The following principles of subdivision and land development, general requirements and minimum standards of design shall be observed by the applicant in all instances
A. 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
B. When only a portion of a tract is being reviewed relative to subdivision and land development, but where future subdivision or development is imminent, the applicant shall demonstrate, subject to approval of his plan, that the remainder of the tract or parcel may be subdivided or developed in conformance with the existing zoning classification of land use in a logical and satisfactory manner
C. Whenever possible, applicants shall preserve trees, groves, waterways, scenic points, historic spots and other community assets and landmarks
D. Subdivisions and land developments should be laid out so as to avoid the necessity for excessive cut or fill unless specifically warranted by terrain or location
E. Low-lying land subject to periodic flooding shall not be subdivided or developed for residential development or for such other uses as may involve danger to the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the residents of Worcester Township
F. Where no public water supply is available for the proposed subdivision or land development, the Supervisors shall require the subdivider, developer or builder to obtain from the Montgomery County Department of Health certificates of approval as to the quality and adequacy of the water supply proposed to be utilized by the subdivider, developer or builder and approval of the type and construction methods to be employed in the installation of the individual water supply system [Amended 10-15-1997 by Ord. No. 160]
G. Where the subdivision or land development is inaccessible to sanitary sewers, the Supervisors shall require the subdivider, developer or builder to obtain from the Montgomery County Department of Health certificates of approval of the sewage disposal facilities to be provided by the subdivider, developer or builder [Amended 10-15-1997 by Ord. No. 1601
H. Applicants shall observe the ultimate rights-of-way for contiguous existing streets as prescribed by the Official Map Summary for the township Additional portions of the corridors for such streets shall be offered to the state, county or township agency having jurisdiction at the time the subdivision or land development is consummates Applicable building setback lines, as defined by Chapter 150, Zoning, shall be delineated as measured from the ultimate right-of-way street line.
I. Proposed subdivision and land development shall be coordinated with existing nearby neighborhoods so that the community as a whole may develop harmoniously
J. Improvement construction requirements will be completed under specifications of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Montgomery County Soil and Water Conservation District or other appropriate agencies or the specifications included herein, whichever specifications shall result in the more favorable interpretation of this chapter
K. Construction of facilities The subdivider, developer or builder shall, where specified by the governing body, construct and install with no expense to the township the streets, curbs, sidewalks, water mains, sanitary and storm sewers, streetlights, fire hydrants, street signs, shade trees, monuments and other facilities and utilities specified in this Article Construction and installation of such facilities and utilities shall be subject to inspection by appropriate township officials during the progress of the work, and the subdivider shall pay for inspection
A. The standards of design in this Article should be used to judge the adequacy of subdivision proposals Wherever, in the opinion of the Planning Commission, the literal application of these standards in certain cases would serve to create an undue hardship or be plainly unreasonable to the applicant, the Township Planning Commission may recommend to the Supervisors such reasonable exceptions as will not be contrary to the public interest The Supervisors may modify or adjust the standards to permit reasonable utilization of property while securing substantial conformance with the objectives of these regulations
B. The standards included in these regulations are minimum design requirements The Supervisors reserve the right in any case to request that development features exceed these standards if conditions warrant
C. In reviewing subdivision plans, the Supervisors may refer such plans to the Planning Commission for recommendations concerning the adequacy of existing and proposed community facilities to serve the additional dwellings proposed by the subdivision
