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Planning & Redevelopment - The Process

Subdivision Process

The following definition for Subdivision is found in Act 247, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (PMPC). Please consult the PMPC and the local municipality for other requirements.

SUBDIVISION - the division or re-division of a lot, tract or parcel of land by any means into two or more lots, tracts, parcels or other divisions of land including changes in existing lot lines for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of lease, partition by the court for distribution to heirs or devisees, transfer of ownership or building or lot development: Provided, however, that the subdivision by lease of land for agricultural purposes into parcels of more than 10 acres, not involving any new street or easement of access or any residential dwelling, shall be exempted.

The following is the Beaver County Planning Commission (BCPC) process associated with its review of a subdivision.

1. A subdivision applicant (e.g. property owner, developer etc.) must submit, to the municipality in which the subdivision is to occur, all documents as required by that municipality.
 
2. The local municipality then submits the following to the BCPC
  1. A letter requesting that the BCPC review the subdivision
  2. Two copies of the subdivision plan/drawing prepared by a Pennsylvania licensed/registered surveyor, with at least one copy bearing the seal and original signature of the surveyor
  3. The required fee paid in the form of a check or money order payable to Beaver County Planning Commission.
  4. BCPC Application
3. For subdivisions of more than two lots, the BCPC must receive the required information from the municipality prior to the close of the first business day of the month so that the staff review can be completed and presented to the BCPC Board of Directors at its regular monthly meeting, held on the third Tuesday of each month. (See item 4 below regarding two lot subdivisions).
 
4. Upon receipt of the information stated in item 2 above, the BCPC staff will then review the subdivision plan and present its review to the BCPC Board of Directors for Board approval at the meeting. The BCPC Board of Directors has authorized the BCPC staff to finalize and issue staff reviews of two lot subdivisions without requiring formal Board approval at the meetings. A list of two lot subdivisions for which staff review has been completed and review letters have been issued is presented to the BCPC Board, for informational purposes, at the BCPC meetings.
 
5. After the BCPC Board takes action at its meeting on the staff’s recommendations regarding subdivisions of more than two lots; or following staff review of two lot subdivisions, the BCPC staff issues its written review to the municipality and sends copies of its review to appropriate parties.
 
6. Once the municipality has approved and signed the Plan, the applicant should contact the BCPC to arrange for the signing of the Plan by the BCPC.


Land Development Process

The following definition for Land Development is found in Act 247, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (PMPC). Please consult the PMPC and the local municipality for other requirements.

LAND DEVELOPMENT - any of the following activities:

(1) The improvement of one lot or two or more contiguous lots, tracts or parcels of land for any purpose involving:
 
(i) A group of two or more residential or nonresidential buildings, whether proposed initially or cumulatively, or a single nonresidential building on a lot or lots regardless of the number of occupants or tenure; or
 
(ii) The division or allocation of land or space, whether initially or cumulatively, between or among two or more existing or prospective occupants by means of, or for the purpose of streets, common areas, leaseholds, condominiums, building groups or other features.
 
(2) A subdivision of land.
 
(3) Development in accordance with Section 503(1.1).
 
The following is the Beaver County Planning Commission (BCPC) process associated with its review of a land development.
 
7. A land development applicant (e.g. property owner, developer) must submit, to the municipality in which the land development is to occur, all documents required by that municipality.
 
8. The local municipality then submits the following to the BCPC
  1. A letter requesting that the BCPC review the land development
  2. Two copies of the land development plan/drawing prepared by a Pennsylvania licensed/registered surveyor/architect/landscape architect/engineer/geologist (Design Professional), with at least one copy bearing the seal and original signature of the Design Professional.
  3. The required fee, paid in the form of a check or money order payable to Beaver County Planning Commission.
  4. BCPC Application
9. The BCPC must receive the required information from the municipality prior to the close of the first business day of the month so that the staff review can be completed and presented to the BCPC Board of Directors at its monthly meeting, held the third Tuesday of each month.
 
10. Upon receipt of the information stated in item 2 above, the BCPC staff will then review the land development plan and present its review to the BCPC Board of Directors for Board approval at its meeting.
 
11. After the BCPC Board takes action at its meeting on the staff’s recommendations regarding any land development, the BCPC staff issues its written review to the municipality and sends copies of its review to appropriate parties.
 
12. The applicant should contact the BCPC to arrange, as appropriate, for the signing of the land development plan by the BCPC prior to recording the plan.


Planning Commission Schedule of Fees

FOR THE REVIEW OF SUDIVISIONS AND LAND DEVELOPMENTS

A review fee must be submitted by the local municipality to the Beaver County Planning Commission when that municipality submits any request to the Beaver County Planning Commission to review a subdivision and/or a land development. That review fee is to be paid in the form of a check or money order payable to the Beaver County Planning Commission and is to be calculated as follows.

  • Fees for subdivision plans: a $75.00 base fee plus $10.00 per lot based on the maximum total of lots associated with the subdivision [as examples, the subdivision of one lot into five lots would be a five lot subdivision and the fee due would be $125.00 (base fee of $75.00 plus $50.00 {five lots at $10.00 per lot}) and the subdivision (consolidation) of five lots into one lot would be a five lot subdivision and the fee due would be $125.00 (base fee of $75.00 plus $50.00 {five lots at $10.00 per lot})].
     
  • Fees for land development plans: a base fee of $75.00 plus $10.00 per acre and any increment thereof.  As an example, for a land development of 25.50 acres, the fee due would be $330.00 [base fee of  $75.00 plus $255.00 (25.5 acres at $10.00 per acre)].