Village of Highland Falls, NY Article VII Design Standards

§ 207-18 Purpose.

These design standards are a guide to subdivision development in keeping with municipal policy, so that subdivisions may be coordinated with existing built-up areas and may become integral parts of a well-planned community of good quality with provisions for desirable services and facilities. The Planning Board, in reviewing and approving subdivisions, will give additional guidance to subdividers as necessary to adapt these design standards to the terrain and to protect the natural scenic beauty of the community.

§ 207-19 Land use standards.

A. Proposed land uses shall conform to Chapter 240, Zoning, of the Code of the Village of Highland Falls, the Master Plan and the provisions of these regulations.

B. Land reserved from subdivision shall be of feasible dimensions for development in the future in accordance with the present zoning.

C. Subdivision designs shall indicate consideration for suitable protection of different types of land uses and for the segregation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic incompatible with particular uses.

D. Desirable sites shall be provided for public and semipublic land uses, such as schools, firehouses and churches.

E. Natural areas, parks and playgrounds are vital to a well-balanced community. Each subdivision will be required by the Planning Board to provide one of the following:

(1) In proper cases, a demarcated area (or areas), approved by the Planning Board, of at least one acre per 100 building lots for park and playground purposes; or

(2) The cash equivalent of Subsection E(1) deposited to the credit of the Park and Playground Fund, to be used in suitable places for park, playground and recreational purposes, in such manner as the local governing body may decide.

§ 207-20 Street and highway standards. [1]

A. The street and highway layout shall conform to the Master Plan for streets and highways and shall provide appropriately located street taps or stub streets to adjacent areas.

B. The street pattern within a subdivision shall be orderly. Where appropriate, a major or collector street shall be provided for more direct access to minor streets.

C. Minor streets shall be laid out so that their true use for through traffic will be discouraged. Particular attention shall be given to eliminating possible bypasses around traffic signals and major intersections.

D. There shall be no duplicate street names within the municipality.

E. Block dimensions, where the natural terrain permits, shall be as follows:

(1) Maximum length shall be 1,200 feet.

(2) Minimum length shall be 400 feet.

(3) Minimum width shall relate to the zoning district requirements for yards and lot areas and shall generally provide for two tiers of lots.

(4) Special attention shall be given to blocks in industrial and business districts to provide for access to the lots and to areas for parking and truck delivery.

F. Culs-de-sac, where the natural terrain permits.

(1) Maximum length shall be 500 feet.

(2) Minimum radius for the right-of-way at the turnaround shall be 60 feet, and the minimum outside curb radius shall be 50 feet.

G. Intersections.

(1) No more than two streets shall intersect or meet at any one point.

(2) No street shall intersect or meet another street at an angle of less than 60°.

(3) The center lines of all streets entering an intersection shall pass through a single point.

(4) Intersections on a secondary highway shall be spaced a minimum of 500 feet apart, measured from the points of intersection of the center lines.

(5) Offset intersections of minor and major streets shall be spaced a minimum of 150 feet apart, measured from the points of intersection of the center lines.

H. Horizontal alignment shall have:

(1) A minimum distance between intersections of 150 feet.

(2) A minimum tangent length between reverse curves of 50 feet.

I. Vertical alignment shall have:

(1) A minimum grade of 1%;

(2) A maximum grade of 10% (12% on minor streets); or

(3) A prescribed maximum grade over a short distance as established by the Planning Board on the basis of specific and unusual terrain conditions, but in no case exceeding 18%.

(4) A maximum grade of 4% within 100 feet of an intersection.

J. Sight distances on horizontal and vertical curves shall be at least:

(1) One thousand feet for secondary highways.

(2) Five hundred feet for major streets.

(3) Two hundred feet for minor streets.

K. Improvement standards for all street and highway cross sections shall be as shown on Drawing No. 1, except where specifically modified by the Planning Board.

