§ 395-35. Lots and parcels.

A. 

General standards.

(1) 

The size, shape and orientation of lots shall be appropriate for the type of development and use contemplated, and be in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport. Lots shall be capable of being built upon, or in the case of a mobile home park, on which a mobile home can be placed, in accordance with all applicable requirements of Chapter 450, Zoning.

(2) 

Side lot lines shall be at right angles to straight street lines and radial to curved street lines. Lot lines shall follow municipal boundaries rather than cross them.

(3) 

The depth of lots for single-family detached dwellings shall not be less than one nor more than three times their width at the street line.

(4) 

Depth and width of parcels intended for nonresidential uses shall be adequate for the use proposed and sufficient to provide satisfactory space for on-site parking, loading and unloading, setbacks, buffer yards and landscaping, etc.

(5) 

Subdivisions shall be designed to avoid the creation of remnants of land. If remnants of land would result after subdividing, adequate provision, which shall be approved by the Borough, shall be made for the disposition and maintenance of those remnants.

(6) 

Flag lots are prohibited, unless permission is granted by the Borough Council upon recommendation of the Borough Planning Commission. The Council may grant permission to utilize flag lots when it deems flag lots appropriate because of topographical or other conditions unique to the site. The access strip portions of a flag lot must be wide enough to permit the construction of a street with a right-of-way meeting the requirements of this chapter and shall not be used for building purposes.

(a) 

In granting permission to use flag lots, the Borough Council shall find:

[1] 

That the use of flag lots will not result in conditions which will cause increased interruptions to traffic flow, accident hazards and sedimentation and runoff problems onto public streets.

[2] 

That the use of an internal street system or marginal access streets on which lots would front will not be more appropriate for development of the tract than the use of flag lots.

[3] 

That the use of flag lots is necessary to permit utilization of a tract of ground, otherwise not feasible to utilize under the applicable standards for lots found in this chapter.

[4] 

No more than one flag lot shall be created from the original tract of land for each 10 lots created from the original tract of land which meet the requirements of this chapter for lot configuration.

[5] 

Should a flag lot be divided into two or more lots, the access strip shall be constructed into a street complying with the specifications of this chapter.

[6] 

All structures shall be located on the flag lot so as to provide the required setback should the access strip be used for construction of a street.

(7) 

Where an ultimate right-of-way line has been provided, all setbacks and lot areas shall be measured from such ultimate right-of-way line.

(8) 

Wherever feasible, lots shall be designed so that buildings can be constructed above street grade. Where this is not possible, the applicant shall indicate what measures are to be taken to assure proper drainage away from the buildings.

(9) 

When only a portion of a tract is designed at a time and there exists the potential for development of the remainder of the tract, lots shall be designed such that they do not restrict access to the remainder of the tract, do not unduly restrict the potential development of the remainder of the tract, nor result in the creation of awkward or difficult-to-develop parcels in the remainder of the tract.

(10) 

The maximum slope utilized when grading lots or streets along an adjoining tract of land not owned by the applicant shall be a three-to-one slope ratio of horizontal distance to vertical distance.

B. 

Lot frontage and access.

(1) 

All lots shall abut and have direct driveway access to an existing or proposed public street or private street meeting the requirements of this chapter.

(2) 

Reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except where required by the Borough Council to restrict access to existing streets or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography or orientation. All residential reverse frontage lots shall contain a landscape screen, fence, earth mounding, or similar screening device and barrier to vehicular access subject to Borough Council approval within the rear yard.

(3) 

Where access to land within a subdivision or land development will be solely by proposed roads within an adjoining municipality, the Borough Council may require assurance from the adjoining municipality that adequate provisions have been made to ensure construction of the proposed access roads.

(4) 

When the rear wall of a building will face a public street, the Borough Council may require a landscape screen, fence, earth mounding, or similar screening device subject to Borough Council approval between the building and the public street.

(5) 

After consideration of street speeds, traffic volumes, projected traffic generated at a proposed land use, and the location and arrangement of existing and proposed driveways and intersections, the Borough Council may require the applicant to install at his expense an acceleration or deceleration lane, or both, to serve a proposed driveway or street. If additional street right-of-way is required to construct the acceleration or deceleration lane, the additional right-of-way shall be provided by the applicant. When required by the Borough Council, the applicant shall furnish a study to the Borough which will provide the information necessary to permit the determination as to whether an acceleration or deceleration lane is required.

C. 

Lot size.

(1) 

The minimum lot size and width requirements set forth in Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport shall be met.

D. 

Off-street parking.

(1) 

Each proposed dwelling unit in a subdivision or land development shall meet the off-street parking requirements of Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport.

(a) 

In the case of single-family or two-family dwellings and townhouses with on-lot parking, such off-street parking spaces shall be provided behind the street right-of-way line and may be provided in an attached or separate garage, carport, or driveway. The spaces shall not be located within any clear sight triangle required by this chapter.

(b) 

In the case of multiple-family dwellings, such off-street parking spaces shall be provided in common parking areas located adjacent to, within or near the multiple-family dwellings. Spaces shall not be located within a street right-of-way nor within any clear sight triangle required by this chapter. The size of parking spaces and the width of aisles shall be in accordance with Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport. The grade of areas used for parking shall not exceed 6%. The grade of areas used only for access shall not exceed 10%.

