Streets and ways shown on the subdivision plan must comply with the following requirements:
A.
Location and alignment.
(1)
Due consideration shall be given by the Planning Board and the subdivider to the attractiveness and design of the street layout. Except where public safety and compliance with these regulations require otherwise, streets shall follow natural contours.
(2)
The streets shall conform to any Master Plan adopted under MGL c. 41, § 81D, in whole or in part by the Planning Board.
(3)
Provision shall be made, to the satisfaction of the Planning Board, for the proper projection of streets or for access to adjoining property which is not yet subdivided or developed. Reserve strips prohibiting access to streets shall not be permitted, except where, in the opinion of the Planning Board, such strips shall be in the public interest.
(4)
Temporary dead-end or cul-de-sac streets shall conform to the provisions of alignment, width and grade that would apply to such streets if they were extended.
(5)
The roadway cross section shall conform to the typical street cross section drawing. (See Appendix B.)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix B is included at the end of this chapter.
(6)
Stopping sight distance shall be provided for the applicable design speed of the road in accordance with A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets by AASHTO, latest edition. The minimum design speed for any road shall be 30 miles per hour. This does not prevent a lower posted speed should the town require such.
B.
Width.
(2)
The paved roadway width shall be measured as follows:
(a)
Without berms: 24 feet from pavement edge to pavement edge.
(b)
With berms: 24 feet from face of berm to face of berm. All berms shall be set on the base course of the roadway pavement consistent with the Street Cross Section Drawing. (See Appendix B.)[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Appendix B is included at the end of this chapter.
(3)
The center line of the roadway shall coincide with the center line of the right-of-way.
(4)
Greater widths may be required by the Planning Board when deemed necessary for present and future vehicular traffic.
(5)
Lesser widths may be required by the Planning Board to discourage speeding traffic, and to achieve neighborhood designs that are sensitive to the landscape and that will promote community goals.
(6)
Street center islands are not allowed. They obstruct snowplowing and deteriorate unless frequent maintenance is performed.
D.
Horizontal alignment. The minimum center-line radius of horizontal street curves shall be 180 feet.
E.
Intersections.
(1)
Streets and ways shall be laid out to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. In no case shall street and way intersections be less than 75°. (See Appendix B.)[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: Appendix B is included at the end of this chapter.
(2)
Street and way lines at all intersections shall be rounded with a curve at each corner which has a property line radius of not less than 30 feet. When the intersection of two streets varies more than 10° from a right angle, radii shall be provided in accordance with the detail in Appendix B.[4]
[4]
Editor's Note: Appendix B is included at the end of this chapter.
(3)
When streets and ways do not intersect directly, intersections of streets and ways shall have center-line offsets of not less than 200 feet.
(4)
Intersection approaches shall have a slope of less than 2% for at least 50 feet measured from the edge of the pavement of the intersecting road.
F.
Dead-end street.
[Amended 7-26-2005]
(1)
The length of a dead-end street allowed by right is 600 feet. A longer dead-end street is allowed up to 1,200 feet if a corresponding amount of open space in the subdivision is dedicated (See § 270-9 for the definition of "Open Space".) The formula is that for every two acres of open space dedicated, 100 feet of street length is allowed, up to 1,200. If a second dead-end extending from the first one is desired, an additional two acres of open space per 100 feet of street length is required.
(2)
The length of the dead-end street shall be measured along the center line of the street right-of-way from the sideline of the nearest intersecting through street to the outside edge of pavement at the farthest end of the dead-end street, including the cul-de-sac or other turnaround, if any.
(3)
Except within the limits allowed under Subsection F(1) above, no existing dead-end street may be extended to create a longer dead-end street and no new permanent dead-end street may be connected to an existing dead-end street.
(4)
No more than one new permanent dead-end street may be connected to another new permanent dead-end street. The farthest point of either such dead-end street may not exceed the limits allowed under Subsection F(1) above.
(5)
Except for loop streets, a new permanent dead-end street shall be provided with a cul-de-sac at its end, having a minimum outside edge of pavement radius of 60 feet and a minimum right-of-way radius of 65 feet. The maximum right-of-way radius shall not exceed 90 feet.
(6)
The Planning Board may require a cul-de-sac to have a center island, which shall be graded and seeded, left with natural vegetation, or appropriately planted with trees or shrubs, as determined by the Planning Board.
