Chapter 104

DRIVEWAYS

[HISTORY: Adopted 6-13-1988 by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Somers, effective 7-9-1988. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Soil erosion and sediment control -- See Ch. 161.

Streets and sidewalks -- See Ch. 172.

Subdivision of land -- See Ch. 213.

Zoning -- See Ch. 214.

~ 104-1. Design and construction; contents of proposals.

A. To promote traffic safety and prevent or minimize drainage and icing problems, all new driveways and driveway cuts shall be designed and constructed in conformance with the minimum provisions of this chapter, unless requirements are waived as per the provisions noted below.

B. To verify compliance, all proposals requiring the installation of a driveway shall depict driveway locations, proposed grading, tree and brush removal, drainage improvements and, as appropriate, other construction details.

C. Proposed lots which cannot be served by a driveway conforming to required standards shall not be approved.

~ 104-2. Standards; permit required.

A. All driveways shall comply with the following standards:

(1) Driveways shall conform with the curb cut and driveway standards established by this chapter and, as appropriate, the Connecticut State Highway Department.

(2) Driveways shall be designed, constructed and maintained to prevent stormwater or melt water flows from entering a town or state roadway and, wherever possible, the town right-of-way. Conversely, no stormwater discharge from a public roadway should be allowed to flow into a private driveway. Privately owned and maintained drainage diversion swales, detention areas and/or dry wells shall be utilized to the greatest extent possible. Culverts, 15 inches in diameter at a minimum, shall be used when crossing town drainageways.

(3) Whenever a private drainage swale or private detention area is utilized in diverting driveway water from the town right-of-way, the owner of the subject lot(s) shall be responsible for maintaining the depicted swale or detention area and any culverts in accordance with the approved design. To ensure proper maintenance, no certificate of occupancy shall be issued on the subject lot until a deed restriction is filed on the land records. Said deed restriction shall clearly note the maintenance responsibility and, subject to proper notification by the town, it shall allow the town to undertake any necessary maintenance activity and bill the property owner for expenses.

(4) Driveways shall intersect roadways at an angle of not less than 75°. This angle should be maintained for a distance of not less than 20 feet. Where driveways bend around,

suitable curves for the intended use shall be provided.

(5) All driveways shall be located and designed with satisfactory sight lines along the subject state or town road. A two-hundred-foot minimum sight line shall be provided for a driveway intersecting the lightest classified residential street. For driveways of the lightest classified residential use, the sight distance shall be measured from a height of eye of 3.5 feet to an object height of five inches. The eye position shall be 10 feet back of the edge of pavement. Driveways on streets with a high use classification shall provide a sight line based on State of Connecticut standards. Along state roads, the minimum state recommended sight distance for the established speed limit shall be complied with.

(6) The maximum grade for a driveway shall not exceed 15% if paved and 10% if unpaved.

(7) Driveway side slopes shall not exceed a slope of 3 to 1 unless retaining walls or other suitable stabilizing provisions are utilized. Guardrails, guide posts, headwalls, flared ends or wider driveway widths shall be used when steep side slopes or culvert crossings present a safety hazard or future maintenance problem. Driveway culverts in the town right-of-way shall be maintained by the private property owner.

(8) All driveways shall be constructed at a grade of plus three percent (+3%) for a fifteen-foot distance from the street line of the road.

(9) Vertical grade changes shall not exceed 12% in 10 feet of length. It is desirable that this change be limited to 8% in 10 feet of length.

(10) All driveways shall be paved for the first 20 feet, as measured from the edge of the gutter line. This paving shall consist of two-inch bituminous concrete on a six-inch processed aggregate base.

(11) The minimum width for a driveway shall be 10 feet; the maximum width for a driveway shall be 20 feet. A five-foot radius shall be provided at each edge of the driveway at its intersection with the gutter line of the existing road.

(12) Driveway openings shall be located as far as possible from roadway intersections and no closer than 75 feet from any roadway intersection.

(13) Adequate controls to prevent erosion of gravel or other sediment during and after construction must be provided.

(14) All areas of disturbed soil should be stabilized after construction.

B. No curb cuts or driveways are allowed without the issuance of a driveway permit from the office of the Town Planner. [Amended 4-29-1996 by the Board of Selectmen, effective 5-23-1996]