[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Canton 1-19-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. In 2016 the Village of Canton adopted a Complete Streets Policy reflective of the New York State "Complete Streets Act." This Chapter
129 of the Village Code codifies the 2016 policy with a framework and process for including Complete Streets elements in public and private projects involving public access.
B. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
COMPLETE STREETS
Streets that are designed and operated to enable safe access
for all users, in that pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and public
transportation users of all ages and abilities are able to move safely
along and across a street. Complete Streets typical design features
accommodate and facilitate convenient access and mobility of all users,
and may include, but need not be limited to: walking paths, sidewalks,
paved shoulders suitable for bicyclists, lane striping, bicycle lanes,
"share the road" signage, crosswalks, crossing medians, road diets,
pedestrian control signalization, bulb outs, curb cuts, raised crosswalks
and ramps, and traffic calming measures.
The Village shall view Complete Streets as integral to everyday
transportation decision-making practices and processes. To this end:
A. The Village's goal is to design, build, operate and maintain
a safe, reliable, affordable, efficient, integrated and connected
multimodal transportation network that will promote access, mobility
and health for all users. Complete Streets design will ensure that
the safety and convenience of all users of the transportation system
are accommodated, including pedestrians, bicyclists, users of public
transportation, people of all ages and abilities, motorists, emergency
responders, freight providers and adjacent land users.
B. The Village shall approach transportation improvements and project
phases as an opportunity to create safer, more accessible streets
for all users. These phases include, but are not limited to: planning,
programming, design, right-of-way acquisition, construction, construction
engineering, reconstruction, operation and maintenance. Other changes
to transportation facilities on streets and rights-of-way, including
capital improvements, rechannelization projects and major maintenance,
shall also be included.
C. The Village shall collaborate with a joint Town/Village advisory
Complete Streets Task Force, which shall provide advisory recommendations
on proposed projects related to public access to transportation systems.
D. The Village shall foster partnerships with the State of New York,
St. Lawrence County, neighboring communities, businesses, schools
and other community services; and coordinate with Village and town
departments, as appropriate, to develop facilities and accommodations
that further the Village's Complete Streets program and continue
such infrastructure beyond the Village's borders.
E. Complete Streets standards and goals shall be integrated into future
Village plans, manuals, checklists, decision-trees, rules, regulations
and programs, as appropriate.
F. When available and practicable, the Village should encourage staff
professional development and training on nonmotorized transportation
issues through conferences, classes, seminars and workshops.
Except as exempted in §
129-4, all transportation facilities shall meet Complete Streets standards for the following projects and activities:
A. Village-owned transportation facilities.
(1) All Village-owned transportation facilities in the public right-of-way,
including, but not limited to, streets, bridges, and all other connecting
pathways shall be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so
that users of all ages and abilities can travel safely and independently.
(2) The Complete Streets Task Force shall provide an advisory opinion
to the Superintendent of Public Works on the consistency of proposed
transportation facilities projects with the Village Complete Streets
Policy.
B. Privately constructed projects with public access.
(1) Privately constructed streets, site development and parking lots
shall adhere to the Complete Streets Policy with regard to public
access by providing transportation facilities such as streets, sidewalks,
pathways and parking amenities designed and constructed for users
of all abilities and modes of transportation.
(2) The Planning Board shall, as part of site plan review in accordance with Chapter
325, Zoning, §
325-92, of the Village Code, or the process of subdividing land in accordance with Chapter
280, Subdivision of Land, §
280-6, of the Village Code, consult with the Complete Streets Task Force and Superintendent of Public Works to ensure that such projects adhere to the Complete Streets Policy.
A. The following activities are exempt from Complete Streets review:
ordinary maintenance activities designed to keep assets in serviceable
condition, e.g., mowing, cleaning, sweeping, spot repair, and surface
treatments such as chip seal or interim measures.
