In considering applications for subdivision of land, the Planning Board shall be guided by the standards set forth hereinafter. The said standards shall be considered to be minimum requirements and shall be waived by the Board only under circumstances set forth in Article VI herein.
Character of land. 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.
Conformity to Official Map and Master Plan. Subdivisions shall conform
to the Official Map of the town and shall be in harmony with the Master
Plan, if such exists.
Specifications for required improvements. All required improvements
shall be constructed or installed to conform to the town specifications,
which may be obtained from the Town Building Inspector.
Width, location and construction. Streets shall be of sufficient
width, suitably located and adequately constructed to conform to the
Master Plan, if such exists, and to accommodate the prospective traffic
and afford access for fire-fighting, snow removal and other road maintenance
equipment. 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.
Arrangement. The arrangement of streets in the subdivision shall
provide for the continuation of principal streets of adjoining subdivisions
and for proper projection of principal streets into adjoining properties
which are not yet subdivided in order to make possible necessary fire
protection, movement of traffic and the construction or extension,
presently or when later required, of needed utilities and public services
such as sewers, water and drainage facilities. Where, in the opinion
of the Planning Board, topographic or other conditions make such continuance
undesirable or impracticable, the above conditions may be modified.
Special treatment along major arterial streets. When a subdivision
abuts or contains an existing or proposed major arterial street, the
Board may require marginal access streets, reverse frontage with screen
planting contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear property
line, deep lots with rear service alleys or such other treatment as
may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties
and to afford separation of through and local traffic.
Provision for future resubdivision. Where a tract is subdivided into
lots substantially larger than the minimum size required in a zoning
district in which a subdivision is located, the Board may require
that streets and lots be laid out so as to permit future resubdivision
in accordance with the requirements contained in this chapter.
Dead-end streets. The creation of dead-end or loop residential streets
will be encouraged wherever the Board finds that such type of development
will not interfere with normal traffic circulation in the area. In
the case of dead-end streets, where needed or desirable, the Board
may require the reservation of a twenty-foot-wide easement to provide
for continuation of pedestrian traffic and utilities to the next street.
Subdivisions containing 20 lots or more shall have at least two street
connections with existing public streets or streets shown on the Official
Map, if such exists, or streets on an approved subdivision plat for
which a bond has been filed.
Block size. Blocks generally shall not be less than 400 feet nor
more than 1,200 feet in length. In general, no block width shall be
less than twice the normal lot depth. In blocks exceeding 800 feet
in length, the Planning Board may require the reservation of a twenty-foot-wide
easement through the block to provide for the crossing of underground
utilities and pedestrian traffic, where needed or desirable, and may
further specify, at its discretion, that a four-foot-wide paved footpath
be included.
Intersections with collector or major arterial roads. Minor or secondary
street openings into such roads shall, in general, be at least 500
feet apart.
Angle of intersection. In general, all streets shall join each other
so that for a distance of at least 100 feet the street is approximately
at right angles to the street it joins.
Relation to topography. The street plan of a proposed subdivision
shall bear a logical relationship to the topography of the property,
and all streets shall be arranged so as to obtain as many of the building
sites as possible at or above the grade of the streets. Grades of
streets shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography.
Other required streets. Where a subdivision borders on or contains
a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway right-of-way, the
Planning Board may require a street approximately parallel to and
on each side of such right-of-way at a distance suitable for the appropriate
use of the intervening land, as for park purposes in residential districts
or for commercial or industrial purposes in appropriate districts.
Such distances shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements
of approach grades and future grade separations.
Widths of rights-of-way. Streets shall have the following widths.
When not indicated on the Master Plan or Official Map, if such exists,
the classification of streets shall be determined by the Board.
Improvements. Streets shall be graded and improved with pavements,
curbs and gutters, sidewalks, storm drainage facilities, water mains,
sewers, streetlights and signs, street trees and fire hydrants, except
where waivers may be requested, and the Planning Board may waive,
subject to appropriate conditions, such as it considers may be omitted
without jeopardy to the public health, safety and general welfare.
Pedestrian easements shall be improved as required by the Town Building
Inspector. Such grading and improvements shall be approved as to design
and specifications by the Town Building Inspector.
Fire hydrants. Installation of fire hydrants shall be in conformity
with all requirements of standard thread and nut as specified by the
New York Fire Insurance Rating Organization and the Division of Fire
Safety of the State of New York.
Streetlighting facilities. Lighting facilities shall be in conformance
with the lighting system of the town. Such lighting standards and
fixtures shall be installed after approval by the appropriate power
company and the authorized Town Electrical Inspector.
Utilities in streets. The Planning Board shall, wherever possible,
require that underground utilities be placed in the street right-of-way
between the paved roadway and street line to simplify location and
repair of lines when they require attention. The subdivider shall
install underground service connections to the property line of each
lot within the subdivision for such required utilities before the
street is paved.
Utility easements. Where topography is such as to make impractical
the inclusion of utilities within the street rights-of-way, perpetual
unobstructed easements at least 20 feet in width shall be otherwise
provided with satisfactory access to the street. Wherever possible,
easements shall be continuous from block to block and shall present
as few irregularities as possible. Such easements shall be cleared
and graded where required.
Grades. Grades of all streets shall conform in general to the terrain
and shall not be less than 1/2% nor more than 6% for major collector
streets or 10% for minor streets in residential zones, but in no case
more than 3% within 50 feet of any intersection.
Changes in grade. All changes in grade shall be connected by vertical
curves of such length and radius as meet with the approval of the
Town Building Inspector so that clear visibility shall be provided
for a safe distance.
Curve radii at street intersections. All street right-of-way lines
at intersections shall be rounded by curves of at least 20 feet radius
and curbs shall be adjusted accordingly.
Steep grades and curves: visibility at intersections. A combination
of steep grades and curves shall be avoided. In order to provide visibility
for traffic safety, that portion of any corner lot (whether at an
intersection entirely within the subdivision or of a new street with
an existing street) which is shown shaded on Sketch A below shall
be cleared of all growth (except isolated trees) and obstructions
above the level three feet higher than the center line of the street.
If directed, ground shall be excavated to achieve visibility.
Dead-end streets (culs-de-sac). Where dead-end streets are designed
to be so permanently, they should, in general, not exceed 500 feet
in length and shall terminate in a circular turnaround having a minimum
right-of-way radius of 60 feet and pavement radius of 50 feet. At
the end of temporary dead-end streets, a temporary turnaround with
a pavement radius of 50 feet shall be provided, unless the Planning
Board approves an alternate arrangement.
Watercourses. Where a watercourse separates a proposed street from
abutting property, provision shall be made for access to all lots
by means of culverts or other structures of design approved by the
Town Building Inspector.
Curve radii. In general, street lines within a block deflecting from
each other at any one point by more than 10° shall be connected
with a curve, the radius of which for the center line of street shall
not be less than 400 feet on major streets, 200 feet on collector
streets and 100 feet on minor streets.
Service streets or loading space in commercial development. Paved
rear service streets of not less than 20 feet in width, or in lieu
thereof, adequate off-street loading space, suitable surfaced, shall
be provided in connection with lots designed for commercial use.
Free flow of vehicular traffic abutting commercial developments.
In front of areas zoned and designed for commercial use or where a
change of zoning to a zone which permits commercial use is contemplated,
the street width shall be increased by such amount on each side as
may be deemed necessary by the Planning Board to assure the free flow
of through traffic without interference by parked or parking vehicles
and to provide adequate and safe parking space for such commercial
or business district.
Type of name. All street names shown on a preliminary plat or subdivision
plat shall be approved by the Planning Board. In general, streets
shall have names and not numbers or letters.
Names to be substantially different. Proposed street names shall
be substantially different so as not to be confused in sound or spelling
with present names, except that streets that join or are in alignment
with streets of an abutting or neighboring property shall bear the
same name. Generally, no street should change direction by more than
90° without a change in street name.
Lots to be buildable. The lot arrangement shall be such that in constructing
a building in compliance with the Zoning Ordinance,[1] there will be no foreseeable difficulties for reasons
of topography or other natural conditions. Lots should not be of such
depth as to encourage the later creation of a second building lot
at the front or rear.
Side lines. All side lines of lots shall be at right angles to straight
street lines and radial to curved street lines, unless a variance
from this rule will give a better street or lot plan.
Corner lots. In general, corner lots should be larger than interior
lots to provide for proper building setback from each street and provide
a desirable building site.
Driveway access. Driveway access and grades shall conform to specifications
of the Town Driveway Ordinance, if one exists. Driveway grades between
the street and the setback line shall not exceed 10%.
