Preserve, improve and protect the present quality and character of designated scenic roads of the Town;

Recognize the contribution the Town's road system has made and will make to the rural character, scenic beauty, historic and cultural heritage, uniqueness and quality of life in the Town;

Recognize that the Town's road system is an integral part of the diverse environment of the Town and that the roads and alterations and improvements to them affect the ecology contiguous to the roads;

Recognize that there are specific unique features which contribute to the beauty and enjoyment of the Town's roads;

Determine the most appropriate balance between the responsibilities of the Town Highway Department to maintain Town roads to the required standards and the desires of residents to maintain the aesthetic quality of designated scenic roads; in determining this balance, the long-term objective of preserving and protecting the irreplaceable scenic road assets shall outweigh short-term maintenance procedures.

Recognize that Town roads should continue to provide safe, confident use to residents and transients and at the same time offer, as well as enhance where possible, the wealth of aesthetic features already in place and there to be enjoyed;

Recognize the many fragile components that are connected with Town roads which are presently taken for granted; this article recognizes that fragility and that once eliminated or adversely altered, these resources may be irreplaceable; and

Recognize that it is the intent of the Town of Stanford that all activities on or along Town roads conform to relevant law.

Pursuant to the authority granted by Municipal Home Rule Law, Article 2 § 10 of the Consolidated Laws of New York and consistent with the goals of the Stanford Master Plan and the recommendations of the Town of Stanford Open Space Inventory and Conservation Plan, adopted by the Town Board on January 9, 1992, the Town of Stanford hereby provides for the balancing of traditional matters of common convenience and public safety with designation of Town roads as scenic roads. Further, in order to maintain the irreplaceable rural character and historic features and the scenic nature of roads so designated and maintain and enhance their aesthetic features, the Town of Stanford is authorized to regulate, in accordance with this article, the future alterations or improvements of roads so designated, including, but not limited to, widening of the traveled portions of the road, paving, changes of grade, straightening, removal of stone walls and removal of mature trees.

The Town Board of the Town of Stanford shall have the authority to designate any road within the Town as a scenic road.

Pursuant to § 271 of the Town Law of the State of New York, the Town Board shall grant to the Planning Board of the Town of Stanford the power to approve or disapprove of the alteration or improvement of any Town road designated as a scenic road pursuant to this article.

The Town Board shall appoint a Scenic Road Advisory Committee to assist it in designating and rescinding designations, to assist the Planning Board and to assist residents in obtaining information and preparing applications. The Chair shall be chosen by the Committee and shall report to the Town Board. The Highway Superintendent shall provide information and assistance to the Committee as required, and shall make all relevant information regarding maintenance and paving costs, accident information and other highway records available to the Committee for its review.

The Committee shall consist of not less than three and not more than seven Town residents who have interest or expertise in scenic roads. Members of the Committee shall serve on a volunteer basis and shall receive no compensation. The Committee may receive necessary funds from the Town as appropriated by the Town Board for the expenses of the Committee. Appointments are for three-year staggered terms, which may be renewed.

The Scenic Road Advisory Committee duties shall be to:

The road is bordered by mature trees or stone walls;

The traveled portion of the road is no more than 20 feet in width;

The road offers views of near or distant landscapes;

The road is compatible with the natural environment and is integrated well with the surrounding terrain;

The road is not paved; or

The road has significant scenic, recreational, cultural, natural or historic features that once altered are irreplaceable. Examples of these features might include:

The Town Board, after following the designation procedure set forth herein, shall consider a road for scenic road designation. The owners of not less than a majority of the lot frontage abutting the road or portion of road (the applicant) may apply to the Town Board for a designation of a road or portion thereof as a scenic road. The application shall:

An original and one copy of the application shall be filed with the Town of Stanford Town Clerk (the Town Clerk), who shall retain the copy and forward the original to the Town Board.

In order to designate a road as a scenic road, the Town Board shall, within 30 days of receipt of an application, refer the application to the Planning Board, the Highway Superintendent, the Scenic Road Advisory Committee and the Conservation Advisory Commission for review and comment. These entities shall submit comments to the Town Board within 60 calendar days of their receipt of application from the Town Board. As soon as practicable, but no later than 120 days after its initial receipt of an application, the Town Board shall hold a public hearing regarding the designation of such road as a scenic road. The Town shall give notice of the public hearing by publication in an official Town newspaper at least five calendar days prior to the date of such hearing. The applicant shall, at its cost and expense, send notice by registered mail at least 10 calendar days prior to the date of such hearing to the owners of lots fronting the road under consideration for designation as a scenic road and provide proof of such registered mailing to the Town Board prior to such hearing. The Town Board shall act upon the proposed designation within 45 calendar days after such hearing. The Town Board shall file its decision or determination with the Town Clerk within five days of the decision or determination.

The designation of a road as a scenic road may be rescinded by the Town Board, using the above procedures as outlined in § 164-69A through C.

Any person aggrieved by a designation, rescission of designation or refusal to designate a road as a scenic road pursuant to this article may seek appropriate legal remedy.

Alterations and improvements of designated scenic roads shall be carried out to preserve to the highest degree possible and enhance wherever feasible the aesthetic, historic and/or scenic characteristics of the road and shall not be inconsistent with the concerns identified in the application nominating a particular road.

Routine road maintenance, emergency repairs and the issuance of driveway permits undertaken by the Highway Superintendent shall not require a public hearing or Planning Board approval.

Activities subject to review. All activities, not defined as an emergency repair or routine road maintenance in Subsection B above, shall be reviewed by the Planning Board according to the standards in § 164-72 below. Such activities include but are not limited to:

Any proposal for alteration or improvement of a designated scenic road hereunder shall be submitted to the Planning Board. Such proposal shall be accompanied by a suitable map showing the location of each proposed improvement or alteration, and, when deemed necessary by the Planning Board, a short report describing the proposed alterations, discussing the reasons for the proposed alteration and available alternatives, if any. The Planning Board shall submit such proposal to the Conservation Advisory Commission, the Highway Superintendent and the Scenic Road Advisory Committee for review and comment and shall hold a public hearing in the manner set out in § 164-69 above. The activities listed in § 164-71C above shall be deemed an "action" as that word is defined in the Environmental Quality Review Act under Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law and its implementing regulations, and therefore shall be subject to the provisions of the Environmental Quality Review Act. The Planning Board shall file its decision or determination with the Town Clerk within five days of the decision or determination. Any person aggrieved by the Planning Board's decision may seek appropriate legal remedy.

Vehicular speeds. Scenic values are correlated with lower vehicular speeds. The impact of the alteration or improvement on the existing speed of vehicular traffic along the scenic road shall be determined. The lower speed limit shall be posted and suitably enforced.

Curves. Scenic values correlate with the existence of curves in a roadway which allow a constant unfolding or new and changing views. Curves shall not be eliminated unless they constitute a safety hazard and unless no reasonable economically practicable alternative, such as lower speed limits, could address safety concerns.

Grades. Hills and valleys and corresponding changes in typography and road grades are correlated with scenic values. Changing grades through cuts and fills shall not be undertaken unless necessary for road safety.

Widths. Narrow roads correlate with scenic beauty, especially when surrounded by natural vegetation and a canopy of trees. Scenic roads, or portions thereof, shall not be widened unless there are no other reasonable, economically practicable alternatives, such as construction of wide bypasses and turnouts at intervals where they will have the least impact on scenic values.

Side slopes. Existing steepness of side slopes is preferred to reduction of gradient through extensive removal of soil, rock and slope, particularly where the slope is fully stabilized and has extensive ground cover, shrubs or trees.

Vistas. Roadside views of near and distant scenic landscapes shall be preserved and, where possible, enhanced through vegetative management and selective cutting to maintain or open up such views.

Stone walls. Stone walls shall be retained wherever possible. If stone walls or portions thereof must be removed for safety reasons, they should be rebuilt in a comparable manner within the untraveled portion of right-of-way of the scenic road.

Road surface. Often a road surface, in combination with other scenic features, contributes to the scenic quality of a roadway. Changing the surface of a scenic road, or portion thereof, shall be authorized only after the Planning Board has examined all alternatives and determined that changing the surface is the only reasonable alternative.

Utility lines. Wherever possible, utility lines should be placed underground. Where they are overhead, the utility corporations should be encouraged to cooperate by implementing suitable vegetation management techniques which preserve the wildflowers and the shrubs.

Vegetation. Vegetation on the side of the road shall be managed in such a way as to preserve flowers, shrubs, wildlife and trees. Overarching isolated trees, and the canopy of a closed forest, are valuable scenic qualities and should be preserved wherever possible. Maintenance of scenic roads shall be done so as to minimize root damage to bordering trees.

Drainage ditches. Drainage swales shall be vegetated or lined with stones in areas subject to erosion.