The Planning Board, in considering an application for the subdivision of land, shall be guided by the policy considerations specified in § 137-3 of this chapter and the following standards.
Preservation of existing features. Existing features which would add value to residential development or whose preservation would benefit the Town, such as groves of mature trees, large individual trees, scenic vistas, watercourses, historic areas and similar irreplaceable assets, should be preserved, insofar as possible, through sensitive design of the subdivision and conservation easements, as defined in Article VII. Lands designated for protection under provisions of Chapter 165, Zoning, or other applicable local laws relating to wetlands, aquifers, scenic vistas, agricultural soils, and other environmental and cultural resources, shall also be preserved, insofar as possible, through the subdivision process. The Planning Board may, in order to ensure the preservation of such resources and to mitigate potentially adverse impacts of land subdivision, require that a subdivider place conservation easements upon such lands as should be protected as a condition of subdivision approval.
A.
Relation to topography. Streets shall be logically related and conform
as far as possible to the original topography. A combination of steep
grades and sharp curves shall be avoided.
B.
Block size. Block dimension shall be at least twice the minimum lot depth and generally not more than 12 times the minimum lot width required by Chapter 165, Zoning. In long blocks, the Planning Board may require the reservation through the block of a twenty-foot-wide easement to accommodate utilities or pedestrian traffic.
C.
Intersections. Intersections of major streets by other streets shall
be at least 800 feet apart, if possible. Cross (four-cornered) street
intersections shall be avoided, except at major traffic intersections.
A distance of at least 150 feet shall be maintained between offset
intersections. Within 40 feet of an intersection, streets shall be
approximately at right angles and grades shall be limited to 1.5%.
All street intersection corners shall be rounded by curves of at least
35 feet in radius at the property line.
D.
Visibility at intersections. Within the triangular area formed at
corners by the intersecting street lines, for a distance of 75 feet
from their intersection and the diagonal connecting the endpoints
of these lines, visibility for traffic safety shall be provided by
excavating, if necessary. No fences, walls, hedges, or other landscaping
shall be permitted to obstruct such visibility.
E.
Design standards. Streets shall meet the following standards and the standards of the Town Highway Specifications for the Town of Washington, unless an exception is granted by the Planning Board in accordance with § 137-29B of this chapter.
|
Street Classification
|
Rural or Suburban
|
Collector or Major
|
Commercial
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Minimum width of right-of-way (feet)
|
50
|
60
|
60
|
|
Minimum width of pavement (feet)
|
20 to 28*
|
34
|
40
|
|
Minimum radius of horizontal curves (feet)
|
150 except for street intersection corners
|
400
|
400
|
|
Minimum length of vertical curves as measured from center line
of right-of-way (feet)
|
100 but not less than 20 for each 1% algebraic difference of
grade
|
200, but not less than 30 for each 1% algebraic difference of
grade
|
200
|
|
Minimum length of tangents between reverse curves (feet)
|
100 except where excessive grades may be reduced to reasonable
grades by shortening tangent
|
200
|
200
|
|
Maximum grade
|
10%
|
8%
|
6%
|
|
Minimum grade
|
1%
|
1%
|
1%
|
|
Minimum sight distance (feet)
|
150
|
250
|
250
|
|
Note: Standards are not shown for arterial streets, as they
would in all probability be built by the state or county.
| |
|---|---|
|
*
|
Depending upon the length, number of houses, and degree of permanent
restriction on further subdivision. Width of pavement shall be established
by the Planning Board, upon the advice of the Highway Superintendent,
the Town Engineer, and the Planning Board's consultant. The Planning
Board shall weigh concerns of long-term cost to the Town, safety,
environmental disruption, and aesthetics in making this determination.
The Planning Board may waive the requirement of pavement upon a satisfactory
showing that, if the maximum number of anticipated future users of
the road were actually using it, traffic loads would not necessitate
a paved surface.
|
F.
Continuation of streets into adjacent property. Streets shall be
arranged to provide for the continuation of principal streets between
adjacent properties where such continuation is necessary for convenient
movement of traffic, effective fire protection, efficient provision
of utilities, and particularly where such continuation is in accordance
with the Master Plan. If the adjacent property is undeveloped and
the street must be a dead-end street temporarily, the right-of-way
and improvements shall be extended to the property line. A temporary
circular turnaround, a minimum of 50 feet in radius, shall be provided
on all temporary dead-end streets, with the notation on the plat that
land outside the street right-of-way shall revert to abutters whenever
the street is continued.
G.
Permanent dead-end streets (culs-de-sac). Where a public or private
street does not extend to the boundary of the subdivision and its
continuation is not needed for access to adjoining property, it shall
be separated from such boundary by a distance of not less than 100
feet. Reserve strips of land shall not be left between the end of
a proposed street and an adjacent piece of property; however, the
Planning Board may require the reservation of a twenty-foot-wide easement
to accommodate pedestrian traffic or utilities. A circular turnaround
with a minimum right-of-way radius of 50 feet shall be provided at
the end of a permanent dead-end street. For greater convenience to
traffic, and more effective police and fire protection, permanent
dead-end streets shall, in general, be limited in length to 1,200
feet. This limit may be waived in the case of conservation density
subdivisions not exceeding eight lots.
H.
Street names. All streets shall be named and such names shall be
subject to the approval of the Planning Board. Names shall be sufficiently
different in sound and in spelling from other street names in the
municipality so as not to cause confusion. A street which is a continuation
of an existing street shall bear the same name.
I.
Improvements (see also Article V).
(1)
Streets shall be graded and improved with pavement, street signs,
sidewalks, streetlighting standards, curbs, gutters, trees, water
mains, sanitary sewers, storm drains, and fire hydrants, except where
the Planning Board may waive, subject to appropriate conditions, such
improvements as it considers are not requisite in the interest of
public health, safety, and general welfare. Waivers shall be encouraged
in those areas where such improvements would detract from the rural
and scenic character of the Town.
(2)
Underground utilities required by the Planning Board shall be placed
between the paved roadway and street line to simplify location and
repair of the lines, and the subdivider shall install underground
service connections to the property line of each lot before the street
is paved.
(3)
Grading and improvements shall conform to the Town Highway Specifications
and shall be approved as to design and specifications by the Highway
Superintendent.
A.
Arrangement. The arrangement of lots shall be such that there will
be no foreseeable difficulties, for reasons of topography or other
conditions, in locating a building on each lot and in providing access
to buildings on such lots from an approved street.
B.
Access across a watercourse. Where a watercourse separates the buildable
area of a lot from the access street, provision shall be made for
the installation of a culvert or other structure, of a design approved
by the Highway Superintendent.
D.
Side lot lines. Side lot lines shall be at right angles to street
lines unless a variation from this rule will give a more appropriate
street or lot plan.
E.
Street frontage. Every building lot shall abut an improved public
or private street.
F.
Rear lots. Rear lots are allowed in any residential zone pursuant to § 165-68 of Chapter 165, Zoning. Such lots may be approved only where they will not endanger public health and safety and will advance the purposes of this chapter and Chapter 165, including, in particular, the preservation of natural and scenic resources.
(1)
The minimum area of rear lots shall be 150% of the lot size as required by Chapter 165 for the applicable zoning district. The area of the accessway shall not be included in the calculation of the required minimum lot area for the rear lot.
(2)
Each rear lot must have a minimum frontage of 25 feet on an improved
street to provide for an accessway as required by this chapter.
(4)
No more than two accessways to rear lots may abut, and abutting accessways
must share one private drive over the accessways.
(5)
A minimum distance of twice the minimum lot frontage of the applicable
district is required between nonabutting accessways at their intersection
with the improved street.
(6)
The accessway shall be owned in fee simple by the owner of the rear
lot.
(7)
In considering the best use of land in a subdivision, the Board may
reasonably limit the number and location of such rear lots and the
length of the accessways.
(8)
The applicant shall show that the design and layout of the subdivision
with the proposed rear lots will be in keeping with the Town of Washington
Master Plan.
(9)
The applicant shall show that the proposed interior lots will, through the use of conservation easements, preserve important natural resource and landscape features identified in the Master Plan, Chapter 165, Zoning, and Visual Resources Mapping Series (§ 165-17 of Chapter 165), including but not limited to wetlands, agricultural land, scenic views, and ridgetops.
(10)
When necessary to satisfy the above-stated criteria, the subdivision
plan shall limit, on the rear lot, the area within which the house
and driveway may be constructed. The Planning Board may require that
such limitation of the building site be implemented through a conservation
easement.
G.
Access from major streets. Lots shall not, in general, derive access
exclusively from a major street. Where driveway access from a major
street may be necessary for several adjoining lots, the Planning Board
may require that such lots be served by a common drive in order to
limit possible traffic hazards on such street.
H.
Driveways and common drives. The Planning Board shall assure that
driveways are of a sufficient length and width for a passenger (i.e.
noncommercial) vehicle to turnaround in order to prevent vehicles
from backing out onto improved streets and that driveways are suitably
laid out to provide safe access to improved streets, taking into consideration
the rural character of the Town and the expressed policies of minimizing
environmental disruption. Where common drives are used, the Planning
Board shall assure that safe access is feasible over the improved
common drive travel way. If such access is acceptable, and legally
adequate recorded common drive maintenance agreements are required
as conditions of subdivision approval, the Planning Board may approve
a subdivision in which lots served by a common drive have road frontage
that is not physically suitable for the placement of a driveway.
A.
Parks, playgrounds, and open space.
(1)
The Planning Board may require adequate, convenient, and suitable
areas for parks and playgrounds, or other recreational purposes, to
be reserved on the plat, but in no case more than 10% of the gross
area of any subdivision. The area shall be shown and marked on the
plat: "reserved for park or playground purposes." The Planning Board
may require that the applicant grant a conservation easement on such
land to assure that it remains undeveloped.
(2)
If the Planning Board determines that a suitable park or parks or
that open space of adequate size cannot be properly located in any
such plat, or is otherwise not practical, the Board may require, as
a condition to approval of such plat, a payment to the Town of a sum
to be determined by the Town Board. The sum shall be placed in a trust
fund to be used by the Town exclusively for park, playground, or recreation
purposes, including the acquisition of property.
B.
Realignment and widening of existing streets. Where the subdivision
borders an existing street, and the Official Map or Master Plan indicates
plans for realignment or widening of the street that would require
reservation of some land of the subdivision, the Planning Board may
require that such areas be shown and marked on the plat: "reserved
for street alignment (or widening) purposes."
C.
Utility and drainage easements. Where topography or other conditions
make inclusion of utilities or drainage facilities within street rights-of-way
impractical, perpetual unobstructed easements at least 20 feet in
width for such utilities shall be provided across property outside
the street lines and with satisfactory access to the street.
D.
Easements for pedestrian access. The Planning Board may require,
in order to facilitate pedestrian access from streets to schools,
parks, playgrounds, natural areas set aside for the benefit of the
public, or other nearby streets, perpetual unobstructed easements
at least 20 feet in width.
E.
Responsibility for ownership of reservations. Ownership shall be
clearly indicated on all reservations.