Access from private streets. Access from private streets shall be
deemed acceptable only if such streets are designed and improved in
accordance with this chapter.
Monuments and lot corner markers. Permanent monuments meeting specifications
approved by the Town Building Inspector as to size, type and installation
shall be set at such block corners, angle points, points of curves
in streets and other points as the Town Building Inspector may require,
and their location shall be shown on the subdivision plat.
Removal of spring and surface water. The subdivider may be required
by the Planning Board to carry away by pipe or open ditch any spring
or surface water that may exist either previous to or as a result
of the subdivision. Such drainage facilities shall be located in the
street right-of-way, where feasible, or in perpetual unobstructed
easements of appropriate width.
Drainage structure to accommodate potential development upstream.
A culvert or other drainage facility shall, in each case, be large
enough to accommodate potential runoff from its entire upstream drainage
area, whether inside or outside the subdivision. The Town Building
Inspector shall approve the design and size of facility based on anticipated
runoff from a ten-year storm under conditions of total potential development
permitted by the Zoning Ordinance[1] in the watershed.
Responsibility for drainage downstream. The subdivider's engineer
shall also study the effect of such subdivision on the existing downstream
drainage facilities outside the area of the subdivision; this study
shall be reviewed by the Town Building Inspector. Where it is anticipated
that the additional runoff incident to the development of the subdivision
will overload an existing downstream drainage facility during a five-year
storm, the Planning Board shall notify the Town Board of such potential
condition. In such case, the Planning Board shall not approve the
subdivision until provision has been made for the improvement of said
condition.
Land subject to flooding. Land subject to flooding or land deemed
by the Planning Board to be uninhabitable shall not be platted for
residential occupancy nor for such other uses as may increase danger
to health, life or property or aggravate the flood hazard, but such
land within the plat shall be set aside for such uses as shall not
be endangered by periodic or occasional inundation or improved in
a manner satisfactory to the Planning Board to remedy said hazardous
conditions.
Recreation areas shown on Town Plan. Where a proposed park, playground or open space shown on the Town Plan is located in whole or in part in a subdivision, the Board shall require that such area or areas be shown on the plat in accordance with the requirements specified in Subsection B below. Such area or areas may be dedicated to the town or county by the subdivider if the Town Board approves such dedication.
The Planning Board shall require that the plat show sites of a character,
extent and location suitable for the development of a park, playground
or other recreation purpose. The Planning Board may require that the
developer satisfactorily grade any such recreation areas shown on
the plat.
The Board shall require that not less than three acres of recreation
space be provided per 100 dwelling units shown on the plat. However,
in no case shall the amount be more than 10% of the total area of
the subdivision. Such area or areas may be dedicated to the town by
the subdivider if the Town Board approves such dedication. Appropriate
legal measures should be taken to assure that such land can never
be developed for other than recreational purposes.
Information to be submitted. In the event that an area to be used
for a park or playground is required to be so shown, the subdivider
shall submit, prior to final approval, to the Board, three prints
[one on cloth] drawn in ink showing, at a scale of not less than 30
feet to the inch, such area and the following features thereof:
The boundaries of the said area, giving lengths and bearings of all
straight lines; radii, lengths, central angles and tangent distances
of all curves.
Waiver of plat designation of area for parks and playgrounds. In cases where the Planning Board finds that due to the size, topography or location of the subdivision, land for park, playground or other recreation purpose cannot be properly located therein, or if in the opinion of the Board it is not desirable, the Board may waive the requirement that the plat show land for such purposes. The amount of land which otherwise would have been acceptable as a recreation site shall be determined in accordance with the standards set forth in Subsection B.
Reserve strips prohibited. Reserve strips of land, which might be
used to control access from the proposed subdivision to any neighboring
property or to any land within the subdivision itself, shall be prohibited.
Preservation of natural features. The Planning Board shall, wherever
possible, establish the preservation of all natural features which
add value to residential developments and to the community, such as
large trees or groves, watercourses and falls, beaches, historic spots,
vistas and similar irreplaceable assets. No tree with a diameter of
eight inches or more as measured three feet above the base of the
trunk shall be removed unless such tree is within the right-of-way
of a street as shown on the final subdivision plat. Removal of additional
trees shall be subject to the approval of the Planning Board. In no
case, however, shall a tree with a diameter of eight inches or more
as measured three feet above the base of the trunk be removed without
prior approval by the Planning Board.