[Adopted 1-30-2002]
[Amended 3-22-2007]
In addition to the submission requirements indicated
in § 218-25G of the Zoning Bylaw, the site plan application
shall contain the following:
A.
A USGS locus map at a scale of one inch equals 100
feet that shows all streets, bodies of water, landscape features,
topography, historic sites, habitats for endangered species within
the parcel and within 200 feet of the parcel and all buildings within
the parcel and within 200 feet of the parcel.
B.
An existing condition plan that indicates all existing
site features, including property lines, easements, buildings, parking
lots, utilities (above and below ground), conservancy (wetlands),
and topography.
C.
The location and name of all streets and an indication
of whether the street is public or private; street widths for all
streets within 300 feet of the site.
D.
On-site and abutting lot and easement lines.
E.
Zoning district(s) boundary lines of the locus and
all land within 200 feet of the parcel, including overlay districts
and other districts not specifically mentioned; other districts such
as: Floodplain, Conservancy (Wetland), Water Resource Protection,
and zoning district boundary lines.
F.
Seven signature lines for Planning Board approval
along with a statement that "This Site Plan Approval does not necessarily
indicate compliance with the Groton Zoning Bylaw."
G.
Existing and proposed topography contour lines at
two-foot intervals for the site and land within 200 feet of the property.
H.
Cut and fill analysis of the existing and proposed
topography, including proposed final grades of any on-site sewage
disposal system.
I.
Information on the location, size, type, and number
of existing and proposed landscape features. A landscaping plan shall
be provided. Said plan may be required to be prepared, stamped, and
signed by a landscape architect registered in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts;
J.
Information on location, size, and capacity of existing
and proposed on-site and abutting utilities (water, sewer, drainage,
electrical cable, etc.).
L.
Elevation and facade treatment plans of all proposed
buildings, including all external mechanical systems and screening
to be provided; a listing of materials to be used.
M.
Information on the location, size, and type of parking,
loading, storage, and service areas, hours of operation, delivery/export
hours, lighting hours, public address systems, snow removal and snow
storage areas.
N.
The site plan(s) shall be at a scale of one inch equals
40 feet, except for building elevation plans, which shall be at a
scale of one-eighth inch equals one foot or one-fourth inch equals
two feet. A licensed architect shall stamp the building drawings;
O.
The Planning Board may require an assessment of traffic
impact and safety conditions performed by a professional traffic engineer.
All plans shall indicate the sight distances at proposed and existing
driveway intersections within 200 feet of the site.
P.
Site plan(s) must be prepared, signed, and stamped
by a professional engineer and a professional land surveyor registered
in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The building elevation and facade
drawings shall be prepared, signed, and stamped by a registered architect.
Retaining walls shall be designed by a professional structural engineer
registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Q.
After approval of the site plan, the applicant must
supply a reproducible Mylar for endorsement and a copy of the site
plan in digital format. The applicant shall submit a CD-ROM or DVD
containing geographic data in accordance with the Standard for Digital
Plan Submittals to Municipalities (Version 1.0) issued by the Office
of Geographic and Environmental Information (MassGIS) in 2006, or
the most recent edition of this publication. This publication, or
any succeeding edition of this publication, is hereby incorporated
as part of these regulations. The publication may be accessed via
the MassGIS website: (http://www.mass.gov/mgis/standards.htm).
[Amended 3-22-2007]
A.
Site landscaping.
(1)
Every effort shall be made to retain and protect existing
(six-inch trunk diameter or greater measured four feet above grade)
trees, shrubs, and other landscape features on a site. Trees 12 inches'
caliper or larger shall not be removed unless it can be demonstrated
that such removal is necessary for the location of structures, roads,
driveways, and utilities, and it can be further demonstrated that
there were no alternatives to said removal.
(a)
The entire site must be cleaned up so as to
leave a neat and orderly appearance free from debris and other objectionable
materials and without unfilled holes or other artificially created
hazards. Slump dumps or other wood waste disposal areas are prohibited.
