In considering applications for subdivision of land, the Planning Board shall be guided by the standards set forth hereinafter. The said standards shall be considered to be minimum requirements and shall be waived by the Board only under circumstances set forth in Article V herein.
A.
Character of land. Land to be subdivided shall be of such character
that it can be used safely for building purposes without danger to
health or peril from fire, flood or other menace.
B.
Conformity to Official Map and Master Plan. Subdivisions shall conform
to the Official Map of the Town and shall be in harmony with the Master
Plan, if such exists.
C.
Specifications for required improvements. All required improvements
shall be constructed or installed to conform to the Town specifications,
which may be obtained from the Engineer for the Town.
A.
Width, location and construction. Streets shall be of sufficient
width, suitably located and adequately constructed to conform with
the Master Plan, if such exists, and to accommodate the prospective
traffic and afford access for fire-fighting, snow removal and other
road maintenance equipment. The arrangement of streets shall be such
as to cause no undue hardship to adjoining properties and shall be
coordinated so as to compose a convenient system.
B.
Arrangement. The arrangement of streets in the subdivision shall
provide for the continuation of principal streets of adjoining subdivisions
and for proper projection of principal streets into adjoining properties
which are not yet subdivided, in order to make possible necessary
fire protection, movement of traffic and the construction or extension,
presently or when later required, of needed utilities and public services,
such as sewers, water and drainage facilities. Where, in the opinion
of the Planning Board, topographic or other conditions make such continuance
undesirable or impracticable, the above conditions may be modified.
C.
Minor streets. Minor streets shall be so laid out that their use
by through traffic will be discouraged.
D.
Special treatment along major arterial streets. When a subdivision
abuts or contains an existing or proposed major arterial street, the
Board may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage with screen
planting contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear property
line, deep lots with rear service alleys or such other treatment as
may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties
and to afford separation of through and local traffic.
E.
Provision for future resubdivision. Where a tract is subdivided into
lots substantially larger than the minimum size required in the zoning
district in which a subdivision is located, the Board may require
that streets and lots be laid out so as to permit future resubdivision
in accordance with the requirements contained in this part.
F.
Dead-end streets. The creation of dead-end or loop residential streets
will be allowed wherever the Board finds that such type of development
will not interfere with normal traffic circulation or protection of
property and public health in the area. In the case of dead-end streets,
where needed or desirable, the Board may require the reservation of
a twenty-foot wide easement to provide for continuation of pedestrian
traffic and utilities to the next street.
G.
Block size. Blocks generally shall not be less than 400 feet nor
more than 1,200 feet in length. In general, no block width shall be
less than twice the normal lot depth. In blocks exceeding 800 feet
in length, the Planning Board may require the reservation of a twenty-foot-wide
easement through the block to provide for the crossing of underground
utilities and pedestrian traffic where needed or desirable and may
further specify, at its discretion, that a four-foot-wide paved footpath
be included.
H.
Intersections with collector or major arterial roads. Minor or secondary
street openings into such roads shall, in general, be at least 500
feet apart.
I.
Street jogs. Street jogs with center line offsets of less than 125
feet shall be avoided.
J.
Angle of intersection. In general, all streets shall join each other
so that for a distance of at least 100 feet the street is approximately
at right angles to the street it joins.
K.
Relation to topography. The street plan of a proposed subdivision
shall bear a logical relationship to the topography of the property,
and all streets shall be arranged so as to obtain as many of the building
sites as possible at or above the grade of the streets. Grades of
streets shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography.
L.
Other required streets. Where a subdivision borders on or contains
a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway right-of-way, the
Planning Board may require a street approximately parallel to and
on each side of such right-of-way, at a distance suitable for the
appropriate use of the intervening land (as for park purposes in residential
districts or for commercial or industrial purposes in appropriate
districts). Such distances shall also be determined with due regard
for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.
A.
Widths of rights-of-way. Streets shall have the following widths.
(When not indicated on the Master Plan or Official Map, if such exists,
the classification of streets shall be determined by the Board.)
|
Classification
|
Minimum Right-of-Way
(feet)
|
Minimum Pavement
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Local streets
|
50
|
24
| |
|
Major streets
|
66
|
30
| |
|
Collector streets
|
60
|
24
|
B.
Improvements.
(1)
Streets shall be graded and improved with pavements, curbs and gutters,
sidewalks, storm drainage facilities, water mains, sewers, street
trees and fire hydrants in such a manner as to meet the minimum requirements
of the Town Board and the standards established as part of the Comprehensive
Plan of the Town.
