[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Buchanan 10-4-1971 by L.L. No. 1-1971 (Ch. 11A of the 1971
Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
Any individual or corporation desiring to construct a driveway
with a Village street shall make written application to the Village
Clerk before beginning construction. Application forms and instructions
may be obtained from the Clerk.
[Amended 2-2-1976 by L.L. No. 2-1976]
The application form must be filled out in its entirety in accordance
with the instructions, and a sketch, including profile, drawn to a
suitable scale, must be included in every case showing the details
of the driveway design and its location relative to highway and property
features.
Upon completion of the application, it must be submitted to
the Village Clerk. No work shall be undertaken on the right-of-way
until the written approval has been received by the applicant.
The approval of the application shall be subject to the following
conditions:
A.
The application shall be properly and clearly completed.
B.
The location, design and construction of driveways shall meet the
general and geometric requirements. Necessary provisions for drainage,
pavement types and thickness, sight distance requirements and other
general construction details shall be acceptable to the Village Engineer
and the Building Inspector.
[Amended 1-5-1976 by L.L. No. 1-1976]
C.
The applicant shall assume the construction responsibilities outlined
immediately below.
A.
The applicant shall furnish all materials and bear all costs of necessary
construction within the Village's jurisdiction.
B.
All work done and all materials used where the Village has jurisdiction
shall meet the requirements or be equal to the standard specifications
of the New York State Highway Department.
C.
No revisions or additions shall be made to any driveway within the
right-of-way without the prior receipt of written approval of such
revisions or additions from the Village Engineer.
D.
When reconstruction activities occur on existing entrance locations
on land within the jurisdiction of the Village, it is intended that
such reconstruction activities conform to this policy, both in design
and in construction practices.
E.
The Village reserves the right of inspection by authorized representatives
of the Engineer of any driveway construction within the right-of-way.
In the event of faulty workmanship and/or materials, the Building
Inspector and/or Engineer shall have the right to cancel the permission
for such a driveway until such time as these conditions are corrected.
All costs incurred in the removal and/or correction of defective workmanship
and/or materials shall be borne by the applicant.
[Amended 1-5-1976 by L.L. No. 1-1976]
The design standards which are herein prescribed are based on
the premise that the rights of highway users and abutting property
owners can be mutually satisfied. Variables in site conditions are
accommodated in the permissible range of dimensions for the following
intersection factors: angles of entry and exit, radii, channelization
and intersection clearances. The specific requirements are listed
below:
A.
No more than two driveways entering on a single highway shall be
permitted.
B.
The maximum width of any driveway shall be 50 feet measured parallel
to the highway center line at the curb or edge of shoulder. In the
event that narrow lot frontage does not permit two adequate driveways,
then one combined entrance and exit not to exceed 50 feet measured
as above may be provided. The maximum width of any exit driveway to
a divided highway or one-way street shall not exceed 35 feet measured
parallel to the highway or street center line at the curb or shoulder
edge.
C.
The angle of the driveway with respect to the pavement edge shall
be not less than 45°.
D.
Return radii for driveways shall be subject to approval by the Engineer
and shall in no case exceed 40 feet.
E.
A minimum of 15 feet shall be provided between the right-of-way line
and the near edge of pump islands parallel to the roadway. The minimum
distance from the right-of-way line to the nearest point of angled
pump islands shall be 20 feet. Parking or loading of vehicles shall
not take place on the right-of-way.
F.
Islands.
(1)
Any two driveways connecting with a single highway shall be separated
by an island area. The side of the island next to and parallel to
the highway shall be located either at the ditch line or not less
than six feet from the pavement edge, or at the curbline, if present.
The island shall extend to the right-of-way line a minimum length
of 10 feet, measured parallel to the roadway, and shall be provided
at the right-of-way line. The length of island at the shoulder will
be determined by the angle of the driveways and the right-of-way depth.
(2)
All island areas within the right-of-way shall be delineated as such
by curbs, posts, guardrails, planting, etc. Loose stone or gravel
surfacing shall be considered unsuitable for this purpose. An area
adjacent to the property line extended, measuring five feet parallel
to the roadway at the curb or edge of shoulder and extending to the
right-of-way line, shall be reserved. This is to serve as an island
area should the adjacent property owner request a driveway.
(3)
In those cases where a highly developed business district abuts a
major highway, the Engineer may specify that concrete curbing shall
be used to delineate island areas.
G.
The length, width and shape of corner island areas will vary for
different locations. The angle of intersections, angle of driveways,
width of rights-of-way on both approaches, channelization, radii and
other conditions will influence the location of driveways at intersections.
The following conditions will be applicable in most instances:
(1)
No driveway shall be allowed to encroach upon the pavement edge or
curb radii at intersections.
(2)
Where corner sight distance areas have been obtained, no driveway
shall be permitted to cross this area. The "corner sight distance
area" shall be defined as the area bounded by the shoulder or curbline
of both highways and the corner right-of-way line extended to the
shoulder or curbline.
(3)
Minimum distances.
(a)
The following minimum distances shall apply where there is no
conflict with the foregoing conditions: At rural intersections, the
minimum distance between the nearest edge of the driveway and the
crossed right-of-way line, measured along the curb or shoulder, shall
be 30 feet for the major route and 20 feet for the minor route. At
built-up-area intersections, the minimum distances may be reduced
to 15 feet.
(b)
The Engineer shall have the authority to increase these distances,
if, in his opinion, such action is necessary for protection of traffic.
The Engineer may also modify these requirements if justifiable on
the basis of side conditions.
H.
The grade of entrances and exits shall be constructed to slope away
from the roadway surface at a rate of not less than 1/4 inch per foot
or not more than one inch per foot for a distance equivalent to the
prevailing shoulder width. The drainage of highway ditches shall not
be impeded, and the provisions for drainage shall be subject to the
approval of the Engineer.
I.
Where paved driveways from a single property cross an unsurfaced
shoulder and are separated by less than 50 feet at the shoulder line,
the shoulder area between the driveways shall be graded and surface
treated by the property owner in conformance with Highway Department
specifications.
[Added 2-2-1976 by L.L. No. 2-1976]
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions
of this chapter shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be punished for each offense by a fine not to exceed
$50. Each week such violation continues shall be deemed a separate
offense. No action taken hereunder shall be construed to prevent injunctive
relief to the Village.
