[1]
Editor's Note: The Table of Improvements is included at the end of this chapter.
A. 
Character of land. Land of such a character that it cannot be used without danger to health or peril from fire, flood or other menace shall not be subdivided for residential purposes nor for such other uses as may increase danger to health, life or property, or aggravate a flood hazard, but such land may be set aside for such uses as shall not involve such danger.
B. 
Conformance to Master Plan or Official Map. Subdivisions shall conform to the streets' drainage systems or parks shown on the Official Map of the Village as it may be adopted by the Village Board, and shall be properly related to the Village Master Plan as may be adopted by the Planning Board.
C. 
Frontage on improved road. The area to be subdivided shall have frontage on, and access from, an existing street on said Official Map, which shall have been suitably improved as required by the highway specification regulations of the Village and with the width and right-of-way required by these subdivision regulations and the Official Map. Wherever the area to be subdivided is to utilize existing road frontage, said road shall be suitably improved as provided herein above. The Planning Board shall further require that the entire right-of-way required by these subdivision regulations and the Official Map be dedicated to the Village of Airmont or the Town of Ramapo as a condition of final plat approval.
D. 
Monuments. Monuments shall be of a type which conforms to the Village construction standards and specifications and shall be required wherever deemed necessary by the Planning Board to enable all lines to be reproduced upon the ground. In general, monuments shall be located on street right-of-way lines at street intersections, angle points, points of curve and block corners. They shall be spaced so as to be within sight of each other, the sight lines being contained wholly within the street limits.
A. 
Relation to topography. Roads shall be related appropriately to the topography. Local roads shall be curved wherever possible to avoid conformity of lot appearance. All streets shall be arranged so as to obtain as many as possible of the building sites at, or above, the grades of the streets. Grades of streets shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography. A combination of steep grades and curves shall be avoided. Specific standards are contained in § 180-24I of these regulations.
B. 
Block size. Block dimensions shall be generally wide enough to accommodate two lots in depth and generally not more than 12 times the minimum lot width required in the zoning district. In long blocks, the Planning Board may require the reservation of an easement through the block to accommodate utilities, drainage facilities or pedestrian traffic. See §§ 180-28B and C.
C. 
Intersections.
(1) 
Intersections of streets shall be at angles as close to 90º as possible. Toward this end, an oblique street should be curved approaching an intersection and should be approximately at right angles for at least 100 feet therefrom. Where three or more streets intersect, a turning circle, or other special treatment, may be required by the Planning Board. Wherever two streets intersect at an angle smaller than 75º, the right-of-way returns and the relation of gutter grades shall be given special treatment, as determined by the Board, and islands to channelize traffic may be required.
(2) 
Intersections of major streets by other streets shall be at least 800 feet apart, if possible. Cross (four-cornered) street intersections shall be avoided insofar as possible, except as shown on the Village Master Plan or at other important traffic intersections. A distance of at least 150 feet shall be maintained between center lines of offset intersecting streets. Grades shall be limited to not more than 2% within 50 feet of an intersection.
D. 
Continuation of roads into adjacent property. The arrangement of streets shall provide for the continuation of principal streets between adjacent properties when such continuation is necessary for convenient movement of traffic, effective fire protection, efficient provision of utilities, and where such continuation is in accordance with the Village Plan. If the adjacent property is undeveloped, and the street must be a dead-end street temporarily, the right-of-way shall be extended to the property line. A temporary T- or L-shaped turnaround shall be provided on all temporary dead-end streets, with the notation on the subdivision plat that land outside the normal street right-of-way shall revert to abutters whenever the street is continued. The Planning Board may limit the length of temporary dead-end streets in accordance with § 180-24I.
E. 
Permanent dead-end roads.
(1) 
Where a road does not extend to the boundary of the subdivision and its continuation is not required by the Board for access to adjoining property, its terminus shall normally not be nearer to such boundary than 50 feet. However, the Planning Board may require the reservation of an appropriate easement to accommodate drainage facilities, pedestrian traffic or utilities. A circular turnaround shall be provided at the end of a permanent dead-end street in accordance with the Village construction standards and specifications.
(2) 
For greater convenience to traffic and more effective police and fire protection, permanent dead-end streets shall, in general, be limited in length in accordance with § 180-24I. Where it is impossible to subdivide a property except by a dead-end road which is longer than permitted by these regulations, the Board may require that a divided roadway with center mall be constructed in a seventy-foot right-of-way (or greater width if required) in such a manner that either side of the roadway could be used, in emergencies, for two-way traffic.
F. 
Road names. The sketch plat as submitted shall not indicate any names upon proposed streets. The developer shall name all roads at the time of preliminary approval. The local postmaster shall be consulted by the Clerk prior to final selection of street names. Names shall be sufficiently different in sound and in spelling from other road names in the Village so as not to cause confusion. A road which is or is planned as a continuation of an existing road shall bear the same name.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 84, Buildings, Numbering of.
G. 
Location, width and improvement of roads. Roads shall be suitably located, of sufficient width, and adequately improved, to accommodate the prospective traffic and to afford satisfactory access to police, fire-fighting, snow removal or other road-maintenance equipment, and shall be coordinated so as to compose a convenient system. The location, arrangement or design of streets shall be such as to cause no undue hardships to adjoining properties.
H. 
Reserve strips. The creation of reserve strips adjacent to a proposed street in such a manner as to deny access from adjacent property to such street shall not be permitted.
I. 
Design standards for new roads. Roads shall meet the design standards set forth on the Table of Improvements and the Construction Standards and Specifications attached as Appendix A. Road classification may be indicated on the Village Master Plan or Official Map. Otherwise, it shall be determined by the Planning Board.
A. 
Road improvements.
(1) 
Roads shall be graded and improved and conform to the Village construction standards and specifications, and shall be approved as to design and specifications by the Village Engineering Consultant.
(2) 
The developer shall improve and dedicate at his expense all perimeter streets of the subdivision to at least 1/2 width of said street. Frontage roads and streets shall be improved and dedicated by the developer at his expense to the full width as required by these subdivision regulations.
B. 
Drainage improvements.
(1) 
The developer may be required by the Planning Board to carry away by pipe or open ditch, any spring or surface water that may exist either previously to, or as a result of, the subdivision. Such drainage facilities shall be located in the road rights-of-way where feasible, or in perpetual unobstructed easements of appropriate width, and shall be constructed in accordance with the construction standards and specifications.
(2) 
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 Village Engineering Consultant shall determine the necessary size of facility, based on the provisions of the construction standards and specifications, assuming conditions of maximum potential watershed development permitted by Chapter 210, Zoning.
(3) 
The Village Engineering Consultant shall also study the effect of each subdivision on existing downstream drainage facilities outside the area of the subdivision. The county drainage study of May 1960, together with such other studies as shall be appropriate, shall serve as a guide to needed improvements. Where it is anticipated that the additional runoff incident to the development of the subdivision will overload an existing downstream drainage facility, the Planning Board may withhold approval of the subdivision until provision has been made for the improvement of said potential condition or, in the alternative, the developer may deposit in escrow the full cost of the required improvement of the said potential condition in such sum as the Planning Board shall determine. No subdivision shall be approved unless adequate drainage will be provided to an adequate drainage watercourse or facility therein on the Official Map.
(4) 
The Planning Board may refer any subdivision to other village or town agencies for a recommendation thereon.
C. 
Other improvements.
(1) 
Road signs. The subdivider shall deposit with the Village at the time of final subdivision approval the sum required in the Standard Schedule of Fees[1] for each road sign required by the Superintendent of Highways and Village Engineering Consultant at all road intersections. The Village shall install all road signs before issuance of certificates of occupancy for any residence on the streets approved.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 106, Fees and deposits.
(2) 
Road lighting standards. Streetlights of a type approved by the Planning Board will be required in all subdivisions, and their location is to be shown on the construction drawings accompanying preliminary and final plats. Said streetlights are to be installed by the applicant prior to the issuance of any certificate of occupancy, and are to be maintained at the applicant's sole expense until such time as the roads have been accepted by the Village. In the case of a subdivision involving a county or state highway, approval shall be obtained from the County Superintendent of Highways.
