The following land subdivision principles, standards and requirements shall be applied by the Borough Council in evaluating the plans for proposed subdivisions and shall be the minimum requirements.
A. 
This article sets forth design standards and requirements for all subdivision and land development proposals. The following standards and requirements shall be applied by the Borough in evaluating the plans for proposed subdivisions and land developments and shall be the minimum requirements. Any application fee for development shall conform to the standards set forth in this article, unless a modification is granted under the provisions of this chapter.
(1) 
All plans shall be prepared in compliance with any applicable municipal ordinance, including the Zoning Ordinance in effect, and in compliance with any requirement imposed by any local, county, state, or federal entity exercising valid regulatory authority.
(2) 
When other local regulations, or county, state, or federal statutes impose more restrictive standards and requirements than those contained herein, the more restrictive standards shall be observed.
A. 
Preservation of natural features. A subdivider or developer shall make every effort to preserve shade trees, other salient natural features, keep cut and fill operations to a minimum, and ensure conformity with topography so as to create the least erosion potential and adequately handle the volume and velocity of surface water runoff. Whenever possible, the applicant shall preserve trees, scenic points, historic spots and other community assets and landmarks. All subdivisions over five acres in size shall include a comprehensive environmental analysis prepared by a qualified environmental engineer.
B. 
Traditional neighborhoods. The design of subdivisions and land developments shall promote the continuation of the existing and desired traditional neighborhood pattern of the Borough with a system of streets, alleys, detached garages, front porches and sidewalks.
C. 
Subsidence. Land subject to subsidence or underground fires shall either be made safe for the purpose for which it is to be used, or such land shall be set aside for uses which shall not endanger life or property or further aggravate or increase the existing menace.
D. 
Flood-prone areas. Portions of land which are poorly drained or subject to periodic flooding shall not be developed or subdivided for residential occupancy or for any uses which may involve danger to health, safety, and the general welfare of the community.
E. 
Grading, excavating and filling. No change shall be made in the contour of the land, and no grading, excavating, removal or destruction of the topsoil, trees or other vegetative cover of the land shall be commenced, unless approved in the preliminary and final plat, and where applicable reviewed and approved by the Allegheny County Conservation District. Such approval shall be based on the preliminary grading plan for minimizing erosion and sedimentation, controls for excessive slope areas, grading regulations, and storm drainage regulations in this chapter, and as may be required by applicable regulatory agencies having jurisdiction thereof. In addition to following regulations established by outside agencies, the applicant will also be required to follow the applicable Borough ordinances pertaining to excavation and grading.
F. 
Land subject to hazards of life, health and safety shall not be subdivided until such hazards have been reviewed and corrected.
G. 
All portions of a tract being subdivided or developed shall be taken up in lots, streets, public lands, or other proposed uses so that remnants and landlocked areas shall be avoided.
A. 
Easements with a minimum width of 20 feet shall be provided in all subdivisions and land developments for poles, wires, conduits, storm drains, sanitary sewers, gas, water and heat mains and/or other utility lines intended to service the abutting lots, tracts or parcels. Additional widths may be required if more than one utility is located in the same easement.
B. 
Easements shall be centered on or adjacent to rear or side lot lines. No structures or trees shall be placed within such easements. The developer shall comply with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) order of July 8, 1973, which requires electric and telephone service in residential developments to be placed underground.
C. 
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 with such width as will be adequate to preserve natural drainage and provide sufficient width for maintenance.
D. 
Subdividers and land developers shall avail themselves of the facilities provided by the various authorities or public utility companies in determining the proper locations for utility line easements.
(1) 
Water supply.
(a) 
All properties in subdivisions shall connect with an approved public water supply system.
(b) 
Water supply shall be provided by the official water service provider designated by the Borough. Proof of service from such provider shall accompany all information submitted for review.
(c) 
A statement of approval from the applicable water provider's engineer shall be submitted to the Borough Council.
(d) 
Upon completion of the water distribution and supply system, one copy of the plans for the system shall be filed with the Borough Council. The plan shall also be reviewed and approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
(e) 
Fire hydrants. It will be the responsibility of the developer to provide all subdivisions and land developments with fire hydrants. Hydrants shall be installed with the installation of the water lines or as soon as they become available. The location of the hydrants shall be approximately every 1,000 feet and shall be subject to approval by the Borough on the final plat.
