[Adopted 12-18-1952 as Art. 16 of the 1952 General Bylaws; amended 1971; 1979; 10-30-2006 by Art. 3; 10-27-2008 by Art. 24]
A. 
Streets may be accepted at any Town Meeting.
[Amended 5-23-2022 by Art. 23]
B. 
All materials, hereafter referred to as the "street acceptance package," shall be submitted in entirety to the Town Administrator's office 60 days prior to the Town Meeting where street acceptance will be placed on the warrant.
[Amended 5-23-2022 by Art. 23]
C. 
Private road adoption. Developers/property owners who are seeking to have their private roads put on the Town's Annual Town Meeting warrant for acceptance shall have the finish coat of asphalt no more than two years old at the time of acceptance. Roads that have a finish coat of asphalt more than two years old shall be required to have improvements and/or additional maintenance made to them before they can be accepted. The improvements that are needed will be determined by the Highway Superintendent or designee, Planning Board or its designee, Town Engineer and the Selectmen or their designee. Improvements will include at least one of, but are not limited to, the following:
[Added 5-23-2011 by Art. 22; amended 6-22-2020 by Art. 11]
(1) 
Crack filling along with oil and sand sealing of the entire roadway, or portions as determined.
(2) 
One-and-one-half inch to two-inch overlay of asphalt including any necessary blending of driveways and the raising of any roadway structures to a height flush with the new pavement.
(3) 
Complete reclamation and regrading of the roadway and a minimum of four inches compacted thickness of asphalt, installed in two lifts, and related work.
(4) 
Any other improvements the bodies named above or their designees may deem necessary for acceptance.
D. 
Developers/property owners who are seeking to have their private roads accepted as public ways shall provide for easements in the Town's behalf to allow access for maintenance of all stormwater facilities. Detention/retention ponds shall be located on separate lots that shall be conveyed to the Town at no cost as part of the street acceptance process or permanent easements to the Town shall be provided to allow for access for repair and maintenance of the pond(s) at the Town’s sole discretion.
[Added 5-23-2022 by Art. 23]
A. 
A check for $500 must accompany a written request for acceptance of the street. The funds shall be called a "review fee" and used for document review and/or physical review by any qualified person or agency deemed necessary by the Board of Selectmen to ensure the health, safety, welfare and/or general convenience of the Town will be maintained by the acceptance of this street. The unexpended portion shall be returned to the check's account holder within 30 days of the Town Meeting where a decision to accept or not accept the street is made. A vote to pass over the question of street acceptance will result in the unexpended portion of the funds being deposited in an interest-bearing account with the funds to be released to the account holder within 30 days of their request to withdraw the street for possible acceptance.
B. 
If the street is part of a newly constructed subdivision and if the developer has a minimum of $500 per street to be accepted in their escrow account, then no check need accompany the written request for acceptance. However, a completed inspection form (Form H) for each street, proof of escrow balance from the Town Accountant or designee, and other documents as required by the Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land in Dudley Massachusetts must be submitted as part of the street acceptance package.
C. 
If at any time prior to street acceptance the review fee account, including escrow accounts for newly constructed subdivision streets, falls below anticipated expenditures, the check's account holder will be notified in writing by the Town Administrator's office.
The following is a list of materials to be included in the street acceptance package. Newly constructed subdivision streets are required to submit all of the documents listed below, as well as any documents required by the Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land in Dudley Massachusetts. The Board of Selectmen may request additional materials and may provide a waiver for any of the materials to be included in the street acceptance package.
A. 
Original written request for street acceptance.
B. 
Check for $500 (or Town Accountant proof of $500 minimum per street to be accepted in the subdivision's escrow account, controlled by the entity requesting street acceptance).
C. 
Original Street Acceptance Checklist signed by the Board of Selectmen showing any waivers from the requirements.
D. 
Original, stamped, reproducible street acceptance plan.
E. 
Original, stamped, reproducible as-built street plan.
F. 
Six copies of the following, collated to form six packages ready for distribution, in this order:
(1) 
Copy of the Street Acceptance Checklist.
(2) 
Copy of the written request for street acceptance.
(3) 
Copy of the Town Accountant proof of escrow, if a new street.
(4) 
Copy of the street acceptance plan.
(5) 
Copy of the as-built plan.
(6) 
Plans of any infrastructure within the taking, such as drainage, underground utility services, etc.
(7) 
Maintenance plans and manufacturer's specifications as deemed applicable by the Highway Superintendent, engineer, or their designee.
(8) 
Legal description.
(9) 
Copies of all easements within the cartway or taking. Proof of recordation of these easements must be provided to the Town Administrator's office before any street voted to be accepted at Town Meeting is to be finally accepted.
(10) 
Any other material as requested by the Town Administrator, Board of Selectmen, Highway Superintendent, or their designee.
In order to meet the requirements for the street acceptance package, it is recommended that signatures are obtained as early as possible. Those requesting street acceptance should plan on attending at least one Board of Selectmen's meeting and any public hearings where acceptance of the street will be discussed.