Corning City Zoning Code
ARTICLE XII
Development Guidelines and Standards
§ 240-93 Basis for site plan review.
The Planning Commission, in reviewing a site plan, shall be guided by the considerations and standards presented in this article and the regulations contained in this code. In the review, they shall take into consideration the prospective character of the development and require improvements be designed to such standards as are consistent with reasonable protection of the public health, safety or welfare.
§ 240-94 Lots and blocks.
A.
Lot size and arrangement. The dimensions and arrangements of lots shall be such that there will be no foreseeable difficulties, for reasons of topography or other conditions, in providing access to buildings on such lots or in securing building permits to build. In general, side lot lines shall be at right angles or radial to street lines, unless a variation from this can be shown to result in a better plan.
B.
Access. Insofar as possible, lots shall not derive access from a primary street. Access to lots adjacent to a primary street shall, in general, be from marginal access streets or other streets within the development. Where a watercourse separates the buildable area of a lot from the street by which it has access, provision shall be made for installation of a culvert or other structure, which shall be subject to the same design criteria and review as all other stormwater drainage facilities in the development.
§ 240-95 Street, road and pavement design.
A.
Street arrangement.
(1)
Street 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 stormwater drainage and sewerage disposal. Streets shall be designed to accommodate the prospective traffic and so arranged as to separate through traffic from neighborhood traffic insofar as it is practicable.
(2)
The streets in contiguous developments shall be coordinated so as to compose a convenient system. Where a development adjoins undeveloped land, its streets shall be laid out so as to provide suitable future street connections with the adjoining land when the latter shall be developed. A street thus temporarily dead-ended shall be constructed to the property line and shall be provided with a temporary turnaround of the same dimensions as for permanent dead-end streets if in excess of 200 feet, with a notation on the construction plat providing for temporary easements for the turnaround until such time as the street is extended.
(3)
Streets shall be logically related to the topography, and all streets shall be arranged so as to obtain as many as possible of the building sites at or above the grade of the streets. Grades of streets shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography. A combination of steep grades and sharp curves shall be avoided.
(4)
Where a development abuts on or contains an existing or proposed primary street, the Planning Commission may require marginal access streets, 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 treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and to afford separation of through and local traffic.
B.
Standards for street design. All streets shall be designed and constructed to conform to New York State and City specifications. The Superintendent of Public Works shall approve all street design and construction.
C.
Dead-end streets. Where a street does not extend to the boundary of the development and its continuation is not needed for access to adjoining property, it shall be separated from such boundary by a distance sufficient to accommodate a lot meeting the requirements of this article. Reserve strips of land shall not be left between the end of a proposed street and an adjacent piece of property. However, the Planning and Zoning Board may require the reservation of an easement 15 feet wide for pedestrian traffic or utilities. A turnaround of a minimum right-of-way radius of 50 feet shall be provided at the end of any permanent dead-end street. For greater convenience to traffic and more efficient police and fire protection, the length of permanent dead-end streets shall be limited to six times the minimum lot width for the zoning district, such length to be measured to the center point of the turnaround.
D.
Sidewalks. Concrete sidewalks at least five feet wide may be required on both sides of all streets. They may also be required within pedestrian easements through blocks to provide a system of pedestrian walkways to schools, parks and other community facilities. Sidewalks should be one foot from the property line inside the right-of-way, unless the adjacent street is a state or county highway, in which case the sidewalk shall be placed adjacent to and outside of the right-of-way. Sidewalks within pedestrian easements shall be generally centered within the easement.
E.
Trees. The applicant shall take adequate measures to preserve existing trees in suitable locations within the development. Street trees shall be planted on both sides of the street within the right-of-way between the sidewalk and the curb at intervals of approximately 50 feet, subject to location of drives, street intersections or other features. In general, the street right-of-way shall be cleared of existing trees, but occasional existing trees of unusual value (30 inches DBH) may be preserved within the street right-of-way as approved by the Planning Commission.
F.
Street names and signs. All streets shall be named, and such names shall be subject to the approval of the City Council. A street which is a continuation of an existing street shall bear the same name. Relating street names to features of local historical, topographical or other natural interest is encouraged. Street signs shall be provided by the applicant at all intersections and shall be of a type approved by the City Council.
G.
