VI General Standards
A. Design of development should fit the existing natural and man-made environments with the least stress:
1. Site preparation is to be conducted with minimal disturbance to existing vegetation. Stripped topsoil is to be piled and re-used on the site where needed. A minimum of 4 inches of topsoil is to be placed on the disturbed area. The site shall be adequately landscaped.
2. Landscape treatment shall consist of natural, undisturbed vegetation or features, or the additional planting of ground cover, shrubs or trees as appropriate.
3. Grading or filling must be conducted in order to minimize the alteration of surface or sub-surface drainage to, toward, or across abutting properties, unless the consent of the abutting owner is obtained.
B. Appropriate screening is to be maintained or installed to provide privacy and noise reduction to residential areas abutting non-residential sites:
1. Screening must be maintained between non-residential use and residential uses. Screening between non-residential use and residential uses must contain vegetation and/or appropriate fencing which will screen non-residential uses from sight from residential areas throughout the year.
2. Buffer strips of at least 10 feet between streets or roads and development.
3. A landscaping plan must be submitted showing locations and types of vegetation to be retained or established.
C. Screening Must be Provided to Reduce Visual Pollution
1. Storage areas must be screened from on-site or adjoining parking or neighboring properties.
2. Litter (garbage) collection areas must be screened.
D. Parking, Loading and Pedestrian Safety
1. Sufficient off-street parking must be provided for the anticipated use to accommodate both employees and customers so that no parking is forced into public streets. (See Appendix 5.)
2. Wherever possible, parking will be restricted to the rear and sides of the buildings in order to preserve the natural appearance of the surroundings.
3. Sufficient off-street loading and/or unloading space must be provided, including off-street areas for maneuvering of trucks or other vehicles. Maneuvers for parking and/or loading or unloading must not take place from a public street.
4. Access, parking and loading areas are to be constructed so as to minimize dust, erosion and run-off conditions that would have a detrimental effect on abutting or neighboring properties and public rights-of-way and shall be designed to ensure the safety of vehicles and pedestrians.
a. Permeable pavement may be used which might reduce the need for installation of drainage facilities to accommodate run-off.
b. The board may require that access, parking, and loading areas may be conventionally paved if appropriate or necessary. The cross section for such work shall be comprised of:
n A 1 inch bituminous wearing course, underlain by:
n A 2 inch bituminous base course, underlain by:
n 6 inches of crushed gravel, underlain by:
n 12 inches of bank run gravel.
4. Sidewalks - Sidewalks, a minimum of four (4) feet wide shall be provided for pedestrian traffic to provide a connection between the main entrance of business, housing or industrial establishments and parking areas. In the event that pedestrian shoppers or employees are reasonably anticipated, provision shall be made therefor by sidewalks running from the street line to the establishments. All such sidewalks shall be at least six (6) inches above grade and protected by a granite curbing.
E. Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Plan shall:
1. Make provision to accommodate the increased run-off caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development. Sediment in the run-off water shall be trapped by the use of sediment basins or other acceptable methods until the disturbed area is stabilized. Diversions, sediment retention basins and other such devices shall be constructed prior to any on-site grading or disturbance of existing material.
2. Show control measures both during construction and any permanent controls to remain after construction.
3. Identify, locate, and show elevation, grades and/or contours at intervals of not more than two (2) feet for the existing and proposed drainage ways, drainage easements, drainage structures and water bodies.
4. Identify, and relatively locate, proposed erosion and sediment control measures and structures during and after construction.
5. Include drawings and specifications for each proposed soil erosion and sediment control measure and structure in accordance with the Town and Grafton County Conservation District standards.
6. Include drawings, details and specifications for proposed flood hazard prevention measures and structures and for proposed storm water retention basins.
7. Ensure the stripping of vegetation, regrading or other development will be done in such a way that will minimize soil erosion. Temporary seedings or mulching may be required by the board to protect exposed critical areas during development. Whenever practical, natural vegetation shall be retained, protected, and supplemented.
F. Illumination
1. Outdoor lighting shall not glare on abutting properties or on public highways or streets.
2. Indirect lighting should be used on signs advertising goods or services offered on the premises. Moving, fluttering , blinking, occulting, or flashing lights on signs are not permitted.
