Source: https://www.ecode360.com/12476752
Timestamp: 2020-01-24 02:36:23
Document Index: 408047282

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 167', '§ 167', '§ 167', '§ 167', '§ 167', '§ 167', '§ 167', '§ 167', '§ 167', '§ 167', 'art 100']

Town of Greenwich, NY General Requirements and Design Standards
Ch 167 Art IV General Requirements and Design Standards
§ 167-12 Minimum requirements.
§ 167-13 General.
§ 167-14 Street layout.
§ 167-15 Street design.
§ 167-16 Street names and numbers.
§ 167-17 Lots.
§ 167-18 Drainage improvements.
§ 167-19 Parks, open spaces and natural features.
§ 167-20 Homeowners' association.
Article IV General Requirements and Design Standards
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 herein.
Conformity to Official Map and Comprehensive Plan. Subdivisions shall conform to the Official Map of the Town and shall be in harmony with the Comprehensive Plan, if such exists.[1]
Specifications for required improvements. All required improvements shall be constructed or installed to conform to the Town specifications, which may be obtained from the Town Engineer.
§ 167-14 Street layout. [1]
Width, location and construction. Streets shall be of sufficient width, suitably located and adequately constructed to conform with the Comprehensive 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 shall be such as to cause no undue hardship to adjoining properties and shall be coordinated so as to compose a convenient system.[2]
Arrangement. The arrangement of streets in the subdivision shall provide for the continuation of principal streets of adjoining subdivisions, and for proper projection of principal streets into 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.
Special treatment along major arterial streets. 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 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.
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 the 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 sidewalk be included.
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 at the original topography.
Other required streets. Where a subdivision borders on or contains a railroad right-of-way or limited access highway 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 residential districts, or for commercial or industrial purposes in appropriate districts). Such distances shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.
Editor's Note: See also, Ch. 165, Street design standards.
Streets shall be in conformance with the Town Standard for Street Design as approved by the Town Board and amended at the time of the application.[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 165, Street Design Standards.
Streets shall be graded and improved with pavements, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, storm drainage facilities, water mains, sewers, street trees, and fire hydrants in such a manner as to meet the minimum requirements of the Town Board and the standards established as part of the Comprehensive Plan of the Town.[2]
Waivers may be requested and the Planning Board may waive sections or reduce the standards established as part of the Comprehensive Plan, subject to appropriate conditions, where such improvements, in the judgment of the Planning Board, may be omitted or altered without jeopardy to the public health, safety and general welfare. Pedestrian easements shall be improved as required by the Town Engineer. Such grading and improvements shall be approved as design and specifications by the Town Engineer.[3]
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.
Street lighting facilities. Lighting facilities shall be in conformance with the lighting system of the Town. Such lighting standards and fixtures shall be installed after approval by the appropriate power company and the authorized Town electrical inspector.
Utilities in streets. The Planning Board shall, wherever possible, require that underground utilities be placed in the street right-of-way between the paved roadway and the street line to simplify location and repair of lines when they require attention. The subdivider shall install underground service connections to the property line of each lot within the subdivision for such required utilities before the street is paved. Utilities shall be installed in conformance with Public Service Law, Electric Utilities, Part 100, Section 100.1, New construction of underground facilities in residential subdivisions, as amended at the time of the application.
Dead-end streets (cul-de-sacs). Dead-end streets should conform with the Town Standards for Street Design.[4] At the end of temporary dead-end streets a temporary turnaround with a pavement radius of 50 feet shall be provided, or a T-turn around with specifications according to the Town Highway Standards, unless the Planning Board approves an alternate arrangement.
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 commercial streets, 200 feet on collector thoroughfare streets and 100 feet on minor rural streets.
Service streets or loading space in commercial developments. 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.
Type of name. All streets shown on a preliminary plat shall be approved by the Planning Board. In general, streets shall have names and not numbers or letters.
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 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.
Street names and numbering. Naming and numbering of streets shall be done in coordination with county requirements as amended at the time of the application.
