In considering applications for subdivision of land, the Planning Board shall be guided by the standards set forth hereinafter. Said standards shall be considered to be minimum requirements and shall be waived by the Board only under circumstances set forth in Article VI, Waivers, herein.
Character of land. Land to be subdivided shall be
of such character that it can be used safely for building purposes
without danger to health or peril from fire, flood or other menace.
Conformity to Official Map and Master Plan. Subdivisions
shall conform to the Official Map of the Village and shall be in harmony
with the Master Plan, if such exists.
Specifications for required improvements. All required
improvements shall be constructed or installed to conform to the Village
specifications, which may be obtained from the Village Engineer.
Architecture. All buildings and structures constructed, altered or
maintained with the major subdivision shall conform to the Village
of Round Lake's architectural standards as promulgated by the Village
Board and as from time to time amended.
Width, location and construction. Streets shall be
of sufficient width, suitably located, and adequately constructed
to conform with the Master Plan, if such exists, and to accommodate
the prospective traffic and afford access for fire-fighting, snow
removal and other road maintenance equipment. The arrangement of streets
within the Village of Round Lake shall be such as to cause no undue
hardship to adjoining properties that are within the Village of Round
Lake and shall be coordinated so as to compose a convenient system.
Arrangement. The arrangement of streets in the subdivision
shall provide for the continuation of principal streets of adjoining
subdivisions which are also within the Village of Round Lake and for
proper projection of principal streets into Round Lake adjoining properties
which are not yet subdivided in order to make possible necessary fire
protection, movement of traffic and the construction or extension,
presently or when later required, of needed utilities and public services
such as sewers, water and drainage facilities. Where, in the opinion
of the Planning Board, topographic or other conditions make such continuance
undesirable or impracticable, the above conditions may be modified.
When a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or
proposed major arterial street, the Board may require marginal access
streets, reverse frontage with screen planting contained in a nonaccess
reservation along the rear property line, deep lots with rear service
alleys, or such other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection
of residential properties and to afford separation of through and
local traffic.
Any subdivision which is adjacent to the Adirondack
Northway or New York State Route No. 9 shall maintain a three-hundred-foot-wide
green space from the pavement edge. Such pavement edge shall include
the exit ramps. Building within this space and excavation of soil
shall be prohibited. In addition, the Planning Board may require the
addition of additional screening vegetation within that green space.
Provision for future resubdivision. Where a tract
is subdivided into lots substantially larger than the minimum size
required in the zoning district in which a subdivision is located,
the Board may require that streets and lots be laid out so as to permit
future resubdivision in accordance with the requirements contained
in this chapter. Likewise, the Planning Board may stipulate that such
properties may not be further subdivided in the future.
Dead-end streets. The creation of dead-end or loop
residential streets will be encouraged wherever the Board finds that
such type of development will not interfere with normal traffic circulation
in the area. In the case of dead-end streets, where needed or desirable,
the Board may require the reservation of a twenty-foot-wide easement
to provide for continuation of pedestrian traffic and utilities to
the next street. Subdivisions containing 20 lots or more shall have
at least two street connections with existing public streets or streets
shown on the Official Map, if such exists, or streets on an approved
subdivision plat for which a bond has been filed.
Block size. Blocks generally shall not be less than
400 feet nor more than 1,200 feet in length. In general, no block
width shall be less than twice the normal lot depth. In blocks exceeding
800 feet in length, the Planning Board may require the reservation
of a twenty-foot-wide easement through the block to provide for the
crossing of underground utilities and pedestrian traffic, where needed
or desirable, and may further specify, at its discretion, that a four-foot-wide
paved path be included.
Intersections with collector or major arterial roads.
Minor or secondary street openings into such roads shall, in general,
be at least 500 feet apart.
Angle of intersection. In general, all streets shall
join each other so that for a distance of at least 100 feet the street
is approximately at right angles to the street it joins.
Relation to topography. The street plan of a proposed
subdivision shall bear a logical relationship to the topography of
the property, and all streets shall be arranged so as to obtain as
many of the building sites as possible at or above the grade of the
streets. Grades of streets shall conform as closely as possible to
the original topography.
Other required streets. Where a subdivision borders
on or contains a railroad right-of-way, the Planning Board may require
a street approximately parallel to and on each side of such right-of-way,
at a distance suitable for the appropriate use of the intervening
land (as for park purposes in appropriate districts). Such distances
shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach
grades and future grade separations.