3. Outdoor lighting is restricted to that which is necessary for advertising and security of the development.
G. Access to Public Streets
1. Access to public streets will meet the regulations of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and/or Town of Holderness as adopted and amended.
H. Water supply and sewage disposal systems must be designed to adequately meet the needs of the proposed use under the regulations of the New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Commission and the Town of Holderness Subdivision Regulations. In areas not currently served by public sewers, it shall be the responsibility of the developer or his/her agent to provide sufficient information to prove that the area of the lot is adequate to permit the installation and operation of an individual sewage disposal system (septic tank and tile field). The developer shall be required to provide the necessary percolation tests and submit such tests together with the proposed construction plan, including the specifications of the materials to be used, to both the Holderness Health Officer and the State
of New Hampshire Water Supply and Pollution Control Commission for their consideration and approval. Such approval must be obtained BEFORE site plan approval can be given.
I. The town engineer, or in the absence of a town engineer, a registered engineer hired by the town shall inspect all site improvements. The inspection shall include the certification of the materials used in the construction of the septic system as specified in the plan approved by the town and state. The developer shall pay the cost of the board’s employment of said engineer and the cost of any inspection(s) and test(s) deemed necessary by the board or the engineer. A letter certifying to the developer’s concurrence with the employment of said engineer shall be filed with the board as part of the site plan review. Engineer is defined as the duly designated engineer of the Town of Holderness, or other official, assigned by the planning board, who shall be a duly registered
engineer.
J. The planning board may waive any requirements listed in the Site Plan Review Regulations if the plan substantially conforms to these regulations and is not in conflict with the Holderness Zoning Ordinance, providing that the spirit of these regulations and public convenience and welfare will not be adversely affected.
The planning board may waive any requirements listed in the Site Plan Review Regulations if the plan substantially conforms to these regulations and is not in conflict with the Holderness Zoning Ordinance, providing that the spirit of these regulations and public convenience and welfare will not be adversely affected.
K. The planning board may require that a performance bond be posted by the developer and held by the town until the town is satisfied that all conditions of the site plan approval and any other pertinent zoning ordinance(s), subdivision regulations(s), and building regulations(s) have been met. The bond will be released in part when the project is substantially completed as determined by the Holderness Board of Selectmen.
L. Once site plan approval has been obtained, the Site Plan Map, which shows, at a minimum, lot lines and proposed construction, roads and other improvements, and planning board approval, must be recorded with the Grafton County Registry of Deeds. Should the approval be subject to conditions, not apparent on the face of the map, such conditions shall be recorded as well with reference made to such recording on the face of the approved and endorsed final plan in the Grafton County Registry of Deeds prior to disposition. Two copies endorsed in writing thereon shall be retained by the board, and two copies, likewise, with approval and endorsement shall be given to the developer.
M. All proposals, governed by these regulations, taking place on lands identified as Special Flood Hazard Areas in the “Flood Insurance Study for the Town of Holderness, NH.” together with the current associated Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps of the Town of Holderness shall meet the following:
1. All proposals shall be reviewed to determine whether such proposals will be reasonably safe from flooding. Site Plan Review shall assure that the following minimum standards are met:
a. The plan is designed consistent with the need to minimize flood damage.
b. All utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical, fuel, and water systems shall be located and constructed to minimize flood damage and hazards occurring because of flooding.
c. Adequate drainage systems shall be provided to reduce exposure to flood hazards.
d. Base flood elevation (the level of the 100 year flood) shall be provided for any plan when in a flood hazard area.
2. New or replacement water supply systems and/or sanitary sewage systems shall be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the systems and discharges from the systems into the flood waters. On-site waste disposal systems shall be located so as to avoid impairment of them or contamination from them during the flooding.
3. No plan shall be approved that allows for the potential of increasing the damage done to other properties as a result of flooding.
4. All requirements in the “Holderness Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance’ as well as other state and federal regulations, as may be amended from time to time, must be compiled with.
N. Amendments to the Site Plan Review Regulations shall be made in the same manner as those regulations were adopted and in accordance with the procedures outlined in RSA 675:6 amended.
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