A. 
General system and location.
(1) 
All streets in the subdivision shall be designed so that, in the opinion of the Board, they will provide safe travel for vehicles and pedestrians. Minor streets, particularly, shall be so located and designed that their use by through traffic will be discouraged. Due consideration shall also be given to the attractiveness of the street layout in order to obtain the maximum livability and amenity of the subdivision. Proposed streets shall be designed to afford safe access to abutting lots and existing streets, including consideration of traffic factors, such as vision at corners, sight clearance, sight lines, existing obstructions, width of existing streets and similar considerations.
(2) 
The proposed streets shall conform to any Master or Study Plan adopted in whole or in part by the Board.
(3) 
Streets shall be continuous and in alignment with existing streets, as far as practicable, and shall comprise a convenient system with connections adequate to insure free circulation of vehicular traffic.
(4) 
Streets in the subdivision shall connect to and be accessible from a public way or an existing private way open to the public and in which the applicant has rights for purposes for which ways are intended and commonly used.
(5) 
There shall be provided at least two (2) recognized means of vehicular access, as noted above, for each subdivision except one (1) comprising only one (1) dead-end street. In the case of an approved definitive subdivision plan under development, the Board will not release a surety bond or deposit, or, in the case of a covenant, issue a release of covenant for a portion or section of the subdivision under development unless there is provided and constructed first, except for a dead-end street, two (2) means of vehicular access to said portion or section.
(6) 
Proposed streets which are obviously in alignment with other streets already existing and named shall bear the names of existing streets. The names of all proposed streets shall be subject to the approval of the Board.
(7) 
If adjoining property is not subdivided but is, in the opinion of the Board, suitable for ultimate development, provision shall be made for proper projection of streets into such property by continuing appropriate streets within the subdivision to the exterior boundary thereof.
(8) 
Temporary dead-end streets, laid out to permit future projection, shall conform to the provisions of alignment, width, and grade that would be applicable to such streets if extended.
(9) 
Reserve strips prohibiting access to streets or adjoining property shall not be permitted except where, in the opinion of the Board, such strips shall be in the public interest.
(10) 
Adequate stopping sight distance shall be provided at all proposed internal subdivision and proposed/existing roadway intersections in accordance with the most recent AASHTO standards. A minimum design speed of thirty (30) miles per hour shall be utilized for calculating stopping sight distance within the proposed subdivision roadways. At intersections of proposed and existing roadways, field measurements of existing stopping sight distance shall be made in the presence of the Planning Board or its designated agent.
B. 
Alignment. All reverse curves on major and collector streets shall be separated by a tangent at least one hundred (100) feet long.
C. 
Intersections.
(1) 
Streets shall be located to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect any other street at less than sixty (60) degrees.
(2) 
Multiple intersections involving the junction of more than two (2) streets shall be avoided. Where this proves impossible, in the opinion of the Board, such intersections shall be designed with extreme care for both pedestrian and vehicular safety.
(3) 
Streets entering opposite sides of another street shall be laid out either directly opposite each other, or with a minimum offset of one hundred twenty-five (125) feet between their center lines, unless, in the opinion of the Board, this requirement necessitates the division of land into substantially fewer lots than would otherwise be the case.
(4) 
Street lines and property lines at all street intersections shall be rounded with a corner having a radius of not less than twenty (20) feet. However, when the intersection of two (2) ways varies more than ten (10) degrees from a right angle, the radius of the curve at the acute angle may be less and at the obtuse angle shall be greater than twenty (20) feet to the extent approved or required by the Board.
D. 
Width.
(1) 
The Board will give due regard to the prospective character of different subdivisions, whether open residence, dense residence, business or industrial, nature of terrain and the prospective amount and type of travel upon various streets and footpaths therein. Subject to adjustment in light of such factors, streets shown on subdivision plans shall be classified as major, collector or minor streets.
