1. Preliminary Plan.
A. Submission of Preliminary Plans.
(1) The preliminary plan and all information and procedures relating thereto shall in all respects be in compliance with the applicable provisions of this Ordinance. It is the responsibility of the subdivider or developer to coordinate plans with the respective private and public service agencies including, but not limited to, (where applicable) Bucks County Planning Commission, Bucks County Conservation District, Bucks County Department of Health, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT, and Municipal Authorities.
(2) The application form shall be accompanied by the requisite fee and escrow as set forth in § 302 of this Ordinance and the number of copies of plans and documents, and digital data formats as established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
(3) The Township Secretary shall forward one copy of the preliminary plan prints and one copy of required material to the Bucks County Planning Commission and such other agencies as he/she deems appropriate for review and comment. One print shall be sent to the Fire Marshall when deemed necessary by the Township.
(4) The Township Secretary shall forward two copies of the preliminary plan prints and required materials to the Township Engineer for review and comment.
(5) The Township Secretary shall forward the remaining copies of the preliminary plan prints and required materials to the Planning Commission.
(6) When applicable, the submission shall be accompanied by a planning module for land development, as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
(7) In cases where the subdivision or land development adjoins an existing or proposed State highway or has proposed streets entering onto State highways, the developer shall submit the plans to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for review.
B. Review of Preliminary Plans.
(1) The Planning Commission will consider the plan to determine if it meets the standards set forth in this Ordinance, Township Zoning Ordinance, and all other applicable ordinances and regulations of the Township.
(2) The Planning Commission shall act on the preliminary plan in time for the Board of Supervisors to render their decision within 90 days from the official filing date; unless the review period has been extended in writing by the applicant.
(3) Any requests for modification or waiver of the requirements of this Ordinance shall be in writing in accordance with § 308 of this Ordinance, and must be submitted with the preliminary plan. Requests for modification or waiver of ordinance requirements shall and be reviewed by the Planning Commission for advisory comments.
C. Planning Commission Recommendation.
(1) The Planning Commission shall recommend whether the preliminary plan shall be approved, approved with modifications, or disapproved, and shall notify the Board of Supervisors in writing.
(2) In making its recommendation, the Planning Commission shall consider the recommendations of the Township Engineer, Township staff, Bucks County Planning Commission, interested residents, and any agency or agencies from which a review was requested under subsection 1.A. of this Section.
D. Township Engineer Review. All plans and associated documents shall be reviewed by the Township Engineer, prior to the transmission of such plans to the Planning Commission review.
E. Re-submission of Preliminary Plans. A revised plan submitted after disapproval shall be considered, and processed as a new plan submission. A revised plan submitted after approval shall only be considered a new plan submission if, in the opinion of the Board of Supervisors, it has been substantially revised after said approval.
F. Approval of Preliminary Plans.
(1) The Board of Supervisors shall act on the preliminary plan within 90 days of the official filing date unless the review period has been extended in writing by the applicant. Failure to do so shall be deemed an approval. Before acting on a preliminary plan, the Board of Supervisors may hold a hearing thereon after public notice.
(2) The Board of Supervisors shall notify the applicant of its decision to approve, approve with conditions, or disapprove the preliminary plan in writing. Such notice shall be given to the applicant in person or mailed to him at his last known address not later than 15 days following the decision. If the plan is approved with conditions or disapproved, the Board of Supervisors shall specify in their notice the conditions which must be met and/or the defects found in the plan, and the requirements which have not been met, including specific reference to provisions of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, 53 P.S. § 10101, or any other statute or provision of this Ordinance which has not been fulfilled.
(3) Approval of the preliminary plan shall constitute approval of the subdivision or land development as to the character and intensity of development; and the arrangement and approximate dimensions of streets, lots, and other planned features. The approval binds the subdivider or developer to the general scheme of the subdivision shown, unless a revised preliminary plan is submitted, and permits the subdivider to proceed with final detailed design of improvements, to arrange for guarantee to cover installation of the improvements, and to prepare the final plan. Approval of the preliminary plan does not authorize the sale of lots nor the recording of the preliminary plan.
(4) Where preliminary plan approval is given subject to conditions, the applicant shall accept or reject any or all of the conditions within 15 days from the date that he/she receives the written notification from the Board of Supervisors. Failure to accept or reject such conditions in writing within the foregoing time limit shall result in the conditional approval of the plat to become automatically rescinded pursuant to § 503(9) of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code being 53 P.S. §§ 10101 et seq. and, in the alternate, the plan is denied due to noncompliance with the specified conditions.
2. Final Plan.
A. Submission of Final Plans.
(1) After the subdivider or developer has received official notification from the Board of Supervisors that the preliminary plan has been approved, he/she must submit a final plan in accordance with the provisions of § 508 of the Municipalities Planning Code being 53 P.S. §§ 10101 et seq. Application to the Bucks County Planning Commission with appropriate fee must be completed by the applicant when deemed necessary by the Township.
(2) The final plan shall conform in all respects with the approved preliminary plan. If it does not, the plan submitted shall be considered a revised preliminary plan and shall be forwarded by the Township Secretary to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation as a preliminary plan.
(3) The subdivider or developer must submit a guarantee for the installation of improvements which meets the requirements of Article 6 prior to the release of the final plan for recording at the Bucks County Courthouse.
(4) The application form shall be accompanied by the requisite inspection and engineering fees/escrows as set forth in § 302.
(5) Documented approval of the planning module for land development by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection shall be part of the requisite materials accompanying the final plan submission.
(6) Final plan submission shall include the required number of final subdivision or land development plans, associated documents, and digital format data; and be submitted in accordance with the guidelines for submission established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
(7) Upon receipt of final plan, the Township Secretary shall forward the plans and other materials to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation, two copies of the plan and required materials to the Township Engineer for review, and comment and copies to such other agencies whose recommendations would be pertinent to the processing of the plan.
B. Review of Final Plans.
(1) The Planning Commission shall review the plan and requisite materials for compliance with the approved preliminary plan and for conformance to requirements of this Ordinance.
(2) The Planning Commission shall act on the final plan in time for the Board of Supervisors to render their decision within 90 days from the official filing date unless the review period has been extended in writing by the applicant.
C. Planning Commission Recommendation.
(1) The Planning Commission shall recommend whether the final plan shall be approved, approved with conditions, or disapproved, and shall notify the Board of Supervisors in writing.
(2) In making its recommendation, the Planning Commission shall consider the recommendations of the Township Engineer, the Bucks County Planning Commission, the Bucks County Conservation District, PennDOT, and the recommendations of any agency or agencies from which a review was requested under subsection 1.A.
D. Township Engineer Review. All plans and associated documents shall be reviewed by the Township Engineer prior to review by the Planning Commission.
E. Re-submission of Final Plans. A revised plan submitted after denial shall be considered and processed as a new final plan submission.
F. Approval of Final Plans. The Board of Supervisors shall act upon the application for approval of a final plan and render its decision and communicate it to the applicant in writing not later than 90 days from the official filing date unless the review period has been extended in writing by the applicant.
(1) The decision of the Board of Supervisors shall be in writing and shall be communicated to the applicant personally or mailed to him/her at his last known address not later than 15 days following the decision.
(2) When the application is not approved in terms as filed, the decision shall specify the defects found in the application and describe the requirements which have not been met and shall, in each case, cite to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code being 53 P.S. §§ 10101 et seq. or any other statute and the provisions of this Ordinance and any other ordinance relied upon.
G. Recording of Final Plans.
(1) Upon approval of the final plan, the subdivider or developer shall prepare two mylar reproductions and three paper prints of the original final record plan, including all plan sheets, and five paper prints of the complete plan set all executed and notarized by the applicant and bearing appropriate engineering and surveying seals which shall be submitted to the Township not later than 90 days after approval. These plans, upon satisfaction of all conditions attached to the approval, will be signed by the Board of Supervisors. A copy of the signed final plan shall be recorded in the office of the Bucks County Recorder of Deeds within 90 days after approval of the final plan or the approval of the Board of Supervisors shall be null and void. The final plan must be recorded before proceeding with the sale of lots or construction of buildings.
(2) Recording the final plan shall be an irrevocable offer to dedicate all streets and other public ways to public use, and to dedicate or reserve all park reservations and other public areas to public use unless reserved by the subdivider as hereinafter provided. The approval of the final plan shall not impose any duty upon the Board of Supervisors of Springfield Township concerning maintenance of the improvements offered for dedication nor shall such approval be construed as an acceptance of such dedication.
(3) The subdivider shall place a notation on the final plan if there is no offer of dedication to the public of streets and certain designated public areas, in which event the title to such areas shall remain with the owner, and the Township shall assume no responsibility for improvement or maintenance thereof; which fact shall be noted on the plan.
(4) Plans shall be recorded at the Bucks County Courthouse by the Township. All costs associated with recordation of the plans shall be the responsibility of the developer.
(Ord. 163, passed 2-28-2012, § 306)