D. Subdividers are requested to give careful consideration to the desirability of providing adequate rights-of-way and paving on existing streets and reserving areas and easements for facilities normally required in residential sections, including churches, libraries, schools and other public buildings, parks, playgrounds and playfields, shopping and local business centers, and rights-of-way and easements for storm and sanitary sewer facilities in those areas that cannot-be immediately joined to the existing and proposed storm and sanitary sewer systems of Worcester Township
E. Areas provided or reserved for such community facilities should be adequate to provide for building sites, landscaping and off-street parking as appropriate to the use proposed The Supervisors reserve the right to accept or refuse offers of dedication for public uses
In accordance with the pertinent sections of the Second Class Township Code, all new streets and culs-de-sac, and widened portions of all existing rights-of-way, intended for public use shall be dedicated to the township, subject to final acceptance based on compliance with the following requirements and § 130-45 of these regulations
A. Street system
(1) Conformance with adopted plans The proposed street pattern shall be properly regulated to existing streets, to the Township Official Map Summary and to such county and state road and highway plans as have been duly adopted by said agencies
(2) Arrangement Streets shall be arranged in a manner to meet with the approval of the Township Supervisors, considered in relation to both existing and planned streets, and located so as to allow proper development of surrounding properties Secondary and through highways shall be connected with such existing streets and highways so as to form continuations thereof Residential streets shall be laid out to discourage their use as secondary streets or through highways
(3) Conformity with topography Streets shall be adjusted to the contour of the land so as to produce usable lots and streets of reasonable grade, alignment and drainage
(4) Grading The street shall be graded to the full width of the right-of-way and provision made for slopes beyond the right-of-way in conformance with municipal specifications
(5) Provisions of streets for future development Access shall be given to all lots and portions of the tract in the subdivision and to adjacent unsubdivided territory Streets giving such access shall be improved to the limits of the subdivision Remnants, reserve strips and landlocked areas shall not be created
(6) New streets New streets shall be laid out to continue existing streets at equal or greater right- of-way and cartway width, where such continuations are reasonable and practical
(7) Dead-end streets Dead-end streets are prohibited unless designed as culs-de-sac or designed for access exclusively to neighboring tracts
(8) Street names Continuation of existing streets shall be known by the same name Names for new streets shall not duplicate or closely resemble names of existing streets In all cases, however, all street names are subject to the approval of the Township Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors
(9) Half street The dedication of half streets at the edges of a new subdivision is prohibited If circumstances render this impracticable, adequate provision for the concurrent dedication of the remaining half of the street must be furnished by the subdivider, developer or builder. When there exists a half street in an adjoining subdivision, the remaining half shall be provided by the proposed development
B. Street alignment
(1) Sign distance on horizontal and vertical curves Proper sight distance should be provided with respect to both horizontal and vertical alignments Measured along the center line, this should be five hundred (500) feet for major roads, three hundred (300) feet for secondary roads, and two hundred (200) feet for local residential streets, measured at the center line and at driver's eye height of five (5) feet
(2) Horizontal curves shall be used at all changes in excess of two degrees (2) Long radius curves shall be used rather than a series of curves connected by short tangents Minimum radius curves at the end of long tangents will not be approved
(a) Curvature The minimum radius at the center line for horizontal curves on major streets shall be three hundred (300) feet, for secondary streets, two hundred (200) feet, and for rural or residential streets, one hundred fifty (150) feet
(b) Tangents between curves Except for local streets there shall be a tangent of at least one hundred (100) feet measured at the center line between reverse curves
(3) Vertical curves Vertical curves shall be used at changes in grade of more than one percent (1%) The length of the curve shall approximate fifty (50) feet on secondary streets and twenty-five (25) feet on residential streets for each one percent (1%) of change in grade Over summits or in sumps, vertical curves shall not produce excessive flatness in grade The high or low point on a vertical curve must be definitely and clearly shown.
