These rules and regulations of the Northbridge Planning Board
shall be known and may be cited as the "Rules and Regulations Governing
the Subdivision of Land, Northbridge, Massachusetts," which herein
are called these "rules and regulations."
The Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land,
Town of Northbridge, Massachusetts, have been enacted as provided
in MGL c. 41 "for the purpose of protecting the safety, convenience
and welfare of the inhabitants" of Northbridge "by regulating the
laying out and construction of ways in subdivisions providing access
to the several lots therein, but which have not become public ways,
and ensuring sanitary conditions in subdivision and, in proper cases,
parks and open areas. The powers of the Planning Board and of the
Board of Appeals under the Subdivision Control Law shall be exercised
with due regard for the provision of adequate access to all of the
lots in a subdivision by ways that will be safe and convenient for
travel; for lessening congestion in such ways and in the adjacent
public ways; for reducing danger to life and limb in the operation
of motor vehicles; for securing safety in case of fire, flood, panic
and other emergencies; for ensuring compliance with the applicable
zoning ordinances or bylaws; for securing adequate provision for water,
sewerage, drainage and underground utility services, fire, police
and other similar municipal equipment and street lighting and other
requirements where necessary in a subdivision; and for coordinating
the ways in a subdivision with each other and with the public ways
in the town and with the ways in neighboring subdivisions." It is
the intent of these rules and regulations that any subdivision plan
filed with the Board shall receive the approval of such Board if said
plan conforms to the recommendation of the Board of Health and to
the reasonable rules and regulations of the Board pertaining to subdivision
of land; provided, however, that such Board may, when appropriate,
waive, as provided for in MGL c. 41, § 81-R, such portions
of these rules and regulations as are deemed advisable.
Under the authority vested in the Planning Board of the Town
of Northbridge by MGL c. 41, § 81-Q, said Board hereby amends
those rules and regulations governing the subdivision of land in the
Town of Northbridge which took effect on the 13th day of November
1956. Such amended rules and regulations shall be effective on and
after the 13th day of May 1998.