B. Except as exempted in Subsection
A above, any activity seeking an exemption that is part of a project subject to site plan review or subdivision approval shall be reviewed by the Village Planning Board and a determination made by the Planning Board after seeking an advisory opinion from the Complete Streets Task Force and a recommendation from the Superintendent of Public Works.
C. Except as exempted in Subsection
A above, if the Village Superintendent determines, after seeking an advisory opinion from the Complete Streets Task Force, that the inclusion of Complete Streets features and design expectations for a Village-owned transportation facility are unable to be accommodated on a roadway or within the public right-of-way proposed for construction or improvement, the Superintendent shall provide said determination in writing, with supporting documentation, to the Village Infrastructure Committee and Board of Trustees for their information. The advisory opinion of the Complete Streets Task Force shall be included.
D. Criteria for exemption. Activities may be issued an exemption for
the following reasons:
(1) An affected roadway prohibits, by law, use by specified users, in
which case a greater effort shall be made to accommodate those specified
users elsewhere, including on roadways that cross or otherwise intersect
with the affected roadway.
(2) The cost of establishing bikeways or walkways as part of the project
would be disproportionate in cost or to anticipated future use.
(3) The existing right-of-way is constrained in a manner that inhibits
simple addition of transit, bicycle or pedestrian improvements. In
this case, the Village shall consider alternatives such as lane reduction,
lane narrowing, on-street parking relocation or reduction, shoulders,
signage, traffic calming or enforcement.
(4) Where such facilities would constitute a threat to public safety
or health.
A. The Village, in collaboration with the Town of Canton, will establish
a joint advisory Complete Streets Task Force made up of citizen appointees
and municipal official representation to oversee the implementation
of Complete Streets Policy. The Task Force may include representative
from relevant planning and engineering professions and from bicycling,
disabled, transit users, youth and elderly communities, other advocacy
organizations and the business community, as relevant.
B. The Task Force shall consist of five community members appointed
by the Village and Town Boards for staggered three-year terms. An
official from each the Village and town shall be appointed as liaisons
to the Task Force in addition to the five Task Force members.
C. The Task Force shall provide advisory recommendations on projects meeting the applicability of this code or referred to them by the Village Planning Board pursuant to Chapter
325, Zoning, §
325-92, regarding site plan review coordination, and Chapter
280, Subdivision of Land, §
280-6, Planning Board review process.
D. The Task Force will meet on an as-needed basis or may meet regularly,
reporting to the Village Board of Trustees as needed with progress
reports and providing advice on implementation.
E. The Task Force may seek input from municipal staff to gain a broader
perspective on Complete Streets projects and initiatives.
A. The Village shall follow accepted or adopted design standards and
use the best and latest design standards available. These standards
include, but are not limited to: Institute of Transportation Engineers
(ITE) Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive
Approach, the National Association for Transportation Officials Urban
Bikeway Design Guide, The Traffic Calming Primer established by the
U.S. Department of Transportation — Federal Highway Administration
and American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials'
(AASHTO) Guide for Planning, Designing and Operating Pedestrian Facilities.
B. When fulfilling the Complete Streets Policy, the Village will follow
the design manuals, standards and guidelines above, as applicable,
but should not be precluded from considering innovative or nontraditional
design options where a comparable level of safety for users is present
or provided.
C. Designs for all projects will be context-sensitive, considering adjacent
land uses and local needs and incorporating the most up-to-date, widely
accepted, ADA-compliant design standards for the particular setting,
traffic volume, speed and current and projected demand. Each project
must be considered both separately and as part of a connected network
to determine the level and type of treatment necessary for the street
to be complete.
A. The Village shall measure the success of its Complete Streets program
using, but not being limited to, the following performance measures:
(1) Total miles of bike lanes.
(2) Linear feet of new pedestrian accommodations.
(3) Number of new curb ramps installed along Village streets.
(4) Crosswalk and intersection improvements.
(5) Safety and health promotion.
B. An annual report will be made to the Village Board by the Village
Superintendent showing expenditures and progress made implementing
Complete Streets measures.