COLLECTOR STREET
A street intercepting one (1) or more streets and which, in the opinion of the Board, is used to carry a substantial volume of traffic from such streets to a major or collector street or community facility, or which includes a principal entrance street to a large subdivision or group of subdivisions.
FLEXIBLE DEVELOPMENT MINOR STREET
A street, which, in the opinion of the Board, is being used or will be used primarily to provide access to abutting lots in a flexible development in accordance with § 200-5.7 of the Zoning Bylaw, and which is not intended for use by through traffic.
MAJOR STREET
A street which, in the opinion of the Board, is being used or will be used as a thoroughfare within the Town of Charlton or which otherwise carries or will carry a heavy volume of traffic.
MINOR STREET
A street which, in the opinion of the Board, is being used or will be used primarily to provide access to abutting lots, and which is not intended for use by through traffic.
(2) 
The minimum width of street rights-of-way shall be as follows:
(a) 
Minor streets: sixty (60) feet.
(b) 
Collector streets: sixty (60) feet.
(c) 
Major streets: sixty-six (66) feet.
(d) 
Flexible development minor streets: forty (40) feet.
(3) 
Alleys with a minimum width of thirty (30) feet may be required by the Board at the rear of any lots designated or zoned for commercial use.
(4) 
All streets serving an industrial or commercial subdivision shall be a minimum sixty-six (66) feet width.
(5) 
The Board may require greater minimum widths as to streets shown on subdivision plans, when in its opinion the additional width is essential to safe and orderly travel upon such streets, in light of projected short-term and long-term traffic conditions thereon.
E. 
Grade.
(1) 
Grades of all streets shall be the reasonable minimum, but shall not be less than three-fourths percent (0.75%).
(2) 
The maximum center-line grades shall be as follows:
(a) 
Minor streets: ten percent (10%).
(b) 
Collector streets: eight percent (8%).
(c) 
Major streets: six percent (6%).
(3) 
All changes in grade exceeding three-fourths percent (0.75%) shall be connected by vertical curves of sufficient length to afford a minimum sight distance two hundred (200) feet or more if deemed appropriate in the opinion of the Board. The minimum design rate of vertical curvature (k) shall be 19 for crest curves and 37 for sag vertical curves.
(4) 
On any street at the approach to an intersection, a leveling area shall be provided having not greater than three-fourths percent (0.75%) grade for a distance of twenty-five (25) feet measured from the nearest right-of-way line of the intersecting street.
F. 
Dead-end streets.
(1) 
Dead-end streets, designed as permanent culs-de-sac, shall not exceed five hundred (500) feet in length unless, in the opinion of the Board, a greater length is necessitated by topography or other local conditions. This requirement shall not apply to culs-de-sac located within flexible development, where the maximum length shall be determined by the Board. The Board may also allow dead-end streets to exceed five hundred (500) feet in length, up to a length of one thousand five hundred (1,500) feet, for the purpose of allowing a dead-end street as roadway for a Business Enterprise Park (BEP) development.
(2) 
Such culs-de-sac shall be provided at the closed end with a turnaround having an outside street line diameter of at least one hundred twenty (120) feet, and a property line diameter of at least one hundred forty-six (146) feet. However, in a flexible development in accordance with § 200-5.7 of the Zoning Bylaw, the turnaround may have an outside street line diameter of at least one hundred (100) feet, and a property line diameter of at least one hundred twenty (120) feet.
(3) 
Such culs-de-sac shall not provide access to more than ten (10) lots, unless such cul-de-sac is located within a flexible development. Culs-de-sac within flexible development shall not provide access to more than fifteen (15) lots.
G. 
Street design standards. Minor and collector streets shall conform to the following design standards. Major streets shall conform to the standards of the Mass DOT, if applicable, and shall otherwise conform to the standards set forth below.
