[HISTORY: Comes from L.L. No. 67-1970, adopted 9-15-1970; effective 9-21-1970.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Excavations in streets — See Ch. 175.
Deposit of materials on roads — See Ch. 177.
Sidewalks, roads and streets — See Ch. 181.
[1]
Editor's Note: The original § 182-0 of this chapter provided as follows:
"This local law is intended to regulate the manner and use in which driveway entrances and curb cuts may be constructed by owners and occupants of property abutting Town highways and streets and to regulate the location, size, design and construction thereof."
[Amended 6-9-1998 by L.L. No. 29-1998, effective 6-17-1998]
As used in this chapter, the following words or phrases shall have the meanings annexed to each:
COMMERCIAL USE
All uses other than those related to single- and two-family dwellings.
COMMISSIONER
The Commissioner of the Highway Department of the Town of Hempstead or his/her designated representative.
CURB CUT
A reduction in height of the highway curb, or a hypothetical highway curb, at the driveway entrances, and shall be measured between the twenty-inch flares.
DRIVEWAY
That portion of land used for the purpose of affording a means of ingress and egress between private property and a highway, as defined herein.
HIGHWAY
Any street, roadway or highway maintained by the Town of Hempstead.
NONCOMMERCIAL USE
Residential use as applied to one- and two-family dwellings.
PERSON
Any individual, association, corporations, firm, partnership or any other entity.
TOWN
The incorporated area of the Town of Hempstead outside of the City of Long Beach and the incorporated villages located within the Town of Hempstead.
TOWN BOARD
The Town Board of the Town of Hempstead.
A. 
A person shall not, either at his own expense, or on behalf of another person, make, construct or reconstruct, locate or relocate, relay or repair a driveway or curb cut abutting a highway without first obtaining a permit as herein provided, except:
(1) 
A permit shall not be required for any work performed under contract exclusively with the Town or any of the improvement districts administered by the Town Board.
B. 
All curb cuts and driveways shall be constructed as shown by the detailed plan and specifications made part of this chapter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The detailed plan and specifications are included as an attachment to this chapter.
[Amended 8-26-1986 by L.L. No. 67-1986, effective 9-2-1986; 6-9-1998 by L.L. No. 29-1998, effective 6-17-1998; 3-9-2004 by L.L. No. 28-2004, effective 3-22-2004; 8-5-2014 by L.L. No. 64-2014, effective 8-12-2014]
A. 
Each application for a permit shall be signed and acknowledged by the applicant and shall set forth, or there shall be attached thereto, a fully dimensioned plot plan showing the existing and proposed driveways, curbs and sidewalks of the subject property and on each side adjacent thereto.
B. 
Fee for noncommercial permit. The permit application fee for a noncommercial-use driveway shall be $55 for each single-car-width driveway (10 feet maximum) or $75 for each double-car-width driveway (18 feet maximum).
C. 
Fee for commercial permit. The permit application fee for each commercial-use driveway shall be $350.
D. 
Completion, reimbursement and assessment. Each application shall authorize the Commissioner to complete the repair, construction or reconstruction of driveway entrances and curb cuts whenever the Commissioner finds reasonable cause to conclude that the applicant fails, refuses or neglects to complete such repair, construction or reconstruction. The Town shall be reimbursed for the cost of such repair, construction or reconstruction by assessment against and collection from the lots or parcels of land where such work was performed or services rendered for so much of the actual and complete costs as incurred upon and from each lot or lots, in the manner provided for the cost of public improvements by Article 15 of the Town Law.
[Amended 6-9-1998 by L.L. No. 29-1998, effective 6-17-1998]
The Commissioner shall review each application and shall issue such permit upon compliance by the applicant with the provisions of this chapter, provided that he shall determine that:
A. 
The proposed driveway entrance or curb cut will not interfere with the orderly and reasonable use of adjacent property.
B. 
The proposed driveway entrance or curb cut will not create undue interference with vehicular traffic in the adjoining highway.
C. 
The proposed driveway entrance or curb cut will not adversely affect the health, safety, welfare, comfort and convenience of the inhabitants of the Town.
Each curb cut and driveway for noncommercial use constructed under a permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall be constructed in accordance with the detailed plan-and-specification exhibit provided in this chapter[1] and in accordance with the following additional specifications:
A. 
Curb cuts for dwellings shall be no greater than 10 feet for one-car access at the curbline.
B. 
Curb cuts for dwellings shall be no greater than 18 feet for two-car access at the curbline.
C. 
For corner property, the minimum distance permitted between any curb cut and the property line forming the adjoining street extended to the curbline shall be 25 feet.
D. 
A minimum distance of 24 inches from side property lines shall be maintained at the curbline for all curb cuts.
E. 
Curb cuts for connected or U-shaped driveways shall comply with the following requirements:
[Amended 12-23-1975 by L.L. No. 120-1975, effective 1-2-1976]
(1) 
Curb cuts for purposes of connected or U-shaped driveways shall require not less than 50 linear feet minimum frontage on one street or highway.
(2) 
Each connected or U-shaped driveway permitted under this subsection shall consist of either two ten-foot curb cuts, or one ten-foot curb cut and one eighteen-foot curb cut.
(3) 
A minimum of 18 feet shall be required between curb cuts.
F. 
An existing curb cut may be supplemented by not more than one additional single-width ten-foot curb cut, provided that the proposed additional curb cut be located not less than 18 feet from the existing curb cut at the curbline, and the application otherwise meets all other requirements.
[Amended 12-7-1993 by L.L. No. 76-1993, effective 12-13-1993]
G. 
An existing ten-foot curb cut for an attached garage may be widened to an eighteen-foot curb cut when the application otherwise meets all other requirements herein.
[1]
Editor's Note: The detailed plan and specifications are included as an attachment to this chapter.
Each curb cut and driveway for commercial use constructed under a permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall be constructed in accordance with the detailed plan-and-specification exhibit provided in this chapter[1] and in accordance with the following additional specifications:
A. 
Normal curb cuts for commercial use shall be not greater than 25 feet at the curbline. However, should the applicant prove a requirement of greater width in order to accommodate larger vehicles, consideration for such greater width may be given.
B. 
For corner property the minimum distance permitted between any commercial-use curb cut and the property line forming the adjoining street extended to the curbline shall be 10 feet.
C. 
A minimum distance of five feet from side property lines shall be maintained at the curbline for all commercial-use curb cuts.
D. 
Commercial-use curb cuts may be supplemented by additional commercial-use curb cuts, provided that all such curb cuts are not less than 25 feet one from the other at the curbline, and the application otherwise meets all other requirements herein.
[1]
Editor's Note: The detailed plan and specifications are included as an attachment to this chapter.
Notwithstanding any facts concerning an application herein which may be contrary to the provisions of this chapter, the Commissioner may direct that a permit be issued if he shall find that strict compliance with these provisions will create practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships, or if he shall find that the proposed driveway entrance and curb cut shall be in the public interest.
The issuance of a permit herein does not constitute a waiver of any requirements respecting the subject property which may exist pursuant to statute, local law or ordinance.
A. 
Any person committing an offense against any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not exceeding $250 or imprisonment for a period not to exceed 15 days, or both.
B. 
Each day's continued offense shall constitute a separate violation.
[Added 6-9-1998 by L.L. No. 29-1998, effective 6-17-1998]
If any section, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase or part of this chapter shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional, such a judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof but shall be confined in its operation to the section, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase or part directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.