A. Purpose
The purpose of the final plan stage is to insure formal approval by the Solebury Township Board of Supervisors before plans for all major subdivisions and land developments are recorded as required by Section 4.07 of this Ordinance.
B. Application Procedure
1. The final plan submission shall be in accordance with "SUGGESTED INFORMATION FOR APPLICATIONS FOR SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT."
2. No final plan shall be accepted by the Township unless a.) a preliminary plan has been approved, and b.) the appropriate fee in accordance with current fee schedule adopted by resolution by the' Board of Supervisors shall be paid in cash or certified check at the time of submission to the Township.
3. The final plan shall be clearly labeled as a final plan.
4. Where any revision is made, or when the plan is a revision of a previously approved preliminary or final plan, solid lines shall show the currently proposed features. A symbol and reference number shall identify the aspect revised on the field of the drawing. All revisions shall be noted in a revision block and listed by symbol and reference number. An explanation of each revision shall be included in the revision block.
5. Within ninety (90) days following the starting date of the review process as set forth in Section 4.00 A., B., and C., the Board of Supervisors shall:
b. Review any reports submitted by the Township Planning Commission and other applicable reviewing agencies.
c. Listen to the applicant's presentation if requested.
d. Render its decision in writing, and this shall be sent to the applicant by mail at the address provided by the applicant on the application form. The decision shall be communicated to the applicant personally or mailed to him within the time limits as specified by the Municipalities Planning Code.
e. When the application is not approved as filed, the decision shall specify the defects found in the application and shall in each case cite the provisions of the statute or ordinance.
6. If approved by the Board of Supervisors, two (2) exact copies of the approved final plan on linen cloth shall be submitted for the required signatures in accordance with Section 4.03.G. below.
7. If approved by the Board of Supervisors, one (1) exact- black-line transparent overlay showing roads, lot lines, streams, lakes and ponds shall be submitted at a scale of I" to 800' for use by the Township in updating the Township base map. It shall be submitted at the time the developer's agreement is executed.
8. When the applicant is requesting a modification to a provision or Provisions of this ordinance, a written request shall accompany the Plan Submission. The request shall cite the section(s) of the Ordinance to be modified, the extent of modification and the reasons for the modification. Refer to Section 2.00, "Hardship".
C. Size and Scale of Plans
The final plans shall be prepared in accordance with the specifications and requirements of Section 4.02.C.
D. Required Information and Documents
1. A Certified Site Survey shall be submitted with the information required by Section 4.02.D.1.
2. A Natural Features Map shall be submitted with the information required by Section 4.02.D.2.
3. A Site Plan of the Proposed Project shall be submitted with the information required by Section 4.02.D.3.
4. A Landscaping and Grading Plan shall be submitted with the information required by Section 4.02.D.4.
5. Site Utility Plan(s) shall be submitted with the information required by Section 4.02.D.5.
6. An Improvement Construction Plan shall be submitted with the following information and at either of the following scales:
a. Horizontal Plan (streets). The horizontal plan shall show details of the horizontal layout including:
i. Center line with bearings, distances, curve data and stations corresponding to the profile.
ii. Right-of-way and curb lines with radii at intersections.
iii. Beginning and end of proposed construction.
iv. Tie-ins by courses and distances to intersection of all public roads, with their names and widths.
v. Location of all monuments with reference to them.
vi. Property lines and ownership of abutting properties. vii. Location and size of all drainage structures, sidewalks, public utilities, lighting standards, and street name signs.
b. Horizontal Plan (storm drains and sanitary sewers)
i. Location and size of line with stations corresponding to the profile.
ii. Location of manholes or inlets with grade between and elevation of flow line and top of each manhole or inlet.
iii. Property lines and ownership, with details of easements where required.
iv. Beginning and end of proposed construction.
v. Location of laterals.
vi. Location of all other drainage facilities and public utilities in the vicinity of storm and/or sanitary sewer lines.
vii. Hydraulic design data for culverts and/or bridge structures.
