Plans for a subdivision will not be approved unless the subdivision
and its ways are laid out in compliance with the requirements of these
design standards. It should be noted that these design standards are
considered as a minimum acceptable to the Board under its Rules and
Regulations for Subdivision Control. Applicants are encouraged to
design the subdivision at a level above these standards so as to create
an attractive subdivision with the maximum livability, usefulness,
and amenity. It was not intended that these design standards would
be applicable to all possible situations which may arise in the design
of a particular subdivision. In situations not covered herein and
particularly in the case of subdivisions for business or industrial
purposes, planned unit development, multifamily development, and similar
large scale developments, the subdivision shall be designed to the
satisfaction of the Board in accordance with such design standards
as will satisfy the purpose of the Subdivision Control Law. In such
cases, due consideration will be given to the prospective character
of the subdivision, the anticipated amount of travel upon the ways
therein, and/or to the relevant factors of the particular situation.
A.
Types of Streets. The following types of streets are hereby established
for the purpose of developing design criteria in accordance with the
expected use and type of traffic anticipated thereon:
(1)
Major Streets. A street which, in the opinion of the Board,
is being used or will be used as a thoroughfare between different
portions of the Town of Hull, or which will be the principal access
to a business or industrial subdivision.
(2)
Secondary Street. A street intercepting several minor streets
and which, in the opinion of the Board, may carry traffic from such
minor streets to a major street or community facility, including the
principal access streets or principal circulation streets of residential
subdivisions, and including all streets, except those designated as
major streets, of a business or industrial subdivision.
(3)
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.
(4)
Dead-end Minor Street. A street less than 400 feet in length
ending in a turnaround and which intersects no other streets except
at its origin, which may never serve more than seven lots, which,
in the opinion of the Board, is of such topography that its layout
and design in accordance with the Minimum Design Standards for dead-end
minor streets creates no risk to the public safety or convenience,
and which the developer agrees will never be lengthened. The requirements
of this section shall be guaranteed by a covenant running with the
land of the subdivision and each lot thereof. The Board will not entertain
any request for waiver of the length limitation or design requirements
for such a street.
B.
Location of Streets.
(1)
General. The streets shall be designed and located so as, in
the opinion of the Board, to be continuous and in alignment with existing
streets; to provide adequate access to all lots in the subdivision,
by streets that are safe and convenient for travel; to lessen congestion
in such streets and adjacent public streets; to reduce danger from
the operation of motor vehicles; to secure safety in case of fire,
flood, panic and other emergency; to insure compliance with applicable
Zoning By-Laws; to secure adequate provision for proper drainage and
water, sewers and other municipal services, compatible with existing
Town municipal services and waterways; and to coordinate the streets
in the subdivision, with each other and with the existing street system
of the Town, and the streets in neighboring subdivisions.
(2)
The proposed streets shall be designed and located so as to
conform so far as practicable to the Master Plan if any, as adopted
in whole or in part by the Board.
(3)
Provision satisfactory to the Board shall be made for the proper
projection of streets, or for access to adjoining property which is
not yet subdivided. Where, in the opinion of the Board, access, safety
and congestion considerations necessitate, a developer shall be required
to construct or improve at his own expense, private ways outside the
subdivision to connect adequately with public ways.
(4)
Due consideration will be given by the Board to the attractiveness
of the layout and to the conformance of the ways to the topography.
(5)
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.
(6)
In case access to a subdivision crosses land in another municipality,
the Board may require certification, from appropriate authorities,
that such access is in reasonable accord with the Master Plan and
conforms to subdivision requirements of such municipality and that
a legally adequate performance bond has been duly posted or that such
access is adequately improved to handle prospective traffic.
(7)
The intersection of proposed streets of the subdivision with
existing private or public ways must conform to all design standards
of these Rules as if the intersection were entirely within the subdivision.
C.
Width, Alignment and Grades of Streets.
(1)
The criteria contained in Table 1 shall be observed in the design
of streets. The layout shall be designed to achieve the following
minimum stopping sight distances with unobstructed visibility: for
(a) dead-end minor streets, 150 feet; (b) minor through streets and
secondary streets, 250 feet; and (c) major streets, 500 feet.
|
Table 1
Minimum Design Standards for Streets
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Type of Street
|
Width of Way
|
Width of Roadway
|
Minimum Center-line Radius
|
Maximum Center-line Grade
|
Minimum Center line Grade
|
Minimum Curb Radius at Street Intersection
|
Minimum Length of Tangent Between Reverse Curves
|
|
Major
|
60
|
40'*
|
500'**
|
5%
|
1%
|
50'
|
150'
|
|
Secondary
|
50'
|
32'*
|
300'**
|
5%
|
1%
|
50'
|
00'
|
|
Minor
|
46'
|
25'
|
200'
|
9%
|
1%
|
30'
|
0
|
|
Minor Dead-End
|
40'
|
21'
|
150'
|
9%
|
1%
|
30'
|
0
|
|
These design specifications represent minimum standards. More
stringent design criteria shall be required by the Board when deemed
necessary for present and future vehicular traffic.
| |
|
Notes:
| |
|
*
|
The Board may require that the traveled way be separated by
a raised median strip with a width to be determined by the Board.