Improvements. In addition to the required improvements specifically referred to elsewhere in these regulations, plans shall provide for all other customary elements of street construction and utility service which may be appropriate in each locality as determined by the City. Such elements may include, but shall not be limited to, street pavement, gutters, stormwater inlets, manholes, curbs, sidewalks, street lighting and sanitary sewers. Underground utilities within the street right-of-way shall be located as required by the City, and underground service connections to the property line of each lot shall be installed before the street is paved. All street improvements and other construction features of the development shall conform to municipal specifications which may be established from time to time and shall be subject to approval as to design, specifications and construction by the City Superintendent of Public Works.
H.
Widening of existing street right-of-way. Where a development adjoins an existing street which does not conform to the City's right-of-way standards, the Planning Commission may require that additional right-of-way width as necessary be provided, on the development side of the normal street center line, of a width which is equal to at least 1/2 of the minimum standard width for the respective type of street.
I.
Typical street section. The typical section approved by the City Superintendent of Public Works shall be used for all streets. Pavement and right-of-way widths may vary with type of use.
§ 240-96 Off-street loading and unloading requirements.
In all districts, for a lot or structure which is to be occupied by manufacturing, commercial, business or other similar uses requiring the receipt and distribution by vehicles of materials or merchandise, there shall be provided and maintained, on said lot, off-street loading berths as specified below:
A.
Required loading berths.
(1)
The following shall be considered minimum requirements:
Use | Gross Floor Area (square feet) | Loading and Unloading Berth |
|---|---|---|
Retail stores, wholesale establishments, storage uses, other commercial uses | 3,000 to 15,000 | 1 |
15,000 to 40,000 | 2 | |
Each 25,000 additional | 1 additional | |
Motels, hotels, office buildings | 100,000 or less | 1 |
100,001 to 300,000 | 2 | |
Each 200,000 additional | 1 additional | |
Industrial | 15,000 or less | 1 |
15,000 to 40,000 | 2 | |
40,001 to 100,000 | 3 | |
Each 40,000 additional | 1 additional |
(2)
The Planning Commission may modify the above requirements based on scale of operation in the site plan approval process.
B.
Dimensions of loading berths. Each loading berth, either open or enclosed, shall be 55 feet long, 12 feet wide and 14 feet high; businesses utilizing vehicles not larger than panel trucks may have berths which are not smaller than 20 feet long, 10 feet wide and eight feet high.
C.
Location of berths. The Planning Commission shall require that berths are located in such a way as not to unreasonably interfere with the movement of people and vehicles on public ways and within on-site parking. The Planning Commission may allow the public alley to satisfy loading berth requirements.
§ 240-97 Commercial parking lots and structures.
All commercial parking lots and structures, as permitted in § 240-43, shall conform to the following standards which shall be regarded as minimum requirements:
A.
Parking garage facade fronting on a primary street shall achieve architectural unity/compatibility with the surrounding structures that it is intended to serve.
B.
A minimum of 8% of the lot area shall be devoted to landscaping, which shall be provided in conformance with § 240-101.
C.
Adjacent sidewalks shall be rebuilt and designed to promote pedestrian safety.
D.
Ingress and egress shall be designed to promote the orderly flow of traffic to and from City streets. Directional signs, arrows, etc., shall be used as necessary to ensure this flow.
§ 240-98 Drainage system and erosion control.
A.
Drainage systems. Adequate and comprehensive drainage systems shall be provided to convey the stormwater runoff originating within and outside the proposed development as follows:
(1)
Drainage systems shall have sufficient capacity to accommodate the potential future runoff based upon the probable land use and ultimate development of the total watershed upland of the development.
(2)
Drainage systems shall be designed in accordance with the latest approved DEC Storm Water Design Manual and regulations that apply to the function, use, topography, and other attributes of the site.
(3)
Interior drainage systems shall be designed to accommodate a ten-year storm.
(4)
The design of drainage systems shall be approved by the Superintendent of Public Works.
(5)
All structures shall be set back a minimum of 50 feet from the stream bank.
(6)
Utilizing the drainage guidelines outlined above, the Planning Commission may require the applicant to submit the following:
(a)
Plan profiles and typical and special cross-sections of proposed stormwater drainage facilities.
(b)
Supporting final design data and copies of computations used as a basis for the design capacities and performance of the drainage facilities.
(c)
The grading plan shall be developed to a suitable contour interval with grading details to indicate proposed street grades and elevations and building site grades and elevations.
(d)
If the development is within or adjacent to any designated floodplain, a detailed analysis of the area with respect to the management of the floodplain shall be included in the drainage report.
B.
