Town of Barrington, RI Article X Required Improvements

§ 200-52 Required improvements.

As a condition of approval, the permitting authority shall require that the developer at their own expense construct, install or otherwise make improvements within a proposed development or subdivision in accordance with the specifications contained in the current Barrington Department of Public Works Regulations, issued separately from these regulations, and with the appropriate provisions of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation Division I, General Requirements and Covenants, Division II, Construction Details, and Division III, Materials of the Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction. In general, these required improvements are as follows:

A. Street construction. Street rights-of-way shall be cleared, cleaned and graded, and streets shall be graded and paved, in accordance with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.

B. Curbs. Unless waived by the permitting authority, all streets in new developments shall have granite curbing. Under no circumstances will asphalt or concrete curbing be allowed to be substituted for granite curbing. The specifications and installation of granite curbs shall be in accordance with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.

C. Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be installed, unless waived by the permitting authority, in accordance with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.

D. Street shade trees.

(1) Wherever feasible, shade trees 12 inches in caliper or larger shall not be removed during construction of improvements to a development or subdivision.

(2) Where, in the opinion of the permitting authority, existing woodlands or suitable individual trees are not retained, at least five trees, two inches in caliper or larger and a minimum height of eight feet, shall be planted for each lot in the development or subdivision. Trees may be placed within the street right-of-way as required by the permitting authority, following consultation with the Director of the Department of Public Works. The placement of trees shall provide sufficient room to allow for future access to underground utilities (such as the digging of a trench).

(3) Tree species and planting methods shall conform to the specifications contained in the current Barrington Department of Public Works Regulations.

E. Street signs. Street signs shall be supplied and installed at each street intersection by the Barrington Department of Public Works, the expense of which shall be borne by the developer.

F. Storm drainage facilities. All necessary surface and subsurface storm drainage structures and facilities, including culverts and storm drains, maintenance holes, inlets and catch basins, underdrains and paved waterways, shall conform to the drainage section of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction. Such standards may be modified at the discretion of the Director of the Department of Public Works with the written approval of the Planning Board.

G. Water mains. Water mains shall be installed within the development or subdivision and connected to the public water system in accordance with the requirements of the Bristol County Water Authority or its successor. Water mains shall be installed to ensure adequate separation from other utilities such as electrical, telecommunications and natural gas lines, for maintenance, rehabilitation and repair of water mains.

H. Sewers. Sanitary sewers shall be installed within the development or subdivision if connection to the public sewer system is feasible in accordance with Subsection J(3) below and with the specifications contained in the current Barrington Department of Public Works Regulations. Sewer service lines and water service lines shall be installed with a ten-foot separation.

I. Bounds. Granite bounds shall be placed where angles are turned in the survey, at all points of curvature and tangency, at all corners in the exterior boundary of the subdivision and at such other locations as the permitting authority may designate. They shall also be set at the intersection of the sidelines of existing streets. All existing iron pipe bounds are to be replaced by acceptable granite bounds. The specifications and installation of granite bounds shall be in accordance with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.

J. Underground utilities required. All utilities shall be underground. Prior to installation, all utility plans shall be submitted to the Department of Public Works. Underground locations shall generally comply with the following:

(1) Sanitary sewer: center line of street.

(2) Storm sewers: edge of street opposite water line.

(3) Water line: within right-of-way above and at least 10 feet from sanitary sewer line or storm sewer (law requires 25 feet); the distance shall be measured edge to edge. Water mains crossing sewers shall be laid to provide a minimum vertical distance of 18 inches between the outside of the water main and the outside of the sewer. This shall be the case where the water main is either above or below the sewer, with preference to the water main located above the sewer. A sewer main placed above water must be sleeved in accordance to Bristol County Water Authority specifications. No water pipe shall pass through or come in contact with any part of a sewer maintenance hole. Water mains shall be located at least 10 feet from sewer maintenance holes.

(4) Electric, telephone, gas and cable TV: within right-of-way in the five-foot green belt area between the curb and the edge of the sidewalk or within a private utility easement. No private utilities shall be buried in the pavement area of the street unless the Director of Public Works determines that subsurface conditions in the landscaped area prevent burial of private utilities. These utilities shall not be placed over or near the sewer, drain or water mains.

K. Lighting.

(1) In all new subdivisions where road improvements are being made, provisions shall be made for streetlights to be installed at the applicant's expense generally every 200 feet or as approved by the permitting authority and subject to approval by the utility. LED fixtures and smart controls compatible with the Town's streetlight controls system are required.

L. Utility connections at lot boundaries.

(1) In addition to road requirements as established by the Planning Board and its rules and regulations, it shall be a requirement on all new plats wherein roads are to be built, that at the time the finished road surface is installed, all service and utility connections, such as, but not limited to, water, sewer, telephone, electric, drainage, fire hydrants and streetlights, shall be made available between the curbline (edge of pavement) and the property line in the green belt area, so that effective connection may be made without disturbing the finished road surface. All such utilities shall be underground whenever possible.

(2) No building permits shall be issued on plats approved after the effective date of this section unless the above provisions have been made.

(3) There shall be no transfer or sale of lots on plats approved after the effective date of this section from which this section derives unless the above provisions have been made.

(4) Any violation of this section shall be fined $100 per occurrence, and each day shall constitute a new occurrence.