A.
Applicability. These standards shall apply to all
uses that require site plan review or a special use permit.
B.
Objectives. Sites to be developed shall be of such
character that they can be safely used for building purposes without
danger to the public health or safety or peril from fire, flood or
other causes. The proposed development shall be compatible with the
character of the community. The development shall be protective of
the environment as well as open space and agricultural resources.
Vegetative screening shall separate commercial and industrial and
other nonresidential uses from residential properties.
An application for site plan or special use
approval shall not be approved unless the proposed use meets the following
minimum lot development standards:
A.
General. Sites shall be able to adequately accommodate
on-site waste treatment and water facilities unless central sewer
and water service is provided.
B.
Environmental considerations. In general, sites to
be developed shall avoid areas where the following conditions are
present or provide appropriate mitigation measures:
(1)
Slopes greater than 15%.
(2)
Bedrock less than five feet from the surface or areas
of frequent rock outcrops.
(3)
Areas of high groundwater (seasonal or permanent).
(4)
Soils with exceptionally slow or fast percolation
rates.
(5)
Flood hazard areas.
(6)
State and federally regulated freshwater wetlands
and their required buffers.
(7)
Fringes of water bodies or watercourses.
(8)
Ridgelines where development results in significant
clearing and/or visibility of structures.
(9)
Prime agricultural soils and/or soils of statewide
importance.
C.
Access standards.
(1)
Site plan and special use permit approval shall be
conditional upon the applicant obtaining any necessary highway work
permits from the jurisdictional permitting authority (state, county,
or Town highway departments).
(2)
In addition, the following access requirements shall
apply:
(a)
Access drives shall be constructed and maintained
so as to provide year-round access.
(b)
In cases where sites have frontage on more than
one road, the principal point of access shall be from the more secondary
road wherever safe and feasible.
(c)
There shall be a minimum distance of 35 feet
between proposed and existing driveways on public roads.
(d)
Driveways shall be combined wherever possible
to minimize the number of access points onto public roadways.
(e)
There shall be a maximum of two driveway entrances
per developed lot.
(f)
No driveway center line shall intersect a road
less than 70 feet from the intersection of any two roadways.
(g)
Driveway grade, width, and sight distance shall
be such that adequate and safe access is provided for emergency and
service vehicles during all seasons.
(h)
The minimum maintained width of driveways shall
be 18 feet, which allows for ingoing and outgoing vehicles to pass
one another safely.
(i)
Driveways shall be 90° to the road.
(j)
The maximum grade of access drives shall be
8%, except for the first 50 feet from an intersection, which shall
have a maximum grade of 4%. The maximum grade for parking areas shall
be 4%.
No site development plan for any use shall be
approved unless adequate provision is made for wastewater treatment
and for a clean potable water supply, as required by the use. The
following standards must be met:
A.
All site development plans relating to water supply
and wastewater treatment shall comply with applicable Health Department
and State Department of Environmental Conservation standards.
B.
Where applicable, sewer system permits are required
prior to issuance of the building permit for any site development.
C.
All utilities, exclusive of transformers, will be
placed underground at the time of initial construction. Required utilities
may include water, sewer, telephone, electricity, gas, and wiring
for streetlights.
D.
Lighting.
(1)
All exterior lights and illuminated signs shall be
designed and located in such a manner as to prevent objectionable
light and glare to spill across property lines. The following horizontal
illumination levels shall be observed. For uses not listed here, the
Planning Board may determine the appropriate horizontal lamination
level referencing the values found in the reference titled "The IESNA
Lighting Handbook" published by the Illumination Engineering Society
of North America. The Planning Board may vary these standards, making
them more or less restrictive, where it finds it to be in the interests
of this chapter and the Town to do so.
|
Use
|
Horizontal Illuminance
(footcandles)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Commercial parking lot
|
2.5
| |
|
Industrial parking lot
|
1.0
| |
|
Office parking lot
|
1.0
| |
|
Recreation parking lot
|
2.5
| |
|
Multifamily parking lot
|
2.5
| |
|
Churches/education lots
|
1.0
| |
|
Building entrances
|
5.0
| |
|
Building exteriors
|
1.0
| |
|
Loading/unloading areas
|
20.0
| |
|
Gas station approach/driveway
|
2.0
| |
|
Gas station pump island
|
10.0
| |
|
Gas station service areas
|
3.0
| |
|
Seasonal stands
|
25.0
| |
|
Automobile lots
|
20.0
| |
|
Driveways and road approaches
|
2.0
| |
|
Sidewalk and bikeways
|
1.0
|
(2)
Fixtures. A lighting fixture shall be architecturally
compatible with the primary building. Fixtures shall be shielded and
have cutoffs to direct light directly to the ground. This must be
accomplished so that light dispersion or glare does not shine above
a ninety-degree horizontal plane from the base of the fixture. Cutoff
fixtures must be installed in a horizontal position as designed. Flat
lens cutoffs are required. Fixtures shall generally be of dark colors.
Pole-mounted fixtures shall not exceed 20 feet in height.
(3)
Vision. Lighting shall not interfere or impair pedestrian
or motorist vision.
(4)
Procedure. At the request of the Planning Board, a
use subject to site plan review shall submit a lighting plan describing
the lighting component specifications such as lamps, poles, reflectors
and bulbs. The lighting plan shall show the illumination levels for
the entire site and shall be at a scale consistent with the site plan.
The Planning Board may require specific lighting plans to address
portions of the site, such as parking lots or pedestrian walkways,
for evaluation purposes. The Planning Board may control the hours
of illumination.
A.
General standards.
(1)
Additional traffic generated, together with existing
traffic, shall not exceed the capacity of the highway(s) that serve
the development.
(2)
Where additional traffic is likely to result in a
significant decrease in level of service or increased delay, or where
it is anticipated to cause the level of service to drop below the
minimums established in the Town of Greenwich Comprehensive Plan,
the Planning Board may require the applicant to provide traffic improvements
as a condition of site plan approval or to reduce the size or density
of the proposed development.
(3)
On-site circulation shall be designed to limit traffic
hazards and to avoid conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians.
(4)
In order to minimize turning movements onto or from
public roadways and adjacent sites, the Planning Board shall encourage
the interconnection of parking areas, where feasible, via access drives
within and between the adjacent uses. Site plans should demonstrate
a layout which would permit future connections, if appropriate.
(5)
The minimum turning radius for on-site circulation
shall be 30 feet.
(6)
The Planning Board shall require striping or other
markings to facilitate on-site circulation and separate individual
parking spaces, loading areas, pedestrian walkways and entrances and
exits in parking areas of six spaces or more.
(7)
Curbing may be required along road frontage to delineate
access points.
(8)
Stacking lanes shall be required for all uses that
involve drive-up customer services, such as bank window tellers, fast-food
restaurants, car wash bays, etc., to avoid any stacking of vehicles
in the public right-of way.
(9)
To the extent possible, parking for commercial uses
shall be located to the sides or rear of the business.
(10)
Off-street parking and loading shall accommodate
access egress of any supply or service vehicles to the business without
obstructing traffic.
(11)
Areas adequate for snow storage shall be provided
without interfering with parking spaces and safe vehicular and pedestrian
movement.
(12)
Handicapped parking shall conform to the guidelines
established under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
B.
Pedestrian circulation systems.
(1)
Where deemed appropriate, sidewalks may be required
by the Planning Board. Sidewalks shall generally be required to link
commercial and multifamily residential uses in the Commercial and
Hamlet/Mixed-Use Districts.
(2)
Sidewalks shall be concrete unless otherwise specified.
(3)
At the discretion of the Planning Board, sidewalks
shall be constructed and placed parallel to the roadway(s) for such
cases, a separation distance of five feet shall be maintained between
the roadway and the sidewalk wherever possible.
(4)
Walkways shall be clearly identified within parking
areas and for public roadway crossings with striping as necessary.
(5)
In order to maximize pedestrian access to and from
adjacent sites, the Planning Board shall encourage interconnection
of sidewalks and pathways.
A.
Flood hazard areas.
(1)
General construction or development in areas of special flood hazard as designated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall be accomplished in accordance with Chapter 122 of the Greenwich Town Code, Flood Damage Prevention.
(2)
Minimum standards.
(a)
All development is prohibited from increasing
the potential for flooding and damages on adjacent properties.
(b)
All development shall not increase flood elevations
on or off the site, either upstream or down.
(c)
All new or substantially improved residential
structures shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated
to or above the one-hundred-year flood elevation.
(d)
All new or substantially improved nonresidential
structures shall be elevated to the one-hundred-year flood elevation.
(e)
All new or substantially improved structures
shall be anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or lateral movement
during the base flood.
(f)
Placement of fill in floodplain areas is allowable
only upon the issuance of permits by the appropriate regulatory agency.
B.
State-designated freshwater wetlands.
(1)
Applicants for site plan approval that affects areas
regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC) as freshwater wetlands shall comply with the applicable regulations
of that agency. Wetland boundaries shall be flagged on the site. The
wetland boundary and one-hundred-foot protective buffer shall be indicated
on the site plan and identified as a New York State wetlands. If a
permit is required by the DEC, evidence that the plan has been submitted
to the DEC shall be provided by the applicant prior to approval of
the site plan. The Planning Board may make its approval contingent
on the approval of the DEC.
(2)
Minimum standards.
(a)
No construction or development within the wetland
or one-hundred-foot buffer.
(b)
No sewage disposal system shall be located within
the wetland or the one-hundred-foot buffer.
(c)
In the event that there is any disturbance of
the wetland, the Board shall require that the applicant obtain a permit
from the DEC.
C.
Federally designated wetlands.
(1)
Applications for site plan approval that affects areas
regulated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps)
as freshwater wetlands shall comply with the applicable regulations
of that agency. Wetlands boundaries shall be flagged on site. The
wetlands boundary shall be indicated on the site plan as a federally
designated wetland. If a permit is required by the Corps, evidence
that the plan has been submitted to the Corps shall be provided by
the applicant prior to approval of the site plan. The Planning Board
may make its approval contingent on the approval of the Corps.
(2)
Minimum standards.
(a)
No construction or development within the federally
designated wetlands.
(b)
No sewage disposal system shall be located within
the federally designated wetlands.
(c)
In the event that there is any disturbance of
the wetlands, the Board shall require that the applicant obtain a
permit from the Corps.
D.
Protection of streams and other water bodies. No alteration
of watercourses, or the area adjacent to watercourses, whether by
excavation, filling, grading, clearing, draining or otherwise, shall
be made that affects the water levels or flow of such watercourses
without review as to the effect of such alteration and any related
facilities on water recharge areas, water table levels, water pollution,
aquatic animal and plant life, temperature change, drainage, flooding,
runoff and erosion. This review and approval of such alteration shall
be made by the Planning Board in consultation with the Natural Resources
Conservation Service and/or the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation. Where the applicant must obtain a stream disturbance
or discharge permit from the DEC, Planning Board approval shall be
conditional on the DEC's permit approval.
E.
Stormwater management. Stormwater runoff from developing
areas can lead to off-site problems, including flooding, erosion,
and water quality degradation. To minimize the effects of development,
ideally the quantity and quality of stormwater runoff that reaches
surface waters during and after development should not be altered
from predevelopment conditions. Stormwater management can best be
achieved through implementation of the NYSDEC Division of Water Technical
and Operations Guidance Series (TOGS) No. 5.1.8, Stormwater Management
Guidelines for New Development.
F.
Erosion and sediment control. Sediment in runoff from
construction sites can have a significant effect on the quality of
downstream waters. It may affect fish habitat, impair photosynthesis
of aquatic plants, decrease recreational values, and increase treatment
costs of water supplies. Erosion and sediment control shall be achieved
through implementation of the NYSDEC Division of Water Technical and
Operations Guidance Series (TOGS) No. 5.1.10, Erosion and Sediment
Control for New Development.
G.
Drainage; grading; erosion; and siltation.
(1)
General. Development on sites with steep slopes (grades
of 15% or greater), streams, wet areas and wetlands, prime agricultural
soils and/or soils of statewide importance and soils subject to erosion
and high runoff volume shall be minimized. Disturbance of any such
areas shall be stabilized and reclaimed as much as possible during
construction and be stabilized at completion.
(2)
Purpose. The purpose of drainage, erosion and siltation
control measures is to:
(a)
Guide drainage and prevent increases in runoff
on and off the site.
(b)
Prevent destruction and loss of soils on and
off the site from increased runoff.
(c)
Prevent siltation of water bodies, watercourses,
wetlands and wet areas on and off the site and subsequent harm to
or loss of aquatic plant and animal life.
(3)
Mitigation standards.
(a)
Runoff control.
[1]
The Planning Board shall require the developer
to provide a stormwater management and erosion control plan where
site conditions warrant the preparation of such a plan. It shall be
based on adequate topographic surveys, soils investigations and runoff
projections.
[2]
To the maximum extent possible, the following
standards shall apply:
[a]
The natural drainage patterns on
and off site shall be used in their present state to the degree possible
and be protected from disturbance.
[b]
Stormwater runoff shall be directed
away from impervious surfaces and toward absorbent ground area.
[c]
The plan shall minimize blockage
and collapse of drainage facilities, street washout or other hazards
associated with drainage and spring runoff conditions.
[d]
Connection shall be made to existing
stormwater runoff drainage systems where feasible.
(b)
Scheduling and phasing of control measures.
The following criteria shall be used in developing stormwater management
plans:
(c)
Drainage easements. Drainage easements to the
Town of Greenwich for the purposes of entering the property to monitor
and maintain stream flow conditions throughout the project site shall
be provided by the applicant and identified on the site plan. Notwithstanding
such easement, a note shall be included on each site plan that "All
stormwater drainage system appurtenances and retention areas shall
be maintained in a fully functional and safe condition by the owner."
(d)
Grading. Grading shall be minimized to the extent
possible on sites with slopes over 15%, streams, wet areas and wetlands,
and soils subject to erosion and high runoff volume, There shall be
no grading permitted on slopes greater than 25% without Planning Board
approval.
[1]
A land grading plan shall be prepared for all
construction and development sites that involve grading. The plan
should show grading proposed both during and after construction.
[2]
The grading plan shall be based upon adequate
topographic surveys and investigations, information about soil type,
depth, properties and slope. Such plans shall also show the proposed
methods for the disposal of runoff water, slope stabilization, erosion
control and drainage. The location of facilities such as waterways,
ditches, diversions, grade stabilization structures, retaining walls
and subsurface drains shall also be shown with reference to the storm
runoff control plan. The grading plan shall be based upon the following
minimum criteria:
[a]
The cut face of earth excavations
and fills shall be no steeper than the safe angle of repose for the
materials encountered and flat enough for stabilization and maintenance.
Generally a maximum of 3:1 slope should be used unless specific engineering
data shows a steeper slope is stable. For erosion control, maintenance
and safety, 4:1 slopes or less are desirable.
[b]
No excavation and filling operations
shall affect adjoining property.
[c]
Land to be cut or filled shall
be cleared of trees, stumps, roots, brush, boulders, sod and debris.
[d]
Fill material shall be free of
sod, roots, frozen soil or other decomposable material.
[e]
The permanently exposed faces of
earth cuts and fills shall be vegetated or otherwise protected from
erosion immediately upon completion of earth placement.
H.
Ridgelines.
(1)
Structures shall generally be sited away from ridgelines.
Wherever possible, structures shall be sited at lower elevations and
close to existing roads and vegetation. In steeply sloped areas, structures
shall be sited in a manner so as to minimize the amount of disturbance
to slopes.
(2)
Structures shall be designed to blend in with the
natural surroundings and landscaping. Wood and stone siding and the
use of roofing materials with earthtone colors are preferred. Light,
bright, and reflective materials should be avoided on the exterior
surfaces of structures.
(3)
Roof slopes shall follow the natural contour of the
land where possible.
(4)
The location, height, design, arrangement and intensity
of outside lighting shall minimize glare and shall be directed and
shaded such that light shall not be directed off site. Residential
and nonresidential structures may be illuminated to the minimum extent
required to provide safe ingress and egress to the structure.
(5)
Vegetation shall be preserved to the maximum extent
possible. Every attempt shall be made to limit the amount of cutting
necessary for either construction or the opening of views from the
subject site so as to maintain the natural vegetation as a screen
for structures as seen from public roads and/or other public views.