(4) Street grades
(a) There shall be a minimum grade of at least one percent (1%) on all streets
(b) Maximum grades A maximum grade of seven percent (7%) on major and secondary streets, and ten percent (10%) on residential streets for distances of not more than one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet However, grades in excess of five percent (5%) shall be avoided wherever possible The grade shall be measured along the center line
(c) Curve-grade combinations A combination of minimum radius horizontal curves and maximum grades will not be approved
(d) Street intersections The grade within fifty (50) feet of any side of an intersection or the outer perimeter of a cul-de-sac shall not exceed three percent (3%) The grade will be measured along the curbline of the street
(c) Street grading All streets shall be graded to the grades shown on the street profile and cross-section plan submitted and approved with the preliminary plan of subdivision and land development They shall be inspected and checked for accuracy by the Township Engineer
C. Right-of-way width, paving width and curbing
(1) Classification All streets will be classified as marginal access, rural, residential, cul-de-sac, secondary or primary and shall be governed as follows
(a) Marginal access streets
[1] Marginal access streets serve as minor streets for access to adjacent properties on only one (1) side of the street. This type of facility runs parallel with and adjacent to a primary or secondary street and-serves to reduce the number of access points which intersect the larger streets, thereby increasing the efficiency and safety of traffic flow along the major street while providing adequate access to abutting development All marginal access streets shall consist of an additional right-of-way abutting and measured from the ultimate right-of-way line of the major street as defined by the Township Comprehensive Plan The rights-of-way shall contain the features listed below, in order, moving outward from the ultimate right-of-way
[a] Industrial five-foot minimum grass strip, thirty-two-foot cartway, including two (2) twelve-foot travel lanes, contained in a forty-foot right-of-way No parking allowed
[b] Commercial or multifamily residential five-foot grass strip, twenty-four-foot cartway consisting of two (2) twelve-foot travel lanes, contained in a forty-foot right-of-way No parking allowed
[c] Single-family residential, two-way five-foot minimum grass strip, twenty-eight-foot cartway consisting of two (2) ten-foot travel lanes and one (1) eight-foot parking lane, contained in a forty-foot right-of-way parking allowed, one (1) side
[d] Single-family residential, one-way five-foot minimum grass strip, eighteen-foot cartway consisting of one (1) ten-foot travel lane and one (1) eight-foot parking lane, contained in a thirty-foot right-of-way Parking allowed one (1) side
[2] In addition to the above regulations, marginal access streets shall meet the following standards
[a] Marginal culs-de-sac will meet marginal street regulations with a standard cul-de-sac turnaround at the closed end
[b] Where marginal access streets form a necessary leg of another classification of street, they shall be governed by the regulations of the other street classification
[c] Where sidewalks do not exist or should be replaced, they shall be installed in the outermost portion of the right-of-way of the marginal street
[3] Rural streets are those not qualifying under any of the other classifications and on which at least seventy-five percent (75%) of all road frontage consists of lots greater than two (2) acres, with minimum lot widths of two hundred (200) feet. Rural streets shall have a minimum right-of-way of fifty (50) feet and a minimum paved cartway of twenty-four (24) feet
[4] Residential streets shall be those which are used strictly to serve residential areas and do not serve as through streets in a development They shall have a minimum right-of-way width of fifty (50) feet and shall have a minimum paved width of thirty-two (32) feet [This may be reduced to twenty-eight (28) feet or thirty (30) feet when it seems unreasonable for conditions.] Construction of the street, curbing and sidewalk shall be in accordance with specifications hereinafter included in these standards
[5] Cul-de-sac streets shall be those streets with one (1) end open for vehicular access and the other terminating in a vehicular turnaround and shall be defined in two (2) ways
[a] Temporary culs-de-sac are those culs-de-sac constructed to an abutting property line with-the intention that such road will be extended onto the adjoining property at a future date as a logical step in the circulation network of neighborhood, superblock or area Temporary culs-de-sac shall be required by the Supervisors when conditions so warrant Temporary culs-de-sac shall be governed by the same design standards as permanent culs-de-sac
[b] Permanent culs-de-sac provide access only to abutting lots within the tract being subdivided or developed A permanent cul-de-sac
[i] Shall be constructed to the specifications of street, curbing and sidewalks hereinafter included in these standards for residential streets
[ii] Shall have a minimum right-of-way of fifty (50) feet, a circular turnaround with a minimum right-of-way radius of fifty (50) feet and an outer paving radius of forty (40) feet
