1. Proposed streets shall be properly related to such street plans or parts thereof as have been officially prepared and adopted by the Township and shall be coordinated with existing or proposed streets in adjoining subdivisions or land developments.
2. Any developer subdividing or developing a parcel which fronts on a State highway or proposes access thereto shall be required to obtain a PennDOT Highway Occupancy permit for any access, improvement, and encroachment within the roadway right-of-way. No plat which will require access to a highway under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation shall be finally approved unless the plat contains a notice regarding permit requirements. (Refer sample in Appendix “B.”)
3. Proposed streets shall further conform to such County and State road and highway plans as have been prepared, adopted or filed as prescribed by law.
4. Centerlines of proposed streets must coincide with centerline of right-of-way.
5. Access shall be given to lots and portions of the tract in the subdivisions or land development and to adjacent un-subdivided property unless the topography or natural features clearly indicates that such connection is not feasible. Streets giving such access shall be improved to the limits of the subdivision or land development to Township specifications. Reserve strips and landlocked areas shall not be created.
6. Local access streets shall be laid out to discourage their use by through traffic and, where possible, collector streets shall be designed for use by through traffic.
7. Where the proposed subdivision or land development contains or is adjacent to an existing or proposed arterial street, provision shall be made for marginal access streets. The Township may also require rear service areas, double frontage lots, or such other treatment as will provide protection for abutting properties, reduction in number of intersections with arterial streets, and separation of local and through traffic.
8. Half or partial streets will not be permitted in new subdivisions or land developments.
9. Dead-end streets shall be prohibited, except as stubs to permit future street extension into adjoining tracts, or when designed as cul-de-sacs. Temporary stub streets shall be permitted only if the street is less than 200 feet in length and provides access to two or less dwelling units.
10. Street names shall be coordinated with existing or proposed street names and shall be reviewed by the postmaster. If a new street is a continuation of, or is aligned with, an existing or proposed street, it shall bear the same name as the existing or proposed street. All street names shall be of historical, geographic, topographic, or other local significance. Street names shall be subject to approval of the Board of Supervisors.
11. All street and parking area regulatory signage shall be in accordance with PA Title 67, PennDOT Publications 236M and Federal Highway Administration Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and shall be installed on standard PennDOT approved breakaway posts.
12. No street shall be laid out or opened which extends to or crosses any boundary between the Township and any other municipality except with the specific approval of the Board of Supervisors and upon such condition as the Township may impose.
13. No new street will be permitted which will cause an existing principal structure to become nonconforming to front yard setback requirements of the Township Zoning Ordinance.
14. When the subdivision or land development abuts an existing street, drainage improvements shall be made to existing streets. Required improvements must be extended as necessary to provide positive drainage to existing storm drainage facilities or drainage channels. Additionally, existing cartways shall be reconstructed where necessary to establish minimum construction standards of § 506.5.E. Where reconstruction is not required, leveling with Superpave binder and/or wearing course material, and overlay with wearing course material is required to improve the cartway surface. When leveling is required, structural fabric must be installed between the leveling and wearing course.
15. Private streets are permitted only upon approval by the Springfield Township Board of Supervisors after consideration of a recommendation by the Springfield Township Planning Commission. The Township considers private streets only when the benefit to the Township includes significantly lower density and/or dedication of larger tracts of open space which maintain the rural character of the Township as called for in the Springfield Township Comprehensive Plan. Private streets are subject to the following requirements:
A. No more than seven lots are permitted to front on a private street.
B. A subdivision that proposes a private street must contain an average lot area of at least 8 acres with no lot less than 5 acres in area.
C. Design and construction standards for private streets shall conform to all applicable requirements of this Ordinance.
D. The private street shall be owned and maintained by all abutting property owners and shall be contained within an easement area delineated by appropriate bearing and distance information. The easement area shall not be included in the minimum lot area requirements. A homeowner’s association or other legal entity suitable to, and approved by, the Board of Supervisors shall be recorded to properly administer such maintenance responsibilities.
E. The Board of Supervisors shall reserve the right to order the reconstruction of private streets up to then prevailing Township standards and to order subsequent dedication as a public street if such private street is deemed by the Township to be a safety or health hazard. Costs of such reconstruction shall be assessed against all abutting property owners. In no case shall the Township be required to accept ownership and maintenance responsibilities of a private street.
F. All subdivision plans containing a private street shall be so marked and shall include a note referencing this Section of this Ordinance.
G. Private streets shall be subject to all contract and guaranty requirements required for public streets and as set forth in Article 7 of this Ordinance.
16. All new residential subdivisions or land developments containing 13 dwelling units or more shall have a minimum of two public street entrances/exits from public roads so that it is possible to enter the development and drive through on a continuous road to a second entrance/exit to a public street. This requirement shall not be satisfied by a divided, boulevard type entrance; nor shall it be satisfied with an emergency access unless such access is paved and built to public street standards and is open continuously.
(Ord. 163, passed 2-28-2012, § 505; Ord. 191, passed 1-8-2019)