The design standards and requirements set forth in this article shall be observed as minimums by the subdivider in the design of each subdivision within Matamoras Borough. The Borough may require more restrictive standards where necessary to protect health, safety and welfare of the public and where circumstances unique to the property so dictate.
A. 
The subdivision shall fully comply with the provisions of the Matamoras Borough Zoning Ordinance[1] and conform to the Borough Comprehensive Plan.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 124, Zoning.
B. 
All portions of a tract being subdivided shall be taken up in lots, streets, public lands or other proposed uses so that remnants and landlocked areas shall not be created. The layout of a subdivision shall also be planned with consideration to existing nearby developments or neighborhoods so that the development is coordinated in terms of traffic movement, drainage and other reasonable considerations.
C. 
In all subdivisions, care shall be taken to preserve natural features such as trees, watercourses, views and historical features which will add attractiveness and value to the remainder of the land. Damming, filling, relocating or other interference with the natural flow of surface water along any surface water drainage channel or natural watercourse shall not be permitted except with the approval of the Borough and, where appropriate, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.
D. 
Wherever possible, lot lines shall follow Borough lines rather than cross them. Unusable parcels, the principal purpose of which is to simply limit access to other lots, public rights-of-way, public lands or adjacent private lands for nuisance value, are prohibited.
A. 
Blocks.
(1) 
Pedestrian interior walks may be required where necessary to assist circulation or provide access to community facilities. Such crosswalks shall have a width of not less than ten (10) feet and be all-weather surfaced for not less than four (4) feet in width.
(2) 
Blocks shall be of sufficient width to permit two (2) tiers of lots of appropriate depth, except where an interior street parallels a major street or where it backs up to a railroad, creek or other natural barrier or unsubdivided area.
(3) 
Cul-de-sac streets, permanently designed as such, shall not exceed six hundred (600) feet in length and shall furnish access to not more than twelve (12) dwelling units. Cul-de-sac streets shall have at the closed end a turnaround with the right-of-way having a minimum outside radius of not less than fifty (50) feet and shall be paved to a radius of not less than forty (40) feet. Drainage of culs-de-sac shall preferably be toward the open end.
B. 
Lots.
(1) 
All side lines of lots shall be at approximate right angles to straight street lines and radial to curved street lines, except where a variation to this rule will provide a safer layout.
(2) 
Double frontage lots shall ordinarily not be platted, except as specifically provided herein. In that event, a planting strip of at least twenty (20) feet in width may be required along the back of the lot.
(3) 
If remnants of land exist after subdividing, they shall be incorporated in existing or proposed lots.
(4) 
Corner lots shall have an average width of at least 100 feet. Either of the two sides of a corner lot may be designated as the front, provided that the rear yard shall always be opposite the frontage so designated, and provided the mailing address of the property shall correspond with the side designated as the front. All corner lots shall have a curve with a minimum radius of 20 feet joining the intersecting right-of-way lines.
[Amended 10-2-2007 by Ord. No. 293]
(5) 
All lots shall front on a public or private street (existing or proposed), and the right-of-way of the principal access to any subdivision shall be a minimum of fifty (50) feet in width. No subdivision will be approved where the width of the existing right-of-way is less than fifty (50) feet unless the subdivider is able to secure such additional right-of-way as may be required to achieve this width. However, upon written request by the subdivider, the Borough may grant a waiver from this and other street requirements of this chapter to permit access to a single-family residential lot from a private drive, provided that a release has been given the Borough making clear that the Borough is exempted from all responsibility for the maintenance of the same and the lot in question is not capable of being subdivided further or is so restricted.
(6) 
The dimension standards contained within the Matamoras Borough Zoning Ordinance[1] shall apply to all lots created.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 124, Zoning.
(7) 
Monuments.
(a) 
Monuments shall be placed at perimeter corners and the corner of each street and markers set at the corner of each lot to permanently and accurately define the metes and bounds of the block and lots created. Monuments shall be of the following type or approved equal:
[1] 
Reinforced concrete, four by forty-eight (4 x 48) inches.
[2] 
Cut stone, preferably granite, four by forty-eight (4 x 48) inches.
[3] 
Two by forty-eight (2 x 48) inches galvanized iron pipe filled with concrete.
[4] 
Brass pin, three-fourths (3/4) inch in diameter, grouted four (4) inches into rock.
(b) 
Monuments shall extend forty-two (42) inches below ground or to solid rock. Lot corner markers shall be of pipe or steel at least three-fourths (3/4) inch in diameter and eighteen (18) inches in length and must be set at all corners of all lots prior to final approval.
