Services | Piatt Township

Highways and Bridges

Mission: To maintain public right-of-ways as necessary to promote the health, safety and welfare of the traveling public and Piatt Township residents.

hesker hill

Hesker Hill Road

Road Department

History: The Road Department is the oldest Township department and finds its origins rooted in the earliest form of governmental endeavors to keep “cow paths” or routes of passages now known as right-of-ways, passable. The designation of Road Master or “public overseer of road repair”, was recognized early on as one of the first public needs of a community as farm life gave way to the industrial age. As elected officials and volunteer residents could no longer handle the workload of a growing township road system, the Road Master position became a paid position and was charged with maintaining the “right-of-ways” supported by a road tax. As demand for safe, year-round, passable right-of-ways grew, the Township employs one full time employee and has a fleet of modern up-to-date road equipment.

Duties & Responsibilities: The Road Crew maintains 20 miles of road which include gravel, asphalt and tar and chip surfaces. Repairs and replacement of road signs, traffic lights, guide rails, culverts, patching and road restoration are every day road department tasks. Seasonal tasks, such as vegetation removal, mowing, sweeping, ice and snow removal add to the road department maintenance demands. On any given day, accidents, weather conditions, and unforeseen problems may change the direction of the Road Crew daily tasks and/or bring them out after hours in response to emergencies related to the safety of the traveling public.
Seasonally, the department changes their efforts. The winter months bring a need to be prepared for ice and snow removal. Late winter and early spring brings a demand to seal road surface cracks, repair potholes and to complete vegetation pruning. The summer season is the time when road resurfacing projects are completed.

Maintenance of Roadways
Snow & Ice Removal: The Road Department plows, salts, and cinders 20 miles of Township roads during inclement weather.
In a typical winter 80 tons of salt is required for major storms.

Road Repair: The Road Department is responsible for all asphalt patching and pothole repairs on Township roads. The Township is not responsible for fixing potholes on State roadways. The Township is not responsible for private roadways in new developments until such time as they are dedicated to the Township.
Each year the Department resurfaces various roads within the Township. The funding for this work comes from the annual State Liquid Fuels Fund. Roads are selected based on various criteria and needs, including surface conditions, traffic volume, condition of underground utilities, condition of abutting infrastructure, such as curbing and drainage swales.

Types of Paving Done Within In the Township or Contractor
Major patching: Due to base deterioration, large portions of the roadway are cutout or milled out and replaced with new asphalt base. Generally, these are areas deteriorated by frost conditions and are known as “blowouts”. At a later time this area is resurfaced with a wearing course.
Overlays: Used where base is in good condition, but surface-wearing course is deteriorated. Leveling courses may be applied and drainage problems corrected whereupon a wearing course of blacktop is applied.
Crack Sealing: Cracks are sealed with asphalt sealant, generally preparatory to some type of a wearing surface treatment.
Oil and Chip: This treatment is used on various Township roads. The process allows for and application of oil and chip over the entire surface in order to provide a sealed surface and thus reduce the amount of water penetration into the roadway base. It allows for sealing of minor but numerous surface cracks.

Miscellaneous Road Maintenance

Traffic Markings & Signs: The Road Department is responsible for the installation and application of all municipal street signs and traffic markings. The Department installs the signs and markings in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Rules and Regulations.
Vegetation Control: The Road Department annually prunes and trims overgrown vegetation along its right-of-ways in order to maintain sight distances at corners, clear corridors on straight-aways, and to allow sunlight to penetrate to the roadway to affect a dry road surface. A side benefit of this vegetation control program is a need for less salt as shaded road surfaces are eliminated.

Bridges

Piatt Township and Woodward Township share the ownership of the Pine Run Bridge over Youngs Road. The bridge is jointly maintained. The bridge has been replaced and is now open to traffic with no weight limit posting.

Zoning & Building Permits

The Piatt Township joined the Lycoming County Municipality Partnership in 2007 and is covered under the Lycoming County Zoning Ordinance. For information on Zoning Ordinance or to review the zoning map go to: www.lyco.org For a zoning permit go to our Forms tab to download.
The zoning ordinance regulates the location, size, height and coverage of property by structures and also regulates matters affecting the health, safety and welfare of the residents. As a growing community, the Lycoming County Zoning staff is very conscientious about the effect of development so that the quality of life remains at a high standard. Through careful planning, zoning, land use and enforcement policies, the Township and Lycoming county Planning can control growth and provide for orderly development.
Lycoming County Planning & Development is responsible for all planning, land development and subdivision within the Township. Any person who wishes to develop or subdivide land within the Township must file plans with Lycoming County Planning & Development. In addition, homeowners who wish to make changes to their home or property may need to obtain a zoning permit from the Zoning Officer and obtain other permits as necessary.

Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Enforcement building

The township contracts with a third party building code administrator who is responsible for all permits issued for new construction and additions to existing structures. The permits, which are issued by the Third Party Building Code Administrator, is responsible for all inspection of buildings in accordance with the Uniform construction Code (UCC). Building permits are issued through Central PA Council of Government. For permit and inspection forms visit their website at www.ckcog.com.

Sewer permits must be obtained from our Sewage Enforcement Officer, Jami Nolan, Terry Meyer, or Robert Bertin. The Sewer permit or letter of certificate must be presented to the Building Inspector before a building permit can be obtained. For sewer permit or information contact Jami Nolan at (570) 971-4372, Terry Meyer at (607)-743-6681, or Robert Bertin at (570)-998-2859. Additionally, the Zoning Officer is responsible for site plan enforcement and inspection, driveway permits, inspections of property for potential zoning violations, and sign ordinance enforcement. The Zoning Officer is the person responsible for all questions related to the Township’s Zoning Ordinance. Please contact the township office or Victor Marquardt at (570)-547-2821

Permits & Approvals Permits & Approvals are required, but not limited to, the following:

Sub-divisions
Signs
Septic Tank Systems
Swimming Pool
Storage Sheds (over 10′ x 10′ or 100 sq. ft.)
Garages
Commercial Construction
Residential Construction
Industrial Construction
Certain types of Burning
Alterations to Existing Structures
Road Encroachment and Driveway Permits for Township Roads and State Roads
Fences
Electrical
Decks