Section VI
SECTION VI : REQUIRED IMPROVEMENTS
All streets within a subdivision shall be constructed at least to the requirements set forth unless the Planning Board authorizes a waiver therefrom in a particular instance.
A. General Rules
1. All streets, street drains, catch basins, sidewalks, street trees and appurtenances thereto shall be installed without expense to the Town of Hamilton.
2. Each street shall be constructed on the centerline of the layout with a roadway having a surface approved by the Planning Board and with pavement widths and grades as provided in Section V.C. 3 and 4.
3. All lines and grade stakes shall be set by a reputable engineer or qualified individual.
4. All construction details, materials, methods and specifications shall conform to the requirements of the “Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges, Boston, Massachusetts, 19 3”, as amended, and shall be under the supervision of the Superintendent of Public Works and of the Planning Board or their designated agent.
5. Street and roadway construction shall conform with the “Typical Cross Section of a Fifty-Foot Street Right-of-Way”, as shown in Exhibit I hereto attached.
6. Inspection
a. Each of the construction operations listed on the Inspection Form C must
be inspected and approved by the Planning Board Agent when designated,
before work may begin on succeeding operation. The applicant shall submit
to the Planning Board a schedule for construction. The Agent may establish
the order of required inspection or use the order listed in Form C.
b. Enforcement Option
To enforce this requirement, the applicant shall obtain from the Planning
Board an Inspection Form before starting construction. Said Form shall be
displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises during construction and a
duplicate shall be maintained by the Planning Board’s Agent. The Inspection Form must be signed indicating said Agent’s approval of each listed operation before the developer may proceed further with construction. Said Form shall be presented to the Planning Board as evidence when application for bond reduction/release or recommendation of street acceptance is made.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to arrange the inspections with the Planning Board agent under the following rules:
1. The applicant shall notify the Planning Board at least 10 days before the first construction item on Form C is to commence.
2. The applicant shall request each specific inspection in writing at least 2
business days before the inspection. Inspection shall be made within 2 business days on receipt of the request for inspection, or the work shall be deemed approved.
No water main, drain, catch basin, road subgrade, road foundation, or other utility services may be covered, backfilled, or paved until the required inspection and approval has taken place.
Failure to comply with inspection procedure may necessitate removal of improvements at the expense of the applicant, or recision of the approval of the plan under Chapter 41, Section 81 W M.G.L.
When work is found not to be in compliance with the approved Definitive Plan, the Planning Board Agent is authorized to stop construction within the entire subdivision until corrections are completed at the expense of the applicant.
The Planning Board may require tests to be done by the applicant as a condition of inspection approval, at the applicant’s expense. The Board may obtain a Registered Professional Engineer or Clerk of the Works to be available during construction, at the expense of the applicant. The Board may require the applicant to obtain, at his expense, such additional professional engineering advice as it deems necessary to ascertain proper construction of all improvements shown on the plan.
An estimated inspection fee may be collected from the developer before construction commences.
B. Preparation of the Roadway
1. All trees, brush, stumps, roots, boulders, and all loam or other yielding material shall be removed for the full length and width of the roadway (pavement and shoulder or sidewalk), to a depth of at least eighteen and one half (18 1/2) inches below the finished surface as shown on the profile plan; provided, however, that if the soil is soft and spongy, or contains undesirable material, such as clay, sand pockets, tree stumps, stones over two (2) inches in diameter, or any other material detrimental to the subgrade, a deeper excavation below the subgrade shall be made, as directed by the Superintendent of Public Works, or by the Planning Board or its designated agent.
All debris shall be removed from the site of development or disposed of in a manner acceptable to the Superintendent of Public Works, the tree warden and the fire chief.
Trees suitable for shade or ornamental purposes which are not in the traffic areas and are at proper grade shall, at the discretion of the tree warden be left in place and protected against damage until completion of project.
2. Drainage to take care of surface and sub-surface water of the roadway and adjoining land shall be provided with drains, catch basins, and manholes constructed as determined by the Planning Board and sufficient drainage rights secured for the Town.
Drains shall be placed on both sides of the street, with catch basins at the bottom of inclines, at all low points, low corners, and not over 300 feet apart. The size of the drains shall be at least twelve (12) inches and shall be of good quality reinforced concrete pipe or its equal, and shall be sufficient for the proper drainage of the land. At least 3 feet of cover will be required over drains. The catch basins shall be 7 feet deep and 4 feet in diameter inside measurements and furnished with grates of a proper casting. Granite curb inlets conforming with the “Standard Specifications”, Section F-3, will be required at every catch basin.
Manholes shall be provided at changes in direction, whenever there is a change in size of pipe, and so as to eliminate the drainage of one basin into another basin. Brick catch basins and manholes shall be plastered on the outside as well as conform to all other current standard specifications of the reference book mentioned in paragraph A.4 above. No drains or catch basins shall be back-filled until inspected.
3. Granite Curbstones shall be set at both intersecting corners of all roadways and streets along the full length of each rounded corner and having a radius of not less than twenty-five (25) feet. All curbing shall be set to a true grade and alignment.
A granite curb inlet shall be installed on line of gutter at each surface drain catch basin. All curbing and inlets shall be furnished and installed according to requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works’ Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges, 1973 edition, as amended, sections on curbing and curb inlets.
All granite shall be set before road surfacing and shall be protected against oil stains during road surfacing operations.
4. Utilities. Water pipes and related equipment, such as hydrants and main shut-off valves, shall be constructed to serve all lots and to the lot lines of each lot on each street in the subdivision in conformity with specifications of the Hamilton Water Department. All utilities shall be installed underground as set forth in Section V.E. of these Subdivision Regulations and the Typical street Cross Sections Form D, and shall be so installed prior to completion of the pavement foundation. The developer shall be responsible for coordinating with cable and electric companies to arrange installation of both in the same open trench, with road crossovers shared by cable, electric and phone to minimize need for cutting pavement later on. When burying cable and wire utilities, developer shall also bury bright-colored plastic warning tape one foot above the wire/cable conduit, as an indicator for future excavations.
5. The excavated area below the sub-grade shall be filled to sub-grade with good, clean bank gravel (stone two (2) inches or less in diameter), or other well- compacted material satisfactory to the Superintendent of Public Works and to the Planning Board or their designated agent.
An Inspection must be had of the sub-grade by the Planning Board or its agent before any gravel for the roadway base is spread.
C. Roadway Gravel Base (See Form D, Typical Street Cross Section)
Gravel for road base shall be spread to a width of at least sixteen (16) feet each side of the center line of the right-of-way in three (3) for four (4) inch layers to a total depth of twelve (12) inches and crowned to pitch down at 1/4 inch per foot from the center line to the edge of proposed road surface, after rolling each layer with a twelve (12) ton three wheel roller. No stones shall be included in the gravel of more than two (2) inches in diameter; and, at the discretion of the Planning Board, the gravel itself may be thoroughly watered to attain maximum compaction. Any depressions that appear during or after the rolling shall be filled with gravel and be rolled until the surface is true and even.
Materials and methods for installing this gravel surfacing shall conform to the Massachusetts Department of Public Works’ Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges, 1973 Edition, as amended, and the Mass. Department of Public Works “Construction Standards”, 1977 edition as amended.
D. Roadway Surface (See Form D, Typical Cross Section)
The paved surface shall consist of the following courses, all composed of materials and prepared in conformity with the Mass. Department of Public Works “Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges, 1973 edition, as amended”:
a. a base course four (4) inches thick after compaction, of Class I, Type I-1 plant- mixed bituminous concrete
b. a binder course one and one quarter (1 1/4) inches thick after compaction (Class I, Type I-1 bituminous concrete with stone size appropriate for binder) and a top course one and one quarter (1 1/4) inches thick after compaction (Class I, Type I-1 bituminous concrete with stone size appropriate for top coat).
All courses shall be spread and rolled in conformity with the aforementioned “Standard Specifications”, and with the Mass. Department of Public Works “Construction Standards”, 1977 edition, as amended.
E. Curbs and Sidewalks
Curbs and sidewalks will be required wherever, in the opinion of the Board, they are needed for the safety of pedestrians, as in the vicinity of schools or of other generators of pedestrian travel, or on streets adjoining an existing street already provided with a sidewalk.
a. Curbs.
Granite curbs shall be installed on each side of the paved roadway. Materials, dimension and methods of installation shall conform to the Mass. Department of Public Works “Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges”, 1973 edition, as amended.
b. Shoulders.
All roadways shall have shoulders of at least seven (7) feet in width on each side of the street and constructed with a three eighths (3/8) inch to the foot pitch toward the top of the berm or curb. The portion of this area, which is to constitute a grass plot or planting area, shall be loamed and graded with at least six (6) inches of loam or other good topsoil conducive to the growing of grass, rolled and seeded with lawn grass seed. The area outside the street lines of a development shall be sloped at the rate of not less than two to one and shall be loamed, seeded and rolled in the same manner as the shoulders. Sidewalks, when required, shall not be less than five (5) feet in width, shall be constructed of a good binding gravel, six (6) inches in depth, and paved with two courses of bituminous concrete totaling two and one half (2 1/2) inches minimum thickness after compression (1 1/4 inch per course, finished).
F. Monuments
Stone bounds shall be placed at all angle points, at the beginning and end of all curves, and at all intersections of streets or otherwise, if so directed by the Planning Board. Bounds shall be of granite not less than 4 feet long and not less than 6 inches square with the top surface hammer-dressed, to a 6-inch by 6-inch area. They shall be set accurately on the street lines, and at such elevation as the Superintendent of Public Works, or his designated agent, may direct. A drill hole shall be placed on the top of each bound.
G. Street Trees
Street trees, not less than twelve (12) feet in height and of a species approved by the Tree Warden shall be planted on each side of every street in the subdivision wherever, in the opinion of the Tree Warden, existing woodlands or suitable individual trees are not retained. It is recommended that trees be located outside the exterior street lines and at such distance therefrom and at such spacing as the Tree Warden shall specify in accordance with the most recent general practice of the Town in planting trees on private property along public ways.
H. Street Signs
Street signs shall be provided and installed as directed by the Planning Board.
I. Cleaning Up
The entire area must be cleaned up so as to leave a neat and orderly appearance free from debris and other objectionable materials and without unfilled holes or other artificially created hazards.
