Town of Hartford, NY General Requirements and Design Standards

The subdivider shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Planning Board that reasonable efforts have been made to design the subdivision in a manner that preserves existing natural, cultural, scenic, historic and agricultural features on the site.

The subdivider shall recognize that the subdivision process will often require consideration of multiple features and site constraints; the Planning Board shall work with applicants to balance development and preservation of existing natural, cultural, scenic, historic and agricultural features on a site-specific basis.

Conformity with the Official Map and Comprehensive Plan. The subdivider shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Planning Board that the subdivision conforms to any Official Map and/or Comprehensive Plan duly adopted by the Town of Hartford.

Specifications for required improvements. The subdivider shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Planning Board that all required improvements will be constructed or installed to conform to any public works specifications duly adopted by the Town of Hartford, Washington County, the State of New York, or, if such specifications have not been adopted, as reviewed and approved by the Town Engineer. Any new highways shall also conform to the requirements of § 120-11 of this article.

§ 120-8 Lots.

Lots to be buildable. The lot arrangement shall be such that, in construction of a building, 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 highway lines and radial to curved highway lines, unless a variation from this rule will give a better highway or lot plan.

Corner lots. In general, corner lots should be larger than interior lots to provide for proper building setback from each highway and provide a desirable building site.

Building envelopes. All lots created after the effective date of this chapter shall be suitable for development on one or more portions of a lot. No land disturbance shall occur outside a building envelope except as related to an agricultural, silvicultural or recreational (noncommercial) use. Building envelopes should:

Not include floodplains, wetlands, streams or drainageways, surface waters, steep slopes or other unbuildable land.

Generally not be located on prime agricultural soils and shall be located along the edge of rather than in the center of fields and meadows.

Be set back at least 50 feet from all lot lines unless otherwise approved by the Planning Board so that development will be compatible with the settlement pattern of the area and fit into the surrounding natural and built environment.

Be set back at least 100 feet from all streams, 50 feet from all wetlands and 25 feet from all ponds.

§ 120-9 Access.

Approval of access onto a public highway. Access onto public highways is subject to approval by the Town, county or state, as applicable. Approval of access onto a public highway shall be obtained before the approval of a final subdivision plat.

Corner and through lots. Where a property fronts on more than one highway, access shall be on the less traveled highway unless the subdivider can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Planning Board that access on the more heavily traveled highway would be safer and that relief from the hardship is justified.

Shared access. Subdivision of a parcel after the effective date of this chapter shall not create an automatic right to construct more than one access. The Planning Board may require provision for shared access between adjoining properties.

Width of access. Access shall be limited to a maximum defined width of 40 feet, and the Planning Board may further limit the width of access to the minimum necessary to accommodate anticipated traffic. The Planning Board may waive this provision where necessary to improve visibility and provide for safer access.

Access to working lands. Subdivisions shall be designed to avoid restricting access to surrounding farm and forest land by agricultural and forestry vehicles and equipment.

§ 120-10 Residential driveways.

New driveways serving not more than four dwellings shall be designed and built to provide suitable access to building sites in accordance with the provisions of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code and the standards below:

Driveways shall be not less than 20 feet or more than 40 feet in width and shall have a cleared height of not less than 14 feet.[1]

Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

Driveways shall not exceed a twelve-percent slope as averaged over any one-hundred-foot section.

Driveways shall not exceed three-percent slope within 40 feet of their intersection with the highway and shall provide a suitable negative grade within 40 feet of the intersection with the highway pavement.

Driveways shall not intersect the highway at less than a 75° angle.

Driveways shall be designed to prevent adverse impacts from stormwater drainage or erosion on public highways and infrastructure.

Driveways shall be designed with adequate turnaround areas so that vehicles do not back out onto the highway.

§ 120-11 Highways.

Applicability. The Planning Board shall not approve any subdivision involving new construction unless proposed highways are designed in accordance with the requirements of this section or any public works specifications duly adopted by the Town of Hartford. Approval of a subdivision by the Planning Board shall not be deemed to constitute or be evidence of acceptance by the Town of Hartford of any highway or easement. Every highway shown on a plat that is filed or recorded in the Washington County Clerk's office shall be deemed a private highway unless it has been formally accepted as a public highway by resolution of the Town Board.

Improvements within public highways. Where the subdivider proposes improvements within existing highway, the proposed design and construction details shall be approved in writing by the appropriate Town, county or state entity, as applicable.

