SECTION 13.0. - CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS

Part of the Code of Ordinances of Exeter, RI.

Local law · Updated January 5, 2026 · 1,016 sections

The text

Sec. 13.1. - General construction specifications for subdivisions and land development projects, Town of Exeter, R.I.#

Streets.

Dimensions. All streets constructed within a land development or subdivision shall conform to the design standards as listed in section I3.A.6 of these regulations.

Notification and inspections. The public works director of the town shall be notified one week before the commencement of the total project and 24 hours before each of the street construction phases identified and enumerated below. Authority to proceed with any succeeding phase will be granted only upon approval and acceptance in writing of the phase just completed. A decision shall be submitted within one business day for each construction phase. A copy of each acceptance shall be submitted in duplicate to the planning board.

Sub-grade preparation in compliance with item I3.A.4;

Before any base course gravel is placed in the excavated area, a sample of gravel shall be inspected to ensure the use of approved gravel;

When the base in thoroughly compacted and ready for the tack coat;

The public works director shall be notified at least 24 hours before bituminous concrete pavement is to be applied;

Before curbing or waterways are installed;

Before drainage pipes, dry wells, and other drainage structures are installed and backfilled.

Clearing. The entire right-of-way area as shown on the approved final plans shall be cleared and grubbed as required to construct roadway grading and other improvements.

Excavation.

All loam and unsanitary material shall be scraped and removed from the right-of-way area, and all excavations shall conform to the lines and grades as shown on the plan, profile and cross section. Rock, stone or ledge that require drilling or blasting shall be excavated to a depth of at least six inches below finished grade when within the street pavement area. Earth, subsoil and stones shall be excavated to a depth of at least ten inches below finished grade within the street pavement area. Where free water is encountered within three feet of finished grade, adequate drainage shall be constructed at a depth of at least four feet below finished grade.

Road grade stakes must be planted at 50-foot increments and at all radii.

Gravel foundation.

It shall be practically free of foreign materials such as loam, silt, clay and organic matter.

It shall contain no cobbles larger than four inches in diameter.

At least 40 percent by weight of the gravel shall be of sizes retained upon one-quarter-inch sieve.

The gravel base course shall have a minimum thickness of 12 inches after grading and compaction. A minimum thickness of 15 inches after grading and compaction is required when drilling or blasting is required in the excavation stage.

The base course shall be rolled to the designed grade, overlapping on successive trips by at least one-half the width of the rear wheels of the roller, with a self-propelled, three-wheel roller weighing at least ten tons. Rolling shall continue until the base course is fully compacted. Any depressions that develop due to the rolling shall be filled, rolled, and shaped until the base course is true to cross section and grade.

Surface treatment.

When the gravel base course has been finally compacted and brought to the designed grade, it shall be approved by the public works director. After approval by the public works director, a tack coat of heated asphalt oil (Mo-1) or equivalent shall be applied to the base course at a rate of 0.25 gallons per square yard. After the tack coat has been applied, it must be rolled again in preparation for the bituminous concrete pavement. All traffic shall be kept off the treated surface until the tack coat is set and the surface has been rolled.

Bituminous concrete (hot mix) pavement shall consist of two-inch binder using three-fourths-foot [inch] stone and one inch "I" type 1-1 asphalt concrete and after rolling and final compaction must have a uniform thickness of three inches. This item shall be class "I" type 1-1 asphalt concrete and after rolling and final compaction must have a uniform thickness of 2½ inches.

Spread equipment. The spreading and finishing equipment shall be of the self-powered type and shall have a floating screen assembly controlled as to elevation strike off. The use of any spreading and finishing equipment, which causes blemishes or conditions of non-uniformity, which are not satisfactorily corrected by the scheduled operations, shall be discontinued and other satisfactory spreading and finishing equipment shall be provided by the contractor.