(2) 
Sanitary sewage disposal.
(a) 
Each property shall connect with an approved public sewer system.
(b) 
All plats submitted for approval must show sanitary drains separated from all other drains. No stormwater shall be permitted in sanitary drains.
(c) 
All plats, designs, and data for any new sewage system or for extension for tapping into any existing system shall be submitted to the Borough Engineer, the sewer authority serving the Borough, and to any other state agency that has oversight for approval and is subject to all their requirements.
(d) 
The subdivider shall contract the necessary and required sanitary sewer lines which shall, when possible, be connected to the public sewer system serving the Borough or a portion thereof.
(e) 
Subdivision of three lots or fewer, which are located 1,000 feet beyond the existing public system, may be exempted from these requirements by the Borough Council where individually approved septic systems are to be constructed. Said approval thereof shall be subject to Borough of Mount Oliver recommendations and Allegheny County Health Department approval. Preliminary plans and a request for sewer service shall receive sewer authority approval prior to approval of the final plat.
(f) 
If, in the opinion of the County Health Officer, the Borough Engineer and/or the Borough Council, factors exist which would create a public health and sanitation problem if a certain area is developed, the Board shall not, in those cases, approve the subdivision and platting of such area until such factors are corrected by an adequate sanitary sewer system.
(3) 
Propane. All propane installation shall be subject to prior approval of the Borough Engineer or other person designated by the Borough and the Department of Labor and Industry.
A. 
Blocks.
(1) 
Layout. The length, width and shape of blocks shall be determined with due regard to:
(a) 
Provision of adequate sites for buildings of the type proposed.
(b) 
Any other zoning requirements.
(c) 
Topography.
(d) 
Street intersection requirements as outlined in the Streets, Intersection, section of this chapter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 219-31A(6).
(2) 
Length in residential districts. Blocks shall have a minimum length of 500 feet and a maximum length of 1,000 feet.
(a) 
Any other zoning requirements shall be met.
(b) 
In the design of blocks (fronting on minor streets) longer than 1,000 feet, special consideration shall be given to the requirements of satisfactory fire protection. Where practicable, blocks along arterial and collector streets shall not be less than 1,000 feet long.
(3) 
Length in commercial and industrial districts. Blocks in commercial and industrial areas may vary from the elements of design detailed above, if required by the nature of the use. Any subdivision of land or land development in the commercial or industrial districts shall take into consideration the feasibility of creating marginal or feeder roads to minimize intersections with roads. In all cases, however, adequate provisions shall be made for off-street parking and loading areas as well as for traffic circulation and parking for employees and customers.
(4) 
Depth. Residential blocks, including those for garden apartment, condominium or townhouse developments, shall be of sufficient depth to accommodate two tiers of lots, except:
(a) 
Where reverse frontage lots are required along a major traffic street.
(b) 
Where prevented by the size, topographical conditions or other inherent conditions of property, in which case the Mount Oliver Borough Planning Commission may approve a single tier of lots.
B. 
Lot or parcel numbers. Lot numbers or lettered parcels shall be assigned and approved prior to filing the final subdivision and/or land development plat.
C. 
Building setback lines on lots and parcels. Building lines of lots or parcels from street rights-of-way (public or private) shall not be less than those required by the appropriate zoning classification under the Zoning Ordinance, as amended, for the zoning district in which they are located.
A. 
A street, whether dedicated to the Borough or privately maintained, shall be defined pursuant to the definition contained in § 219-6 of this chapter. All provisions in the section shall be equally applicable and binding for both dedicated and privately maintained streets, where said streets serve more than one dwelling.
(1) 
General standards:
(a) 
All streets intended for public use shall be paved to full cartway width. In all cases, paving materials and workmanship shall conform to any and all applicable Borough standards, including all Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Standards adopted by the Borough. The proposed street system shall extend existing or recorded streets at the same width, but in no case at less than the required minimum width, and be so located as to allow proper development of surrounding properties.
(b) 
Where a subdivision or land development abuts an existing street of improper width or alignment, the Borough Council may require the dedication of land sufficient to widen the street or correct the alignment.