The applicant may be required to preserve existing vegetation or provide
new plantings to screen structures.
A.
General. Off-street parking shall be provided to adequately
assure the safe and convenient parking of vehicles out of the road
right-of-way and in such manner as to afford safe pedestrian access
to buildings without traversing a traveled right-of-way.
B.
Maximum standard. Where two or more different uses
occur on a single lot, the total maximum amount of parking may be
reduced by a specific finding of the Planning Board.
C.
All required off-street parking spaces shall be used
solely to park motor vehicles by residents, visitors, patrons or employees.
There shall be no sale, repair or storage of vehicles within off-street
parking areas.
D.
Adequate parking for handicapped persons shall be
provided in conformance with state and federal law.
E.
Appropriate off-street parking requirements for structures
and land that do not fall within the categories listed shall be determined
in each case by the Planning Board based on the assessment of the
parking needs for the proposed use.
F.
Alternate off-street parking requirements to those
shown shall be accepted if the applicant demonstrates that such parking
arrangements better reflect local conditions.
G.
The size of the parking spaces shall be a minimum of nine feet wide
and 18 feet long, except that up to 5% of the spaces may have a minimum
width of 8 1/2 feet.
[Amended 9-6-2012 by L.L.
No. 3-2012]
H.
To the greatest extent possible, parking areas shall
be located in such a way as to minimize visibility from roadways and
adjacent properties.
I.
Parking areas of six spaces or more shall have crushed
stone, blacktop, or other appropriate surface.
J.
Landscaping.
[Amended 9-6-2012 by L.L.
No. 3-2012]
(1)
In parking areas over 20 spaces at least 10% of the interior parking
area shall be landscaped with plantings consisting of both shade trees
and shrub plantings. The Planning Board shall determine the best mechanism
of providing the required landscaped area, which may include the use
of landscaped islands. The following guidelines shall apply to parking
lot landscaping:
(2)
The Planning Board may waive or modify the guidelines in this section
at its discretion. In determining whether to waive or modify these
guidelines, the Planning Board may consider the amount, location and
layout of landscaping both within the parking lot and across the entire
site.
K.
The maximum finished grade for parking areas shall
not exceed 4%.
L.
All parking facilities shall be maintained throughout
the duration of their use to the extent necessary to avoid nuisances
of dust, erosion or excessive water flow across public ways or adjacent
lands.
M.
Snow storage areas shall be indicated on the site
plan and shall not interfere with required parking or traffic circulation.
N.
The Board shall have the authority to consider other
facts and evidence in determining whether proposed off-street parking
is adequate.
A.
General. All portions of properties that are not intended
for development shall remain in their natural state or be suitably
landscaped with the planting of trees and shrubbery. Landscaping shall
minimize erosion and stormwater runoff, provide necessary buffering
and generally seek to blend the proposed use with the character of
the Town.
B.
Landscaping standards.
(1)
Landscaping shall be appropriate to the project, and
the natural vegetation cover shall be maintained where possible.
(2)
Plantings shall include plant selection suitable for
the specific site. Indigenous species of plants shall be included
in the plan whenever possible.
(3)
Healthy trees with diameters of 12 inches or greater
measured at chest height shall be marked on the plan, for the developed
area only, and preserved to the extent possible.
(4)
Pedestrian walkways shall be covered with crushed
stone, bark, gravel, brick, stone, concrete or paved as appropriate,
to allow drainage and prevent erosion.
(5)
Construction practice and planting specifications
shall follow ANSI Z60.1 American Standards for Nursery Stock.
(6)
Wherever possible, natural vegetation shall be maintained
by appropriate construction practices and site layout.
(7)
All planting shown on an approved landscape or site
landscape or development plan shall be maintained throughout the duration
of the proposed use, and plants not so maintained shall be replaced
in accordance with the plan's specifications.
C.
Screening/buffering. A screening buffering area may
be required to screen and protect neighboring residential properties
from the view of facilities, buildings, and parking areas of the site
development, as warranted. These areas are subject to the following:
(1)
Unless waived by the Planning Board, a minimum permanent
vegetated buffer of a width of not less than 10 feet nor more than
30 feet shall separate nonresidential uses from adjacent residential
properties. Plantings shall be indicated on the site plan and shall
meet the following standards:
(a)
Plant materials shall be at a minimum of four
feet in height when planted and shall be spaced to form a continuous,
solid screen at maturity. Generally, plants/trees shall be spaced
apart at distances no greater than 10 feet on center.
(b)
Where appropriate, a wall, fence, or earthen
berm of location, height, and design approved by the Planning Board
may be substituted for the required planting.
(2)
Modifications. Where the existing topography and/or
landscaping provide adequate screening, the Planning Board may modify
the planting and/or buffer area requirements.
D.
Frontage plantings. Frontage plantings may be required
to complement the architectural character of the site and assist in
clearly demarcating pedestrian and vehicular access points to the
site. Plant locations and sizes shall be indicated on the plans and
meet the following standards:
E.
Maintenance and bonding. The property owner is responsible for regular
weeding, mowing of grass, irrigating, fertilizing, pruning and other
permanent maintenance of all plantings as needed. The Planning Board
may require a bond to ensure the health of landscape improvements.
The term of the bond shall be at the discretion of the Planning Board.
[Amended 9-6-2012 by L.L.
No. 3-2012]
F.
Plant species shall be selected from the following list of species
unless a substitution is approved by the Planning Board:
[Added 9-6-2012 by L.L.
No. 3-2012]
|
Deciduous Shade Trees: Parking Lot Islands
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
| |
|
Hackberry
|
Celtis occidentalis
| |
|
Black tupelo
|
Nyssa sylvatica
| |
|
Flowering crab
|
Malus spp.
| |
|
Honeylocust
|
Gleditsia triacanthos
| |
|
Pin oak
|
Quercus palustris
| |
|
Littleleaf linden
|
Tilia cordata
| |
|
Deciduous Shade Trees: Parking Lot Borders
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
| |
|
Red maple
|
Acer rubrum
| |
|
Green ash
|
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
| |
|
American plane
|
Platanus occidentalis
| |
|
Red oak
|
Quercus rubra
| |
|
White oak
|
Quercus alba
| |
|
Witch-hazel
|
Hamamelis virginiana
| |
|
Evergreen Trees: Parking Lot Borders
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
| |
|
Spruce varieties (native only)
|
Picea (varieties)
| |
|
Atlantic white cedar
|
Chamaecyparis thyoides
| |
|
Pine varieties (native only)
|
Pinus (varieties)
| |
|
Eastern hemlock
|
Tsuga Canadensis
| |
|
Deciduous or Evergreen Shrubs: Parking Lot Areas
| ||
|---|---|---|
|
Common Name
|
Scientific Name
| |
|
Euonymous
|
Euonymous fortunei
| |
|
Spirea
|
Spirea x bumalda
| |
|
Dwarf blue spruce
|
Picea pungens 'Glauca Globosa'
| |
|
Pfitzer juniper
|
Juniperus chinensis 'Pfitzeriana'
| |
|
Canada yew
|
Taxus canadensis
| |
|
Virginia rose
|
Rosa virginiana
| |
|
Summersweet
|
Clethra alnifolia
| |
|
Spicebush
|
Lindera benzoin
| |
|
Nannyberry
|
Viburnum lentago
| |
|
Yew
|
Taxus x media 'Densiformis,' 'Everflow,' 'Wardii'
| |
|
Dwarf mugho pine
|
Pinus mugo 'Compacta'
| |
|
Mountain laurel
|
Kalmia latifolia
| |
|
Arrowwood
|
Viburnum dentatum
| |
|
American cranberrybush
|
Viburnum trilobum
| |
|
Winterberry
|
Ilex verticillata
| |
G.
Street level landscaping shall not interfere with visibility.
[Added 9-6-2012 by L.L.
No. 3-2012]
A.
Unnecessary, excessive, offensive and nuisance noises
from all sources are prohibited.
B.
The Planning Board shall have the authority to specify
noise levels and hours at which specified noise levels may be emitted
for uses subject to site plan review or special use permit review.
C.
Exemptions. The following uses and activities shall
be exempt from noise level regulations:
(1)
Air-conditioning equipment when it is functioning
in accord with manufacturer's specifications when it is in proper
operating condition.