Compacting surface course. While hot, and as soon as it will bear the roller without displacement or hair cracking, the surface course shall be uniformly compressed by a power driven tandem roller, mechanically wetted, weighing not less than 350 pounds per lineal inch width of tread, and the roller shall weigh not less than ten tons. Rolling shall start longitudinally at the sides and proceed toward the center of the pavement, overlapping on successive trips by at least one-half of the width of the rear wheels of the roller. Rolling shall be continued until all roller marks are eliminated. The motion of the roller shall at all times be slow enough to avoid displacement of the hot mixture and to prevent adhesion of the surface mixture to the roller; the wheels shall be kept properly moistened with water or oil.

Concrete curbing. Curbing shall be installed whenever the grade is over five percent and is required for adequate gutter flow. All curbing shall be 18-inch pre-cast concrete curbing at least 60 inches long, with returns to all driveways over five percent grade.

The trench for setting the curb shall be excavated so that it shall be 18 inches wide and its sub-grade at least 24 inches below the finished curbing grade. Upon this sub-grade, a foundation is to be made consisting of clean coarse gravel thoroughly rammed so that it will be at least six inches when compacted. Upon this foundation the curbing is to be laid, the joints made as close as possible and all spaces under the curb filled with gravel and tamped so that the curbing will bear throughout its entire length and be at the line and grade required.

The trench on each side of the curbing is then to be filled to the sub-grade of the roadway and the sidewalk, respectively, with clean coarse gravel laid in four-inch layers, each layer thoroughly rammed and tamped under and around the curbing. Clean gravel is then to be rammed against and up to a point six inches below the top of the curbing on the sidewalk side. Bituminous concrete curbing laid with an extruding machine, the shape of the extruded curb is to be approved by the public works director prior to the start of the curbing work. The contractor must protect the new work until the asphalt has taken its permanent set.

Any damaged curb must be removed and replaced prior to the acceptance of the development.

Sidewalk areas. Where no paved sidewalks are to be constructed, the area between the curb line and the street right-of-way line shall be loamed to a depth of four inches and uniformly seeded with suitable grass seed. Where sidewalks are to be constructed, the location and construction of such sidewalks must be approved by the public works director.

Trimming and fine grading shall consist of loam and seeding, trimmings, dressings of all shoulders, ditches and side slopes, whether in excavation or embankment, and the work shall be performed in a neat and workmanlike manner to the lines and grades of the typical sections shown on the plans and as the public works director may direct.

Drainage, culverts and bridges; general criteria. All necessary drainage structures, culverts, and bridges shall conform to the "State Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction," latest published edition by the State of Rhode Island, Department of Public Works, Division of Roads and Bridges, and shall be used as a guide in the case of any questions or disputes that may arise during the construction of a project.

Storm drains, culverts and related installations, including catch basins, gutters and manholes, shall be installed as necessary to provide adequate disposal of surface water from all streets within the subdivision and adjacent land as shown on plan. Proper connection shall be made with any existing drains in adjacent streets or easements. Where property adjacent to the project site is not developed, provision shall be made for the proper projection of the drainage system by continuing appropriate drains to the exterior boundaries of the development at such size and grade as will allow for such projection.

In no case shall pipe of less than 12-inch diameter be used for storm drainage, and it shall be larger when deemed necessary by the public works director. The developers shall show the size and location of existing storm drain facilities that the proposed new development will tie into and shall plot these on the preliminary and final plans submitted to the planning board for approval. Such subdivision shall have a storm water drainage system capable of accommodating the maximum storm water flow from higher regions of the drainage area or watershed in which the development is located. The system shall be based on a hydraulic study. Complete runoff computations for designing pipe sizes will be submitted. These computations will be based on the Burkli-Zeigler or Rational formula and will be based on a storm frequency of 15 years. 1.

Maximum groundwater levels. If the groundwater or spring groundwater elevation in any portion of a new road, or contributing runoff to a new road, is less than seven feet below the finished grade of the nearest street, no road shall be constructed in such area unless satisfactory sub-drainage facilities are constructed to lower such groundwater to acceptable levels.

[Contours or grades.] No natural contours or grades in a development shall be altered so as to reduce the suitability of the soil for proper sub-drainage. Additional percolation tests may be required in areas where the contours or grades have been altered.

