[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Dover 11-12-1985.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to limit the potential area of traffic
conflict and promote safety while maintaining reasonable access for cars to
be stored conveniently off-street, to service residential properties and to
provide for uniform standards for the granting of driveway and access permits.
The Superintendent of Streets shall be the final permit granting authority
for all purposes as herein contained.
No driveway or other access to a public street shall be constructed
or altered at the point of intersection with such street unless a written
permit is first obtained from the Superintendent of Streets. No building permit
shall be issued for the construction of new buildings or structures unless
an access permit has first been obtained.
The Superintendent of Streets shall have complete and final discretion
in the application of this chapter, but shall apply the following general
guidelines with as much uniformity and consistency as reasonably practicable.
The proposed driveway entrances shall be located to minimize points
of traffic conflict, both pedestrian and vehicular. The following guidelines
shall be used to achieve this standard:
A.
Entrance and exit driveways shall be so located and designed
as to achieve maximum practicable distance from existing and proposed access
connections from adjacent properties.
B.
The proposed driveway shall be located at least 10 feet
from all side or rear property lines.
C.
Safe stopping sight distances of approximately 250 feet
in both directions are to be provided at driveway openings on all major (as
defined in the Rules and Regulations of the Dover Planning Board) streets
and 150 feet on secondary and minor (as defined in the Rules and Regulations
of the Dover Planning Board) streets.
D.
No sign, opaque fence, hedge or similar obstruction located
along the frontage property line and adjacent to the proposed driveway shall
be permitted to block vision at eye level 2 1/2 to 3 feet above street
grade within 10 feet of each side of driveway. (See Fig. R-1, Clear Sight
Lines.)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Figure R-1, Clear Site Lines, is included at the end of this chapter.
E.
Sight line height restrictions. No fence, plantings or
objects which obstruct vision shall exceed 36 inches in height within approximately
15 feet of the street pavement edge along the lot line that contains the driveway
entrance (or exit). (See Figure R-2, Height Restriction Lines.)[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Figure R-2, Height Restriction Lines, is included at the end of this chapter.
F.
Driveways shall be so located and designed as to prohibit
vehicular traffic from using driveways to avoid intersections, to cut corners
or to avoid stop signs.
G.
Where a driveway crosses a sidewalk, the driveway shall
hold the grade of the sidewalk.
H.
Within 40 feet of the sideline of the street, the grade
shall not exceed 10%.
I.
If the Wetlands Protection Act applies, proposed driveways
shall meet all conditions imposed by the Conservation Commission.
J.
Attention is directed to § 185-29B of Chapter 185, Zoning whereby, "No building or similar structure, driveway, street or other paved surface ... shall be located within 150 feet of the edge of the Charles River or within 50 feet of either edge of Trout Brook, Powissett Brook, Noanet Brook, Clay Brook or Fisher Brook, as such brooks are shown on the Zoning Map, as amended and on file in the office of the Town Clerk."[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: The Zoning Map is included in a pocket at the
end of the Code.
K.
If the driveway is to be located on a "scenic road" as
defined by MGL c. 40, § 15C and as enumerated in the Rules and Regulations
of the Dover Planning Board Governing its Administration of the Scenic Road
Act, approval under the Scenic Road Act must be obtained prior to the issuance
of a curb cut permit and the proposed driveway shall meet all the requirements
and conditions of the Planning Board pursuant to the Planning Board's
duly adopted Rules and Regulations of the Dover Planning Board Governing its
Administration of the Scenic Road Act.
L.
The Superintendent of Streets may impose other conditions
or requirements not covered in this chapter.
A.
There shall normally be not more than 1 driveway apron
and curb cut per residential lot.
B.
The standard single driveway shall be at least 10 feet
from any side or rear property line, shall be 12 feet in width measured at
the street line, and shall flare out at the curb line to a greater width as
shown on Figures R-1 and R-2.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Figures R-1 and R-2 are included at the end of
this chapter.
All applications for permits for residential driveways or curb cuts
shall be made to the Superintendent of Streets.
All driveways shall be located and designed so as to minimize conflict
with traffic on public streets and provide good visibility and sight distances
for the clear observation of approaching pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
No portion of an entrance or exit driveway at the street line shall be closer
than 25 feet from the intersections of minor and secondary streets, and 50
feet from the intersection of 2 major streets or a secondary or minor street
with a major street. These distances shall be measured from the near edge
of the driveway to the extension of the closet street line of the intersecting
street. In the case of a state highway, no street opening permit shall be
issued until a state highway entrance permit has been issued. (See Figures
R-1 and R-2).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Figures R-1 and R-2 are included at the end of
this chapter.
A.
Each request for location or relocation of driveway aprons
and curb cuts shall state the reasons for the driveway and shall be accompanied
by a sketch. This sketch shall be at a scale of 1 inch equals 20 feet and
shall show the lot, its total area and perimeter dimension and location of
all existing and proposed structures, septic systems, wetlands and watercourses,
wells and water system connections, and the proposed location of the driveway
and any existing driveways, as well as the relationship of the proposed driveway
to any intersection.
B.
Driveways shall be designed with adequate turnaround
space provided, so that vehicles will not need to back out of the driveway.
C.
The plot plan submitted with the driveway permit application
shall indicate that adequate precautions have been taken to provide for storm
drainage and surface runoff at the proposed driveway entrance. The proposed
work shall be designed to avoid interrupting existing drainage flows and to
prevent surface runoff from flowing down the proposed driveway and out into
the public street. This shall be accomplished using catch basins and leaching
basins, slotted drainage pipe in driveways, drainage swales, etc. Furthermore,
collected surface water and/or subdrain runoff from private property will
not be discharged into public streets or public storm drainage systems without
the specific permission of the Superintendent of Streets. All drainage structures
must be regularly maintained by the owner. (See Figure R-1 for typical details.)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Figure R-1 is included at the end of this chapter.