L. Planting strips. All planting strips within street rights-of-way shall be finish graded, properly prepared and seeded or sodded with lawn grass in conformance with good nursery and landscape practice.

M. Monuments. Monuments shall be of reinforced concrete or stone and shall be four inches square with a length of at least 24 inches and shall be embedded the full depth.

N. Subgrade.

(1) The right-of-way shall only be cleared and graded to the extent that is necessary to construct the street system.

(2) All boulders, organic material, soft clay, spongy soil and other objectionable material in the roadway shall be removed and replaced by material approved by the Municipal Engineer or other delegated municipal officer.

(3) The subgrade of the roadway shall be properly stabilized, shaped, rolled and uniformly compacted with a ten-ton roller to conform with the lines, grades and typical cross sections of this specification and with the approved final plat and public improvement plan and profile drawings. The process of shaping, rolling and filling shall be repeated until no depressions develop.

(4) All rutting, displacement or soft spots after the subgrade has been compacted shall be properly repaired with new material, regraded and recompacted.

(5) When existing materials in the roadway are to be used for road base material, that material shall be removed from the surface of the subgrade so that the subgrade may be properly prepared before the base is constructed.

(6) Cuts and fills shall have a maximum slope of one on two from the edge of the right-of-way, except when specifically modified by the Planning Board and by the Municipal Engineer, or other delegated municipal officer, for the purpose of saving trees or some particular terrain feature at the given place.

[1] Editor's Note: See also the Typical Street Cross Section Diagram included at the end of this chapter.

§ 207-21 Storm drainage standards.

A. Land subject to periodic or occasional flooding shall not be platted for residential occupancy nor for any other use that may endanger life or property or aggravate the flood hazard; and further, such land within a plat shall be set aside for park purposes in addition to those areas that are required by § 207-19E.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 111, Flood Damage Prevention.

B. Stormwater sewers shall have a minimum diameter of 18 inches.

C. Manholes shall be provided in drain lines not more than 350 feet apart and wherever branches are connected or sizes are changed and wherever there is a change in alignment or grade.

D. Alignment of pipes shall be in a straight line between manholes.

E. Drain lines shall be placed between the center line of the road and the gutter line and shall, as far as practical, parallel the center line of the road.

F. Not more than two catch basins shall be interconnected before being connected to a manhole.

G. Drainage structures which are located on state or County highway rights-of-way shall be approved by the State or County Highway Engineer's office, and a letter from said office indicating such approval shall be directed to the Municipal Planning Board.

H. Surface drainage in gutters shall be limited to the equivalent of that flowing from 1.5 impervious acres; however, where the tributary impervious area exceeds the runoff from 1.0 impervious acre, a double-inlet catch basin shall be used.

I. Planned use of natural and other open drainage lines shall be based on an investigation and a written report to the Planning Board as to the downstream conditions anticipated as a result of such use.

J. All open drainage lines (watercourses and ditches) shall be protected by easements guaranteeing to the municipality the right of access and power to improve the channels as well as prohibiting structural or terrain encroachments within the easement except on approval by the Municipal Engineer or other delegated municipal officer. Such easements shall have a minimum width of 50 feet.

K. All open drainage lines and swales shall be protected against erosion by suitable stabilizing materials or construction.

§ 207-22 Preservation of natural environment.

A. Subdivision design shall preserve, insofar as is possible, the natural terrain and natural drainage lines.

B. A conscious effort shall be made to preserve all worthwhile trees and shrubs that exist on the site. On individual lots or parcels, care shall be taken to preserve selected trees to enhance the landscape treatment of the development.

C. Natural fertility of the soil shall be preserved by disturbing it as little as is possible.

D. Open watercourses shall be recognized as community assets. Subdivision design may well be enhanced by featuring streams and brooks.

§ 207-23 Additional standards.

Where the property to be subdivided is next to or includes a railroad right-of-way, suitable provisions shall be made for such features as grade crossings, screening and freight access in recognition of the relationship between the railroad and the subdivision.