The improvements which follow are necessary to assure that all lots in subdivisions are adequately and properly served with utilities, sanitation features which provide a healthy and safe environment and other safeguards which assure property is properly identified, accessible to pedestrians and to vehicles and safeguarded against dangers such as flooding and erosion. Improvements are required to preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the natural features of the land and to make the subdivision an attractive and desirable place to live.
Wherever practical, natural features of the property being subdivided shall be preserved.
A. 
To the fullest extent possible, all existing trees and shrubbery shall be preserved by the subdivider. The subdivision should be designed with consideration being given to the preservation of natural features. Precautions also shall be taken to protect existing trees and shrubbery during the process of grading the lots and roads. Where any land other than that included in public rights-of-way is to be dedicated to the public use, the developer shall not remove any trees from the site without written Planning Board approval.
B. 
Where a subdivision is traversed by natural surface water, the boundaries and alignment of the body of water shall be preserved unless the Planning Board finds that a change would be ecologically sound and would enhance the development and beauty of the project.
C. 
Every effort should be taken by the subdivider in designing a project to preserve unique physical features, such as historic landmarks and sites, rock outcroppings, hilltop lookouts, desirable natural contours and similar natural features.
Utilities are required to assure that the property is adequately served by water, sewer and drainage systems and by electric power and other fuel-distribution systems. To assure that these systems are properly installed and easily repaired, inspection of the installation of these improvements is required.
A. 
Water distribution. A system of transmitting potable water to the subdivision and appurtenances in adequate amounts for the normal use of each lot in the proposed subdivision is required. Two systems of water distribution are possible.
(1) 
Public water supply systems. Public water supply shall be provided wherever existing water mains are reasonably accessible in the opinion of the Planning Board. The system must be approved by the New York State Department of Health and must conform to Design and Constructions Standards of the Town of Geneva.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said standards are on file in the town offices.
(2) 
Individual water systems (wells). A well is a deep hole or shaft dug or drilled in the ground to obtain potable water and bring it to the surface for an individual lot. Only those developments which cannot be served by extension of public water systems may be designed with individual water systems.
B. 
Sanitary sewer systems.
(1) 
Sanitary sewage is the combination of human and household wastes with water. These sewer systems are used to dispose of sanitary sewage from individual lots in a subdivision. Two types of sanitary sewer systems are permitted: public sanitary sewer systems and individual sewage disposal systems. All public and selected individual sanitary sewer systems must be approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and/or the New York State Department of Health, whichever is applicable.
(2) 
Public sanitary sewers shall be provided whenever existing sanitary sewers are reasonably accessible, in the opinion of the Planning Board. These systems also must conform to the Design and Construction Standards of the Town of Geneva.
C. 
Drainage systems. These are a combination of natural watercourses and man-made facilities intended to convey stormwater runoff and shall conform to the Design and Construction Standards of the Planning Board of the Town of Geneva.
(1) 
Adequate and comprehensive drainage systems shall be provided in accordance with the natural direction of runoff for the total upland watershed area affecting the subdivision. Such drainage systems shall have sufficient capacity to accommodate the potential future runoff based upon the probable land use and ultimate development of the total watershed area upland of the subdivision.
(2) 
In general, the preservation of natural watercourses is preferable to the construction of drainage channels and, wherever practicable, such natural watercourses should be preserved and utilized.
D. 
Easements. Utility and drainage easements are required for all proposed subdivisions.
(1) 
Utility easements. An easement shall be provided for all utility lines wherever those utility lines do not fall within a dedicated right-of-way. All utility easements shall be plotted on both the preliminary and final subdivision plat. The developer must identify all easements in deeds for each lot affected. Utility easements shall have a minimum width of 10 feet. All utility lines which are primarily intended to provide service to the lots within the subdivision shall be installed underground at a depth and at such locations as will minimize risk of interruption of services.
(2) 
Drainage easements. Drainage easements shall be provided for all natural and man-made drainageways which do not fall within a dedicated right-of-way. All drainage easements shall be plotted on the preliminary and final plats. The town shall be provided with a metes and bounds description of all proposed easements prior to final plat approval. These descriptions will be used by the Engineer for the town and the Attorney for the town in creating or extending special districts.
(3) 
The Planning Board reserves the right to require additional easements when the purposes of the easements are found to be in the public interest.
E. 
Inspection. The installation of improvements shall be subject to inspection at all stages by the appropriate Inspector of the Town of Geneva. For this purpose, free access shall be afforded and requested information shall be promptly submitted. The cost of such inspections shall be approved by the Engineer for the town and included in the value of the surety submitted for the project.
Site surface improvements are required to ensure that the ecology of the subdivision is not disturbed adversely, that the subdivision presents an attractive appearance, that it is properly paved and monumented and that all improvements are recorded on the final plat for approval by the Town Board.
A. 
Erosion control. Every effort should be taken by the subdivider in designing a project to preserve unique physical features, such as historic landmarks and sites, rock outcroppings, hilltop lookouts, desirable natural contours and similar natural features. Erosion and sedimentation control shall conform to the Design and Construction Standards for the Planning Board of the Town of Geneva.[1]
(1) 
During the development process, the developer shall expose the smallest practical area of land at any one time. Proper erosion control measures shall be in place prior to any area being distributed. Examples of normal erosion control are straw baling, silt dams made of synthetic materials and siltation collection depressions.
(a) 
Topsoil moved during the course of construction should be stored in such a manner as to allow for minimum volume to be stacked or stored at any one time. The stacking or storage period should be kept as short as possible.
(b) 
Removal, storage and redistribution of topsoil should be consistent with the phasing of construction for the purpose of reducing the need for the storage of large volumes of soil over a lengthy period. Soil shall be redistributed so as to cover all areas of the subdivision adequately and shall be stabilized by seeding or planting. Topsoil which is stored shall be stabilized by seeding.
(c) 
Removal of any topsoil from the site must be approved by the Planning Board.
(2) 
Temporary vegetation and/or mulching should be provided to prevent potential erosion problems during construction.
(3) 
Upon completion of the project, the subdivider shall not be permitted to leave any hills or mounds of dirt around the tract. All surfaces should be restored within six months of the time of the completion of the section of the subdivision.
(4) 
Upon completion of the project, the subdivider shall not be permitted to leave any surface depressions which will collect pools of water except as may be required for retention of stormwater runoff.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said standards are on file in the town offices.
B. 
Landscaping. Landscaping is the improvement of land by contouring and decorative planting which includes vegetative ground cover.
(1) 
All lots which are disturbed during the course of construction and which are not covered by structures or paving shall be properly landscaped by the developer.
(2) 
Individual homeowners, by written agreement with developer, subdivider or builder, may landscape their yards independently.
(3) 
Additional landscaping may be required by the Planning Board to screen or buffer the subdivision from a visually noncompatible use.
C. 
Street signs. Permanent street signs of the same type and design in general use throughout the town, showing the names of intersecting streets, shall be erected at each intersection. Signs at private road intersections shall contain the designation "drive."
D. 
Monuments. Permanent reference monuments shall be set at critical corners and angle points of the boundaries within the subdivision. Generally, critical corners and angle points shall be deemed to mean boundary corners and angle points in the boundaries of the parcel being subdivided and in street right-of-way boundaries at all street intersections. Variations to this general rule shall be permitted with Planning Board approval. Requests for deviations shall be made prior to preliminary plat approval. Agreements on monumentation shall be incorporated into the subdivision plan of the final plat.
E. 
Roads and streets. All dedicated roads and sidewalks shall be constructed in conformance to specifications set forth by the Town of Geneva.
F. 
Sidewalks. The policy of the Town of Geneva is to encourage the building of sidewalks wherever appropriate. The need for sidewalks in major subdivisions shall be determined by the Planning Board. Location of sidewalks generally shall be within the road right-of-way and any pedestrian access easements. Sidewalks shall conform to Town of Geneva regulations.
G. 
Planting. Adequate tree planting shall be completed by the developer. Street trees shall be not less than 40 feet nor more than 50 feet apart. Tentative tree species will be indicated on the preliminary plat. Generally, trees shall not be less than two inches to 2 1/2 inches in diameter at the base at the time of planting. They may be planted on either side of the sidewalk unless the planting strip is less than eight feet, in which case they should be planted in the lawn area. Trees must be adequately supported by guy wires until firmly rooted.
Flood hazard prevention shall conform to the provisions of Chapter 80, Flood Damage Prevention, of the Code of the Town of Geneva.