The Commission finds that certain parcels of
land, because of their unique physical characteristics, may benefit
from additional flexibility in the design of subdivisions. Such benefits
may include improved living and working environments; more economical
subdivision layouts; greater ingenuity and originality in total subdivision
and individual site design; and, especially, the preservation of valuable
open space to serve recreational, scenic, and other public purposes.
In addition to subdivision approval pursuant
to these regulations, conservation subdivisions require the issuance
of a special permit pursuant to the Chapter
270, Zoning. The Commission
considers the special permit criteria separately, in accordance with
the applicable zoning regulations and applicable state statutes. No
plan for a conservation subdivision may be approved pursuant to these
regulations unless the Commission first issues a special permit for
the proposed conservation subdivision in accordance with Chapter
270,
Zoning.
All lots and parcels of land that exist as legally
separate and independent lots or parcels as of the effective date
of this §
302-40 shall be deemed to be "original parcels"
for purposes of this section. All applications for a subdivision or
resubdivision that would cause any original parcel to be divided,
or to have been divided cumulatively since the effective date of this
§
302-40, into six or more lots shall be in the form of
an application for a conservation subdivision. Applications for conservation
subdivisions for fewer than six lots may also be filed. Upon a finding
by the Commission that a particular site is not appropriate for a
conservation subdivision, or upon the denial of an application for
a special permit for a conservation subdivision pursuant to Article
V of Chapter
270, Zoning, the Commission may require the submission
of a standard subdivision application pursuant to Articles
I through
IV of these regulations.
The location of open space conserved through
conservation subdivision design shall be consistent with the policies
contained in the Town of Haddam Plan of Conservation and Development,
and with the recommendations contained in this §
302-41.
A. General location standards.
(1) Conservation subdivisions shall be designed so that
all the conservation subdivision open space land is contiguous to
the maximum extent practicable. The design process should therefore
commence with the delineation of all potential open space, after which
potential house sites should be designated. Following that, access
road alignments should be identified, with lot lines being established
as the final step.
(2) Where title to the conservation subdivision open space
land is to be commonly held by one entity, such as a homeowners' association
or the Town of Haddam, the contiguous open space shall be directly
accessible to the largest practicable number of lots within the subdivision.
In any event, the majority of lots should abut the contiguous open
space in order to provide direct views and access. Except where the
conservation subdivision open space land is to be privately owned
by individual lot owners without any public access rights or access
rights by other lot owners, safe and convenient pedestrian access
to the open space from all lots not adjoining the open space shall
be provided (except in the case of farmland or other resource areas
vulnerable to trampling damage or human disturbances). Where open
space is designated as separate, noncontiguous parcels, no parcel
shall consist of less than three acres in area nor have a length-to-width
ratio in excess of 4:1, except such areas that are specifically designed
as village greens, active recreational fields, upland buffers to wetlands,
water bodies or watercourses, or trail links.
B. Evaluation criteria for open space dedications. In
evaluating the layout of lots and open space, the Commission shall
consider the following criteria as indicating design appropriate to
the site's natural, historic, and cultural features, and meeting the
purposes of these conservation subdivision regulations. In addition,
the Commission may consider any report or comments submitted by the
Town of Haddam's Conservation Commission or other Town, state or federal
agencies or officials. While the Commission may require a conservation
subdivision to satisfy one or more of the following criteria, conservation
subdivisions are not necessarily required to satisfy all of the following
criteria since the relevance of these criteria will vary from site
to site. Diversity and originality in lot layout shall be encouraged
to achieve the best possible relationship between development and
conservation areas. Accordingly, the Commission may evaluate proposals
to determine whether the proposed conceptual plan:
(1) Protects and preserves all floodplains, wetlands,
and steep slopes from clearing, grading, filling, or construction
(except as may be approved by the Commission for essential infrastructure
or active or passive recreation amenities).
(2) Preserves and maintains mature woodlands, existing
fields, pastures, meadows, orchards, and wildlife corridors, and creates
sufficient buffer areas to minimize conflicts between residential
and agricultural uses. For example, locating house lots and driveways
within wooded areas is generally recommended, with two exceptions.
The first involves significant wildlife habitat or mature woodlands
that raise an equal or greater preservation concern, as described
in Subsection
B(5) and
(8) below. The second involves predominantly
agricultural areas, where remnant tree groups provide the only natural
areas for wildlife habitat.
(3) Minimizes disturbance of prime agricultural soils.