Minor Street
Collector Street
Major Street
Flexible Development Minor Street
Minimum right-of-way (1)
60'
60'
66'
40'
Pavement width (including parking lanes)
28'
35'
45'
24'
Minimum center line radius
100'
140'
150'
100'
Minimum tangent length between curves
50'
100'
150'
50'
Minimum grade
0.75%
0.75%
0.75%
0.75%
Maximum grade
10%
8%
6%
10%
Maximum grade within 50' of intersection
5%
5%
PBA
5%
Maximum grade within 100' of intersection
PBA
PBA
3%
PBA
Number of curbs
2
2
2
2
Minimum width of planting strips (including curbs, less on sidewalk side)
8 1/2'
10 1/2'
10 1/2'
3'
Minimum width of sidewalk
4'
5'
5'
4'
Number of sidewalks
1
2
2
1
Minimum cul-de-sac grade
1%
1%
1%
1%
Maximum cul-de-sac grade
4%
4%
4%
4%
NOTE: The Board may, at its discretion, also require an increase in right-of-way widths by up to ten (10) feet to allow construction of ample walkways and to preserve natural features. Also, see Appendix A for cross-section details for the four (4) types of roadways (minor, major, flexible and collector).
A. 
Where water and sewer mains, storm drains or other utility installations require, in the opinion of the Board, a location outside of any street line, there shall be reserved, and shown on the plan, easements to accommodate such utilities having a minimum width of twenty (20) feet.
B. 
Where a subdivision is traversed by watercourses, drainageways, channels or streams, the Board may require that stormwater easements or drainage rights-of-way may be reserved conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourses, drainageways, channels or streams, and having such further width as it deems necessary.
C. 
Where the side slopes hereinafter required will extend outside of the street right-of-way lines, suitable slope easements shall be provided of sufficient dimensions to accommodate all portions of the slope above or below the finished grade of abutting lots.
A. 
The plan and each lot set forth thereon shall comply in all respects with the provisions of the Zoning Bylaw of the Town of Charlton, including, but not limited to, all such provisions relating to size, shape, width, and frontage of lots within a subdivision.
B. 
Land subdivided into lots shall be of such general character that it can be used for building purposes without danger to health.
C. 
Two-thirds (2/3) of the minimum lot area of every building lot must be free from wetlands as defined in the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act as most recently revised and free also from other conditions which in the opinion of the Board make building or construction thereon impossible or hazardous.
D. 
No lot within the Town shall be divided so as to create a lot which does not conform with the minimum area, frontage, width and depth requirements of the Charlton Zoning Bylaw,[1] and no property line shall be redrawn so as to create such a lot.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 200, Zoning.
E. 
Not more than one (1) building designed or available for use for dwelling purposes shall be erected or placed or converted to use as such on any lot in a subdivision nor shall any parcel or lot of land contain more than one (1) unit designed for commercial, industrial, warehouse, communications, transportation, public utility, or other business uses in the Town without the consent of the Planning Board.
Before approval of a plan, the Board may also require the plan to show a park or parks suitably located for playground or recreation purposes or for providing light and air. The park or parks shall not be unreasonable in area in relation to the area of the land being subdivided and to the prospective uses of such land. As to plans setting forth six (6) or more lots, however, any such park shall contain a minimum of one (1) full acre, plus additional land equal to one-tenth (1/10) of the land area, in aggregate, of all lots depicted on the plan. Should the Board require such park or parks, it shall by appropriate endorsement (See MGL c. 41, § 81U.) on the plan require that no building may be erected on such park or parks for a period of not more than three (3) years without its approval.
Due regard shall be shown for all natural features, such as large trees, watercourses, scenic points, historic spots, stone walls and similar community assets, which, if preserved, will add attractiveness and value to the subdivision.
Public bikeways or pedestrian walkways may be required by the Board to provide circulation or access to schools, playgrounds, parks, shopping, transportation, open space and/or community facilities or for such other reason as the Board may determine. These may or may not be part of normal sidewalk provision, but they shall not be a part of any lot in the subdivision.
When applicable, all subdivisions shall comply with the current EPA NPDES Phase II regulations. If the proposed subdivision would disturb more than one (1) acre of land, a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) will be required to be submitted by the applicant to the EPA.