§ 16.12.030. Road design guidelines.

A.

General Requirements.

1.

Road systems shall be designed with due regard to the needs for: convenient traffic access and circulation; traffic control and safety; access for fire fighting, snow removal, and street maintenance equipment; and storm water drainage and sewage disposal. Roads shall be designed to accommodate the prospective traffic, so arranged as to separate through traffic from neighborhood traffic insofar as possible, and coordinated to compose a convenient system.

2.

The roads in contiguous developments shall be designed and coordinated to compose a convenient roadway system. Where a subdivision adjoins undeveloped land, its roads shall be laid out to provide suitable future road connections with the adjoining land when the latter shall be subdivided. A road thus temporarily dead-ended shall be constructed to the property line and shall be provided with a temporary turn-around of the same dimensions as for permanent dead-end roads, with a notation on the final plat providing for temporary easements for the turn-around until such time as the road is extended. These same requirements shall apply at the discretion of the planning board in those cases where the adjoining land is in another section or phase of the same subdivision, and which is not scheduled for development at the same time.

3.

Roads shall be logically related to the topography, and all roads shall be arranged so that as many building sites as possible are at or above the grade of the roads. Grades of roads shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography. A combination of steep grades and sharp curves shall be avoided.

4.

Where a subdivision abuts on or contains an existing or proposed primary road, the planning board may require marginal access roads, reverse frontage with screen planting contained in a nonaccess reservation along the rear property line, deep lots with or without 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.

5.

Where a subdivision borders or contains an existing or proposed railroad right-of-way or controlled access highway right-of-way, the planning board may require a road 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 business, commercial or industrial purpose in appropriate areas. Such distances shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.

B.

Standards for Road Design: All roads shall be designed and constructed to conform to The Standard for Construction in the Town of Big Flats.

C.

Typical Road Section. The typical section shall be as required in The Standard for Construction in the Town of Big Flats and shall be approved by the town official having jurisdiction. Pavement and right-of-way width may vary with the type of use required storm water management facilities, or other appurtenances.

D.

Private Roads. All private roads shall have a minimum fifty (50) feet of right-of-way granted by the applicant to each lot owner served by the road. The middle twenty (20) feet or more shall be improved with base, gravel and drainage structures as required by The Standard for Construction in the Town of Big Flats.

E.

Road Intersections. Intersections of roads shall be held to a minimum and spaced in accordance with The Standard for Construction in the Town of Big Flats.

F.

Dead-End Roads. It is the town's intent to minimize the number and length of dead-end roads in order to provide for a more efficient, integrated road network that accommodates the movement of vehicles in a safe manner that is consistent with the density of population and the safe and expedient movement of emergency equipment and school vehicles. The town also seeks to provide, to the greatest extent possible, for a continuous movement of town road maintenance equipment on town roads in order to minimize deadhead travel costs and time. To this end the planning board shall consider:

1.

Dead-end roads shall not be permitted unless the applicant can demonstrate that existing topography prohibits the continuation of existing or proposed public roads or private roads;

2.

Dead-end roads shall be no longer than six times the minimum lot width for the zoning district in which the subdivision is located, such length to be measured to the center point of the turn-around or furthest extent of the road loop. In no instance shall a dead-end road exceed two thousand (2,000) lineal feet in length;

3.

In no instance shall more than twenty (20) lots access from a dead-end road;

4.

If any length of a proposed or existing road is located within the one hundred (100) year floodplain, there shall be two means of egress; provided, that they do not traverse a floodplain;

5.

No reserve strips of land shall be permitted between a proposed road and an adjacent piece of property. The planning board may require the reservation of an easement fifteen (15) feet wide for pedestrian traffic or utilities; and

6.

A turn-around meeting The Standard for Construction in the Town of Big Flats shall be provided at the end of any permanent dead-end road.

G.

Other Road Improvements.

1.

Pedestrian Access. The applicant shall provide such special road and/or walkway designs to accommodate safe pedestrian movement and access as required by the planning board.

2.

Trees. The applicant shall take adequate measures to preserve desirable existing trees in suitable locations within the subdivision. Street trees shall be planted on both sides of the road and ten (10) feet outside the right-of-way, at intervals of approximately fifty (50) feet, subject to location of drives, road intersections, or other features. In general, the road right-of-way shall be cleared of existing trees, but occasional existing trees of unusual value may be preserved within the road right-of-way if approved by the planning board.

3.

Road Names and Signs. All roads shall be named, and such names shall be subject to the approval of the planning board. A road, which is a continuation of an existing road, shall bear the same name. There shall be no duplication of existing area road names. Relating road names to features of local historical, topographical or other natural interest is encouraged. All road names shall be no more than one word in length. Road signs shall be provided by the applicant at all intersections and shall be of a type approved by the town official having jurisdiction.

4.

Monuments. Permanent survey monuments (permanent markers) shall be set in the boundary of rights-of-way at intersecting roads, PC (point of curve beginning) and PT (point of tangent - end of curve) of curves, through the PI (point of intersection) of short curves may be used instead, where such is practical, at the discretion of the town superintendent of highways. Monuments shall be placed on one side of the road only and at only one corner of intersecting roads. Monuments shall be tied into the New York State Coordinate System, the USGS vertical datum, and any other acceptable datum. Monument locations should be shown on the final plat; and field notes of ties to monuments or a tie sheet shall be submitted to the town highway superintendent after installation of monuments. Monuments shall be of stone or concrete and not less than four inches in diameter or square, and not less than forty-two (42) inches long. Concrete monuments shall be reinforced with steel rods, and a plug, brass plate, or pin shall serve as the point of reference and a reinforcing rod or other metal shall be placed adjacent to allow for magnetic recovery. After construction and fine grading is completed, the corners of each lot shall be staked with iron pipe or pins.

5.

Road Lighting. When offered by the applicant or when required by the planning board, road lighting of a design approved by the town shall be installed by the applicant in a manner and location approved by the town, the appropriate power company and the highway superintendent. In the case of a subdivision involving a county or state highway, approval shall be obtained from the county superintendent of highways. Where a new lighting district is to be created or an existing district expanded, the applicant shall petition the town board to create said district or expansion and shall provide all required maps, plans and reports to establish same, prior to final approval of the subdivision.

6.

Widening of an Existing Road Right-of-Way. Where a development adjoins an existing road which does not conform to the town's or other jurisdictional right-of-way standards, the planning board may require that additional right-of-way width as necessary be provided, on the development side of the normal road centerline, a width which is equal to at least one-half of the minimum standard width for the respective type of road right-of-way.

(LL No. 3, 2001 § 5(c))