The Planning Board, in considering an application for the subdivision of land, shall be guided by the policy considerations specified in § 107-3 of this chapter and the following standards.
Existing features which would add value to residential development,
such as large trees, watercourses, historic spots and similar irreplaceable
assets, should be preserved, insofar as possible, through harmonious
design of the subdivision.
A.
Relation to topography. Streets shall be logically related and shall
conform insofar as possible, to the original topography. They shall
be arranged so as to obtain as many as possible of the building sites
at or above the grades of the streets. A combination of steep grades
and sharp curves shall be avoided.
B.
Block size. Block dimensions shall be at least twice the minimum
lot depth and generally not more than 12 times the minimum lot width
required by this section. In long blocks, the Planning Board may require
the reservation through the block of a twenty-five-foot-wide easement
to accommodate utilities or pedestrian traffic. Blocks at least 900
feet long are recommended, with an easement in blocks exceeding 1,200
feet.
C.
Intersections. Intersections of major streets by other streets shall
be at least 800 feet apart, if possible. Cross (four-cornered) street
intersections shall be avoided, except at important traffic intersections.
A distance of at least 150 feet shall be maintained between offset
intersections. Within 40 feet of an intersection, streets shall be
approximately at right angles [but in no instance shall the angle
be less than 70°] and grades shall be limited to 1 1/2%.
All street intersection corners shall be rounded by curves of at least
25 feet in radius at the property line.
D.
Visibility at intersections. Within the triangular area formed at
corners by the intersecting street lines, for a distance of 40 feet
from their intersection, and the diagonal connecting the end points
of these lines, visibility for traffic safety shall be provided by
excavating, if necessary. Nothing in the way of fences, walls, hedges
or other landscaping shall be permitted to obstruct such visibility.
E.
Design standards. Streets shall meet the following standards, unless
otherwise indicated on the Town Plan (as it may be adopted)[1]:
|
Street Classification
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Design Standard
|
Minor
|
Collector and Secondary
|
|
Minimum width of right-of-way
|
55 feet
|
65 feet
|
|
Minimum width of pavement
|
28 feet
|
36 feet
|
|
Minimum radius of horizontal curves
|
150 feet, except for street intersection corners
|
400 feet
|
|
Minimum length of vertical curves as measured from
center line of right-of-way
|
100 feet, but not less than 20 feet for each 1% algebraic
difference of grade
|
200 feet, but not less than 60 feet for each 1% algebraic
difference of grade
|
|
Minimum length of tangent between reverse curves
|
100 feet, except where excessive grades may be reduced
to reasonable grades by shortening tangent
|
200 feet
|
|
Maximum grade
|
10%
|
8%
|
|
Minimum grade
|
1%
|
1%
|
|
Minimum sight distance (vertical)
|
150 feet
|
250 feet
|
[1]
NOTE: Standards are not shown for arterial streets, as they
would, in all probability, be built by the state or county.
F.
Continuation of streets into adjacent property. Streets shall be
arranged to provide for the continuation of principal streets between
adjacent properties where such continuation is necessary for convenient
movement of traffic, effective fire protection, efficient provision
of utilities and particularly where such continuation is in accordance
with the Town Plan (as it may be adopted). If the adjacent property
is undeveloped and the street must be a dead-end street temporarily,
the right-of-way and improvements shall be extended to the property
line. A temporary circular turnaround a minimum of 50 feet in radius
shall be provided on all temporary dead-end streets, with the notation
on the plat that land outside the street right-of-way shall revert
to abutters whenever the street is continued.
G.
Permanent dead-end streets (culs-de-sac). Where a street does not
extend to the boundary of the subdivision and its continuation is
not needed for access to adjoining property, it shall be separated
from such boundary by a distance of not less than 100 feet. Reserve
strips of land shall not be left between the end of a proposed street
and an adjacent piece of property; however, the Planning Board may
require the reservation of a twenty-foot-wide easement to accommodate
pedestrian traffic or utilities. A circular turnaround with a minimum
right-of-way radius of 65 feet shall be provided at the end of a permanent
dead-end street. For greater convenience to traffic and more effective
police and fire protection, permanent dead-end streets shall, in general,
be limited in length to 800 feet.
