SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS-Section 290Chapter 290. Subdivision of Land
City of Northampton, MA
Thursday, April 21, 2016
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Planning Board of the City of Northampton 12-11-2014, as amended 1-8-2015. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Buildings, numbering of -See Ch. 149.
Earth removal -See Ch. 168.
Stormwater management -See Ch. 281.
Wetlands protection -See Ch. 337.
Zoning -See Ch. 350.
Article I. Title and Purpose; Authority
§ 290-1. Title.
These rules and regulations of the Northampton Planning Board shall be known and may be cited as the "Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of
Land, City of Northampton, Massachusetts," which herein are called "rules and regulations."
§ 290-2. Purpose.
A. The Rules and Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land, City of Northampton, Massachusetts, have been enacted for the purpose of protecting
the safety, convenience and welfare of the inhabitants of Northampton by regulating the laying out and construction of ways in subdivisions providing
access to the several lots therein, but which have not become public ways, and ensuring sanitary conditions in subdivisions, and in proper cases, parks
and open areas. The powers of the Planning Board and the Board of Appeals under these rules and regulations shall be exercised with due regard for
the provision of adequate access to all of the lots in a subdivision by ways that will be safe and convenient for travel; for lessening congestion on such
ways and in the adjacent public ways; for reducing danger to life and limb in the operation of motor vehicles; for securing safety in the case of fire,
flood, panic, and other emergencies; for ensuring compliance with the Northampton Zoning Ordinance;[iJ for securing adequate provision for water,
sewerage, drainage, underground utility services, fire, police, streetlighting, and other similar municipal equipment, and other requirements where
necessary in a subdivision; and for coordinating the ways in a subdivision with each other and with the public ways in the City and with the ways in
neighboring subdivisions .
[ 1] Editors Note: See Ch. 350, Zoning.
B. It is the intent of these rules and regulations that any subdivision plan filed with the Planning Board shall receive the approval of such Board if said plan
conforms to the recommendation of the Board of Health and to these rules and regulations; provided, however, that the Planning Board may, when
appropriate, waive, as provided for in§ 290-5, such portions of these rules and regulations as is deemed advisable .
C. These rules also provide the technical standards for compliance with certain infrastructure where specified within Chapter 350, Zoning.
§ 290-3. Authority.
Under the authority vested in the Planning Board of the City of Northampton by MGL c. 41, § 81Q, said Board hereby adopts these amended Rules and
Regulations Governing the Subdivision of Land in the City of Northampton.
Article II. Definitions
§ 290-4. Terms defined.
For the purpose of these rules and regulations, unless a contrary intention clearly appears, the terms and words defined in the Subdivision Control Law [1J
shall have the meanings given therein. The following terms and words shall have the following meanings:
APPLICANT
Either the owner of the land stated in the application for subdivision or all the owners where title is held jointly, in common, or in tenancy by the
entirety, including corporations. An agent, representative, or assignee may act for an owner, provided that written evidence of such fact is submitted.
Evidence in the form of a list of its officers and designated authority to sign legal documents shall be required for a corporation.
BOARD
The Planning Board of the City of Northampton.
CERTIFIED BY (OR ENDORSED BY) A PLANNING BOARD
As applied to a plan or other instrument required or authorized by the Subdivision Control Law to be recorded shall mean bearing a certification or