Proposed subdivisions and resubdivisions and
all street, drainage and other improvements required by these regulations
shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the standards
hereinafter specified.
Construction of all required improvements shall
be carried out under the supervision of the Town Engineer and shall
be subject to inspection and approval by the Haddam Planning and Zoning
Commission. Prior to the commencement of improvements, a preconstruction
meeting shall be scheduled by the applicant, to ensure all aspects
of work are endorsed and agreed to by all. Minimum attendees at the
meeting shall be the First Selectman, Town Engineer, Town Planner,
zoning representative and applicant representatives. Others shall
be included as required (e.g., Inland Wetlands Enforcement Officer).
At the meeting, required bonds, construction schedules and responsible
contact people for construction and E/S control shall be identified.
The applicant shall hire the services of a professional engineer experienced
in this type of construction, to weekly inspect the E/S measures and
public improvements. The engineer shall submit weekly written reports
to the engineering office that all work has been according to the
approved plan. When not, the engineer shall make recommendations to
correct. The First Selectman or the Town Engineer shall be notified
when any preliminary grading of streets has been completed and upon
completion of subgrade preparation and shall be notified at least
48 hours prior to installation of the gravel base course and any bituminous
paving operation. No pipe, catch basin, manhole or other structure
shall be backfilled until inspected and approved by the First Selectman
or the Town Engineer. The Commission and the First Selectman, or the
Town Engineer, shall have free access to the construction work at
all times and shall be authorized to take material samples, cores
and other tests as deemed necessary to determine compliance with these
regulations. The Town Engineer's inspections shall be according to
a Construction Monitoring Schedule (as amended) available at the Engineering
Department office in the Town Office Building. A fee shall be provided
to the Engineering Department for material testing of public improvements.
The fee shall be according to the Town Schedule of Fees for Processing
Land Use Applications; Health Department Permits, Reviews and Inspections,
Building Permits, Driveway Permits and shall be available at the above
preconstruction meeting.
Proposed building lots shall be of such shape,
size, location, topography and character that buildings can be constructed
reasonably and that they can be occupied and used for building purposes
without danger to the health and safety of the occupants and the public.
Any land which is not part of the open space to be permanently reserved
as open space pursuant to § 302-23 and which the applicant
is not proposing for approval as a building lot, and any lot which
the Commission does not approve because it does not meet zoning or
subdivision standards and/or is unsuitable for occupancy and building
by reasons of water or flooding conditions, unsuitable soil, topography,
ledge rock or other conditions shall be combined with another contiguous
lot that is suitable, or shall be marked "Remaining land of (Name
of present owner) — This is not an approved lot" on
the subdivision map. Such land shall meet the applicable zoning and
subdivision regulations for a subdivision road access and/or driveway
slope access for a lot and its general suitability for on-site septic
sewage disposal. At the very least, the applicant shall demonstrate
that the parcel can meet the requirements as a single lot. Such land
may not be used for building purposes until a revised application
and subdivision map have been submitted to and approved by the Commission,
in conformance with the requirements of these regulations.
A.
Lot size. Each lot shall have sufficient area and
suitable dimensions to provide ample space for a private water supply
system, where public water supply is not available, and for the proper
layout, installation and future extension of a private sewage disposal
system, both in accordance with good engineering practice and the
applicable requirements of the Connecticut State Department of Health
and the Director of Health of the Town of Haddam. Each lot shall conform
to Chapter 270, Zoning, of the Code of the Town of Haddam and any
subsequent revisions and amendments thereto.
B.
Lot numbers. All lots shall be numbered beginning
with the numeral "1" and shall continue consecutively throughout the
entire subdivision with no omissions or duplications. No fractions
or letters shall be used unless necessary for clarity in a resubdivision.
Adjoining subdivisions and sections of a subdivision having the same
title shall not duplicate numbers but shall continue the sequence
of numbers used previously for the adjoining land. All lot numbers
shall be conspicuous and noted on the map in the approximate center
of the lots.
C.
Lot lines. Insofar as practicable, the side lot lines
of all lots shall be at right angles to the street on which the lot
faces or shall be radial to the street line. It shall be the discretion
of the Commission to refuse to permit municipal boundary lines to
cross any lot; and in the event of such refusal, such boundary lines
shall be made to constitute one of the lot lines. Whenever a parcel
being subdivided has existing natural or man-made boundaries or demarcations
such as fences, stone walls, meadows, wood lots, or tree lines, the
lot lines for lots in the subdivisions shall, as nearly as possible,
conform to these existing features.
D.
Interior lots. The Commission may allow interior lots
in a subdivision in conformance with Chapter 270, Zoning, § 270-8B.
The maximum number of interior lots in any proposed subdivision, including
all subsequent sections, phases and/or resubdivisions in the aggregate,
shall be calculated as follows:
|
Total Lots in Subdivision
|
Interior Lots Allowed
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Up to 5
|
1
| |
|
6 to 11
|
2
| |
|
12 to 22
|
1 additional
| |
|
23 to 33
|
1 additional
| |
|
Each additional 11 lots
|
1 additional
|
E.
