[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Monroe 12-4-2008 (Ch. 49 of the 1976 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 232.
Highway modification — See Ch. 308.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ACCESS
The travelway for vehicles between the edge of the road and the property line, commonly referred to as the "apron."
AGENT
The Director of Public Works or individual, partnership or corporation duly appointed by the Town to undertake the duties and exercise the authority herein conferred upon the Director.
DRIVEWAY
The travelway for vehicles between the access and the garage and/or off-street parking area.
FIRST SELECTMAN
The chief executive officer of the Town vested with the powers as listed in the Town Charter.
PERSON
Includes any person, firm, corporation, association or partnership.
RIGHT-OF-WAY
Limit of the public-owned and/or -maintained land, including the paved travelway, shoulder area and other areas dedicated and utilized for public access and utility locations/service.
ROAD
Public vehicular and pedestrian travelways (limits of maintained pavement), referred to as "roads," "streets" or "highways." Said roads include all public through traffic and nonoutlet travelways.
STREET LINE
Common property boundary line between the Town roadway right-of-way (ROW) and a private property line (typically the front yard property line of a private parcel).
TOWN
The Town of Monroe.
No person shall construct or cause to be constructed or locate or relocate or repave any driveway or access as defined in this chapter except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the provisions of Chapter 308, Highway Modification, §§ 308-1 through 308-13, of this Code.
No person shall construct or cause to be constructed, locate or relocate an access or a driveway in the Town without a highway modification permit as detailed in Chapter 308, Highway Modification, §§ 308-1 through 308-13, of this Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
An adequate paved or graded area for backing from a residential garage and/or parking space shall be provided in order to preclude backing into a public street. Said turnaround area shall be large enough to allow for a moving passenger vehicle to turn a full 180° while performing only one backing movement. The configuration of the turnaround shall be shown on a certified site plan submitted with the required application for a building permit. The property owner is responsible for providing, maintaining and replacing said turnaround area. Driveway turnarounds should also be provided for existing driveways, whenever possible, but are not a specific requirement of this chapter.
Where an access or a driveway requires filling, cutting or regrading in or near wetlands, watercourses or floodplains, a permit to remove/deposit fill may be required by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Inland Wetlands Commission, the Floodplain Administrator and/or any other applicable federal, state or local agencies, boards or commissions prior to the issuance of a driveway access permit.
A. 
Location and layout.
(1) 
No access shall be located within 50 feet of the intersection of the street lines of two or more roads, unless it is unavoidable in developing an approved building lot that is in existence at the time of the adoption of this chapter. No more than one driveway shall be constructed on the same premises unless the distance between access aprons is 50 feet or more for driveways within residential properties and 100 feet or more for all nonresidential properties.
(2) 
A parking space, at least 10 feet in width and 20 feet in length, with adequate configuration for vehicular access to the same, must be constructed adjacent to the street ROW and access (apron) in cases where the driveway exceeds 100 feet in length and/or the grade of the driveway exceeds 5% beyond the street line.
(3) 
Provisions in this Subsection A shall not apply to driveways with access onto a permanent nonoutlet turnaround or cul-de-sac, unless the Town Engineer determines that the location of said driveway access in relationship to the overall length of the nonaccess road warrants that this Subsection A should apply.
B. 
Angle. A driveway access shall enter a road at right angles when possible and in no case shall the angle be less than 60°. This shall apply for a distance of 40 feet from the center line of the road.
C. 
Width. All residential driveway access shall be no less than 10 feet wide at the property line or at any point along the driveway and no greater than 20 feet wide at the roadway edge, unless a variation of this requirement is requested in writing and approved by the Town Engineer. All other driveway widths shall be as required by the planning and zoning regulations/application process.
D. 
Grade.
(1) 
The grade of the driveway access shall not exceed 3% within a distance of 20 feet from the edge of the paved roadway. The remaining portion of the driveway from the Town road/ROW to the internal lot garage and/or parking area(s) shall comply with the following:
(a) 
Residential properties. Paved driveways shall not exceed 10% and unpaved driveways shall not exceed 8% in profile slope.
(b) 
Commercial properties. Paved driveways shall not exceed 8% and unpaved driveways shall not exceed 6% in profile slope.
(2) 
In all cases, said driveway shall include a paved access (apron) with, in the case of a driveway located down gradient of the paved roadway, a high point located at the street line or other appropriate location as accepted by the Town Engineer. A minimum of two-percent pitch shall be utilized in establishing said high point.
E. 
Design and construction. The design and construction of the access shall conform to Chapter 308, Highway Modification, of this Code, established Rules and Regulations for Highway Modification and all other applicable federal, state and local codes, ordinances, standards, regulations, notices, resolutions and/or requirements and practices.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
F. 
Paved lip. A paved one-inch minimum lip with rounded edges shall be provided at the edge of the driveway access (apron) located along the roadway gutter and said paved lip shall be maintained by the owner of the premises.
G. 
Interference with culverts and drainage. The driveway or access shall be so designed as not to interfere with the function of existing culverts or drainage.
H. 
Water. Water from a driveway or access must be diverted or intercepted before reaching the roadway travel path, unless conditions are accepted by the Town Engineer as being of minimal impact to the roadway system.
I. 
Sight line. The area along the edge of the road being entered shall be unobstructed for a distance of 50 feet in each direction from a point 10 feet back from the edge of the existing or proposed travelway. Adequate sight line distance shall also be provided in accordance with best management practices and the Connecticut Department of Transportation Highway Design Manual methods and criteria, in addition to the current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials standards. Said sight line distance shall be reviewed and accepted by the Town Engineer and shall in no case be less than 250 feet in either direction.
A. 
Access on state highways shall not require permits, provided that the proposed work complies with all requirements of the State Highway Department of the State of Connecticut and required permits are obtained from the State Highway Department of the State of Connecticut, and provided further that a copy of such permit is furnished to the Town Engineer and filed in the Building Department, along with the application for a building or zoning permit, prior to the commencement of any work.
B. 
Persons receiving state permits, as provided above, shall file an informational form or copy of the state permit with the Director of Public Works, Town Engineer and/or the Town Planner if requested as part of a Town permit or Commission approval process.
A. 
Violations of this chapter shall bear a penalty of $25 for each offense.
B. 
Each day a driveway or access exists in violation of this chapter (which is more than seven days following notice by the Town to the owner of the property on which said driveway or access is located, or to the person in charge of or occupying said property) shall be considered a separate offense under this chapter.
C. 
In addition to any other penalties as there may be, access to or egress from any driveway constructed, located or relocated in violation of this chapter may be prohibited at the discretion of the Town. No regular access to or egress from a property by vehicle shall be provided except by an approved driveway and access.
A. 
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the maintenance and repair of a driveway or access in existence or for which a permit has been issued at the time of or prior to the adoption of this chapter.
B. 
The driveway grade requirements pertaining to the portion of the driveway located fully within the parcel, as detailed in this chapter, and sight line requirements, as also detailed in this chapter, shall not be required for properties existing at the time of the adoption of this chapter if site conditions preclude the provision of the same as demonstrated on a furnished certified site drawing (by appropriate professional engineer and/or land surveyor) and accepted by the Town Engineer.
Nothing in this chapter shall require the Town to repair or improve any driveway or access or shall render the Town liable to a property owner for failure to make said repair or improvement except where such repair or improvement is made necessary as a result of the widening, repair, maintaining or relocation of a Town road.