c. Profile (streets)
i. Profile of existing ground surface along center line of street.
ii. Proposed center line grade with percent on tangents and elevations at fifty (50) foot intervals, grade intersections and either end of curb radii.
iii. Vertical curve data including length, elevations and minimum sight distance as required by the Township.
d. Cross Section (streets)
i. Right-of-way width and location and width of paving.
ii. Type, thickness, and crown of paving.
iii. Type and size of curb or swale, if no curb.
iv. Grading of sidewalk area.
v. Location, width, type and thickness of sidewalks.
e. Profile (Storm drains and sanitary sewers)
i. Profile Of existing ground surface with elevations at top of manholes or inlets.
ii. Profile of storm drain or sewer showing type and size of pipe, grade, cradle, manhole, and inlet locations, and elevations along flow line at fifty (50) foot intervals. .
7. The Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan for the construction phase of the project shall be submitted.
8. Other required information. The information required by the following provisions of this Ordinance shall be submitted:
a. Section 4.02.D.8.e.
b. Section 4.02.D.8.f.
c. Section 4.02.D.9
d. Section 4.02.D.11.
**Webmasters Note: Subsection b. has been added and c. and d. have been re-lettered as per Ordinance No. 2000-182.
9. Certification of Sewage Facilities
a. Proceed as set forth in Section 4.02.D.12
b. In addition, applicants or property owners who wish to subdivide property on which there is an existing on-lot sewage disposal system must proceed as follows:
i. Where a subdivision is proposed for a property which is determined by the Department of Health to be subject to the rural residence exemption, the applicant or property owner must obtain a permit for the sewage disposal system(s) which will serve the newly created lots. If the applicant or property owner is unable to obtain a, permit for the existing system, the applicant or property owner shall be required to obtain a permit for a replacement sewage disposal system.
ii. If a. permit is not on file with the Department of Health for the existing system, and the property is not subject to the rural residence exemption, the applicant or property owner must obtain a permit for a new system if the parcel containing the existing system will be less than five (5) acres.
iii. If there is a permit on file with the Department of Health for the existing system, the applicant or property owner must submit written documentation to the Township that the existing system is not visibly malfunctioning to the surface of the ground, has not been implicated in the contamination of any drinking water supply or surface water body, is currently in satisfactory structural condition and appears to have been maintained in a satisfactory manner from a registered professional engineer before the subdivision is finally approved.
10. For wells that are required to be reviewed by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) certification of DRBC approval shall be submitted prior to the granting of final approval of the subdivision or land development application.
11. Carbonate (Limestone) Geology
a. For sites located within or within two hundred (200) feet of areas identified as Carbonate (Limestone) Geology in the Conservation and Management Practices for Buckingham and Durham Carbonate Valleys, February, 1985, prepared by the Bucks County Planning Commission and International Explorations, Inc. applicants shall determine the location of the following and submit a map indicating:
i. sinkholes
ii. closed depressions
iii. disappearing streams
iv. ghost lakes
v. surface pinnacles
vi. lineaments
vii. fracture traces
viii. fissures
ix. faults
x. surface drainage channels
xi. test borings, if required (see Section 5.25)
xii. location of boundaries of carbonate geology
xiii. all plan requirements and data required by the current Bucks County Department of Health policy and procedure for the issuance of on-lot sewage permits.
E. Required Information for Mobile Home Parks - In addition to the preceding information the following is required for an application for a mobile home park:
1. That the parcel or lot for which application is made is held in single and separate ownership:.
2. The placement, location and number of mobile home lots and mobile home pads on a layout map of the parcel.
3. The location and dimension of all driveways, pedestrian ways, curbs, sidewalks, and access roads with notation as to type of impervious cover.
4. The location and dimensions of all parking facilities.
5. The location, dimensions and arrangement of all areas to be devoted to lawns, buffer strips, screen planting and recreation.
