§ 212-33. Reserve strips; rights-of-way and/or easements; deeds.

[Amended 6-14-2011 by Ord. No. 11-1240, § 18]

   A.   Reserve strips controlling access to streets , alleys , subdivisions or adjacent areas are prohibited.

   B.   Rights-of-way and/or easements for sanitary utilities, road construction or maintenance or for drainage purposes, public utilities or for any specific purpose shall be required by the Board of Commissioners as needed, the location and width in each case to be as determined by the governing body. [Amended 4-8-1997 by Ord. No. 934]

      (1)   Where a right-of-way exists to be used as a street , building setback lines shall be measured from the nearest side of the ultimate street  right-of-way . In certain circumstances, where non-street rights-of-way or easements exist, the Township Engineer in his sole discretion may require that building setback lines be measured from the nearest side of said right-of-way or said easement .

      (2)   Nothing shall be permitted to be placed, planted, set or put within the area of an easement . The area shall be kept as lawn.

      (3)   The owner of any lot , upon written request by the Township, and at the owner’s sole expense, shall remove anything placed, planted, set or put (with or without knowledge of this regulation) within the area of any easement .

      (4)   To the fullest extent possible, easements shall be adjacent to rear or side lot lines .

   C.   No right-of-way or easement for any purpose whatsoever shall be recited or described in any deed unless the same has been shown on the approved plan . Any error found in a deed shall be immediately corrected and rerecorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Montgomery County at Norristown, Pennsylvania, at the sole expense of the subdivider .

   D.   Easements . Easements for present or ultimate construction of storm drains and sanitary sewers having a minimum width of 25 feet shall be provided where necessitated by topographical conditions. Five feet of additional width shall be provided for each additional utility beyond the first one. Where a subdivision or land development is traversed by a natural watercourse , there shall be provided a drainage  easement or right-of-way conforming substantially with the line of such watercourse and of such widths as will be adequate to preserve natural drainage . [Amended 6-14-2011 by Ord. No. 11-1240]