In this case, the traveled way shall consist of two roadways, each
with a minimum width of 20 feet or such greater width as the Board
may specify.
|
|
**
|
Major and secondary streets shall be super-elevated in the cross
section in the horizontal curve in accordance with the American Association
of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Fahey on Design
of Urban Highways and Arterial Streets 1973. The maximum super-elevation
shall be 0.06 foot per foot (6%). Secondary streets shall be designed
for a speed of not less than 30 mph and major streets for a speed
of not less than 40 mph.
|
(2)
The Board may require delineation of adequate easements of slope
on adjoining land in proper cases.
(3)
Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible
at right angles. No street shall intersect any other street at less
than 60°.
(4)
Streets entering opposite sides of another street shall be laid
out preferably opposite one another or there shall be a minimum of
125 feet between their center lines measured along the center line
of the intersected street.
(5)
Where the angle of intersection between two streets varies more than 10° from a right angle, the radius of the curve at the curbline at the obtuse angle shall be less and at the acute angle shall be correspondingly greater than the radius specified in Subsection C(1) above to the extent approved or required by the Board.
(6)
Where the grade of any street at the approach of an intersection
exceeds 5%, a leveling area shill be provided having not greater than
3% grade for a distance of 100 feet, measured from the nearest right-of-way
line of the intersecting street.
(7)
All changes in grade exceeding 0.5 of 1% shall be connected by vertical curves of sufficient length to afford the sight distances required in Subsection C(1) above.
(8)
In the case of a subdivision in which connections to the Town
sewer system are required, the sanitary sewer system within the subdivision
shall be subject to the approval of the Sewer Commissioners.
D.
Dead-End Streets.
(1)
Dead-end streets, shall not be longer than 800 feet.
(2)
Dead-end streets shall be provided at the closed end with a
turnaround having an exterior line (way line) radius of at least 62
feet, the roadway to have a radius of at least 55 feet. An island
suitably landscaped with grass, ground cover, trees, natural rock
and/or elements blending with the surroundings shall be provided in
the center of the turnaround. The island shall be enclosed with vertical
granite curbing with nine inches reveal from the roadway pavement.
(See Figure 2 for turnaround and island plan.[1]) An island shall not be required in a temporary turnaround;
however, the turnaround shall be paved. When the dead-end street is
extended, the turnaround easement shall terminate and the applicant
shall be required to remove, regrade, and restore the turnaround area
to the satisfaction of the Planning Board.
[1]
Editor's Note: Figure 2 is included in an attachment to this
chapter.
A.
Compatibility and General Design. All subsurface drains and storm
drains and systems thereof shall be constructed in a manner which
will ensure their complete compatibility with the existing Town municipal
services and waterways. The drainage systems shall be designed to
the satisfaction of the Planning Board, the Selectmen, the Sewer Commissioners,
and the Board of Health, who will require provision for such facilities
and arrangement thereof as in their opinion are reasonably necessary
to provide adequate disposal of surface water from all streets within
the subdivision and adjacent land.
B.
Subsurface Drains or Subdrains. In areas where the finished grade
of the roadway is less than four feet above the water table or in
areas where less than four feet of fill is placed above water in swampy
places or any standing water, or in other areas, where in the opinion
of the Board, the subgrade must be drained, a system of subdrains
shall be designed for such areas. Subdrains shall be installed in
all ledge cuts, and shall extend at least 50 feet beyond the limits
of such cuts. The subdrain shall consist of a minimum of one longitudinal
drain for each side of the paved roadway. In addition, laterals may
be required as directed by the Board in areas in which an undue amount
of water could accumulate in the subgrade. The system of subdrains
shall be discharged into the storm drain system or otherwise disposed
of in a manner satisfactory to the Board.
C.