(2)
Lawn maintenance and snow removal equipment when it
is functioning in accordance with manufacturer's specifications and
with all mufflers and noise-reducing equipment is in use and in proper
operating condition.
(3)
Nonamplified noises resulting from the activities
such as those planned by school, governmental, or community groups.
(4)
Noises resulting from any authorized emergency vehicle
or warning device when responding to an emergency call or acting in
time of emergency.
(5)
All noises coming from the normal operations of railroad
trains.
(6)
All noises coming from the normal operations of agricultural
activities.
(7)
Noises of church chimes.
A.
With the exception of agricultural activities, no
odors may be emitted which are easily detectable and offensive at
the property line and which cause annoyance to a person of reasonable
sensitivity.
B.
With the exception of agricultural activities, no
emission of fly ash, dust, fumes, vapors, toxic gases or other forms
of air pollution shall be permitted which can cause any damage to
health, animals, vegetation, or other forms of property which can
cause any excessive soiling.
No activities shall be permitted which:
No vibration shall be permitted which is detectable
without the aid of an instrument at the property line or which may
cause annoyance to a person of reasonable sensitivity.
Development at the site shall take into consideration
that access to the site and the structures must accommodate emergency
vehicles.
A.
Intent.
(1)
The design guidelines provide applicants and the Planning
Board with guidance as to the form and appearance of development that
is desired. The intent of the guidelines is to encourage buildings
that are desired and constructed with a form and appearance that is
compatible with their surroundings, protect and improve surrounding
property values, and support and encourage good design. The guidelines
are intended to provide sufficient choice and design to permit applicants
to incorporate creative and innovative design solutions.
(2)
These guidelines are intended to encourage structures
that are similar in appearance and layout to those historic buildings
found on the Main Street of the Village of Greenwich. Specific elements
that are encouraged include the construction of small, rather than
large, structures which are broken up into multiple elements. Multistory
buildings are encouraged. The use of brick, wood, clapboard and stone
siding is encouraged. The construction of commercial buildings close
to the roadway and to one another is encouraged.
B.
Modification. The Planning Board may modify the guidelines
herein upon written determination that such modification is warranted.
In considering any proposed modification, the Planning Board shall
consider whether granting the modification will be consistent with
the purposes of this chapter, will be in the public interest and will
consider compensatory design features, such as color, materials and
other decorative features.
C.
Covered activities.
(1)
These architectural design standards shall apply to
the following buildings, structures or uses exceeding 1,500 square
feet or any addition to such structures exceeding 1,500 square feet
in the Commercial and Hamlet/Mixed-Use Districts:
(a)
Automobile sales and repair.
(b)
Bank.
(c)
Bar/tavern.
(d)
Boat and machinery sales and repair.
(e)
Convenience store.
(f)
Cultural building/use.
(g)
Drive-through.
(h)
Educational building/use.
(i)
Fast-food restaurant.
(j)
Funeral home.
(k)
Gas station.
(l)
Grocery store.
(m)
Hospital/medical building/use.
(n)
Indoor recreational use.
(o)
Membership club.
(p)
Mixed-use development.
(q)
Motel/hotel/inn.
(r)
Multifamily house.
(s)
Municipal building/use/service.
(t)
Nursing/convalescence home.
(u)
Office.
(v)
Personal service establishment.
(w)
Private utility building.
(x)
Restaurant.
(y)
Retail use.
(z)
Shopping center.
(aa)
Theater.
(bb)
Veterinarian.
(cc)
Warehouse.
(2)
In addition, these standards, as may be modified by
the Planning Board, shall apply to the following uses in the Rural
Agricultural District:
D.
Criteria.
(1)
Main entrance. The main building entrance must be
designed to be prominent, attractively delineated, covered to protect
residents as well as designed to maximize energy efficiency.
(2)
Facade. Building facades exceeding 45 feet in length,
and that face the street, must include design measures that increase
the building's aesthetic appeal in all of the following areas:
(a)
Provide articulation of the building facade
using forms such as porches, terraces, bay windows, dormers, pilasters
or other building setbacks; and
(b)
Provide architectural details such as brackets,
banding, railings, chimneys, entry columns or shutters which must
be provided to be compatible with the better buildings in the neighborhood
context; and
(c)
Provide roof shapes for sloped roofs, such as
hips, gables or cupolas, that are visually appealing and compatible
with the better buildings in the neighborhood context. For buildings
with flat roofs, provide a parapet with coping and cornice.
