In order to provide for streets of suitable location, width and construction to accommodate prospective traffic and afford satisfactory access for police, emergency and medical, firefighting, snow removal, sanitation and other road maintenance equipment; to coordinate streets so as to compose a convenient system; to avoid undue financial burdens for present and future taxpayers; and to avoid potential natural or technological hazards or nuisances, including the problems associated with uncontrolled storm water run-off, the Board has established the design of subdivisions set forth in this Section.
In addition to the requirements established in these regulations, all subdivisions shall conform to the provisions of the Town of Ipswich Protective Zoning By-law, the regulations of the Ipswich Board of Health, the Town of Ipswich Water Rules and Regulations, the Town of Ipswich Sewer Regulations, the Ipswich Wetlands Protection By-law and Rules and Regulations of the Ipswich Conservation commission, and all other rules and regulations applicable in the development of land in Ipswich.
6.2.1 Protection of Natural Features: In laying out a subdivision, the Applicant shall comply with these rules and regulations with due regard to all natural features such as large trees, watercourses, scenic or historic elements, aquifers, flood plains, and habitats of rare or endangered species. These features shall be left undisturbed wherever practical and the Board may waive design requirements in order to protect important natural features.
6.2.2 Unsuitable Land: Land which the Board finds to be unsuitable for development due to flooding, improper drainage or adverse drainage, adverse topography, poor soils, bedrock, location of utility easements, or other features which the Board has reason to believe would be detrimental to the health, safety, and general welfare of the present or future inhabitants of the subdivision and/or its surrounding area, shall not be subdivided or developed unless adequate measures are formulated by the Applicant and are approved by the Board to eliminate or minimize any short-term or long-term impacts created by development of the unsuitable land.
6.2.3 Subdivisions Straddling Municipal Boundaries: Whenever access to the subdivision is required across land in another Town, the Board may require documentation that access has been legally established in that Town as a public street or as part of an approved subdivision. In general, lot lines should be laid out so as not to cross municipal boundaries.
6.2.4 Self-Imposed Restrictions: If, as part of a subdivision application, the Applicant or Owner places voluntary restrictions on any of the land contained in the subdivision which are greater than the requirements of these Regulations or of the Town of Ipswich Protective Zoning By-law, such restrictions or references thereto shall be indicated and located on the Definitive Plan and shall be recorded in the Essex South District Registry of Deeds or the Land Court.
6.3.1 Lot Arrangement: Lots shall be arranged so there will be no foreseeable difficulties due to topography, soils, wetlands, bedrock, improper drainage, or other conditions, in securing permits to build upon all lots in compliance with the Town of Ipswich Protective Zoning By-law, nor in providing practical, feasible driveway access to a building on each such lot.
6.3.2 Lot Dimensions: Lot dimensions shall comply with the minimum standards of the Town of Ipswich Protective Zoning By-law. Dimensions of corner lots should be large enough to allow for erection of buildings and fulfilling the minimum front yard setback and lot width from both streets. Depth and width of properties laid out for business or industrial use shall be adequate to provide for the off-street parking and loading facilities required by the Protective Zoning By-law.
6.3.3 Soil Preservation, Sedimentation and Erosion Control: The applicant shall comply with the Rules and Regulations Governing Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control as provided for in Appendix IX of these rules and regulations.
6.3.4 Lot Drainage: Lots shall be laid out so as to provide positive drainage away from all proposed buildings. Individual lot drainage shall be designed so as to avoid concentrating stormwater drainage from each lot to adjacent lots and/or to the street.
6.3.5 Debris and Waste: No debris, junk, rubbish or other non-biodegradable waste materials shall be buried on any land in the subdivision or left on any lot or on the street right of way, and removal of the same shall be required prior to final release of any covenant or security. Burial of biodegradable materials on the site shall be subject to the approval of the Board-of Health and the Planning Board or the Planning Board's Designee. It should be noted that no burial areas will be allowed if located within the buffer zones under the jurisdiction of the Ipswich Conservation Commission. The burial location(s) and description of buried materials shall be noted on the "as-built" plans. The Board may require that the description and the location of buried materials be recorded in the Registry of Deeds or the Land Court prior to the release of affected lots for sale or building.
The specifications for construction, as referenced in Appendices I through IX. of these Rules and Regulations, shall be used as a guide for required construction specifications unless otherwise directed. The Board, upon recommendation from the Board's Designee, shall determine if the standards have been met.
6.5.1 Notification: No step in the construction-of the required improvements shall commence until the Board's Designee has been notified at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the beginning of construction phases.
6.5.2 Inspections: Each phase or step in the construction of the required improvements shall be inspected and approved in writing by the Board's Designee. The Board's designee may require submittals and testing as necessary to assure proper construction. As a minimum, the applicant shall request an inspection at the following stages of construction: a) following preparation of the street subgrade and shoulders and prior to the placement on any fill; b) following installation of all underground drainage and utilities, prior to backfilling; c) following spreading and compaction of the gravel base, prior to application of the binder course on the street; d) immediately prior to and during the application and compaction of the surface course on the street and, if required, on the sidewalk; e) following completion of all improvements and installation of bounds.
The applicant shall not proceed with construction of any of the above stages of development until the Board's Designee has signed off on the previous stage.
The Board's Designee may require inspection at such other intervals as (s)he may deem necessary to assure proper construction of improvements, including but not limited to as-built drawing submittals required under Section 5.15. In addition, the Board's Designee may require periodic inspection reports from the applicant's engineer.
6.6.1 Clearing and Grubbing: The area between property lines within the right of way shall be cleared and grubbed except for those trees which are intended to be preserved as street trees.
6.6.2 Earth Excavation: All excavation shall conform to the lines and grades shown on the approved Definitive Plan(s). Where mucky soils, ledge or clay is encountered within the right of way, it shall be removed entirely and, where necessary, replaced with sand and gravel. where water is encountered, or is expected to be encountered, within four feet (4') of the finished grade of the street, subsurface drainage, of a design acceptable to the Board, upon recommendation from the Board's Designee, shall be installed.
6.6.3 Ledge Excavation: Boulders or ledge shall be removed to a depth of at least twenty-four inches (24") below finished grade wherever it exists within the road or sidewalk pavement area.
6.6.4 Retaining Walls: If street and/or shoulder grades require more than two feet (2') of cut or fill, the Board may require retaining walls along abutting property lines unless a suitable alternative is approved by the Board.
6.6.5 Materials: Specifications and standards may be obtained through the Town Engineer and/or Department of Public Works. Reference is also made to the "typical street cross section", appended hereto. (See Figure 1.)
6.7.1 Frontage: No subdivision shall be approved unless the land to be subdivided shall have frontage on an existing or proposed public street or, if the area to be subdivided is to use a private way to access the public street, the private way shall be improved or constructed by the applicant to meet the minimum design and construction requirements of these Regulations.
6.7.2 Improving Existing Streets: If a subdivision borders an existing but inadequately constructed public or private street, the applicant may be required to improve the street bordering the subdivision tract or provide the land necessary for future improvements for that portion bordering the subdivision. Land used for or reserved for future street improvements may not be counted in future street improvements nay not be counted in satisfying the setback and area requirements of the Town of Ipswich Protective Zoning By-law.
6.7.3 Topography and Arrangement: Streets shall be designed to conform as closely as possible to the original topography of the site; nevertheless, a combination of steep grades and curves shall be avoided.
6.7.4 Street Names: Proposed street names shall be included on the plans and shall be sufficiently different in sound and in spelling from other street names in the Town so as not to cause confusion. A street which is planned as a continuation of an existing street shall bear the same name. Written approval of the proposed street name must be obtained from the Director of Public Safety and shall be included in the application submitted to the Board.
6.7.5 Street Numbers: Street numbers shall be assigned by the Town Manager and/or his designee and shall be included in the application submitted to the Board.
