A. Alleys Alleys are prohibited in residential developments except as the completion extension of one (1) in existence In commercial or industrial-districts without expressly designed loading areas, alleys with a minimum width of 25 feet shall be required Where such alleys (dead-end, they shall be provided with a turnaround having a radius of not less than 25 feet The cartway shall be a minimum of 20 feet
(1) Paving The paving requirements shall be the same as for street paving
(2) Intersections Intersections of right-of-way lines shall be rounded by a tangential arc, the minimum radius of which shall be 10 feet, and the edge of the paving at intersections shall be rounded by a tangential arc, the minimum radius of which shall be 15 feet
(3) Obstructions No fences, hedges, trees, shrubbery, walls, plantings or other obstructions shall be located within the right-of-way Reasonable sight distance shall be provided at intersections with streets
B. Driveways
(1) Location Driveways shall be so located as to provide reasonable sight distance at intersections with streets, and not closer than five feet to side lot lines A stopping area measured 20 feet behind the right-of-way line shall be provided, not to exceed a four percent grade.
(2) Intersections Driveways shall be located not less than 40 feet from the street intersection and shall provide access to the street of a lesser classification when there are streets of different classes involved
(3) Pavement widths and grade Driveway paving widths and grades shall be as follows
(4) All driveways shall be located, designed and constructed in such a manner as not to interfere or be inconsistent with the design, maintenance and drainage of the highway
(5) Access driveways should be located in such manner that they will not cause the following
(a) Interference to the traveling public
(b) A hazard to the free movement of normal highway traffic
(c) Areas of undue traffic congestion on the highway
**Webmasters Note: Section 130-17.B(6) has been deleted by Ordinance No. 2006-212, effective December 20, 2006.
C. Driveways for land developments.
(1) The Township Supervisors shall have the authority to approve driveways intended for the use of two or more families, apartment developments and commercial and industrial projects where usage by the occupants constitutes essentially a private street Driveways constituting private streets are those accessways used by two or more families daily or 10 or more workers for vehicular circulation. Driveways serving as private streets shall not be dedicated to the municipality, nor does the municipality assume any responsibility for their maintenance
(2) Construction of driveways to be used as private streets shall conform to minimum design standards for public streets, other than those applicable to rights-of-way, width, curbing and shoulder grading, provided, however, that the width of the cartway shall not be in any event less than twenty (20) feet
(3) Location and placement of driveways serving as private streets shall comply with Subsection B, Driveways Additionally, provisions for drainage and stormwater runoff shall be approved by the Township Engineer.
(4) The owner, and all successors, of any property which is to abut any driveway serving as a private street shall be fully responsible for the permanent improvement of the driveways) and for the maintenance thereof in a good and safe condition
(5) The Township Supervisors shall evaluate the location, placement and alignment of driveways serving as private streets based upon the ease of accessibility to and efficient maneuverability throughout the development for protective services of fire and police
D. Parking areas
(1) Automobile parking facilities shall be provided offstreet in accordance with requirements of Chapter 150, Zoning, and this chapter
(2) At no time shall angle or perpendicular parking along the curbs of local, public or private access roads or streets be permitted All parking lots and bays allowing any parking other than parallel shall be physically separated from the cartway by a minimum of seven (7) feet and confined to barrier curbing
(3) Off-street parking areas shall comply with the separation, buffering and landscaping requirements of § 130-28G(b) [Amended 5-19-1993 by Ord. No. 1311
(4) No less than twenty (20) feet of open space shall be provided between the curbline of any parking area and the outside wall of the dwelling unit in residential areas
(5) Parking may be permitted within side and/or rear yards when the side and/or rear yards abut a district zoned industrial and/or commercial However, no parking shall be permitted within five (5) feet of a side or rear property line unless formal arrangements, satisfactory to the township, have been made for the establishment of common parking facilities
(6) In commercial and industrial districts, provision of common parking facilities is hereby encouraged in recognition of their increased flexibility and efficiency Subject to formal arrangements between the proposed users of the common parking facilities, satisfactory to the township, the Zoning Hearing Board may reduce the aggregate amount of required parking space upon determination that greater efficiency is effected by joint use of the common parking area When common parking facilities are approved, side and/or rear yard parking requirements may be waived in order to establish unified and continuous parking areas In such cases, access drives and sidewalks shall be so aligned as to maximize parking efficiency and minimize traffic congestion Entrances and exits must have clear sight lines and good visibility so that both going in and coming out drivers can see and cars can be seen
(7) Parking stall dimensions shall be not less than ten (10) feet in width and twenty (20) feet in depth
