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Town of Blackstone, MA
Worcester County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOARD
The Planning Board of the Town of Blackstone.
DEAD-END STREET
A street, extension of a street, or system of streets connected to other streets only at a single point.
FLOOD HAZARD DISTRICT
The Flood Hazard District as established in the Blackstone Zoning Bylaw.[1]
NONRESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION
A subdivision any part of which lies within any district other than the Residence Districts established by the Blackstone Zoning Bylaw.
RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION
A subdivision which lies entirely within the Residence Districts established by the Blackstone Zoning Bylaw.
STREET
A way providing access including collector streets, minor streets, and lanes defined as follows:
COLLECTOR STREET — A street which accommodates traffic equivalent to that generated by 50 homes or more, or which serves non-residential abutting property.
MINOR STREET — A street which accommodates traffic equivalent to that generated by a minimum of seven homes and a maximum of 49 homes which has no abutting property either used or zoned for commerce or industry, and which is not capable of extension.
LANE — A street which carries traffic equivalent to that generated by six or fewer dwelling units, which has no abutting property either used or zoned for commerce or industry, and which is not capable of extension.
SUBDIVISION
The division of a tract of land into two or more lots as more fully defined in MGL c. 41, § 81L (Subdivision Control Law).
SUBDIVISION CONTROL
The power of regulating the subdivision of land granted by the subdivision control law.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 123, Zoning.
No person shall make a subdivision within the meaning of the Subdivision Control Law of any land within the Town, or proceed with the improvement or sale of lots in a subdivision or the construction of ways, or the installation of municipal services therein, unless and until a definitive plan of such subdivision has been submitted to and approved by the Planning Board as hereinafter provided.
A. 
Necessity. Only those plans which constitute "subdivisions" as that term is defined in MGL c. 41, § 81L, require the approval of the Planning Board. However, all plans, whether subdivisions within the meaning of the law or not, must have either approval as a subdivision, or endorsement that they do not require approval, before they will be accepted for recording at the Registry of Deeds or for registering at the Land Court.
B. 
Date of submittal.
(1) 
Plans intended for review at a regular meeting of the Planning Board shall be forwarded to the Town Clerk not later than 4:00 p.m. five working days prior to the Planning Board meeting. The day of the next regular Board meeting following forwarding to the Town Clerk shall be considered to be the date of submission for all plans, except that the date of mailing shall be the date of submission for definitive plans sent by registered mail to the Planning Board.
(2) 
No plan for review, whether for approval or for endorsement that approval is not required, shall be accepted as a submittal unless and until all information necessary for such review, as described herein under the applicable provisions of submission requirements, are fully provided, unless waived in writing by the Board. At the time of submission, a determination shall be made by the Planning Board, using a checklist, that the submission materials are either complete or incomplete.
(3) 
If the submission has been determined to be incomplete, the applicant shall be so advised forthwith, and requested to withdraw the plan and application, and to resubmit when submittals are complete. A plan shall not be considered submitted and the review period will not begin until submittals are substantially complete.
A. 
Any person who wishes to cause to be recorded in the Registry of Deeds, or to be filed with the Land Court, a plan of land and who believes that his plan does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, may submit his plan to the Planning Board accompanied by the necessary evidence to show that the plan does not require approval. Said person shall file with the Planning Board an original mylar and six prints of the plan, an application (Form A),[1] and the required application fee. Said person shall file by delivery or registered mail a notice with the Town Clerk stating the date of submission for such determination. (Form A). Said plan shall be legibly drawn in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Register of Deeds, MGL c. 36, § 13A, as amended pertaining to plan size, material, lettering and related requirements.
[1]
Editor's Note: Form A is included at the end of these regulations.
B. 
In order to be considered by the Board, such plans shall show all of the following:
(1) 
Any existing structures on the land shown on the plan and dimensions of yards relating to such structures.
(2) 
Any existing structures on any remaining adjoining land owned by the applicant and dimensions of yards relating to such structures, if such structure is within 50 feet of a property line being created.
(3) 
Location of bounds, fences and walls on the land shown on the plan.
(4) 
Bearings and distances of all lines of the lot or lots shown on the plan.
(5) 
Indication of total frontage on all lots created by the plan as well as remaining frontage and area of any adjoining land in the same ownership.
(6) 
Present owner of the land shown on the plan, and all abutting owners, as determined from the most recent records from the Assessor's office.
(7) 
Location of any easement or way, public or private, across the land, with a designation as to the use of the same.
(8) 
Indication of the zoning district or districts involved, and a table showing the frontage, area and setback requirements for such districts.
(9) 
Names and status (public or private) of streets, ways and easements shown on the plan, including the width of the right-of-way, the width of the traveled way, and the surface materials of the traveled way.
(10) 
The statement "Approval Under the Subdivision Control Law Not Required" above a signature block with spaces for five signatures and a space for the date of endorsement.
(11) 
The statement "Planning Board endorsement is not a determination as to conformance with the Zoning Bylaw" below or near the signature block.
C. 
If the Board determines that the plan does not require approval, it shall forthwith, without a public hearing, endorse the plan. The original mylar shall be returned to the applicant and the Board shall notify the Town Clerk of its action.
D. 
If the Board determines that the plan does require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, it shall within 21 days of submission of said plan so inform the applicant and return the plan. The Board shall also notify the Town Clerk of its determination.
A. 
General. No plan shall be endorsed as not requiring approval under the Subdivision Control Law and no subdivision plan shall be approved unless each building lot to be created by such plan has adequate access as intended under the Subdivision Control Law, MGL c. 41, §§ 81K through 81GG.
B. 
Standards of adequacy.
(1) 
Streets within a subdivision shall be determined to provide adequate access if and only if complying with the standards established in this regulation.
(2) 
Ways providing access to the streets within a subdivision shall be determined to provide adequate access only if there is assurance that, prior to construction on any lots, the standards for "suburban" access as provided at § 123-12J of the Blackstone Zoning Bylaw will be met by those ways.
(3) 
Private ways providing frontage for lots said not to be within a subdivision shall be determined to provide adequate access only if there is assurance that, prior to construction on any lots, the standards for "suburban" access as provided at § 123-12J of the Blackstone Zoning Bylaw will be met by those ways.
(4) 
Public ways providing frontage for lots said not to be within a subdivision shall be determined to provide adequate access if in fact they provide at least minimal access to those lots and, if the access provided is subject to periodic interruption, there is an alternative means of emergency access available.
C. 
Obligations. The Board may require, as a condition of its approval of a subdivision plan, that the developer dedicate or acquire and dedicate a strip of land for the purpose of widening accessways to a width as required above, and that he either make physical improvements within such way or compensate the Town for the cost of such improvements in order to meet the standards specified above.
D. 
Waivers. The Board may waive strict compliance with these requirements only upon its determination, following consultation with the Superintendent of Public Works, Police Chief, Fire Chief, and Board of Selectmen, that the way in fact will be sufficient to serve the needs for access and utilities to serve potential needs of land abutting on or served by the way in question.