Streets shall have the following widths (when not
indicated on the Master Plan or Official Map, if such exists, the
classification of streets shall be determined by the Board):
Improvements. Streets shall be graded and improved
with pavements, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, storm drainage facilities,
water mains, sewers, streetlights and signs, street trees and fire
hydrants, except where waivers may be requested and the Planning Board
may waive, subject to appropriate conditions, such improvements as
it considers may be omitted without jeopardy to the public health,
safety and general welfare. Pedestrian easements shall be improved
as required by the Village Engineer. Such grading and improvements
shall be approved as to design and specifications by the Village Engineer.
Fire hydrants. Installation of fire hydrants shall
be in conformity with all requirements of standard thread and nut
as specified by the New York Fire Insurance Rating Organization and
the Division of Fire Safety of the State of New York.
Streetlighting facilities. Lighting facilities shall
be in conformance with the lighting system of the Village. Such lighting
standards and fixtures shall be installed after approval by the appropriate
power company and the authorized Village electrical inspector.
Utility easements. Where topography is such as to
make impractical the inclusion of utilities within the street rights-of-way,
perpetual unobstructed easements at least 20 feet in width shall be
otherwise provided with satisfactory access to the street. Wherever
possible, easements shall be continuous from block to block and shall
present as few irregularities as possible. Such easements shall be
cleared and graded where required.
Grades. Grades of all streets shall conform in general
to the terrain and shall not be less than 1/2% nor more than 6% for
major or collector streets or 10% for minor streets in residential
zones, but in no case more than 3% within 50 feet of any intersection.
Changes in grade. All changes in grade shall be connected
by vertical curves of such length and radius as meet with the approval
of the Village Engineer so that clear visibility shall be provided
for a safe distance.
Curve radii at street intersections. All street right-of-way
lines at intersections shall be rounded by curves of at least twenty-foot
radius and curbs shall be adjusted accordingly.
Steep grades and curves and visibility of intersections.
A combination of steep grades and curves shall be avoided. In order
to provide visibility for traffic safety, that portion of any corner
lot (whether at an intersection entirely within the subdivision or
of a new street with an existing street) which is shown shaded on
Sketch A[1] shall be cleared of all growth (except isolated trees)
and obstructions above the level three feet higher than the center
line of the street. If directed, ground shall be excavated to achieve
visibility.
Dead-end streets (culs-de-sac). Where dead-end streets
are designed to be so permanently, they should, in general, not exceed
500 feet in length and shall terminate in a circular turnaround having
a minimum right-of-way radius of 60 feet and pavement radius of 50
feet. At the end of temporary dead-end streets, a temporary turnaround
with a pavement radius of 50 feet shall be provided, unless the Planning
Board approves an alternate arrangement.
Where a watercourse separates a proposed street from
abutting property, provision shall be made for access to all lots
by means of culverts or other structures of design approved by the
Village Engineer.
Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse,
drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater
easement or drainage right-of-way as required by the Village Engineer
and in no case less than 20 feet in width.
Curve radii. In general, street lines within a block
deflecting from each other at any one point by more than 10° shall
be connected with a curve, the radius of which for the center line
of street shall not be less than 400 feet on major streets, 200 feet
on collector streets and 100 feet on minor streets.
Service streets or loading space in commercial development.
Paved rear service streets of not less than 20 feet in width or, in
lieu thereof, adequate off-street loading space, suitably surfaced,
shall be provided in connection with lots designed for commercial
use.
Free flow of vehicular traffic abutting commercial
developments. In front of areas zoned and designed for commercial
use, or where a change of zoning to a zone which permits commercial
use is contemplated, the street width shall be increased by such amount
on each side as may be deemed necessary by the Planning Board to assure
the free flow of through traffic without interference by parked or
parking vehicles and to provide adequate and safe parking space for
such commercial or business districts.
Names to be substantially different. Proposed street
names shall be substantially different so as not to be confused in
sound or spelling with present names, except that streets that join
or are in alignment with streets of an abutting or neighboring property
shall bear the same name. Generally, no street should change direction
by more than 90° without a change in street name.
Lots to be buildable. The lot arrangement shall be such that in constructing a building in compliance with Chapter 180, Zoning, there will be no foreseeable difficulties for reasons of topography or other natural conditions. Lots should not be of such depth as to encourage the later creation of a second building lot at the front or rear.
Side lines. All side lines of lots shall be at right
angles to straight street lines and radial to curved street lines,
unless a variance from this rule will give a better street or lot
plan.
Corner lots. In general, corner lots should be larger
than interior lots to provide proper building setback from each street
and provide a desirable building site.
Driveway access. Driveway access and grades shall
conform to specifications of the Village Driveway Law, if one exists.
Driveway grades between the street and the setback line shall not
exceed 10%.
Access from private streets. Access from private streets
shall be deemed acceptable only if such streets are designed and improved
in accordance with this chapter.
