So … what is this thing called “SALDO”?? (Part One)

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Altair is hoping to get final construction approvals from East Pikeland Township within just a couple of months. To arrive at this point, we’ve diligently been going through the “SALDO” process.

SALDO stands for Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

Subdivision regulations are guidelines established by local governments to manage the division of land into plots, ensuring orderly growth and development. These regulations cover aspects like lot size, infrastructure requirements, and environmental impact, aiming to promote safety, accessibility, and sustainability.

East Pikeland Township passed its current relevant SALDO ordinance in 2001.

Here are some excerpts from Section 101 of the ordinance (Purpose):

  • The Ordinance is designed to accomplish a coordinated development of the Township, thereby creating conditions favorable to the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens in conformance with the East Pikeland Township Comprehensive Plan;

  • To secure sites suitable for building purposes and human habitation while protecting the soils, vegetation, quality of the waters and other elements of the ecology;

  • To provide for the general welfare by guiding and protecting amenity; convenience; future governmental, economic, practical, and social and cultural facilities; development and growth; as well as the improvement of governmental processes and functions;

  • To guide uses of land and structures, type, location and layout of streets, recreation public grounds and other facilities;

  • To allow innovative, quality subdivision design;

  • To encourage desirable development of the Township in a manner consistent with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan and other ordinances of East Pikeland Township.

Altair appreciates the constructive intent of the ordinance and is striving, in good faith, to meet the letter or the spirit of all its requirements!

We are lucky that the Township adopted enabling legislation to allow us to propose a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood with remote and reduced parking and a Common House. The Ordinance we are working with (“Kimberton Low Impact Development Overlay District” – https://www.eastpikeland.org/media/1236) allows us to build more homes if we restrict the residents to 80 percent 55 years and older. We can also get a bonus for achieving a Silver Rating for sustainability using the US Green Building Council’s SITES initiative (https://sustainablesites.org).

As of this writing, we have presented our preliminary Site Plan to the Planning Commission and have received comments back from the Township’s consultants – site engineer, landscape architect, traffic engineer, and fire chief. In addition, we are awaiting responses from various agencies responsible for approving everything from our sewer to environmental impact. We hope to respond to all their comments and resubmit our Site Plan in the near future. 

In Part Two, we will go into more detail regarding their input and describe some of the issues we are addressing for the East Pikeland Board of Supervisors to approve our project.