Lot access. The proposed plan for the development
or house site in each lot must demonstrate that it can be independently
accessible via its own driveway, and:
(2)
That driveway, if it exits on a state road, must have
been reviewed and deemed approvable by the state;
(3)
That driveway, if it exits on a Town road or subdivision
street, must be deemed safe by the Commission and in conformance with
Town driveway permits standards, based on review by the Town Engineer;
(4)
That driveway must have the review and approval of
the Haddam Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency, if it affects
wetlands and watercourses;
(5)
That driveway must comply with subdivision standards
regarding culvert sizing, drainage, erosion and sedimentation control
and § 302-23G.
(6)
No more than two driveways may be run adjacent to
each other.
Streets shall be planned and designed to conform
to the following standards:
A.
Planning. Proposed streets and rights-of-way shall
be planned in such a manner as to provide safe and convenient access
to proposed lots, with due consideration for accomplishing an attractive
layout and development of the land in the subdivision and in the neighborhood.
Streets should, in general, follow the contour of the land and shall
have a location and grade which preserve the natural terrain, substantial
trees, woods and other natural features in the subdivision and which
enhance property values in the subdivision. Proposed local streets
and rights-of-way shall be planned to discourage through traffic but
also to provide a safe and convenient system for prospective traffic
in the subdivision. Local streets shall also provide a safe and convenient
system for present and prospective traffic in the neighborhood around
the subdivision and shall be planned, where appropriate, to provide
for continuation of existing streets in adjoining areas and for projection
into adjoining properties when subdivided. Thoroughfares shall be
planned, where necessary, to conform with the Town Plan of Development
and, where necessary, as a feeder street to a neighborhood. Proposed
streets which may be projected into adjoining properties shall be
carried to the boundary line; no reserve strips will be permitted.
Proposed streets shall be designed and laid out so as to preserve
important elements of natural or man-made topographical feature, including
existing roadways and paths, old stone fences or walls, significant
ledge areas, historical patterns of land use and to minimize impact
on environmentally sensitive wetland areas.
B.
Design.
(1)
Purpose. The purpose of these standards is to assure
that proposed roads shall be in harmony with existing or other proposed
roads with regard to smooth traffic flow and safe intersections with
such roads. As far as practical, roads shall follow natural contours.
(a)
Where the land to be subdivided abuts a road shown on the most current
map entitled "Town Roads Haddam, Connecticut, Connecticut Department
of Transportation, TR-60, scale one inch equals 1,000 feet," the road
shall conform to standards and specifications set forth herein.
(b)
Where the land to be subdivided does not abut a state or local road
shown on the map cited above, the subdivider shall, as the Planning
and Zoning Commission may determine, either:
(2)
Functional classification. The basis for determining
the applicable standards for any road in the Town of Haddam will be
the road's functional classification as defined below:
(a)
Collector (equal to Plan of Development "thoroughfare"
road). A collector road collects traffic from local access roads and
channels traffic to principal arterials such as Routes 9, 81, 82,
and 154. It provides for traffic movement between areas of the Town,
arterials, and local access roads. A collector customarily receives
traffic from more than two local access roads or provides circulation
within commercial or industrial areas. Roads designed to accommodate,
presently or at any future time, traffic other than that generated
in the area shall be classified as collectors. All roads within commercial
or industrial areas will be classified as collectors (examples: Candlewood
Hill Road, Beaver Meadow Road, Little City Road).
(b)
Local access (equal to Plan of Development "local"
road). A local access road provides direct access to abutting property
and neighborhoods and access to collector roads.
(c)
Commercial street: a street giving direct access
to or circulation within business or industrial areas.
(d)
Private street. Upon written request of the
applicant, the Commission may approve a proposed street as a permanent
private street if the Commission finds that such street shall not
carry more traffic than is expected of a local street or a commercial
street serving only abutting lots, that such street will not impair
the orderly development of the neighborhood, that there will be safe
and convenient circulation for vehicles and pedestrians, including
emergency vehicles, and that there will be suitable arrangements for
maintenance and repair.
(e)
Local access (cul-de-sac). Culs-de-sac, closed
at one end by building lots, shall provide sole access to not more
than 20 building lots and shall not exceed 1,000 feet in length. The
cul-de-sac length shall be measured along the center line of the proposed
right-of-way, starting at an existing through road street line, and
ending at a proposed property line or building lot. (See Figure 2
for cul-de-sac detail.[1])
[1]
Editor's Note: Figure 2 is included at the end of this chapter.
(f)
Local access (temporary dead end). Upon written
request of the applicant, temporary dead-end streets, which may be
projected into adjoining property at some future date, may exceed
a one-thousand-foot length only under the following conditions:
[1]
Action has been initiated by the Town of Haddam
pursuant to the provisions of C.G.S. § 8-24 or action has
been initiated by the Commission pursuant to the provisions of C.G.S.
§ 9-29 and a plan has been adopted by the Commission designed
to convert the temporary dead end into a through street.
[2]
The temporary dead-end street shall be provided
with a turnaround meeting the requirements of Subsection E of this
section and shall not exceed a reasonable interim length for safe
and convenient vehicular access, including emergency vehicles, as
determined by the Commission.