[Added 6-12-2003]
(2)
Proposed landscaping plantings (trees, shrubs, etc.)
shall not consist of plantings that are identified as an invasive
species by the Planning Board. (The applicant can obtain a copy of
the Invasive Species Plantings List from the Planning Board.)
(3)
A minimum four-foot-wide landscaping strip shall be
provided along the foundation walls to soften their appearance for
all nonresidential building(s). The landscape strip may be staggered
in order to vary the landscape design for a site. The minimum four-foot
wide landscape strip shall provide screening to the portion of the
foundation above grade.
(4)
It is the purpose of these rules and regulations to
preserve and/or maintain open space for new sites. Therefore, any
lot or group of contiguous lots totaling less than three acres shall
provide twenty-five-percent open space. A natural undisturbed open
space is encouraged wherever possible. Any lot or group of contiguous
lots totaling more than three acres shall provide thirty-five-percent
open space. Open space shall be considered any area not occupied by
buildings, paving, drives, roadways, sidewalks, etc. Wetland resources
areas defined by the Massachusetts Wetland Protection Act can be used
to meet the open space requirements described above. All open space
areas on a site shall be adequately landscaped with trees, shrubs,
flowers, grass, and/or mulch. Wherever feasible, open space shall
be contiguous with other open space of abutting land. No more than
80% of the required open space shall be conservancy land (wetland).
(5)
Parking lots containing 10 or more parking spaces
shall have at least one tree per eight (or fractions of eight) parking
spaces. Such trees are to be located within the paved parking area.
Such trees shall have at least a four-inch trunk diameter, measured
twelve to eighteen inches above grade, with a minimum of 60 square
feet of seeded or landscaped permeable surface area per tree. When
parking areas contain 25 or more spaces, at least 5% of the parking
area shall be maintained with landscaping (within the interior of
the parking area), including trees as above, in plots of at least
six feet in width. Trees and landscaped plots shall be so designed
and located as to provide visual relief and sun and wind screening
within the parking area, and to ensure safe patterns of internal circulation.
Planting areas are required along parking area perimeters to prevent
off-site glare onto the public or private way(s). Parking lot plantings
shall not block motorists' line of sight upon entering and exiting
a site. Any landscaped area described above can be used to meet the
open space requirement of this section for new sites.
B.
Site lighting. Accessways, parking areas, and pedestrian
walkways shall have adequate lighting for security and safety reasons
during normal business hours. Lighting shall be arranged and shielded
so as to prevent glare onto abutting properties, public ways, and
the sky. All lighting shall comply with the International Dark-Sky
Association (IDA) Fixture Seal of Approval program certification standards.
[Amended 2-18-2016]
(1)
A photometric lighting plan shall be submitted that
indicates the illuminations throughout the site and abutting ways/properties.
(2)
Access road/parking shall be 0.5 footcandle minimum
(maintained) and 30.0 footcandles maximum, with maximum twenty-foot
pole and base height.
(3)
Walkway lighting shall be 1.0 footcandle minimum (maintained)
and a 30.0 footcandle maximum, with a maximum twenty-foot pole and
base height. Ballast-style lighting posts are encouraged.
(4)
The plan shall indicate the lights hours of operation
especially shut off times.
C.
Stormwater management.
(1)
The stormwater management design shall mitigate the
peak rate and volume runoff from the one-hundred-year storm event
(design storm of seven inches of precipitation in 24 hours, i.e.,
a Type III rainfall as defined by the Natural Resources Conservation
Service), across the boundaries of the site to preexisting levels.
Provisions could be made to tie into public storm drains with the
approval of the appropriate authority and the Planning Board after
all parties have determined that all reasonable provisions have been
made to minimize any changes to runoff from the site.
[Amended 3-22-2007]
D.
Parking lot layout.
(1)
Parking lots shall be designed to include median strips
and landscape islands to improve internal circulation. Additionally,
landscaped or naturally vegetated islands should interrupt rows of
parking. Parking spaces shall located be a minimum of 20 feet from
the edge of the rights-of-way.
(2)
Parking lots and access drives shall be designed to
prevent motorists from stacking onto the public way. Parking areas
shall be interconnected with abutting lots wherever feasible. Driveway
entrances, exits, and typical lane widths shall be a minimum of 24
feet in width.
(3)
Parking spaces shall be the following minimum dimensions:
|
Angle of Parking
|
Width of Space
(feet)
|
Depth of Space
(feet)
|
Width of Maneuvering Aisle
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
90
|
9.0
|
18
|
24 (2-way traffic)
| |
|
60
|
10.5
|
22
|
18 (1-way traffic)
| |
|
45
|
13.0
|
25
|
14 (1-way traffic)
| |
|
Parallel
|
9.0
|
22
|
14 (1-way traffic)
| |
|
Parallel
|
9.0
|
22
|
18 (2-way traffic)
|
(4)
Parking lots are encouraged to be placed at the side
and rear of buildings. Handicap parking areas shall be placed in the
most viable location according to the Americans with Disabilities
Act and Massachusetts Architectural Access Board.
(5)
Curbing shall be vertical granite at the access drive
radii.
(6)
All access drives parking areas and sidewalks shall
be graded, paved (concrete or bituminous concrete), and drained in
accordance with standards enumerated above.
(7)
Curbing shall be placed at the edges of all surfaced areas. Curbing
shall be vertical granite curb unless waived by the Planning Board
for low-impact development (LID) drainage systems.
[Amended 2-18-2016]
(8)
Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) wooden guardrails
or an approved equal are required where parking lots and driveways
do not provide a minimum five foot wide shoulder area.
(9)
Pavement standards.
[Added 3-22-2007]
(a)
The parking lot shall be prepared in accordance with the requirements of § 381-22G, Gravel base.
(b)
The parking lot shall have a crown of 3/8 inch
per foot and shall be paved with SSH&B Section 460-Class I bituminous
concrete (asphalt) pavement. The paving shall consist of a binder
course of 2 1/2 inches compacted measure. The top course shall
have 1 1/2 inches compacted measure. Compaction shall be performed
with a minimum ten-ton roller or a vibratory roller. [When vibratory
rollers are used for the compaction of base and binder material they
shall be operated at a high amplitude setting and a low-frequency
setting in the range of 1,500 to 1,700 vibrations per minute (VPM).
When used for the compaction of surface courses, they shall be operated
at a low amplitude setting at a minimum frequency setting of at least
2,200 VPM or higher.] The temperature of the mix, within a tolerance
of plus or minus 15° when delivered at the project site, will
be governed by the temperature of the base upon which the mix is placed
as follows:
|
Mix Temperature
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Base Temperature Upon Which Mix is Placed
(degrees in Fahrenheit)
|
Uncompacted Measure Thickness
(inches)
| ||||
|
1
|
1 1/2
|
2
|
3 or Greater
| ||
|
35° to 40°
|
305
|
295
|
280
| ||
|
40° to 50°
|
310
|
300
|
285
|
275
| |
|
50° to 60°
|
300
|
295
|
280
|
270
| |
|
60° to 70°
|
290
|
285
|
275
|
265
| |
|
70° to 80°
|
285
|
280
|
270
|
265
| |
|
80° to 90°
|
275
|
270
|
265
|
260
| |
|
90°+
|
270
|
265
|
260
|
255
| |
[1]
The installation of the bituminous concrete
shall be performed with a self-propelled mechanical spreader and a
ten- to fourteen-ton roller or a vibratory roller.
[2]
The contact surface of manholes, catch basins
and other appurtenant structures in pavement and abutting pavement
of existing roads shall be painted thoroughly with a thin uniform
coating of bitumen (Specification RS-1) just before any bituminous
concrete mixture is placed against them.
[3]
Bituminous concrete shall be placed and compacted
only at such times as to permit the proper inspection and checking
by the Board or its agent.
[4]
The placement of bituminous concrete pavement
shall terminate November 15 and shall not be resumed prior to April
1 except as determined and directed, in writing, by the Board or its
designated agent depending upon the necessity and emergency of attendant
conditions, weather conditions and location of the project.
