Town of Chester Zoning Ordinance

APPENDIX D - DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES FOR USE IN REGIONAL SITE PLAN REVIEW

The principal natural and public resource aspects of a project site to be considered in connection with the determination required by Section 5.07(B)(2) hereof, together with representative means for avoiding undue adverse impact thereupon are included and made a part of this Local Law in this Appendix.

A. Soils.

1. Soils, General.

Objective: Prevent accelerated soil erosion and the potential for earth slippage.

General Guideline: Respect existing natural features such as slope, soil texture and structure; minimize removal of vegetative cover; rapidly revegetate cleared areas limit cuts and fills; and employ such erosion control devises and measures as are necessary to promptly stabilize slopes and surfaces and to control runoff.

2. Agricultural Soils.

Objective: Conserve viable agricultural soils.

General Guideline: Avoid activities on Class I and Class II agricultural soils presently in agricultural service which would diminish or preclude continuing use thereof for agricultural purposes.

B. Topography.

Objective: Minimize topographic alterations.

General Guideline: Minimize excavation, cuts and fills and site grading by employing to advantage existing topographic features; and avoid development activities on steep slopes where environmental damage and costly development problems could result therefrom.

C. Surface Waters.

1. Water Quality and Eutrophication.

Objective: Maintain or enhance existing physical, chemical and biological water quality characteristics and prevent any undue acceleration of existing rates of eutrophication of bodies of water.

General Guideline: Maintain wide buffer strips of natural vegetation bordering water bodies; minimize channel disturbance and alterations; preserve shoreline vegetation; minimize hydrologic changes which would result from damming or impounding; avoid introduction of nutrients from the use of fertilizers and from sewage effluent; and avoid introduction of toxic materials to water bodies.

2. Surface Drainage.

Objective: Retain existing surface water drainage and runoff patterns and existing flow characteristics.

General Guideline: Minimize alterations to existing drainage patterns and drainage courses; preserve drainageways in their natural state; and provide, where necessary, natural ponding areas and other measures designed to provide natural retention of storm water runoff if development includes a significant area of impervious surface.

3. Flood Plains.

Objective: Maintain the storage capacity of flood plains and their existing ability to convey water downstream; and avoid activities in flood plains which will result in dangers to life, safety and property if subjected to flooding.

General Guideilne: Avoid the placement of buildings intended for human habitation commercial use and industrial use within flood plains; avoid the use of fill to create elevated sites; and within any floodway fringe special zoning district conform all development plans to the floodplain regulations contained in Article VII, hereof.

D. Ground Water.

Objective: Preserve quality, infiltration rate, and levels of ground water.

General Guideline: Comply at a minimum with applicable government water pollutant discharge restrictions; particularly avoid discharges of effluent potentially degrading to ground water quality in proximity to major aquifer recharge areas; and avoid impairment of aquifer recharge areas which could result from covering them with impervious surfaces.

E. Shorelines.

Objective: Maintain or enhance the existing physical, biological and aesthetic characteristics of the shoreline of all lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.

General Guideline: Comply at a minimum with applicable government shoreline restrictions, minimize construction or development of any kind near or on the shoreline; avoid physical modifications of the shorelines themselves; minimize the removal of vegetation along shorelines; locate buildings so as to be partially screened from the shorelines by natural vegetation; maximize the preservation of stretches of shoreline in a natural, unchanged and developed state.

F. Mineral Resources.

Objective: Conserve existing known mineral resources.

General Guideline: Avoid activities which would preclude present or future use of important mineral resources that may be of economic significance to the region.

G. Air Quality.

Objective: Maintain or enhance existing air quality.

General Guideline: Adhere to applicable governmental air quality standards; provide adequate air pollution abatement devices; and reduce dust levels caused by construction activities.

H. Noise Levels.

Objective: Limit additions to noise levels.

General Guideline: Adhere at a minimum to applicable government noise level standards; utilize noise abatement equipment; and maintain natural buffers such as existing topographic relief and vegetation.

I. Wetlands.

Objective: Preserve the hydrologic, wildlife, vegetational, aesthetic, educational, open space and recreational values of wetlands.

J. Aquatic Communities.

Objective: Protect generally the existing natural aquatic plant and animal communities and preserve rare and endangered aquatic plant and animal species.

General Guideline: Preserve key spawning areas, nursery grounds, food sources and food source areas; preserve habitats of rare and endangered plant and animal species; maintain adjacent vegetated areas generally as habitats and buffer zones; minimize shoreline alternations such as beach construction and emplacement of docks, rafts, boat launching facilities and breakwaters; and avoid introduction of toxic materials and nutrients to water bodies.

K. Terrestrial Vegetation.

1. Vegetation, General.

Objective: Preserve or quickly restore terrestrial vegetation.

General Guideline: Minimize clearing of vegetation in light of development objectives; avoid clearing vegetation where damage will result to remaining vegetation from such factors as wild, erosion and frost; and protect remaining vegetation during the construction period.

2. Rare and Endangered Terrestrial Plant Species.

Objective: Preserve rare and endangered terrestrial plant species.

General Guideline: Locate development and other intensive human activities so as to protect the location and habitats of rare and endangered plant species and allow for the continuing propagation of these species.

3. Productive Commercial Forest Land.

Objective: Conserve productive forest lands.