(3) 
Shade trees. The subdivider shall deposit with the Village at the time of final subdivision approval the sum required in Chapter 195, Trees, Article I, Shade Trees, for each tree required by the Planning Board as shown on the construction plans accompanying the preliminary and final subdivision plats. The trees shall be planted by the Village within the shade tree easement hereinafter specified, subsequent to dedication of the streets shown in the subdivision.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(4) 
Sanitary sewer facilities and sanitary sewer districts. The subdivider shall install sanitary sewer facilities in a manner prescribed by the Village construction standards and specifications. Necessary action shall be taken by the developer to enable the Village Board or Town Board to extend or create a Sanitary Sewer District for the purpose of providing sanitary sewers to the subdivision where no district exists for the land to be subdivided.
(5) 
Fire hydrants and water supply districts.
(a) 
Necessary action shall be taken by the developer to enable the Village Board or Town Board to extend or create a water-supply district for the purpose of providing fire hydrants to the subdivision. To eliminate future street openings, all underground utilities for fire hydrants, together with the fire hydrants themselves, shall be installed before any final paving of a street shown on the subdivision plat.
(b) 
To facilitate the above, the location of all fire hydrants and the boundary lines of the proposed district, indicating all improvements proposed to be served, shall be shown on the preliminary plat, and the cost of installing same shall be included in the performance bond to be furnished by the developer.
D. 
Underground utilities. All utility facilities shall be located underground throughout the subdivision. Wherever existing utility facilities are located aboveground, except where existing on public roads and rights-of-way, they shall be removed and placed underground. All utility facilities existing and proposed throughout the subdivision shall be shown on the preliminary plat. Underground service connections to the street property line of each platted lot shall be installed at the subdivider's expense. At the discretion of the Planning Board, the requirement for service connections to each lot may be waived in the case of adjoining lots to be retained in single ownership and intended to be developed for the same primary use.
A. 
Lot arrangement. The lot arrangement shall be such that there will be no foreseeable difficulties, for reasons of topography or other conditions, in securing building permits to build on all lots in compliance with Chapter 210, Zoning, of the Code of the Village of Airmont and County Health Department Regulations, and in providing driveway 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 street by which it has access, provisions shall be made for installation of a culvert or other structure, of design approved by the Village Engineering Consultant.
C. 
Lot dimensions. Lot dimensions shall comply with the minimum standards of Chapter 210, Zoning. Where lots are more than double the minimum required area for the zoning district, the Planning Board may require that such lots be arranged so as to allow further subdivision and the opening of future streets where they would be necessary to serve such potential lots, all in compliance with Chapter 210, Zoning, and these regulations.
D. 
Side lot lines. In general, side lot lines shall be at right angles to street lines (or radial to curving street lines) unless a variation from this rule will give a better street or lot plan.
E. 
Access from major and secondary roads. Lots shall not, in general, derive access exclusively from a major or secondary street. Where driveway access from a major or secondary street may be necessary for several adjoining lots, the Planning Board may require that such lots be served by a combined access drive in order to limit possible traffic hazard on such street. Where possible, driveways should be designed and arranged so as to avoid requiring vehicles to back into traffic on major or secondary streets.
F. 
Corner lots. Dimensions of corner lots shall be large enough to allow for erection of buildings, observing the minimum front yard setback from both streets.
G. 
Water bodies. If a tract being subdivided contains a water body, or portion thereof, lot lines shall be so drawn as to distribute the entire ownership of the water body among the fees of adjacent lots. The Planning Board may approve an alternative plan whereby the ownership of and responsibility for safe maintenance of the water body is so placed that it will not become a Village responsibility. No more than 25% of the minimum area of a lot required under Chapter 210, Zoning, may be satisfied by land which is under water.
H. 
Fencing. Each subdivider and/or developer shall be required to furnish and install all fences wherever the Planning Board determines that a hazardous condition may exist. Said fences shall be constructed according to standards established by the Village Engineering Consultant or Superintendent of Highways and shall be noted as to height and material on the final plat. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued until said fence improvements have been duly installed.
A. 
Recreation standards. The Planning Board shall require that land be reserved for parks and playground or other recreation purposes in locations designated on the Village Master Plan or Official Map, or otherwise where such reservations would be appropriate. Each reservation shall be of suitable size, dimension, topography and general character, and shall have adequate road access, for the particular purposes envisioned by the Planning Board. The area shall be shown and marked on the plat "Reserved for Park and/or Recreation Purposes." When recreation areas are required, the Planning Board shall determine the number of acres to be reserved from the following table, which has been prepared on the basis of providing three acres of recreation area for every 100 families. The Planning Board may refer such proposed reservations to the Town of Ramapo for recommendations. The developer shall dedicate all such recreation areas to the Village or town as determined by the Village as a condition of final subdivision plat approval.