(7)
In limited situations, because of unusual topographical conditions or other natural features, the Planning Board may permit an alternative turnaround design in lieu of a cul-de-sac, provided the alternative design is acceptable to the Director of Public Works. T-back-arounds may be used on temporary or unusually short dead-end streets, or those with excessively steep slopes.
(8)
The Planning Board may require that provision be made for future extension of a proposed new dead-end street to provide access to adjoining land if the Board believes it desirable to provide a potential connection for a through street.
(9)
Subdivision streets connecting to a through street within 300 feet of each other are deemed a single access and do not themselves constitute through streets.
(10)
Temporary dead-end.
(a)
A temporary dead-end shall be allowed only where, in the opinion of the Planning Board, it is essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision and where it is part of a street or way that will eventually be extended to complete the subdivision as approved. The design of a temporary dead-end shall have a cul-de-sac shown and noted on the plan as temporary, and such property lines shall be those which would normally have been required or used without the cul-de-sac.
(b)
Layout of the cul-de-sac beyond the normal street right-of-way lines shall be in the form of an easement to the Town of Belchertown covering said premises included in the cul-de-sac turnaround. When the street is extended into the adjoining property, the easement shall become void.
(c)
In a case of a temporary dead-end becoming permanent, open space must be dedicated according to § 270-36F(1), and the cul-de-sac easements become permanent parts of the street layout.
The applicant shall deliver to the Planning Board appropriate instruments (deeds) for any necessary easements in the name of the Town of Belchertown for utilities, watercourses or drainage channels, temporary turnarounds, or other purposes, and to provide for the construction and installation of such utilities before the final bond is released. The Planning Board shall deliver these instruments to the Town Attorney for review before the applicant records the plan with the Hampshire Registry of Deeds.
Natural and significant cultural features must be retained as much as possible. Major features of the land, such as existing walls, fences, wooded areas, orchards, agricultural fields, rock outcrops, culverts, large trees, and other notable features must be shown on the plan. The Planning Board may request comment from the Historic Commission or any other relevant body as to the cultural importance of the site. The developer will be responsible for any archaeological study conducted.
No plan of a subdivision shall be approved unless all of the building lots shown on the plan comply with Chapter 145, Zoning, of the Code of the Town of Belchertown. All subdivisions shall comply with special requirements for overlay zoning districts as required by Chapter 145, Zoning (for example, the Aquifer Protection Overlay District's runoff requirements).
A.
General. Where a stormwater detention basin is required by an order of conditions issued by the Belchertown Conservation Commission, in order to replicate the flood-control value of undisturbed land and provide compensatory storage of stormwater runoff, the Town of Belchertown shall allow the construction of stormwater detention basins, provided that:
(1)
Their design and construction is in compliance with MGL c. 131, § 40, and the Belchertown Wetlands Bylaw;
(2)
Their design and construction does not conflict with the town bylaws or zoning bylaws of the Town of Belchertown;
(3)
Their design and construction does not conflict with any other laws, rules and regulations or standards of any government agency which may have jurisdiction in such matters;
(4)
Their design includes a positive flow outlet from the basin;
(5)
Their location is not in a location such that the sudden release of water due to failure would result in loss of life, injury to persons or damages to residences or buildings or cause interruptions of the use of services or public utilities.
B.
Contents.
(1)
The following information shall be required to be submitted as part of the definitive plan:
(a)
Names and addresses of all abutters to the drainage easement for the basin as these appear on the most recent tax list.
(b)
Watercourses, ponds, marshes, floodplains, rock outcrops and other significant natural features within 200 feet of the proposed high-water mark (as determined by the one-hundred-year-storm frequency).
(c)
A drainage area map outlining the watershed area. The map shall show the watershed boundary; the drainage pattern; location of bridges, culverts and other structures that affect the flow of water; location of roads, buildings, property lines and fences or walls; and a North arrow.
(d)
A minimum two-foot-contour-interval plan with spot grades shown as needed or required to describe the basin and adjacent area. This plan shall be accompanied by a profile of the basin, including the principal and emergency spillway and/or outlet, with all appropriate inlet and outlet elevations and water surface elevations for the applicable frequency storm.
(e)
Drainage design calculations for proposed and existing conditions for the two-year, ten-year, and one-hundred-year-frequency storms.
(f)
Soil logs, test pits and percolation tests within the basin area to determine existing conditions of the underlying soil and groundwater. This information shall be recorded, shown on a plan and described in a report certified by a registered civil engineer and carry his/her official seal.
(g)
Detail drawings of all structures, including culverts, trash racks, anti-seep collars, risers, fencing and all other appurtenant works.
(h)
Stabilization specifications, including seeding, mulching and rip-rapping.
(i)
Construction notes required to assist in layout, construction and checking of the completed facility.
(2)
All drainage design information, drawings and runoff calculations must be prepared, signed, dated and stamped by a professional engineer licensed in Massachusetts using standard acceptable engineering methods. The runoff calculations should be based on soil cover conditions expected to prevail during the anticipated effective life of the structure.
C.
Design standards.
(1)
Storage capacity.
(a)
The capacity of a basin shall be defined as the volume at the elevation of the crest of the spillway which is available for the storage of water during the planned useful life of the structure.
(b)
The spillways and outlets must safely convey the 100-year-frequency storm while maintaining one foot minimum of freeboard within the basin.
(c)
The retention time of the basin (time required for the basin to empty itself) shall not exceed 48 hours based on a one-hundred-year storm.
(2)
Shape.
(a)
The basin shape shall follow existing contours as closely as possible.
(b)
The bottom of the basin shall pitch a minimum of 1/4 inch per foot toward the outlet.
(c)
The slope from the design high-water level to the basin bottom shall not exceed a ratio of 3:1. The approach area to the design high-water level shall not exceed a slope of 5:1 for a distance of 25 feet from the high-water level.
(d)
All side slopes shall be properly mulched or seeded. If the side slopes exhibit seepage or movement during construction, then rip-rap stabilization shall be required.
(e)
The recommended maximum depth is between 2 1/2 feet and five feet. However, deeper basins may be considered.
(f)
The basin bottom elevation must be at least two feet above the observed seasonal high groundwater elevation.
(3)
Appurtenances.
(a)
Swales. A swale may be required, as recommended by the Town Engineer, Director of Public Works, Conservation Commission, or Planning Board, from the outlet pipe to the inlet pipe.
(b)
Inlet and outlet structures. The inlet pipe shall be sufficiently stabilized and rip-rapped at its outlet per accepted engineering methods. If the inlet of the outlet pipe is designed with an anti-debris device, then only the lower half of the pipe is to be fitted with such a device. An emergency overflow shall be provided.
(4)
Easements.
(a)
Twenty-foot-wide drainage easements shall be provided for all drainage lines discharging stormwater into and carrying stormwater away from the basin.
(b)
A twenty-five-foot-wide easement shall be provided around the perimeter of the high-water mark of the basin.
(c)
Twenty-foot-wide access easements shall be provided for vehicle access to the basin. Said easement shall be located in an area which does not exceed a grade of 10% on the approach to the basin nor exceed a cross grade of 3%.
(d)
Property owners may not alter, construct upon, or plant anything except grass, or otherwise obstruct any drainage easements.
(e)
Language of the drainage easements must include the terms set forth in this subsection.
(5)
Landscaping.
(a)
The side slopes [as required in Subsection C(2)(d)], earthen dams, twenty-five-foot-wide easement around the entire basin perimeter and other areas shall be loamed and seeded. Seed shall be a conservation mix or similar mixture which is compatible with the soil and moisture conditions. The area should require minimal maintenance and be kept in a meadow-like condition.
(6)
Fences.
(a)
Fences may be required by the Planning Board for all detention basins exceeding 2 1/2 feet maximum depth.
(7)
Signs. At least one sign shall be installed warning the public of the hazards of floodwater. No individual sign shall exceed six square feet.
(8)
Maintenance.
(a)
A fee shall be paid by the subdivider to the Town of Belchertown to account for long-term capital costs associated with the detention basin.
(b)
The Director of Public Works, in consultation with the Town Engineer and the Conservation Commission, shall recommend to the Planning Board the amount required for this fee.
(c)
The fee shall be paid to the Belchertown Treasurer-Collector before endorsement of the Planning Board's approval of the definitive plan.
(d)
The Department of Public Works will be responsible for the maintenance of the detention basins only after Town Meeting has accepted the subdivision's ways as public ways. The developer is responsible until Town Meeting acceptance.