(8) Buffer planting requirements shall be applicable to parking lot facilities along the area fronting major or secondary roads and along the area adjacent to other properties
(9) All dead-end parking lots shall be designed to provide sufficient backup area for the end stalls
(10) No less than a five-foot radius of curvature shall be permitted for all curbline in all parking areas
(11) Parking lot dimensions shall be no less than those listed in the following table
A. Sidewalks
(1) Where required Sidewalks shall be provided along all streets excepting where, in the opinion of the Township Supervisors, they are unnecessary for the public safety and convenience
(2) Width and thickness Sidewalks shall not be less than four (4) feet in width in residential areas A greater width shall be required in areas in which apartments or business buildings are located or deemed necessary at the discretion of the Township Supervisors
(3) Sidewalks shall be located between the curb and right-of-way line five (5) feet from the curbline The grade and paving of the sidewalk shall be continuous across driveways except in certain cases where heavy traffic volume dictates special treatment
(4) Construction methods
(a) Sidewalks shall be constructed so as to discharge drainage to the street, the grade of which shall not be less than one-fourth (1/4) inch per foot The finished grade between the outside of the sidewalk to the curbline (edge of the cartway) shall never exceed a total vertical elevation change of one (1) foot
(b) Sidewalks shall be constructed of concrete to a width as indicated for the various classifications of streets
(c) Concrete used in curbing work shall be at least three thousand (3,000) pounds per square inch at twenty-eight (28) days with certification of the mix furnished to the Township Engineer Concrete shall be placed in forms that are straight and securely braced Care shall be taken to control the water content to prevent separation of the aggregates The concrete shall have a broom finish and the edges shall be finished with an approved edging tool
(d) All concrete sidewalks shall be constructed on a four-inch crushed stone or gravel-base to ensure proper drainage The concrete shall be placed so that there is a separate joint every five (5) feet and shall be so constructed so that the five-foot sections are completely separated from adjacent sections One-half-inch premolded expansion joints shall be placed every twenty (20) feet and between all points where the concrete sidewalk abuts a concrete curb
(e) All concrete sidewalks shall have a minimum thickness of four (4) inches,- except under driveways where they shall have a minimum thickness of six (6) inches The concrete apron in the driveway area shall be reinforced with wire six by six (6 x 6) inches Number 9 wire (minimum) Two (2) layers of this wire shall be utilized with a minimum of two-inch spacing between layers The wire shall be installed so that it is not closer than one-half (1!2) inch from the top or bottom surfaces of the driveway
B. Curbs
(1) Construction methods
(a) Concrete curbs shall be installed along each side of every residential, secondary or commercial street or road Concrete curbs shall be twenty-two inches (22) deep, six (6) inches wide at the top and eight (8) inches wide at the base on secondary, commercial and primary streets Concrete curbs shall be eighteen (18) inches deep, six (6) inches wide at the top and eight (8) inches wide at the base on residential streets The nominal distance from the top of curb to flow line of the gutter shall be seven (7) inches on secondary, commercial and primary streets, and six (6) inches on residential streets Curbing shall be built in ten-foot lengths, and an approved expansion joint of one-fourth-inch minimum thickness shall be used at each joint A combination curb and gutter may be used at the option of the developer when approved by the Township Engineer Where combination curb and gutter is used, it must be placed on a minimum of four (4) inches of crushed stone or gravel to provide adequate drainage beneath the curb
(b) All concrete used in the construction of improvements shall be certified to develop a compressive stress of at least three thousand (3,000) pounds per square inch at twenty-eight (28) days with certification of the mix furnished to the Township Engineer
(c) Concrete shall be placed in forms that are straight and securely braced Care shall be taken to control the water content to prevent separation of the aggregates All concrete shall be thoroughly tamped into the forms After the concrete has set sufficiently, the form shall be removed and the exposed surface shall be rubbed to provide an even finish All edges shall be finished with an approved edging tool
(d) To provide for driveways depressions, the curbing may be constructed and finished during the tune of pouring
(2) The Supervisors may waive the curbing requirement if the developer can prove to the township that a proposed system of well-designed swales can perform the drainage function comparable to a system of curbs and inlets, and that the appearance and functioning of the roadway and parking lot system shall not be impaired by the lack of curbing, or the Supervisors may require a swale where deemed desirable to retard a rapid runoff of stormwater
A. Length In general, all blocks in a subdivision shall have a minimum length of five hundred (500) feet and a maximum length of one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet unless special conditions warrant a variance
B. Width
(1) Whenever practicable blocks shall be of such width as to provide two (2) tiers of lots of the minimum size permitted under the applicable zoning classification, except in the case of lots along a major thoroughfare where the lot fronts on an interior street
(2) Through lots Double frontage lots are to be avoided and generally will not be permitted except where reversed frontage is desired away from a major thoroughfare to a street of lesser traffic volume