Lots to be buildable.
The lot arrangement shall be such that in constructing a building in compliance with state and local laws; 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.
A lot intended for use for single-family residential purposes must contain a buildable area of 5,000 square feet. The buildable area shall exclude areas of excessive slope and on which state or federal environmental regulations shall preclude development. In addition, the buildable area shall exclude all of the area within 15 feet of any side or rear line and an area within 50 feet of any road. In the event that the road is a state route, that excluded area shall be 75 feet. For nonresidential lots, the minimum buildable area would be determined by the Board after consideration of all relevant facts.
Driveway access. Driveway access and grades shall conform to specifications of the Town driveway ordinance, if one exists. Driveway grades between the street and the setback line shall not exceed 10%.
The subdividing of land shall be such as to provide, by means of a public street, each lot with satisfactory deeded access in fee to an existing public street. When not indicated on the Comprehensive Plan or Official Map, if such exists, the determination of sufficient access shall be made by the Board.[1]
Access from private streets shall be deemed acceptable only if such streets are designed and improved in accordance with these regulations. All private streets shall conform to all state standards and regulations.
Monuments and lot corner markers. Permanent monuments, meeting specifications approved by the Town 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 Town Engineer may require, and their location shall be shown on the subdivision plat.
Dedication of streets. Proposed streets shall be referred to the Town Board for consideration as soon as practicable in the review process. Whenever possible, such referral shall be made immediately following approval of the preliminary plat application. All streets proposed for dedication to the Town Board shall be marked or designated by a licensed surveyor or engineer.
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 Town Engineer shall approve the design and size of facility based on anticipated runoff from a "ten-year" storm under conditions of total potential future development in the watershed.
Responsibility from drainage downstream. The subdivider's 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 Town 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 Town 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.
Recreation areas shown on Town Plan. Where a proposed park, playground or open space shown on the Town 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 B below. Such area or areas may be dedicated to the Town or county by the subdivider if the Town Board approves such dedication.
The Planning Board shall require that the plat show sites of a character, extent, and location suitable for the 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 the plat show sites of a character, extent, and location suitable for the 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.
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, prior to final approval, to the Board, three prints, one on Mylar, at a scale of not less than 30 feet to the inch, such area and the following features thereof:
The boundaries of said area, giving lengths and bearings of all straight lines; radii, lengths, central angles and tangent distances of all curves.
Existing features such as brooks, ponds, clusters of trees, rock outcrops, structures.
Existing and, if applicable, proposed changes in grade and contours of the area and of areas immediately adjacent.
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 Town of a fee which shall be the amount adopted by the Town Board pursuant to Town Code Chapter 110 and listed on the Fee Schedule.
Such amount shall be paid to the Town 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 Town Board in a special Town Recreation Site Acquisition and Improvement Fund to be used for the acquisition of land that (a) is suitable for a permanent park, playground or other recreational purposes, and (b) is so located that it will serve primarily the general neighborhood in which the land covered by the plat lies, and (c) 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 the Planning Board finds there is a need for such improvements.
Reserve strips prohibited. Reserve strips of land, which might be used to control access from the proposed subdivision to any neighboring property, or to any land within the subdivision itself, shall be prohibited.
Reservation 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.
If a homeowners' or condominium association is proposed, the developer shall file a declaration of covenants and restrictions that will govern the association, to be submitted with the application for the preliminary approval. The provisions shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
The homeowners' association must be established before the homes are sold;
Membership must be mandatory for each homebuyer and any successive buyer;
The open space restrictions must be permanent, not just for a period of years;
The association must be responsible for liability insurance, local taxes, and the maintenance of recreational and other facilities;
Homeowners must pay their pro-rata share of the cost, and the assessment levied by the association shall become a lien on the property, and the master deed establishing the homeowners' association shall provide that unpaid assessments will become a lien;
The association must be able to adjust the assessment to meet changed needs; and
Evidence that the association has met New York State Department of State requirements.