(2) 

Nonresidential development shall meet the off-street parking requirements of Chapter 450, Zoning, of the Code of the Borough of Walnutport.

E. 

Driveways.

(1) 

Subdivisions and land developments shall be provided with internal streets to which the lots will have driveway access in order to minimize the number of driveway intersections with existing public streets. This reduction in driveway intersections will lessen interruptions to traffic flow and accident hazards and minimize sedimentation and runoff problems onto existing public streets. The Borough Council may require the use of common driveways for abutting lots. All driveways shall be paved with bituminous concrete, concrete or stone pavers.

(2) 

All driveways which provide access to arterial and collector streets, if such driveways are permitted by the Borough Council, shall be designed with turnaround areas so that cars will not back onto the arterial and collector streets.

(3) 

Provision shall be made at all intersections of driveways with streets to ensure adequate stormwater drainage and erosion and sediment control. The Borough Council may require subdivision and land development plans to show a typical treatment of the construction of driveways and handling of storm drainage where the driveways intersect a street. The Council may require as a condition to approval of a plan that prior to the issuance of zoning or building permits the specific proposals for the construction of a driveway and treatment of storm drainage and erosion and sediment control for that driveway be submitted to the Borough for approval.

(4) 

Driveway location.

(a) 

Driveways shall be placed at locations at which sight distance is adequate to safely allow each permitted movement to be made into or out of the driveways; such that the free movement of normal street traffic is not impaired; such that the driveways will not create a hazard; and such that the driveways will not create an area of undue traffic congestion on streets. Applicable safe sight distance as established in the regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation shall be provided.

(b) 

The Borough Council may require the driveway to a lot which abuts two or more streets to be restricted to that street which can more safely accommodate its traffic. The Borough Council may also require a driveway to be located directly across from a street or driveway on the opposite side of the street the driveway intersects if the Council judges that offset driveways will create a safety hazard.

(c) 

The Borough Council may require the permissible location of a driveway for a lot to be shown on the subdivision or land development plan, and further require that driveway locations be subject to approval of the Council.

(d) 

At driveway intersections with streets, an isosceles triangle shall be established for a distance of 20 feet at each side of the point of intersection of the cartway lines. Within such clear sight triangles, no vision-obstructing object shall be permitted which obscures vision above the height of 30 inches and below the height of 10 feet, measured from the center-line grades of the intersecting driveway and street.

(5) 

Entrances to driveways; size.

(a) 

Entrances to private driveways serving multiple-family dwellings shall be rounded at a minimum radius of 10 feet. The maximum radius shall be 30 feet.

(b) 

Entrances to private driveways serving one and two-family dwellings shall be rounded at a maximum radius of four feet eight inches; however, depressed curb may be used as provided for in Borough regulations, including Ordinance Nos. 86-2 and 90-7 and all subsequent amendments thereto.

Editor's Note: See Ch. 390, Art. II, Construction and Repair of Sidewalks, Curbs and Driveway Entrances.

(c) 

For nonresidential driveways, the width, excluding radii, of driveways shall conform to the following:

		Width of Driveways
		Minimum (feet)	Maximum (feet)
	One-way	12	24
	Two-way	24	36

(d) 

Each lane provided shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width.

(e) 

The radius of the edge of the driveway apron shall be at least 15 feet and no more than 35 feet; however, depressed curb may be used as provided for in Borough regulations, including Ordinance No. 14-1972, as amended by Ordinance No. 13-1974, and all subsequent amendments thereto.

(6) 

The angle of a driveway as it intersects a street shall be such that a vehicle entering the driveway may do so in an orderly and safe manner with a minimum of interference to through street traffic and such that a vehicle leaving the driveway may enter safely into the lane of traffic moving in the desired direction. Driveways shall intersect streets as nearly as possible at right angles, and in no case at an angle of less than 75° or more than 105°; provided, however, that the Borough Council may permit the use of one-way driveways on a property, and such one-way driveways may intersect streets at an angle of not less than 45°.

(7) 

Private driveways shall have such grades as to furnish safe and convenient parking spaces and to provide a safe and convenient means of access. The grades and construction materials of driveways shall be such that the materials of the driveway will not wash onto public streets. The maximum permissible grade shall be 7% on all driveways, except that driveway grades shall not exceed 5% within 20 feet of street cartway lines. The area between the right-of-way line of the street and the cartway shall be paved. The Borough Council may require the applicant to submit with his subdivision or land development plans evidence that the above, and the other standards for driveways established in this section, can be met for each lot where doubt exists as to the feasibility of meeting the standards.

(8) 

The center line of entrances to private driveways serving one- and two-family dwellings shall be located at least 40 feet from the point of intersection of the nearest street cartway lines if only minor streets are involved, at least 80 feet if a collector street is involved, and at least 120 feet if an arterial street is involved. The center line of entrances to private driveways serving multiple-family dwellings or nonresidential buildings shall be located at least 60 feet from the point of intersection of the nearest street cartway lines if only minor streets are involved, at least 120 feet if a collector street is involved, and at least 160 feet if an arterial street is involved.

(9) 

The standards for driveway widths shall be as established in this chapter unless a more restrictive standard is established by other Borough regulations, in which case the more restrictive standard shall apply.