(c) 
Minor streets shall be laid out so as to discourage through traffic. Collector streets should be provided to adequately provide for the expected flow to traffic from minor streets.
(d) 
Streets in and bordering a subdivision or land development shall be coordinated, and be of such widths and grades and in such locations as deemed necessary to accommodate prospective traffic, and facilitate fire protection.
(e) 
Proposed streets shall be planned suitable to the contour of the land, to provide buildable lots, to have a suitable alignment and grade, and to be able to drain properly in accordance with the standards established by this chapter or other ordinances.
(f) 
Partially completed streets shall not be approved in a development plan, but all streets shall be constructed as soon as feasible under the construction schedule in accordance with the designations under the approved final plat.
(g) 
Streets intended for the interior circulation of traffic in land development shall be designed so that no street providing parking spaces shall be used as a through street. The developer shall be responsible for installing center line markings and traffic direction and control signs on such streets.
(h) 
Street name signs shall be installed by the developer at each street intersection in accordance to type of materials, design and standards established by the Borough.
(i) 
Streetlighting systems shall be installed in all developments involving multifamily dwellings and at all intersections with existing Borough streets/roads. Streetlights may also be required where a hazard exists as determined by the Borough Council.
(2) 
Street widths.
(a) 
Street classification. Three functional classifications are hereby established for the streets and roads in the Borough:
[1] 
Arterial. This classification includes highways which provide inter-county or intermunicipal traffic of substantial volumes where the average trip lengths are usually five miles or greater. Generally, these highways should accommodate operating speeds of 35 miles per hour.
[2] 
Collector. This classification is intended to include those highways which connect local access highways to arterial highways. They may serve as traffic corridors connecting residential areas with industrial, shopping and other service. They may penetrate residential areas. Generally, these highways will accommodate operating speeds of 35 miles per hour.
[3] 
Local road. This classification is intended to include streets and roads that provide direct access to abutting land and connections to higher classes of roadways. Traffic volumes will be low and travel distances generally short. These streets and roads should be designed for operating speeds of 25 miles per hour or under.
Street Type
Minimum Required Width
Feet
Collector
Right-of-way
50
Cartway
24
Minor or local
Right-of-way
50
Cartway
20
Permanent cul-de-sac
Right-of-way (radius)
50
Cart way (radius)
40
(b) 
Additional right-of-way and cartway widths may be required by the Borough Council for various reasons, including, but not limited to:
[1] 
The type of land development.
[2] 
Public safety and convenience.
[3] 
Allowance for anticipated traffic volume.
[4] 
The size of vehicles frequenting the development.
[5] 
Parking lanes.
[6] 
The loading of school buses or other public transportation.
(3) 
Street grades. There shall be a minimum center line grade of 2%. Center line grades shall not exceed the following:
Street Type
Grade
Arterial street
5%
Marginal access streets
12%
Collector street
8%
All street intersections
4%
Grades shall be designed for maximum visibility.
(4) 
Horizontal curves. Proper sight distance must be provided with respect to horizontal alignment. Measured along the center line five feet above grade, horizontal curves shall be provided to permit the following minimum sight distances:
(a) 
Minor streets: 100 feet.
(b) 
Collector streets: 200 feet.
(5) 
Vertical curves. Proper sight distance must be provided with respect to vertical alignment. Verticle curves shall be measured along the center line five feet above minimum sight distances.
(6) 
Intersections.
(a) 
Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. No more than two streets shall intersect at the same point. Intersections with collector streets shall be located not closer than 1,000 feet apart, measured from the center line of the major street.
(b) 
Intersections with connector streets shall be at intervals not less than 800 feet.
(c) 
Intersections with minor streets shall be at intervals not less than 500 feet.
(d) 
Staggered intersections shall be provided on collector streets at a minimum distance of 500 feet; on connector or minor streets at not less than 200 feet as measured from center line to center line along the street common to both intersections.
(e) 
Intersections shall be rounded by a tangential arc with a minimum radius of:
[1] 
Twenty-five feet for intersections involving only minor streets.
[2] 
Thirty feet for all intersections involving a connector or collector street.
