of the Township by:
(1) 
Ensuring sites suitable for building purposes and human habitation.
(2) 
Providing for the harmonious development of the Township.
(3) 
Securing adequate sites for recreation, conservation, historic, scenic and other open space purposes.
(4) 
Providing for proper distribution of population.
(5) 
Facilitating the efficient movement of traffic.
(6) 
Encouraging well-planned subdivisions by establishing adequate standards for design and improvement.
(7) 
Improving land records by establishing standards for surveys and plans.
(8) 
Safeguarding the interests of the public, the homeowner, and the subdivider.
(9) 
Securing equitable handling of all subdivision plans by providing uniform procedures and standards.
(10) 
Providing for the submittal and processing of plats and specifications for such plats, including provisions for preliminary and final approval and for processing of final approval by stages or sections of development.
(11) 
Providing regulations for insuring that the layout or arrangement of the subdivision or land development conforms to the Comprehensive Plan and to regulations or maps adopted in furtherance thereof; streets in and bordering a subdivision or land development shall be coordinated, and be of such width and grades and in such locations as deemed necessary to accommodate prospective traffic, and facilitate fire protection; adequate easements or rights-of-way shall be provided for drainage and utilities; reservations, if any, by the developer of any area designated for use as public grounds shall be of suitable size and location for their designated uses; and land which is subject to flooding, subsidence, or underground fires shall be made safe for the purpose for which such land is proposed to be used or that such land shall be set aside for uses which shall not endanger life or property or further aggravate or increase the existing menace.
(12) 
Providing regulations governing the standards by which streets shall be graded and improved and walkways, curbs, gutters, streetlights, fire hydrants, water and sewerage facilities and other improvements shall be installed as a condition precedent to final approval of plats.
(13) 
Providing regulations which take into account land development not intended for the immediate erection of buildings where streets, curbs, gutters, streetlights, fire hydrants, water and sewer facilities and other improvements may not be possible to install as a condition precedent to final approval of plats, but where final approval may be given after the developer provides the Township with acceptable financial performance security in an amount sufficient to cover the costs of all required improvements for the phase of the proposed development which is under consideration for final approval.
The provisions of this chapter shall be held to be minimum standards or requirements to meet the above stated purposes. Where the provisions of this chapter impose greater restrictions than those of any statute, other ordinance, or regulation, the provisions of this chapter shall apply. Where the provisions of any statute, other ordinance or regulation impose greater restrictions than those of this chapter, the provisions of such statute, ordinance, or regulation shall apply.