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Board reviews MS4 stormwater assessment and proposed regulation edits on utilities, paving and cul‑de‑sac geometry
Summary
Staff presented an MS4 regulatory assessment and proposed edits to subdivision and site plan regulations, including a conditional allowance for underground utilities under paved areas with road‑agent approval, encouraged permeable materials (explicit exceptions for driveway aprons/mailbox pullouts), reduced parking ratios, and diagram changes on cul‑de‑sac dimensions.
The Planning Board discussed a consultant‑prepared MS4 regulatory assessment and staff‑suggested edits to the subdivision, site plan and stormwater appendices at its June 16 meeting. The consultant recommended several changes to help Litchfield meet MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) expectations; staff then adapted those recommendations into draft regulatory text for board review.
One proposed change would allow underground utilities to be installed under pavement "if necessary," but only with approval from the road agent so the town retains control over whether a road will be ripped up for future maintenance. "One option is we just say we're not going to do that and not stick that change in," a board member said; staff proposed requiring road‑agent sign‑off as a compromise.
The draft also encourages permeable materials for shoulders and parking lanes while retaining conventional paving for travel lanes. Staff added driveway aprons and mailbox pulloff areas to the list of exceptions after the road agent raised maintenance concerns. The consultant had recommended narrowing cul‑de‑sac pavement widths (70 ft from 75 ft); staff recommended keeping the 75‑foot turning radius while reducing pavement width to preserve turning clearance for emergency vehicles.
Other proposed edits include lowering a numeric parking standard from four spaces per 1,000 square feet to three spaces per 1,000, articulating low‑impact development (LID) stormwater measures, and adding a definition for LID to the regulations. Board members asked staff to add the LID definition to Appendix D (definitions) and requested a check of DOT lane‑width standards (12 vs. 13 ft) referenced in the draft.
Timing and next steps: staff reported no immediate statutory deadline but aimed to have proposed regulation language by the end of the summer and the zoning changes by year end. Some changes affect zoning provisions (open space section) and may be placed on a ballot if referred to town voters.
Why it matters: The edits implement MS4 and modern stormwater practices and balance environmental goals with maintenance, emergency access and local cost concerns. The board asked staff to integrate road‑agent input and return a redlined draft for further review.
