These regulations are adopted for the purpose
of providing for the future growth and development of the City of
Watertown and affording adequate facilities for the housing, transportation,
distribution, comfort, convenience, safety, health and welfare of
its population, as provided in Article 3 of the General City Law.
[Added 4-1-1996]
The Planning Board of the City of Watertown
shall have all powers and procedures of review and approval or disapproval
of final plats and preliminary plats of subdivisions as contained
at §§ 32, 33 and 34 of the New York General City Law,
as amended.
The owner shall observe the following general
requirements and principles of land subdivision:
A. The proposed subdivision shall conform to the Official
Map of the City of Watertown and to the Master Plan of the City of
Watertown, if such Official Map and Master Plan exist.
B. The arrangement of streets in the subdivision shall
provide for the continuation of the principal streets in an adjoining
subdivision or for their projection, when adjoining property is not
subdivided, and shall be of a width at least as great as that of such
existing connecting streets.
C. Streets shall not be less than fifty (50) feet in
width.
D. Blocks generally shall not exceed one thousand two
hundred (1,200) feet in length, nor be less than five hundred (500)
feet.
E. Curb radiuses at intersections generally shall not
be less than twenty (20) feet, or as determined by the City Engineer.
F. Side lines of lots, so far as practicable, shall be
at right angles or radial to street lines.
G. The lot sizes and street frontage of lots shall conform
to the lot sizes and frontage specified in the Zoning Ordinance for
the district or districts in which the subdivision is located.
H. Corner lots shall be increased in size wherever necessary
so that the minimum yard requirements of the Zoning Ordinance may
be observed.
I. Grades on all streets shall be a reasonable minimum
but shall not be less than five-tenths of one percent (0.5 of 1%)
nor more than eight percent (8%).
J. The owner shall place permanent markers so as to locate
all street corners and at all corners of the subdivision. Such markers
shall be standard as per the City Engineering Department standard
and installed under its supervision.
K. Land subject to flooding shall not be platted for
residential occupancy nor for streets or highways nor for such other
use as may increase danger to life or property or aggravate the flood
hazard, but such land may be used for such uses as shall not be endangered
by periodic or occasional inundation or increase the danger of flood.
L. Reserved strips controlling access to streets or land
dedicated or to be dedicated for public use shall not be permitted.
M. Streets shall intersect at right angles as nearly
as possible.
N. Street lines within a block deflecting from each other
at any one (1) point by more than ten degrees (10º) shall be
connected with a curve, the radius of which at the center line shall
not be less than one hundred twenty-five (125) feet or as determined
by the City Engineering Department.
O. Easements for utilities shall be provided where necessary
and shall be at least ten (10) feet wide, except that in the case
of sanitary or storm sewers, they shall then be a minimum of twenty-five
(25) feet.
P. Double frontage of lots should be avoided, except
where necessary to provide separation of residential development from
traffic arteries or to overcome special situations of topography or
orientation, and shall be subject to the approval of the Planning
Board.
Q. Street names shall not be so similar to existing street
names as to create the possibility of confusion. Street names shall
be subject to the approval of the Planning Board.
R. Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded
with a minimum radius of ten (10) feet. A comparable chord may be
permitted in appropriate situations, subject to approval of the City
Engineering Department.
S. Variations of the general requirements specified above
may be permitted by the Planning Board when, in its judgment, special
factors warrant such variation.
T. The subdivider shall provide, without cost to the
city, adequate and suitable land for parks and playgrounds for public
use according to the size of the subdivision.
U. Where required, the subdivider shall provide a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) as defined by, and consistent with, the standards of Chapter
260, the City of Watertown Municipal Stormwater Sewer System Policy.
[Added 6-5-2017]