[3]
Alternatively, the Commission may require that
the applicant provide for a turnaround meeting the requirements of
Subsection E of this section no further than 1,000 feet along that
road from the nearest through street, and condition the approval of
lots fronting on the dead-end road beyond the one-thousand-foot length
to:
[a]
Subsequent review and approval
of the remainder of the road on adjacent property by the Commission
in conformance with its subdivision standards, and completion of construction
of the additional section of road on the applicant's property; or
[b]
For those lots that would have
adequate frontage and access off the turnaround, completion of construction
of the turnaround.
[4]
A temporary turnaround shall be at the closed
end of a dead-end street which may be projected into adjoining property
at some future date and which provides sole access to one or more
building lots. Land for a turnaround on a temporary dead-end street,
which may at some future date be projected into adjoining property,
shall be provided in the form of a temporary easement bearing a note
on the map: "Easement for temporary turnaround which automatically
terminates upon extension of street."
(3)
Street names. Streets shall bear names which are appropriate
to the character of the Town and which do not duplicate or too closely
approximate in spelling or sound existing street names in the Town
of Haddam or any adjoining town. All street names shall be subject
to the approval of the Town's Street Name Approval Committee. Such
names shall be submitted to the Committee 45 days prior to application
for subdivision.[2]
C.
Design speed. These standards have been developed
based on the concept of providing safe travel at the design speed
specified for the functional classification of the road. When no standard
exists for a given feature of the roadway, this concept shall prevail,
and the roadway feature shall be designed based upon the specified
design speed.
D.
Road Design Standards Table. The following table presents
a summary of the major design criteria to be considered in the design
of roadways in the Town of Haddam:
|
Road Design Standards Table
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Design Criteria
|
Collector
(Thoroughfare)
|
Local Access
(Local)
|
Cul-de-Sac
| ||
|
Design speed (mph)
|
35
|
30
|
25
| ||
|
Minimum right-of-way width
|
50 feet
|
50 feet
|
50 feet
| ||
|
Minimum pavement width
|
30 feet
|
24 feet1
|
24 feet (22 feet for permanent culs-de-sac)
| ||
|
Vertical alignment
| |||||
|
Minimum grade
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
| ||
|
Maximum grade
|
8%
|
10%
|
10%
| ||
|
Minimum length of crest
| |||||
|
Vertical curves3
|
29 feet x (g2-g1)2
(but not less than 100 feet)
| ||||
|
Minimum length of sag
| |||||
|
Vertical curves3
|
36 feet x (g1-g2)2
(but not less than 100 feet)
| ||||
|
Minimum stopping sight distance
|
250 feet
|
200 feet
|
200 feet
| ||
|
Horizontal alignment
| |||||
|
Minimum radius of curvature
|
470 feet
|
340 feet
|
225 feet
| ||
|
Minimum tangent length between curves
|
180 feet
|
150 feet
|
150 feet
| ||
|
Minimum intersection sight distance (The classification
of the road intersected must be considered in determining the required
intersection sight distance.)
|
Major Route
|
Collector
|
Local Access
| ||
|
700 feet
|
475 feet
|
425 feet
| |||
|
See Figure 1 for intersection sight distance
detail.[3]
| |||||
|
NOTES:
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
1
|
At the discretion of the Commission, short loop
roads (less than 2,000 feet) may be 22 feet.
| |
|
2
|
g1 and g2 refer to the percentage of grade on
each side of the curve.
| |
|
3
|
Excluding intersections.
| |
[3]
Editor's Note: Figure 1 is on file in the Town offices.
E.
Roadway cross section.
(1)
The roadway cross section shall be constructed of
the following layers:
(a)
Pavement surface course: minimum of two inches
of bituminous concrete (compacted depth).
(b)
Pavement binder course: minimum of two inches
of bituminous concrete (compacted depth).
(c)
Base course: minimum of four inches of processed
stone.
(d)
Subbase: minimum of eight inches of bank run
gravel.
(2)
In the case of roadways classified as collectors,
the minimum thickness of both the pavement surface course and binder
course shall be increased to two inches for a total pavement thickness
of six inches.
(3)
The minimum subbase thickness in rock cuts shall be
12 inches. All roads will be constructed with a cross slope of 1/4
inch per foot, drained from the center line of the road toward the
curb.
(4)
Six-inch bituminous concrete curbs will be constructed
on both sides of all paved roads.
(5)
Sidewalk area (between curb and street lines) slopes
will be designed with a shelf behind the curb with a maximum slope
of one inch per foot. pitched toward the curb or catch basin, unless
determined otherwise by the Planning and Zoning Commission, First
Selectman or their authorized agents. A typical cut-and-fill cross-section
drawing shall be shown on the construction plans.
(6)
Maximum fill and cut slopes will be 2:1 (horizontal:vertical).