6. Proposed provisions for handling of storm -water drainage, street and on-site lighting, water supply and electrical supply in the form of written and diagrammatic analysis with calculations and conclusions prepared by a registered professional engineer.
7. Proposed provisions for treatment of sanitary sewage together with proof that the treatment and disposal of such sewage meets with and has the approval of the agency of the Commonwealth having jurisdiction over such matters.
8. All open space lands shall be so designated on the plans. The plans shall contain the following statement: "Open space lands may not be separately sold, nor may such lands be further developed or subdivided," and a restrictive covenant that runs with the land in favor of the Township shall be filed.
9. The plans shall designate the use of the open space, the type of maintenance to be provided, and a planting plan and schedule.
F. Improvements or Guarantee Thereof Prerequisite to Final Plan Approval
1. Improvements
Before approving any subdivision or land development plan for recording, the Board of Supervisors shall either require that the necessary grading, paving and other improvements herein specified shall have been installed in strict accordance with the standards and specifications of the governing body, or that the governing body be assured by means of a proper contract and completion guarantee, as set forth in Section 4.03.F.2. hereof, that the improvements will subsequently be installed by the developer.
2. Contracts
In all cases where the necessary grading, paving and other improvements required herein shall not have been installed in strict accordance with the standards and specifications of the Township prior to approval of the final plan, the developers shall enter into a written agreement with the Township in accordance with the requirements of the Municipalities Planning Code in the manner and form approved by the Township Solicitor, wherein developer shall agree, to the extent applicable: (APPENDIX A is a model agreement which may be modified by the Township Solicitor to suit the particular needs of the development.)
a. To construct or cause to be constructed at his own expense all streets, street signs, curbs, sidewalks, street and buffer plantings, street lights, fire hydrants, water mains, sanitary sewers (including capped sewers and capped water mains), storm sewers, drainage, grading and erosion control improvements, and other improvements including off-site improvements as may be required by the Township shown on said subdivision or land development plan, all in strict accordance with the standards and specifications of the Township and within the time specified in said agreement. (See APPENDIX A)
b. To make adequate provisions with the Township Engineer for the inspection of the construction of the aforesaid improvements to assure strict compliance with the Township standards and specifications.
c. To secure the structural integrity of the required improvements for the subdivision as well as the functioning of the required improvements in the subdivision in accordance with the design and specifications of that particular final plat of the required improvements, including streets, street signs, curbs, sidewalks, street and buffer plantings, street lights, fire hydrants, water mains (including capped water mains), sanitary sewers (including capped sewers), storm sewers, drainage, grading and erosion control improvements, and other improvements including off-site improvements, as may be required by the Township for the period of eighteen months from the date of acceptance of dedication of some or all of the required improvements following completion.
d. To pay all costs, charges or rates of the utility furnishing electric service for the street lighting facilities installed by the developer until such time as the streets shown on the subdivision and/or land development plan shall have been accepted or condemned by the township for public use, and to indemnify and save harmless the township from and against all suits, actions, claim.,; and demands for electric service as aforesaid, or any part thereof, to the time that said streets shall be accepted or condemned as public streets in the manner hereinabove set forth.
e. To post contemporaneous with the execution of such agreement, such financial security as is required by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.
f. To obtain the easements and releases required by this Ordinance.
g. To reimburse the Township promptly for reasonable attorney's and engineer's fees and fees for other professionals employed by the Township to review or process subdivision and land development plans.
3. The provisions of this section shall not relieve the developer from the penalties provided for in Section 515 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code for violations of this Ordinance.
G. Approval of Plans
1. Appropriate approval blocks shall appear on the first sheet or title sheet of the set of plans. All approved final plans shall be signed by the Township Engineer, a designated member of the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. Such signatures shall be placed on linen prints of the approved plan for recording with the County and Township. All sheets other than the first, shall be date stamped, approved and marked for identification purposes.
2. Before acting on any subdivision or land development plan, the Board of Supervisors may hold a public hearing thereon after public notice.
3. Sample signature blocks:
