Town of Urbana, NY Article III General Requirements and Design Standards

§ 93-12 Application of standards.

In considering applications for subdivision of land, the Planning Board shall be guided by the standards set forth hereinafter. 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.

§ 93-13 Land suitability.

A. No land shall be subdivided which is held unsuitable for its intended use for reason of flooding, inadequate drainage, soil problems, unfavorable topography, inadequate water supply or sewage disposal capabilities or any other feature harmful to the health, safety or welfare of the community.

B. In determining the suitability of land for subdivision, the broad objectives of these regulations shall be considered, along with the following:

(1) The danger to life and property due to the increased flood heights or velocities caused by subdivision fill, roads and intended uses.

(2) The danger that intended structures may be swept on to other lands or downstream to the injury of others.

(3) The adequacy of proposed water supply and sanitation systems and the ability of these systems to prevent disease, contamination and unsanitary conditions under flood conditions.

(4) The susceptibility of the proposed facility and its contents to flood damage and the effect of such damage on the individual owner.

(5) The importance of the services provided by the proposed facility to the community.

(6) The requirements of the subdivision for a waterfront location.

(7) The availability of alternative locations not subject to flooding for the proposed subdivision and land uses.

(8) The compatibility of the proposed uses with existing development and development anticipated in the foreseeable future.

(9) The relationship of the proposed subdivision to the Land Use Plan/Planning Studies and Floodplain management program for the area.

(10) The safety of access to the property for emergency vehicles in times of flood or other disaster.

(11) The expected heights, velocity, duration, rate of rise and sediment transport of the floodwaters expected at the site.

(12) The costs of providing governmental services during and after flood conditions, including maintenance and repair of public utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems, and streets and bridges.

§ 93-14 Flood hazards; warning and disclaimer of liability.

A. The review agency may attach conditions, including but not limited to the following, to the approval of plats in areas subject to flood hazards.

(1) All construction shall be designed or modified and adequately anchored to prevent flotation, collapse or lateral movement of the structure.

(2) All construction shall be constructed of materials and utility equipment resistant to flood damage.

(3) All construction shall be constructed by methods and practices that will minimize flood damage.

(4) All public utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electric and water systems, shall be located and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage.

(5) Adequate drainage shall be provided to reduce exposure to flood hazards.

(6) All new and replacement water supply systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate the infiltration of floodwaters into the system.

(7) New and replacement sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of floodwaters into the systems and discharges from the systems into floodwaters.

(8) On-site waste disposal systems shall be located to avoid impairment of them or contamination from them during flooding.

(9) All subdivision proposals or other new developments greater than 50 lots or five acres, whichever is the lesser, shall include specific base flood elevation data in the plans thereof.

(10) All new construction and substantial improvements of residential structures shall have the lowest floor elevation, including basement, elevated to or above the base flood level.

(11) Permit applications for all new or substantially improved structures shall indicate the elevation, above mean sea level, of the lowest habitable floor, including basement, and, if the structure has been floodproofed, indicate the elevation, above mean sea level, to which the structures have been floodproofed.

(12) All new construction and substantial improvements to nonresidential structures shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to or floodproofed to or above the base flood level.

(13) All mobile homes to be placed within mobile home parks or subdivisions shall be anchored to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement by providing over-the-top and frame ties to ground anchors.

(14) Over-the-top ties shall be provided at each of the four corners of the mobile home and two additional ties per side shall be provided at intermediate locations, except that mobile homes less than 50 feet in length need have only one intermediate tie.

(15) Frame ties shall be provided at each corner of the mobile home with five additional ties per side at intermediate points.

(16) All components of the anchoring systems shall be capable of carrying a force of 4,800 pounds.

(17) Any additions to mobile homes shall be similarly anchored.

(18) Plans for mobile home parks or mobile home subdivisions shall include an evacuation plan indicating alternate vehicular access and escape routes; said plan is also to be filed with the appropriate disaster preparedness authorities.

(19) The location of storage facilities for chemicals, explosives, buoyant materials, flammable liquids or other toxic materials which could be hazardous to public health, safety and welfare shall be at elevations above the height associated with the regulatory protection elevation, or the design of such facilities shall prevent flotation of storage containers or damage to storage containers which could result in the escape of toxic materials into floodwaters.