[iii] Will not be approved as a part of a four-way intersection or as a continuation of any through street, unless special conditions warrant approval of either of the above by the Supervisors
[iv] Will not be approved when a through street is practicable
[v] Will not be more than five hundred (500) feet in length unless special conditions warrant approval by the Supervisors [The burden of proof regarding Subsections C(1)(a)[5][b][iii] through [v] shall be on the subdivider 1
[6] Secondary streets shall be defined in two (2) ways
[a] Secondary feeder streets shall be those which are used as connecting and through streets to serve residential areas and to connect residential streets to collector roads and community facilities with low traffic volumes They shall have a minimum right-of-way of sixty (60) feet and shall have a minimum paved width of thirty-eight (38) feet Curbing and/or sidewalk shall be provided as required Construction of the street curbing and sidewalk shall be in accordance with specifications hereinafter included in the standards
[b] A secondary collector street shall serve to connect feeder streets and residential streets to other feeder roads, community facilities and major highways with medium traffic-volume
Additionally, collector streets may also serve business or industrial areas
They shall have a minimum right-of-way width of eighty (80) feet and shall have a minimum paved width of forty (40) feet The street must be provided with curbing and sidewalk and shall conform to construction specifications hereinafter included in these standards
[6] Primary streets connect district centers or communities serving large volumes of fast- through traffic and shall be defined in three (3) ways
[a] Limited access highways that deny access to adjacent property owners and provide access at only a limited number of grade-separated interchanges They shall have a minimum right-of-way of one hundred twenty(120) feet, widened appropriately at interchanges, containing
[i] Four (4) twelve-foot travel lanes (minimum)
[ii] Two (2) ten-foot shoulders
[iii] Median (four-foot minimum)
[iv] Acceleration and deceleration lanes
[v] Entrance and exit roadways
[b] Controlled access highways which provide for access at a few grade level intersections (e g , with other major streets, large shopping centers, etc) They shall have a minimum right-of-way of one hundred (100) feet, appropriately widened at intersections for turning lanes, channelization, etc , and containing
[i] Four (4) twelve-foot travel lanes
[ii] Two (2) ten-foot shoulders
[iii] Four-foot median
[c] Semicontrolled access highways which place lesser restrictions on the access of adjacent property owners by providing more frequent access points at grade-level intersections (e.g, with secondary streets, marginal access streets, etc) They shall have a minimum right-of-way of one hundred (100) feet, appropriately widened at intersections for turning lanes, channelization, etc., and containing
[i] Four (4) twelve-foot travel lanes
[ii] Two (2) eight-foot shoulders
[iii] Appropriate median
(2) Street width The following general standards shall apply to street width
(a) The minimum widths of the right-of-way and paving, and the requirements for curbing, shall not be less than those of an existing street of which the new street is to be a continuation, nor less than as required above under Subsection C(1), Classification
(b) Minimum right-of-way width for development along existing streets shall correspond with the ultimate right-of-way for these streets, as defined in the Township Comprehensive Plan and/or shown on- the Right-of-Way Map
(c) The area between an existing right-of-way line and the ultimate right-of-way line should be offered for dedication to the authority having jurisdiction over the road when land is subdivided or developed along an existing right-of-way
(d) Islands, medial strips and channelization may be required in any area where traffic volumes warrant their use for safety and efficiency and may be permitted in any area at the discretion of the Supervisors Such devices on state roads must meet or exceed the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
(e) Additional widths may be required by the township as provided in Subsection C(l)(a)[61)[a], [b] and [c], as directed and/or required by the Township Engineer
(f) No fences, hedges, trees, shrubbery, walls, plantings or other obstructions shall be located or be permitted within the right-of-way except for ground covers such as grass, ivy, crownvetch or horizontally spreading shrubs less than one (1) foot high or retaining walls necessitated by road widening and constructed by the authority having jurisdiction over the road
D. Street paving All street paving must conform to the specifications incorporated in this section of the standards and be approved by the Township Engineer prior to acceptance by the Township Supervisors All grades, horizontal curves, vertical curves, intersections, sight distances and tangents shall conform to the requirements established by this chapter and shall be subject to the approval of the Township Engineer
(1) Subgrade
