Subdivision regulations govern the division of land into lots. The board may regulate subdivision and land development within the township by enacting a subdivision and land development ordinance. The ordinance requires that all plots of land lying within the municipality be submitted for approval to the governing body prior to development. A plat is the map or plan of a subdivision or land development. The subdivision regulations should be based on the concept of equal protection of rights for every landowner and every resident. In the interest of equity, developers and those they sell land to must pay their fair share of the direct costs incurred by the subdivision or development. Direct costs of development include on-site sewer systems, water systems, street paving, street lighting, curbing and storm sewers. Through a 1990 amendment to the MPC, the state legislature has restricted the levy of impact fees for off-site development to situations where a sophisticated transportation capital improvements plan has been adopted based on a roadway sufficiency study. Levy of tap-in, connection or other similar fees for connection to municipal water and sewer systems is likewise controlled by provisions found in the Municipality Authorities Act and extended by reference to municipally-owned systems.
Subdivision and land development regulations do not, by their mere existence, assure careful designs for subdivisions or lots. Design standards must be developed very carefully and with an eye toward the intended goal. A number of municipalities across the state have developed alternative standards that result in styles of development radically different from the prevalent suburban pattern. Supervisors have serious decisions to make which will affect how the community looks and functions for decades to come. Through careful formulation of a subdivision ordinance, a community can maintain quality standards for improvements, coordinate private development with public facilities and create a pattern for the development of the area into a community where residents will be happy to live.
LOWER ALSACE SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE OF 2011
- Table of Contents
- Article 1 – Establishment and Application
- Article 2 – Definitions
- Article 3 – Application Procedures
- Article 4 – Plan Requirements
- Article 5 – Design Standards and Specifications
- Article 6 – Contracts, Fees and Contributions
- Article 7 – Administration and Enforcement
- Article 8 – Municipal Enactment
- Appendix A – Subdivision and Land Development Plan Application Form
- Appendix B – Model Formats for Municipal Approval and Recording
- Appendix C – Summary Chart of Street Design Standards and Specifications Minimum Sight Distance Requirements and Street Intersections