A. 
The subdivider shall install all of the improvements itemized herein unless waived, in writing, by the Board. All work done under this section shall be done under the direction of the Planning Board. No aforementioned bond or covenant shall be released until full approval, in writing, of all work done under this section is received by the Planning Board agent. The following minimum specifications shall govern the installation of all roadways, utilities and other improvements in all subdivisions as noted on typical cross section, designated on the definitive plan and otherwise determined by the Planning Board.
B. 
No street or way through private property shall be accepted by Town unless the same be previously constructed and completed in accordance with the standard cross section (See Schedules B, C[1]), street layout plan, profile and the following specifications. Prior to the commencement of the construction phase of development, a preconstruction conference shall be held between the Planning Board and/or its agent and the developer and/or his agent to be sure that all the requirements herein are understood and will be met.
[Amended 11-30-1998]
[1]
Editor's Note: All schedules are included as an attachment to this chapter.
C. 
Unless otherwise specified, all the work and the materials used in the work to be done shall conform to the requirements of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Public Works, Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges, 1988 Edition, as amended, hereinafter referred to as the "Standard Specifications," as amended, and the special provisions included hereinafter. Appropriate illustrations are found in Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Public Works, Construction Standards, 1977, as amended.
D. 
Supplementing the aforesaid Standard Specifications, certain specifications or special provisions shall apply particularly to the work to be done hereunder. References in the following specifications, unless otherwise stated, are to the aforesaid Standard Specifications, amendments or addenda. These specifications and special provisions shall take precedence and shall govern when they are stricter.
E. 
To facilitate reference, each subsection in these specifications is noted with the paragraph number of the particular section as contained in the Standard Specifications.
F. 
Wherever in the Standard Specifications or other contractual documents, the following terms, or pronouns in place of them, are used, the intent and meaning shall be interpreted by substitution as follows:
(1) 
"Commonwealth": Town of Kingston.
(2) 
"Department": Highway Department and Board of Selectmen of Kingston.
(3) 
"Engineer": the Planning Board of the Town of Kingston acting directly or through an authorized representative; such representative acting within the scope of the particular duties entrusted to him.
G. 
The extent of work required shall be as shown upon approved plans and in compliance with the standard cross section plans. Stakes shall be set which will indicate the exact amount of cut or fill.
(1) 
Offset stakes shall be set under the direction of a registered land surveyor at fifty-foot intervals and at each sewerage and drainage structure and at each hydrant to indicate the location and the exact amount of cut, fill or grade.
(2) 
Improvements to minimize adverse environmental impact, if required, shall be installed in accordance with all details as shown on the approved definitive plan, and all possible measures shall be taken during construction to minimize dust and erosion.
(3) 
No earth shall be removed from the area shown on a definitive plan except in accordance with the approved plan and in accordance with an approved earth removal permit, where required.
H. 
As each construction operation is completed, it shall be inspected and approved by the proper Town authority prior to starting working on the succeeding operation.
I. 
As-built plans.
(1) 
Prior to the release of any lots, the developer shall have prepared and certified by a registered land surveyor a plan of acceptance drawn with india ink on tracing cloth, Mylar or similar substance, size 18 inches by 24 inches or 24 inches by 36 inches, showing widths, lengths, bearings of all boundary lines of streets and easements and radii, tangents and central angles of all curves in street lines. It shall show that all stone bounds have been set.
[Amended 3-9-2009]
(2) 
A blank space, four inches by eight inches, shall be provided on the lower right-hand corner of the plan for a title block to be filled in by the developer. The surveyor shall place a certification on the plan, stating "The street (or way or portion thereof) is laid out and the bounds have been set as shown on this plan" and shall be dated, signed and the surveyor's stamp affixed thereon. One copy of the plan shall be submitted to the Board of Selectmen and one copy to the Planning Board.
(3) 
The developer shall have the original plans and profiles that were submitted to the Planning Board and that are on file in the Planning Board office corrected and certified by his engineer to show the actual as-built locations and grades of all utilities and roadway profiles and any changes authorized by the Planning Board.
A. 
The roadway shall be graded and prepared for pavement as follows:
(1) 
Clearing and grubbing of the entire area of such street or way shall be performed to remove all trees not intended for preservation, stumps, brush, roots, rocks or boulders and like material which may exist upon the surface; except that trees of aesthetic value and over four-inch caliper may be allowed to remain, provided that they are located at least five feet from the proposed side line of the finished roadway and are approved by the Tree Warden and the Planning Board.
(2) 
Roadway earth excavation shall remove all materials encountered down to the true surface of the subgrade, or to suitable material in areas where unsuitable material exists, in preparation for foundation of roadway, sidewalks, driveways and berms. Approved material obtained from the excavation may be used in fills as required if, in the opinion of the Planning Board, they are suitable.
(3) 
When, in the opinion of the Planning Board, suitable material is not available within the limits of the highway location to form the subgrade or subbase, the contractor shall obtain such additional material from other sources in accordance with this section and as may be approved by the Planning Board.
(4) 
The subgrade surface, 16 inches below the finished surface grade in minor and secondary streets, and 18 inches below the finished surface grade in major streets in residential subdivisions and in all streets in nonresidential subdivisions, shall be prepared true to the lines, grades and cross sections given and properly rolled. All soft or spongy material below the subgrade surface shall be removed to a depth determined by the Planning Board, and the space thus made shall be filled with special gravel borrow containing no stones over six inches in their largest diameter.
(5) 
Gravel subbase or foundation containing no stones having any dimensions greater than six inches shall be spread in two equal layers on the surface of the subgrade to a minimum depth of 12 inches in conformity with requirements of Section M 1.02.0. The first six inches of gravel borrow shall be Type A as specified in the Standard Specifications and the top six inches shall be Type B as specified in the Standard Specifications. To assure compliance with the Standard Specifications, the Planning Board may authorize, at the applicant's expense, a testing of the gravel by an independent testing company. Each layer shall be thoroughly watered, rolled and compacted true to line and grade. Any depressions that appear during and after the rolling shall be filled with additional gravel and rerolled until the surface is true.
(6) 
Final grading, rolling and finishing, including the shaping, trimming, rolling and finishing of the surface of the subbase prior to application of gravel for surfacing of the roadway and base courses for walks or loam for berms, shall be in accordance with this section as directed by the Planning Board.
(a) 
If the Planning Board determines that enough time has elapsed to make it desirable, a tack coat meeting its specifications shall be applied prior to the application of the second layer of gravel.
(b) 
At the conclusion of this step, the roadway shall be staked in all locations where permanent monuments are to be installed as provided in § 468-5.9.
B. 
Roadway curb radii, center lines, and widths.
(1) 
Roadways shall be constructed for the full length of all streets within the subdivision and shall have the same curb radius required in § 468-4.2D(2). The center line of all roadways shall coincide with the center line of the street right-of-way unless a deviation is approved by the Planning Board. The minimum and maximum widths of roadways shall be as follows:
Street Classification
Right-of-Way Width (in feet) as Required in § 468-4.2B
Pavement Width
(in feet)
Arterial
70
48
Collector
60
34
Subcollector
50
26
Local
50
22
(2) 
All pavement width shall be as defined above but are subject to alteration by the Planning Board at its option. Provisions for narrower pavement widths and smaller culs-de-sac may be made by the Planning Board for developments employing accepted traffic-calming measures. Pavement width shall be measured from within the inside edge of the curb or berm.
[Amended 11-30-1998; 6-22-2009]
C. 
The base and wearing surfaces of roadways shall be of Class I bituminous concrete pavement, Type I-1, unless otherwise approved or required by the Highway Department. The Type I-1 pavement shall be composed of mineral aggregate, mineral filler and bituminous material, plant-mixed and laid hot. The pavement shall be constructed in conformity with lines, grades and typical cross-section shown on plans. Material and construction methods shall conform to all other requirements of Section 460 of the Standard Specifications except that no such construction shall be undertaken before March 30 of any year nor after November 1 of any year without written permission of the Planning Board agent. The developer shall employ a qualified engineering company for services during the batching and placement of bituminous concrete paving. The engineer shall submit a report of bituminous concrete plan inspection providing plant information, mix information, and extraction results by percent passing by weight. Thickness of pavement, mixture field specimens (ASTM D-3549) shall be provided for every 1,000 linear feet of road or portion thereof at locations directed by the engineer. Certified results of these inspections and test shall be submitted to the Kingston Highway Department and Planning Board Engineer.
(1) 
Pavement on all streets shall be laid to a finished depth of four inches laid in two courses; the base course shall be 2 1/2 inches, and the top course shall be 1 1/2 inches.
(2) 
Greater pavement thickness shall be required by the Board on roadways subject to heavy traffic such as in nonresidential subdivisions or in selected major streets of residential subdivisions.
D. 
Embankments outside, within or adjoining the right-of-way shall be evenly graded and pitched at a slope of not greater than two horizontal to one vertical in fill. Where cuts are made in ledge, other slopes may be determined with the approval of the Planning Board. Where terrain necessitates greater slopes, retaining walls, terracing, fencing, or riprap may be used either alone or in combination to provide safety and freedom from maintenance, but must be done in accordance with plans filed with and approved by the Planning Board. Whenever embankments are built in such a way as to require approval by the Planning Board, the developer must furnish to the Town duly recorded access easements free of encumbrances for maintenance of the slopes, terraces or retaining walls. All such slopes shall be grassed in accordance with the specifications for the area between the roadway and sidewalk or roadway and boundary of the right-of-way.
E. 
Loam shall be placed on all shoulders, embankments and other areas disturbed by the construction to a depth of four inches. Grass conforming to Section M 6.03.0 of the Standard Specifications shall be placed at the rate of four pounds per 1,000 square feet, or such other ground cover as the Planning Board may approve. The Planning Board may also approve alternative methods as described in Appendix B, Landscape Design Standards for Stormwater Treatment.[1]
[Amended 6-22-2009]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix B is included as an attachment to this chapter.
F. 
Granite curbing shall be installed in all subdivisions. The Planning Board may waive granite curbing where accepted low-impact development methods as shown in the Massachusetts Low Impact Development Toolkit are employed: https://www.mass.gov/smart-growth-smart-energytoolkit-information-and-resources.
[Amended 1-29-1996; 6-22-2009]
(1) 
The type of granite curbing, whether vertical, chamfered, or sloped, will be at the discretion of the Planning Board in consultation with the Fire Chief and the Superintendent of Streets, Trees and Parks.
[Amended 11-23-2009]
(2) 
The type of curbing will be based on the type of road as defined in the Kingston Zoning Bylaw, Section 2.1.1.58, characteristics of which are identified in the Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land, § 468-4.2B(1). Local and minor streets will typically be constructed with sloped granite. In the event that no grass strip is provided and the sidewalk abuts the roadway, vertical granite curbing with a chamfered edge will be installed. Collector streets will be constructed with a vertical curbing with a chamfered edge. Subcollector streets will typically be constructed with vertical curbing with a chamfered edge. Subcollector street whose use and volume approach those of local streets may be constructed with sloped granite curbing, based on the recommendations of the Fire Chief and the Superintendent of Streets, Trees and Parks.
[Amended 11-23-2009]
A. 
Installation and materials, unless otherwise specified, shall conform to the standards of the Town of Kingston.
(1) 
Excavation for structures, including foundations for drains, sewers and water pipes, wells and other structures shall be made to the depth as indicated on the definitive plan or established by the Planning Board, as appropriate. Rock excavation designated as Class B, encountered in trench excavation, shall be removed as directed by the Planning Board.
(2) 
All drain, sewer, gas and water pipes, underground utilities and other structures, including laterals which shall be installed from the right-of-way line of each lot, shall be installed upon the completion of roadway subgrade and before the placing of the subbase, gravel base course, sidewalks or pavement. If the pavement is removed, excavated or damaged, the trench shall be repaired in accordance with the Town of Kingston Rules and Specifications Regulating Street Excavations.
(3) 
Where adjacent property is not subdivided or where all the property of the applicant is not being subdivided at the same time, provision shall be made for the extension of the utility system by continuing the mains the full length of streets and to the exterior limits of the subdivision, at such grade and size which will, in the opinion of the Planning Board, permit their proper extension at a later date.
B. 
Water.
(1) 
Public water mains and related facilities shall be installed to the standards of the Kingston Water Department. Hydrants shall be located as specified in § 468-4.8.
(2) 
Each hydrant shall be served directly from the water main through a six-inch lateral connection. It shall be gated with a five-inch bottom valve and shall have two two-and-one-half-inch hose outlets and one five-inch pump outlet. Water main valves shall be located in such number and locations that lines by individual block may be isolated for maintenance purposes.
(3) 
Where a public water system is located within 400 feet of the subdivision, the subdivider may connect to the public water system. Where a public water system is not located within 400 feet of the subdivision, the subdivider may install a private on-lot water system.
(4) 
Private on-lot water systems shall be located a minimum of 50 feet from a septic tank; 100 feet from a leaching field, seepage pit and cesspool; 10 feet from durably constructed building sewer; and 100 feet from a privy. Such systems shall be constructed in accordance with Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Kingston Board of Health regulations.
(5) 
Community-type systems or the joint use of wells shall be subject to the standards of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and acceptance by the Kingston Board of Health.
C. 
Sewerage.
(1) 
Where public sewers are required, they shall be designed according to professional engineering practices in accordance with the requirements and the standards of the Kingston Sewer Department.
[Added 12-10-2001]
(2) 
On-site sewage disposal facilities shall be installed and constructed in conformity with the rules, regulations and requirements of the Board of Health. On-site septic tanks and leaching fields may be located in either the front or rear yard of the building(s) served, with the front yard preferred. Due consideration should be given to surface and subsurface soil conditions, drainage and topography in the location of such on-site facilities, and in no instance can any portion of the sewage disposal facilities be located closer than 10 feet to a property line.
D. 
Drainage.
(1) 
Adequate disposal of surface and subsurface water shall be provided and pipes, manholes and catch basins shall be provided according to the sizes and depths as indicated on the plans and in conformity with the requirements of Sections 200, 220, 230 of the Standard Specifications and shall be built on both sides of the roadway at intervals not to exceed 300 feet, unless otherwise approved by the Planning Board, and at such other places as deemed necessary by the Planning Board to assure an unimpeded flow of all natural watercourses, to assure adequate drainage of all low points and to provide proper runoff of stormwater. In no instances shall catch basins be located along a driveway cut. The standard depth of catch basins shall be three feet below the invert of lowest drain. Manholes shall be constructed to the required depth at each junction point and as shown on the plan. Pipe culvert and pipe drains shall be in conformity with the requirements of Section 230 for installation of pipes.
(2) 
Reinforced concrete pipe (used on all cross drains under pavements) shall be installed according to the size as shown on the plans. Comparable high-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE) may be used if deemed appropriate by the Planning Board. No backfilling of pipes shall be done until the installation has been inspected by the Planning Board agent. All drainage trenches except cross drains shall be filled with clean gravel borrow in accordance with Specification 760. All cross-drain trenches shall be backfilled with selected material satisfactory to the Planning Board agent.
[Amended 3-9-2009]
(3) 
The size of pipe shall be in accordance with the approved definitive plan and in any case shall not be less than 12 inches in diameter. Pipe for the construction of culverts and drains shall be reinforced concrete except where such culverts or drains pass under a roadway or driveway, in which case they shall be reinforced concrete (extra strength). All pipes shall be laid true to line and grade as shown on the plan. Each section of pipe shall have a full, firm bearing throughout its length. All joints shall be made of portland cement mortar unless otherwise directed. Minimum covering of all pipe shall be no less than 36 inches.
(4) 
Drain specifications.
(a) 
Sizes and slopes of drains shall satisfy the Rational Formula:
Where:
Q
=
ACi
Q
=
peak discharge of the watershed in cfs due to a twenty-five-year storm
A
=
area of watershed in acres
C
=
coefficient of runoff
i
=
rainfall intensity in inches per hour for a twenty-five year storm
(b) 
In no case shall a drainage line of less than twelve-inch diameter be used. All drains must be sloped to provide for a minimum velocity of 2 1/2 feet per second for self-cleaning purposes. The maximum design velocity shall be 15 feet per second.
(5) 
Catch basins and manholes.
(a) 
Location. Catch basins located in pavements shall be located so that the greatest distance which water will have to flow over the surface shall not be over 350 feet.
(b) 
Materials specifications.
[1] 
Cement brick masonry or concrete block masonry, machine-made solid segments not less than eight inches in width and precast concrete structures.
[2] 
Manhole frames: 26 inches in diameter; and cover (marked "D" for drains and "E" for electric): 200 pounds minimum weight.
[3] 
Square catch basin frames: 24 inches square; and grates: 200 pounds minimum weight.
[4] 
Catch basin flanges in Subsection D(5)(b)[3] above shall have three flanges only at curb inlets.
(c) 
Construction specifications. Catch basins and manholes shall not be less than four feet in inside diameter at a point 2 1/2 feet below the bottom of the frame. Catch basins shall not be less than three feet in depth measuring from the invert of the outlet pipe. Brick masonry inverts shall be constructed for all manholes. The base of these structures shall consist of precast concrete pies. A twelve-inch weep hole shall be left in the base of the catch basins. The walls of these structures shall not be less than six inches in thickness, shall consist of cement brick, concrete block masonry or precast concrete units and shall be laid in mortar composed of one part portland cement and two parts sand and sufficient water to form a workable mixture. Backfill shall not be applied until after inspection. Outside walls shall be thoroughly plastered with one-half-inch-thick portland cement mortar. Steps or metal rungs shall be provided in manholes over five feet in depth.
(d) 
Installation of castings. Castings shall be set at the pavement binder course grade. Frame castings for catch basins and manholes shall be set in full mortar beds. All casting to be adjusted to finish grade prior to the application of the wearing surface. All adjustments to be with sewer brick.
(6) 
Where subdrains are required, they shall be constructed in conformance with Section 260 of the Standard Specifications.
E. 
Gas.
(1) 
Gas mains shall be installed if gas connection is available unless said installation is specifically waived by the Planning Board. See § 468-4.10A.
(2) 
The Gas Company shall be notified by the developer upon approval of the definitive plan so that installation of gas mains may be completed without undue delay.
(3) 
If excavation is made after the subgrade is completed and inspected, the mains shall be put in a trench covered with a poured reinforced concrete slab to the lines, grades and dimensions approved by the Planning Board.
F. 