If fill height at the proposed pavement exceeds four feet then:
(7)
Street lines. Street lines on each side of a proposed
street shall be parallel or shall be concentric arcs, except at intersections
and turnarounds designed in accordance with these regulations. No
street right-of-way shall be widened beyond the minimum width specified
in these regulations for the purpose of securing additional street
frontage for proposed lots. Figure 3 shows the typical cross section
for roads.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: Figure 3 is included at the end of this chapter.
F.
Drainage.
(1)
Gutter flow analysis shall be performed to demonstrate
that the width of gutter flow will not exceed six feet in a ten-year-frequency
storm. In no case shall catch basins be spaced so that flow is unintercepted
for a distance greater than 300 feet.
(2)
A minimum of 24 inches of cover shall be provided
over all storm drain culverts. All changes in direction or grade shall
be made in a manhole or catch basin.
(3)
The velocity of flow in an open channel shall be restricted
to 2.5 feet per second for grass channels and six feet per second
for riprap-protected channels.
(4)
Underdrains shall be required in all areas in which
soil test data indicates groundwater within three feet of the ground
surface in areas adjacent to the road. Underdrains may be required
by the Town Engineer in other locations as dictated by field conditions.
Provisions will be made for connection of foundation underdrains to
roadway underdrains by providing "tee" connections.
(5)
Gutters. Paved gutters shall be designed along the
edge of any street pavement with a grade in excess of 5% or as deemed
necessary by the Town Engineer.
G.
Driveways.
(1)
Driveways shall have a minimum curb radius of five
feet and an inside radius of 25 feet. All driveways shall have a maximum
grade of 15%. All driveways will be constructed of a minimum of eight
inches of gravel.
(2)
All driveways that exceed 10% shall be surfaced with
a minimum of two inches of bituminous concrete. All driveway aprons
within 20 feet of the road curbline on paved roads shall be paved.
(3)
Where any driveway approaches a road at a grade of
6% or more, a transition area shall be provided with a maximum grade
of 5% and a minimum length of 15 feet measured from the road curbline
or pavement edge.
(4)
Cut and fill for a driveway shall not exceed a slope
of one vertical to three horizontal in earth and six vertical to one
horizontal in rock. Rock cuts shall not exceed 10 feet in height and
shall be properly protected. Rock cuts shall not be allowed in geological
formations which will not support the proposed slope.
H.
Streetlighting. Illumination shall be provided, at
a minimum, at all road intersections, at the end of culs-de-sac, at
the midpoint loop roads, in accordance with the latest recommendations
of the Illuminating Engineering Society's American National Standard
Practice. Standards and luminaries shall be designed to blend with
the character and architecture of the area.
I.
Utilities. Utility lines shall be located underground,
and shall be located so as to minimize the need for later adjustment
and to permit servicing with a minimum interference with road traffic.
Installations running parallel to the road will be located outside
the curb area. Facilities under the pavement will be limited to lateral
service connections. If it is anticipated that additional utilities
will be required, sleeves will be provided under the full width of
the pavement prior to placing the pavement. Wherever necessary, the
Commission may require easements of sufficient width to provide for
public utilities.
J.
Intersections.
(1)
Local access roads should be designed to minimize
through traffic movements and reduce average traffic speeds. This
can be best accomplished by designing offset and T-type intersections
as opposed to four-way intersections.
(2)
Where any road approaches an intersection at a grade
of 3% or more, a transition area shall be provided with a maximum
grade of 3% and a minimum length of 50 feet measured from the right-of-way
line of the road intersected.
(3)
Streets shall intersect one another at as near to
a right angle as is practical; no intersection shall be at an angle
of less than 60° (or greater than 120°).
(4)
There shall be a maximum of four approaches to an
intersection. Intersections shall be spaced so as to minimize potential
traffic conflicts, particularly in the case of intersections with
major routes, such as state highways. Intersections shall be spaced
a minimum of 400 feet apart.
K.
Work to be left clean. Upon suspension or completion
of the work or of any portion thereof, the developer or contractor
shall remove from all public or private property all temporary structures,
tools and equipment, all sewers, drains, catch basins and manholes
shall be cleaned and flushed, streets, walks, curbs and other structures
shall be cleaned and repaired, and the whole work shall be left in
a neat and clean condition. All work in process shall be protected
by adequate barricades, planking, warning signs and night lights where
needed.
L.
Grading and seeding. Before completion of the work,
all unpaved areas within the street lines, and excavated or filled
areas on private property, shall be graded, covered with suitable
topsoil or loam, rolled, fertilized, and seeded with a good grade
of grass seed.
M.
Improvements on existing roads. Whenever any subdivision
is proposed for land abutting or accessible by any existing improved,
unimproved or unpaved road and the Commission determines that approval
of the subdivision plan would endanger the public safety or compromise
the general welfare unless such road were widened, altered and/or
improved beyond the limits of the proposed subdivision, the Commission
may disapprove such plan until the Board of Selectmen and Board of
Finance have recommended and the Town Meeting has authorized expenditures
for such widening alteration and/or improvements. If the applicant
opts to provide the improvements, the Commission must receive a letter
from the Board of Selectmen agreeing to the applicant's proposal.