The subdivider shall construct a system of water mains and connect with the Borough water system and provide a connection for each lot. Suitable agreements shall also be established for the design, specifications, construction, ownership and maintenance of such distribution system, including fire hydrants.
A. 
All subdivision and land developments shall be provided with an adequate sewage disposal system. All residential lots shall contain suitable areas for on-lot sewage disposal systems or be served by an approved off-site sewage disposal system. Plans and specifications, including a Planning Module for Land Development complete with all appropriate components as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (to revise or supplement the Borough Official Plan), shall be submitted with all preliminary subdivision or land development plans. Following preliminary plan approval, the Borough will submit copies of the module and necessary documentation to the commonwealth for review. Commonwealth approval of the module and the Borough's revision or supplement to its Official Plan shall be required prior to final approval.
B. 
On-site systems shall be provided in accordance with criteria set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. The Borough Sewage Enforcement Officer's site and soils evaluation by the test pit method and favorable report is required prior to preliminary plan approval. The Sewage Enforcement Officer shall determine the number and location of test pits and soil percolation tests necessary to determine the general suitability of soils throughout the subdivision or land development for on-lot subsurface sewage disposal.
C. 
Lot improvement subdivisions shall, pursuant to § 108-19, be exempt from this and other requirements, provided that a planning module is not required by the Department of Environmental Resources.
In the event that any developer shall intend to make land changes by grading, filling, excavating or the removal or destruction of the natural topsoil or vegetative covering thereon in accordance with a subdivision plan submitted to the Borough, the same shall only be approved and accomplished after the developer has submitted to the Borough an Erosion and Sedimentation Plan and otherwise complied with commonwealth regulations respecting such plans. Measures in the plan shall meet with the approval of the Pike County Conservation District.
A stormwater drainage plan may be required in certain cases for major subdivisions or land developments. Such a plan, along with § 108-26 above, shall comply with Pennsylvania DER regulations. Such a plan shall also be prepared in consultation with the Pike County Conservation District and the Soil Conservation Service, which shall suggest methods and appropriate measures for meeting the intent of the Pennsylvania Storm Water Management Act.[1] The general performance standard shall be that the amount of uncontrolled stormwater leaving the site along any property line after development shall not exceed that estimated for the site prior to development. The following additional requirements shall apply:
A. 
Lots shall be laid out and graded to prevent cross-lot drainage away from proposed building areas. Natural drainage courses shall be maintained.
B. 
The existing points of natural drainage discharge onto adjacent property shall not be altered, nor shall the rate of water runoff be increased because of development, without the written approval of all affected land owners.
C. 
No stormwater runoff or natural drainage water shall be so diverted as to overload existing drainage systems or create flooding or the need for additional drainage structures on other private properties or public lands without complete approval of provisions being made by the developer for properly handling such conditions.
D. 
Facilities shall be designed to accommodate storms of a ten-year frequency unless a more stringent standard shall be recommended by the Borough Engineer.
E. 
Drainage structures that are located on state highway rights-of-way shall be approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and a letter from that office indicating such approval shall be directed to the Borough prior to final plan approval.
F. 
All streets shall be so designed as to provide for the discharge of surface water from their rights-of-way. The slope of the crown on proposed streets shall be one-fourth (1/4) inch per foot away from the center line.
G. 
All proposed surface drainage structures shall be indicated on the preliminary plan.
H. 
Drainage plans shall include all appropriate designs, details and dimensions necessary to clearly explain proposed construction materials and elevations.
I. 
Storm drains or storm sewer facilities may be required in any development situation where the Borough Planning Commission and the Borough Council determine that surface drainage facilities are inadequate to prevent excessive erosion and lot or road maintenance problems.
J. 
Drainage systems shall be designed in accordance with such design standards as may be promulgated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources or the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, using hydraulic computations to show effects of the flow of water. In no case shall any pipe system of less than fifteen (15) inches in diameter be used underneath a street or driveway.
K. 
Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be provided a drainage easement conforming substantially with the line of such watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream and of such width as will be adequate to preserve the unimpeded flow of natural drainage or for the purpose of widening, deepening, relocating, improving or protecting such drainage facilities. Any changes in the existing drainageway shall be subject to the approval of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Division of Dams and Encroachments.
L. 
All drainage systems and structures shall be subject to the approval of the Borough Engineer, the Borough Council or any such other qualified person as may be appointed for this purpose by the Borough Council.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 32 P.S. §  680.1 et seq.
A. 
General. The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of all streets shall conform to the Comprehensive Plan. Where not shown on the Comprehensive Plan, the arrangement and other design standards of streets shall conform to the provisions found herein. Every subdivision shall have access to a public right-of-way.
B. 
Design and arrangement.
(1) 
In general, all streets shall be continuous and in alignment with existing streets and shall compose a convenient system to ensure circulation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, with the exception that minor streets shall be laid out including the use of loop streets and culs-de-sac so that their use by through traffic will be discouraged.
(2) 
Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, marginal access streets may be required in order to protect residential areas from heavy traffic and also to provide separation between local and through traffic.
(3) 
Streets shall be logically related to the topography so as to produce usable lots and reasonable grades as required by this chapter and other Borough ordinances applicable to street standards.
(4) 
New half or partial streets will not be permitted. Wherever a tract to be subdivided borders an existing half or partial street, the remaining portion of the street shall be platted within such tract.
(5) 
Dead-end streets shall be prohibited, except as stubs to permit future street extension into adjoining tracts or when designed as culs-de-sac.
(6) 
Where adjoining areas are not subdivided, the arrangement of streets in new subdivisions shall make provision for the proper protection of streets.
(7) 
Streets shall be laid out to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles; in any event, no street shall intersect another at less than sixty degrees (60°). Intersections of more than two (2) streets shall be avoided.
(8) 
Street and driveway intersections with arterial streets shall not be so numerous, nor so close to each other, as to impede the flow of traffic.
(9) 
Clear sight triangles shall be provided at all street intersections. Within such triangles, no structure or vision obstructing object other than utility poles, streetlights, street signs or traffic signs shall be permitted which obscures vision above the height of thirty (30) inches and below ten (10) feet measured from the center-line grade of intersecting streets. Such triangles shall be established from a distance of seventy-five (75) feet from the point of intersection of the center-lines.
C. 
Alleys. Alleys may be permitted in residential areas under special circumstances, but in no case shall an alley provide the only means of access to a lot. Alleys are required on the rear of all commercial and industrial lots, if no other provisions are made for adequate service access or for parking.
D. 
Street grades. Minimum vertical and horizontal visibility [measured four and one-half (4 1/2) feet eye level to taillights eighteen (18) inches above ground level] for curves shall be no less than one hundred fifty (150) feet for all streets.
E. 
Street and alley width.
(1) 
The minimum right-of-way widths for streets and alleys are as follows:
Type
Minimum Right-of-Way
(feet)
Streets
50
Alleys
20
Crosswalks
10
(2) 
Where the proposed subdivision fronts on an existing public right-of-way of less than the required width as specified above, the subdivider shall provide additional right-of-way as may be required to conform with these standards. Where the proposed subdivision fronts on only side of such a road, the entire additional width required shall be provided on that side.
F. 
Dead-end streets. Any dead-end street of a temporary nature, if longer than two hundred (200) feet or fronted by existing lots, shall have a surfaced turning area equal in diameter to the right-of-way width of said street at its termination.
G. 
Grading. The entire width of the travel way of each street in a proposed subdivision shall be graded and suitably prepared for installation of paving, drainage structures, curbs and gutters, in accordance with the appropriate standards for the class of street. The subgrade shall be free of sod, vegetative matter or other similar material. Where poor subsurface drainage conditions exist, adequate drainage shall be installed. The subgrade construction shall conform to minimum standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
H. 
Pavement.
(1) 
Minimum street pavement widths.
(a) 
The width of pavement required shall vary, depending upon the character of the development served and the amount of traffic expected to utilize the street. The following are minimum street pavement widths:
Type of Street
Minimum Shoulder Width
(each side)
Minimum Clearance Beyond Shoulder
(each side)
Minimum Pavement Width
Major streets
10 feet
10 feet
24 feet
Collector streets
10 feet
8 feet
22 feet
Minor streets
4 feet
4 feet
20 feet
Alleys
12 feet
(b) 
Waivers of these standards may be granted to conform to present conditions where an extension of an existing street is proposed.
(2) 
The pavement shall be constructed in accordance with specifications and standards contained in the Borough Road Ordinance, if such ordinance exists.
I. 
Berms and embankments.
(1) 
Street shoulders shall be constructed with materials as specified by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The entire shoulder area shall be uniformly and thoroughly compacted by rolling and must be level with the top of the road paving or as directed by the Engineer.
