Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Subdivision Regulations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richmond Planning Board updates subdivision rules to allow proportional road repairs, tighten road standards
Summary
The Planning Board on Jan. 20 approved edits to subdivision rules (Articles 701.19 and 701.20) allowing the board to require a subdivider to rebuild or repair a proportionate share of Class V/VI town roads and to require new subdivision roads meet Article 701.2 standards. The board said proportionality cannot be captured by a single formula and tweaked wording accordingly.
The Richmond Planning Board approved two changes to its subdivision regulations at its Jan. 20 meeting, adding language that allows the board to require a subdivider to repair or rebuild a proportionate share of existing Class V or Class VI town roads (Article 701.19) and clarifying that new subdivision roads must meet the standards in Article 701.2 or be improved as a condition of approval (Article 701.20).
Board members reviewed written comments from Dick Drew and Catherine Willett and discussed the concept of proportionality. The minutes record that the board “tweaked the original definition slightly but all agreed proportionality couldn’t be properly defined as an equation as each instance must be addressed individually.”
Lisa Traeger moved to adopt the 701.19 update; Greg Butko seconded. The motion passed with recorded yes votes from Traeger, Brad Grinstead, Doug Bersaw and Doug Smith. Separately, Doug Bersaw moved to revise the 701.20 definition; Greg Butko seconded that motion, which also passed on recorded yes votes from Traeger, Grinstead, Bersaw and Smith.
The changes give the Planning Board clearer authority to require road repairs when a subdivision is expected to increase traffic and to require that roads within subdivisions meet specified construction standards or be improved as a condition of approval. The minutes do not record any dissenting votes or specific implementation timelines for inspections or enforcement.