(c)
The Planning Board can waive the paving requirements
to permit low-impact development design techniques.
(10)
Sidewalks. All sidewalks shall be poured, Portland
cement concrete sidewalk. Sidewalk construction shall comply with
the following:
[Added 3-22-2007]
(a)
Cement concrete shall meet the requirements
specified as M4.02.00 (Air Entrained 4000 psi, 3/4 inch, 610) in the
Massachusetts Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges.
(b)
In constructing all concrete sidewalks, the
material shall be removed for the full width of the sidewalk to a
subgrade of at least 12 inches below the approved finished grade.
The foundation shall consist of at least eight inches of good binding
gravel or crushed stone, thoroughly rolled and compacted to the satisfaction
of the Board or its designated agent, and shall be brought to grade
four inches below the approved finished grade.
(c)
The concrete sidewalk shall be four inches in
depth and shall have welded steel wire fabric conforming to AASHTO
M55 located at mid-depth.
(d)
The forms shall be well staked and thoroughly
graded and set to the established lines.
(e)
The concrete shall be placed in alternate slabs
30 feet in length except as otherwise approved. The slabs shall be
separated by transverse preformed expansion joint filler 1/2 inch
in thickness (M9.14.0).
(f)
The surface of all concrete sidewalks shall
be uniformly scored into block units of areas not more than 36 square
feet. The depth of scoring shall be at least 1/4 of the thickness
of the sidewalk.
(g)
After troweling, the surface shall be brushed
to produce a nonslip surface.
(h)
When completed, the walks shall be kept moist
and protected from traffic and weather for at least three days.
(i)
Ramps for the handicapped shall be provided
at all intersections, driveways and at the end of all dead-end streets.
They shall conform to the Architectural Access Board current regulations
(521 CMR), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ANSI A117.1) current
regulations.
E.
Service facilities.
(1)
Service facilities, such as dumpsters, utility areas,
stock/miscellaneous storage, and other facilities not specifically
identified shall be screened around their perimeters. Screening shall
consist of fencing with gates and/or natural vegetation acceptable
to the Planning Board. Screening shall be an effective height, width
and quality to screen from public view said service facility.
(2)
Roof top utility structures shall be screened with
a facade to block views from abutters and public ways.
(3)
Snow stockpiling areas shall be indicated on the Plan
and placed in areas that will not block sight lines, drainage structures,
parking spaces or site access.
(4)
Temporary sanitation facilities (portable restrooms)
shall be screened during construction activities.
F.
Utility connections. All utility connections shall
be constructed in accordance with the requirements of the Town departments
and other utility companies.
G.
Retaining walls. Retaining walls shall not exceed
a height of four feet unless the Planning Board votes to waive this
provision.
[Added 3-22-2007]
H.
Harmonious development. The Board recommends that
the applicant submit architectural elevations and plans to the Select
Board for review pursuant to §218-24B, Promotion of harmonious
development, concurrently with the application for site plan review.
[Added 3-22-2007; amended 10-1-2018 ATM by Art. 14]
A.
Requirements for issuance of permanent occupancy permit.
(1)
No permanent occupancy permits shall be issued for
any building or structure or portion(s) thereof, until:
(a)
The Planning Board receives an as-built plan
prepared by a professional land surveyor along with certification
from a registered professional engineer that all construction (including
utilities) has been done in accordance with the approved site plan;
and
(b)
The Planning Board or the Planning Board's designated
agent verifies that the site plan and any conditions of the approved
site plan have been met.
(2)
All outstanding fees, including fees for engineering
services, must be paid in full.
B.
Temporary occupancy permits.
(1)
Temporary occupancy permits may be issued for a portion
of any building or structure, provided security is posted for the
remaining work. The security shall be posted with the Town Treasurer
in a form of a certified check or bank check. The amount is to be
set by the Planning Board or Planning Board's designated agent. The
time to complete such outstanding work will be part of the temporary
occupancy permit. The amount of time to complete said work shall be
within reason, which will be determined by the Planning Board or Planning
Board's designated agent.
(2)
Temporary occupancy permits will not be issued until
all fees are paid.