(1)
Performance criteria. In order to determine the effect
of the proposed subdivision on public safety and welfare, the Commission
will consider whether:
(a)
The road alignment, right-of-way and pavement
width and grades will be in harmony with existing and proposed roads
and the Plan of Development of the Town, especially in regard to safe
intersections with such roads.
(b)
The road construction will be sufficient to
carry, safely and conveniently, public service and emergency vehicles
and potential future traffic, computed on the basis of projected population
of the proposed subdivision, and will not significantly increase the
Town's obligation for road upgrading, maintenance and repair which
results from the development of the subdivision.
(c)
Storm drainage systems will be sufficient to
carry increased storm drainage created by the proposed subdivision
and associated access road improvements; and the increased storm drainage
will not significantly increase the Town's obligation for storm drainage
systems on existing roads or other public or private lands.
All subdivision streets shall be constructed
in accordance with the following standards and procedures. The State
of Connecticut, Department of Transportation, Standard Specifications
for Roads, Bridges and Incidental Construction, Form 814, as amended,
shall apply to all materials and workmanship used in the construction
of required improvements. These shall be referred to hereinafter as
"Standard Specifications, Form 814, as amended." Town inspection shall
be according to § 302-21, Supervision and inspection.
A.
Cross section. The entire width of the street right-of-way
shall be graded in accordance with the roadway cross section provided
in § 302-23E and Figure 3.[1] The sidewalk area shall be loamed and seeded as provided
in Subsection F below. The First Selectman may require variation of
this grading requirement in order to preserve substantial existing
trees.
[1]
Editor's Note: Figure 3 is included at the end of this chapter.
B.
Subgrade.
(1)
All trees and stumps shall be removed to two feet
below the lower limit of excavation, except in embankments, of the
pavement and for the full width of the pavement.
(2)
All soft spots, peat, loam, organic material, soft
clay, spongy soil, boulders, ledge and other unsuitable material shall
be removed to a depth of two feet below the final subgrade and replaced
by material approved by the First Selectman. All fill that is placed
to an elevation of less than three feet above the water table at the
time of filling shall consist of rock or free-draining soil meeting
Standard Specifications, Form 814, as amended, Section 2.09, Subgrade.
C.
Subbase. Upon the prepared subgrade shall be placed
a subbase at least eight inches in depth and constructed in accordance
with Section 2.12 of Standard Specifications, Form 814, as amended.
Where ledge rock is encountered, the depth of subbase shall be increased
to 12 inches. Underdrains shall be installed where required by the
First Selectman. It is the intent of this subsection to ensure that
adequate underdrains are provided for roadway construction based on
actual field conditions. The applicant or his construction contractor
shall bear the responsibility to inform the Town Engineer of any field
conditions encountered during construction which will necessitate
the installation or extension of underdrains within the proposed roadway.
D.
Base course. The base course shall be four inches
of processed aggregate base constructed in accordance with Section
3.04 of Standard Specifications, Form 814, as amended.
E.
Bituminous surface. On the completed base course,
a total of three inches, placed in two courses, of bituminous concrete
pavement shall be constructed in accordance with Standard Specifications,
Form 814, as amended, Section 4.06.
F.
Slopes. Cut or fill sections beyond the sidewalk area
shall not exceed a slope of one vertical to three horizontal in earth
and six vertical to one horizontal in rock. Rock cuts shall not exceed
10 feet in height and shall be properly protected by fencing. Such
fencing shall be screened from view from the road. Rock cuts shall
not be allowed in formations which will not support the proposed slope.
The First Selectman may require a decrease in the amount of slope
to whatever extent is necessary to maintain the stability of the bank
under the particular soil conditions. All earth surfaces of slopes,
and areas that have been disturbed in any way due to grading and construction
of the streets, shall be covered with a minimum of four inches of
topsoil and suitably seeded or planted to prevent soil erosion. The
First Selectman may require the removal or lowering of embankments
adjacent to street intersections in order to assure adequate sight
distance at the intersection. No cut or fill sections beyond the sidewalk
area shall extend into property outside the subdivision or property
not owned by the applicant unless appropriate slope easement rights
are obtained by the applicant in the name of the Town prior to the
close of the public hearing. In the absence of such slope rights,
appropriate retaining walls shall be constructed within the subdivision
to prevent encroachment upon adjoining property.
H.
Construction procedures. Line and grade stakes shall
not be spaced more than 50 feet apart and shall be set by a land surveyor
or engineer and maintained in good order during construction and until
the street is approved by the First Selectman. No street shall be
opened or used for travel until it has been approved by the First
Selectman. All water mains, sewers, pipe and utility services shall
be installed prior to placing the subbase course.
I.
Debris and equipment. All large rocks, boulders, felled
trees, stumps and brush shall be removed from the street right-of-way
and suitably disposed of by the applicant. All temporary structures,
tools, equipment and waste materials shall be removed from the street
right-of-way upon completion of the work.
Storm drainage shall be planned and conform
to the following standards:
A.
