PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations

Model Subdivision Regulations

This project was funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs through their EOEEA Planning Assistance Grant Program.

PVPC developed a Working Group consisting of the Planners/Engineers/ Public Works/Conservation/Public Health officials of the communities of Agawam, Belchertown, Easthampton, Ludlow, South Hadley and Ware. These communities were included because of the expertise and experience of their municipal staff, the historical rate of residential growth that they have experienced, and the age of their current Subdivision Regulations.


 

he purpose of the project was to develop Model Subdivision Regulations incorporating the most up-to-date design standards and best practices and incorporating the policies and design elements of Low Impact Development (LID), Complete Streets, Green Streets, Healthy Communities and Stormwater Management (EPA/DEP MS4 Permitting).

Most communities in the Pioneer Valley region have old and antiquated Subdivision Regulations, many adopted 20-30 years ago.  These old regulations do not take into consideration, and can be in conflict with, subsequent revisions to the state’s “Subdivision Control Law” which has revised some of the administration process.  They also don’t take into consideration, and do not result in, developments that are designed and function to provide for safe and convenient access for all users of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, public transportation users, and delivery and emergency vehicle operators to all uses, features and facilities within the development, connections to existing and planned public ways, vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and connections to adjacent ways and properties.

These out-of-date regulations require, and result in:

  • the construction of over-designed roads which:
  • are unnecessarily wide
  • don’t necessarily reflect the actual number or types of vehicles utilizing them
  • result in the creation of more stormwater run-off, increased heat islands, and increased construction and maintenance costs.
  • Stormwater management systems that don’t adequately take into consideration:
  • the natural environmental characteristics of the site
  • the impacts on abutting properties and downstream flooding
  • the requirements of the new EPA/DEP MS4 permitting requirements
  • climate change which has changed the characteristics of extreme storm events and increased flooding that are not adequately addressed by the traditional stormwater management designs nor the old FEMA and National Flood Insurance programs
  • changes in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s rainfall maps
  • increasing frequency of 100-year storm events
The goal of this project was to develop Model Subdivision Regulations that included:
  • updated design and construction standards that meet the state-of-art and current best practices of the industry
  • administrative procedures and processes that are efficient and effective
  • design elements that reflect the growing awareness of the natural environment, people’s healthy lifestyles and hazard mitigation (i.e. Low Impact Development (LID), Complete Streets, Green Streets, Healthy Communities, climate change and stormwater management)
 
Please contact Ken Comia (kcomia@pvpc.org) if you have any further questions or comments regarding this project.

Continuing, Comprehensive, and Cooperative Planning Process

Average Annual Daily Traffic

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

Average Daily Traffic

American Farmland Trust

Alternative Fuel Vehicles

American Heritage Rivers Initiative

American International College

Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations

Approval Not Required

American Planning Association

Aquifer Protection District

Air Quality Index

Air Quality Index

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (of 2009)

Automatic Traffic Recorder

Average Vehicle Ridership

Barnes Aquifer Protection Advisory Committee

Business Improvement District

Bicycle Level of Service

Best Management Practice

Bridge Management System

Board of Appeals (or Adjustment)

Board of Health

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990

Commercial Area Revitalization District

Community Action Statement

Central Business District

Cape Cod Commission

Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield

Community Development

Community Development Action Grant

Community Development Block Grant

Centers for Disease Control

Community Development Corporation

Community Development Fund

Community Development Plan

Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation

Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Community Enterprise Economic Development

Citizen Housing and Planning Association

Community Housing Development Organizations

Capital Improvement Inventory System

Capital Improvements Plan (or Program)

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program

Congestion Management Process

Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission

Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area

Compressed Natural Gas

Carbon Monoxide

Council of Governments

Commonwealth Procurement Access and Solicitation System

Community Preservation Act

Citizen Planner Training Collaborative

Capitol Region Council of Governments

Community Service Block Grant

Combined Sewer Overflow

Department of Conservation and Recreation

Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Employment and Training

Department of Housing and Community Development

Direct Local Technical Assistance

Department of Energy Resources

Department of Revenue

Department of Transportation

Department of Public Works

Developments of Regional Impact

Executive Order

Production of affordable housing across a broad range of incomes 

Economic Assistance Coordinating Council

Economic Development Administration

Economic Development Council

Economic Development District

Economic Development Data and Information System

Economic Development and Industrial Corporation

Environmental Impact Report

Environmental Impact Statement

Environmental Justice

Environmental Notification Form

Economic Opportunity Area

Executive Office of Administration and Finance

Executive Office of Economic Affairs

Executive Office of Elder Affairs

Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

Environmental Protection Agency

Environmental Site Assessment

Economic Target Area

Federal Aid

Functional Classification (of roadways)

Federal Housing Administration

Federal Highway Administration - An agency of the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical support to each state for constructing, improving, and preserving America’s highway system.

Federal Highway Administration

Franklin Regional Council of Governments

Federal Transit Administration

Greenhouse Gas

Geographic Information System - A system for capturing, storing, analyzing and managing data and associated attributes which are spatially referenced to the earth.

