P&Z Revises Local Driveway Regulations

By Andrew Gorosko

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) has revised the town’s driveway regulations, clarifying the rules with the intent of improving construction standards for the vehicular pathways.

The revised rules have been incorporated into the town’s subdivision regulations and also into the zoning regulations.

P&Z members unanimously approved the revised driveway regulations following a May 3 public hearing.

Chairman Daniel Fogliano said the revised rules will provide the town engineer and town land use staff members with more latitude in implementing the regulations, giving them with more say over the final configuration of a driveway on a property, based upon a site’s characteristics.

The revised driveway regulations are improved rules, which are clearer than the previous regulations, Mr Fogliano said. The P&Z had approved a set of revised driveway regulations last year.

 At the first installment of the public hearing on the new regulations, which was held in April, Mr Fogliano said the rule revisions address shortcomings in the driveway regulations that were approved last year by the P&Z.

P&Z members Stephen Koch and Robert Poulin developed the revised rules with Elizabeth Stocker, the town’s community development director, Mr Fogliano said.

The revised rules are intended to keep subdivision development in tune with the town’s rural character, Mr Fogliano said.

Through the revised rules, the P&Z retains its authority over driveway construction, but allows the town engineer to make construction decisions as needed when a driveway is under construction, Mr Poulin said.

Town Engineer Ronald Bolmer said this week the revised rules clarify the standards for driveway construction. The new rules are broader in scope than the previous regulations, he noted.

The revised standards reduce the minimum width of driveways from 12 feet to 10 feet. The rules require that there be pavement on sections of driveways with grades of 12 percent of greater. The rules require a parking area on a driveway within 30 feet of a dwelling. That parking area must be at least 35 feet long and be no steeper than a 5 percent grade. Also, driveways longer than 250 feet must have a pull-off area to accommodate emergency vehicles. Driveways cannot have grades greater than 15 percent, or an average grade greater than 12 percent.

The revised rules provide the town with more driveway specifications to enforce, Mr Bolmer noted. Although enforcing the rules will be more complex, the new regulations are enforceable, he said.

In its regulations, the P&Z states that the rules provide construction specifications for driveways which will allow the passage of essential service vehicles and emergency vehicles with a minimum disturbance or alteration of the natural terrain.

The rules provide for shared driveways, or common driveways, in which a broad driveway serves two adjacent lots in order to avoid a wetlands disturbance or a wetlands crossing for driveway construction. Shared driveways must be at least 16 feet wide.