Monuments and lot corner markers. Permanent monuments
meeting specifications approved by the Village Engineer as to size,
type and installation shall be set at such block corners, angle points,
points of curves in streets and other points as the Village Engineer
may require, and their location shall be shown on the subdivision
plat.
Removal of spring and surface water. The subdivider
may be required by the Planning Board to carry away by pipe or open
ditch any spring or surface water that may exist either previous to
or as a result of the subdivision. Such drainage facilities shall
be located in the street right-of-way where feasible or in perpetual
unobstructed easements of appropriate width.
Drainage structure to accommodate potential development upstream. A culvert or other drainage facility shall, in each case, be large enough to accommodate potential runoff from its entire upstream drainage area, whether inside or outside the subdivision. The Village Engineer shall approve the design and size of facility based on anticipated runoff from a ten-year storm under conditions of total potential development permitted by Chapter 180, Zoning, in the watershed.
Responsibility for drainage downstream. The subdivided
engineer shall also study the effect of each subdivision on the existing
downstream drainage facilities outside the area of the subdivision;
this study shall be reviewed by the Village Engineer. Where it is
anticipated that the additional runoff incident to the development
of the subdivision will overload an existing downstream drainage facility
during a five-year storm, the Planning Board shall notify the Village
Board of such potential condition. In such case, the Planning Board
shall not approve the subdivision until provision has been made for
the improvement of said condition.
Land subject to flooding. Land subject to flooding
or land deemed by the Planning Board to be uninhabitable shall not
be platted for residential occupancy nor for such other uses as may
increase danger to health, life or property or aggravate the flood
hazard, but such land within the plat shall be set aside for such
uses as shall not be endangered by periodic or occasional inundation
or improved in a manner satisfactory to the Planning Board to remedy
said hazardous conditions.
Recreation areas shown on Village Plan. Where a proposed park, playground or open space shown on the Village Plan is located in whole or in part in a subdivision, the Board shall require that such area or areas be shown on the plat in accordance with the requirements specified in Subsection A(2) below. Such area or areas may be dedicated to the Village or county by the subdivider if the Village Board approves such dedication.
Parks and playgrounds not shown on Village Plan. The
Planning Board shall require that the plat show sites of a character,
extent and location suitable for development of a park, playground
or other recreation purpose. The Planning Board may require that the
developer satisfactorily grade any such recreation areas shown on
the plat.
The Board shall require that not less than three acres
of recreation space be provided per 100 dwelling units shown on the
plat. However, in no case shall the amount be more than 10% of the
total area of the subdivision. Such area or areas may be dedicated
to the Village by the subdivider if the Village Board approves such
dedication. Appropriate legal measures should be taken to assure that
such land can never be developed for other than recreational purposes.
Information to be submitted. In the event that an
area to be used for a park or playground is required to be so shown,
the subdivider shall submit to the Board, prior to final approval,
three prints (one on cloth) drawn in ink, showing, at a scale of not
less than 30 feet to the inch, such area and the following features
thereof:
In cases where the Planning Board finds that due to the size, topography or location of the subdivision, land for park, playground or other recreation purpose cannot be properly located therein or if, in the opinion of the Board, it is not desirable, the Board may waive the requirement that the plat show land for such purposes. The Board shall then require as a condition to approval of the plat a payment to the Village of Round Lake of $50,000 per gross acre of land which otherwise would have been acceptable as a recreation site. The amount of land which otherwise would have been acceptable as a recreation site shall be determined in accordance with the standards set forth Subsection B.
Such amount shall be paid to the Village Board at
the time of final plat approval, and no plat shall be signed by the
authorized officer of the Planning Board until such payment is made.
All such payments shall be held by the Village Board in a special
Village Recreation Site Acquisition and Improvement Fund to be used
for the acquisition of land that is suitable for permanent park, playground
or other recreational purposes; is so located that it will serve primarily
the general neighborhood in which the land covered by the plat lies;
and shall be used only for park, playground or other recreational
land acquisition or improvements. Such money may also be used for
the physical improvement of existing parks or recreation areas serving
the general neighborhood in which the land shown on the plat is situated,
provided that the Planning Board finds there is a need for such improvements.
Preservation of natural features. The Planning Board
shall, wherever possible, establish the preservation of all natural
features which add value to residential developments and to the community,
such as large trees or groves, watercourses and falls, beaches, historic
spots, vistas and similar irreplaceable assets. No tree with a diameter
of eight inches or more as measured three feet above the base of the
trunk shall be removed unless such tree is within the right-of-way
of a street as shown on the final subdivision plat. Removal of additional
trees shall be subject to the approval of the Planning Board. In no
case, however, shall a tree with a diameter of eight inches or more
as measured three feet above the base of the trunk be removed without
prior approval of the Planning Board.