If development must be located on open fields or pastures because
of greater constraints in all other parts of the site, and continued
agricultural activity could, and is likely to be, accommodated on
the parcel, dwellings should be sited on the least prime agricultural
soils, or in locations at the far edge of a field.
(4) Maintains or creates an upland buffer of natural native
species vegetation of at least 100 feet in depth adjacent to wetlands
and watercourses.
(5) Designs around existing hedgerows and tree lines between
fields or meadows, and minimizes impacts on large woodlands (greater
than five acres), especially those containing many mature trees or
a significant wildlife habitat, or those not degraded by invasive
vines. Also, woodlands of any size on highly erodible soils with slopes
greater than 10% should be avoided. However, woodlands in poor condition
with limited management potential can provide suitable locations for
residential development. When any woodland is developed, great care
should be taken to design all disturbed areas (for buildings, roads,
yards, septic disposal fields, etc.) in locations where there are
no large trees or obvious wildlife areas, to the fullest extent that
is practicable.
(6) Leaves scenic views and vistas unblocked or uninterrupted,
particularly as seen from public thoroughfares. For example, in open
agrarian landscapes, a deep "no-build, no-plant" buffer is recommended
along the public thoroughfare where those views or vistas are prominently
or locally significant. The concept of "foreground meadows," with
homes facing the public thoroughfare across a broad grassy expanse,
is strongly preferred to mere buffer strips, with or without berms
or vegetative screening. In wooded areas where the sense of enclosure
is a feature that should be maintained, a deep "no-build, no-cut"
buffer should be respected to preserve existing vegetation.
(7) Avoids setting new construction on prominent hilltops
or ridges, by taking advantage of lower topographic features.
(8) Protects wildlife habitat areas of species listed
as endangered, threatened, or of special concern by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and/or by the Connecticut Department of Environmental
Protection.
(9) Designs around and preserves sites of historic, archeological,
or cultural value, and their environs, insofar as needed to safeguard
the character of the feature, including stone walls, spring houses,
barn foundations, cellar holes, earthworks, and burial grounds.
(10)
Protects rural roadside character and improves
public safety and vehicular carrying capacity by avoiding development
fronting directly onto existing public roads; establishes buffer zones
along the scenic corridor of rural roads with historic buildings,
stone walls, hedgerows, and so on.
(11)
Landscapes common areas (such as community greens),
cul-de-sac islands, and both sides of new streets with native species
shade trees and flowering shrubs with high wildlife conservation value.
Deciduous shade trees shall be planted at forty-foot intervals on
both sides of each street, so that the neighborhood will have a stately
and traditional appearance when they grow and mature. These trees
shall generally be located between the sidewalk or footpath and the
edge of the street, within a planting strip not less than five feet
in width.
(12)
Provides active recreational areas in suitable
locations that offer convenient access by residents and adequate screening
from nearby house lots.
(13)
Includes a pedestrian circulation system designed
to assure that pedestrians can walk safely and easily on the site,
between properties and activities or special features within the neighborhood
open space system. All roadside footpaths should connect with off-road
trails, which in turn should link with potential open space on adjoining
undeveloped parcels (or with existing open space on adjoining developed
parcels, where applicable).
(14)
Provides open space that is reasonably contiguous,
and whose configuration is in accordance with the guidelines contained
in the Design and Management Handbook for Preservation Areas, produced
by the Natural Lands Trust, or such other equivalent handbook as the
Commission may identify. For example, fragmentation of open space
should be minimized so that these resource areas are not divided into
numerous small parcels located in various parts of the development.
To the greatest extent practicable, this land shall be designed as
a single block with logical, straightforward boundaries. Long, thin
strips of conservation land shall be avoided, unless the conservation
feature is linear or unless such configuration is necessary to connect
with other streams or trails. The open space shall generally abut
existing or potential open space land on adjacent parcels (such as
in other subdivisions, public parks, or properties owned by or eased
to private land conservation organizations). Such conservation subdivision
open space shall be designed as part of larger contiguous and integrated
greenway systems, as per the policies in Haddam's Plan of Conservation
and Development.
An approved conservation subdivision plan should
provide for a total environment better than that which could be achieved
under standard regulations. Therefore, if, in the opinion of the Commission,
the proposed plan could be improved in respect to the criteria listed
below by the reasonable modification of the location of conservation
open space or buildings or configurations of lots, streets, and parking
areas, the Commission shall so modify the proposed plan or shall deny
it. In acting on a proposed plan, the Commission shall give particular
consideration to the following criteria:
A. Individual lots, buildings, streets, and parking areas
shall be designed and situated to minimize alteration of the natural
site features to be preserved.