(1) 
Table of Recreation Requirements.
Zoning District
Percentage of Total Land in Subdivision To Be Reserved for Recreation Purposes
RR-50
2.5%
R-40
3.0%
R-35
3.5%
R-25
5.0%
R-15
8.0%
B. 
Minimum size of park and playground reservations. In general, land reserved for recreation purposes shall have an area of at least four acres. When the percentages from the table above would create less than four acres, the Board may require that the recreation area be located at a suitable place on the edge of the subdivision so that additional land may be added at such time as the adjacent land is subdivided. In no case shall an area of less than two acres be reserved for recreation purposes if it will be impractical or impossible to secure additional lands in order to increase its area. Where recreation land in any subdivision is not reserved, or the land reserved is less than the percentage in § 180-27A(1), the provisions of § 180-27E shall be applicable.
C. 
Recreation sites. Land reserved for recreation purposes shall be of a character and location suitable for use as a playground, playfield or other recreation purpose, and shall be relatively level and dry. A recreation site shall have a total frontage on one or more streets of at least 200 feet, and no other dimension of the site shall be less than 200 feet in depth. The Planning Board may refer any subdivision proposed to contain a dedicated park to the Town of Ramapo for its recommendations. All land to be reserved for dedication to the Village for park purposes shall have prior approval of the Village Board and shall be shown and marked on the plat "Reserved for Park and/or Recreation Purposes." Any land to be reserved for dedication to the town for park purposes shall have prior approval of the Town Board.
D. 
Other recreation reservations. The provisions of this section are minimum standards. None of the subsections above shall be construed as prohibiting the Planning Board from requiring a developer to reserve other land for recreation purposes in addition to the requirements of this section.
E. 
Alternative procedure: money in lieu of land. Where, with respect to a particular subdivision, the Planning Board, in its discretion, determines that land should not be reserved or that the reservation of land required pursuant to this section, either alone or in conjunction with abutting reservations on adjoining subdivisions, does not equal the percentage of total land required to be reserved in § 180-27A(1), the Planning Board shall require, prior to final approval of the subdivision plat, that the applicant deposit with the Village Board a cash payment in lieu of land reservation. Such deposit shall be placed in a Neighborhood Park and Recreation Fund to be established by the Village Board. Such deposit shall be used by the Village for improvement of a neighborhood park, playground or recreation area including the acquisition of property. Such deposit shall be used for facilities that will be actually available to and benefit the persons in said subdivision and be located in the general neighborhood of the subdivision. The Planning Board shall determine the amount to be deposited, based on the Standard Schedule of Fees,[1] less a credit for the amount of land actually reserved for recreation purposes, if any, as the land reserved bears in proportion to the land required for reservation in § 180-27A(1), but not including any lands reserved through the density zoning regulation.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 106, Fees and Deposits.
F. 
Applicability to land utilizing average density resolution. Any subdivision plat in which the principle of average density has been utilized, pursuant to the average density resolution of the Village, shall not be exempt from the provisions of this section, except as to such portion of land which is actually dedicated to the Village for park and recreation purposes. If no further area, other than the area to be reserved through averaging, is required by the Planning Board, the full fee shall be paid, as required in § 180-27E. If further land is required for reservation, apart from the land reserved by averaging, a credit shall be given as provided by § 180-27E.
A. 
Widening or realignment of existing roads. Where a subdivision borders an existing narrow road or when the Village Master Plan indicates plans for realignment or widening of a road that would require use of some of the land in the subdivision, the subdivider may be required to show areas for widening or realigning such roads on the plat marked "Reserved for Road Realignment (or Widening) Purposes." It shall be mandatory to indicate such reservation on the plat when a proposed widening or realignment is shown on the Village, Town or County Official Maps. Land reserved for any road purposes may not be counted in satisfying yard or area requirements of Chapter 210, Zoning, whether the land is to be dedicated in fee simple or an easement is granted.
B. 
Utility and drainage easements.
(1) 
Where topography or other conditions are such as to make impractical the inclusion of utilities or drainage facilities within road rights-of-way, perpetual unobstructed easements at least 20 feet in width for such utilities or drainage facilities shall be provided across property outside of the road lines and with satisfactory access to the road. Easements shall be indicated on the plat. Drainage easements shall be carried from the road to a natural watercourse or to other drainage facilities.
(2) 
When a proposed drainage system will carry water across private land outside the subdivision, appropriate drainage rights must be secured and indicated on the plat.
(3) 
The applicant shall dedicate, either in fee or by drainage or conservation easement, land on both sides of existing watercourses, as shown on the Official Map, to a distance to be determined by the Planning Board upon the recommendation of the Village Engineering Consultant.
(4) 
Low-lying lands along watercourses subject to flooding or overflowing during storm periods, whether or not included in areas for dedication, shall be preserved and retained in their natural state as drainageways. Such land or lands subject to periodic flooding shall not be computed in determining the number of lots to be utilized for average density procedure nor for computing the area requirement of any lot.
C. 
Easements for pedestrian access. The Planning Board may require in order to facilitate pedestrian access from roads to schools, parks, playgrounds or other nearby roads, perpetual unobstructed easements at least 20 feet in width. Easements shall be indicated on the plat.
D. 
Shade tree easement. The preliminary plat and final plat shall reserve an easement authorizing the Village to plant shade trees within five feet of the required right-of-way of the Village.
A. 
Existing features which would add value to residential development or to the Village as a whole, such as trees, as herein defined, watercourses and falls, beaches, historic spots and similar irreplaceable assets, shall be preserved in the design of the subdivision. No trees shall be removed from any subdivision nor any change of grade of the land effected until approval of the preliminary plat has been granted. All trees on the plat required to be retained shall be preserved, and all trees, where required, shall be welled and protected against change of grade. The sketch plat shall show the number and location of existing trees, as required in § 180-31B, and keyed to a table listing species, height, caliper and replacement value as certified to by a licensed landscape architect. The replacement value shall be included in the public improvement letter of credit.
B. 
Self-imposed restrictions. If the owner places restrictions on any of the land contained in the subdivision greater than those required by Chapter 210, Zoning, such restrictions or reference thereto may be required to be indicated on the subdivision plat, or the Planning Board may require that restrictive covenants be recorded with the Rockland County Clerk in form to be approved by the Village Attorney.
C. 
Subdivisions including land zoned for business or industry. If a proposed subdivision includes land that is zoned for commercial or industrial purposes, the layout of the subdivision with respect to such land shall make such provision as the Planning Board may require for safe and convenient access to such automobile parking and loading and unloading spaces as may be required by Chapter 210, Zoning, or otherwise for safe and convenient service access to such land.
D. 
Deposit and disposition of trees, debris and waste. No cut trees, timber, debris, earth, rocks, stones, soil, junk, rubbish or other waste materials of any kind shall be buried in any land or left or deposited on any lot or street at the time of the issuance of a certificate of occupancy, and removal of same shall be required prior to issuance of any certificate of occupancy on a subdivision. Nor shall same be left or deposited in any area of the subdivision at the time of expiration of the performance bond or dedication of public improvements, whichever is sooner. The performance bond shall include an amount for removal of such materials in the event the provisions of this section are not complied with.
E. 
Soil preservation and final grading. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued until final grading has been completed in accordance with the approved final subdivision plat and the lot recovered with soil with an average depth of at least six inches over the entire area of the lot, except that portion covered by buildings or included in streets, or where the grade has not been changed or natural vegetation seriously damaged. The performance bond shall include an amount for correction of grading and placement of soil. Whether or not a certificate of occupancy has been issued, at the expiration of the performance bond the Village may enforce the provisions of said bond where the provisions of this section or any other applicable law, ordinance or regulation have not been complied with.
Where the Planning Board finds that, because of special circumstances of a particular plat, extraordinary hardships may result from strict compliance with these regulations, it may adjust the regulations so that substantial justice may be done and the public interest secured; provided that any such adjustment will not have the effect of nullifying the intent and purpose of these regulations, the Village Master Plan or the Official Map of the Village. In granting any adjustment, the Planning Board shall attach such conditions as are, in its judgment, necessary to secure substantially the objective of the standards or requirements so adjusted.