Town of Old Lyme, CT Design Approval Process

Design approval required for public use of roads. The Commission may not approve the proposed establishment, construction, reconstruction or use of any road for public travel unless an application for such approval is submitted to the Commission and the Commission grants such approval in accordance with these Design and Construction Standards.

Roads located within an area proposed for subdivision. If an application for subdivision or resubdivision involves the establishment, construction or use of a road or roads within the area to be subdivided, and such road or roads are proposed to be used for public vehicular travel, the application for subdivision shall also be deemed to be an application for design approval of the road or roads, and no separate application for design approval shall be required. However, all supporting documentation and materials required by these Design and Construction Standards must be submitted in order for the Commission to consider or to grant design approval for the road or roads.

Roads not located within the area proposed for subdivision. If a proposal to establish, construct, reconstruct, improve or use a road or roads for public vehicular travel is not made in connection with an application for subdivision or resubdivision, an application for design approval of the road or roads must be submitted to the Commission, together with all supporting documentation and materials required by these Design and Construction Standards.

Staff review prior to application. All prospective applicants for design approval of a road or roads for public travel are encouraged to meet with the land use staff prior to submission of a formal application. The land use staff shall coordinate the review of all the materials submitted by the prospective applicant with other Town staff, officials and consultants, and may set up informal meetings among the prospective applicant and others.

Procedure for decisions on formal applications.

(1)

Applications made as part of a subdivision application. When a request for design approval is made as part of a subdivision application, the Commission shall follow the same procedures in making its decision on the design approval application as it does in deciding upon the subdivision application. The Commission may approve, modify and approve, or deny design approval. A decision to deny a subdivision application shall also be deemed to be a decision to deny design approval.

(2)

Applications for private or public road not made as part of a subdivision application. All applications for a private or public road not made as part of a subdivision application will be reviewed pursuant to these Design and Construction Standards.

(3)

Referral to Commission under Connecticut General Statutes § 8-24. The approval of an application for a public road in accordance with this regulation shall constitute a recommendation for acceptance thereof in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes § 8-24, and no further referral shall be required at the time of acceptance.

General. In addition to any information required to be submitted in the Subdivision Regulations,[1] an application for design approval to construct, reconstruct or complete construction of a road intended to be opened to the public shall include the supporting information required in this section.

[1]

Editor's Note: See Ch. 219 of this Code.

Maps, drawings and plans. All information pertaining to topographic maps and delineation of road rights-of-way and property boundaries required under this section shall be shown on plans, maps or drawings which are prepared by and certified by a registered land surveyor to the A-2 standard of accuracy as defined in the Regulations of State Agencies adopted pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes § 20-00b, or as the same may be amended from time to time. All information pertaining to design of roads and drainage systems and appurtenant facilities required under this section shall be shown on plans, maps or drawings which are prepared by and certified by a registered professional engineer. All information shown on construction drawings shall be based on accurate field survey data referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) and the State Plane Coordinate Grid System, 1983 North American Datum (NAD83). Aerial survey data, based on accurate ground control surveys, may be utilized, provided it is supplemented by field surveys at locations where elevations and dimensions are critical.

General plan. The general plan shall be a map or maps, drawn to a scale of one inch equals 100 feet or less to the inch, showing the following:

(1)

The proposed road layout.

(2)

Existing topography, including the identification of slopes greater than 25%.

(3)

Ledge outcrops, stone walls, rare/specimen trees and trees greater than 18 inches in diameter within any existing road right-of-way.

(4)

Wetlands, watercourses and all proposed alterations thereof, flood hazard zones, floodways, stream channel encroachment lines, existing bridges, culverts and storm drainage systems.

(5)

National Resource Conservation Service soil types and boundaries.

(6)

All existing buildings and structures, properly identified, located upon, and within 200 feet outside of each boundary line of the land to which the application relates.

(7)

All existing roads, driveways and other vehicular accessways entering upon, or which will enter upon, the road to be laid out and constructed.

(8)

All existing parking facilities, playgrounds, recreational facilities, and open space areas, access to which may be obtained from such proposed road.

(9)

The location of all structures and improvements, including subsurface utilities and improvements proposed in connection with the construction of such road.

(10)

All areas to be conveyed to the Town for open space, drainage, etc.

(11)

Numbered survey control points, wetland flags and test pits.

Plan and profile drawings. Plan and profile drawings shall be prepared on a twenty-four-inch by thirty-six-inch sheet size with scales of one inch equals 40 feet horizontal and one inch equals four feet vertical, showing the following:

(1)

The location and dimensions of existing and proposed road rights-of-way, edges of pavement, curbs, sidewalks, piping, catch basins, manholes, endwalls, bridges, utilities and utility easements, drainage easements, open channels, monuments, tops and toes of all slopes, all data required for accurate layout of roadway center lines and rights-of-way, including stationing, bearings, tangent lengths, arc lengths, radii and central angles of all curves; location of property lines intersecting the road right-of-way lines and the names of owners of such adjacent property; typical cross sections of each road, showing proposed dimensions, materials of construction, and locations of drainage piping and other underground facilities and utilities; location and description of survey benchmark; and road signs and traffic control signs.

(2)

Profiles of existing ground surface on the center line and at each right-of-way line, which shall be based on an accurate field survey.

(3)

Profile of the proposed center line, showing proposed grades, vertical curve data and stations at grade changes, intersections, high points and low points.

(4)

Profiles of all existing and proposed drainage facilities, bridges and other proposed improvements showing locations, sizes, grades and invert elevations.

Detail drawings. For proposed improvements that cannot be readily shown on the plan and profile drawings, or that are not included in the Standard Detail Drawings in Appendix A,[2] additional drawings shall be submitted showing in further detail all information required for construction. Detail drawings shall be prepared at appropriate scales, and shall substantially conform in both form and manner to the Standard Detail Drawings in Appendix A. In addition to any necessary detail drawings, the following statement shall be included on all construction drawings: "All construction shall conform to the criteria and standards included in these Design and Construction Standards."

[2]

Editor's Note: Appendix A is included as an attachment to this chapter.

Drainage report. A drainage report conforming with the design criteria in Article IX of these Design and Construction Standards shall be submitted, which includes the basis of design, detailed design computations, and a drainage analysis map for sizing all proposed storm drainage facilities; the analysis of any required existing off-site facilities; and any proposed stormwater runoff control measures. Detailed design computations shall include the design criteria, parameters and methods used in selecting the location, configuration, type and size of all proposed drainage facilities. Such computations shall include tabulated summaries of pertinent design computations. Wherever feasible, such tabulations shall follow the most current format utilized by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Resource Conservation Service or such format as may be adopted and amended from time to time by the Town.

Soils report. A soils report shall be submitted showing the type, nature and extent of the various soils existing within the proposed road right-of-way and in the area where the roadway slopes extend beyond the proposed road right-of-way. All soils types shall be identified on the basis of test pits, which shall also indicate seasonal high groundwater and bedrock depths. Such report shall also include a description of the means and methods proposed to be utilized to overcome any potential soils problems.

Earthwork analysis. An earthwork analysis shall be submitted which quantifies the volumes of cut and fill required to construct the proposed road and associated public improvements.

Soil erosion and sediment control plan. A detailed plan for soil erosion and sediment control conforming with the requirements of Article XI in these Design and Construction Standards shall be submitted. The plan shall include all measures to be taken to control erosion and sedimentation resulting from proposed road and drainage facility construction. All such measures shall be consistent with the requirements and standards outlined in the "Connecticut Guidelines for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control." When a project is of a size that requires a general permit for the discharge of stormwater and dewatering wastewaters associated with construction activities," it shall be the applicant's responsibility to file the required registration form with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and to provide copies to the Town.

Landscape plan. A landscape plan shall be submitted for any median strips or other proposed landscaped areas to be located within the right-of-way lines of a road. All proposed landscaping shall be consistent with the criteria included in Article XII of these Design and Construction Standards.

Water distribution system report. If a public water distribution system is proposed, written evidence shall be provided from the Connecticut Water Company or other water company serving the development stating that they have agreed to provide water service, including the identification of any system improvements that may be required to accommodate such service.

Sewage collection system report. If a public sewage collection system is proposed to be extended within a road right-of-way, a sewage collection system report, prepared by a registered professional engineer, shall be submitted. The report shall identify the proposed new service area, estimated average and peak day flows resulting from the full build-out of the new service area, and a supporting analysis demonstrating that the proposed sewage collection system extension is sized to meet projected flows. The reports shall also identify any improvements to the existing public sewage collection system that are necessary to convey projected flows. The planning, design and construction of all proposed sewage collection system extensions and/or improvements shall conform to standards established by the Town of Old Lyme, the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, as applicable.

Traffic report. If, in the opinion of the Commission or the Board of Selectmen or its designee, there is concern regarding the ability of the existing roadway network to accommodate prospective traffic in a safe and efficient manner, they may require the submission of a traffic report which shall evaluate and identify any required measures to address such concerns. Traffic reports shall be prepared by a registered professional engineer with a specialization in traffic engineering.

Connecticut Department of Transportation approval. Where any road, drainage facility or other associated work is proposed to join with a state highway, or is to be located within a state highway right-of-way, the applicant shall obtain a letter from the Connecticut Department of Transportation which shall approve of such work. Such letter may be conditional upon prior approval of the project by the Commission, and/or submission of a permit application to the Connecticut Department of Transportation.