Pipe and ditches. Sufficient pipe and ditches shall
be installed within the subdivision to carry existing watercourses
and to drain the proposed streets which may reasonably be expected
to be constructed at some future date on adjoining property which
normally drains across the area of the proposed subdivision. If, in
its judgment, there will be no substantial danger from soil erosion
or danger to the public health and safety, the Commission may permit
the discharge of rivers and large streams in their natural courses
and may permit the discharge of stormwater and established watercourses
in open ditches across proposed lots. In general, open ditches should
be confined to lots of one acre or larger and should not be planned
in the portion of the lot customarily used for front and side yards
or which might be used for private sewage disposal and/or water supply
systems. All ditches shall be of such size and all pipe shall be of
such diameter, not less than 15 inches, as will, in the judgment of
the Commission, be sufficient to carry properly stormwater expected
to enter the ditch or pipe from the proposed subdivision and from
other properties when developed which normally drain across the area
of the proposed subdivision. The minimum slope for pipe shall be such
as to yield a velocity of 2.5 feet per second minimum and 10 feet
per second maximum under full flow conditions. The minimum cover over
pipe and pipe strength shall be sufficient to withstand AASHTO H-20
highway loading for all pipes within the right-of-way.
B.
Manholes. Manholes shall be provided at each change
in direction or grade of the pipe and shall not be spaced more than
300 feet apart.
C.
Catch basins. Catch basins shall be provided in order
that surface water will travel without interception not more than
400 feet on streets with grades up to and including 5%, and not more
than 300 feet on streets with grades over 5%. Catch basin laterals
shall be 12 inches' minimum diameter and shall connect to the main
line storm drain via manholes.
D.
Discharge. The discharge of all stormwater from the
subdivision shall be into suitable streams or rivers or into Town
drains, ditches or other Town drainage facilities with adequate capacity
to carry the additional water. Where the discharge shall be into private
property adjoining the proposed subdivision, proper easements and
discharge rights shall be secured by the applicant for the Town before
approval of the record subdivision map and acceptance of the drainage
plan. No stormwater shall be diverted from one watershed to another.
E.
Headwalls and culverts. Suitable headwalls and riprap
protection shall be provided at the open end of any pipe; wing-type
headwalls shall be provided at the open end of all pipes greater than
30 inches in diameter. Culverts under streets shall be extended to
the edge of the right-of-way of the street.
F.
Easements. Easements, at least 25 feet in width, shall
be provided for all stormwater pipes that are not to be installed
in a street. Easements shall also be provided for the full width of
the channel of any stream or drainage ditch in the subdivision which
will carry drainage runoff from any proposed street, existing street
or streets which may be constructed in the future on the undeveloped
land within the watershed. Easements shall also be provided for stormwater
pipes that may need to be installed in the future to serve undeveloped
land within the watershed that normally drains across the area of
the proposed subdivision.
G.
Channel lines. Channel and building lines shall be
provided along any major stream or river for the purpose of preventing
encroachment upon and constriction of the natural water channel by
buildings, filling operations or other facilities and construction.
The width of the channel shall be based on special flood hazard area
data, on sound engineering calculations anticipating long-range storms
and flow potentials and recognizing proper alignment and gradients
of the channel. A note shall be placed on the record subdivision map
explaining the channel and building lines and stating the restrictions
against encroachment upon the channel in a manner approved by the
Town Counsel.
H.
Design storm. Residential drainage systems shall incorporate
pipe design on the basis of a ten-year storm. Major ditches and channels
as well as culverts and encroachment lines on existing streams shall
be based on a fifty-year storm. In all cases, runoff shall be computed
in accordance with Technical Release No. 55, Urban Hydrology, Engineering
Division, Soil Conservation Service, USDA, January, 1975, as amended.
All storm drainage shall be constructed in accordance
with the following standards and procedures:
A.
Pipe. All pipe used shall be of reinforced concrete
meeting Connecticut Department of Transportation specifications.
B.
Ditches. All open drainage ditches, except existing
stream relocations or improvements, shall have a minimum depth of
one foot, a maximum depth of three feet and side slopes of two horizontal,
one vertical maximum and shall be paved with bituminous concrete or
suitably riprapped.
C.
Joints. The joints of all pipe shall be shoved tight.
Pipe laid in sandy, silty or other soil in which, in the judgment
of the First Selectman, there is danger of washing or cave-ins shall
have joints thoroughly sealed with 1:3 concrete mortar or bitumastic
compound.
D.
Catch basins and manholes. Catch basins and manholes
shall be constructed in accordance with good engineering practice.
Catch basin grates shall be depressed one inch below final adjacent
grade. On steep slopes or in special grade situations, the First Selectman
may require catch basins to be further depressed to facilitate the
collection of water.
E.
Backfill. Where the drainage pipe is necessary to
serve as an underdrain for the street or to control the water table,
the trench around and over the pipe shall be backfilled with bank
run gravel or broken stone.
F.
Construction procedures.
(1)
All pipe shall be laid to line and grade as shown
on approved drainage plans and profiles. Line and grade stakes shall
be set by a Connecticut-registered land surveyor or engineer and shall
be maintained in good order until the work has been inspected and
approved by the First Selectman.
