A. 
General. In considering applications for subdivision of land, the Planning Board shall be guided by the standards set forth hereinafter. The said standards shall be considered to be minimum requirements.
B. 
Specifications for required improvements. All required improvements shall be constructed or installed to conform to Town specifications.
C. 
Character of land. Land to be subdivided shall be of such character that it can be used safely for building purposes without danger to health or peril from fire, flood or other menace.
A. 
Width, location and construction. Streets shall be of sufficient width, suitably located, and adequately constructed so as to conform with Chapter 116, Streets and Sidewalks, Art. I, Street Specifications, Town of Cobleskill. The arrangement of streets shall be such as to cause no undue hardship to adjoining properties and shall be coordinated so as to compose a convenient system.
[Amended 10-3-2011 by L.L. No. 2-2011]
B. 
Arrangement. The arrangement of streets in the subdivision shall provide for the continuation of principal streets of 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.
C. 
Minor streets. Minor streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic will be discouraged.
D. 
Special treatment along major arterial streets. When a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed major arterial street, the Board may require marginal access streets reverse frontage with screen planting contained in 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.
E. 
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.
F. 
Dead-end streets. In the case of dead-end streets, 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 existing public streets or streets on an approved subdivision plat for which a bond has been filed.
G. 
Block size. Blocks generally shall not be less than 400 feet nor more than 1,200 feet in length. In general, no block width shall be less than twice the normal lot depth. 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 of underground utilities and pedestrian traffic where needed or desirable and may further specify, at its discretion, that a four-foot wide paved foot path be included.
H. 
Intersections with collector or major arterial roads. Minor or secondary street openings into such roads shall in general be at least 500 feet apart.
I. 
Street jogs. Street jogs with center line offsets of less than 125 feet shall be avoided.
J. 
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.
K. 
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.
L. 
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.
A. 
General. In general, street design shall conform with the Planning Board and Town Engineer recommendations.
B. 
Improvements. Streets shall be graded and improved with pavements, curbs, and gutters, sidewalks, storm drainage facilities, water mains, sewers, streetlights and signs, street trees, and fire hydrants, except where waivers may be requested. 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 Planning Board. Such grading and improvements shall be approved as required by the Planning Board. Such grading and improvements shall be approved as to design and specifications by the Town Engineer.
(1) 
Fire hydrants. Installation of fire hydrants shall be in conformity with all requirements of standard thread and nut as specified by the New York Fire Insurance Rating Organization and the Division of Fire Safety of the State of New York.
(2) 
Streetlighting facilities. Lighting facilities shall be in conformance with the lighting system of the Town. Lighting facilities and fixtures shall be installed after approval by the appropriate power company and the Planning Board/Engineer.
C. 
Utilities in streets. The Planning Board shall, whenever possible, 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.
D. 
Utility easements. Where topography is such as to make impractical the inclusion of utilities within the street rights-of-way, perpetual unobstructed easements at least 20 feet in width shall be otherwise provided 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.
E. 
Watercourses.
(1) 
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 Town Engineer.
(2) 
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 Town Engineer, and in no case less than 20 feet in width.
F. 
Curve radii. In general, street lines within a block, deflecting from each other at any one point by more than 10°, shall be connected with a curve, the radius of which for the center line of street shall not be less than 400 feet on major streets, 200 feet on collector streets and 100 feet on minor streets.
A. 
Type of name. All street names shown on a preliminary plat or subdivision plat shall be approved by the Planning Board. Streets shall have names and not numbers or letters.
B. 
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 except that streets that join or are in alignment with streets of an abutting or neighboring property shall bear the same name. Generally, no street should change direction by more than 90° without a change of street name.
A. 
Lots to be buildable. The lot arrangement shall be such that in constructing a building in compliance with Chapter 140, Zoning, there will be no foreseeable difficulties for reasons of topography or other natural conditions. Lots shall not be of such depths as to encourage the later creation of a second building lot at the front or rear.
B. 
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.
C. 
Corner lots. In general, corner lots should be larger than interior lots to provide for proper building setback from each street and provide a desirable building site.
D. 
Driveway access. Driveway grades between the street and the setback line shall not exceed 10%.
E. 
Monuments and lot corner markers. Permanent monuments meeting specifications approved by the Town 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 Town Engineer may require, and their location shall be shown on the subdivision plat.
A. 
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.
B. 
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 Town Engineer shall approve the design and size of facility based on anticipated runoff from a fifty-year storm under conditions of total potential development permitted by Chapter 140, Zoning, in the watershed.
C. 
Responsibility for drainage downstream. The subdivider's engineer shall also study the effect of each subdivision on the existing downstream drainage facilities outside the area of the subdivision; this study shall be reviewed by the Town 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 twenty-five-year storm, the Planning Board shall not approve the subdivision until provision has been made for the improvement of said condition.
D. 
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 with the plat shall be set aside for such uses as shall not be endangered by periodic or occasional inundation or improved in a manner satisfactory to the Planning Board to remedy said hazardous conditions.
A. 
Recreation areas shown on Town Plan. Where a proposed park, playground or open space shown on the Town Plan is located in whole or in part in a subdivision, the Board shall require that such area or areas be shown on the plat in accordance with the requirements specified in Subsection B below. Such area or areas may be dedicated to the Town or county by the subdivider if the Town Board approves such dedication.
B. 
Parks and playgrounds not shown on Town Plan.
(1) 
The Planning Board shall require that the plat show sites of a character, extent, and location suitable for the development of a park, playground, or other recreation purpose. The Planning Board may require that the developer satisfactorily grade any such recreation areas shown on the plat.
(2) 
The Board shall require that no less than three acres of recreation space be provided per 100 dwelling units shown on the plat. However, in no case shall the amount be more than 10% of the total area.
C. 
Public sites and open spaces. Where deemed essential by the Planning Board, upon consideration of the particular type of development proposed in the subdivision, and especially in large-scale neighborhood developments, the Planning Board may require the dedication of reservation of such other areas or sites of a character, extent, and location suitable to the needs created by such development for schools, parks and other neighborhood purposes.
D. 
Dedication. Where a dedication is required, it shall be accomplished as follows: The subdivider shall dedicate a maximum of 10% of the land area of the subdivision. Where such dedication would amount to less than two acres, the subdivider shall, in lieu thereof, pay a fee to the Town, to be computed as follows:
(1) 
The estimated dollar value of that amount of land based on the sale value of unimproved lots in the subdivision comparable to the amount of land that would otherwise be dedicated to recreation and open space; or
(2) 
Average value of one acre of undeveloped land adjacent to a public road within 1/4 mile of any point within that subdivision. Monies received, by the municipality, from such payments shall be placed in a park land acquisition fund, such monies to be expended for acquiring park lands within 1/2 mile of any point of the subdivision.
E. 
Unusable areas. Unusable areas or areas bordering streams, lakes, or other watercourses can be given special consideration by the Planning Board in excess of the minimum. The Town may accept these areas as gifts, or purchase them should they be desirable for public open spaces.
F. 
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, shall be prohibited.
G. 
Preservation of natural features. The Planning Board shall, wherever possible, establish 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.