Pipe culverts and drains. Pipe for the construction of culverts and drains shall be not less than 12 inches in diameter and shall be reinforced concrete. All pipes shall be laid true to line and grade as shown on plans. Each section of pipe shall have a full firm bearing throughout its lengths. All joints shall be made of Portland cement mortar or shall be of acceptable ring type joints. All pipes shall have at least two feet, six inches of cover above the top of the pipe.

Catch basins and manholes. Catch basins and manholes shall be built to the lines, grades, dimensions and designs shown on the plans and as directed, with the necessary approved frames, grating, curb inlets and covers, and shall be constructed of clay brick masonry, concrete brick masonry, or pre-cast concrete masonry and shall not be less than four feet in diameter at a point 2½ feet below the bottom of the frame. Catch basins shall be placed on the street, so that the greatest gutter length of water will have to flow over the surface and shall not be over 300 feet, or as demonstrated otherwise by a hydraulic study. Whenever grade is five percent and over on each side of the catch basin, high capacity frame and grate will be required. Catch basins and manholes shall have concrete bottoms. Manholes are required at all points in the main drains where there is a change of grade or a change in line; also at all points where feeder pipes enter the main drain.

Concrete headwalls. Concrete headwalls or flare ends shall be constructed at the open ends of any drainpipe where the same serve as outlets to the drainage system. These headwalls shall be of the shape and size as directed by the public works director.

Gutter flow. Surface drainage in gutters shall be limited to a flow not to exceed five inches in depth in the case of concrete curb or two inches in the case of bituminous berm, at the curb, based on the individual condition of road grade, runoff factor, rainfall intensity and tributary area and inlet capacity.

Catch basins. No more than two catch basins shall be interconnected before being connected to a manhole.

Lot drainage. Lot drainage shall be as required and specified by the planning board.

Valley gutters. Valley gutters will be permitted at "T" intersections where they will be parallel to the centerline of the through road and shall be installed only after design approval by the public works director. In general, the crown of the intersection road shall be gradually eliminated starting from a point about 30 feet back from the flow line of the through street. At other than "T" intersections, valley gutters will be permitted only when warranted by limited traffic use as approved by the public works director.

10.

Brooks, ditches and streambeds. Existing brooks, natural waterways and dry streambeds shall be maintained for drainage purposes or provisions for needed drainage shall be installed at the developer's expense. A right-of-way or public utility easement of sufficient minimum width to include a 12-foot access strip in addition to the width of the ditch, brook or stream bed, as measured from bank top to bank top, shall be required by the town for drainage purposes. Such right-of-way or public utility easement shall be shown on the drainage plan and on the final plan, with proper bearings and distances indicated.

11.

Drainage structures on state land. Drainage structures, which are located on state highway rights-of-way shall be submitted to the appropriate highway engineer's office, and a letter of approval from that office shall be filed with the planning board and the public works director.

12.

Crossing a brook, stream or other natural waterway. Whenever it is required or necessary that a developer cross any brook stream or other natural waterway with construction of any type, a culvert or bridge completely spanning such brook, stream or other natural waterway shall be used. Based on terrain of the upstream or downstream conditions, the culvert shall be designed to pass any portion of the runoff of any flood frequency storm up to, and including a 100-year flood frequency storm, and the design and specifications of the same shall be approved by the public works director.

13.

Easement and rights-of-way for watercourses. Where a development road drains into a watercourse, drainage way, channel or stream, a storm water easement or drainage right-of-way conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourse shall be provided, together with access strips. Such right-of-way or public utility easement shall be shown on the drainage plan and on the final plan with proper bearing and distance indicated.

14.

Fees for downstream improvements. Whenever a development will increase the burden on downstream drainage facilities or watercourses, either by increasing surface water runoff or otherwise, the developer shall make the necessary improvements, to the satisfaction of the public works director, or shall pay a sum of money to the town to be used for future improvement of such facilities or watercourses. Said sum of money shall be computed on the basis of the projected costs of the anticipated downstream improvement and the proportionate burden contributed by the development.

15.

Barricades, guardrails and fences. The developer shall provide guardrails in areas where the street embankment exceeds five feet. In addition, the board may require fencing around easements, drainage areas, waterways, walkways and other such facilities where deemed necessary to promote public safety.

Permanent monument.

Materials. Permanent monuments shall be granite or pre-cast reinforced cement concrete, which shall conform in size and shape to the specifications below:

Dimensions.

Monuments shall be 36 inches in length and four inches square in cross section.

A drill-hole one-half inch in diameter and three-quarters of an inch deep shall be placed and centered on the top surface of the monument.

Monuments shall be installed at all points indicated on the final plat.

Setting monuments. All monuments installed adjacent to a highway shall be installed so that the top surface of the monuments shall be one inch above the finished grade of the sidewalk area at the property line. All other monuments not adjacent to a highway shall be installed so that the top surface is level with the finished grade of the surrounding land.

Sec. 13.2. - Erosions and sediment control standards.#

The following standards are established to ensure the control of erosion and sediment thereby ensuring a stable soil during and following development. These standards shall be applied to the following uses and developments: Subdivisions; land development projects; industrial developments, including factories, warehouses, storage facilities, landfills, gravel banks, and associated roads and parking lots; [and] business developments, including shopping centers, supermarkets, department stores, trailer parks, and associated roads and parking lots. A.

General requirements.

For qualifying tracts, no changes shall be made in the contour of the land; no grading, excavating, removal or destruction of the topsoil, trees or other vegetative cover of the land shall be commenced until such time that a plan for minimizing erosion and sedimentation has been approved by the planning board and Southern Rhode Island Conservation District or there has been a determination by the board that such plans are not necessary.

No development qualifying tract or land development plan shall be approved unless the following requirements have been met:

There has been a plan, approved by the planning board that provides for minimizing erosion and sedimentation consistent with this section, and an improvement bond or other acceptable securities are deposited with the town in the form of an escrow guarantee which will ensure installation and completion of the required improvements; or

There has been a determination by the planning board that a plan for minimizing erosion and sedimentation is not necessary.

Measures used to control erosion and reduce sedimentation shall, as a minimum, meet the standards and specifications of the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District. The town engineer, or other officials as designated, shall ensure compliance with the appropriate specifications, copies of which are available from the district or the town clerk of the town.

Performance principles. The following measures are effective in minimizing erosion and sedimentation and shall be included where applicable in [the] control plan:

Stripping of vegetation, re-grading, or other development shall be done in such a way that will minimize erosion.

Development plans shall preserve salient natural features, keep cut and fill operations to a minimum and ensure conformity with topography so as to adequately handle the volume and velocity of surface water runoff, and create the least erosion potential.

Whenever feasible, natural vegetation shall be retained, protected, and supplemented.

In the disturbed area the duration of exposure shall be kept to a practical minimum.

Disturbed soils shall be stabilized as quickly as practicable within the year.

Temporary vegetation and/or mulching, or both, shall be used to protect exposed critical areas during development.

The permanent (final) vegetation and structural erosion control and drainage measures shall be installed as soon as practical in the development.

Provisions shall be made to effectively accommodate the increased runoff caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development. Where necessary, the quantity of surface water runoff will be temporarily stored.

Sediment carried by runoff water shall be trapped by the use of debris basins, sediment basins, silt traps, or similar measures until the disturbed area is stabilized.

Grading for drainage. In order to provide more suitable sites for building and other uses, improve surface drainage, and control erosion, the following requirements shall be met:

All lots, tracts or parcels shall be graded to provide proper drainage away from buildings and dispose of it without pending, and all land within a qualifying tract, subdivision, or land development shall be graded to drain and dispose of surface water without pending, except where approved by the board.

All drainage provisions shall be of such design to adequately handle the surface runoff and carry it to the nearest suitable outlet such as a curbed street, storm drain, or natural watercourse. Where drainage swales are used to divert surface waters away from buildings they shall be seeded or planted or lined as required and shall be of such slope, shape and size as to conform with the requirements of the town.

Concentration of surface water runoff shall be permitted only in swales, watercourses, diversions or holding ponds.

Excavations and fills:

Cut and fill slopes shall not be steeper than two horizontal to one vertical unless stabilized by a retaining wall or cribbing, except as approved by the board.

Adequate provisions shall be made to prevent surface water from damaging the cut face to excavations or the sloping surface of fills.

Cut or fills shall not endanger adjoining property.

Fill shall be placed and properly compacted so as to minimize sliding or erosion.

Fill shall not encroach on natural watercourses or constructed channels.

Fill placed adjacent to natural watercourses or constructed channels shall have suitable protection against erosion during [the] period of flooding. They may include: riprap, gabions, retaining walls and vegetative stabilization.

Grading will not be done in such a way so as to divert water onto the property of another landowner without the written approval of the board and the landowner, and without appropriate legal documentation, if necessary.

During grading operations, necessary measures for dust control will be exercised.

Provision will be made for the installation of culverts or bridges to permit grading equipment to cross over live streams.

Responsibility.

Whenever sedimentation is caused by stripping vegetation, re-grading or other development, it shall be the responsibility of the person, corporation or other entity causing such sedimentation to remove it from all adjoining surfaces, drainage systems and watercourses and to repair any damage caused by the sediment or its removal at his expense as quickly as possible.

Maintenance of all drainage facilities and watercourses within any qualifying tract, subdivision or land development is the responsibility of the developer until they are accepted by the town or some other official agency, after which they become the responsibility of the town or accepting agency.

After the required state and town permits are obtained, it is the responsibility of any person, corporation, or other entity doing any act on or across a communal stream, watercourse or swale or upon the floodplain or right-of-way thereof, to maintain, as nearly as possible, in its present state, the stream, watercourse, swale, floodplain or right-of-way during the pending activity and to return it to its original or equal condition after such activity is completed.

Maintenance or drainage facilities of watercourses originating and completely located on private property is the responsibility of the owner to their point of open discharge at the property line or at a communal watercourse within the property.

No person, corporation, or other entity shall block, impede the flow of, alter, construct any structure or deposit any material or thing, or commit any act which will effect normal or flood flow in any communal stream or watercourses without having obtained prior approval and/or permit from the department of natural resources and the planning board.

Where a subdivision, qualifying tract or land development is traversed by a watercourse, there shall be provided a drainage easement or right-of-way conforming substantially with the line of such watercourse, and of such width as will be adequate to preserve natural drainage.

Each person, corporation, or other entity which makes any surface changes shall or may be required to:

Collect on-site surface runoff and safely dispose of it at the point of discharge into the common natural watercourse of the drainage area.

Handle existing and potential off-site runoff through the development by design to adequately handle storm runoff from a fully developed area upstream.

Pay his proportionate share of the total of off-site improvements to the common natural watercourse, based on fully developed drainage area.

Provide and install, at the developer's expense, and in accordance with town and district requirements, all drainage and erosion control improvements (temporary and permanent) as required by the erosion and sediment control regulations.

The town will assume the responsibility for maintaining an open and free-flowing condition in all minor streams, watercourses and drainage systems which are constructed and/or improved in accordance with town design criteria and which are, in the town's discretion, necessary for proper drainage. In such cases, adequate rights-of-way must exist or be acquired.

The planning board shall require:

Developers to make off-site improvements to the common natural watercourse except those required for existing state roads.

Acquisition of easements for such common natural watercourse improvements.

Supervision of such improvements to completion by a designated town official.

Compliance with regulations, procedures and specifications.

The planning board, in its consideration of all preliminary plans of subdivision, business developments, industrial developments, qualifying tracts and/or land developments shall condition its approval upon the execution of erosion and sediment control measures as contained in these regulations.

Specifications. The installation and design of the required erosion and sediment control measures shall be in accordance with the standards and specifications of the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District.

Copies of the standards and specifications for erosion and sediment control can be obtained from the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District or at the town clerk's office.

Many of the standards and specifications contained in the district standards and specifications handbook will be based on the types of soil existing in the area of development.

The standards and specifications will vary according to the soil types, conditions and slopes that exist on the development site.

Final plans for minimizing erosion and sedimentation as approved will be incorporated into the agreement and bond requirements as required in these regulations.

The approval of plans and specifications for the control of erosion and sedimentation shall be concurrent with the approval of the final plans of the subdivision, qualifying tracts, or land development, and become a part thereof.

At the time that a building permit is applied for, a review shall be conduct[ed] by the building inspector and director of public works, or other designated town official, to ensure conformance with the plan as approved. During the construction, further consultant technical assistance will be furnished, if necessary by the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District. During this development phase, the town's consulting engineer or other designated town official shall inspect the development site and enforce compliance with the approved plans.

In the event the developer proceeds to clear and grade prior to recording the approved plans or without satisfying conditions specified, the town may revoke the approval of the preliminary plan and have all activity on the tract or parcel of land cease or be stopped by order of the court.

Sec. 13.3. - Standards for the installation of fire water tanks.#

It is required that all new subdivisions and land development projects consisting of five or more homes shall install underground firewater tanks for fire protection as follows:

An underground water tank with minimum capacity of 10,000 gallons for fire protection is required for each five homes. Pre-cast reinforced concrete is the preferred construction material. The plans and specifications for the materials, location, and installation of the tank must be approved by the fire chief and the planning board before installation.

All tanks shall be installed in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association Standard, "Suburban Water Supplies," as amended.

Year-round access to water tanks and/or ponds is required. Access areas shall be paved where necessary.

An existing pond may be used in place of a water tank if prior approval is granted by the fire chief. The installation of a dry hydrant shall be in accordance with NFPA Standard, as amended.

A water tank or pond may be located within the ten-foot right-of-way, or elsewhere, as determined by the fire chief. Regardless of location, the developer shall grant an easement to the town for purposes of access to the tank or pond.

Before surface treatment is commenced, the appropriate tank or pond must be completed, in service, and approved by the fire chief.

A copy of the final plat plans must be submitted to the fire chief for his records.

Additional and/or larger water tanks may be required by the fire chief using the guidelines of the fire flow formula or NFPA, as amended.

Location of the underground water tanks and/or ponds in any subdivision or land development project of five or more homes shall be the responsibility of the fire chief and his determination shall be forwarded to the town planning board in writing.

10.

The developer shall provide a certified check or cash as a financial guarantee, in an amount determined by the fire chief sufficient to assure the satisfactory completion, maintenance, and operation of the water tanks and improvements required by this section for five years. The financial guarantee shall be provided before approval of the final plans by the planning board. The fire chief may fix the guarantee in a reasonable amount in excess of the estimated costs to anticipate for economic or construction conditions.

It is required that the following new subdivisions and land development projects with a total of 5,000 square feet or greater; detention and correctional facilities with a total of 5,000 square feet or greater; business/industrial/storage/mixed occupancy with a high hazard with a total of 5,000 square feet or greater as defined in NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, 1994 edition, or as amended, shall install underground fire water tanks for fire protection as follows:

The number and size of water tanks will be determined by the fire chief using the guidelines of the fire flow formula or NFPA Standard, as amended, and in any case shall be a minimum of 10,000 gallons.

The plans and specifications for the materials, location, and installation of the tank(s) must be approved by the fire chief and planning board before installation.

All tanks shall be installed in accordance with National Fire Protection Association Standard, "Suburban Water Supply," as amended.

Year-round access to the water tanks is required. Access areas shall be paved where necessary. A copy of the final plat plans must be submitted to the fire chief for his records.

Location of the water tanks in any land development projects shall be the responsibility of the fire chief and his determination shall be forwarded to the town planning board in writing.

Maintenance and upkeep of the water tanks are to be the responsibility of the property owner.

Ponds or alternate water supply on site may be used, if approved by the fire chief and meets NFPA Standard, as amended.

An exception may be made to the requirements of section III if a class A, supervised fire alarm system installed and operated in accordance with Rhode Island Life Safety Codes, is installed. Whether a Class A supervised fire alarm system may be substituted for the fire water tanks required in section 3(B) is at the discretion of the fire chief.

Figure 1. Cul-de-Sac Turnaround Detail