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Town of Smithfield
Land Development & Subdivision Regulations
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§ V-C

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Land Development and Subdivision Review Regulations Town of Smithfield, RI SECTION V.

DESIGN STANDARDS

The Planning Board shall require Subdivisions/Land Development Projects to conform with the following design standards.

ARTICLE A. GENERAL.

  1. Design - The design of all Subdivisions shall conform to and be in harmony with these Regulations as well as the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Smithfield.
  2. Street Layout - The layout of streets shall be considered in relation to the existing street system and any official Highway Plan of the Town of Smithfield.
    1. Arrangement - The arrangement of streets shall provide for the continuation or appropriate projection of existing principal streets into surrounding areas.
    2. Topography - Streets shall fit the topography where such is practicable.
    3. Functional Design - Care shall be exercised to insure that all streets in the development are functional, i.e., to provide service to lots or to enhance the internal traffic circulation system.
    4. Natural Drainage Pattern - The developer shall avoid the layout of streets in such a manner as to radically change the natural drainage patterns.
  3. Compatibility with Natural Landscape - The design of the development shall complement the site and be compatible with the natural surroundings.

ARTICLE B. EASEMENTS

  1. Purpose - The Planning Board may require the provision of Easements for specific purposes, such as, the installation and maintenance of utilities and drainage facilities.
  2. Identification and Size - Easements shall be at least 20' (twenty feet) wide and labeled accordingly on all plans.

ARTICLE C. STREETS.

  1. Street Extensions - Street Rights-Of-Way, both existing and proposed shall be continued with at least the same width throughout the development.
  2. Street Intersection Center Lines - shall coincide precisely with or be offset by at least 150' (one hundred fifty feet) on center lines.
  3. Street Center Lines - shall intersect at right angles as practicable; no intersection shall contain an angle of less than 60 (sixty degrees).
  4. Private Driveways - shall not be shown on a Plan. Said driveways, however, shall not be placed/constructed in such a way as to cause problems in traffic flow and safety.
  5. Street Widths.
    1. Rights-or-Way Widths shall not be less than 50' (fifty feet).
    2. Pavement Widths shall not be less than 30 (thirty feet) in width measured between curbs and centered between property lines.
    3. Industrial and Commercial Subdivisions may be required to provide wider Street Pavement and Rights-of-Way Widths.
  6. Arterial Street Widths - The Planning Board may require additional width for Arterial Streets subject to heavy traffic.
  7. Street Grades.
    1. Local Streets - Street Grades shall not be less than 1.0% (one percent) or greater than 8% (eight percent) slope.
    2. Collector and Arterial Streets - Street Grades shall not be less than 1.0% (one percent) or greater than 5.0% (five percent) slope.
    3. Cul-de-Sacs - Street Grades within a Cul-de-Sac and for a distance of 30' (thirty feet) prior to it, shall not exceed 1.0% (one percent) slope.
    4. Intersections - Local or Collector Street with Arterial Street –When a Local or Collector Street intersects with an Arterial Street, the maximum grade of the local or collector street shall not exceed 1.0% (one percent) slope for a distance of 30' (thirty feet) from the intersection of said Arterial Street.
  8. Dead-End Streets/Cul-de-Sac Streets.
    1. Permanent Dead-End Streets/Cul-de-Sac Streets - Dead end streets shall serve no more than 25 lots or dwelling units. Streets serving more than 25 lots or dwelling units shall be provided with a secondary access, which may be an "emergency" access of a design and location approved by the Planning Board. The Board may also permit more than 25 lots or dwelling units to be located on a dead end street if, in the opinion of the Board, there is a likelihood of a future street connection to adjoining streets or properties that would provide secondary access. Said Streets shall have at their closed end a turn-around "cul-de-sac" as shown in Figure 1.
    2. Temporary Cul-de-Sacs - Where a Dead-End Street is to provide access to adjacent property, the Planning Board may require a provision for a temporary turn-around Cul-de-Sac until such time as the adjacent tract is developed and the street is extended provided that a timetable for said extension has been reviewed and approved by the Planning Board. Said temporary dead-end street shall be greater than 200' (two hundred feet) in length and not more than 500' (five hundred feet) in length and conform with the provisions of the foregoing item #8a. above. Such temporary turn-around, when required, shall be shown and labeled as a "Temporary Cul-de-Sac" on submitted plans and recorded Plan(s) and Plat(s).
  9. Reservation of Strips of Land by Developer or any physical barrier controlling access to a street, shall not be permitted. This requirement shall not be subject to the provisions of Section II, Article D of these Regulations regarding Land Dedication.
  10. Center Lines on Horizontal Curves - Where a deflection angle of 10 (ten degrees) or more occurs along the center line of a street, a Center Line Horizontal Curve having a radius of 175' (one hundred and seventy-five feet) or more shall be introduced.