(2)
Waivers may be requested and the Planning Board may waive sections
or reduce the standards established as part of the Comprehensive Plan,
subject to appropriate conditions, where such improvements in the
judgment of the Planning Board may be omitted or altered without jeopardy
to the public health, safety and general welfare. Pedestrian easements
shall be improved as required by the Town Engineer. Such grading and
improvements shall be approved as to design and specifications by
the Town Engineer.
(a)
Fire hydrants. Installation of fire hydrants shall be in conformance
with Town standards.
(b)
Streetlighting facilities. Lighting facilities shall be in conformance
with the lighting system of the Town. Such lighting standards and
fixtures shall be installed after approval by the appropriate power
company and the authorized Town Electrical Inspector.
C.
Utilities in streets. The Planning Board shall, wherever possible,
require that underground utilities be placed in the street right-of-way
between the paved roadway and street line to simplify location and
repair of lines when they require attention. The subdivider shall
install underground service connections to the property line of each
lot within the subdivision for such required utilities before the
street is paved.
D.
Utility easements. Where topography is such as to make impractical
the inclusion of utilities within the rights-of-way, perpetual unobstructed
easements at least 20 feet in width shall be otherwise provided with
satisfactory access to the street. Wherever possible, easements shall
be continuous from block to block and shall present as few irregularities
as possible. Such easements shall be cleared and graded where required.
E.
Grades. Grades of all streets shall conform in general to the terrain,
and shall in general be not less than 1/2 nor more than 6% for major
or collector streets, or 10% for minor streets in residential zones,
but in no case more than 3% within 50 feet of any intersection.
F.
Changes in grade. All changes in grade shall be connected by vertical
curves of such length and radius as meet with the approval of the
Town Engineer so that clear visibility shall be provided for a safe
distance.
G.
Curve radii at street intersections. All street right-of-way lines
at intersections shall be rounded by curves of at least a twenty-foot
radius and curbs shall be adjusted accordingly.
H.
Steep grades and curves; visibility of intersections. A combination
of steep grades and curves shall be avoided. In order to provide visibility
for traffic safety, that portion of any corner lot (whether at an
intersection entirely within the subdivision or of a new street with
an existing street) which is shown shaded on Sketch A shall be cleared
of all growth, except isolated trees, and obstructions above the level
three feet higher than the center line of the street. If directed,
ground shall be excavated to achieve visibility.
 |
I.
Dead-end streets (culs-de-sac). Where dead-end streets are designed
to be so permanently, they should, in general, not exceed 500 feet
in length and shall terminate in a circular turnaround having a minimum
right-of-way radius of 60 feet and pavement radius of 50 feet. At
the end of temporary dead-end streets a temporary turnaround with
a pavement radius of 50 feet shall be provided, unless the Planning
Board approves an alternate arrangement.
J.
Watercourses.
(1)
Where a watercourse separates a proposed street from abutting property,
provision shall be made for access to all lots by means of culverts
or other structures of design approved by the Town Engineer.
(2)
Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel
or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage
right-of-way as required by the Town Engineer, and in no case less
than 20 feet in width.
K.
Curve radii. In general, street lines within a block deflecting from
each other at any one point by more than 10° shall be connected
with a curve, the radius of which for the center line of streets shall
not be less than 400 feet on major streets, 200 feet on collector
streets and 150 feet on minor streets.
L.
Service streets or loading space in commercial development. Paved
rear service streets of not less than 20 feet in width, or in lieu
thereof, adequate off-street loading space, suitably surfaced, shall
be provided in connection with lots designed for commercial use.
M.
Free flow of vehicular traffic abutting commercial developments.
In front of areas zoned and designed for commercial use, or where
a change of zoning to a zone which permits commercial use is contemplated,
the street width shall be increased by such amount on each side as
may be deemed necessary by the Planning Board to assure the free flow
of through traffic without interference by parked or parking vehicles,
and to provide adequate and safe parking space for such commercial
or business district.
A.
Type of name. All street names shown on a preliminary plat or subdivision
plat shall be approved by the Planning Board. In general, streets
shall have names and not numbers or letters.
B.
Names to be substantially different. Proposed street names shall
be substantially different so as not to be confused in sound or spelling
with present names, except that streets that join or are in alignment
with streets of an abutting or neighboring property shall bear the
same name. Generally, no street should change direction by more than
90° without a change in street name. Names of existing streets
within the Town shall not be reused.
A.
Lots to be buildable. The lot arrangement shall be such that in constructing
a building in compliance with the Zoning Ordinance,[1] there will be no foreseeable difficulties for reasons
of topography or other natural conditions. Lots should not be of such
depth as to encourage the later creation of a second building lot
at the front or rear.
B.
Side lines. All side lines of lots shall be at right angles to straight
street lines and radial to curved street lines, unless a variance
from this rule will give a better street or lot plan.
C.
Corner lots. In general, corner lots should be larger than interior
lots to provide for proper building setback from each street and provide
a desirable building site.
D.
Driveway access. Driveway access and grades shall conform to specifications
of the Town driveway ordinance, if one exists.
E.
Access from private streets, Access from private streets shall be
deemed acceptable only if such streets are designed and improved in
accordance with this part.
F.
Monuments and lot corner markers. Permanent monuments, meeting specifications
approved by the Engineer for the Town as to size, type and installation,
shall be set at such block corners, angle points, points of curves
in streets and/or points as the Engineer for the Town may require,
and their location shall be shown on the subdivision plat.
[Amended 3-13-2000 by L.L. No. 3-2000]
A.
Removal of spring and surface water. The subdivider may be required
by the Planning Board to carry away by pipe or open ditch any spring
or surface water that may exist either previous to or as a result
of the subdivision. Such drainage facilities shall be located in the
street right-of-way, where feasible, or in perpetual unobstructed
easements of appropriate width. The design of such facilities shall
be performed by a licensed professional engineer in conformance with
standards set by the Engineer for the Town.
[Amended 3-13-2000 by L.L. No. 3-2000]
B.
Drainage structure to accommodate potential development upstream.
A culvert or other drainage facility shall, in each case, be large
enough to accommodate potential runoff from its entire upstream drainage
area, whether inside or outside the subdivision. The Engineer for
the Town shall approve the design and size of facility based on anticipated
runoff from a design storm under conditions of total potential development
permitted by the Zoning Ordinance[1] in the watershed. The Engineer for the Town shall establish
the recurrence interval of the design storm.
[Amended 3-13-2000 by L.L. No. 3-2000]
C.
Responsibility for drainage downstream. The subdivider's engineer
shall also study the effect of each subdivision on the existing downstream
drainage facilities outside the area of the subdivision; this study
shall be reviewed by the Engineer for the Town. Where it is anticipated
that the additional runoff incident to the development of the subdivision
will overload an existing downstream drainage facility during a five-year
storm, the Planning Board shall notify the Town Board of such potential
condition. In such case, the Planning Board shall not approve the
subdivision until provision has been made for the improvement of said
condition.
[Amended 3-13-2000 by L.L. No. 3-2000]
D.
Land subject to flooding.
(1)
Land which has been classified by the Federal Insurance Administration
as a floodplain area having special flood hazard shall not be platted
for residential development, nor for such other uses deemed by the
Planning Board to increase the danger to health, life or property
or aggravate the flood hazard, but such lands within any plat shall
be set aside for such uses as shall not be endangered by periodic
or occasional inundation or shall be improved in a manner satisfactory
to the Planning Board to remedy said hazardous conditions.
(2)
Fill or encroachments within the floodway, as designated by the Federal
Insurance Administration, which would impair its ability to carry
and discharge the waters resulting from the one-hundred-year flood,
are prohibited.
A.
Recreation areas shown on Town Plan. Where a proposed park, playground or open space shown on the Town Plan is located in whole or in part in a subdivision, the Board shall require that such area or areas be shown on the plat in accordance with the requirements specified in Subsection B below. Such area or areas may be dedicated to the Town by the subdivider if the Town Board approves such dedication.
B.
Information to be submitted. In the event that an area to be used
for a park or playground is required to be so shown, the subdivider
shall submit to the Board, prior to final approval, three prints (one
on cloth) drawn in ink showing, at a scale of not less than 30 feet
to the inch, such area and the following features thereof:
(1)
The boundaries of the said area, giving lengths and bearings of all
straight lines, radii, lengths, central angles and tangent distances
of all curves.
(2)
Existing features such as brooks, ponds, clusters of trees, rock
outcrops or structures.
(3)
Existing and, if applicable, proposed changes in grade and contours
of the said area and of areas immediately adjacent.
C.
Reserve strips prohibited. Reserve strips of land, which might be
used to control access from the proposed subdivision to any neighboring
property or to any land within the subdivision itself shall be prohibited.
D.
Preservation of natural features. The Planning Board shall, wherever
possible, establish the preservation of all natural features which
add value to residential developments and to the community, such as
large trees or groves, watercourses and falls, beaches, historic spots,
vistas and similar irreplaceable assets.
