[Amended 3-12-1986 by L.L. No. 4-1986]
By authority of a resolution adopted by the
Town of Rotterdam, pursuant to the provisions of Article 16 of the
Town Law, and acts amendatory thereto, the Planning Commission has
the power and authority to approve plats for subdivisions within the
Town of Rotterdam.
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the
Town of Rotterdam Planning Commission to consider land subdivisions
as part of a plan for the orderly, efficient and economical development
of the town. Land to be subdivided shall be of such character that
it can be used for building purposes without danger to health, or
peril from fire, flood or other menace. Proper provision shall be
made for drainage, water, sewerage and other needed improvements.
The proposed streets and development shall compose a convenient street
system and shall be properly related to the Official Map and/or the
Master Plan of the Town of Rotterdam as either may be adopted or accepted
as guides for the future development of the town. Streets shall be
of such width, grade and location as to accommodate the prospective
traffic, to afford adequate light and air, and to facilitate fire
protection. In proper cases, park area of suitable location, size
and character for playground or other recreational purposes shall
be shown on the subdivision plat and dedication of and/or fees in
lieu of land may be required for public uses serving the subdivision.
Should any of these regulations conflict or
be inconsistent with any provision of the Town Law, such provision
of the Town Law shall apply.
In order that land may be subdivided in accordance
with this policy, these regulations are hereby adopted.
For the purpose of these regulations, certain
words and terms used herein are defined as follows:
COLLECTOR STREET
A street which serves or is designed to serve as a traffic
way for a neighborhood or as a feeder to a major street.
CUL-DE-SAC STREET
A street or a portion of a street with only one vehicular
outlet and having a turning loop or similar arrangement at the closed
end.
EASEMENT
Authorization by a property owner for the use by another,
and for a specified purpose, of any designated part of his property.
MAJOR STREET (ARTERIAL)
A street which does not provide direct access to abutting
properties and which serves or is designed to serve heavy flows of
traffic and which is used primarily as a route for traffic between
communities and/or other heavy traffic generating areas.
MAJOR SUBDIVISION
Any subdivision not classified as a minor subdivision, including
but not limited to subdivisions of five or more lots or any size subdivision
requiring any new street or extension of municipal facilities.
MASTER PLAN
A comprehensive plan, prepared by the Planning Commission
pursuant to Article 16 of the Town Law which indicates the general
locations recommended for various functional classes of public works,
places and structures and for general physical development of the
Town and includes any unit or part of such plan separately prepared
and any amendment to such plan or parts therein.
MINOR STREET
A street intended to serve primarily as an access to abutting
properties.
MINOR SUBDIVISION
Any subdivision containing no more than four lots fronting
on an existing street, not involving any new street or road or the
extension of municipal facilities and not adversely affecting the
development of the remainder of the parcel or adjoining property and
not in conflict with any provision or portion of the Master Plan,
Official Map, Zoning Ordinance or these regulations.
OFFICIAL MAP
The map established by the Town Board pursuant to Article
16 of the Town Law, showing streets, highways and parks and drainage,
both existing and proposed.
PRELIMINARY PLAT
A drawing or drawings clearly marked "preliminary plat," showing the salient features of a proposed subdivision, as specified in §
249-24 of these regulations, submitted to the Planning Commission for purposes of consideration prior to submission of the plat in final form and of sufficient detail to apprise the Planning Commission of the layout of the proposed subdivision.
SKETCH PLAN
A sketch of a proposed subdivision showing the information specified in §
249-22 of these regulations to enable the subdivider to save time and expense in reaching general agreement with the Planning Commission as to the form of the layout and objectives of these regulations.
STREET
Includes streets, roads, avenues, lanes or other traffic
ways, between right-of-way lines.
STREET PAVEMENT
The wearing or exposed surface of the roadway used by vehicular
traffic.
STREET WIDTH
The width of right-of-way, measured at right angles to the
center line of the street.
SUBDIVIDER
Any person, firm, corporation, partnership or association,
who shall lay out any subdivision or part thereof as defined herein,
either for himself or others.
SUBDIVISION
The division of any parcel of land into two or more lots,
blocks or sites, with or without streets or highways and includes
resubdivision.