Geographic Information System

Global Positioning System

Housing Appeal Committee

HAPHousing

Holyoke Community College

Housing Development Support Program

Housing Innovation Fund

Home Modification for Individuals with Disabilities Loan

Highway Overlay District

Historic Overlay District

Homeownership Opportunities Program

High Occupancy Vehicle

Housing Preservation Grant

Housing Production Plan

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Invitation for Bid

Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991

Intelligent Transportation Systems

Job Access and Reverse Commute

Jacob's Ladder Scenic Byway

Jacob's Ladder Trail

Joint Transportation Committee

Local Board(s) of Health

Limited English Proficiency

Local Housing Authority

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Low Income Housing Tax Credit

Level of Service

Local Option Transportation Tax

Local Pavement Management System

Light Rail Vehicle

Local Technical Assistance

Massachusetts General Laws

Hazardous waste cleanup regulations

Uniform procurement law for local governments

Zoning

Planning/comprehensive permits

Smart growth zoning and housing production

Smart growth school cost reimbursement

Subdivision control

Expedited permitting

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Massachusetts Geographic Information System

Minority Business Enterprises

Massachusetts Development Finance Agency 

Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act

Massachusetts Geographic Information Council

Massachusetts Historical Commission 

Massachusetts Housing Partnership

Massachusetts Industrial Finance Agency

Municipal Incentive Grant

Massachusetts Municipal Association

Memorandum of Agreement

Massachusetts Office of Business Development

Massachusetts Office on Disability

Memorandum of Understanding

Metropolitan Planning Organization

Metropolitan Planning Organization

Montachusett Regional Planning Commission

Metropolitan Statistical Area

Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices

Martha's Vineyard Commission

Merrimack Valley Planning Commission

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority

National Association of Regional Councils

New England Association of Regional Councils

Non-Federal Aid

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended)

National Highway System

Neighborhood Housing Services program

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Northern Middlesex Council of Governments

Nitrogen Oxide

Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System 

National Trust for Historic Preservation

National Transportation Safety Board

Old Colony Planning Council

Overall Condition Index (Pavement)

Open Space and Recreation Plan

Pavement Condition Index

Priority Development Fund

Purchase of Development Rights

Peak Hour Traffic (or Trips)

Payment in Lieu of Taxes

[Metropolitan] Planning Funds

Pavement Management System 

Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area

Pavement Management Users Group

Planner on a Disc

Public Participation Process

Planned Unit Residential Development

Pioneer Valley Regional Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority

Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp.

Rental Development Action Loan

Regional Employment Board

Regional Education and Business Alliance

Regional Economic Models, Inc.

Request For Proposal

Request for Qualifications

Request for Response

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Roadway Inventory Files

Revolving Loan Fund

Regional Planning Agency

Regional Pavement Management System

Regional Transit Authority

Regional Technology Corporation

Regional Transportation Plan

Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users

Small Business Administration

Supplier Diversity Office 

State Implementation Plan (for air quality)

Sustainable Knowledge Corridor

Single Occupancy Vehicle

Special Permit

Special Permit Planning

Site Plan Review

Statewide Planning and Research Funds

Single Room Occupancy

Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District

Springfield Technical Community College

Statewide Transportation Improvement Program

Surface Transportation Program

Targeted Brownfields Assessment

Transportation and Community System Preservation [Pilot Program]

Transportation Demand Management

Transfer of Development Rights

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century

Tax Increment Financing

Transportation Improvement Program

The Literacy Project

Turning Movement Count

Traditional Neighborhood District

Transit Oriented Design (or Development)

Transportation Research Board

Trip Reduction Ordinance

Transportation Systems Management

Urban Growth Boundary

Urban Land Institute

University of Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute

Unified Planning Work Program

Urban Revitalization Development Grant

U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Forest Service

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Public Land Survey

Underground Storage Tanks

Vehicle Miles Traveled

Volatile Organic Compound

Vehicle Occupancy Rate

Ware Adult Learning Center

Weatherization Assistance Program

Women-owned Business Enterprises

Wellhead Protection Area

Western New England University

Water Quality Management Plan

Westfield River Watershed Association

Westfield River Wild & Scenic Advisory Committee

Water Supply Protection [District]

Westfield State University

Zoning Board of Adjustment (or Appeals)

Documents: 

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations.pdf

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations
PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations funded by Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Model Subdivision Regulations

Table of Contents.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents

Section 1.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 1
Section 1 - Authority and Purpose
Authority and Purpose

Section 2.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 2
Section 2 - Definitions
Definitions

Section 3.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 3
Section 3 - General
General

Section 4.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 4
Section 4 - Procedure for Submission and Review of Plans
Procedure for Submission and Review of Plans

Section 5.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 5
Section 5 - Design Standards
Design Standards

Section 6.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 6
Section 6 - Required Improvements for an Approved Subdivision
Required Improvements for an Approved Subdivision

Section 7.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 7
Section 7 - Administration
Administration

Section 8.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 8
Section 8 - Fees
Fees

Section 9.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 9
Section 9 - Appendix
Appendix

Section 10.docx

PVPC Model Subdivision Regulations - Section 10
Section 10 - Forms
Forms
Valley Vision 4: The Regional Land Use Plan for the Pioneer Valley

Associated Communities: 

Agawam
Ware

Tags: