Rensselaer City Zoning Code

General site information. General site information shall describe or outline the existing conditions of the site and the proposed development to the extent necessary to supplement the location map and sketch plan. Information may be required on existing covenants, land characteristics, available community facilities and utilities and information describing the subdivision proposal, such as the number of residential lots, typical lot width and depth, business areas, playgrounds, parks and other public areas, proposed protective covenants and proposed utilities and street improvements.

Sketch plan. Sketch plan on topographic survey shall show in simple sketch form the proposed layout of streets, lots and other features in relation to existing conditions. The sketch plan may be a freehand pencil sketch made directly on a print of the topographic survey. In any event the sketch plan should include either the existing topographic data listed in Subsection E or such of these data as the Planning Commission may require for its consideration of the proposed sketch plan, as well as scale, North point and date.

Preparation, filing. On reaching conclusions regarding his general program and objectives, the subdivider shall cause to be prepared a preliminary layout, together with improvement plans and other supplementary material as specified in Subsection E. Twelve copies of the preliminary layout and required supplementary material shall be submitted to the Planning Commission with written application for conditional approval at least 14 working days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting. Copies shall be referred by the Planning Commission to a qualified engineer and Board of Public Service for study and recommendation.

Action on preliminary layout. Following review of the preliminary layout and other material submitted therewith, and negotiations with the subdivider on changes deemed advisable and the kind and extent of improvements to be made by him in accordance with the requirements of Subsections E and H, the Planning Commission shall act thereon as submitted or as modified. The City Engineer and the Board of Public Service shall first approve the application and so advise the Planning Commission within 45 days after filing. If the preliminary layout is approved, the Planning Commission shall note its approval as "conditional approval" and state the specific conditions of such approval, if any. If the preliminary layout is disapproved, the Planning Commission shall state the reasons for its disapproval.

Notation of action. The action of the Planning Commission shall be noted on two copies of the preliminary layout, to which shall be attached referenced statements of any conditions and requirements determined by the Planning Commission in accordance with the regulations. One copy shall be filed in the office of the City Engineer and the other returned to the applicant.

Existing conditions data. Existing conditions data shall include the following, except when otherwise specified by the Planning Commission:

Land title and survey. Land title and survey shall include a deed description according to official records; the names and addresses of record owners; a map of survey of tract boundary (including all pertinent bearings and distances) made and certified by a registered land surveyor, tied into established City reference points; notation stating acreage, scale, North point, bench marks and date of survey.

Preliminary plan. The preliminary subdivision plan shall be at a scale of not less than 200 feet to the inch (preferred scale: one inch equals 100 feet). It shall show or be accompanied by existing conditions data required in Subsection A and shall show all proposals, including the following:

Other preliminary plans.

Protective covenants. Draft of protective covenants whereby the subdivider proposes to regulate land use in the subdivision and otherwise protect the proposed development shall be included.

A performance bond in the amount of 50% of the amount determined by a qualified engineer's estimate of the cost of improvement for water lines, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, drainage inlets, manholes, street grading, street paving, curbs, sidewalks or other items as may be required in fulfillment of the requirements of this chapter shall be required to be filed with the preliminary layout plan with the City Clerk, binding the owner to the City, to install and complete the subdivision in accordance with the filed plans and provisions of this chapter.

A filing fee in an amount to be established by the Common Council of the City of Rensselaer by resolution from time to time per lot shall be paid the City Clerk when the preliminary layout is filed in the Clerk's office for the conditional approval of the Planning Commission.

Plat to conform to preliminary layout. The final subdivision plat shall conform substantially to the preliminary layout as approved. If desired by the subdivider, it may constitute only that portion of the approved preliminary layout which he proposes to record and develop at the time, provided that such portion conforms to all requirements of these and other local, state and federal regulations.

Time for filing final plat. Application for approval of the subdivision plat shall be submitted in writing to the Planning Commission at least 14 working days prior to the meeting at which it is to be considered and shall include 12 copies of the plat and other exhibits required for approval. Such application shall be submitted within six months after approval of the preliminary layout; otherwise such preliminary approval shall become null and void unless an extension of time is applied for and granted by the Planning Commission.

Action by Planning Commission. The Planning Commission shall submit the final plat to a qualified engineer and the Board of Public Service for examination. After receiving the approval of a qualified engineer and of the Board of Public Service, the Planning Commission shall approve, modify and approve or disapprove such plat within 45 days after the application for final approval was filed. Failure of the Planning Commission to take any action within such 45 days shall be deemed to be approval of the plat, and the City Clerk shall upon demand issue a certificate as provided in General City Law § 32. Approval, however, shall not be deemed final until the subdivider has complied with the provisions of Subsection H with respect to certification that the required improvements have been completed or bond satisfactory to the Common Council has been posted in lieu thereof.

Offers of cession to be tendered. The subdivider will be required to tender offers of cession in a form certified as satisfactory by the City Attorney of all land included in streets, parks or other public areas not specifically reserved by him, but approval of the plat by the Planning Commission does not constitute an acceptance by the City of the dedication of these facilities.

City Clerk's duties.

Filing in County Clerk's office. Within 90 days thereafter, the owner shall file the approved plat in the office of the County Clerk of Rensselaer County; otherwise such approval shall expire.

Specifications. The final subdivision plat shall be drawn with pen and India ink on tracing cloth on sheets either 20 inches by 20 inches or 20 inches by 40 inches. The scale shall be 40 feet to the inch with vertical scale five feet to the inch. Where necessary, the plat may be on several sheets accompanied by an index sheet showing the entire subdivision. For large subdivisions the final plat may be submitted for approval progressively in continuous sections satisfactory to the Planning Commission. It shall be prepared by a licensed land surveyor and his seal shall be affixed before filing with the City Clerk.

Required information. The final plat shall show the following:

Generally. The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of all streets shall conform to the Master Plan and to the Official Map, if any, and shall be considered in their relation to other existing and planned streets, to topographical conditions, to public conveniences and safety, and in their appropriate relation to the proposed uses of land to be served and/or abutted by such streets.

Streets not shown in Master Plan. Where not shown in the Master Plan, streets in a subdivision shall:

Right-of-way for railroads, highways. Where a subdivision borders on or contains a railroad right-of-way or controlled access highway right-of-way, the Planning Commission may require a street approximately parallel to and on each side right-of-way, at a distance suitable for the appropriate of such use of the intervening land, as for park purposes in residential districts or for business, 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.

Reserve strips. Reserve strips controlling access to streets, water plants or sewage treatment plants, or to other land dedicated or to be dedicated to public use, shall be prohibited, except where their control is placed in the City under conditions approved by the Common Council.

Street jogs. Street jogs with center line offsets of less than 125 feet shall be avoided.

Tangents. A tangent at least 100 feet long shall be introduced for reverse curves on arterial and collector streets.

Angles of intersections. Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect any other street at less than 75°. The Planning Commission may waive this requirement if adequate channelizing or divisional islands are provided to ensure traffic safety.

Property lines at intersections. Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a radius of 10 feet or with a greater radius where the Planning Commission may deem it necessary. The Planning Commission may permit comparable cutoffs or chords in place of rounded corners.

Curb radii. Curb radii at intersections shall be not less than 20 feet.

Street right-of-way widths. Street right-of-way widths shall be as shown in the Master Plan, and where not shown thereon shall be not less than as follows:

Half-streets. Half-streets shall be prohibited, except where essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision in conformity with the other requirements of these regulations and where the Planning Commission finds it will be practicable to require the dedication of the other half when the adjoining property is subdivided, in which case the other half of the street shall be platted within such tract.

Dead-end streets. Dead-end streets are discouraged. However, if the applicant can demonstrate no viable physical option for connection to existing street networks, a dead-end street shall be permitted, provided that it is not longer than 600 feet. The terminus of such street shall provide a turnaround of sufficient configuration to permit navigation by emergency services.

Street names. No street names shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets. Street names shall be subject to the approval of the Common Council.

Maximum street grades. Street grades, wherever feasible, shall not exceed the following, with due allowance for reasonable vertical curves and not with less than 200 feet between changes of grade:

Minimum street grades. In order to facilitate drainage, no street grade shall be less than 2% when possible, but in no event less than 1%

Alleys.

Length. Block lengths generally shall not exceed 1,600 feet, nor be less than 400 feet. Block widths shall not be less than 250 feet.

Intersections with arterial streets. Pedestrian crosswalk rights-of-way not less than 10 feet wide shall be required where deemed essential to provide circulation or access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation and other community facilities.

Conformity to Zoning chapter of the Code of the City of Rensselaer; lot size. The area, width and the minimum building setback lines shall conform to the requirements of this chapter.

Depth and width of properties reserved or laid out for business, commercial and industrial purposes shall be adequate to provide for the off-street service and parking facilities required by the type of use and development contemplated, as required by this chapter.

Land subject to flooding. Land subject to flooding shall not be platted for residential occupancy nor for such other uses as may increase danger to life or property or aggravate the flood hazard. See also Chapter 105, Flood Damage Prevention.

Access. The subdivision of the land shall be such as to provide, by means of a public street, each lot with satisfactory access to an existing public street.

Side lot lines. Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to street lines.

Parcels larger than normal lots. Where a tract is subdivided into parcels larger than normal building lots, such parcels shall be planned to permit the opening of future streets and logical further resubdivision.

Utilities. Easements across lots or centered on rear or side lot lines shall be provided for utilities where necessary so that the underground installation of such utilities may be made.

Watercourses, drainage. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourse, and such further width or construction, or both, as will be adequate for the purpose, unless adequate alternate methods of drainage shall be provided and approved.

Authority of the Planning Commission. Where deemed essential by the Planning Commission, upon consideration of the particular type of development proposed in the subdivision, and especially in large-scale neighborhood unit developments not anticipated in the Master Plan, the Planning Commission may require the dedication or reservation of areas or sites of a character, extent and location suitable to the needs created by such development for a park or parks, playground or other recreational uses.

Purchases of sites. Where a proposed park, playground or other recreational or public site shown in the Master Plan is located in whole or in part in a subdivision, the Planning Commission shall request the appropriate local authority to negotiate for the outright purchase of necessary sites in accordance with the Master Plan.

Authorized amount. In lieu of, or in addition to, the dedication or reservation of areas or sites for playgrounds or other recreational uses, the Planning Commission may require the payment of a playground or recreational site fee which shall be established from time to time by resolution by the Common Council of the City of Rensselaer per lot where appropriate conditions require.

Payment, disposition. Such fee shall be paid to the City Clerk prior to the approval of the final plat.

Placement of monuments; specifications.

Survey required. As buildings are completed and surveyed, a copy of survey shall be furnished to the Engineering Department, which said survey shall bear the signature and seal of a licensed land surveyor.

Benchmark required. For all developments of 12 lots or more, a permanent bench shall be established referenced to USGS and tied to the elevations shown on all plans, subject to the approval of the City Engineer.

Generally. Water, sewer, subsurface drainage, storm drainage, grading, paving, curbs, streets, sidewalks and all other necessary improvements shall be made by the owner and developer of the subdivision and shall conform to the standards set forth in this chapter. All improvements above set forth shall be made subject to the direction, control and approval of the City Engineer and Board of Public Service.

Cost. The cost of sewers, water lines, subsurface drainage, grading, paving, curbs, streets, sidewalks, storm drainage and other necessary improvements shall be wholly borne by the owner and developer of the subdivision, unless the Common Council, by appropriate action shall determine and provide otherwise.

Dedication and conveyance. In the event that sewers, water lines, subsurface drainage, storm drainage, streets, curbs, sidewalks, lights and other improvements are dedicated to and conveyed to the City after their installation, the same must conform to the standards set forth in this chapter before acceptance by the City, and the conveyance thereof shall be at no cost to the City except for agreement for future maintenance.