[Adopted 7-16-1985 by L.L. No. 10-1985]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Highway Excavation Law of the Town of Southold."
For the purpose of this article only, certain words and terms used herein are defined as follows:
HIGHWAY
All or any portion of any highway, street, sidewalk, public place or right-of-way owned and/or controlled by the Town of Southold, exclusive, however, of that portion of any highway, street, sidewalk, public place or right-of-way situate within the territorial limits of the Village of Greenport and exclusive of that portion of any highway, street, sidewalk, public place or right-of-way owned and/or controlled by the County of Suffolk or the State of New York.
PERSON
Any natural person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or other organization.
SUPERINTENDENT
The Highway Superintendent of the Town of Southold, New York.
TOWN
The Town of Southold.
TOWN BOARD
The Town Board of the Town of Southold.
[Amended 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
A. 
No person, firm or corporation, public service, water, light or power authority shall make any curb cuts, road openings or excavate in any street, highway or sidewalk in the Town for any purpose, nor remove from or deposit any material on any highway or intentionally injure any highway or cause to be dug or made any hole or excavation in or under a highway or cause to be erected thereon or therein any object, without first obtaining a permit from the Superintendent of Highways as hereinafter provided.
B. 
Upon application, in writing, filed with the Superintendent of Highways, stating the purpose, extent, location and nature of proposed curb cuts, road openings or excavations or other disturbance of a street or highway in the Town, the Town Superintendent of Highways may grant or refuse a permit therefor.
C. 
If the application for a permit is denied, the Highway Superintendent shall send the applicant written notification of the denial and shall state the reason for denial.
D. 
No permit shall be issued for an opening on any roadway which has been resurfaced, reconstructed or newly constructed by the Town of Southold during a period of five calendar years previous to the application date, except for permits for emergency openings. The prohibitions stated in this subsection shall not apply to applications to install new gas connections to residential properties. In such an instance, remedial measures that include full-width mill and fill work and resurfacing of the area of the disturbance and the adjacent 20 feet surrounding said disturbance.
E. 
Except in cases of a demonstrated emergency, no road openings shall be made, and no applications for road opening permits may be filed with the Superintendent of Highways, between the period of December 1 through March 31 of each calendar year.
[Amended 2-14-2012 by L.L. No. 3-2012; 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
Any person desiring a permit shall make application to the Superintendent, upon forms to be provided by him, which application shall set forth the following:
A. 
The name and address of the applicant and precise location of the proposed work, including street address and Suffolk County Tax Map number of the affected parcel(s).
B. 
A reasonably adequate description of the proposed work and the reason therefor.
C. 
A statement as to the time when such work will be commenced and an estimate of the time when such work shall be fully completed and the highway restored to its previous condition as nearly as may be feasible.
D. 
A time schedule showing when various portions of the work will be done.
E. 
A reference to the legal authority of the applicant to perform the proposed work in the public highway.
F. 
An estimate of the cost of the proposed work, including such detail as may be specified by the Superintendent.
G. 
A stormwater management control plan consistent with the requirements of Chapter 236, Stormwater Management, of this Code, if required. The stormwater management control plan shall meet the performance and design criteria and standards in Chapter 236, Stormwater Management.
H. 
Such other information as the Superintendent shall deem pertinent to effectuate the purposes of this article.
[Amended 12-28-2004 by L.L. No. 27-2004]
No permit shall be issued until the applicant shall have filed with the Superintendent evidence that the Town has been named as a primary insured under an insurance policy extending coverage for any losses, including bodily, property or commercial injury caused by or attributable to the work performed by the applicant, in the amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate. The policy is to include coverage for explosion, collapse and underground hazards (XCU coverage), and such insurance coverage is to be written by an insurance company authorized to do business in the State of New York.
A. 
No permit shall be issued to any applicant until the applicant has posted with the Superintendent a surety bond or certified check in such amount the Superintendent may determine necessary to cover the probable expense to the Town of replacement by the Town of any highway to its former condition and to guarantee the performance by the applicant of any of the conditions contained in the permit and compliance with this article.
B. 
The above bond requirements shall include provision or maintenance by way of a maintenance bond, which bond shall have a duration of two years from the date of completion of the work under the permit, in case of all excavations with a depth of 18 inches or less, and a duration of three years from the date of the completion of the work under the permit for all excavations with a depth greater than 18 inches.
[Amended 12-28-2004 by L.L. No. 27-2004]
Each application for a permit hereunder shall be accompanied by a fee, to be paid to the Town Clerk of the Town of Southold. Application fees and fees for permits issued pursuant to this article shall be set by Town Board resolution, and shall be paid to the Town Clerk prior to the issuance of the permit.
The Superintendent shall require any person making a highway excavation pursuant to permit granted hereunto to give written notice of such excavation to public service companies or municipal districts having lines, mains or other property in the streets, and no work shall be commenced or done under such permit until such requirement of notice has been fully complied with. Proof of mailing of such notice in the form of a sworn statement shall be filed with the application.
[Amended 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
A. 
Any person making an excavation pursuant to this article shall erect a suitable barrier, guard and/or traffic bearing plates, aka "road plates," for the protection of persons using the streets or sidewalks and, in addition thereto, shall set up and maintain during the hours of darkness sufficient lights or flares or retroreflective barricades to properly illuminate or delineate the work area and shall also take all necessary precautions for the protection of the Town and of public service companies or municipal districts and adjoining property owners and others which might be endangered by such excavations or the work incident thereto and shall comply with all directions given by the Superintendent with respect to such barriers, lights, flares and protective measures. The barriers and lighting devices shall conform to the specifications set forth in the United States Department of Transportation Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and any amendments thereto. The road opening or excavation shall be lit continuously from twilight to dawn. A minimum of four flashers must be used at the construction site or along the right-of-way as required by the Highway Superintendent.
B. 
The permittee shall notify the Southold Police Department of the condition of the unfinished road opening or excavation and furnish the Police Department with contact information. Any road opening or excavation work shall be performed and conducted so as not to interfere with access to fire stations and fire hydrants. Materials or obstructions shall not be placed within 50 feet of the fire hydrants and connections. Passageways leading to fire escapes or firefighting equipment shall be kept free of piles of material or other obstructions.
A. 
Commencement of work. Work under the permit shall be commenced within 30 days from the date of permit and continued in an expeditious manner.
B. 
Construction.
(1) 
When working on any Town road, no pavement cuts or trenches are to be left uncovered or unfilled overnight, except in emergencies, and in such cases adequate precautions must be exercised to protect traffic.
(2) 
When working on any Town road, contractors must complete final backfilling (see Subsection E hereof) of any trench within 18 days from the day of opening.
(3) 
All pipes or mains crossing highway pavements shall, wherever possible, be driven beneath the roadway without disturbance to the pavement. The point of driving shall not be less than five feet from the edge of pavement. Such crossover pipes shall, whenever possible, be enclosed in sleeves or larger pipes so that repairs or replacements may be made without further disturbance of the roadway pavement.
(4) 
If the boring method in the driving of crossover pipes is found to be impracticable, the Superintendent shall be consulted to determine the manner of placing the pipe by the open-cut method. This request is to be made in writing to the Superintendent and may be granted upon such conditions as deemed necessary and proper under the circumstances.
C. 
Excavations; method and type of opening.
(1) 
Openings in concrete roads shall have a minimum width of five feet.
(2) 
No roads are to be tunneled, but pipe may be driven or trenched across.
(3) 
All openings are to be made either by pinwheel trenching machine or saw cutting, as specified in the permit.
D. 
Restoration of excavation; temporary patching. Upon completion of the final backfilling, if final pavement replacing is not to be accomplished within 20 days from day of opening, then the trench will be brought to within two inches of road level and then paved with two inches of asphaltic concrete within 20 days of opening, which shall be placed as a temporary surface in any pavement opening and shall be maintained to the same grade as adjacent pavement.
E. 
Procedure for final backfilling. Clean fill will be used, and the trench shall be compacted in twelve-inch lifts with either vibratory soil compactors or by suitable hydraulic compaction by water jetting at three-foot intervals.
F. 
Final pavement replacing.
(1) 
Concrete. Minimum size replacements in concrete or asphalt on concrete base shall be 10 feet by 10 feet, or as directed. In all cases, if the ten-foot-by-ten-foot replacement is within five feet of a joint, the replacement must extend to the joint. Concrete openings shall be saw cut, and the mix shall be high early, New York State Specifications Class F, latest revision.
(2) 
Asphalt. The trench shall be compacted to within four inches of the road surface. The existing asphalt surface shall then be cut back at least 12 inches on either side of the undisturbed subgrade. At the discretion of the Superintendent, the contact surfaces, the patched surface and/or adjacent pavement edges shall be painted and sealed with approved bituminous and/or bluestone material before or after placing the course of asphalt, which shall be four inches of New York State Specification 6F hot plant mix. This course shall be rolled with an eight-to-ten-ton roller and surface variations in excess of 1/4 inch shall be eliminated or the pavement relaid.
(3) 
If temporary patching is not accomplished, final pavement must be completed within 20 days of opening. If temporary patching is accomplished as specified, then final pavement must be completed within 30 days of temporary patching or within such additional time as may be authorized by the Superintendent, at his discretion, upon application.
[Amended 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
G. 
Shoulder areas. If the trenchwork is in the earthen shoulder of the roadway, then proper compaction as outlined in Subsection E above will apply, with the addition of a covering of sod or grass seeding as specified by the superintendent.
H. 
Traffic control.
(1) 
Maintenance and protection of traffic. Traffic is to be maintained at all times during the progress of this work. Adequate signs, barricades and lights, necessary to protect the public, shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of the New York State Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Flagmen to direct traffic shall be employed continuously during periods when only one-way traffic shall be maintained or when equipment is operated in the pavement area.
(2) 
No construction material or equipment shall be left on the pavement after working hours, nor shall any construction equipment or materials be placed in any manner or location that will obstruct highway or railroad warning signs.
(3) 
Barricades, whether sidewalk or roadway area, shall be prominently displayed. For police convenience the address and telephone number of twenty-four-hour availability of someone who will reestablish the same in an emergency shall be filed with the Town Police Department.
(4) 
Access to adjacent properties shall be maintained.
I. 
Notification. Upon the issuance of a road opening permit, the applicant shall provide a forty-eight-hour written notice to the Highway Superintendent, or his duly authorized representative, prior to making any road openings, except in cases of emergency as provided for herein. No openings shall be commenced on a Saturday, Sunday or a holiday unless in cases of emergency.
[Amended 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
J. 
Expiration date. The permit shall expire one year from the date of issue of the permit, unless a different expiration date has been specified by the Superintendent.
K. 
Driveway and curb cut specifications for residential (noncommercial) use. Each curb cut and driveway for noncommercial use constructed under a permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall be constructed in accordance with the following specifications:
[Added 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
(1) 
Curb cuts for dwellings shall be no greater than 10 feet for one-car access at the curbline.
(2) 
Curb cuts for dwellings shall be no greater than 18 feet for two-car access at the curbline.
(3) 
For corner properties, the minimum distance permitted between any curb cut and the property line forming the adjoining street extended to the curbline shall be 30 feet.
(4) 
A minimum distance of 10 feet from side property lines shall be maintained when measured from the expansion joint.
(5) 
Curb cuts shall be at least 10 feet from the nearest utility pole, storm drain and fire hydrant/Fire Department connection.
(6) 
Curb cuts shall have a reveal of no less than 3/4 inch.
(7) 
Driveway aprons adjacent to concrete sidewalks shall be made of concrete. Residential driveway aprons and adjacent concrete sidewalk shall be reinforced and be six inches thick. An empty one-inch schedule PVC electrical conduit may be required by the Highway Department to be provided below the apron. Driveway aprons utilizing decorative materials installed adjacent to an asphalt roadway shall not be installed closer than three feet to the edge of the asphalt road surface.
(8) 
Curb cuts and driveway aprons may be made of asphalt or other alternative material and shall delineate between the driveway apron and the street. Curb cuts made of anything other than concrete or asphalt require a declaration of waiver and release of claims against, and indemnification of, the Town of Southold.
L. 
Driveway and curb cut specifications for commercial use. Each curb cut and driveway for commercial use constructed under a permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall be constructed in accordance with the following specifications:
[Added 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
(1) 
Curb cuts for commercial use shall be not greater than 25 feet at the curbline. However, should the applicant prove a requirement of greater width in order to accommodate larger vehicles, consideration for such greater width may be given.
(2) 
For corner property, the minimum distance permitted between any commercial-use curb cut and the property line forming the adjoining street extended to the curbline shall be 40 feet.
(3) 
A minimum distance of 15 feet from side property lines shall be maintained at the curbline for all commercial-use curb cuts when measured from the expansion joint.
(4) 
Commercial driveway aprons and adjacent concrete sidewalk shall be reinforced and be eight inches thick. An empty one-inch schedule PVC electrical conduit may be required by the Highway Department to be provided below the apron.
(5) 
Commercial-use curb cuts may be supplemented by additional commercial-use curb cuts, provided that all such curb cuts are not less than 25 feet, one from the other, at the curbline, and the application otherwise meets all requirements herein.
(6) 
Curb cuts shall be at least 10 feet from the nearest utility pole, storm drain and fire hydrant/Fire Department connection.
(7) 
Curb cuts shall have a reveal of no less than 3/4 inch.
M. 
Circular driveway guidelines. To comply with the Southold Highway Department's guidelines, the following are the requirements necessary in order to obtain permission to obtain road opening permits to install a circular driveway:
[Added 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
(1) 
A minimum property frontage measurement of 100 feet is required.
(2) 
Upon application for a permit, the Highway Department may allow for a circular driveway, the width of the curb cut and driveway radius to be determined by the Highway Superintendent.
(3) 
Curb cut openings must remain at least 10 feet from each side property line.
(4) 
Curb cut openings must remain at least 10 feet from any existing trees, light posts or fire hydrants, utility poles, storm drains and fire hydrant/Fire Department connections.
[Amended 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
The applicant shall notify the Superintendent when work has been completed, after which an inspection will be made by the Superintendent or his duly authorized agent, and, upon approval of the work, a release will be granted to the applicant. Until the granting of such a release, the applicant shall remain liable for proper guarding and protection as provided herein. Each application shall authorize the Highway Superintendent to complete the repair, construction or reconstruction whenever the Superintendent finds reasonable cause to conclude that the applicant failed, refused or neglected to complete such repair, construction or reconstruction. The Town shall be reimbursed for the cost of such repair, construction or reconstruction from the applicant or through the assessment against and collection from the lots or parcels of land where such work was performed or services rendered for so much of the actual and complete costs as incurred upon and from each lot or lots.
The Superintendent, upon a finding that the issuance of a permit was illegal or unauthorized or that the applicant has failed to comply with any of the terms and conditions of the permit or of this article, may revoke the permit, and the applicant shall thereupon, with all reasonable speed, forthwith restore the highway to its former condition.
[Amended 7-18-2023 by L.L. No. 15-2023]
The person to whom such permit is issued shall be responsible for all damages caused to public utilities. Said permittee shall hold the Town of Southold and its officers harmless against any and all claims, judgments or other costs arising out of the work conducted or for which the Town of Southold or any Town officer may be made liable by reason of any damage or injury to person or property through the fault of the permittee. The permittee shall restore and place in good and safe condition, as nearly as it can be to its original condition and to the satisfaction of the Superintendent of Highways, all openings and excavations made in the streets and to maintain any street where an excavation is made in a condition as good as before said work shall have been done, for the period of 12 months after said work shall have been done, usual wear and tear excepted. Any settling of the surface within said one-year period shall be deemed conclusive evidence of defective backfilling by the permittee.
[Amended 12-28-2004 by L.L. No. 27-2004]
A. 
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article or shall fail to comply with any condition imposed by the permit or shall fail to comply with any lawful order of the Superintendent or to discharge any duty imposed by this article shall, upon conviction, be deemed to have committed an offense against this article and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000. Each day any such violation shall continue shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.
B. 
In addition to the above-provided penalties and punishment, the Town Board may also maintain an action or proceeding in the name of the Town, in a court of competent jurisdiction, for any and all civil remedies available at law, including injunctive relief and monetary sanctions for any violation of this article.
[Amended 12-28-2004 by L.L. No. 27-2004]
Upon special application made to it by any applicant for a permit required under this article and for good cause shown, the Town Board may, in its discretion, waive any of the provisions set forth under § 237-9 insofar as it may accept such other indemnification documents as it deems appropriate under the circumstances.