[Ord. of 8-4-2003]
(a) 
No street or way shall be laid out and accepted as a street or way by the City except in accordance with the provisions of this article. The board of street commissioners and City engineer may waive provisions of this article when in their opinion the intent of this article would not be carried out due to adverse topographical, physical, or safety conditions.
(b) 
Planning board approval is also required for waivers in streets in approved subdivisions.
[Ord. of 8-4-2003]
(a) 
A street or way dedicated, constructed, and used for public travel prior to April 16, 1973 shall be laid out and accepted as a public street or way by the City only upon the following conditions:
(1) 
Said street or way shall have a minimum right-of-way width of 50 feet unless it is not practical due to existing building structures or that a wider street is not recommended by the City engineer.
(2) 
A plan of said street or way shall have been recorded in the Penobscot County Registry of Deeds prior to April 16, 1973.
(3) 
A majority in number of the abutters on said street or way shall in writing petition the City Council to accept said street.
(4) 
The street shall conform to the requirements of § 17-36(a)(2) of this chapter.
[Ord. of 8-4-2003]
(a) 
A street or way constructed on private lands by the owner thereof for public travel shall be laid out and accepted as a public street or way by the City only upon the following conditions:
(1) 
Submittals.
a. 
Petition. A petition for the laying out and acceptance of said street or way shall be submitted to the City Council upon a form to be prescribed by the City engineer.
b. 
As-built plans, profiles and cross sections.
1. 
A plan shall be drawn at a scale of 50 feet to the inch, unless another scale has been approved by the City engineer, and to be on one or more sheets standard size 24 inches by 36 inches plan and profile paper.
2. 
A typical street section shall be drawn at a scale not less than five feet to the inch. This typical section shall show pavement, cross slope, width, depth and type; roadway substructure; sidewalk location, surface and base; location of sewer and water lines; and all other important aspects of the roadway section.
3. 
A center-line profile of the street or way shall be drawn on the same sheet as the plan to a horizontal scale 30 feet to one inch and a vertical scale of five feet to one inch.
4. 
Cross sections shall be drawn at a horizontal and vertical scale of five feet to one inch at intervals not greater than 50 feet along the street and shall show the existing ground, the proposed section of the street, sidewalk and similar improvements so as to illustrate the relation of finish grades to the existing ground within and adjacent to the street. The cross section shall show the information for a minimum of 10 feet beyond both side lines of the street.
5. 
Certification by a Maine Registered Professional Engineer that he/she has inspected the street and has found that the street conforms to good engineering practices and the ordinances of the City of Old Town.
(2) 
General requirements. Said street or way shall prior to acceptance by the City Council be constructed in accordance with the following specifications:
a. 
Table of geometric and other standards.
Proposed Street Standards
Residential
Commercial/Industrial
Local
Local Rural
Collector
Service
Arterial
Minimum Right-of-Way Width
60'*
60'*
60'
60'
80'
Minimum Right-of-Way Radii at Intersections
20'
20'
25'
25'
25'
Minimum Roadway Construction
Number of Lanes Required (minimum)
2
2
2
2
2
Travel Lane Width
11'
12'
11'
12'
12'
Surface Type
Paved
Paved
Paved
Paved
Paved
Minimum Shoulder Width and Surface Treatment
Number of Shoulders Required
2
2
2
2
2
Shoulder Width
4'
6'
4'
6'
8'
Surface Type
Paved
Gravel
Paved
Paved
Paved
Minimum Vertical Grade
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
Maximum Vertical Grade
7%
7%
5%
5%
5%
Minimum Vertical Curve Site Distance Design Speed
20 MPH
20 MPH
25 MPH
25 MPH
30 MPH
Maximum Grade at Intersections (plus or minus)
3% within 50'
3% within 50'
3% within 50'
3% within 75'
3% within 75'
Minimum Angle of Intersections
75
75
75
75
75
Minimum Site Distance for Every 10 MPH at Highest Speed
100'
100'
120'
120'
150'
Minimum Center-Line Radii on Curves
200'
200'
500'
500'
800'
Minimum Tangent Length Between Reverse Curves
100'
100'
200'
200'
300'
Minimum Cul-de-sac Radius
100'
100'
100'
100'
100'
Roadway Cross-section Detail
Roadway Cross Slope
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Subbase Gravel Depth - MDOT Type "D"
15"
15"
18"
18"
21"
Base Gravel Depth - MDOT Type "A"
3"
3"
3"
3"
Shoulder Surface Gravel Depth - MDOT Type "A"
6"
Bituminous Pavement Depth
Binder - MDOT Type "B" or 19 mm
1 3/4"
1 3/4"
1 3/4"
1 3/4"
1 3/4"
Surface - MDOT Type "C" or 9.5 mm
1 1/4"
1 1/4"
1 1/4"
1 1/4"
1 1/4"
Side Slopes
Inslope
Minimum Slope
3' H / 1' V Max.
3' H / 1' V Max.
3' H / 1' V Max.
3' H / 1' V Max.
3' H / 1' V Max.
Minimum Loam Thickness
4"
4"
4"
4"
4"
Backslope
Minimum Slope
3' H / 1' V Max.
3' H / 1' V Max.
3' H / 1' V Max.
3' H / 1' V Max.
3' H / 1' V Max.
Minimum Loam Thickness
2"
2"
2"
2"
2"
Roadway Drainage
Minimum Ditch Grade
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Minimum Ditch Depth below Subgrade
6"
6"
6"
6"
6"
Sidewalks
Number of Sidewalks Required
1
0
1
1
2
Sidewalk Cross-section Construction
Sidewalk Width
4'
5'
5'
6'
Sidewalk Slope
2%
2%
2%
2%
Subbase Gravel Depth - MDOT Type "D"
12"
12"
12"
12"
Bituminous Pavement Depth - MDOT Type "C" or 9.5 mm
2"
2"
2"
2"
Esplanade
Minimum Width
N/A
N/A
2'
2'
4'
Minimum Loam Thickness
4"
4"
4"
Driveways**
Minimum Width
12'
12'
12'
14'
18'
Subbase Gravel Depth - MDOT Type "D"
15"
15"
15"
18"
18"
Bituminous Pavement Depth - MDOT Type "C" or 9.5 mm
3"
3"
3"
3"
3"
Minimum Culvert Size
15"
15"
15"
15"
15"
Notes:
Local - Pertains to Zones R-1, R-2 & R-5.
Local Rural - Pertains to Zones R-3, R-3A & R-4.
*
Right-of-way width may be reduced to 50 feet if subsurface drainage is used. Right-of-way width for roads in subdivisions approved by the planning board prior to May 2003 may be reduced to 50 feet.
**
Specifications for driveways constructed prior to acceptance of street.
Driveways constructed after acceptance must be approved by the director of the public works department and meet standards of Chapter 17, Article III, Street Openings.
b. 
Continuation of existing streets. Existing streets will be continued at the same or greater width, but in no case should they be extended at less than the original width.
c. 
Dead ended streets.
1. 
All dead ended streets shall be provided at the closed end with a circular turnaround, having a property radius of 68 feet and a traveled way radius of 55 feet.
2. 
Dead ended streets in excess of 1,000 feet to the start of the cul-de-sac will be reviewed by the Fire Chief for fire safety concerns. The Fire Chief will make a recommendation to the City Council prior to acceptance.
3. 
For dead ended streets dedicated, constructed and used for public travel prior to 1973, the following will be required:
i. 
For streets within the hydrant district:
A. 
0 — 300 feet in length, turnarounds may be omitted.
B. 
300 — 600 feet in length, a Y shaped turnaround may be used instead of the circular turnaround. The Y shaped turnaround has legs which have center lines which are at 120° to each other. The legs will have twenty-five-foot wide pavement with two-foot wide gravel shoulders and each leg shall be at least 40 feet in length, measured along the center line.
C. 
Over 600 feet in length, circular turnarounds as described above will be required.
ii. 
For streets outside the hydrant district:
A. 
0 — 400 feet in length, Y shaped turnarounds as described above may be used.
B. 
Over 400 feet in length, circular turnarounds as described above will be required.
d. 
Roadway structure. In all cases the pavement structure of streets and ways shall be designed in accordance with the local soil conditions and anticipated service loads. Design shall be based on current design procedures and approved by the City engineer.
e. 
Storm drainage. All streets shall be provided with adequate open or underground drainage facilities when, in the opinion of the City engineer, they are necessary to provide for the removal of storm water to prevent flooding of pavement and erosion of adjacent surfaces. If underground drainage is provided, curbing will be installed unless waived by the street commisioners and the City engineer. Appropriate erosion control measures will be incorporated into the design to minimize any potential erosion problems.
f. 
Blocks. The length, width and shape of blocks shall be determined with due regard to:
1. 
Provision of adequate building sites suitable to the special needs of the type of use contemplated;
2. 
Zoning requirements as to lot sizes, dimensions and density;
3. 
Needs for convenient access, circulation, control and safety of street traffic;
4. 
Limitations and opportunities of topography;
5. 
Block lengths shall not exceed 1,000 feet or be less than 500 feet; and no block shall be more than 500 feet in width nor less than 200 feet for residential use. This restriction shall not apply in a rural district provided that each lot in each block measures not less than two acres in area. Furthermore, these requirements need not be met in cluster subdivisions.
g. 
Phased developments. The City Council may accept a street without the cul-de-sac being paved if the developer proposes an extension of the proposed street within three years with the following conditions:
1. 
The cul-de-sac is completely constructed except for the pavement.
2. 
An easement is given to the City to plow the cul-de-sac.
3. 
An escrow account or a bond has been established for twice the cost of paving the cul-de-sac.
h. 
Loam and seed. All loam shall be of a quality and thickness to grow the type of vegetation proposed. The seed or vegetation shall be first quality and appropriate for the location.
(3) 
Order of construction.
a. 
Said street or way shall be cleared of all stumps, roots, brush, perishable material and all trees not intended for preservation to a width five feet outside the improved area. All loam, loamy material and clay shall be removed from said street or way to the depths specified by the City engineer before any subsurface pavement structure is constructed.
b. 
Any storm or sanitary sewer, or other underground utilities in said street or way shall be constructed before any subsurface pavement structure is constructed.
(4) 
Inspections.
a. 
The construction shall be inspected and certified by a Maine Registered Professional Engineer, at the developers cost, that the street has been constructed in compliance with good engineering practices and the ordinances of the City of Old Town.
b. 
The board of street commissioners shall inspect the street:
1. 
Prior to the placement of pavement and after the subsurface improvements have been completed.
2. 
Upon final completion of the proposed street.
3. 
When deemed necessary by the City engineer or the City Manager.
(5) 
Testing. Construction testing will be by a certified testing laboratory. Test results will be required for gravel gradation and density as well as pavement density. Test requirements will be according to the most recent revision of MDOT Standards and Specifications.
[Ord. of 8-4-2003]
No street or way shall be laid out and accepted by the City until the planning board and the board of street commissioners and the City engineer shall have made a careful investigation thereof and shall have reported to the City Council their recommendations with respect thereto. Approval by the planning board of a subdivision with a proposed street constitutes a recommendation to the City Council.
[Ord. of 8-4-2003]
The City Council shall prior to acceptance of a street conduct a public hearing on the matter.