C. Crosswalks Crosswalks not less than ten (10) feet wide, and with concrete paving not less than four (4) feet wide, may be required where necessary to provide access to schools, churches, parks and commercial areas They shall be maintained by the abutting property owners in the same manner as sidewalks on public streets
D. Nonresidential blocks Blocks for commercial and industrial areas may vary from the elements of design contained in this section if the nature of the use requires other treatment In such cases, off-street parking for employees and customers may be required along with safe and convenient limited access to the street system Space for ofd street loading may also be required with similar access Space for the extension of streets, railroad access right-of-way and utilities shall be provided The amount of parking space shall be as required by Chapter 150, Zoning
A. Lots in residential areas
(1) Area All lots shall be no smaller than the minimum lot area requirements of the applicable zoning classification
(2) Depth Lots excessively deep in relation to width are to be avoided A proportion of two and one-half to one (21/21) is generally regarded as proper maximum for lots sixty (60) feet or more in width
(3) Width The minimum width of a lot shall be that width in feet which is measured along the building setback line, specified for the applicable zoning district
(4) Corner lots All corner lot widths on each frontage shall be a minimum of one and one-half (1 1/2) times the minimum width of the interior lots of the same block
B. Frontage
(a) Every lot shall have frontage along the ultimate right-of-way line of a street but double frontage lots are prohibited except as provided for in § 130-19B(2) of this chapter
(b) The frontage shall not be less than the minimum requirements of Chapter 150, Zoning, except that on the outside of curved residential streets and on the turnaround of cul-de-sacs, a minimum frontage of fifty (50) feet may be acceptable, provided that proper lot width is attained at the building setback lines, in conformity with the provisions of Chapter 150, Zoning
(6) Sidelines Whenever practicable, the sidelines of a lot shall be set at right angles or radial to the right-of-way line
(7) Building lines Building hues for all lots shall be in conformance with the minimum. front, side and rear on yard line requirements of the applicable zoning district
(8) Lot numbers For the purpose of development, each subdivision may have an overall system of lot numbers, the number one (1) being assigned to a lot in the first section to be developed (Such system of lot numbers shall not be confused with the regular house or building numbering system based on a township-wide plan )
(9) Building numbers House or building numbers shall be assigned by the township based on an overall street numbering plan Numbers will be assigned in such a way as to allow for vacant parcels and future development
B. Subdivisions or land developments with existing structures on land
(1) No subdivision of land will be approved with the property line extending through any portion of any existing structure
(2) If structure(s) is to remain
(a) In residential zoning districts of the township, the lot size and the lot dimensions of the newly created lot containing the structure(s) must be in scale with the height and bulk of the existing structure even if this requires a lot area and/or dimensions exceeding the minimum zoning requirement for that district Structures proposed on the vacant portions of lands being subdivided shall conform to the extent possible with the height, bulk, building material and architectural character of the existing structures in the immediate vicinity, and the subdivision plans shall show building plans at suitable detail
(b) In other zoning districts of the township (especially commercial and industrial districts) the subdivision of the land must provide adequate service and parking facilities, etc , in keeping with the minimum requirements of Chapter 150, Zoning, for each lot and cumulatively for all lots in the subdivision No subdivision will be approved in such instances if the servicing and/or parking facilities, etc , attendant to the existing structure are deemed inadequate or would be considered to become inadequate with the development of the now vacant lands Any new structures contemplated on the newly subdivided parcels shall be in conformity with the existing structures in the immediate vicinity to the extent possible in regard to height, bulk, building material and architectural character, and the subdivision plans shall show building plans at suitable detail
(c) Alterations and replacements will be permitted within the existing structure, but exterior extensions of the building must conform to the requirements of Chapter 150, Zoning, as amended
(d) Conversions In cases where the principal building use has not been as a dwelling, its conversion to a dwelling shall comply with all of the requirements of Chapter 150, Zoning, and Chapter 52, Building Construction
(3) If existing structure(s) is to be removed Subdivision approval will be issued conditional to the expeditious removal of existing structures in complete conformity to all other pertinent township procedural requirements The subdivision plans shall furthermore show in detail the proposed development of each parcel of ground and the proposed development shall not provide less service and parking facilities, etc, than now exist In commercial and industrial areas, plots of land that have been cleared, as well as the existing vacant portions of such lands, should be developed in conformity with the long-range needs of the area to the extent possible, and all developmental requirements embodied in this chapter and Chapter 150, Zoning, shall be adhered to If roadway realignments and other similar requirements are deemed necessary in the immediate vicinity of the plot-being-subdivided, they-shall be corrected as part of the subdivision design to the utmost of the subdivider's ability