Private highways. In addition to the design standards of Subsection D below, the following requirements shall apply to all private highways:[1]

All private highways shall be designated as such and shall include that designation on required road signs.

Where the subdivision highways are to remain private, the following words shall appear on the recorded plat: "All highways in this subdivision shall remain private highways to be maintained by the developer or the lot owners and shall not be accepted by the Town unless they meet all applicable design and construction standards. Conformance with applicable design and construction standards shall not be deemed to constitute or to mandate the Town's acceptance of private highways."

A road maintenance agreement shall be recorded with the deed of each property to be served by a private highway. The agreement shall provide for a method to initiate and finance a private highway and maintain that highway in adequate condition and a method of apportioning maintenance costs to current and future users.

Denial for the development of private highways. Where the Planning Board finds that a proposed private highway does not conform to the policies of said Board as stated in Article I of this chapter, said Board may deny the approval of any plan proposing private highways or require such highways to meet the standards required to be met by highways intended to be taken over and maintained by the Town of Hartford.

Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

Highway design standards. These design standards shall control the roadway, shoulders, clear zones, curbs, sidewalks, drainage systems, culverts and other appurtenances associated with the highway and shall be met by all proposed highways. The following design standards shall apply to all new highways, whether public or private:

General. The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of all highways shall be considered in their relation to existing and planned highways, to topographical conditions, to public convenience and safety, and to the proposed uses of the land to be served by such highways. The proposed highways shall adequately address stormwater drainage concerns on site.

Interconnected highway network. The arrangement of new highways shall provide for the continuation, if appropriate, of highways in the surrounding area and be such as to compose a convenient system both for the subdivision and connection to the existing highway network. The Planning Board may require the reservation of an easement to provide continuation of the highway where future development is possible on the subject or an adjoining parcel. The Planning Board may require construction of highway stubs or financial guarantees to ensure future construction of highway connections.

Highways and utilities. Highway layout shall consider the installation of utility distribution and service lines and shall be situated so as to best accommodate these installations in an acceptable manner. The construction of highways and the installation of utilities shall be planned sequentially so that construction operations do not conflict and so that subsequent construction operations do not interfere with or destroy completed work.

Highways and topography. Highway layout shall follow the natural contours of the site, and the grade of highways shall conform as closely as possible to the natural terrain. Highway grades shall be arranged to allow for maximum number of proposed building sites to be situated at or above the finished grade level of the highway.

(5)

Highways and protection of natural resources. Highway layout shall minimize stream and wetland crossings, avoid traversing steep slopes, and avoid soils with susceptibility to erosion or slippage. Clearing and grading for highway and utility installations shall be limited to that which is necessary to construct safe highways, provide needed roadside and embankment drainage, construct stable cuts and fills, and provide for utility installation.

(6)

Highway connections. Any subdivision expected to create 20 or more lots shall have at least two connections to an existing public highway or a private highway that meets the standards of this section.

(7)

Compatibility with anticipated traffic and use. Highways shall be designed to standards that will accommodate the average daily traffic expected to occur on the highway and the intended use. The Planning Board may increase minimum standards as deemed necessary to accommodate anticipated traffic levels, travel speed, truck traffic, terrain or types/density of development to be served by the highway.

(8)

Intersections. Highway intersections shall be designed in accordance with the following:

(a)

Highway grade shall not exceed 3% within 50 feet of any intersection.

(b)

All intersections shall be separated as specified in the table below unless directly opposite each other. Jogs in a highway with center-line offsets less than the minimum separation requirement shall be prohibited.

(c)

Highways shall be laid out so as to intersect as close as possible to a right angle.

(d)

Within the sight triangle (as established in the table below, based on the highest posted speed), visibility shall not be restricted by natural landform or by the location of any structure or vegetation.

	Highest Posted Speed (miles per hour)
	0 to 30	31 to 45	46 to 55
Minimum intersection spacing (feet)	150	300	500
Minimum sight distance (feet)	200	400	600
Minimum sight triangle (feet)	30	40	50

(9)

Dead-end highways. Dead-end highways shall only be allowed where necessitated by site-specific physical conditions (e.g., steep slopes, streams, wetlands, etc.) or where a highway will serve not more than nine residential lots. Dead-end highways consisting of less than 20 lots shall terminate with a cul-de-sac.