Storm Drains. A complete storm drain system shall be designed for
each street of the subdivision to the satisfaction of the Board and
shall be so laid out and of sufficient size to permit unimpeded flow
of all natural waterways, to provide adequate drainage of all portions
of the street system so that water does not accumulate thereon, to
intercept stormwater runoff from the adjacent lots of the subdivision,
and to eliminate undesirable or unnatural accumulation of water on
any portion of the subdivision or surrounding property, and to be
completely compatible with the existing Town municipal services and
waterways. Those conditions which result from a ten-year storm shall
be assumed as a basis for design of the street drains. The storm drain
system shall include gutters, catch basins, manholes, culverts, drain
lines, concrete headwalls and such other items as may be required
to complete the system to the satisfaction of the Board.
(1)
Catch Basins shall be located in pairs, one on each side of
the roadway, at all low points or sag curves in the roadway, at intervals
of not more than 300 feet on continuous grades of the roadway, at
or near the corners of the roadway at intersecting streets, and at
the end of turnarounds. Invert and frame elevations shall be shown.
(2)
Manholes shall be located at all changes in direction, either
horizontally or vertically, of a drain line or at the intersection
of two or more drain lines, or so located that no drain line greater
than 300 feet in length would exist without either a catch basin or
manhole. Invert and frame elevations shall be shown.
(3)
Culverts shall be designed on the basis of a ten-year storm,
1.6 inches per hour rainfall intensity, and on the assumption that
the entire drainage area is built up to that density and in the manner
which the applicable Section of the Zoning By-Law[1] allows. All culverts shall have a standard concrete or
masonry headwall at each end and any culvert over 30 inches in diameter
shall have standard concrete wing walls. Culverts having inside diameters
of 18 inches or greater shall be enclosed at each end with a secure
metal grille.
(4)
All the drains shall be a minimum of 12 inches in diameter and shall be laid on a slope of not less than 0.5 of 1%. The designed maximum velocity shall not exceed 12 feet per second, and the minimum velocity designed for shall not be less than two feet per second. All outfalls shall extend to, and be compatible with, either a natural waterway or an existing drainage system. The ground elevation of all outfall pipes, swales, channels or drainage ditches discharging to a stream, brook, pond, marsh, or other wetland, shall be at or above the ten-year flood elevation; or at higher elevations if required by the Planning Board because of special local situations based on consultation with the Conservation Commission and others [See § 530-3.3B(10).] Provision shall be made for the disposal of surface water intercepted or collected by the system in such manner that no flow is conducted over Town ways, or over the land of others unless a drainage easement is obtained. Where adjacent property is not subdivided, provision shall be made for extensions of the system by continuing appropriate drains to the boundary of the subdivision at such size and grade as will allow their proper projection.
(5)
A standard concrete or masonry headwall with wing walls where
required shall be provided at the outfall end of all drains.
(6)
A tide gate shall be provided at the discharge end of all drainage
outlets into tidal waters.
(7)
Proper connections shall be made with the existing public drainage
system. Where adjacent property is not subdivided or developed provision
shall be made for extension of the system by continuing appropriate
drains to the exterior boundaries of the subdivision at such size
and grade as will allow for their proper projection. Where the Planning
Board determines that the public interest and the best interest of
the Town and the subdivision will be served by extension of the drainage
system outside the boundaries of the subdivision, the Planning Board
may require the Applicant, at his own expense, to continue the layout
and construction of the drainage system to a point outside the boundaries
of the subdivision where the drainage system may be connected to,
and be compatible with, either a natural waterway or an existing public
drainage system.
A.
Open drainage systems of swales, ridges, and slopes shall be designed to fit the natural contour of the land as much as possible. Disturbed land shall be landscaped to conform to the surrounding area and planted to eliminate possibility of erosion and siltation. In no case shall side slopes in disturbed areas be greater than 25%. Swales and drainage channels shall have a minimum grade of 0.2% and a maximum grade of 4%, although for small areas draining not more than one-half acre, grades of up to 10% are permissible. The ground shall be sloped so that there is no stagnant water or artificial pools on the site attributable to the open drainage system. Drainage channels and swales shall be provided with easements which shall also permit access by the Town of Hull for maintenance purposes. Easements shall conform to § 530-4.5 of these Rules and Regulations.
B.
Where the Planning Board determines that the public interest and
the best interest of the Town and the subdivision will be served by
extension of the drainage system outside the boundaries of the subdivision,
the Planning Board may require the Applicant, at his own expense,
to continue the layout and construction of the drainage system to
a point outside the boundaries of the subdivision where the drainage
system may be connected to, and be compatible with, either a natural
waterway or an existing public drainage system.
A.
Easements for municipal services shall be provided as required and
shall be at least 20 feet wide and centered on the lot line where
practical.
B.
Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainage way,
channel or stream, the Board may require that there be provided a
stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way of adequate width to
conform substantially to the lines of such watercourses, drainage
way, channel or stream, to provide for construction, maintenance,
or other necessary purposes.
Sidewalks of adequate width (Figure 1[1]) shall be constructed beside the roadway along each way
in a subdivision as follows:
A.
Major Streets — both sides.
B.
Secondary Streets — one side, except as the Board
may direct both sides.
C.
Minor Streets — one side.
[1]
Editor's Note: The figures are included in an attachment to
this chapter.
All lots within a subdivision shall comply with the Zoning By-Law
of the Town of Hull,[1] or with the terms of any variance from such requirements
which may have been specifically granted by the Board of Appeals.
Percolation tests shall be required in accordance with the Supplementary
Rules and Regulations for the Disposal of Sanitary Sewage of the Hull
Board of Health.
Before approval of a plan the Board may also in proper cases
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 land being
subdivided and to the prospective uses of such land. The Board may,
by appropriate endorsement on the plan, require that no building be
erected upon such park or parks for a period of not more than three
years without its approval.
Due regard shall be shown for all natural features, such as
large trees, watercourses, scenic points, historic spots, and similar
community assets, which, if preserved, will add attractiveness and
value to the subdivision or to the Town.
In any case in which the Board deems the ways either within
or outside of the subdivision not adequate, it may approve the plan
on conditions limiting the lots upon which buildings may be erected
and the number of buildings that may be erected on particular lots
without further consent by the Board to the access provided, and in
each such case shall endorse such conditions on the plan to which
they relate, or set them forth in a separate instrument attached thereto
to which reference is made on the plan and may require the applicant
to record a covenant running with the land of the subdivision and
each lot thereof guaranteeing the limitations set as a condition of
its approval as set forth in this section. The Board may deem said
ways to be not adequate if such ways, either within or outside the
subdivision, to meet the Design Standards set forth in these rules.
A.
The Board will require that the plan show municipal services of the
kinds existing in the public ways nearest to the subdivision, or which,
in the opinion of the Board, are likely to be laid in such public
ways within the reasonably near future and which will be necessary
for the health, safety, or convenience of the prospective occupants
of the subdivision.
B.
The municipal services and sleeves for house connections shall be
located as shown on the "Typical Road Cross-Sections." The number
and type of sleeves for house connections will be as directed by the
Board.
C.
The design of the sewer system, if required, shall be as directed
and approved by the Sewer Commissioners.
D.
The design of the water system and provision for hydrant service
shall be as directed or approved by the Manager of the Hingham Water
Company. Where adjacent property is not subdivided or developed, provision
shall be made for proper projection of the sewer system, if required,
by continuing appropriate mains to the exterior boundaries of the
subdivision, at such size and grade as will allow for the projection.
E.
The location and type of hydrants and size of pipe serving the hydrants
shall be as directed and/or approved by the Chief of the Fire Department.
A minimum flow of 1,000 gallons of water per minute shall be required
at the hydrant. Proper and compatible connections shall be made with
the existing public water and, where required, sewer systems. Where,
in the opinion of the Planning Board, the capacity of an existing
public system is inadequate to accommodate the entire subdivision,
the Planning Board may, at its option, either:
F.
The location and type of the fire alarm boxes and point of entry
into the subdivision of the connecting fire alarm cable shall be as
directed by the Fire Chief. The applicant shall furnish and install
the necessary ducts, fire alarm boxes and electric cable.
G.
The design and location of the electric power system shall be as
directed by the Municipal Light Board and the design and location
of streetlighting shall be as agreed upon by the Municipal Light Board
and the Planning Board.
H.
The applicant shall consult the Boston Gas Company relative to coordination
of the installation of gas pipes, if gas service is to be installed.
I.
The applicant shall consult with the Telephone Company relative to
the installation of telephone service.
J.
All electrical, telephone, and other utility wires shall be placed
below ground in every subdivision whose Definitive Plan is submitted
after adoption of these Rules and Regulations, unless the Board determines
that such placement is not feasible or is not in the best interest
of the Town.
K.
Soil Surveys. Where appropriate, the Planning Board may require soil
surveys to establish the suitability of the land for the proposed
storm and sanitary drainage installations.
L.
Foot Paths, Bridle and Bicycle Paths. The location and width of foot
paths, bridle and bicycle paths will be designed to maximize the safety
of the path users and to minimize interference with public and private
ways.