B. The degree of flood protection required by these regulations is considered reasonable for regulatory purposes and is based on engineering and scientific methods of study. Larger floods may occur on rare occasions. Flood heights may be increased by man-made or natural causes, such as ice jams and bridge openings restricted by debris. These regulations do not imply that areas outside the delineated flood hazard areas or land uses permitted within such areas will be free from flooding or flood damages. These regulations shall not create liability on the part of the Town of Urbana or any officer or employee thereof for any flood damages that result from reliance on these regulations or any administrative decision lawfully made thereunder.

§ 93-15 Conformance with other documents.

Subdivisions shall conform to and be in harmony with the Planning Studies and/or Land Use Plan of the Town, if such exists.

§ 93-16 Specifications for required improvements.

All required improvements shall be constructed or installed to conform to the Town, county and/or state specifications, which may be obtained from the Town Planning Board.

§ 93-17 Street layout.

A. Width and location. Streets shall be of sufficient width and suitably located to conform to the Town of Urbana Planning Studies and/or Land Use 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.

(1) 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.

(2) 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 land use 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 these regulations.

F. Dead-end streets. The creation of dead-end or loop residential streets will be encouraged wherever the Board finds that such type of development will not interfere with normal traffic circulation 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. Subdivisions containing 20 lots or more shall have at least two street connections with existing public streets or streets shown on the Official Map, if such exists, or streets on an approved final Plat for which a bond has been filed.

[Amended 9-10-1990 by L.L. No. 2-1990]

G. Block size.

(1) 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.

(2) 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 appropriate districts). Such distances shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.

§ 93-18 Street design.

A. Widths of rights-of-way.

(1) Streets shall have the following widths.

(2) All streets require one eight-foot parking lane.

(3) When not indicated in the Planning Studies/Land Use Plan or Official Map, if such exists, the classification of streets shall be determined by the Board.

				Travel Lanes
		Minimum Right-of-Way (feet)	Minimum Pavement (feet)	Number	Width (feet)
	Major streets	66	32	2	12
	Collector streets	60	30	2	11
	Local streets	50	28	2	10

B. Improvements. Streets shall be graded and improved with pavements, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, storm drainage facilities, water mains, sewers, streetlights and street signs, street trees and fire hydrants, except where waivers may be requested, and the Planning Board may waive, subject to appropriate conditions, such improvements as it considers may be omitted without jeopardy to the public health, safety and general welfare. Pedestrian easements shall be improved as required by the Town Planning Board. Such grading and improvements shall be approved as to design and specifications by the Town Planning Board in consultation with the Highway Superintendent and/or other appropriate officials.

(1) Fire hydrants. Installation of fire hydrants shall be in conformity with all requirements of standard tread and nut as specified by the New York Fire Insurance Rating Organization and the Division of Fire Safety of the State of New York.

(2) Streetlighting facilities. Lighting facilities shall be in conformance with the lighting system of the Town as it exists at the time. Such lighting standards and fixtures shall be installed after approval by the appropriate power company and the authorized 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 street 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 grated where required.

E. Grades. Grades of all streets shall conform in general to the terrain and shall not be less than 1/2% nor more than 6% for major or collector streets or 8% 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 Planning Board in consultation with the Highway Superintendent and/or other appropriate officials, 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. On a corner lot in any residential district, nothing shall be erected, placed, planted or grown in such a manner as to materially impede vision between a height of 2 1/2 feet and 10 feet above the centerline grades of the intersecting streets. This shall apply to the triangular area bounded by the street lines and a line joining points along said street lines 50 feet from the point of intersection.

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 a 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. Adequate provision for snow removal must be made.

J. Watercourses.

(1) Where a watercourse separates a proposed street from abutting property, provision shall be made for access of all lots by means of culverts or other structures of a design approved by the Town Planning Board in consultation with appropriate officials.

(2) Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainage way, channel or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way as required by the Town Planning Board in consultation with appropriate officials, 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 the street shall not be less than 400 feet on minor streets.

L. Service streets or loading spaces in commercial developments. Paved rear service streets of not less than 24 feet in width or, in lieu thereof, adequate off-street loading spaces, 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 designated for commercial use or where a change of land use to a land use district 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.

§ 93-19 Street names.

A. Type of name. All street names shown on a preliminary plat or final plat shall be approved by the Planning Board. In general, all streets shall have names and not numbers or letters.

[Amended 9-10-1990 by L.L. No. 2-1990]

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.

§ 93-20 Lots.

