In considering applications for subdivision of land, the Planning Board shall be guided by the standards set forth hereinafter. Said standards shall be considered to be minimum requirements and shall be waived by the Board only under circumstances set forth in Article VI herein.
Character of land. Land to be subdivided shall be of
such a character that it can be used safely for building purposes without
danger to health or peril from fire, flood or other menace. Land subject to
such hazards shall be set aside for such uses as shall not be endangered by
periodic or occasional flooding or other peril or shall not produce unsatisfactory
living conditions.
Conformity to Official Map and Master Plan. Subdivisions
shall conform to the Official Map of the village and shall be in harmony with
any such portions of the Master Plan, if such exists.
Specifications for required improvements. All required
improvements shall conform to the village specifications, which may be obtained
from the Village Engineer.
Width, location and construction. Streets within the
Village of Tarrytown shall be of sufficient width, suitably located and adequately
constructed to accommodate within the Village of Tarrytown the prospective
traffic and to afford access for fire-fighting, snow-removal and other road-maintenance
equipment and shall be coordinated so as to compose a convenient system. The
arrangement of streets may be such as to cause no undue hardship to adjoining
properties within the Village of Tarrytown.
Arrangement. The arrangement of streets in the subdivision
may provide for the continuation of principal streets or adjoining subdivisions
and for proper projection of principal streets into adjoining properties which
are not yet subdivided, in order to make possible necessary fire protection,
movement of traffic and the construction or extension, presently or when later
required, of needed utilities and public services, such as sewers, water and
drainage facilities. Where, in the opinion of the Planning Board, topographic
or other conditions make such continuance undesirable or impracticable, the
above conditions may be modified.
Special treatment along arterial streets. Where a subdivision
abuts or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, the Board may require
marginal access streets, reverse frontage with screen planting contained in
a nonaccess reservation along the rear property line, deep lots with rear
service alleys or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection
of residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.
Provision for future resubdivision. Where a tract is
subdivided into lots substantially larger than the minimum size required in
the zoning district in which a subdivision is located, the Board may require
that streets and lots be laid out so as to permit future resubdivision in
accordance with the requirements contained in these regulations.
Dead-end streets and superblocks. The creation of dead-end
or loop residential streets and superblocks will be encouraged wherever the
Board finds that such type of development will not interfere with normal traffic
circulation in the area, provided that interior parks are covered by appropriate
covenants as to maintenance. In the case of dead-end streets, where needed
or desirable, the Board may require the reservation of a twenty-foot-wide
easement to provide for continuation of pedestrian traffic and utilities to
the next street. Subdivisions containing 20 lots or more shall have at least
two street connections with streets previously placed on the Official Map,
if such exists.
In blocks exceeding 800 feet in length, the Planning
Board may require the reservation of a twenty-foot-wide easement through the
block to provide for the crossing underground utilities and pedestrian traffic,
where needed or desirable, and may further specify, at its discretion, that
a four-foot-wide paved footpath be included. In general, no block shall be
less than twice the normal lot depth in width or more than 1,200 feet in length.
Angle of intersection. In general, all streets shall
join each other so that for a distance of at least 100 feet the street is
approximately at right angles to the street it joins.
Relation to topography. The street plan of a proposed
subdivision shall bear a logical relationship to the topography of the property,
and all streets shall be arranged so as to obtain as many of the building
sites as possible at or above the grade of the streets. Grades of streets
shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography.
Other required streets. Where a subdivision borders on
or contains a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway right-of-way,
the Planning Board may require a street approximately parallel to and on each
side of such right-of-way, at a distance suitable for the appropriate use
of the intervening land, as for park purposes in residential districts or
for commercial or industrial purposes in appropriate districts. Such distances
shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach
grades and future grade separations.
Widths of rights-of-way. Streets shall have the following
widths. (When not indicated on the Master Plan or Official Map, if such exist,
the classification of streets shall be determined by the Board.)
Improvements. Streets shall be graded and improved with
pavements, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, drainage facilities, water mains,
sewers, streetlights and signs, street trees, fire-alarm signal devices and
fire hydrants, except where waivers may be requested, and the Planning Board
may waive, subject to appropriate conditions, such improvements as it considers
may be omitted without jeopardy to the public health, safety and general welfare.
Pedestrian easements shall be improved as required by the Village Engineer.
Such grading and improvements shall be approved as to design and specifications
by the Village Engineer.
