(A) All land developments and/or subdivisions covered by this subchapter shall be evaluated by a licensed professional civil engineer with expertise in geotechnical engineering or a licensed professional geologist, each of said experts being licensed in their field of expertise by the commonwealth. A list of the engineer’s/geologist’s qualifications shall be submitted to the borough prior to the commencement of the site evaluation. The borough reserves the right to reject any report that in its opinion was authored by an individual or firm which does not possess the background to properly assess the site conditions as they relate to this subchapter. Further, the carbonate ordinance assessment report submitted to the borough must be signed by the licensed professional civil engineer with expertise in geotechnical engineering and/or a licensed professional geologist.
(B) The format and content of the carbonate ordinance assessment report shall include, but not be limited to the following.
(1) Statement of purpose. This division (B)(1) shall indicate those specific subchapter standards being addressed in the report and whether the applicant is attempting to demonstrate compliance or justify noncompliance with those specific subchapter standards.
(2) Description of existing conditions. This division (B)(2) shall present a description of existing characteristics of the property with respect to geology, topography, ground and surface water hydrology, soils, vegetation and existing improvements and uses of property.
(3) Map. A map, at a scale no smaller than one inch equals 100 feet and a contour interval of two feet indicating the location of the property and all proposed improvements.
(4) Submission of information. The developer/applicant shall submit information for the affected properties indicating the presence of any of the following carbonate features: depressions; fissures; lineaments; faults; ghost lakes; bedrock outcrops; sinkholes (on aerial photographs as an indication of shallow weathered pinnacles); seasonal high water levels; soil mottling; springs; surface drainage entering the ground; disappearing lakes or streams and caverns; and fracture traces.
(5) Plan for repair or remediation. A recommended plan for the repair or remediation of surface or subsurface features that may impact the proposed development as well as the adjacent improved or unimproved properties.
(6) Basis of requested information. The information requested above shall be based upon previously published data and field survey, including aerial photographs; which may include test borings, excavation of test pits, air-track probes and geophysical methods.
(C) In addition to the carbonate ordinance assessment report, the developer shall also be required to provide the following information:
(1) A plan indicating the existing and proposed drainage conditions, locations of all proposed private and public sewage disposal systems, and the location of existing private and public water supplies on adjoining properties (within 1,000 feet of applicant property);
(2) Type, location and phasing of proposed site disturbance and construction, as well as proposed future ownership, utilization and maintenance of the property and the proposed improvements;
(3) Proposed measures to control potential adverse environmental impacts on groundwater quality and stormwater management resulting from the development and utilization of the property; and
(4) Plans describing the design and construction of the proposed stormwater management facilities proposed for the project. A description of the minimum requirements are outlined below.
(D) Stormwater management.
(1) All submissions for proposed developments must include a stormwater management plan prepared in accordance with adopted regulations and which limits surface water runoff and the intrusion of concentrated flow of surface water into the subsurface. Facilities that are required as part of the stormwater management plan include the collection of all runoff from commercial, office and industrial building roofs into storm drains by watertight gasketed joint conduits or adequately lined drainage swales and the collection of surface water flow on pavements into drop inlets connected to a watertight gasketed joint stormwater conduit or adequate lined drainage swale. The stormwater conduit must discharge into lined detention basins.
(2) Approved stormwater conduits include HDPE, PVC, concrete, steel and cast iron pipe all with watertight rubber gaskets at each joint. The use of corrugated metal pipe is not permitted. Construction of the piping system must follow all other applicable ordinances. Where rock is encountered at or above the planned conduit design grade, the rock shall be undercut and over excavated a minimum of one foot and backfilled with a compacted fine-grained soil.
(3) All detention basins in areas of sinkhole prone soil shall be lined. The liner used in a detention basin may consist of a clay liner, a composite synthetic and soil liner or a synthetic liner. The type of liner required shall depend on the condition of the detention basin bottom and the probability of sinkhole occurrence resulting from the construction of the detention basin. The use of low flow channel may also be required depending on the duration and frequency of stormwater discharge into the detention basin. Subsurface detention systems must be in leak proof tanks or piping. The Borough Engineer shall make the final determination as to what is an acceptable form of liner for the proposed detention basins.
(E) Additional items that must be included in the stormwater management plan include details with regard to the sealing of all pavement curbs and gutters, manholes and drop inlets.
(Ord. 214, passed 2-7-2005)