(10)

Crossing watercourses. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage easement as required by the Town Engineer and in no case less than 20 feet in width.

(11)

Curbs. Unless necessary for stormwater management purposes, highways in rural residential subdivisions shall not be designed with curbs. Highways and curbing, where required, shall be designed to effectively remove stormwater from the highway surface.

(12)

Highway lights. Highways in rural subdivisions shall generally not be designed with highway lights. The Planning Board may approve installation of highway lights at intersections and/or where it deems necessary for public safety. Highway lights shall be full cutoff fixtures, and use of energy-efficient fixtures is strongly encouraged.

(13)

Highway names. Highways shall be named and numbered in conformance with Washington County 911 highway naming and numbering conventions.

§ 120-12 Utilities.

General. All utility systems, existing and proposed, shall be shown on the subdivision plat and shall be located and designed as follows:

All utility systems, which may include but not be limited to water, sewer, electric, gas, telephone, fiber optics, and television cable, shall be located underground. The Planning Board may waive this provision if the applicant can demonstrate that undergrounding is unreasonable and prohibitively expensive (i.e., burial would require extensive blasting and ledge removal or disturbance of ecologically sensitive areas).

Underground utilities shall be placed, wherever possible, in the highway right-of-way to simplify location and repair of utilities. Underground service connections shall be installed to the lot line of each lot for all required utilities. Where topography is such as to make impractical the inclusion of underground utilities within the highway right-of-way, perpetual unobstructed easements at least 20 feet wide shall be provided with satisfactory access to the highway. Such easements shall be cleared and graded where required.

To the greatest extent feasible, utility corridors shall be shared with other utility and/or transportation corridors, be connected to and/or continue corridors from adjoining parcels, and be located to minimize site disturbance and any adverse impacts to natural, cultural, agricultural or scenic features, and to public health.

All utility boxes shall be screened from public view to the greatest extent feasible. Utility buildings shall be designed to have the exterior appearance of residential or agricultural accessory buildings typical of the area in which they will be located.

Wastewater. The subdivider shall submit evidence of site suitability for subsurface sewage disposal prepared by a licensed professional engineer in full compliance with New York State Department of Health regulations. Reserve areas designated for future replacement of an on-site wastewater disposal system shall be shown on the subdivision plat and restricted in the deed so as not to be built upon. If a common wastewater treatment system is provided by the subdivider, the design, construction and operation of the system shall conform to state regulations.

Water supply. Individual wells shall be sited and constructed to prevent infiltration of surface water and contamination from subsurface wastewater disposal systems and other sources of potential contamination. Lot design shall permit placement of wells, subsurface wastewater disposal areas and reserve sites for subsurface wastewater disposal areas in compliance with state regulations. If a common water supply system is provided by the subdivider, the location and protection of the source, the design, construction and operation of the system shall conform to state regulations.

Stormwater management. Stormwater shall be managed on site so that there is no increase in the rate of drainage flowing onto adjoining properties or highways. Surface water drainage facilities shall be designed to handle all on-site runoff (seventy-five-year storm frequency as the minimum design criteria). The subdivider shall submit a stormwater management plan for Planning Board approval.

Land subject to flooding. Land subject to flooding or land deemed by the Planning Board to be uninhabitable should 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 should 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.

§ 120-13 Recreational areas, associated fees, and natural features.

Recreational areas.

Minor subdivisions. For minor subdivisions, a fee in an amount set from time to time by the Town Board for each lot created in addition to the original shall be paid for the funding of recreational opportunities in the Town of Hartford. Said fees are to be paid by the subdivider upon the approval of the subdivision and prior to the signing of the Mylar for any such subdivision by the Planning Board. This fee shall apply to exempt subdivisions as well as minor subdivisions.[1]

Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

Major subdivisions.

(a)

For any major subdivisions, the Planning Board may require a given area to be set aside for recreational use. Such an area or areas may be dedicated to the Town by the subdivider if the Town Board approves such dedication. In deciding whether or not to require recreational areas, the Planning Board shall take into account the area proposed to be dedicated, the ease of maintenance by the Town, the potential for use of said lands by the residents of the Town, and the overall feasibility of such dedication of such lands.

(b)

If the Planning Board decides not to require a given area to be set aside for recreational use, the Planning Board shall require the payment of a fee to be placed into an account by the Town Board for the funding of recreational opportunities in the Town of Hartford.