(a) The bottom of the excavation and the top of the fill between the outer limits of the paving or base course, when completed will be known as the "subgrade" and shall conform to the Lines, grades and cross sections given The subgrade for macadam paving shall conform to the established Lines, grade and cross section as approved by the Township Supervisors The subgrade shall be solidly compacted to a firm and unyielding state by rolling with a minimum of ten-ton power roller Unstable areas shall be removed and replaced with suitable fill and then rerolled as required to provide a uniform even surface
(b) Construction methods After the excavation or rough grading has been performed and all drains have been constructed, the subgrade shall be fine graded and shaped to the proper cross section It shall be brought to a firm unyielding surface by rolling the entire area with an approved three-wheel power roller having a metal weight of not less than ten (10) tons Solid rock, boulders, soft clay and all spongy material which will not consolidate under the roller shall be removed from the subgrade to a depth to be determined by the Township Engineer or other person designated by the Township Supervisors The space shall be filled with suitable material from the excavation and the subgrade rerolled until it presents a smooth and firm surface of the proper shape and cross section Crown board and straight edge shall be used for checking road and street construction Maximum deviation shall not exceed one-fourth (1/4) of an inch
(2) Shoulder
(a) Supporting shoulder shall be constructed on all sections of projects where a base course or pavement is to be constructed without other permanent support along the sides All shoulders shall be thoroughly compacted and graded to provide drainage from the macadam surface
(b) Construction methods Where concrete curbing is not to be constructed, shoulders are to be constructed adjacent to the paving of the proposed road The width and type of construction, grade and construction methods of these shoulders is to be determined by or must meet the approval of the Township Engineer or other person designated by the Township Supervisors
(3) Paving base coursed
(a) The base course shall be a crushed aggregate base course to a compressed thickness after completion of eight (8) inches Construction will conform to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specifications Form 408, dated 1967, or the latest revision thereto
(b) Materials The materials used and the construction methods shall meet the requirements of this specification Type A stone meeting the requirements as specified in section 310 of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specifications Form 408, dated 1967, shall be used
[1] The coarse stone shall conform to the gracing requirements as given in Section 703 3 for Pennsylvania No 4 aggregate
[2] The fine stone shall conform to the grading requirements as given in Section 703 3 for Pennsylvania No 1 aggregate
(c) Construction methods The construction methods for the base course shall comply with the following
[1] Before spreading any of the coarse material, the contractor or owner shall furnish a sufficient number of grade stakes to represent the finished grade of the proposed roadway as shown on the drawings This shall be done to the satisfaction of the Township Engineer or other person designated by the Township Supervisors
[2] Fine material for initial layer Prior to placing the coarse material, a layer of fine material as specified shall be spread uniformly over the subgrade as a bed and filler at a minimum thickness of one (1) inch
(d) Spreading the coarse material The crushed stone shall be placed in two (2) four-inch layers and spread uniformly on the prepared subgrade so as to distribute the material to the required depth for the full width of the base, unless otherwise specified for part-width construction Each course shall be thoroughly screened and rolled This material shall not be placed in a wet or frozen subgrade No material shall be placed without first obtaining the consent of the Township Engineer or other persons designated by the Township Supervisors Not more than an average day's work shall be placed in advance of filling or rolling
(e) Rolling coarse material The coarse material shall be compacted by rolling with a threewheel power roller having a metal weight not less than ten (10) tons The rolling shall begin at the aides and progress to the center, except on super-elevated curves where the rolling shall begin on the low-side-and progress to the high side The rolling shall be parallel to the center line of the roadway uniformly lapping each preceding track and covering the entire surface with the rear wheels and continuing until the material does not creep or wave ahead of the roller wheels Areas of the base inaccessible to the roller shall be satisfactorily compacted by means of approved tampers The base course shall be compacted to ensure no movement in the base