A. Lots to be buildable. The lot arrangement shall be such that in constructing a building in compliance with Chapter 105, Zoning, there will be no foreseeable difficulties for reasons of topography or other natural conditions.

[Amended 9-10-1990 by L.L. No. 2-1990]

B. Side lines. All side lines of lots shall be at right angles to straight 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 to provide a desirable building site.

D. Driveway access. Driveway access and grades shall conform to specifications of Chapter 105, Zoning. Driveway grades between the street and the setback line shall not exceed 12%.

[Amended 9-10-1990 by L.L. No. 2-1990]

E. Access from private streets. Access from private streets shall be deemed acceptable only if such streets are designed and improved in accordance with these regulations.

F. Monuments and lot corner markers. Permanent monuments meeting specifications approved by the Town Planning Board in consultation with appropriate officials as to size, type and installation shall be set at such block corners, angle points, points of curves in streets and other points as the Town Planning Board may require, and their location shall be shown on the final plat.

[Amended 9-10-1990 by L.L. No. 2-1990]

§ 93-21 Drainage improvements.

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.

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 Town Planning Board, in consultation with appropriate officials, shall approve the design and size of the facility based on anticipated runoff from a ten-year storm under conditions of total potential development permitted by Chapter 105, Zoning, in the watershed.

[Amended 9-10-1990 by L.L. No. 2-1990]

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. 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.

D. Land subject to flooding. Land subject to flooding or land deemed by the Planning Board to be uninhabitable shall not be platted for residential occupancy nor for such other uses as may increase danger to health, life or property or aggravate the flood hazard, but such land within the plat shall be set aside for such uses as shall not be endangered by periodic or occasional inundation or improved in a manner satisfactory to the Planning Board to remedy said hazardous conditions.

§ 93-22 Parks and playgrounds.

A. Recreation areas shown in the Town Planning Studies. Where a proposed park, playground or open space shown in the Town Planning Studies 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 or county by the subdivider if the Town Board approves such dedication.

B. Parks and playgrounds not shown in Town Planning Studies.

(1) The Planning Board shall require that the plat show sites of a character, extent and location suitable for the development of a park, playground of other recreation purpose. The Planning Board may require that the developer satisfactorily grade any such recreation areas shown on the plat.

(2) The Board shall require that not less than three areas of recreation space be provided per 100 dwelling units shown on the plat. However, in no case shall the amount be more than 10% of the total area of the subdivision. Such area or areas may be dedicated to the Town by the subdivider if the Town Board approves such dedication. Appropriate legal measures should be taken to assure that such land can never be developed for more than recreational purposes.

C. 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, prior to final approval, to the Board three prints (on cloth or Mylar) 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 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 and structures.

(3) Existing and, if applicable, proposed changes in grade and contours of said area and of areas immediately adjacent.

D. Waiver of plat designation of areas for parks and playgrounds.

(1) In cases where the Planning Board finds that, due to the size, topography, or location of the subdivision, land for the park, playground or other recreation purpose cannot be properly located therein or, if in the opinion of the Board, it is not desirable, the Board may waive the requirement that the plat show land for such purposes. The Board shall then require as a condition to approval of the plat a payment to the Town a sum to be determined by the Town Board.

[Amended 9-10-1990 by L.L. No. 2-1990]

(2) Such amount shall be paid to the Town Board at the time of final plat approval, and no plat shall be signed by the authorized officer of the Planning Board until such payment is made. All such payments shall be held by the Town Board in a special Town Recreation Site Acquisition and Improvement Fund to be used for the acquisition of land that:

(a) Is suitable for permanent park, playground or other recreational purposes.

(b) Is so located that it will serve primarily the general neighborhood in which the land covered by the plat lies; and

(c) Shall be used only for park, playground or other recreational land acquisition or improvements.

(3) Such money may also be used for the physical improvement of existing parks or recreation areas serving the general neighborhood in which the land shown on the plat is situated, provided that the Planning Board finds there is a need for such improvements.

E. 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.

§ 93-23 Preservation of natural features.

A. 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 waterfalls, beaches, historic spots, vistas and similar irreplaceable assets.

B. No tree with a diameter of eight inches or more, as measured three feet above the base of the trunk, shall be removed unless such tree is within the right-of-way of a street as shown on the final plat. Removal of the additional trees shall be subject to the approval of the Planning Board. In no case, however, shall a tree with a diameter of eight inches or more, as measured three feet above the base of the trunk, be removed without prior approval by the Planning Board.