(3)
Front facade. The front entranceway shall be offset
at least one foot from the facade and clearly delineated with architectural
elements. The owner may designate which facade is the front facade
on buildings with frontage on two or more streets.
[Amended 9-6-2012 by L.L.
No. 3-2012]
(4)
Roof. The roofline shall have the following design
characteristics:
(a)
The roofline shall be broken up at least every
50 feet.
(b)
Gutter lines or driplines of peaked roofs shall
not face the street unless they are broken up over each entranceway.
(c)
Roofs must have two or more of the following:
parapets concealing flat roofs and mechanical equipment, overhanging
eaves, sloped roofs and three or more roof planes.
(5)
Exterior materials. Exterior materials shall be wood,
stone, brick, clapboard or other material as approved by the Planning
Board. Concrete block exteriors are prohibited.
(6)
Landscaping. Landscaping shall be provided that enhances
the building. Landscaping may include indigenous shrubs, berms, decorative
fencing, lighting and signage.
(7)
Screening. All exterior mechanical equipment, meters
and dumpsters shall be screened.
In addition to the foregoing, no individual
commercial store or business may exceed 60,000 square feet in size,
inclusive of outdoor display and storage areas. For purposes of this
section, individual stores that have one or more separate building
pads or footprints which are connected to one another by means of
a common walkway shall be considered to be a single store. This section
is not intended to regulate shopping centers, which may exceed 60,000
square feet in total size, provided that no individual store exceeds
60,000 square feet.
Standards for multifamily dwellings shall be
as follows:
A.
Sidewalks shall be provided, as appropriate, to connect
the residential units with parking areas, public streets, recreation
areas and other apartment buildings.
B.
Buffers shall be used, as appropriate, to separate
the residential units from the recreational areas and to maintain
natural areas between multifamily structures. Buffer strips shall
consist of trees, hedges, dense plantings, earth berms and/or changes
in grade.
C.
Landscaping and screening shall conform to the following
minimum standards:
D.
Solid waste and recycling receptacles of adequate
capacity shall be provided for the maximum number of residents. Receptacles
shall be screened from view by fencing or landscaping and properly
emptied to prevent odor and unsanitary conditions. The receptacle
shall be designed to prevent the escape of litter and waste.
E.
Internal road systems for multifamily developments
shall be in conformance with the following standards:
(1)
Double-lane access shall be provided. A road network
with two separate access points may be required where justified by
site and/or traffic conditions.
(2)
Internal circulation systems shall be able to accommodate
all service and emergency vehicles and shall provide for year-round
access.
(3)
Private roads within a multifamily development shall
conform to Town of Greenwich standards for street design.
Property to be developed for industrial uses
shall be developed in accordance with the following standards:
A.
Landscaping and screening shall be provided as follows:
(1)
Existing vegetation shall be used to the greatest
extent possible.
(2)
Along a property line facing a residential property,
a minimum twenty-foot-wide to fifty-foot-wide buffer strip of evergreen
planting shall be provided to effectively screen a heavy industrial
use. For a light industrial use, the minimum may be reduced to a ten-foot
buffer.
(3)
Along road frontage, a twenty-foot-wide buffer of
landscaping shall be provided where appropriate and be designed so
as not to obstruct sight distance at points of access for heavy industrial
use. Landscaping for light industrial uses may be reduced to a ten-foot-wide
buffer.
B.
The following off-street loading standards for heavy
industrial uses shall be met by the applicant unless otherwise exempted
by the Planning Board:
(1)
There shall be a minimum of one off-street loading
space.
(2)
Each off-street loading space shall be at least 15
feet in width and provide adequate access and turning areas.
(3)
Any loading dock facing a road front shall be sufficiently
far back from the road to enable the largest permitted tractor-trailer
to maneuver into said loading dock without obstructing traffic.
[Added 12-28-2016 by L.L.
No. 1-2017]
In addition to the standards contained elsewhere in Article V, the Planning Board shall consider the following in reviewing an application for a residential treatment facility:
