A.
The standards and requirements outlined herein shall
be considered minimum standards and requirements for the promotion
of the public health, safety, morals and general welfare.
B.
Where literal compliance with the standards herein
specified is clearly impractical, the Planning Commission may modify
or adjust the standards to permit reasonable utilization of property
while securing substantial conformance with the objectives of these
regulations.
C.
The subdivision layout shall be in conformance with
the Comprehensive Plan and the Zoning Ordinance, as adopted or amended
by the City Council from time to time, and shall be of such character
that it protects the health, safety and general welfare of the City
and its residents. Subdivision layout in the City's Critical Area
District shall, in addition to the above, conform to the City's Critical
Area Protection Program and be of such character that it protects
water quality and plant and wildlife habitat.
A.
All portions of a tract being subdivided shall be
taken up in lots, streets, public lands or other proposed uses so
that remnants and landlocked areas shall not be created.
B.
Where trees, groves, waterways, scenic points, historic
spots or other City assets and landmarks are located within a proposed
subdivision, every possible means shall be provided to preserve these
features.
C.
Land deemed to be unsafe for development shall not
be subdivided or developed for residential occupancy or for such other
uses as may endanger health, life or property or aggravate erosion
or flood hazards until all such hazards have been eliminated or unless
adequate safeguards against such hazards are provided by the final
plats.
D.
The name of the subdivision must have the approval
of the Planning Commission. The name shall not duplicate nor closely
approximate the name of any existing subdivision in the City.
A.
The arrangement, character, extent, grade and location
of all streets shall conform to the City of Crisfield's Transportation
Plan of current adoption and shall be considered in their relation
to existing and planned streets, to topographical conditions, to public
convenience and safety and in their appropriate relation to the proposed
uses of the land to be served by such streets.
B.
Proposed streets shall further conform to state plans
for streets and highways as have been prepared.
C.
Where such is not in the City's Transportation Plan,
proposed streets shall be continuous and in alignment with existing,
planned or platted streets with which they are to connect.
D.
Residential streets shall be so laid out that their
use by through traffic will be discouraged.
E.
Streets that are extensions of or obviously in alignment
with existing streets shall bear the names of existing streets.
F.
If a portion of a tract is not subdivided, suitable
access to street openings for eventual subdivision of the entire tract
shall be provided.
G.
Where stub streets are provided abutting unsubdivided
acreage, temporary easements for turnarounds shall be provided at
the boundary lines.
H.
With approval of the City Council, private streets
and accessways may be retained in private ownership. Such private
streets or accessways shall, however, meet minimum specifications
and design standards of the regulations.
I.
Alleys are prohibited in developments of single-family
detached residences.
J.
The names of streets must have the approval of the
Planning Commission. The name shall not duplicate nor closely approximate
the name of any existing subdivision in the City.
A.
Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing
street of inadequate right-of-way width, a right-of-way width as required
by the City of Crisfield's Specifications and Design Standards for
Roads, Streets and Improvements (see Appendix A)[1] shall be indicated on the plat and offered for dedication.
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix A is located at the
end of this chapter.
B.
Minimum right-of-way, horizontal alignment, vertical
alignment, sight distance, curbs, curb radii, offsets and street grades
shall be in accordance with the City of Crisfield's Specifications
and Design Standards for Roads, Streets and Improvements (see Appendix
A).[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Appendix A is located at the
end of this chapter.
A.
All lots shall abut on a street.
B.
In general, side lot lines shall be at right angles
or radial to the street line.
C.
Lots excessively deep in relation to width or lots
excessively irregular in shape are to be avoided. A proportion of
2 1/2 in depth to one in width shall be considered a proper maximum.
All street signs shall be provided and constructed
in accordance with the City of Crisfield's Specifications and Design
Standards for Roads, Streets and Improvements (see Appendix A).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix A is located at the
end of this chapter.
All stormwater management shall be provided and constructed in accordance with the City of Crisfield's Chapter 94A of the Code of the City of Crisfield.
All sidewalks shall be provided and constructed
in accordance with the City of Crisfield's Specifications and Design
Standards for Roads, Streets and Improvements (see Appendix A).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix A is located at the
end of this chapter.
In addition to the other provisions of the Zoning
Ordinance,[1] the following design standards will apply to all subdivision
of land located within the City of Crisfield Critical Area Overlay
District:
A.
Where a tract of land bordering tidal water, tidal
wetlands or tributary streams in the critical area is to be subdivided
and a Buffer exemption has not been granted by the Critical Area Commission,
a Buffer of at least 100 feet shall be established in natural vegetation
(except areas of the Buffer which are planted in vegetation where
necessary to protect, stabilize or enhance the shoreline). No development,
including impervious surfaces, parking areas, roads or structures,
are permitted in the Buffer. However, approved development or expansion
of a water-dependent facility, as defined in the Crisfield Zoning
Ordinance,[2] is excepted from these Buffer provisions.
B.
If the lot ownership extends to the water, wetlands
or streambed, then the Buffer shall be included in the required setback
distance for buildings on that lot, except in the case of water-dependent
facilities. Where the Buffer is to be owned and maintained by a homeowners'
or similar appropriate organization, the required setback distance
shall be measured from the property line separating that lot from
the designated Buffer. The Buffer, when not included in the lots,
may be included in the calculating gross density.
C.
The Buffer will be expanded to include contiguous
sensitive areas. This expansion will occur whenever new land development
or other land-disturbing activities, such as clearing natural vegetation
for agriculture or mining, are proposed. The expanded Buffer must
be shown on plans required for such development or activities. Sensitive
areas are defined as follows: hydric soils and soils with hydric properties
as designated by the Soil Conservation Service; highly erodible soils
with a K value greater than 0.35 and steep slopes greater than 15%.
The Buffer shall be expanded according to the following rules:
(1)
When the site of the proposed land disturbance drains
to a slope greater than 15% contiguous to the Buffer, the Buffer shall
be expanded four feet for every percent of slope or to the top of
the slope, whichever is greater, but in no case more than 10 feet
beyond the top of the slope greater than 15%.
(2)
The applicant may provide afforestation in the buffer
as an alternative to expanding the Buffer to include hydric soils,
soils with hydric properties and erodible soils, provided that no
area of hydric soils is classified as a nontidal wetland. Afforestation
must be in accordance with the Crisfield Zoning Ordinance.[3]
(3)
All subdivisions in the Crisfield critical area shall
be subject to the habitat protection criteria and guidelines prescribed
in the City of Crisfield Critical Area Program.
(4)
The subdivider shall be required to identify stormwater
management policies appropriate to site development which achieve
the following standards:
(a)
In areas designated as intensely developed areas
on the City of Crisfield Official Critical Area Map, the subdivider
shall demonstrate that the best management practices for stormwater
assure a ten-percent reduction of predevelopment pollutant and loadings.
(b)
The subdivider shall delineate those site areas
not covered by impervious surfaces to be maintained or established
in vegetation. Where vegetation is not proposed, the developer shall
demonstrate why plantings for such portions of the site are impracticable.
The types of planting and vegetation proposed shall be in accordance
with guidelines established in and as part of the City of Crisfield
Critical Area Program.
(c)
The subdivision shall be designed to assure
those features or resources identified as habitat protection areas
are offered protection as prescribed in the habitat protection element
of the City of Crisfield Critical Area Program.
(5)
Roads, bridges and utilities serving lots shall be
located to avoid disturbances to habitat protection areas. When no
alternative exists and such infrastructure must cross or be located
in a habitat protection area, the developer shall demonstrate how
impacts to habitats have been minimized and that no feasible alternative
location of such infrastructure exists.
(6)
All roads, bridges, lots or other development which
cross or are located adjacent to tributary streams in the critical
area shall:
(7)
Lots and open space acres shall be located and designed
to provide for maintenance of existing site wildlife and plant habitats
and continuity with those on adjacent sites. Existing wildlife corridors
shall be identified on proposed development plats. When wildlife corridors
exist or are proposed, they shall include any existing habitat protection
areas and connect large forested areas on or adjacent to the site.
(8)
Impervious surfaces in subdivisions located in limited
development areas (LDA's) and resource conservation areas (RCA's)
of the Critical Area District shall be limited to 15% of the gross
site area proposed for development, except that impervious surfaces
on any lot not exceeding one acre in size in a subdivision approved
after December 1, 1985, may be up to 25% of the lot. However, the
total of the impervious surfaces over the entire subdivision may not
exceed 15%.
(9)
Development on slopes greater than 15% shall be prohibited
unless such development is demonstrated to be the only effective way
to maintain or improve slope stability.
(10)
No clearing or grading is permitted in the Buffer
nor on steep slopes and hydric or highly erodible soils for other
than agricultural practices, not involving the clearing of natural
vegetation in the Buffer, or commercial forestry practices in the
Buffer between March 1 and May 15.
(11)
Land to be subdivided shall be designed and
improved in reasonable conformity to existing topography, in order
to minimize grading, cuts and fill, and to retain, insofar as possible,
the natural contours, minimize stormwater runoff and conserve the
natural cover and soil. No soil, sand or gravel shall be removed from
any lots shown on any subdivision plat, except in accordance with
the provisions of the sediment control plan approved by the Soil Conservation
District Board.
(12)
Subdivisions and development in the City of
Crisfield Critical Area are encouraged to increase natural vegetation
on the development site.
(13)
Subdivisions located in limited development
areas (LDA's) and resource conservation areas (RCA's) are required
to meet the following minimum standards for forest and developed woodlands.
Forest and developed woodlands, as defined by the City of Crisfield
Critical Area Program, shall be created or protected in accordance
with the following:
(a)
When no forest exists on the site, at least
15% of the gross site area shall be afforested. The location of the
afforested area should be designed to reinforce protection to site
habitats or provide connections between forested areas when they are
present on adjacent sites.
(b)
When forests or developed woodland exists on
the site and proposed development requires the cutting or clearing
of trees, areas proposed for clearing shall be identified on the proposed
development plan. The developer shall submit plans for development
and areas to be cleared to the Maryland Forest, Park and Wildlife
Service for comments and recommendations and shall transmit comments
to the City of Crisfield Planning Office. A grading permit shall be
obtained prior to any clearing or cutting associated with proposed
development. In addition, cutting or clearing which is associated
with development shall be subject to the following limits and replacement
conditions:
[1]
All forests cleared or developed shall be replaced
on not less than an equal area basis, either on the site or on another
site approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission, except that if
clearing on a fully forested lot is limited to a development pad of
10,000 square feet or less and cleared areas are reforested to the
extent possible, the forest shall be considered a developed woodland
and no replacement is required.
[2]
No more than 20% of the forested or developed woodland within the site proposed for development may be removed, except as provided for in Subsection C(13)(b)[3] below, and the remaining 80% shall be maintained as forest cover through the use of appropriate instruments (e.g., recorded restrictive covenants). Removal of forest of developed woodlands cover in the Buffer is prohibited.
[3]
Clearing of forest or developed woodland up
to 20% shall be replaced on an area basis or one to one. A developer
may propose clearing up to 30% of the forest or developed woodland
on a site, but the trees removed in excess of 20% must be replaced
at the rate of 1.5 times the amount removed either on the site or
on another site approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
[4]
If more than 30% of the forest on a site is
cleared, the forest is required to be replanted at three times the
total areal extent of the cleared forest.
[5]
If the cutting of forests occurs before a grading permit is obtained, the forest is required to be replanted according to the requirement in Subsection C(13)(b)[4] above.
[6]
All reforestation and/or afforestation shall
be included in a planting plan.