Erosion control. In order to ensure that the land will be developed with a minimum amount of soil erosion, the applicant shall follow approved soil erosion control practices. If a NYS DEC SWPPP plan does apply to the development of the land, the following shall be instituted as applicable during and after the development:
(1)
Exposing the smallest practical area of land at any one time during the development.
(2)
Provision of temporary vegetation and/or mulching to protect critical areas.
(3)
Provision of adequate drainage facilities to accommodate effectively the increased or rerouted runoff caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development shall be provided. The engineered design shall indicate, as part of their submitted plans, all drainage features including storm drains, swales, basins, temporary barriers and other devices where utilized on the site to minimize soil erosion from mitigating from the site. The best practices of the NYS DEC Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sedimentation Control, latest adopted revision, shall be utilized unless the licensed site engineer indicates more effective methods and measures.
(4)
Fitting of the development plan to the topography and soils so as to minimize the erosion potential.
(5)
Retention and protection of natural vegetation wherever possible.
(6)
Installation of permanent final vegetation and structures as soon as practicable.
(7)
Adequate protective measures when slopes in excess of 15% exist or are designed shall be included to minimize soil erosion. The minimizing of such grades shall be required, if feasible, if the topography and size of the site allows.
§ 240-99 Steep slope guidelines.
The City of Corning is characterized by numerous steep slope (15% or greater) areas. Special design treatment for streets, building sites and other development is needed to preserve the natural terrain, trees, scenic views, etc. Development on steep slopes will be permitted subject to the following guidelines:
A.
Development proposals shall be of sufficient detail to show site work (cut and fill), housing site location, erosion and drainage control measures (terraces, sediment basins, diversions, retaining walls, stream channel improvement, etc.) and road location, including cross-sections.
B.
Padding, which is the creation of level building sites, shall be permitted only when it can be clearly demonstrated by exhibits that the final treatment of the site will not reflect an unfavorable environmental impact and/or an unfavorable visual appearance.
C.
Design principles shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1)
Landscaping of areas around structures making them compatible with the natural terrain.
(2)
Shaping, grouping and placement of man-made structures to complement the natural landscape.
(3)
Arrangement of buildings so they complement one another to promote visual interest.
(4)
Shaping of essential grading to complement existing land forms and prohibit any appearance of successive padding, terracing or other similar forms for building sites in the steep slope areas.
(5)
Development of off-street parking bays.
(6)
Use of turning circles at mid-block points to avoid the use of private driveways for turning and parking movement.
(7)
Encouragement of split-level building sites.
(8)
Use of one-way streets when consistent with traffic safety, circulation needs and natural topography. This guideline allows for smaller road right-of-way, less cut and fill within a given area and a highway network consistent with the natural terrain. Roads shall be parallel with the hillside wherever possible and have variable width right-of-way. This not only provides the most economical routing, but also minimizes the amount of grading required.
(9)
Land within the hill area that is in excess of 25% slope shall not, to the greatest extent possible, be developed.
§ 240-100 Open space, parks and playgrounds.
The Planning Commission may, as a condition of site plan approval, require that specific areas be designated for recreational purposes. Such designation shall depend upon the magnitude and character of the project and accessibility to existing public recreational areas. All lands proposed for park or recreation purposes shall meet the following minimum standards:
A.
Such land shall either be deeded to the City or be held in corporate ownership and maintained by an established organization.
B.
Such lands shall have physical characteristics and locations which render them readily usable for appropriate recreation purposes, and their locations shall be selected with a view to minimize hazards and vehicular traffic for children walking between such facilities and their homes in the neighborhood.
C.
Any such area shall be located at a suitable place on the edge of the development so that additional land may be added at such time as the adjacent land is developed.
D.
A detailed development plan shall be provided for each neighborhood park or playground. As a minimum, the development plan shall provide for an approximately level area at least 2,000 square feet in size and proposed play structures/activities.
E.
The development plan shall show how the entire area is to be graded, drained and landscaped to make it a useful and attractive feature of the neighborhood.
§ 240-101 Buffer and landscaping requirements.
A.
Intent. The objective of this section is to provide the necessary consideration to those physical and visual elements of the land uses in the City of Corning that require, or may be improved by, treatment of the land form, plant materials and/or man-made features arranged so as to enhance the appearance, screen or effectively separate different types of land use, as well as to eliminate or minimize impacts on adjoining uses, such as dirt, litter, noise, glare and incompatible buildings or uses (such as outdoor storage, loading and parking areas). The Planning Commission may require that a professional licensed landscape architect prepare plans under this section.
B.
Buffer and landscaping techniques. The particular type of buffer and landscaping treatment shall be as determined by the Planning Commission to meet the intent of this section. The following major types of treatment and combinations may be considered:
(1)
Visual separation/screening, including earth mounding, berm and screen-planting techniques designed to separate, obscure or soften an incompatible view or use.
(2)
Visual setting, including ground-cover and plant materials designed to stabilize the landform and provide an appropriate foreground or setting.
(3)
Physical separation, including a combination of plant and man-made materials or features designed to separate distinct land use types or activities.
C.
Requirements.
(1)
Planting specifications. The following planting specifications indicate guidelines for each buffer and landscape technique.
(2)
Minimum plant size. Unless otherwise specifically stated elsewhere in this article, all plant materials shall meet the following minimum size standards:
Plant Material Type | Planting in Buffer Yards Abutting Vacant Lands | All Other Plantings | |
|---|---|---|---|
Canopy tree | |||
Single stem | 1 1/2 inch caliper | 2 1/2 inch caliper | |
Multistem clump | 6 feet (height) | 10 feet (height) | |
Understory tree | 4 feet (height) | 1 1/2 inch caliper | |
Evergreen tree | 3 feet (height) | 5 feet (height) | |
Shrub | |||
Deciduous | 15 inches (height) | 24 inches (height) | |
Evergreen | 12 inches (height) | 18 inches (height) | |
(3)
Plant material substitutions. The following plant material substitutions shall satisfy the requirements of this section:
(4)
All disturbed soil areas of the site shall be replanted or reseeded in an appropriate fashion.
(5)
No landscape feature shall be erected, placed or maintained in such a manner as to interfere with clear vision and/or the safe movement of vehicular traffic.
§ 240-102 Utilities.
A.
Water supply and sewage disposal. Provisions for water and sewer lines shall comply with requirements of the Superintendent of Public Works, New York State Health Department and/or New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Superintendent of Public Works shall approve all water and sewer installation design and construction.
B.
Underground installation. All utility companies (telephone, electric, etc.) are now equipped to make underground installation of their services; underground installation shall be required when practical.
§ 240-103 Solar energy systems and solar access.
To the maximum extent possible, all new development proposals totaling 87,000 square feet of site area or more may be designed so that the maximum number of buildings shall receive direct sunlight sufficient for using solar energy systems for space, water or industrial process heating or cooling. Buildings and vegetation should be sited and maintained so that unobstructed direct sunlight reaches the southern exposure of the greatest number of buildings according to the following guidelines:
A.
Solar access shall be protected between the solar azimuths of -45° (east of due south) to +45° (west of due south).
B.
In considering dimensional modifications permitted in Article V, the Planning Commission shall also consider solar access and design considerations.
C.
For purposes of solar access, streets, lots and building setbacks should be designed so that the buildings are oriented with their long axes running from east to west for single-family development and north to south for townhouse and multifamily development.
D.
In order to maximize solar access, the highest densities shall, to the maximum extent possible, be placed on the south-facing slopes with lower densities sited on north-facing slopes.
E.
Streets should be oriented on an east/west axis to the greatest possible extent.
F.
Buildings shall, to the greatest possible extent, be sited as close to the north lot line or lines as possible to increase yard space to the south for better owner control of shading.
G.
Tall buildings shall, to the greatest possible extent, be sited to the north of shorter ones and be buffered from adjacent development.
H.
Existing vegetation shall be retained and incorporated into the design as practicable.
I.
A description of any mechanisms, such as deed restrictions, covenants, etc., that are to be applied shall be provided.
§ 240-104 Wind energy conversion systems.
The intent of this section is to regulate the placement of and access to wind energy conversion systems (windmills) for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of individuals on adjacent properties as well as the general public.
A.
Setback. The installation shall not be erected nearer to any lot line than the total height of the structure. Such height shall be defined as the tower height, plus 1/2 the rotor diameter, on a horizontal axis installation, and, on vertical axis installations, the distance from the base of the tower to the top of the unit.
C.
Safety.
(1)
The foundation and supports for the windmill shall either be designed by a licensed professional engineer, and the drawings bear his/her seal and signature, or carry a manufacturer's seal and certification.
(2)
At least one sign shall be posted at the base of the tower warning of high voltage.
(3)
Tower climbing apparatus shall be no lower than 12 feet from the ground.
(4)
All installations shall be designed with braking systems.
D.
Noise. The maximum level of noise permitted to be generated by an installation shall be 55 dba, measured at the property line.