(2) 
Embankments at the sides of streets and cross sections of drainage ditches shall not exceed a maximum slope of two (2) feet horizontally to one (1) foot vertically in a cut or fill section. In special cases, the Engineer may require more rigid standards.
J. 
Walls, slopes and traffic guards.
(1) 
Where the grade of the street is above or below the grade of the adjacent land, walls or slopes shall be constructed in a manner satisfactory to the Borough and shall be sufficient to support the street or the adjacent land, as the case may be.
(2) 
Where the grade of the street is three (3) feet or more above the grade of the adjacent land, guards shall be built to protect travel, if required by the Borough Engineer.
K. 
Street improvements (generally). All streets, including culs-de-sac and alleys, shall be constructed as shown on the preliminary and final plan approved by the Council members and in conformity with the Borough Road Ordinance. Where such ordinance does not provide a clear standard, the Borough may rely upon the standards promulgated by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for local streets.
L. 
Street name signs. Four-way street name signs of a design approved by the Borough Council members will be installed at each street intersection by the subdivider at his own expense. Streets that are extensions of or obviously in alignment with existing streets shall bear the name of existing streets. Street names shall not be repeated within the Borough and shall be subject to Borough approval.
M. 
Streetlighting.
(1) 
Streetlighting is the responsibility of the applicant to provide and the lot owners to maintain and operate. The Borough Engineer will determine when and if streetlighting is necessary, evaluating need on the basis of safety considerations and commonly accepted standards of lighting.
(2) 
Whether or not streetlights are initially installed, the developer shall be responsible for providing utility easements for future streetlighting installation, upon consultation with the public service utility company involved.
N. 
Shade trees. Reasonable efforts should be made by the subdivider to preserve existing shade trees along any proposed street right-of-way.
O. 
Requirement for road occupancy and other permits.
(1) 
No driveway, street or drainage facility or structure shall be constructed or altered within a state right-of-way, and no drainage facility of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (Penn DOT) shall be altered or connected onto without first obtaining a permit from Penn DOT.
(2) 
No driveway, local road or drainage facility or structure shall be constructed or altered within a Borough right-of-way, and no drainage facility of Matamoras Borough shall be altered or connected onto without first obtaining a permit from the Matamoras Borough Council.
P. 
Private drives.
(1) 
Individual driveways serving only one (1) single-family dwelling each shall not be subject to street improvement requirements of this chapter or of the Borough Road Ordinance. Also, private drives to service no more than two (2) single-family dwellings shall be permitted, provided that the Borough is given satisfactory evidence, in the form of declaration of restrictive covenants, that the private status of said road is permanent and the following standards are met:
(a) 
Minimum right-of-way: twenty-five (25) feet.
(b) 
Minimum pavement width: twelve (12) feet.
(c) 
Minimum shoulder width: three (3) feet.
(2) 
Pavement may consist of any all-weather surface satisfactory to the Borough Engineer. If there is a potential for resubdivision of either of the lots to be serviced by private drive such that eventually more than two (2) lots might result, the subdivider shall provide additional right-of-way as necessary to serve the maximum potential number of lots. All drainage plans shall be subject to approval by the Borough Council on the advice of the Borough Engineer.
Application. All commercial and industrial subdivisions shall comply with the requirements of the sections below:
A. 
Street systems.
(1) 
Traffic movements in and out of commercial and industrial areas should not interfere with external traffic, nor should they create hazards for adjacent residential areas.
(2) 
The design of streets, service drives and pedestrianways should provide for safe and hazard-free internal circulation, including provision for fire lanes where appropriate.
(3) 
The points of ingress shall be designed so as not to require commercial or industrial traffic to pass through residential areas, insofar as possible.
B. 
Block layout. Block layout shall conform with due consideration of site conditions, with best possible service to customers, traffic and parking circulation and pickup and delivery services. In no case shall a block length conform into adjoining parcels or blocks. Where safety considerations mandate, larger blocks may be required as a minimum.
C. 
Size. Lot sizes shall be based on the following factors:
(1) 
The total area shall be sufficient to provide adequate space for off-street parking and loading, landscaping and other facilities.
(2) 
Whenever possible, commercial parcels should include enough land to provide for a group of commercial establishments, planned, developed and operated as a unit. In no case will narrow, highway ribbon developments be approved.
The standards contained in § 124-27 of Chapter 124, Zoning, shall apply to all multifamily residential subdivisions and townhouse developments, but no building permits for the same shall be issued until preliminary plan approval has first been obtained under these regulations. No certificates of use shall be granted until final plan approval has been obtained hereunder.