Town of Halfmoon, NY Design Standards

Monuments shall be located in sufficient number to control the subdivision but as a minimum they shall be located at every point of tangency, point of curvature, point of deflection, and all adjacent monuments along one right-of-way line of each street or as approved. All easements shall be similarly monumented. Iron pipes shall be located at all lot corners and shall be located by reference to monuments.

Bench marks shall be set and marked and referenced to a USGS elevation. A minimum of one bench mark shall be required for every 25 acres developed.

Proposed monuments and bench marks shall be referenced to existing monuments or bench marks and their origin noted on the subdivision plat. Suitable primary control points shall be shown on the plat and all other dimensions, bearings, angles and similar data shall be referred to them.

Certification. The following certification accompanied by the imprint of the New York registration seal of the land surveyor and his name shall be included on the subdivision plat: "I hereby certify this map to be substantially correct and in accordance with the accuracy required by the Town of Halfmoon Subdivision Standards."

§ 74-3 Streets.

General. When a subdivision street intersects an existing street, the Board may require the owner to improve the existing street as necessary to meet the requirements of these regulations for intersection design.

Street width. Subdivisions shall be laid out to provide the following street and roadway widths as specified on detail sheets in Part III of this document.[1] Roadways shall be centered in the right-of-way except in unusual cases.

Editor's Note: Part III contains the construction details for these standards, which are included at the end of this chapter.

Street alignment.

A curve shall be required whenever a collector or local street deflects more than 10°. A curve shall be required for any deflection in an arterial street. Minimum center-line radius for horizontal curves shall be as follows:

	Street Type	Minimum Radius (feet)
	Collector	300
	Local	200
	Marginal Access	200

A tangent of at least 150 feet shall be required between reverse curves.

Street grades.

Maximum street grades shall be as follows:

	Street Type	Maximum Grade
	Collector	6%
	Local	7%
	Marginal Access	7%

In general, acceptable street grades shall be between 1% and 5%. Street grades shall not be less than 1%. Grades at street intersections shall be held to a maximum of 3% for a distance of 100 feet from the edge of pavement of the intersecting street. Vertical parabolic curves shall be introduced at changes of grade exceeding an algebraic difference of 1% and shall provide the following minimum sight distances:

	Street Type	Minimum Sight Distance (feet)
	Collector	275
	Local	200
	Marginal Access	200

Street intersections.

Intersections of more than two streets shall be prohibited. Intersecting streets shall be laid out so as to intersect at 90° if feasible. An angle of intersections of less than 75° shall not be permitted. Any change in street alignment to meet this requirement shall be at least 100 feet from the pavement edge of the intersecting street.

Street right-of-way lines and roadways at intersections shall be rounded with a radius determined from the following table by the higher type of street in the intersection:

Street Type	Minimum Right-of-Way Radius (feet)	Minimum Roadway Radius (feet)
Arterial	Varies	Varies
Collector	28	40
Local	20	36
Marginal access	5	20

The radii given are for 90° intersections, and shorter radii at obtuse angles and greater radii at acute angles may be required. Intersections with arterial streets shall be held to a minimum and preferably spaced at least 500 feet apart. Streets entering opposite sides of another street shall be laid out either directly opposite one another or with a minimum offset of 125 feet between their center lines.

Streetlighting shall be provided, at the direction of the Board, at the intersection of subdivision streets with existing arterial streets.

Dead-end streets.

[Amended 2-1-2005 by L.L. No. 3-2005; 4-6-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022]

Dead-end streets shall not be longer than 1,200 feet. The closed end shall have a street right-of-way diameter of at least 140 feet and an outside edge of pavement diameter of at least 120 feet. The pavement radius at the entrance to the turnaround shall be at least 50 feet for symmetrical turnarounds. Offset turnarounds are the preferred design for permanent turnarounds. When a street is extended beyond an intersection to make provision for its future extension, a temporary turnaround shall be provided at the end of the street unless no lots are served by the extension. The dimensions of the temporary turnaround shall meet the requirements for a permanent turnaround minimum diameter.

Fill slopes. The width of the top of embankment shall be at least 20 feet wider than the width of pavements.

Guide railing. Where streets are constructed on fills of greater than 15 feet in height, guide railing shall be installed along the side of the road, eight feet from the edge of the pavement.

§ 74-4 Storm drainage.

General. In designing for storm drainage, the Water Pollution Control Federation Manual of Practice on Design and Construction of Sanitary and Storm Sewers (MOP-9) shall be used as a guide. The procedures of the Manual are not binding and other good engineering practices may be accepted by the Town.

Accepted hydraulic methods.

The following hydrologic methods are acceptable for use in the design of storm drainage systems and stormwater management facilities:

Rational method;

Soil Conservation Service Technical Release No. 55, Urban Hydrology for Small Watersheds (most recent edition).

These methods shall be applied within the recommended parameters for either method.

In addition to the above methods, other recognized methods may be utilized as approved by the Town Engineer.

Design criteria for stormwater design. The following design criteria shall apply to the design of storm drainage facilities and stormwater management facilities:

General.

All storm drainage facilities shall be designed based on a twenty-five-year storm frequency.

Peak runoff rates from the project site after development shall not exceed predevelopment peak runoff rates of a ten-year storm frequency by more than 10% or one cfs, whichever is less.[1]

Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

Adequate storage facilities shall be provided for the site to store the additional runoff volume due to development of the project site for a twenty-five-year storm frequency.

(d)

Provisions, such as overflow studies, shall be made for protection against property damage and loss of life for more severe storms (one-hundred-year storm frequency).

(e)

Provisions shall be made for the conveyance of off-site drainage from upland watershed areas.

(f)

All storm drainage systems shall be designed to allow for positive drainage from the project site to existing drainagecourses or storm sewer systems. The adequacy of the existing systems to convey this runoff should be evaluated.

(g)

Surface flow on streets shall be limited to a maximum of 350 feet.

(h)

Gutter profiles may be required at intersections which involve steep grades.

(i)

All storm drainage shall be designed in accordance with the NYS DEC Stormwater Management Design Manual, August 2003.

[Added 2-1-2005 by L.L. No. 3-2005]

Pipe design.

All storm drainage pipes shall be designed such that the projected velocities from the design storm are greater than three feet per second.

The minimum pipe size used shall be twelve-inch diameter.

All pipe used for storm drainage systems shall be one of the following types:

RCP.

[2]

CAP (16 gauge minimum).

[3]

ADS N-12.

[4]

PVC (SDR 26 or 35).

[5]

Other materials may be utilized as approved by the Town Engineer. Use of CMP or ACMP is not permitted.

(d)

All pipe for storm systems shall be installed with a minimum of three feet of cover where possible.

(e)

Pipes shall be designed for the overloading and line loads they will be subjected to. Type and class of pipe and bedding conditions shall be specified.

(f)

All pipe junctions shall be made in manholes or catch basins.

Catch basins and manholes.

Catch basins, manholes, frames, covers and grates shall conform to Town standards.

Storm inlets shall be located to intercept runoff before it enters an intersection and at all low points. Catch basins on storm mains shall be provided with sumps.

Trash racks. Trash racks may be required where there would be open entries to closed drainage systems and the intake of branches or debris to the storm system would clog the line. The design of the trash rack shall be based on conditions and requirements of each particular case.

(5)

Grading.

Lots shall be graded so that runoff from roofs, drives and other impervious surfaces flows toward a street, except that such runoff may flow to the rear where a watercourse abuts the rear of a lot. If it is not practicable to direct runoff to the street, a grading plan for the area may be required by the Board. Such grading plan shall show that grading is designed to prevent ponding and to direct water away from all buildings.

Lots having driveways sloping away from streets shall have driveways paved so as to provide a high point at or near the right-of-way. It is intended that this high point prevent street runoff from entering the lot.

(6)

Sump pump laterals. Sump pump discharges must be directed via a piping system to the closed roadway drainage system. Catch basins shall be installed in such a manner to allow for direct connections from all subdivision building lots. Laterals shall consist of two inches PVC (SDR-35), shall be provided from a catch basin to all property lines and shall be capped until utilized. Individual sump pit connections to these laterals may be required on a case-by-case basis by the Town Code Enforcement Officer upon inspection of the individual building lot foundation excavation.

[Amended 11-8-1990 by L.L. No. 9-1990]

(7)

All storm drainage pipe ends (inverts and outfalls) must be delineated in a manner subject to the approval of the Town prior to dedication and/or conveyance of an easement.

[Added 4-6-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022]

Submissions. The following materials shall be submitted to the Town Engineer for review:

A topographic map at a scale of one inch equals 2,000 feet or larger showing the existing watershed area and indicating the location of the project site.

Topographic maps at a scale of one inch equals 200 feet or larger indicating existing and proposed conditions on separate maps, including watershed areas and subarea boundaries, acreage, inlet omitted points, surface characteristics and cover, flow directions and existing and proposed storm sewers, drainagecourses and stormwater management facilities within at least 200 feet of the project site.

Stormwater management report incorporating the following information:

Project location, watershed description, soil types, groundwater elevations, topography, surface characteristics and proposed development.

For existing and proposed conditions, description of design, storm frequency, intensity, duration, time of concentration, runoff coefficients, peak runoff rates for each subarea, and documentation of all sources used for the above computations.

Hydraulic computations for pipe capacities, pipe velocities, and channel capacities and velocities.

(d)

Anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures, including increase in rate and nature of runoff, calculation of detention storage requirement and detention provided, calculations for release rate from stormwater management facilities and design of controlled outlet and existing and future ponding limits for design storm and one-hundred-year storm.

(e)

A statement that the drainage system as designed will function adequately and will not adversely affect downstream or adjacent properties.

(f)

Stamp and signature of a licensed professional engineer.

§ 74-5 Sanitary sewerage.

General. All components of sewage collection and disposal systems shall be designed in accordance with the following standards, whichever is applicable.

Recommended Standards for Sewage Works, adopted by the Great Lakes-Upper Mississippi River Board of State Sanitary Engineers ("Ten States Standards").

Standards for Waste Treatment Works - Municipal Sewage Facilities and Standards for Waste Treatment Works - Institutional and Commercial Sewerage Facilities, published by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Waste Treatment Handbook for Individual Household Systems, published by the New York State Department of Health.[1]

Editor's Note: Former Subsection A(4), added 2-1-2005 by L.L. No. 3-2005, which immediately followed this subsection, regarding the "Rules and Regulations Governing the Construction, Connection and Dedication of Sewer Systems," was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

"Rules and Regulations Governing the Construction, Connection and Dedication of Sewer Systems," as adopted by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors on January 21, 2003 and, by reference contained therein, the requirements and standards of the Saratoga County Sewer District No. 1 quality assurance program.

[Added 2-1-2005 by L.L. No. 3-2005]

Collection system.

A collection system consisting of house services and mains designed for the ultimate tributary population shall be provided within the entire subdivision. The requirement for an active collection system may be waived by the Planning Board if the proposed subdivision lies in an agricultural/rural residence district, A-R, as defined in the Zoning Law.[2] A dry collection system may be required within the road right-of-way or sewer easement may be required for future use when service becomes available. An escrow for the full dollar value of the dry collection system shall be an acceptable alternative.

[2]

Editor's Note: See Ch. 165, Zoning.

If an on-site treatment system, collection system, or transportation corporation is proposed, all conveyance piping, manholes, easements, etc., shall be ceded at no cost to the Town of Halfmoon or Saratoga County Sewer District, at their discretion. The owner shall be required to pay for inspection by the Town or its designated agent during construction to ensure the system will meet all applicable standards. In addition, prior to cession to the Town, the owner shall submit a detailed engineering analysis of the system to the Town for review and approval.

House service. A typical house service shall be shown on the plans. In cases where a house is served by an individual septic tank, the drawing shall show how the house service is to be connected to the sewer main and describe the method to be used to transfer sewage disposal from septic tank to public sewer. In general, septic tanks shall be placed at the sides or front of each residence to allow future connection to the "dry" sewer. The method is subject to Board approval.

Individual household systems.

Where an existing sanitary collection system is unavailable and where the Board deems it appropriate, individual on-site sanitary disposal may be utilized. Test pits and percolation tests shall be performed for each proposed system and the results of the tests shall be included on the plans unless otherwise waived by the Board.

Where percolation rates are determined to be from zero to 40 minutes per inch, a standard absorption field system shall be utilized as set forth in the waste treatment handbook. Seepage pits, dry wells and similar structures shall not be utilized. Where percolation rates less than 40 minutes are encountered but high groundwater levels are evident, fill systems may be utilized to maintain the required separation to groundwater.

Where percolation rates are determined to be from 40 minutes to 60 minutes, absorption beds or fill systems shall be utilized.

Where percolation rates are greater than 60 minutes and construction of a sanitary sewer system is not feasible, no development shall be allowed.

(5)

All individual sanitary disposal designs shall be subject to review and approval by the Planning Board, Town Engineer and the Building Department.

(6)

Under no circumstances shall seepage pits (dry wells) or evapotranspiration absorption (Transvap) type systems be allowed.

§ 74-6 Water system.

General.

All components of the water system shall meet the following:

Recommended Standards for Waterworks, adopted by the Great Lakes-Upper Mississippi River Board of State Sanitary Engineers (New York State Department of Health Bulletin No. 42).

Recommended Water System Design Standards of the Insurance Services Office of New York.

Rules, Regulations and Construction Standards for Halfmoon Water Improvement Area, included as Appendix 2 of these regulations.[1]

Editor's Note: Appendix 2 is included at the end of this chapter.

The design shall provide that additions to the system can be constructed without interrupting normal service or decreasing fire flows. All components shall be designed to provide present and future service as required by the Town of Halfmoon. Subdivision water systems shall be connected to the Town system if feasible. Developer-owned public supply systems shall be built to the previously noted standards and shall be ceded to the Town of Halfmoon, along with all associated easements, at no cost to the Town if it so desires. The owner shall be required to pay for inspection by the Town or its designated agent during construction to ensure the system will meet all applicable standards. In addition, prior to cession to the Town, the owner shall submit a detailed engineering analysis of the system to the Town for review and approval.

Water supply.

A source for public water supply shall be developed and tested in accordance with "Recommended Standards for Waterworks" and all New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Department of Health standards.

For a residential subdivision of three or more lots using individual wells, the owner shall drill one well for every five lots proposed, and have an eight-hour pumping test run by a licensed engineer or hydrogeologist on each well. Such test should measure the draw-down and recovery of the well and an analysis of the test data shall be made to demonstrate a long-term safe aquifer yield capability of at least five gallons per minute (gpm) per well. The locations of the test wells shall be approved by the Town Engineer. Once the phase of the subdivision is approved, individual pump tests are required for each lot prior to the issuance of a building permit.

For a single-family home on an individual lot, a four-hour pumping test certified by a licensed engineer or hydrogeologist shall be performed and shall yield a minimum of five gpm to demonstrate a minimally adequate yield.

For a multifamily home, an eight-hour pumping test shall be performed and shall yield a minimum of five gpm to demonstrate an adequate yield. Where the required yield is not obtained, the water supply and storage system shall be designed by a licensed professional engineer. The Town may require additional hydrogeologic testing as necessary to ensure an adequate groundwater supply exists for individual wells.

Water mains.

Pipe and fittings shall be of approved materials and class. Class of pipe and type of material shall be specified according to ground conditions, external loading using specified bedding, and internal pressure as determined by immediate conditions and the Town of Halfmoon. Main sizes shall be as required by the Town in accordance with Town water system plans with no main less than eight-inch size. Dead-end mains shall be avoided whenever feasible. When permitted, however, a hydrant shall be installed.

In subdivisions where on-site private water supply systems will be utilized, a dry water supply system may be required by the Board within the road right-of-way or utility easement for future use when service becomes available. An escrow for the full dollar value of a dry water system may be an acceptable alternative.

Valves. Valves shall be AWWA gate valves of a type approved by the Town. Valves shall be installed on every branch of an intersection, at every stub provided for future expansion, at every hydrant, and as required by NYSDOH Bulletin 42. The owner may be allowed to omit the valve on one branch line at intersections of lines of minor importance. Valve boxes shall be installed for each valve.

Hydrants. Hydrants shall be of a type approved by the Town and shall be provided at each intersection and at intermediate points between, as recommended by NYSDOH Bulletin 42. Generally, hydrant spacing may range from 350 to 600 feet depending on the area served.

Services. Services shall be of approved material at least three-fourth-inch inside diameter.

§ 74-7 Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control.

[Added 2-1-2005 by L.L. No. 3-2005]

General. All plans for development shall include a soil erosion and sedimentation control plan as designed in accordance with the standards outlined in "NYS Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control," March 2003. and the Town of Halfmoon Soil Disturbance Law, § 165-42 of the local law relating to zoning for the Town of Halfmoon.[1]