(f) Application of fine material The fine material generally shall be cast or spread in a series of thin applications, parallel with the roadway If spread by hand the spreading shall be performed with a sweeping motion of a square-pointed shovel alternately in opposite directions, this process being continued until no more material can be forced into the voids Hand brooms shall be used to spread the material over the surface to ensure even distribution and filling of all voids in the coarse material All excess filler material forming in piles or cakes upon the surface shall be loosened and scattered The rolling of the surface shall be continued during the process of spreading the filler material and shall be as specified for rolling the coarse material Additional filler shall be applied where necessary to fill the voids and the rolling continued until the base course is thoroughly compacted and firmly set The quantity of filler material necessary shall be determined by the Township Engineer or other person designated by the Township Supervisors After the completion of the application and rolling of dry screening, the surface shall be sprinkled with water and rolled If, at any time, subgrade material should become churned up or mixed with the base course materials, the contractor shall dig out and remove the mixture, reshape and compact the subgrade and replace the materials removed with clean materials which shall be filled and rolled until compacted satisfactorily
(4) Bituminous surface course ID-2A
(a) This surface course shall consist of two (2) courses, binder course or special binder course and wearing course, of hot-mixed, hot-laid asphaltic concrete, constructed on a prepared base course The bituminous surface course shall have a total thickness, after final compaction, as specified by the Township Engineer or other persons designated by the Township Supervisors but in no case shall be less than two and one-half (2 1/2) inches after compression All street pavement cross sections, except where superelevated for curves, will be a minimum slope from the center of the road to the gutter of a minimum of one-fourth-inch per foot to a maximum of one-half-inch per foot
(b) Materials The materials shall conform to the requirements as given in Section 420 of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specifications Form 408, dated 1967, or the latest revision thereto
(c) Construction methods The surface coursing shall be Type ID-2A as specified in Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Specification Form 408, dated 1967, or the latest revision thereto, and shall be applied in strict accordance therewith
(d) No visible moisture shall be present prior to the laying of each course Road surface temperature shall be fifty degrees Fahrenheit (50 F) or greater prior to the laying of a bituminous surface. The air temperature shall be forty degrees Fahrenheit (40 F) or greater with the temperature rising All bituminous surface courses shall have a total thickness after compression of two and one-half (21/2) inches minimum All edges shall be kept straight and sharp forming a clean cut line between finished road and gravel shoulder where shoulder construction is used
(e) Worcester Township will require delivery slips for all materials used in the construction of streets
E. Street intersections
(1) Number of intersections No more than two (2) streets shall cross at the same point Four-way intersections are to be avoided in the layout when three-way or T-intersections can be utilized When existing streets intersect at odd angles, or have more than four (4) approaches, the subdivider, developer or builder shall be required to make corrective changes to eliminate the odd angle or reduce the number of approaches to the intersection by curving the lesser street
(2) Minimum angle of intersection Right angle intersections shall be used whenever practicable, especially when local streets empty into major or secondary streets, there shall be no intersection angle, measured at the center line, of less than sixty degrees (60) minimum
(3) Center lines Where center lines of residential or secondary streets open into opposite sides of a major street within one hundred (100) feet of each other they shall be made to coincide by curving the minor street or streets
(4) Primary thoroughfare Wherever practicable, intersections with through highways shall be kept to a minimum and shall be located at least one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet apart
(5) Sight distance Proper sight lines as provided in § 130-16B(1) of this chapter shall be maintained at all intersections of streets There shall be measured along the center line a minimum clear sight triangle of seventy-five (75) feet from the point of intersection No building, trees, hedge, shrubbery or other obstruction whatsoever will be permitted in this area Any obstruction to sight shall be removed at the time the street is graded or at the time a building or structure is erected, whichever shall first occur
(6) Maximum grade Maximum grade within any intersection shall not exceed one percent (1%), and approaches to an intersection shall follow a straight horizontal course for one hundred (100) feet
(7) Approach grades All approaches to an intersection shall not exceed three percent (3%) for a distance of fifty (50) feet measured from the nearest right-of-way line of the intersecting street
(8) Radii of pavement and right-of-way intersections Street intersections shall be rounded with tangential arcs at the pavement edge (curbline) and right-of-way lines as listed below Where two (2) streets of different right-of-way widths intersect, the radii of curvature for the widest street shall apply
