Article XIII

Land shall be laid out and improved in reasonable conformity to existing topography, in order to minimize grading and cut and fill, and to retain, insofar as possible, the natural contours, and natural vegetation, limit stormwater runoff, and conserve the natural cover and soil. No topsoil, sand or gravel shall be removed, except in accordance with the provisions of the erosion and sedimentation control ordinance.

Existing features which would add value to development, or natural or manmade assets to the town, such as trees, watercourses and falls, vistas, historic spots, historic or architecturally significant buildings, and similar irreplaceable assets, should be preserved, insofar as possible, through harmonious and careful design.

All electric water heaters, electric furnaces and other critical electrical installations shall be permitted only at elevations at or above the level of the 100-year floodplain.

Water supply systems, sanitary sewage systems, and gas and oil supply systems shall be designed to preclude infiltration of floodwaters into the systems and discharges from the systems into floodwaters.

Land subject to flooding, improper drainage, or erosion, or which is for topographical, geological or other reasons unsuitable for residential use shall not be platted for residential use nor for any other uses that will increase the danger to health, safety, or property destruction, unless the hazards can be and are corrected.

In addition, street lighting shall also be provided at the expense of the subdivider/developer and shall be of a design compatible with the ornamental downtown street lights in residential and business districts, and a design compatible with Bedford Elementary School for CLI Commercial/Light Industry and M-1 Manufacturing Districts. Such fixtures, poles, mountings, etc., shall be approved by the town electric department.

A copy of as-built street, sewer and water plans shall be provided to the town and placed in the office of the town engineer.

Extensions of existing streets or new streets shall be constructed of asphalt concrete pavement before being opened to the public. In lieu of completion of pavement, a bond or surety shall be provided as in section 1204.04(f) of this Land Development Ordinance.

Double frontage lots should be avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential development from traffic arterials or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation.

Lot areas, dimensions and yard areas shall conform to applicable requirements of articles VI and VII.

Concrete curbs and gutters shall be provided for new streets, and existing streets and shall be in accordance with VDOT standards.

All electrical, cable and telephone lines, etc., shall be inspected by the town electrical department for compliance with the requirements of this Land Development Ordinance.

Where any lot has abrupt topography which renders that portion of the lot unusable for the purpose specified, lot area requirements shall exclude all such affected land.

Geometric design of streets shall be in compliance with the requirements of VDOT, or as approved by the town engineering department.

Individual water or sewage disposal facilities may be installed provided that public water or sewage disposal facilities are unavailable. Where installed, the developer or subdivider shall provide sufficient information to allow the determination that each lot is suitable for individual sewage disposal, and that each lot has a safe and adequate water supply, as evidenced by the written approval of the health department as provided in section 1204.04.

All street and drainage improvements shall be inspected and found in compliance with requirements of this Land Development Ordinance and standards of VDOT, including those regarding noise abatement, and the Virginia Erosion Control and Sedimentation handbook, as evidenced by the approval of the town engineer, as provided in section 1204.04.

Every lot shall front on a street, and the side lines of lots shall be approximately at right angles, or radial to the street line unless otherwise approved.

Where a development or subdivision abuts or contains a railroad right-of-way or a nonaccessible street, which shall include any limited access highway or major streets, or any street with a proposed future right-of-way width of 65 feet or greater, or any street on the state system of primary highways, the council may require a street approximately parallel to and on each side of such right-of-way either as a marginal access street, or at a distance suitable for an appropriate use of intervening land, with a nonaccess reservation suitably planned.

Survey markers shall be iron or steel pins a minimum of one-half inch in diameter, and 15 inches long and driven so as to be flush with finished grades at all street corners, angles in streets, the beginning and end of all curves in streets, at all points where the street intersects the exterior boundaries, all lot corners and angles, all points where the lot lines intersect the right-of-way along street curves and all points where street rights-of-way cross municipal boundaries.

Blocks shall not be greater than 1,200 feet nor less than 400 feet in length.

On the side of the street on which the utility pole will be placed the trees shall be limited to those not exceeding 25 feet in matured height (for example, dogwoods, crepe myrtles, etc.). On the opposite side of the street the type of trees will not be limited.

Blocks shall not be greater than 1,200 feet nor less than 400 feet in length.

Street intersections shall be as nearly at right angles as possible with no street intersection being at any angle of less than 60 degrees.

Existing streets that are continued, shall have a minimum pavement width of 30 feet and shall be constructed to specifications of Virginia Department of Transportation, at the same or greater width, but in no case less than the required width specified in section 1301.02(j).

No street right-of-way shall be less than 50 feet in width; additional right-of-way may be required by the town engineer for proper construction or due to traffic conditions.

Sidewalks shall be a minimum of six (6) feet wide in business zones and five (5) feet wide in all others.

Concrete sidewalks at least 4½ feet in width shall be provided by the subdivider/developer of all new streets or the extension of existing streets or development of nonmaintained streets in all districts excluding one single family or duplex residence on an existing street, and shall be in accordance with VDOT and Town of Bedford standards.

Sidewalks shall be a minimum of six (6) feet wide in business zones and five (5) feet wide in all others.

Minor streets shall be so laid out as to discourage their use by through traffic.

Alleys shall not be provided in any subdivision.

Lots shall not contain peculiarly shaped elongations, solely to provide necessary street frontage or square footage of area which would be unusable for normal purposes.

Blocks designed for nonresidential use shall provide adequate space for service access and off-street parking.

The basis for determining open space shall be one percent of gross site area for each dwelling unit per acre of density, provided that no common open space need be provided for subdivisions of less than four dwelling units per acre density.

The open space required in large subdivisions shall not be grouped into large areas, but shall be so located as to provide easy access to all lots within a subdivision. Streams, lakes and other watercourse areas may be considered as part of the open space, provided reasonable access and physical use of the proposed open space area for recreation can be had.

payment shall be made to the town in lieu of the establishment of land area for recreational purposes equal to five percent of the market value of the gross area of any tract to be subdivided or developed, to be submitted with the final plat.

A planting screen easement of at least ten feet, and across which there shall be no right of access, shall be planted by the developer along the line of lots abutting such a traffic artery or other disadvantageous use.

The town may require payment by a subdivider or developer of land of the pro rata share of the cost of providing reasonable and necessary sewerage, water, drainage facilities, street improvements, etc., located outside the property limits of the land owned or controlled by the subdivider or developer but necessitated or required, at least in part, by the construction or improvement or development.

Access to a subdivision shall be provided over a public street.

Where outdoor recreation facilities are provided in connection with common open space, they shall be of a design and construction approved by the zoning administrator.

Streets shall be reserved at strategic locations to provide for future access to adjoining properties.

Residential lots shall have access only to secondary streets; the council may require through lots.

When lots abut on one side of any street which has been included in the town or State System of Highways, the developer or subdivider shall be required to dedicate 25 feet of right-of-way, as measured from the centerline of the street to the property line.

Where rock is encountered, a hole shall be drilled four inches deep, into which shall be cemented a steel rod one-half inch in diameter, the top of which shall be flush with the finished grade line.

In the case of lots for residential purposes, the building setback shall conform to the requirements of zoning ordinance. The building setback line shall be at greater distance than the minimum specified in the zoning ordinance if the zoning administrator finds that conditions of health and/or safety so require.

All sewers shall be constructed in accordance with the town sewer plans and design specifications on file in the town engineer's office.

Where traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream, there shall be provided a private stormwater drainage easement of adequate width, but not less than ten feet.

Street trees shall be installed as provided in section 809 of this Land Development Ordinance.

Blocks shall be wide enough to provide two tiers of lots of minimum depth, except where abutting upon major streets, limited-access highways, or railroads or where other situations make this requirement impracticable in which case the council may approve a single tier of lots of minimum depth.

All new electrical, cable television, telephone lines, etc., shall be buried in cables underground, except in cases when existing utilities are already located overhead, in which case additional new utilities may also be located overhead.

Easements having a minimum width of 20 feet shall be provided as is necessary for utility lines, and underground mains and cables.

All new streets shall be platted according to the requirements of this Land Development Ordinance, and according to the standards of VDOT including those regarding noise abatement.

Street identification signs approved by the zoning administrator shall be installed at all street intersections.