A. PERMITS

DRIVEWAY PERMIT- required for new driveways or whenever the location of a curb cut, or footprint of a driveway changes. All driveway construction is regulated by the Driveway Ordinance which is Section 37 of the Town Code. If for some reason the ordinance cannot be followed, a variance must be obtained by from the Board of Selectmen.
 

• ROAD OPENING PERMIT- required whenever work is to be performed within a town right of way, street right of way, or town easement of any kind. Requirements for the work are outlined in the town's Street Excavation Ordinance.
   
• SEWER PERMIT- required whenever
  • a new connection is to be made to the sanitary sewer
  • an existing connection is broken or opened in any way
  • a sewer connection is to be capped
  The Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) sets regulations for how sewer connections are to be made. The WPCA is the Board of Selectmen. If for some reason the regulations cannot be followed, a variance must first be obtained from the WPCA.

B. DRAINAGE

Whenever development is proposed, (e.g. additions, new construction, excavation or fill), the new development must not adversely affect adjacent properties, either by an increase in runoff or by a concentration of existing runoff water. In general, increases in the amount of water running off a property can be compensated for by piping roof leader runoff underground into drywells, grading surface runoff to a catch basin drywell combination, or by directing surface runoff to a containment area such as a detention pond. There are numerous solutions available.

When development is extensive, and a large amount of additional runoff is generated, it may be necessary or more cost effective to engage the services of an engineer to design a storm drainage system. On smaller developments such as additions and small houses, it may be more cost effective to simply put in a conservatively sized drywell. The Engineering Department can assist in determining which direction to take for a given project.

Any subsurface system including structures and piping must be inspected by the Engineering Department staff prior to backfilling. In certain cases the Town Engineer may require test pits and percolation tests to verify the soils are acceptable.  Applicants should also review the two pdf documents below:

1. Drainage Standards, as of Sept. 1, 2006
2. Drainage Policy, with illustrations

C. GRADING

Site grading must generally be reviewed as well to determine if runoff is being diverted, concentrated or redirected to the detriment of adjacent properties. In general if grading directs water towards a property line, some means of collecting water at the property line will be required. Usually a swale, trench or surface drain will suffice, and can be used to direct water towards a drywell or other collection area. On more complex projects other alternatives may be necessary.

In addition to runoff issues, the Engineering Department usually reviews retaining walls that hold 4 feet of soil or more. Walls of this magnitude and larger have a very high possibility of failure if not properly constructed. In general, applicants have two options. They can hire a Professional Engineer to design and certify the wall, or they can follow a standard design available in the Engineering office. Either method must be inspected during construction to ensure the design detail is followed.

The above is meant only as a general guide through the review process. Specific questions should be directed to the Engineering Department at 341-1120. Personnel are available for walk-in questions Wednesday mornings from 8:45 to 11:45 for your convenience. Otherwise citizens may make an appointment with a staff member in Room 210, Town Hall.