Council shall not approve any plat unless the land whereon buildings
are to be constructed shall be of such character that it can be used for building
purposes without danger to health or peril from flood or other hazard.
Existing natural features which would add value to the subdivision and
the borough, such as trees, steep slopes, watercourses, historic spots and
similar irreplaceable assets shall be preserved, insofar as possible through
careful design of the subdivision.
A.
All lands, regardless of their slope, from which structures
or natural covers have been removed or otherwise destroyed shall be appropriately
graded and seeded within a reasonable time of such clearance activity. The
phrase a "reasonable time" shall be interpreted to be within two weeks during
the growing season and shall be rigidly applied to construction activities
in order to accomplish the intent of keeping erosion and siltation to an absolute
minimum.
B.
On hillsides exceeding 25% in slope, the natural vegetative
cover may be removed for construction purposes, provided that a program approved
by the borough for reforestation or revegetating or landscaping of disturbed
areas is guaranteed by the developer.
C.
No cutting, filling or other disturbing of land and natural
vegetation is permissible within 50 feet of the edge of any flowing stream
or creek except as permitted by action of Council. In such cases, permission
may be granted, provided that special precautions are taken to ensure against
continuing erosion and siltation or other circumstances which may be harmful
to the immediate watercourses or in any way pollute the stream.
Council shall not approve any plat unless all streets shown thereon
shall be of sufficient width and proper grade and shall be so located as to
accommodate the probable volume of traffic thereon, afford adequate light
and air, facilitate fire protection, provide access of fire-fighting equipment
to buildings and provide a coordinated system of streets conforming to the
borough's plan of streets.
A.
In the case of subdivisions for commercial, industrial
and public purposes, no street giving access upon an arterial street shall
be located closer than 250 feet along the same side of such arterial street,
to any public or private street in the same or another subdivision.
B.
Local streets shall be so planned as to discourage through
traffic, but shall provide connections to adjacent developments wherever feasible.
C.
Wherever there exists a dedicated or platted portion
of a street or alley along a boundary of the tract being subdivided, the remainder
of said street or alley, to the prescribed width, shall be platted within
the proposed subdivision.
D.
Half streets shall not be provided, except where it is
essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision in conformity with
the other requirements of these regulations or where it becomes necessary
to acquire the remaining half by condemnation so it may be approved in the
public interest.
E.
Alleys shall not be permitted in residential districts
but may be included in commercial and industrial areas where needed for loading
and unloading or access purposes.
F.
Right-of-way requirements may be increased where anticipated
traffic flow warrants it or if drainage easements should reasonably parallel
such thoroughfares. Such increased width will be established by Council.
G.
Minimum right-of-way widths, paving widths, angle of
intersection, curb radius, distances along sides of sight triangles, horizontal
alignments, vertical alignments, as well as maximum grades shall be in accordance
with the following standards.
|
Type
|
Arterial
|
Collector
|
Minor
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Right-of-way width
|
80 feet
|
60 feet
|
50 feet
| |
|
Paving width
|
32 feet
|
32 feet
|
28 feet
| |
|
Maximum grade
|
12%
|
12%
|
12%
| |
|
Angle for intersection
|
80°
|
80°
|
70°
| |
|
Curb radius
|
25 feet
|
25 feet
|
15 feet
| |
|
Grade at intersection
|
3%
|
3%
|
3%
|
Blocks shall ordinarily not exceed 800 feet in length. Where it is necessary
for blocks to exceed this length, pedestrian ways or easements or turnarounds
may be required near the center of the block.
The lot and yard sizes shall conform with the requirements of this chapter
and the lots shall be designed to accord with the following design standards:
A.
Every lot shall be provided with access adequate for
the use of public safety vehicles and other public and private purposes and
shall be served by a public or private street system, improved in accordance
with this chapter and connected to the general street system.
B.
Side lines of lots shall be approximately at right angles
to straight streets and on radial lines on curved streets wherever feasible.
Pointed or very irregular lots shall be avoided unless such variations shall
improve the overall neighborhood design.
C.
Double-frontage lots shall be avoided where practicable.
D.
When a tract is subdivided into larger than required
building lots and there is no covenant preventing resubdivision of the lots
such lots or parcels shall be so arranged as to permit a logical location
and opening of future streets and resubdividing with provision for adequate
utility connection for each subdivision.
Easements for utilities and drainage shall have a minimum width of 20
feet. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, there shall be provided
a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way of width sufficient for the
purpose.
The water supply and sewage disposal systems for the subdivision shall
meet the design standards and requirements of the Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental Protection.