Fire hydrants. Fire hydrants shall be installed so as
to meet all the requirements of standard thread and nut as required by the
New York Fire Insurance Rating Organization and the Bureau for Fire of the
Division of Safety of the State of New York. Fire-alarm boxes shall be installed
at such points in the development so that the minimum required distance between
alarm boxes as is set forth by the New York Fire Insurance Rating Organization
shall be complied with, and said fire-alarm boxes shall be installed so as
to operate in conjunction with the existing alarm system now in operation
and shall be installed with the approval of the Chief of the Tarrytown Volunteer
Fire Department.
Streetlighting facilities. There shall be installed in
the area subdivided proper and adequate streetlighting facilities, and these
lighting facilities shall be in conformance with the lighting system of the
village. Such lighting standards and fixtures shall be installed after approval
by the appropriate power company and the village electrical inspector of the
Village of Tarrytown.
Utilities in streets. The Planning Board may require
that underground utilities be placed in the street right-of-way between the
paved roadway and street line to simplify location and repair of lines when
they require attention. The subdivider shall install underground service connections
to the property line of each lot within the subdivision for such required
utilities before the street is paved.
Utility easements. Where topography is such as to make
impractical the inclusion of utilities within the street lines, perpetual
unobstructed easements at least 20 feet in width shall be provided across
property outside the street lines and with satisfactory access to the street.
Wherever possible, easements shall be continuous from block to block and shall
present as few irregularities as possible. Such easements shall be cleared
and graded where required.
Grades. Grades of all streets shall conform in general
to the terrain and shall not be less than 1/2% nor more than 6% for major
or collector streets or 10% for minor streets in residential zones, but in
no case more than 3% within 50 feet of any intersection.
Changes in grade. All changes in grade shall be connected
by vertical curves of such length and radius as meet with the approval of
the Village Engineer so that clear visibility shall be provided for a safe
distance.
Curve radii at street intersections. All street right-of-way
lines at intersections shall be rounded by curves of at least 20 feet radius,
and curbs shall be adjusted accordingly.
Steep grades and curves; visibility of intersections.
A combination of steep grades and curves shall be avoided. In order to provide
visibility for traffic safety, that portion of any corner lot (whether at
an intersection entirely within the subdivision or of a new street with an
existing street) which is shown shaded on Sketch A shall be cleared of all
growth (except isolated trees) and obstructions above the level three feet
higher than the center line of the street. If directed, ground shall be excavated
to achieve visibility.
Dead-end streets. Where dead-end streets are designated
to be so permanently, they should, in general, not exceed 400 feet in length
and shall terminate in a circular turnaround having a minimum right-of-way
radius of 50 feet and pavement radius of 40 feet. At the end of temporary
dead-end streets, a temporary turnaround with a pavement radius of 40 feet
shall be provided, unless the Planning Board approves an alternate arrangement.
Where a watercourse separates a proposed street from
abutting property, provision shall be made for access to all lots by means
of culverts or other structures of design approved by the Village Engineer.
Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway,
channel or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage
right-of-way as required by the Village Engineer and in no case less than
20 feet in width.
Curve radii. In general, street lines within a block,
deflecting from each other at any one point by more than 10º, shall be
connected with a curve, the radius of which for the inner street lines shall
not be less than 350 feet on major streets, 250 feet on collector streets
and 100 feet on minor streets. The outer street line in each case shall be
parallel to such inner street line.
Service streets or loading space in commercial development.
Paved rear service streets of not less than 20 feet in width or, in lieu thereof,
adequate off-street loading space, suitably surfaced, shall be provided in
connection with all lots designed for commercial use.
Free flow of vehicular traffic abutting commercial developments.
In front of areas zoned and designed for commercial use or where a change
of zoning to a zone which permits commercial use is contemplated to permit
such use, the street width shall be increased by such amount on each side
as may be necessary by the Board to assure the free flow of through traffic
without interference by parked or parking vehicles and to provide adequate
and safe parking space for such commercial or business district.
Type of name. All streets shown on a preliminary layout
or subdivision plat shall be named and approved by the Planning Board. Streets
shall have names and not number or letters (such as 1st, First or A Street).
Names to be substantially different. Proposed street
names shall be substantially different so as not to be confused in sound or
spelling with present names in the Village of Tarrytown, except that streets
that join or are in alignment with streets of an abutting or neighboring property
shall bear the same name.
Lots to be buildable. The lot arrangement shall be such
that there will be no foreseeable difficulties for reasons of topography or
other natural conditions, in complying with the Local Zoning Law,[1] in order to build on each lot. Lots shall not be of unreasonable
depth, encouraging the later creation of a second building lot at the rear.
Side lines. All side lines of lots shall be at right
angles to straight street lines and radial to curved street lines unless a
variance from this rule will give a better street or lot plan.
Corner lots. Corner lots shall be of sufficient dimensions
so that any structure placed thereon shall conform to the building setback
line of each street.
Driveway access. Where practicable, lots shall be so
laid out that the driveways have access to that one of the streets on which
they abut which carries or is intended to carry the lesser amount of traffic.
Driveway grades between the street and the setback line shall not exceed 10%.
Access from private streets. Access from private streets
shall be deemed acceptable only if such streets are designed and improved
in accordance with these regulations.
Monuments and lot corner markers. Permanent monuments
meeting specifications approved by the Village Engineer as to size, type and
installation shall be set at such block corners, angle points, points of curves
in streets and other points as the Village Engineer may require, and their
location shall be shown on the subdivision plat.
Removal of spring- and surface water. The subdivider
may be required by the Planning Board to carry away by pipe or open ditch
any spring- or surface water that may exist either previous to or as a result
of the subdivision. Such drainage facilities shall be located in the street
right-of-way, where feasible, or in perpetual unobstructed easements of appropriate
width.
Drainage structure to accommodate potential development
upstream. A culvert or other drainage facility shall, in each case, be large
enough to accommodate potential runoff from its entire upstream drainage area,
whether inside or outside the subdivision. The Village Engineer shall approve
the design and size of facility based on anticipated runoff from a ten-year
storm, under conditions of total potential development permitted by the Local
Zoning Law in the watershed.[1]
Responsibility from drainage downstream. The subdivider's
engineer shall also study the effect of each subdivision's existing downstream
drainage facilities outside the area of the subdivision. This study shall
be reviewed by the Village Engineer. Where it is anticipated that the additional
runoff incident to the development of the subdivision will overload an existing
downstream drainage facility during a five-year storm, the Planning Board
shall notify the Board of Trustees of such potential condition. In such case,
the Planning Board shall not approve the subdivision until provision has been
made for the improvement of said condition.
Land subject to flooding. Land subject to flooding or
land deemed by the Planning Board to be uninhabitable shall not be platted
for residential occupancy nor for such other uses as may increase danger to
health, life or property or aggravate the flood hazard, but such land within
the plat shall be set aside for such uses as shall not be endangered by periodic
or occasional inundation or shall not produce unsatisfactory living conditions.
Parks and playgrounds shown on Master Plan. Where a proposed
park, playground, school or other public use shown on the Master Plan, if
such exists, is located, in whole or in part, in a subdivision, the Board
may require the dedication or reservation of such area within the subdivision.
Parks and playgrounds not shown on Master Plan. Where
deemed essential by the Board and upon consideration of the particular type
of development proposed in the subdivision (whether high- , medium- or low-density
residential) and especially in large-scale developments not anticipated in
the Master Plan, if such exists, the Board may require the dedication or reservation
of sites of a character, extent and location suitable for the development
of a park or parks for playground or other recreation purposes pursuant to
New York State Village Law § 7-730, Subdivision 4(a), (b) and (c).
Waiver of land dedication for parks and playgrounds.
In cases where the Planning Board finds that, due to the size, topography
or location of the subdivision or for other reasons, land for park or playground
or other recreation purposes cannot be properly located therein or it is not
otherwise practical to require the same as a condition of approval, the Board
shall waive the requirement that such land be dedicated or reserved, subject
to the condition that a payment as adopted by resolution of the Board of Trustees[1] be paid into a special Village Recreation Site Acquisition and
Improvement Fund in lieu of such land dedication, for the purpose of providing
recreation facilities within the vicinity of each approved subdivision.
[Amended 6-18-1990 by L.L.
No. 13-1990; 5-6-1991 by L.L.
No. 5-1991]
School sites. The Board may also require a subdivider
to set aside such area as it may deem to be required for a school. Upon the
failure of the proper authorities to purchase such school site within 18 months
after the date of the approval of the plat, the subdivider, upon application
to the Board and approval of such application, shall be relieved of the responsibility
of reserving such land for public purposes.
Reserve strips prohibited. Reserve strips of land which
might be used to control access from the proposed subdivision to any neighboring
property or to any land within the subdivision itself shall be prohibited.
Preservation of natural features. The Planning Board
will, wherever possible, require the preservation of all natural features
which add value to residential developments and to the community, such as
large trees or groves, watercourses and falls, beaches, historic spots, vistas
and similar irreplaceable assets. No tree with a diameter of eight inches
or more as measured three feet above the base of the trunk shall be removed
unless such tree is within the right-of-way of a street as shown on the final
subdivision plat. Removal of additional trees shall be subject to the approval
of the Planning Board. In no case, however, shall a tree with a diameter of
eight inches or more as measured three feet above the base of the trunk be
removed without prior approval by the Planning Board.