12.7.1 Access. New subdivisions shall comply with the requirements of Article 9.2 (Access).
12.7.2 Blocks.
A. The length, width, and shape of blocks shall be determined with due regard to provision of adequate building sites suitable to the special needs of the type of use contemplated; zoning requirements as to lot sizes and dimensions; needs for vehicular and pedestrian circulation; control and safety of street traffic; emergency vehicle access limitations and opportunities of topography; and convenient access to public recreation areas.
B. Blocks shall have sufficient width to allow two tiers of lots of minimum depth except where single tier lots are required to separate residential development from through-vehicular traffic or another type of use in nonresidential subdivisions; or where abutting a water area.
C. Blocks shall not exceed 1,000 feet in length and through connecting streets shall be required.
D. The Planning Board may require the construction of a pedestrian crosswalk or access of at least 15 feet in width to provide convenient public safe access to a public area such as a park or school, to a water area, or to areas such as shopping centers, religious, or transportation facilities.
E. Block numbers shall conform to the town street numbering system, if applicable.
12.7.3 Lots.
A. Lots in new subdivisions shall conform to dimensional regulations of the district in which the subdivision is located and any other dimensional requirements that may be imposed by additional regulations.
B. Lot sizes, shapes, and locations shall be made with due regard to topographic conditions, contemplated use, and the surrounding area.
C. All lots shall have public street access and frontage meeting the requirements set forth in Article 7. The following exception may be approved:
1. Lots and units located in cluster developments and planned unit developments with a property owners association in which permanent access is guaranteed by means of approved private streets and/or drives. The development as a whole shall have public street access and frontage in accordance with Article 7.
D. Double frontage and/or reverse frontage lots shall be prohibited in residentially zoned districts. Flag lots shall also be prohibited.
E. Corner lots shall be increased one and one-half times the minimum required lot size since corner lots normally have less building area due to the front setback line being applicable to two or more sides.
F. Any portion of subdivision within the 100-year FEMA floodplain designation or any area known to be subject to flooding shall be so identified on the preliminary plat and final subdivision plat. Base flood elevations shall be shown on all subdivisions involving a tract of five acres or greater. All wetlands and associated buffers shall be identified for protection.
G. In the case of lots on the turning circle of a cul-de-sac, the curb width will be a minimum of 50% of the district lot width requirement but not less than 20 feet. (Added 06.05.12)
12.7.4 Street lighting. The developer shall install streetlights in all subdivisions of ten lots or more in accordance with the town’s Community Appearance Manual.
12.7.5 Easements.
A. The town, in consultation with the utility provider, shall approve utility and drainage easements.
B. Utility and drainage easements shall be provided and shall be at least 20 feet wide. Drainage easements shall be centered on rear or side lot lines where possible where a subdivision is traversed by a water course, drainage way, drainage tile, channel, or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way conforming substantially to the lines of such watercourse, and such further width as will be adequate for the purpose.
C. The final plat shall include a note stating that no improvements or structures will be placed in the utility easement.
D. Easements shall be dedicated to the town or utility provider, as appropriate.
12.7.7 Wetlands. Ecologically sensitive lands, such as marshes, Carolina Bays, pocosins, and swamps, when in the ownership of the owner/applicant, shall be preserved whenever possible for the public interest. Some lots may contain jurisdictional wetlands or other waters. Draining, filling, grading, excavating, and other land disturbing activities in jurisdictional wetlands are regulated and may be prohibited by federal and state law. No such activities shall be undertaken on any lot without prior consent in writing from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the state’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Resources, have been notified and all required permits have been obtained.
12.7.8 Water and sewer. Provision of water and sewer to each structure (residential or nonresidential) shall be in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the appropriate jurisdictional authority.
12.7.9 Utilities.
A. All affected utility companies shall be provided with copies of the preliminary and final plats by the subdivider and be expected to work with the developer in designing the utilities plan for the subdivision.
B. All subdivision proposals which have public utilities and facilities such as sewer, gas, electrical, and water systems, shall have such systems located and constructed to minimize flood damage and to comply with the town flood damage prevention ordinance.
C. All utilities shall be installed underground. However, a developer shall not be required to bury power lines when the power lines existed above ground at the time of first approval of a plat or development plan by the town, whether or not the power lines are subsequently relocated during construction of the subdivision or development or the power lines are located outside the boundaries of the parcel of land that contains the subdivision or the property covered by the development plan.
12.7.10 Street connectivity requirements.
A. General. The town hereby determines and recognizes that an interconnected street system is necessary in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare. This will be accomplished by ensuring that streets will function in an interdependent manner by providing continuous and comprehensive traffic routes and adequate access for emergency and service vehicles. The interconnected system of roads should also enhance non-vehicular travel such as pedestrians and bicycles. Street interconnection design shall address connection of the subject subdivision to the adjacent thoroughfare within the subject subdivision. Rights-of-way for future street connections shall be dedicated to the public at the time of final plat approval.
B. External access required.
1. External access to a development will meet the following requirements. In determining the number of access points that shall be required, the cumulative impacts of prior developments on the roads shall be considered:
a. There shall be at least two points of access for development with 120 or fewer lots, unless waived by the Planning Board. Certain land characteristic may require more than two access points.
b. For developments with more than 120 lots, at least three points of access to the roadway shall be provided. If the development is bounded by more than one thoroughfare, there shall be at least one entrance to each thoroughfare.
c. The required points of access shall be installed at the time of final plat approval. If the development is being developed in phases and a subject point of access is not necessary for the current phase, additional point(s) of access may be approved as construction access.
2. A divided entrance shall count as one point of access.
3. The Planning Board may approve variations in the requirements of this Article when additional access points are precluded in the following circumstances:
a. If the only additional access points available would require crossing floodplains, steep slopes, or other similar natural features; or
b. When the existing development pattern precludes additional access points and fewer units than would otherwise be allowed would be out of character with the surrounding development.
C. Access to adjacent property.
1. Access to existing developments shall be achieved by connecting to temporary turnarounds or the equivalent provided in the existing development.
2. Access to future developments is required on each side (as defined by each of the cardinal directions) of a development as follows:
a. At least one future connection for every 1,400 linear feet on any single side of the proposed development; and
b. Future connections are not required to adjoining sites that are permanently protected from development through conservation easements or ownership that precludes development. Nor are future connections required if the only point of access would require crossing floodplains, wetlands, or other similar natural features.
D. Within the proposed subdivision. All proposed streets shall be continuous and connect to existing or platted streets. Street offsets are not desired and must be approved by the Planning Board. Cul-de-sacs will be allowed if they enhance the appearance of the neighborhood and the utilization of the land. The street network for any subdivision shall achieve a “connectivity ratio” of not less than 1.00 in all zoning districts.
1. The phrase
CONNECTIVITY RATIO means the number of street “links” divided by the number of “nodes” or link ends, including cul-de-sac heads.
2. A “link” means and refers to that portion of a street defined by a node at each end or at one end. Approved stubs to adjacent property shall be considered links.
3. A “node” refers to the terminus of a street or the intersection of two or more streets, except that intersections that use a roundabout shall not be counted as a node.
4. For purposes of Article 12.7.10, the street links and nodes within the collector or thoroughfare streets providing access to a proposed subdivision shall not be considered in computing the connectivity ratio.
E. The street connectivity requirements set forth in this Article are established as standards. The town recognizes, however, that due to the particular nature of a tract of land or other factors strict adherence to these standards may not be practical or desirable and, therefore, the Planning Board has discretion whether or not to require the actual connection to adjacent property.
(Ord. passed 2-3-2021)