SUBDIVISION PLAT or FINAL PLAT
A drawing, in final form, showing a proposed subdivision
containing all information or detail required by law and by these
regulations to be presented to the Planning Commission for approval,
and which, if approved, may be duly filed or recorded by the applicant
in the office of the County Clerk or Registrar.
Whenever any subdivision of land is proposed
to be made, and before any contract for the sale of, or any offer
to sell any lots in such subdivision or any part thereof is made,
and before any permit for the erection of a structure in such proposed
subdivision shall be granted, the subdivider or his duly authorized
agent shall apply in writing for approval of such proposed subdivision
in accordance with the following procedures.
[Amended 10-28-1992 by L.L. No. 30-1992]
A. Improvements and irrevocable standby letter of credit. Before the Planning Commission grants final approval of the subdivision plat, the subdivider shall follow the procedure set forth in either Subsection
A(1) or
(2) below:
(1) In an amount set by the Planning Commission, the subdivider
shall either file with the Town Clerk a certified check to cover the
full cost of the required improvements, or the subdivider shall file
with the Town Clerk an irrevocable standby letter of credit to cover
the full cost of the required improvements. Any such irrevocable standby
letter of credit shall comply with the requirements of Article 16
of the Town Law and shall be satisfactory to the Town Attorney, the
Town Engineer and the Superintendent of Highways as to form, sufficiency,
manner of execution and surety. A period of one year, or such other
period as the Planning Commission may determine appropriate, not to
exceed three years, shall be set forth in the irrevocable standby
letter of credit, within which required improvement must be completed.
(2) The subdivider shall complete all required improvements
to the satisfaction of a Town Engineer, the Town Superintendent of
Highways and the Town Attorney who shall file with the Planning Commission
a letter signifying the satisfactory completion of all improvements
required by the Commission. For any required improvements not so completed,
the subdivider shall file with the Town Clerk an irrevocable standby
letter of credit covering the costs of such improvements and the cost
of satisfactorily installing any improvement not approved by the Town
Engineer. Any such irrevocable standby letter of credit shall be satisfactory
to the Town Board and Town Engineer as to form, sufficiency, manner
of execution and surety. The dedication of a street or highway for
public purposes shall be made in accordance with the Town Law, the
Highway Law of the State of New York and the Town Code of the Town
of Rotterdam.
(3) The required improvements shall not be considered to be completed until the installation of the improvements has been approved by the Town Engineer, the Town Superintendent of Highways and the Town Attorney and a map satisfactory to the Planning Commission has been submitted indicating the location of monuments marking all underground utilities as actually installed. If the subdivider completes all required improvements according to Subsection
A(2), then said map shall be submitted prior to endorsement of the plat by the appropriate Planning Commission officer. However, if the subdivider elects to provide an irrevocable standby letter of credit or certified check for required improvements as specified in Subsection
A(1), such irrevocable standby letter of credit shall not be released until such a map is submitted.
(4) In addition to the limitations imposed by Subsection
A(3) above, the Planning Commission may require that any street improvement provided under Subsection
A(1) is of satisfactory quality by stipulating a portion of the bond to be held until 12 months following installation of such facilities.
B. Modification of design of improvements. If at any
time before or during the construction of the required improvements
it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Town Engineer, the Town
Superintendent of Highways and the Town Attorney that unforeseen conditions
make it necessary or preferable to modify the location or design of
such required improvements, the Town Engineer, the Town Superintendent
of Highways and the Town Attorney may, upon the approval of the Planning
Commission, authorize modifications, provided that these modifications
are within the spirit and intent of the Planning Commission's approval
and do not extend to a waiver or substantial alteration of the function
of any improvements required by the Commission. The Town Engineer
shall issue any authorization under this section in writing and shall
transmit a copy of such authorization to the Planning Commission at
its next regular meeting.
C. Inspection of improvements. At least five days prior
to commencing construction of required improvements, the subdivider
shall notify the Town Engineer and the Town Superintendent of Highway,
in writing, of the time when he proposed to commence construction
of such improvements so that said officials may arrange for inspections
to be made to assure that all specifications and requirements shall
be met during the construction of required improvements and to assure
the satisfactory completion of improvements and utilities required
by the Planning Commission.
