A. Site Plan Requirements. The following information shall be included on any site plan connected with a conditional use application, provided that the Township Board of Supervisors may waive a particular requirement where the size or scope of a project would render the data inapplicable or unnecessary. The purpose of the site plan is to evaluate the ability of the project to meet the conditional use criteria contained herein and not necessarily to give final approval if further submissions under Chapter 22: Subdivision and Land Development or other Township ordinances are required. The following information shall be included on the site plan:
 

(1) A detailed narrative description or statement as to the proposed use of the building or land.

(2) A site layout drawn to a scale of not less than one inch equals 100 feet showing the location, dimensions and area of each lot, the location, dimensions and height of proposed buildings, structures, streets, roads, and any existing buildings in relation to property and street lines. If the application relates to property which is scheduled to be developed in successive stages, such plans shall show the relationship of the portion scheduled for initial development to the proposed layout of the entire property.

(3) The location, dimensions and arrangements of all open spaces and yards, landscaping, fences and buffer yards, including methods and materials to be employed for screening. Landscaping information shall be sufficiently detailed and illustrative to determine compliance with § 27-502, Subsection 7, hereof and the buffering and screening requirements contained herein, although final landscaping plans can be deferred to the land development stage of approval. The Township Board of Supervisors may require the use of a registered landscape architect to prepare such plans for the conditional use and land development applications.

(4) The location, size, arrangement and capacity of all areas to be used for motor vehicle access, off-street parking, off-street loading and unloading, and provisions to be made for lighting such areas.

(5) The types, dimensions, locations, landscaping and methods of illumination for project signage and exterior lighting.
(6) The location, surfacing and dimensions of sidewalks, trails and all other areas to be devoted to pedestrian use.
(7) Provisions to be made for treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial wastes, water supply and storm drainage.

(8) The capacity and arrangement of all buildings used or intended to be used for dwelling and other purposes, including information on total land area, area to be reserved in common open space, density, maximum building coverage, total area to be covered with impervious surfaces and other information which will assist the Commission in determining compliance with this Chapter.

(9) A description of any proposed use in sufficient detail with regard to traffic generation to permit the Commission to determine compliance with the performance and traffic impact requirements set forth in § 27-404. Traffic studies required hereunder and by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) shall also be submitted. All such studies, regardless of location on State or Township roads, shall meet PennDOT’s requirements as well as the Township’s, excepting that the requirements for projects accessing only Township roads may be modified by the Township Board of Supervisors on the recommendation of the Township Engineer. The Township may also require studies meeting the standards found in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code for purposes of establishing transportation impact fees applicable to the project.

(10) Site contours at two foot intervals.

(11) A plan depicting all proposed site grading; drainage provisions; road, driveway and parking lot construction and proposals.

(12) A key map showing the entire project and its relation to surrounding properties and existing buildings thereon.
(13) Soils, slopes and floodplain delineations.
(14) Certification by engineer or surveyor.
(15) Certification of ownership and acknowledgment of plan signed by owner or developer.
(16) Current zoning of the property proposed to be developed plus current zoning of all adjoining lands.

B. Site Design Guidelines. The Township Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, in reviewing the site plan, shall consider its conformity to the Smithfield Township Comprehensive Plan and the various other plans, regulations and ordinances of the Township. Conservation features, aesthetics, landscaping and impact on surrounding development as well as on the entire Township shall be part of the review. Traffic flow, circulation and parking shall be reviewed to ensure the safety of the public and of the users of the facility and to ensure that there is no unreasonable interference with traffic on surrounding streets. The Board of Supervisors shall further consider the following specific factors:
 

(1) Building Design and Location. Building design and location should be suitable for the use intended and compatible with natural and man-made surroundings. New buildings, for example, should generally be placed along the edges and not in the middle of open fields. They should also be sited so as to not protrude above treetops or the crestlines of hills seen from public places and busy highways. Building color, materials and design should be adapted to surroundings as opposed to adaptation of the site to the building or the building to an arbitrary national franchise concept.

(2) Large Commercial Buildings. Commercial facades of more than 100 feet in length should incorporate recesses and projections, such as windows, awnings and arcades, along 20% of the facade length. Variations in roof lines should be added to reduce the massive scale of these structures and add interest. All facades of such a building that are visible from adjoining streets or properties should exhibit features comparable in character to the front so as to better integrate with the community. Where such facades face adjacent residential uses, earthen berms planted with evergreen trees should be provided, Loading docks and accessory facilities should be incorporated in the building design and screened with materials comparable in quality to the principal structure. Sidewalks should be provided along the full length of any facade with a customer entrance and integrated into a system of internal landscape defined pedestrian walkways breaking up all parking areas.