(7) 
Sight distance at intersections and obstructions. Embankments, fences, hedges, shrubbery, walls, planting (except for trees and grass) or other obstructions, including signs, shall not be located within the right-of-way and shall not obscure visibility at any intersection. A clear sight triangle shall be maintained at intersections, so that measured along the center line, there shall be a clear sight triangle of 75 feet minimum, from the point of intersection. No obstruction to view will be permitted in this area above the height of 2 1/2 feet and below 10 feet.
(8) 
Alleys.
(a) 
Alleys are encouraged within residential developments to provide access for vehicles to rear, detached garages and to maintain the traditional street pattern of the Borough. The alley provides opportunities for service and delivery and eliminates the need for curb cuts which are conventional in more suburban-type development.
(b) 
Alleys shall be at least 12 feet wide and paved when they are one-way or in a residential development. Two-way alleys shall be at least 20 feet wide and paved. Alleys in a nonresidential development shall be at least 22 feet wide and paved.
(c) 
All buildings and structures shall be at least 10 feet from the edge of the pavement of the alley.
(d) 
All alleys shall be designed and built to be through alleys connecting to existing or proposed streets.
(e) 
To the greatest extent possible, all new alleys and all reconstructed alleys shall be designed and constructed to incorporate green infrastructure for stormwater management, including but not limited to porous paving, permeable pavers, bioretention, and tree trenches.
(9) 
Culs-de-sac and temporary dead-end streets.
(a) 
The center line grade on a cul-de-sac street shall not exceed 8%.
(b) 
Dead-end streets shall be prohibited except for future access to an adjoining property or because of authorized stage development. Such streets shall be provided with a temporary, all-weather turnaround, within the subdivision or development, and the use of such turnaround shall be guaranteed to the public until such time as the street is extended. The outer paving radius shall be 40 feet. Temporary dead-end streets shall not exceed 1,000 feet in length.
(10) 
Street names.
(a) 
Proposed streets which are obviously in alignment with others already existing and named shall bear the names of the existing streets.
(b) 
In no case shall the name of a proposed street duplicate or be phonetically similar to an existing street name in either the Borough or the postal district in which located. The subdivider or developer shall submit the proposed street names to the Borough at the time the preliminary discussions are held and prior to filing a preliminary plat.
Roads shall be constructed according to the adopted construction standards of the Borough of Mount Oliver as prepared by the Borough Engineer.
A. 
Road construction such as filling, berming, subgrade, fine-grade construction, base construction or surface construction cannot be commenced before April 1 and must be completed before October 31 of the same year, unless special permission is granted by the Borough Council otherwise. (It is assumed that the weather conditions between these dates will be ideal for road construction; however, if adverse weather conditions occur between these dates, the contractor or builder must abide by the judgment of the Borough Council, their agents, or assigns, in regard to permissible construction weather conditions.)
B. 
Testing and repair.
(1) 
Prior to acceptance by the Borough, all roads shall be core bored, at locations to be determined by the Borough Engineer, by a reputable firm certified to do such work. All cores shall be tested for compliance with all applicable paving regulations and shall include, as a minimum, standard tests for thickness, material gradation and compaction, and the Borough shall be furnished with three copies of a written report setting forth the test results. All costs associated therewith are to be paid by the developer or subdivider.
(2) 
All paving must be in complete compliance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Form 408, and the Borough may subject the finished road to any additional testing set forth therein.
(3) 
All roads shall have a smooth, uniform, finished surface. The developer shall replace or resurface any areas which do not meet the testing requirements or do not have a smooth, uniform appearance due to patches, spalling, poorly butted joints, etc., regardless of the results of any tests. Any replacement or resurfacing shall be made in a neat, workmanlike manner extending the entire width of the road, at right angles to the center line, the extent of the replacement or resurfacing to be determined by the Borough Engineer.
C. 
Acceptance of streets.
(1) 
Prior to acceptance of any streets and after all road construction has been completed, the developer and/or contractor, under the direct guidance of a licensed Pennsylvania surveyor, must install concrete monuments with a minimum size of four inches in diameter, four inches square and three feet long, the center being marked with a 1/2 inch minimum brass wire or bar plug at all intersections and points of curvature in order to amply mark the right-of-way before the construction of the road can be considered as complete and fully prepared for the Borough to accept the maintenance responsibilities.
D. 
Monuments.
(1) 
All streets shall be monumented, and monument locations shall be shown on the recorded plat. All angle points in the boundary of any subdivision shall be monumented. All lot corners and angle points shall be located by iron pins. All monuments and iron pins shall be placed by a minimum licensed Pennsylvania title surveyor so that the scored (by an indented cross in the top of the monument) point shall coincide exactly with the point of intersection of the lines being monumented.
(2) 
Monuments and iron pins shall be set so their top is level with the finished grade of the surrounding area.
A. 
Sidewalks.
(1) 
Paved sidewalks shall be provided for all new development or redevelopment.
(2) 
All land developments shall provide sidewalks in areas of anticipated pedestrian use, as determined by the Borough.
(3) 
Sidewalks shall be constructed to at least the minimum standard as set forth in the construction standards of the Borough of Mount Oliver as established by the Borough Engineer.
B. 
Crosswalks.
(1) 
Crosswalks are required between streets whenever necessary to facilitate pedestrian circulation and to give access to community facilities, such as parks, playgrounds or schools.
(2) 
Such crosswalks shall have a right-of-way width of not less than 10 feet and have a paved walk five feet in width.
C. 
Handicapped access, ramp gradients, railing requirements and treatment of pavement surfacing shall comply with applicable requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
A. 
Conservation. Development shall be planned so as to minimize the removal of existing trees, shrubs and ground cover and to minimize the amount of land covered by impervious surfaces. All plans shall be submitted to the Allegheny County Conservation District.
B. 
Noise control. Street trees along local and collector streets in residential areas may be required as a buffer.
C. 
Screening. Wherever natural screening is being planted to meet a screening requirement of the Zoning Ordinance, such screen shall consist of 50% evergreen or evergreen-type hedges and 50% shrubs and deciduous trees interplanted with a variety and size, at the time of planting, that will attain a height of at least six feet within three years.
D. 
Furthermore, subdivision and land development plans shall provide for such screening as follows:
(1) 
Where nonresidential uses abut residential uses.
(2) 
Where residential uses abut any railroad right-of-way or arterial highway.
(3) 
Along the perimeter of any outdoor storage area, common utility yard or outdoor equipment area in multiple residential developments.
(4) 
Elsewhere, as deemed necessary by the Planning Commission and the Borough Council.
E. 
Windbreaks. The use of planting rows to serve as windbreaks to control the drifting of snow across public and private roadways may be required.
Street trees installed within the Borough shall be installed according to the construction standards for the Borough of Mount Oliver and approved by the Mount Oliver Borough Planning Commission.
A. 
It is the policy of this Borough that all subdivided lands shall have immediate access to a public street. Because of unique property configuration and location, this Borough recognizes the need for limited exceptions to the foregoing general policy.
B. 
No subdivision will be approved on a private street or road if more than two lots already front on such street or road or if after subdivision more than two lots will front on such private street or road.
In order to promote the highest environmental quality possible, the degree to which the applicant of a subdivision or land development plan has preserved existing salient natural features and land forms intrinsic to the site shall be assessed. Terms of approval of a plat may be subject to the manner in which the layout or design of the plan has preserved existing natural features such as, but not limited to, trees, wooded areas and watercourses.
A. 
Open space. Where the applicant is offering for dedication, or is required by ordinance to establish, a reservation of open space or preserve an area of scenic or historic importance, a "limit of work," which will confine excavation, earthmoving procedures and other changes to the landscape may be required to ensure preservation and prevent despoliation of the character of the area in open space.
B. 
Tree preservation. Whenever possible, trees shall not be removed unless they are located within the proposed street right-of-way, within the proposed building area, or within utility locations and equipment access areas. In areas where trees are retained, the original grade level shall be maintained, if possible, so as not to disturb the trees.
C. 
Topsoil preservation. All of the topsoil from areas where cuts and fills have been made should be stockpiled and redistributed uniformly after grading. All areas of the site shall be stabilized by seeding or planting on slopes of less than 10% and shall be stabilized by sodding on slopes of 10% or more and planted in ground cover on slopes of 20% or greater.
D. 
Trees. The planting of trees within the street right-of-way line shall not be permitted without the consent of the Borough. The planting of any trees within the private property of each residential lot shall be at the discretion of the property owner or developer.
E. 
Watercourse protection. Where a subdivision or land development is traversed by a natural 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.