(2)
Three batter boards shall be maintained in place at
all times when laying pipe and shall not be spaced more than 30 feet
apart.
A.
Monuments or merestones shall be set at the point
of curvature (PC) and at the point of tangency (PT) of all curves
and angle points in street lines, or assumed street lines of existing
Town roads which are not monumented. Monuments shall be made of concrete
and shall be not less than four inches square by 36 inches in length
with a suitably marked top. Each monument shall be set in place, after
all street construction is completed, with the marked point set on
the point of reference.
B.
All lot corners and angle points in lot lines shall
be marked by iron pipes, where not otherwise marked by monuments or
merestones. Iron pipes shall be at least 30 inches in length and placed
in the ground to a level slightly above existing grade, or by a drill
hole or brass plug set in ledge rock and noted on the map. This is
to be done after the final approval of subdivision plan by the Commission.
Until the accurate placement and location of such lot markers are
certified by the developers' land surveyor and visible, a zoning permit
shall not be issued.
Bridges, box culverts, deep manholes and other
special structures shall be designed in accordance with good engineering
practice acceptable to the Commission. Bridges and box culverts shall
be designed to carry the full width of required street pavement and
at least four-foot sidewalks on each side. Drainage and structural
computations shall be submitted to the Commission for its approval.
Public water supply shall be provided to lots
in any subdivision located within any area served by public water
supply or when located within such a distance of such public water
supply as to make extension thereof economically feasible. All public
water supply systems shall conform to standards of the Connecticut
Public Utilities Control Authority.
Any sanitary sewer system and sewage treatment
plants serving proposed lots shall conform to standards of the Director
of Health of the Town of Haddam, the Connecticut State Department
of Health and the State Department of Environmental Protection.
In areas where the proposed street system does
not conform to a convenient pattern of pedestrian circulation, particularly
in the vicinity of parks, schools, playgrounds or other public or
semi-public places, the Commission may require the establishment of
ten-foot easements for pedestrian ways.
The Commission may require the installation
of sidewalks on thoroughfares, in pedestrian easements, on local streets
in the vicinity of schools and playgrounds and in other places deemed
proper by the Commission for the public necessity and safety. When
sidewalks are required, plans for the sidewalks shall be shown on
the construction plans. Sidewalks shall be a minimum of four feet
in width and shall be located within the street lines with one edge
abutting the property line. The sidewalk shall be laid on a six-inch
bank run gravel base, tamped and rolled, and shall be constructed
of concrete four inches thick, having an ultimate strength of 3,000
pounds per square inch and having expansion joints with premolded
fillers spaced every 20 feet and suitable weakened plain joints spaced
every five feet. Concrete sidewalk construction shall be scheduled
at the proper time of year to avoid exposure of uncured concrete to
freezing temperatures.
Open space for recreation and/or conservation
purposes, parks and playgrounds shall be provided and reserved in
each subdivision or resubdivision for residential purposes as deemed
necessary and in locations deemed proper by the Commission.
A.
Purpose of open space: to preserve desirable open
space, tree cover, historic sites, recreation areas, scenic vistas,
stream valleys, wetlands and water-related resources, and other environmentally
important and/or sensitive lands and soils.
B.
Character and access. Open space shall be of such
size, location, shape, topography and general character as to be useful
in order to satisfy the needs and the purpose of open space as determined
by the Commission. Proper access shall be provided to all open space
areas, as determined by the Commission.
C.
Acreage. Unless otherwise directed by the Commission,
20% to 25% of the total area of the subdivision or resubdivision shall
be reserved as open space, a percentage of which may be adjusted up
or down depending on the preponderance of substantial environmentally
sensitive land, ledge outcropping and/or surface water. (Street rights-of-way
shall not be included in the computation of the required open space
area.)
D.
Ownership of open space.
(1)
Areas
designated as open space shall be dedicated in one or more of the
following manners, subject to Commission approval:
(a)
The open space may be dedicated to the Town
of Haddam or State of Connecticut by deed; or
(b)
The open space may be conveyed to an interested
nonprofit land conservation trust or corporation; or
(c)
The open space may be dedicated to the Town
or a nonprofit land conservation trust in the form of a preservation
easement; or
(d)
The open space may be owned in common by lot
owners in the development, provided that the open space land remains
undivided and that the use of the open space is limited to the property
owners in the development or their guests; or
(e)
The open space may be retained by the developer,
provided that the open space land is subject to conservation and preservation
restrictions (easements), the terms and conditions of which must meet
with the Commission's approval.
(2)
The open space may be in the form of easements on
each lot. In such instances, the lot sizes shall be increased accordingly
(i.e., to determine the maximum number of lots allowed under the above
arrangement, add the total acreage of the lots to the total acreage
of open space outside the lots then divide by 125%).
(3)
The open space shall be monumented at all major corners
and any changes of direction and at the midpoint of any boundary line
exceeding 500 feet.
E.