(4) If existing structure(s) is to be partly replaced or is to be added to Demolition plans and/or construction plans must be detailed as part of the subdivision plan review, and subsequent subdivision approval will be conditional upon compliance with said proposed details Additions to existing structures shall be in harmony with existing structures in the immediate vicinity, especially in respect to height, bulk, building material and architectural characteristics In the case of partial demolition of existing structures, the remaining structure must be in keeping with the existing buildings in the immediate vicinity in relation to type, bulk, building material and architectural characteristics Renovation work to the remaining portion of a structure following partial demolition must be completed promptly and expeditiously
C. Lot grading for subdivisions and land development
(1) Blocks and lots Blocks and lots shall be graded to secure proper drainage away from buildings and to prevent the collection of stormwater in pools Minimum two-percent slopes away from structures shall be required
(2) Design All drainage provisions shall be of such design as to carry surface waters to the nearest practical street, storm drain or natural watercourse Where drainage swales are used to deliver surface waters away from buildings, they shall not be less than one percent (1%) nor more than four percent (4%) The swales shall be sodded or planted as required and shall be of such shape and size to conform to specifications of the Township Engineer
(3) Concentration The concentration of storm drainage in a swale along the rear or side lot lines is strictly forbidden
(4) Construction The subdivider shall construct and/or install such drainage structures and/or pipes which are necessary to prevent erosion damage and to satisfactorily carry off such surface waters to the nearest practical street, storm drain or natural watercourse
(5) Excavation No excavation shall be made with a cut face steeper in slope than one and one-half (11/2) horizontal to one (1) vertical [sixty-six and fivetenths percent (66.5%)] except under one (1) or more of the following conditions
(a) The excavation is located so that a line having a slope of one and one-half (1 1/2) horizontal to one (1) vertical and passing through any portion of the cut face will be entirely inside of the property lines of the property on which the excavation is made
(b) The material in which the excavation is made is sufficiently stable to sustain a slope of steeper than one and one-half (11/2) horizontal to one (1) vertical and a written statement of a civil engineer, licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and experienced in erosion control to that Affect is submitted to the Township Engineer and approved by him The statement shall state-that the site has been inspected and that the deviation from the slope specified hereinbefore will not result in injury to persons or damage to property
(c) A concrete or stone masonry wall constructed according to present or future designs of the Township of Worcester is provided to support the face of the excavation
(6) Fill No fill shall be made which creates any exposed surface steeper in slope than one and one-half (11/2) horizontal to one (1) vertical except under one (1) or more of the following conditions
(a) The fill is located so that settlement, sliding or erosion will not result in property damage or be a hazard to adjoining property, streets, alleys or buildings
(b) A written statement from a civil engineer, licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and experienced in erosion control, certifying that he has inspected the site and that the proposed deviation from the slope specified above will not endanger any property or result in property damage, is submitted to and approved by the Township Engineer
(c) A present or stone masonry wall constructed according to present or future designs of the Township of Worcester is provided to support the face of the excavation
(7) Slopes and fences The top or bottom edge of slopes shall be a minimum of three (3) feet from property or right-of-way lines of streets or alleys in order to permit the normal rounding of the edge without encroaching on the abutting property All property lines [where walls or slopes are steeper than one (1) horizontal to one (1) vertical and five (5) feet or more in height] shall be protected by a chain link fence four (4) feet in height approved by the township The fence shall be an integral part of the wall
(8) Cleanup All lots must be kept free of any debris or nuisances whatsoever
(9) Multifamily or nonresidential areas Roof drainage shall be conveyed by downspouts and other drainage facilities to a stormwater detention and control structure to minimize the effects of increased runoff
(10) Site grading plan The Township Engineer may require a grading plan in conjunction with the plan of subdivision or land development in order to ensure compliance with the above standards
D. Lot siting, planting and beautification for subdivisions and land developments
(1) In order to promote the highest environmental quality possible, the success 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
(2) Limit of contract 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 contract which will confine excavation, earthmoving procedures and other changes to the landscape may be required to ensure preservation and prevent despoilation of the character of the area in open space
(3) Landscaping All landscaping, including but not limited to preservation of trees, topsoil, existing natural features and vegetation and planting requirements, shall comply with § 130-28, Landscaping 13