(3) Lighting and Signage. Improvements made to the property should not detract from the character of the neighborhood by producing excessive lighting or unnecessary sign proliferation. Recessed lighting and landscaped ground signs are preferred.

(4) Parking and Accessory Buildings. Parking areas should be placed in the rear whenever possible and provide for connections with adjoining lots. Accessory buildings should also be located in the rear with access from rear alleys. If placement in the rear is not possible, parking lots should be located to the side with screening from the street.

(5) Drainage Systems. Storm drainage, flooding and erosion and sedimentation controls should be employed to prevent injury to persons, water damage to property and siltation to streams and other water bodies.

(6) Landscape Preservation. Trees, shrubs and other landscaping should be used to buffer or soften a use in terms of visual or other impacts on adjoining property owners. Impacts on other Township residents and visitors, on whom the local economy often depends, should also be considered. Existing landscape features such as stone walls, hedgerows, tree borders and individual large trees should be retained for this purpose and removal should be limited to the area of building or driveway construction unless additional sight-distance is required.

(7) Driveway and Road Construction. Whenever feasible, existing roads onto or across properties should be retained and reused instead of building new, so as to maximize the use of present features such as stone walls and tree borders and avoid unnecessary destruction of landscape and tree canopy, Developers building new driveways or roads through wooded areas should reduce removal of tree canopy by restricting clearing and pavement width to the minimum required for safely accommodating anticipated traffic flows.

(8) Construction on Slopes. The crossing of steep slopes with roads and driveways should be minimized and building which does take place on slopes should be multi-storied with entrances at different levels as opposed to regrading the site flat.

(9) Tree Borders. New driveways onto principal thoroughfares should be minimized for both traffic safety and aesthetic purposes and interior access drives which preserve tree borders along highways should be used as an alternative. Developers who preserve tree borders should be permitted to recover density on the interior of their property through use of clustering.

(10) Development at Intersections. Building sites at prominent intersections of new developments should be reserved for equally prominent buildings or features which will appropriately terminate the street vistas. All street corners should be defined with buildings, trees or sidewalks.

(11) Streets and Sidewalks. Roads and drives that connect to existing streets on both ends are generally preferable to cul-de-sac and dead-end streets and shall ordinarily be used unless traffic safety issues will be mitigated by the use of a cul-de-sac or dead end street. Streets within more densely developed residential areas (two or more units per acre) should be accompanied by on-street parking and a sidewalk on at least one side of the street. Sidewalks should also be provided in connection with new commercial development adjacent to residential areas and pedestrian access should be encouraged.

(12) Setbacks. New buildings on a street should conform to the dominant setback line and be aligned parallel to the street so as to create a defined edge to the public space.

 

C. The Board of Supervisors, in acting upon the site development plan and conditional use permit application, shall take into consideration not only the criteria contained above, but also the following:
 

(1) Whether the proposed use will have a detrimental or positive impact on adjacent properties. A new use should not produce a significant negative impact on the property values of adjacent properties nor should it create potential nuisance impacts related to noise, odors, vibrations or glare.

(2) If the proposed use is one judged to present detrimental impacts, whether an approval could be conditioned in such a manner as to eliminate or substantially reduce those impacts.

(3) Whether the use will have a positive or negative effect on the environment, job creation, the economy, housing availability, open space preservation or any other factors which reasonably relate to the health, safety and general welfare of present or future residents of the Smithfield Township.

(4) Whether the granting of an approval will cause an economic burden on community facilities or services including, but not limited to, highways, sewage treatment facilities, water supplies and firefighting capabilities. The applicant shall be responsible for providing such improvements or additional services as may be required to adequately serve the proposed use and any approval shall be so conditioned. The Township shall be authorized, subject to the limitations of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, to request fees in support of such services where they cannot be directly provided by the applicant.

(5) Whether the site plan indicates the property will be developed and improved in a way which is consistent with that character this Chapter and the Township’s Comprehensive Plan are intended to produce or protect, including appropriate landscaping and attention to aesthetics and natural feature preservation.