In considering applications for subdivision of land, the Planning Board shall be guided by the standards set forth hereinafter. Said standards shall be considered to be minimum requirements and shall be waived by the Board only under circumstances set forth in Article IX herein.
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.
Existing features which would add value to residential development, such as large trees, watercourses, historic spots and similar irreplaceable assets, should be preserved, insofar as possible, through harmonious design of the subdivision. Development shall cause minimum disturbance to existing landscaping. Topsoil shall not be removed from the site except with approval of the Planning Board.
A. 
Width. Every street which, in the opinion of the Planning Board, may become a main artery of travel shall have a right-of-way width of not less than 60 feet and a roadway width of not less than 30 feet. No other proposed street shall have a right-of-way width of less than 50 feet, except in cases of hardship, in which case, for special cause shown, the Planning Board may decide to authorize a street width of not less than 40 feet. The width of all streets shall be constructed to accommodate the prospective traffic and afford access for fire fighting, snow removal and other road maintenance equipment.
B. 
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. All streets shall be so laid out that their use by through traffic will be discouraged.
C. 
Culs-de-sac. In case of dead-end streets, provision shall be made at the terminus thereof for the convenient turning of vehicles by way of a circle of not less than 70 feet in diameter or other adequate means.
D. 
Relation to topography. Streets shall be logically related and conform insofar as possible to the original topography. They shall be arranged so as to obtain as many as possible of the building sites at or above the grades of the streets. A combination of steep grades and sharp curves shall be avoided.
E. 
Block size. Block dimensions shall be at least twice the minimum lot depth and generally not more than 12 times the minimum lot width. In long blocks, the Planning Board may require the dedication through the block of a twenty-five-foot wide easement to accommodate utilities or pedestrian traffic.
F. 
Intersections. Intersections of major streets by other streets shall be at least 800 feet apart, if possible. Cross (four cornered) street intersections shall be avoided, except at important traffic intersections. A distance of at least 150 feet shall be maintained between offset intersections. Within 40 feet of an intersection, streets shall be approximately at right angles, but in no instance shall the angle be less than 70°, and grades shall be limited to 1%. All street intersection corners shall be rounded by curves of at least 25 feet in radius at the property line.
G. 
Visibility at intersections. Within the triangular area formed at the corners by the intersecting street lines, for a distance of 40 feet from their intersection and the diagonal connecting the end points of these lines, visibility for traffic safety shall be provided by excavating, if necessary. Nothing in the way of fences, walls, hedges or other landscaping shall be permitted to obstruct such visibility.
H. 
Design and construction standards. Streets shall meet standards set forth in the "Design Standard Drawings" and approved by the Village Highway Superintendent and Village Engineer.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Design Standard Drawings are included as an attachment to this chapter.
I. 
Street names. All streets shall be named, and such names shall be subject to the approval of the Village Board. Names shall be sufficiently different in sound and spelling from other street names in the Village so as not to cause confusion. A street which is a continuation of an existing street shall bear the same name.
J. 
Improvements. Streets shall be graded and improved with pavement, street signs, sidewalks (where applicable), streetlighting standards, curbs, gutters, trees, water mains, sanitary sewers, storm drains and fire hydrants and underground electric, cable television and telephone services except where the Planning Board may waive, subject to appropriate conditions, such improvements as it considers are not requisite to the interest of public health, safety and general welfare.
K. 
Underground utilities. Underground utilities required by the Planning Board shall conform to the standards set forth in the "Design Standard Drawings."[2] Underground utilities shall be located to simplify the locating and repair of the lines, and the subdivider shall install underground service connections to the property of each lot before the street is paved.
[2]
Editor's Note: The Design Standard Drawings are included as an attachment to this chapter.
A. 
Arrangement. The arrangement of lots shall be such that there will be no foreseeable difficulties for reasons of topography or other conditions in locating a building on each lot and in providing access to buildings on such lots from an approved street. All lots shall be numbered to comply with the Washington County 911 emergency services requirements.
B. 
Access across watercourses. Where a watercourse separates the buildable area of a lot from the access street, provisions shall be made for the installation of a culvert or other structure, of a design approved by the Village Engineer.
C. 
Side lot lines. Side lot lines shall be at right angles or radial to the street lines unless a variation from this rule will give a better street or lot plan.
D. 
Corner lots. Corner lots shall have extra width to permit appropriate building setback from and orientation to both streets.
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide an equitable and effective development standard for securing adequate land for parks, playgrounds and open space for recreation uses in subdivisions in the Village of Fort Edward.
B. 
Land dedication. The subdivider proposing land dedication shall file with the Village Board a plat detailing the sites for the development of a park, playground or other recreational facility. Recreation space shall be provided by the subdivision on the basis of no more than 10% of the total area of the subdivision. Such area or areas may be dedicated to the Village by the developer if the Village Board approves such dedication.
C. 
Fee in lieu of land. When requested by the subdivider, or in cases where the Board finds that, due to the size, shape, topography or location of the subdivision, land for park, playground or other recreation purpose cannot be properly located therein, the Village Board may waive the requirement that the plat show land for such purposes. The Board shall then require as a condition of approval of the plat a payment of recreation fees in lieu of land, such amount shall be set by the Village Board. Such amount shall be paid to the Village Board at the time of final plat approval, and no plat shall be approved by the Planning Board until such payment is made. Such payments shall be held in a special fund for acquisition and development of recreation land. All money in this fund is to be used only for:
(1) 
The purchase of land that is suitable for new or enlarged parks, playgrounds or open spaces and located so as to serve the inhabitants of the Village's residential neighborhoods; and
(2) 
The improvement of new or existing park, playground and open space lands which serve the Village's residential neighborhoods.
D. 
In any case, the Planning Board shall be satisfied that required recreation land will be maintained and will not be used for other than recreation purposes.
E. 
Nothing in this section will be construed as prohibiting a developer from reserving other land for recreation purposes in addition to the requirements of this section.
F. 
The Planning Board shall not at any time authorize the waiver of both the land dedication and fee in lieu thereof requirements.
The water supply for the subdivision shall come from the existing water system used in the Village of Fort Edward. All components of the water system shall meet the requirements of the Highway Superintendent and standards set forth herein. Valves and hydrants shall meet Village requirements.
The sanitary sewer system for the subdivision shall meet the requirements of the Washington County Sewer Agency.
A landscape plan shall be provided by a licensed landscape architect for subdivisions of 20 lots or more. Such landscape plan shall include:
A. 
The location and species of street trees if retained within the right-of-way or proposed to be planted by the subdivider.
B. 
Details of method of tree protection and tree planting.
C. 
Plans and details of any site improvements related to park or recreation planning, including layout, grading, planting and details of any improvements.
D. 
Plans and details of any other public amenities provided in the subdivision.
E. 
The date and scale.
F. 
The title under which the proposed subdivision is to be recorded with the names of the owner and landscape architect who prepared the landscape plan; the license number and seal of the landscape architect shall be affixed to the drawing.