H.
Street names. All streets shall be named, and such names shall be
subject to the approval of the Town Planning Board. Names shall be
sufficiently different in sound and spelling from other street names
in the town so as not to cause confusion. A street which is a continuation
of an existing street shall bear the same name.
I.
Improvements.
(1)
Streets shall be graded and improved with pavement, street signs,
sidewalks, streetlighting standards, curbs, gutters, trees, water
mains, sanitary sewers, storm drains and fire hydrants, except where
the Planning Board may waive, subject to appropriate conditions, such
improvements as it considers are not requisite in the interest of
public health, safety and general welfare.
(2)
Underground utilities required by the Planning Board shall be placed
between the paved roadway and street line to simplify location and
repair of the lines, and the subdivider shall install underground
service connections to the property line of each lot before the street
is paved.
(3)
Grading and improvements shall conform to the town minimum road specifications
and other town standards and shall be approved as to design and specifications
by the Superintendent of Highways.
(4)
The subdivider or his representative shall meet with the Town Superintendent
of Highways to discuss specifications and requirements. The Town Superintendent
may elect to build the road and certain other improvements with town
equipment and town personnel but at the subdivider's expense.
If the Town Superintendent elects to build improvements, the cost,
method of payment and scheduling of work shall be determined by the
Superintendent. If the Town Superintendent authorizes the subdivider
to proceed with his own construction, the subdivider shall comply
with requirements for performance and assurance bond as specified
in this chapter.
A.
Arrangement. The arrangement of lots shall be such that there will
be no foreseeable difficulties, for reasons of topography or other
conditions, in locating a building on each lot and in providing access
to buildings on such lots from an approved street.
B.
Access across a watercourse. Where a watercourse separates the buildable
area of a lot from the access street, provision shall be made for
the installation of a culvert or other structure of a design approved
by the Superintendent of Highways.
C.
Lot dimensions and area. Lots shall have a minimum width at the building
line of 175 feet and a minimum depth of 200 feet. Minimum setback
shall be 40 feet from the highway right-of-way line.
D.
Side lot lines. Side lot lines shall be at right angles to street
lines, unless a variation from this rule will give a better street
or lot plan.
E.
Access from major streets. Lots shall not, in general, derive access
exclusively from a major street. Where driveway access from a major
street may be necessary for several adjoining lots, the Planning Board
may require that such lots are served by a combined access drive in
order to limit possible traffic hazard on such street.
A.
Parks and playgrounds.
(1)
The Planning Board may require adequate, convenient and suitable
areas for parks and playgrounds or other recreational purposes to
be reserved on the plat, but in no case more than 10% of the gross
area of any subdivision. The area shall be shown and marked on the
plat "Reserved for park or playground purpose."
(2)
If the Planning Board determines that a suitable park or parks of
adequate size can not be properly located in any such plat or is otherwise
not practical, the Board may require, as a condition to approval of
any such plat, a payment to the town in the amount of 10% of the appraised
market value of the land to be subdivided. Such money shall be used
by the town for park and recreation purposes, including the acquisition
of property.
B.
Realignment or widening of existing streets. Where the subdivision
borders an existing street and the Official Map or Town Plan (as it
may be adopted) indicates plans for realignment or widening of the
street that would require reservation of some land of the subdivision,
the Planning Board may require that such areas are shown and marked
on the plan "Reserved for street alignment (or widening) purposes."
C.
Utility and drainage easements. Where topography or other conditions
are such as to make impractical the inclusion of utilities or drainage
facilities within street rights-of-way, perpetual unobstructed easements
at least 20 feet in width for such utilities shall be provided across
property outside the street lines and with satisfactory access to
the street.
D.
Easements for pedestrian access. The Planning Board may require,
in order to facilitate pedestrian access from streets to schools,
parks, playgrounds or other nearby streets, perpetual unobstructed
easements at least 20 feet in width.
E.
Responsibility for ownership of reservations. Ownership shall be
clearly marked on all reservations.
