For the purpose of these rules and regulations, unless a contrary intention clearly appears, the terms and words defined in the Subdivision Control Law (MGL c. 41, §§ 81-K through 81-GG) shall have the meanings given therein. The following other terms and words shall have the following meanings:
APPLICANT
Includes an owner or his agent or representative or his assigns.
ARTERIAL STREETS
Highways which connect Northbridge and other towns and form part of the state highway system.
BOARD
The Planning Board of the Town of Northbridge.
MGL
Massachusetts General Law.
STREETS
A. 
ARTERIAL STREETSHighways which connect Northbridge and other towns and form part of the state highway system.
B. 
MAJOR STREETSThose streets which carry traffic from developed areas to an arterial street.
C. 
SECONDARY STREETSStreets that collect traffic from neighborhoods.
D. 
MINOR STREETSStreets which provide primary access to abutting properties.
E. 
DEAD-END STREETS/CULS-DE-SACStreets or portions of streets which join another street at only one point.
SUBDIVISION
The division of a tract of land into one or more lots, and shall include resubdivision and, when appropriate to the context, shall relate to the process of subdivision or the land or territory subdivided; provided, however, that the division of a tract of land into two or more lots shall not be deemed to constitute a subdivision within the meaning of the Subdivision Control Law if, at the time when it is made, every lot within the tract so divided has frontage on a public way or a way which the Town Clerk certifies is maintained and used as public way or a ways shown on a plan theretofore approved and endorsed in accordance with the Subdivision Control Law or a way in existence when the Subdivision Control Law became effective in the Town of Northbridge, having, in the opinion of the Board, sufficient width, suitable grades and adequate construction to provide for the needs of vehicular traffic in relation to the proposed use of the land abutting thereon or served thereby and for the buildings erected or to be erected thereon. Such frontage shall be at least of such distance as is then required by zoning or other ordinances or bylaws for the erection of a building on such lot. Conveyances or other instruments adding to, taking away from or changing the size and shape of lots in such a manner as not to leave any lot so affected without frontage above set forth or the division of a tract of land on which two or more buildings were standing when the Subdivision Control Law went into effect in the Town of Northbridge into separate lots onto of which one of such buildings remains standing shall not constitute a "subdivision."
SUBDIVISION CONTROL LAW
Refer to MGL c. 41, §§ 81-K to 81GG, inclusive, entitled "Subdivision Control."
SUBDIVISION, TYPE I
A subdivision for residential purposes in which the minimum lot size in the applicable zoning district is 20,000 square feet or more.
SUBDIVISION, TYPE II
A subdivision for residential purposes in which the minimum lot size in the applicable zoning district is less than 20,000 square feet.
SUBDIVISION, TYPE III
A subdivision for business or industrial purposes.
No more than one 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 or elsewhere in the Town of Northbridge without the consent of the Board. Such consent may be conditional upon the providing of adequate ways furnishing access to each site for such building in the same manner as otherwise required for lots within a subdivision.
A. 
Submission requirements.
(1) 
Any person who wishes to have a plan of land recorded in the Registry of Deeds or to be filed with the Land Court and believes that his plan does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law shall submit his plan, the required filing fee, four contact prints and a properly executed Form A to the Planning Board at a regularly scheduled meeting, accompanied by the necessary evidence to show that the plan does not require approval. Said person shall file, by delivery or registered mail, a notice with the Town Clerk stating the date of submission for such determination, accompanied by a copy of said application and a description of the land to which the plan relates.
(2) 
If the notice is given by delivery, the Town Clerk shall, if requested, give a written receipt therefor.
B. 
Form and contents of plan. Said plan shall be of the dimensions 8 1/2 by 11 inches, up to a maximum of 24 by 36 inches, shall be prepared in such a manner as to meet the Registry of Deeds and/or Land Court requirements for recording and shall contain the following information:
(1) 
Identification of the plan by name and signature of the owner of record and the location of the land in question, including Deed, Book and Page reference, the Assessor's Map and lot number, area and the frontage in feet, the scale, North point and date.
(2) 
The statement "Approval under Subdivision Control Law Not Required" and sufficient space in the lower right hand corner for the date and signatures of all five members of the Board.
(3) 
All ANR plans shall contain the statement "Endorsement of this plan does not imply the plan complies with the Zoning Bylaws of the Town of Northbridge."
(4) 
The Zoning Classification and any zoning district boundaries that may lie within the locus of the plan.
(5) 
In the case of the creation of a new lot, the remaining land area and frontage of the land in the ownership of the applicant shall be shown.
(6) 
Notice of any and all decisions of the Zoning Board of Appeals, including but not limited to variances and special permits, regarding the land or any building thereon.
(7) 
The names and status of private and public ways shown on the plan. The Planning Board may require the applicant to obtain written verification by the Town Clerk that there is sufficient frontage on an established public way or a way maintained and used as a public way.
(8) 
Names of abutters from the most recent tax list. If the applicant has knowledge of any changes subsequent to the latest available Assessor's records, this information shall be indicated on the plan.
(9) 
The bearings and distance of all lines of the lot or lots shown on the plan and the distance to the nearest permanent monument.
(10) 
The location of existing buildings on the land shown on the plan or within 50 feet of its boundaries, including setback and side and rear yard designations as determined by the Official Map of the Town Assessors, the Registry of Deeds and other means.
(11) 
Existing contours at five foot intervals and the location of any topographic features which interfere with the use of the frontage for access.
(12) 
The location of all bounds, fences, walls and bodies of water, including but not limited to streams, brooks, watercourses, ponds, lakes, floodplains and other standing bodies of water. Said plan shall reflect the average annual high-water level with respect to any such bodies of water.
(13) 
A locus map at a scale of one inch to 1,000 feet.
(14) 
The following statement, if the plan shows any parcel or parcels which are not intended as a building lot: "Not a building lot; no further building may occur without further approval by a Planning Board pursuant to the Subdivision Control Law."
(15) 
The names and addresses of the record owner of the land and applicant, and the name, seal and signature of the registered land surveyor or engineer who prepared the plan.
C. 
Additional requirements. Justification/description of basis for claim to ANR endorsement, clearly noted both on the application form and on the plan (i.e., required frontage on a Town accepted road, separation of lots with buildings which preexist subdivision control (including evidence), etc.).
D. 
Review and decision process.
(1) 
The Planning Board, in considering an application for a determination that approval is not required, shall first determine whether the application is a proper submittal. If the Board determines that the application is not a proper submittal, the applicant shall be denied endorsement without prejudice. If the application is determined to be a proper submittal, the Board shall consider the application.
(2) 
If the Planning Board determines that the plan does not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, the Board shall, without a public hearing and within 21 days of submission of the plan to the Planning Board, endorse on the plan the certification that "Planning Board approval under the Subdivision Control Law is not required." Such endorsement shall not be withheld unless the plan shows a subdivision or the applicant has submitted insufficient evidence to substantiate the basis for claiming that the plan does not show a subdivision as provided in MGL c. 41, § 81-L.
(3) 
If the Planning Board determines that the plan does require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, it shall send written notice by certified mail to the applicant of this determination and shall also give written notice to the Town Clerk within 21 days of the plan submission.
(4) 
One print of the plan shall be retained in the files of the Planning Board with a notation of the Board's action, and copies of the plan and action shall be sent to the Building Inspector, Town Clerk and Town Assessor.
E. 
Approval criteria.
(1) 
The Planning Board shall determine that approval is not required if and only if each of the lots shown on the plan or altered by the plan meets one or all of the following criteria:
(a) 
The lot has frontage on a public way or way which is maintained and used as a public way. In determining whether a way has been used and maintained as a public way, the Board shall require written evidence from the Town Clerk be submitted by the applicant to substantiate that the way is under public maintenance under vote of the town and has been in continuous and substantial use by the general public without permission of the landowners for at least 20 years. Sporadic use, use by a few persons or use by agreement of the abutters shall not suffice.
(b) 
The lot has frontage on a way shown on a definitive plan previously approved and endorsed and registered with the Land Court or Registry of Deeds in accordance with the Subdivision Control Law.
(c) 
The lot has frontage on a way in existence when the Subdivision Control Law became effective in Northbridge which the Planning Board finds has significant width, suitable grades and adequate construction to provide for the needs of vehicular traffic in relation to the proposed use of the land abutting thereon and for the installation of municipal services to serve such land and the existing and future buildings on such land.
(d) 
The frontage shall be at least the minimum frontage required by the Northbridge Zoning Bylaws.[1] Further, such frontage shall provide adequate access to each lot and to uses allowed on each lot under zoning.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 173, Zoning.
(2) 
In determining the adequacy of a way, the Board may use the following guidelines:
(a) 
Is the right-of-way at least 40 feet wide and of reasonable horizontal alignment?
(b) 
Does the existing horizontal and vertical alignment of the roadway provide safe visibility?
(c) 
Is the roadway constructed to a minimum pavement width of 18 feet and has adequate provisions for drainage?
(d) 
Is the roadway surface adequate to accommodate the vehicular traffic to be generated by the division of land?
(e) 
Have provisions been made for adequate public utilities to each lot shown on the submitted plan?
No person shall make a subdivision within the meaning of the Subdivision Control Law of any land within the town or proceed with the improvement or sale of lots in a subdivision or the construction of ways or the installation of municipal services therein unless and until a definitive plan has been submitted to and approved by the Board and only then in accordance with the conditions of approval and the procedures set out in these rules and regulations.