Use of open space land. Open space land shall be preserved
in its natural state, and the use of such land shall be limited to
appropriate conservation, open space and recreational purposes as
determined by the Commission. Suitable legal agreements, including
conservation and preservation easements and restrictions, approved
in form and content by the Town Counsel, shall be required by the
Commission. With the approval of the Commission, the conveyance may
allow for the construction of structures and facilities for recreational
purposes, such as playground equipment, tennis courts and golf courses,
to the extent deemed environmentally appropriate. Open space land
shall not be used for the storage of equipment or deposition of debris
and shall not be excavated, filled or regraded and trees shall not
be removed except in accordance with a grading and cutting plan that
has been approved by the Commission.
F.
Waiver of open space. The Commission may determine
that a lesser open space area is sufficient or that such a reservation
of open space is not necessary, provided one or more of the following
situations exist:
(1)
Existing parks, playgrounds, recreational areas or
other public open space is currently available within a 0.25-mile
radius of all proposed lots;
(2)
The minimum reservation area is less than one acre;
and/or
(3)
There exist conservation or preservation restrictions
or other deed restrictions on the property and/or the general size
of the lots does not warrant open space dedication (e.g., subdivisions
where the average lot size exceeds 200% of the minimum lot size requirements
and/or development activity is limited to a specific area on each
lot and the lots are not resubdividable).
Street name signs shall be installed at all
street intersections, in locations approved by the Haddam Public Works
Department. Such signs shall be of a design and material approved
by the Haddam Public Works Department. Other street signs, such as
stop and speed signs, shall be installed as required by Haddam Public
Works Department.
Street trees shall be planted approximately
50 feet apart on both sides of any street, subject to variations made
necessary by driveways, street corners and walks, and shall be located
at least 10 feet from the edge of the pavement. Trees to be planted
shall be 1 3/4-inch caliper or larger and shall have a minimum
height of 10 feet. The species of trees shall be subject to the approval
of the Haddam Planning and Zoning Commission. Where the trees may
interfere with utility poles and wires, the Commission may permit
the location of required trees within the front 10 feet of the proposed
lots. Existing trees along the proposed street which conform to these
requirements may be substituted for new trees at the discretion of
the Commission.
A.
The applicant shall demonstrate to the Commission
that he (she) has considered, in developing the plan, using passive
solar energy techniques. "Passive solar energy techniques" mean site
design techniques which maximize solar heat gain, minimize heat loss
and provide thermal storage within a building during the heating season
and minimize heat gain, and provide for natural ventilation during
the cooling season. The site analysis to be submitted by the applicant
shall include, but not be limited to, an evaluation of:
B.
Incorporation of such site design techniques shall
be reviewed and discussed, on a preliminary basis, with the Town Planner
and/or with the aid of the Passive Solar Subdivision Design Checklist
attached to the subdivision application. Where such techniques are
found to be appropriate and feasible, as weighed against other Commission
concerns for the particular site, they shall be included as part of
the presentation of the proposed subdivision.
C.
In analyzing the appropriateness and feasibility of
incorporating passive solar energy techniques into a subdivision plan,
the Planner shall consider the following when attempting to apply
the five basic design techniques mentioned above:
(1)
Where topographic, soil, vegetation and other physical
(natural and man-made) conditions allow or to the extent practical:
(a)
Street and building orientation.
[1]
The plan shall show principal buildings located
and oriented so that the longest side of the building faces within
30° of true south, the primary and reserve areas for septic systems
shall be located to the south of the proposed building, and the building
shall be located to avoid shadows cast by other buildings, vegetation
or other features.
[2]
Plans shall provide for east-west street orientation;
and for the purpose of this regulation, the east-west street refers
to any street with its axis within 30° of true east.
[3]
Where lot sizes are sufficiently large and on
south-facing slopes or flatland, efforts shall be made to orient the
street(s) within 30° of true south when an east-west orientation
is not feasible.
(b)
Plans shall show vegetation that could be removed
and places where vegetation should not be planted on a lot to take
full advantage of a lot's solar potential. This would include areas
in which vegetation would block sunlight more than 10% of the time
on any given day on the south face of a building. Vegetation (except
for some deciduous plant life) should remain outside the solar access
zone (i.e., 45° off the south-facing corners of the building).
(c)
Development shall be encouraged on south-facing
slopes, and buildings should be arranged and measures taken so as
to minimize north exposure. Regrading activity that would decrease
solar access or increase north exposure shall be minimized.
(d)
No building or structure should be sited or
constructed if the effect of such construction will interrupt solar
access. Solar easements may prove necessary in order to effectively
carry out and maintain the above solar considerations.
(e)
The applicant shall indicate on the subdivision
plan which lots are "particularly suited for passive solar energy"
and demonstrate why.
(2)
Lots for which solar access cannot be achieved through
minimal cutting, orientation or other measures necessary to avoid
casting shadows within the solar access zone shall be labeled, "poor
passive solar energy potential."
The applicant shall prepare a fire protection
plan, in cooperation with the Water Resources Committee of the Haddam
Volunteer Fire Department, to provide adequate fire protection to
the buildings and residents of any new subdivision, including any
subsequent or prior resubdivisions of the same parcel of land, which
contains more than four building lots. Such plan shall receive the
prior written approval of the Committee before submission to the Commission
with the subdivision application.