B. The usability of conservation open space intended
for recreation or public use shall be determined by the size, shape,
topographic, and location requirements of the particular purpose proposed
for the site.
C. Conservation open space shall include irreplaceable
natural features located in the tract (such as, but not limited to,
stream beds, significant stands of trees, individual trees of significant
size, and rock outcroppings).
D. Conservation open space intended for a recreational
or public use shall be easily accessible to pedestrians, and, when
appropriate, such accessibility shall meet the needs of the handicapped
and elderly.
E. The suitability of conservation open space intended
for scenic value and purposes shall be determined by its visibility
from a significant number of units or buildings or length of public
or private streets.
F. Diversity and originality in lot layout and individual
building design shall be encouraged to achieve the best possible relationship
between development and the land.
G. Individual lots, buildings, and units shall be arranged
and situated to relate to surrounding properties, to improve the view
from and the view of buildings, and to lessen area devoted to motor
vehicle access.
H. Individual lots, buildings, units, and parking areas
shall be situated to avoid the adverse effects of shadows, noise,
and traffic on the residents of the site.
I. Land with slopes greater than 25% may be removed or
altered only when such slopes are isolated, small, or otherwise occur
as insignificant knolls that do not adversely affect the design of
the plan or conservation open space.
J. The provision of such open space, parks and/or playgrounds
that are open to the public as the Commission may require pursuant
to the authority granted to it under C.G.S. § 8-25.
Except as otherwise provided in this article,
conservation subdivisions shall be processed in accordance with, and
shall be subject to, the formal consideration, public hearing, notice
and other requirements (e.g., bonding) of §
302-11 of these
regulations. Conservation subdivisions shall also conform to the design
and construction standards contained in Article
IV of these regulations,
except that §§
302-22D,
E and
302-33 shall not apply
to conservation subdivisions.
An approved plan for a conservation subdivision
development shall be the site plan for the development of the subject
property. A statement indicating that the land lies within an approved
conservation subdivision area shall be placed on the record plan.
Any lots in the conservation subdivision shall
comply with minimum lot size and average lot size requirements provided
in §
270-14 of Chapter
270, Zoning, and the terms and limitations
of any special permit issued for such conservation subdivision pursuant
to Article
V of Chapter
270, Zoning. All public roads, sidewalks,
curbs, gutters, and storm drainage facilities shall comply with applicable
laws and regulations.
For roads in conservation subdivisions that are proposed to
remain private and not to be turned over to the Town of Haddam for
maintenance, an applicant may consider "residential lane" design criteria
per §
302-23D, Road Design Standards Table, if approved
by the Commission after consultation with the Town Engineer. If the
applicant chooses this alternative, sample language to be included
in the deeds for all lots in the conservation subdivision shall be
submitted to the Commission indicating that these are private roads
and cannot be dedicated to the Town of Haddam. A homeowners' association
must be created to maintain the private roads, and the method of assessing
its members shall be provided to the Commission.
Plate #2 illustrates a typical design for a cul-de-sac in a
conservation subdivision. The Commission may consider alternative island layouts
as proposed by the designer, after consulting with the Town Engineer
to determine their functionality and a determination is made that
the design is adequate to accommodate emergency services.
Road Design Standards Table
|
---|
Design Criteria
|
Collector
(Thoroughfare)
|
Local Access
(Local)
|
Cul-de-Sac
|
Residential Lane
Private Road
|
---|
Design speed (mph)
|
35
|
30
|
25
|
25
|
Minimum right-of-way width
|
50 feet
|
50 feet
|
50 feet
|
50 feet
|
Minimum pavement width
|
30 feet
|
24 feet1
|
24 feet (22 feet for permanent culs-de-sac)
|
18 feet to 20 feet
|
Vertical alignment
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minimum grade
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
|
Maximum grade
|
8%
|
10%
|
10%
|
12%
|
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
|
125 feet
|
Horizontal alignment
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minimum radius of curvature
|
470 feet
|
340 feet
|
225 feet
|
125 feet
|
|
Minimum tangent length between curves
|
180 feet
|
150 feet
|
150 feet
|
50 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
|
235 feet
|
|
See Figure 1 for intersection sight distance
detail.
|
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.
|