Telephone and electricity. Telephone lines shall be installed in underground conduits in conformity with the Standard Specifications. Electric lines shall be installed underground in accord with the regulations of the Commonwealth Electric Company. The Planning Board may permit transformers, switches and other such equipment to be placed on the ground in approved locations.
G. 
Other utilities.
(1) 
Any and all wiring shall be installed underground and may be in the same trench with vertical and/or horizontal separation as approved by the Planning Board. Service shall be provided to each lot and each streetlight before the subgrade is prepared.
(2) 
Other utilities shall be installed in underground conduits in accord with Section 800 of the Standard Specifications or as required by the utility company or department.
(3) 
Mailboxes shall be clustered at a location that is approved by the Planning Board and in accordance with postal regulations.
(4) 
A light post eight feet high shall be installed at the edge of the road layout. The light shall be full cutoff light fixtures to limit excessive illumination of the night sky, equipped with a photosensitive cell set to operate from dusk to dawn and be connected to the property owner's electrical service. It shall be the property owner's responsibility to maintain the light.
[Amended 10-17-1994; 3-9-2009]
[Amended 3-9-2009; 6-9-2025]
A. 
Sidewalks shall be constructed within the subdivision, separated from the pavement area by a seeded grass plot. See § 468-5.7. When unusual topographic conditions require, the Board may approve the placement of a sidewalk at a greater distance from the roadway or at a higher or lower elevation in relation thereto, provided such variation is indicated on the definitive plan and accompanying cross sections. See § 468-4.9.
B. 
Sidewalks shall have a finished grade in relation to the finished grade of the roadway as shown on the applicable cross-section plan and shall extend the full length of each side of the street.
C. 
All materials shall be removed for the full width of the sidewalk to subgrade 12 inches below the finished grade as shown on the Cross Sections, Schedules B and C.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: All schedules are included as an attachment to this chapter.
D. 
Bituminous concrete sidewalks laid in two courses, each of two-inch compacted thickness, which shall have total compacted thickness of four inches after compression; shall be constructed on an eight-inch gravel foundation, consisting of six inches of gravel meeting MassDOT Standard Specification M1.03.0, Type C; overlain with two inches of dense-graded crushed stone meeting MassDOT Standard Specification M2.01.7; to the required lines and grades in accordance with the roadway Typical Sections and the MassDOT Standard Specifications. The Planning Board encourages the use of permeable materials including permeable pavement for bikeways, pedestrian walkways or trails.
E. 
If the applicant prefers to install cement concrete sidewalks, they shall be constructed in conformity with the Standard Specifications.
A. 
Except as specified herein, where bikeways and walkways are required, they shall be constructed in conformance with Section 701 of the Standard Specifications.
B. 
Specifications for sidewalks contained in § 468-5.4. shall apply to bikeways and walkways.
C. 
For the length of each bikeways and walkway there shall be a cross slope equivalent to 3/8 of one inch per foot of width to provide for proper drainage. Leveling areas at intersections with sidewalks shall be shown in details.
[Amended 3-11-1996]
A. 
Granite curbs.
(1) 
Natural color variation characteristic of the deposit from which the curbing is obtained will be permitted. Sawed surfaces shall be thoroughly cleaned and any iron rust or iron particles or any saw mark in excess of 1/8 inch shall be removed. Stones shall be Type VB and have a minimum length of 36 inches, minimum width at the top of five inches and minimum width at the bottom of 3 1/2 inches over 2/3 of each stone length and depth of 15 inches to 17 inches. Stones used for closure pieces may be up to one-third shorter than the specified minimum length. Stones set on a radius of 100 feet or less shall be cut to the required curvature and, except for marking closures, shall be a minimum length of 54 inches on radius from 25 feet to 50 feet or less. At drainage inlets, a gutter mouth of at least three inches in depth and at least two feet in length shall be cut in the front of the stone.
(2) 
The front face shall be at right angles to the planes of the top and ends shall be smooth quarry split, free from drill holes and with no projection of more than one inch and no depression of more than 1/2 inch measured from the vertical plane of the face of the arris or pitch line for the distance down from the top of eight inches.
(3) 
For the remaining distance, there shall be no projection or depression greater than one inch measured in the same manner. The ends of all stones shall be square with the planes of the top and face so that when the stones are placed end to end as closely as possible, no space shall show in the joint at the top and face of more than 1/2 inch for the full width of the top and for eight inches down on the face, after which the end may break back not over eight inches from the plane of the joint. The arris formed by the intersection of the plane of the joint with the planes of the top and exposed faces shall have no variation from the plane of the top and exposed faces greater than 1/8 inch.
(4) 
The finish and surface dimensions shall have a top surface free from wind, shall be peen hammered or sawed to an approximately true plane, and shall have no projections or depressions greater than 1/8 inch. The front and back arris lines shall be pitched straight and true, and there shall be no projection on the back surface for three inches down from the top which would exceed a batter of four inches in one foot.
[Amended 3-11-1996]
B. 
Granite edging.
(1) 
Edging stones shall be cut to the following dimensions:
(a) 
Minimum length: two feet.
(b) 
Maximum length: six feet.
(c) 
Thickness: three inches to six inches.
(d) 
Width of face: 11 inches to 13 inches.
(2) 
Minimum-length stone shall be used on curves with a radius of less than 60 feet, except one-foot lengths shall be used on curves with a radius of 10 feet or less.
(3) 
The exposed face shall be smooth quarry split to an approximately true plane having no projections or depressions which will cause over one inch to show between a two-foot straightedge and the face when the straightedge is placed as closely as possible on any part of the face.
(4) 
If projections on the face are more than that specified, they shall be dressed off. The top and bottom lines of the face shall be pitched off to a straight line and shall not show over one inch between stone and straightedge when straightedge is placed along the entire length of the top and bottom lines and when viewed from a direction at right angles to the plane of the face and, for the top line only, not over one inch when viewed from a direction in the place of the face. The ends shall be square to the length at the face and so cut that when placed end to end as closely as possible, no space shall show in the joint at the face of over 1 1/2 inches, except that where the edging is to be used on a curve having a radius of 10 feet or less, the ends of the stones shall be so cut as to provide a finished joint at the face section of not more than 1/2 inch. The arris formed by the intersection of the plane of the face with the plane of the end joint shall not vary from the plane of the face more than 1/4 inch. Drill holes not more than 3 1/2 inches in length and 1/2 inch in depth will be permitted. The sides shall not be broken under the square more than four inches, and the side adjacent to the grass shall not project over one inch.
(5) 
Granite edging shall be set in conformance with the current detail contained in the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's construction standards. The gravel foundation shall be thoroughly compacted before setting the edge stones. Additional gravel shall be placed and compacted as needed to support the edge stones. Edge stones shall be fitted together as closely as possible.
(6) 
The concrete toe support shall be placed after the edge stones have been set to fill the space between the edge stones and the bituminous concrete base course. The top support shall be placed to the full depth of the base course and finished flush with the base course surface.
[Amended 3-11-1996]
C. 
Granite curb construction: preparation.
[Amended 3-11-1996]
(1) 
A trench shall be excavated at least 18 inches wide to a minimum depth of six inches below the bottom of the curb stones. The edge of the trench shall be six inches from the curbline to the roadway. Shape the excavation to a uniform surface and tamp.
(2) 
Cement concrete shall be placed in trench so that curb sits on top of six inches of cement with six inches of cement concrete in front and back.
(3) 
The stones shall be set on the foundation true to line and grade with the front face vertical with a seven-inch reveal.
(4) 
Cement concrete shall not be poured on frozen or thawing subgrade.
(5) 
The space between curb stones shall be filled with cement mortar, and point the mortar joints.
(6) 
At driveway openings, the first stone on either side of the opening shall have a forty-five-degree bevel in the exposed end of the stone at the driveway end.
D. 
Guardrails shall be installed for safety at curves or filled areas as required by the Planning Board, in accordance with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation "Highway Design Manual," Section 9.3.2, Guardrail warrants.
E. 
If a waiver for granite curbing is granted, the following shall apply:
(1) 
Type A berm, "Cape Cod" berm, 18 inches wide shall be provided along each side of the roadway.
(2) 
In the event that the Planning Board waives curbs and berms, paved gutters shall be provided along each edge of the roadway where the grade exceeds 3%.
(3) 
The profile of the berm is subject to Planning Board approval.
[Amended 3-11-1996]
A. 
A four-foot grass plot shall be provided on each side of each roadway between the pavement and sidewalk areas, where sidewalks are required, and shall occupy all the remaining area not paved up to the right-of-way lines. The top four inches of all required grass plots shall consist of good-quality loam, rolled and planted.
B. 
Grass shall be used unless other ground cover is approved by the Planning Board. Seed shall conform to Section M 6.03.0 of the Standard Specifications.
C. 
The slope of the grass plot shall be a maximum of two feet horizontal to one foot vertical.
D. 
Streetlight stanchions and streetlights shall be located at least 10 feet from the edge of the roadway in the grass plot or in the median, if there is one, but shall not be nearer than 25 feet from the intersection of two streets, measured from the intersection of the tangents of the intersecting street curblines. If streetlights are located in the median, the Board may require pedestrian lighting placed in the grass plot. See also § 468-5.11. Streetlights shall be installed to meet criteria set by the Board of Selectmen and installed in accordance with the Kingston Highway Superintendent's specifications. The developer shall establish an account with the Board of Selectmen to cover the cost of required streetlighting for a period of two years. This account must be in place prior to applying for occupancy permits.
A. 
Street trees of a species approved by the Planning Board shall be planted on each side of each street in a subdivision, except where the definitive plan showed trees to be retained which are healthy and adequate. Such trees shall be located outside of the right-of-way as shown in the Profile and Standard Cross Sections, Schedules B and C,[1] approximately at forty-foot intervals, and shall be least 12 feet in height, two inches in caliper measured four feet above the approved grade, and shall not be closer than five feet nor more than 10 feet from said right-of-way line. Trees shall be planted in accordance with Sections M 6.06.0 and M 6.09.0 of the Standard Specifications.
[1]
Editor's Note: All schedules are included as an attachment to this chapter.
B. 
The developer shall plant other trees as needed to provide at least one area of shade to each lot. A waiver shall be granted only if there are trees growing along the right-of-way or on the abutting property which, in the opinion of the Planning Board, comply with these regulations.
[Amended 11-30-1998]
C. 
All deciduous street trees shall be clear of any branches from the approved grade level to a point seven feet above ground level.
D. 
The developer will be liable for all trees so planted as to their erectness and good health for one year after planting.
E. 
No evergreen trees such as pine, fir, spruce or hemlock are to be planted on an easterly or southerly side of a road, street or way.
F. 
Except as otherwise provided, all cut bankings shall be planted with a low-growing shrub or vine and wood chipped to a minimum depth of six inches or seeded with a deep-rooted, perennial grass to prevent erosion. See also § 468-5.2D.
G. 
All reasonable care shall be exercised to preserve the trees in the subdivision.
H. 
Landscaping, street trees and tree belts.
[Amended 6-22-2009]
(1) 
Tree belts a minimum of eight feet wide shall be provided on each side of the roadway (seven feet if it is not possible to accommodate eight feet in the right-of-way). When sidewalks are required, the tree belt shall be between the curb and the sidewalk, with the trees planted along the center line of the tree belt. The finished grade of such tree belts shall have a slope of 1/2 inch per foot toward the roadway. Where unusual physical land characteristics or topographic conditions exist, and where no sidewalk is to be constructed, the Planning Board may approve the construction of a tree belt of a greater slope with the finished slope not projecting above a plane sloped four horizontal to one vertical from the back of the curb.
(a) 
The top six inches of tree belt shall consist of good-quality loam extending to the right-of-way, screened, raked, and rolled with lawn grass seed applied in sufficient quantity to assure adequate coverage, rolled when the loam is moist. Spreading of loam and seed shall be in accordance with Sections 751 and 765 of the Standard Specifications.
(b) 
There shall be no small trees or shrubs, and no herbaceous plants taller than one foot, within the tree belt.
(2) 
Street shade trees shall be on both sides of subdivision streets in the tree belt when possible and otherwise within the right-of-way or within five feet of the right-of-way. There shall be one tree planted an average of every 30 feet of street frontage along each lot and not less than two trees per lot. Any mature, deciduous shade trees preserved may be applied toward this average.
(3) 
Street trees shall not be permitted within 25 feet of the curbline of the intersection of two streets.
(4) 
Trees shall be mature deciduous trees or newly planted trees no less than three-inch caliper at time of installation. Clumping is permitted, using both sides of the sidewalk for tree planting, in order to frame or enhance a view. The center of the tree should be four feet from pavement or curbs.
(5) 
Street trees shall be deciduous shade trees, including, but not limited to, those listed in the table below. No more than 35% of any one species shall be used throughout the subdivision.
(6) 
Street trees shall have a minimum caliper of three inches measured six inches above the soil root ball. They shall be single-stemmed with a single, straight leader. All tree species must meet American Association of Nurserymen[2] standards for the types and sizes specified. These standards shall be included on the detail sheets.
[2]
Editor's Note: Now the American Nursery and Landscape Association.
(7) 
The developer shall install on each lot the street trees specified on the approved plans prior to the issuance of the final certificate of occupancy. Trees must survive one year after planting prior to the release of warranty performance guarantees.
(8) 
Planting operations and requirements for street trees and after-planting tree care shall be in accordance with the American Association of Nurserymen[3] standards for planting and shall have a two-year growth warranty. These standards shall be indicated on detail sheets. This warranty period also pertains to trees that have been slated for protection and specified to count toward the public street tree requirement as shown on plans.
[3]
Editor's Note: Now the American Nursery and Landscape Association.
(9) 
Specifications for tree protection for all trees slated for protection shall be included in the plans and shall conform to ANSI standards.
A Selection of Approved Street Tree Species
Botanical Name
Common Name
Notes
Acer rubrum
Red maple
Low-salt areas
Acer saccharum
Sugar maple
In special circumstances, low-salt, wide-root-zone areas
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Katsura tree
Prune to single stem; moist soils
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Green ash
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo
Male only
Gleditsia triacanthos var. intermis
Thornless common honeylocust
Nyssa sylvatica
Blackgum, tupelo
Moist soils
Quercus coccinea
Scarlet oak
Quercus robur
English oak
Quercus rubra
Red oak
Will tolerate poor, sandy soils
Platanus x acerifolia
London planetree
Tilia cordata
Littleleaf linden
Ulmus americana "Valley Forge"
Valley Forge elm
Ulmus americana "Princeton"
Princeton elm
Ulmus parvifolia "Allee"
"Allee" lacebark elm
Zelkova serrata
Japanese zelkova
A. 
Monuments shall be installed on street lines at all points of intersections of streets with each other and at all points of curvature, at all points of change in direction, at each point where the lot line intersects the street right-of-way, at all corners of lots, at intersection of easements and lot lines and streets and at all other points where, in the opinion of the Planning Board, permanent monuments are necessary.
[Amended 11-30-1998]
B. 
Monuments shall be reinforced concrete marker of not less than three feet in length and not less than five inches in width and breadth and shall have a brass seal with the name of the installer. Said monuments shall be installed at the time of final grading with the top flush with the top final graded surface. Concrete bounds shall be reinforced with a one-half-inch-diameter steel rod.
C. 
Entrances to subdivisions shall not be marked by elaborate monuments.
D. 
The placement and accurate location of these markers shall be certified by a registered land surveyor and properly located on the street acceptance plans.
A. 
Street signs shall be installed at each intersection to conform to the standards established by the Town of Kingston Highway Department and the Police Department.
[Amended 3-11-1996]
B. 
From the time of rough grading until such time as each street is accepted by the Town as a public way, the signposts at the intersection of such street with any other street shall have affixed thereto a sign designating such street as a private way.
A. 
Street and pedestrian pole and light types shall be approved by the Planning Board.
B. 
Streetlight and pedestrian light stanchions shall be located at such intervals as required by the Planning Board in the grass plot or median, as provided in § 468-5.7D, and shall be installed in accord with the procedure required by the Utility Company.
The driveway shall be graded in accordance with § 468-5.1 and a wearing surface applied in accordance with § 468-5.2C(1), unless a lesser thickness is approved by the Planning Board, to a width of at least 15 feet and the to edge of the roadway right-of-way.
Loam and grass seed shall be placed on all shoulders, embankments, and other areas disturbed by construction in accordance with the erosion/sedimentation control program, and the following factors shall be considered during all phases of construction:
A. 
No larger area shall be developed than that on which construction can be completed rapidly so that large areas are not left bare and exposed for long periods.
B. 
Grading shall be kept at a minimum. Where possible, only undesirable trees shall be removed.
C. 
Runoff shall be controlled and conveyed into storm sewers or other outlets so it will not erode the land or cause off-site damage.
D. 
Critical areas shall be protected during construction with mulch or temporary crop covers and with mechanical measures such as diversions and prepared outlets.
E. 
Sediment basins shall be constructed where necessary to detain runoff and to trap sediment during construction.
F. 
Safe off-site disposal of runoff shall be provided, including the increased runoff resulting from construction.
G. 
Permanent vegetation and erosion control structures, where necessary, shall be installed as soon as possible.
For the purpose of protecting the safety, convenience and welfare of the Town's inhabitants; for the provision of adequate access to all of the lots in a subdivision by ways that will be safe and convenient for travel; for reducing the danger to life and limb in the operation of motor vehicles; for securing safety in the case of fire, flood, panic and other emergencies; under the authority of MGL c. 41, § 81M, as amended, the applicant or his successor shall provide for the proper maintenance and repair of improvements under this section of the rules and regulations during the construction and for the period of 18 months after the completion of the construction of said improvements and the release of security or until the Town votes to accept such improvements, whichever comes first. Such maintenance shall include snow removal beginning at the time of occupancy of an individual owner or tenant other than the developer.
A. 
The applicant shall provide competent supervision during the development of his subdivision. If, at any time, it becomes apparent to the Planning Board that the supervision is not satisfactory, it may order the discontinuance of the development until competent supervision is provided.
B. 
Competent supervision shall include the necessary supervision to make sure that all temporary drainage controls, erosion and sedimentation controls, stockpile controls and other such measures as contained in the approved definitive plan are adequately and properly provided and maintained.
Any area disturbed by the construction and all rights-of-way shall be cleaned up so as to leave the area shown on the plan in a neat and orderly appearance free from debris, tree stumps, loose rocks, mounds of dirt or other objectionable material. Seeding of these areas may be required by the Planning Board. On-site burial of rocks, stumps or other debris take place only with the approval of the Planning Board.