General Guideline: Avoid impairment of productive forest lands for commercial forest production by employing sound forestry practices and by employing such planning techniques as clustering of development.

L. Terrestrial WiIdlife.

1. Terrestrial Wildlife, General.

Objective: Maximize the preservation of terrestrial wildlife species.

General Guideline: Preserve key wildlife habitats, such as deer wintering yards, nesting areas, productive feeding areas, and important vegetation transition areas; and maintain wildlife diversity to the extent possible in view of project objectives by maintaining a diversity of habitat.

2. Rare and Endangered Terrestrial Wildlife Species.

Objective: Preserve rare and endangered terrestrial wildlife species.

General Guideline: Locate development and other intensive human activities so as to protect the location and habitats of rare and endangered terrestrial wildlife species and allow for the continuing propagation of these species.

M. Aesthetics.

1. Aesthetics, General.

Objective: Preserve and enhance, where possible. impact of the project upon the existing aesthetic qualities of the project site and its environs.

General Guideline: Utilize existing vegetation and topographical features, and employ careful siting methods so as to minimize the visual impact of all development activities.

2. Scenic Vistas.

Objective: Maintain the scenic qualities of views from vistas designated in the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan.

General Guideline: Avoid visibility of buildings and other development and land use alterations generally from vistas by employment of vegetative screening, existing topography and careful siting methods.

3. Travel Corridors.

Objective: Preserve the scenic qualities of views from public roads and trails and from boats and canoe routes.

General Guideline: Employ vegetative screening, existing topography, and careful siting methods to minimize the visual impact of buildings and other development and land use alternations.

N. Open Space.

1. Open Space, General.

Objective: Maintain the open space character of the project site, adjacent land, and surrounding areas.

General Guideline: Provide on the project site sufficient open space areas for outdoor recreational use by those persons who will use the proposed project, taking into account the existing recreational resources available in the area; and locate buildings and other development so as not to interfere with those areas to be used as hiking, bicycling and cross-country skiing trails as well as trailbike, jeep, all-terrain vehicle and horse trails, playgrounds, public areas, campgrounds, parks, beaches and similar uses.

O. Adjoining and Nearby Land Use.

1. Surrounding Land Uses, General.

Objective: Minimize incompatibility of new development with the character of adjoining and nearby and uses.

General Guideline: Take into account the existing and potential land uses in the vicinity of the project site in determining what new land use activities are suitable for the project site; avoid new intensive development in open space areas; and avoid substantially altering existing residential and other land use patterns.

2. Adjacent State Land.

Objective: Preserve the wild and natural character of adjacent state lands designed as wilderness, primitive, or canoe by the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan.

General Guideline: Minimize development activities which would materially impair the wilderness attributes of these State lands; design and construct development that is located within one-eighth mile of these State lands so as to minimize its visual and audial impact in these wilderness-like areas, thereby insuring the continued capability of State and private types of ownership.

P. Wild, Scenic and Recreational Study Rivers.

Objective: Protect or enhance the natural qualities of any river designated to be studied for possible inclusion in the State's wild, scenic or recreational river system.

General Guideline: Maintain buffer zones and existing vegetation along designated study rivers; avoid intensive development within one-quarter mile of such rivers; minimize alterations to such rivers and their banks; and pressure the free-flowing character of such rivers.

Q. Historic Sites.

Objective: Protect archeological sites, historic sites, and unique historical structures for their educational and culture value to the area, region or State.

General Guideline: Preserve and restore archeological sites, historic sites, and unique historic structures to the extent warranted by their respective significance; avoid land uses and development on adjoining and nearby lands which would be incompatible with the significance of such sites and structures.

R. Special Interest Areas.

Objective: Preserve special interest areas such as unique natural features and their surrounding environs.

General Guideline: Avoid physical and aesthetic alteration and impairment of the natural condition of unique physical features such as gorges, waterfalls and interesting geological formations; provide for their continuing protection; utilize these special interest areas as assets to development.

S. Government Considerations.

1. Service and Finance.

Objective: Fully explore and assure the ability of governmental services and facilities made necessary by the project.

General Guideline: Phase development activities to a level commensurate with the financial capability of the various levels of government to provide the governmental services and facilities that will be generated by the development, such as transportation systems, schools, health care, sewage and solid waste disposal systems, water supply systems, and fire and police protection; require that as nearly as possible the balance between the cost of public services required to adequately serve the development as compared with the anticipated tax and other revenues to be generated by the development be favorable at each level of government or taxing jurisdiction affected by the project; and include in development plans provisions to maintain or improve existing services and alleviate any potential any adverse impact upon the ability for the government to provide services and facilities.

2. Regulation.

Objective: Conform development activities to all applicable governmental rules and regulations.

General Guideline: Comply with all applicable Local Laws, rules and regulations of all governmental agencies with responsibilities for such activities, including those of towns and villages, counties, the State Department of Health and Environmental Conservation, and the Adirondack Park Agency.

T. Public Utilities and Community Resources.

Objective: Assure the adequacy of such public utility services and community resources as shall be necessary for the project.

General Guideline: Avoid excessive demands on the capabilities of public utilities such as electricity and communication services; avoid necessity for major uncompensated increase in community services and activities such as recreational facilities, social cultural and health services, and transportation facilities.