(1) Inspection fees. The Town Engineer may designate a
consulting engineer and/or additional staff personnel to facilitate
inspection of all required improvements. The subdivider shall be responsible
for all fees associated with inspection of required improvements.
The Town Engineer shall obtain an estimate from any designated consultant
in an amount sufficient to defray the costs of such services. The
subdivider shall enter into an escrow agreement with the Town of Rotterdam,
and said agreement shall be executed by the Rotterdam Town Supervisor,
upon authorization by the Rotterdam Town Board and recommendation
from the Town Engineer. The Rotterdam Town Attorney shall prescribe
the terms and appropriate form of the escrow agreement. Any portion
of the estimated charges so collected by escrow agreement which is
not expended by the Town shall be returned to the applicant.
[Added 12-9-1992 by L.L. No. 32-1992]
D. Proper installation of improvements. If the Town Engineer
or the Town Superintendent of Highways finds, upon inspection of the
improvements performed before the expiration date of the irrevocable
standby letter of credit, that any of the required improvements have
not been constructed in accordance with plans and specifications filed
by the subdivider, he shall so report to the Town Board, Building
Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer and Planning Commission. The Town
Board then shall notify the subdivider and, if necessary, the surety
and take all necessary steps to preserve the town's rights under the
irrevocable standby letter of credit. No plat shall be approved by
the Planning Commission as long as the subdivider is in default on
a previously approved plat.
In considering applications for subdivision of land, the Planning Commission shall be guided by the standards set forth hereinafter. Said standards shall be considered to be minimum requirements and shall be waived by the Commission only under circumstances set forth in §
249-26 herein.
All street names shown on a preliminary plat
or subdivision plat shall be approved by the Planning Commission.
In general, streets shall have names and not numbers or letters. 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 90º without a change in street name.
[Amended 12-22-2004 by L.L. No. 19-2004]
A. As part of any subdivision approval, the Planning
Commission is authorized to require the construction of sidewalks
built to specifications adopted by the Department of Public Works.
Construction of any such sidewalk shall be the responsibility of the
property owner. Maintenance of any such sidewalk shall be the responsibility
of the property owner and it shall be maintained to the level of specifications
as adopted by the Department of Public Works. Any and all liability
for any action related to such sidewalks shall be the responsibility
of the property owner.
B. Any subdivision map requiring construction of sidewalks pursuant to this section shall contain a note that states: "Construction, maintenance and liability for sidewalks appearing on this map shall be governed by Rotterdam Town Code §
249-19 and all specifications adopted pursuant to said section."
C. Sidewalks shall be maintained pursuant to Town specifications.
Failure to maintain sidewalks constructed pursuant to this section
shall result in a fine of up to $250 or 15 days in jail, or both.
Enforcement of this section shall be by the Building Inspector/Code
Enforcement Officer upon written complaint.
Adequate storm drainage systems shall be required
in all subdivisions. The drainage system shall be designed by a person
licensed to perform such work.
A. Removal of spring and surface water. Any spring or
surface water that may exist either previous to, or as a result of,
the subdivision shall be carried away by pipe or open ditch. Such
drainage facilities shall be located in the street right-of-way, where
feasible, or in perpetual unobstructed easements of appropriate width.
B. Drainage structure to accommodate potential development
upstream. A culvert of other drainage facility shall, in each case,
be large enough to accommodate potential runoff from its entire upstream
drainage area, whether inside or outside of the subdivision. The Town
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 the Zoning Ordinance in the watershed. The cost of a culvert or other drainage
facility in excess of that required for the particular subdivision
may be deemed to be the responsibility of the town, or may be prorated
among the upstream property owners and access when upstream land is
subdivided.
C. Responsibility from drainage downstream. The subdivider's
engineer shall also study and report on the effect of each subdivision
on the existing downstream drainage facilities outside the area of
the subdivision; and this report shall be reviewed by the Town Engineer.
When it is anticipated that the additional runoff incident to the
development of the subdivision will overload an existing downstream
drainage facility during a ten-year storm, the Planning Commission
shall notify the Town Board of such potential condition. In such case,
the Planning Commission shall not approve the subdivision until provision
has been made for the improvement of said condition.
D. Land subject to flooding. Land subject to flooding
or land deemed by the Planning Commission 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 Commission to
remedy said hazardous conditions.
E. Drainage plan. All subdividers shall present an individual
lot drainage plan for each lot in their proposed subdivision. Such
plan shall be used in the grading of lots before a certificate of
occupancy is granted, as required by the Zoning Ordinance. No roof leaders or footing drains which carry stormwater
will be permitted to use a sanitary sewer nor a so-called dry well
in an area where the dominant soil is hardpan, but shall be adequately
disposed of upon the ground surface.
F. Curbs and gutters. Concrete or store curbs and satisfactory
gutters and storm drains shall be provided to carry snow and rain
runoff from street surfaces along which sidewalks are required.
The sketch plan initially submitted to the Planning
Commission shall be based on an accurate base map at a scale (preferably
not less than 200 feet to the inch) to enable the entire tract to
be shown on one sheet. The sketch plan shall show the following information:
A. The location of that portion which is to be subdivided
in relation to the entire tract, and the distance to the nearest existing
street intersection.
B. All roads, structures, wooded areas, streams, utilities and other physical features within the portion to be subdivided and within 100 feet thereof, including those covered by §
249-22B. If topographic conditions are significant, contours shall also be indicated at intervals of not more than 10 feet.
C. The name of the owner and all adjoining property owners
as disclosed by the most recent municipal tax records.
D. The tax map sheet, block and lot numbers, if any.
E. The proposed pattern of lots, including lot width and depth, street layout, recreation areas, systems of drainage, sewerage and water supply (see §§
249-24 and
249-25 below) within the subdivided area.
F. All existing restrictions on the use of land, including
easements, covenants, zoning districts and land reserved on Town or
County Official Maps (if any).
[Amended 4-5-1978]
The following documents shall be submitted for
approval:
A. Eight copies of the preliminary plat prepared at a
scale of not more than 100 but preferably not less than 50 feet to
the inch, showing:
(1) Proposed subdivision name, "Rotterdam, Schenectady
County," date, true North point, scale, name and address of record
owner, subdivider and engineer or surveyor, including license number
and seal.
(2) The name of all subdivisions immediately adjacent
and the name of the owners of record of all adjacent unsubdivided
property.
(3) Zoning district, including exact boundary lines of
district, if more than one district and any proposed changes in the
zoning district lines and/or the Zoning Ordinance text applicable
to the area to be subdivided.
(4) All parcels of land proposed to be dedicated to public
use and the conditions of such dedication.
(5) Location of existing property lines, easements, buildings,
watercourses, marshes, rock outcrops, wooded areas, single trees with
a diameter of eight inches or more as measured three feet above the
base of the trunk and other significant existing features for the
proposed subdivision and adjacent property.
(6) Location of existing sewers, water mains, culverts
and drains on and adjacent to the property, with pipe sizes, grades
and direction of flow.
(7) Contours, with intervals of five feet or less, as
required by the Commission, including elevations on existing roads.
Approximate grading plan if natural contours are to be changed more
than two feet.
(8) The width and location of any streets or public ways
or places shown on the Official Map (if any) or the Master Plan within
the area to be subdivided, and the width, location, grades and street
profiles of all streets or public ways proposed by the developer.
(9) The approximate location and size of all proposed
water lines, valves, hydrants and sewer lines and fire alarm boxes.
Connection to existing lines or alternate means of water supply or
sewage disposal and treatment as provided in the Public Health Law.
Profiles of all proposed water and sewer lines.
(10)
Storm drainage plan indicating the approximate
location and size of proposed lines and their profiles. Connection
to existing lines or alternate means of disposal.
(11)
Plans and cross sections showing the proposed
location and type of sidewalks, street lighting standards, street
trees, curbs, water mains, sanitary sewers and storm drains, and the
size and type thereof, the character, width and depth of pavements
and subbase, the location of manholes, basins and underground conduits.
(12)
Profiles of proposed streets with existing elevations
every 50 feet and street grades shown.
(13)
Preliminary designs of any bridges or culverts
which may be required.
(14)
The proposed lot lines with approximate dimensions
and area of each lot.
(15)
Where the topography is such as to make difficult
the inclusion of any of the required facilities within the public
areas as laid out, the preliminary plat shall show the boundaries
of proposed permanent easements over or under private property, and
which shall provide satisfactory access to a public highway or public
open space shown on the subdivision of the Official Map (if any).
(16)
An actual field survey of the boundary lines
of the tract, giving complete description data by bearings and distances,
made and certified to by a licensed land surveyor. The tract corners
shall also be located on the ground and marked by substantial monuments
of such size and type as are approved by the Town Engineer, and shall
be referenced and shown on the plat.
B. If the application covers only a part of the subdivider's
entire holding, a map of the entire tract, drawn at a scale of not
less than 400 feet to the inch showing an outline of the platted area
with its proposed streets and indication of the probable future street
system with its grades and drainage in the remaining portion of the
tract and the probable future drainage layout of the entire tract
shall be submitted. The part of the subdivider's entire holding submitted
shall be considered in the light of the entire holdings.
C. A copy of such covenants or deed restrictions as are
intended to cover all or part of the tract.
D. A stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) consistent with §
270-215 shall be required.
[Added 4-27-2005 by L.L. No. 10-2005]
The following documents shall be submitted for
plat approval:
A. Final plat.
(1) The plat to be filed with the County Clerk shall be
printed upon linen tracing cloth or suitable substitute and be clearly
drawn in India ink. The size of the sheets shall conform to Town standards.
The plat shall be drawn at a scale of no more than 100 feet to the
inch and oriented with the North point at the top of the map. When
more than one sheet is required, a key map or an additional index
sheet of the same size, shall be filed showing to scale the entire
subdivision with lot and block numbers clearly legible.
(2) The plat shall show:
(a)
Proposed subdivision name or identifying title
and "Rotterdam, Schenectady County," the name and address of record
owner and subdivider, name, license number and seal of the licensed
land surveyor.
(b)
Street lines, pedestrianways, lots, reservations,
easements and areas to be dedicated to public use.
(c)
Sufficient data acceptable to the Town Engineer
to determine readily the location, bearing and length of every street
line, lot line, boundary line and to reproduce such lines upon the
ground. Where applicable, these should be referenced to monuments
included in the state system of plane coordinates, and in any event
should be tied to reference points previously established by a public
authority.
(d)
The length and bearing of all straight lines,
radii, length of curves and central angles of all curves and tangent
bearings shall be given for each street. All dimensions and angles
of the lines of each lot shall also be given. All dimensions shall
be shown in feet and inches. The plat shall show the boundaries of
the property, location, graphic scale and true North point.
(e)
The plat shall also show by proper designation
thereon all public open spaces for which deeds are included and those
spaces title to which is reserved by the developer. For any of the
latter, there shall be submitted with the subdivision plat copies
of agreements or other documents showing the manner in which such
areas are to be used and maintained and the provisions made therefor.
(f)
All offers of cession and covenants governing
the maintenance of unceded open space shall bear the certificate of
approval of the Town Attorney as to their legal sufficiency.
(g)
Lots and blocks within a subdivision shall be
numbered and lettered in alphabetical order in accordance with the
prevailing Town practice.
(h)
Permanent reference monuments shall be shown,
and shall be constructed in accordance with specifications of the
Town Engineer. When referenced to the state system of plane coordinates,
they shall also conform to the requirements of the State Department
of Transportation. They shall be placed as required by the Town Engineer
and their location noted and referenced upon the plat.
(i)
All lot corner markers shall be at least 3/4
inch, if metal, in diameter and at least 24 inches in length, and
permanently located in the ground to existing grade in a manner satisfactory
to the Town Engineer.
(j)
Monuments of a type approved by the Town Engineer
shall be set at all corners and angle points of the boundaries of
the original tract to be subdivided; and at all street intersections,
angle points in street lines, points of curve and such intermediate
points as shall be required by the Town Engineer.
B. Construction drawings, including plans, profiles and
typical cross sections, as required, showing the proposed location,
size and type of streets, sidewalks, street lighting standards, street
trees, curbs, water mains, sanitary sewers and storm drains, pavements
and subbase, manholes, catch basins and other facilities.