INTRODUCTION
Thank you for your interest in developing in the Town of East Hampton. The Town staff looks forward to being your partner in the development process, whether you are constructing a new home or, a new subdivision or a commercial venture.
This guide will provide you with the necessary information to take you from initial site search to the occupancy of your building. It is our aim to get you through the process as expeditiously and efficiently as possible. Town staff will accompany you every step of the way to keep the process moving toward your ultimate goal.
Please read this guide carefully. A clear understanding of each of the steps will make the entire process much easier.
These guidelines apply whether you are developing a new site or are adding on to an existing building.
There are several individuals and commissions that you may be dealing with. These include the Town Planner, Health Director, Town Engineer, Building Official, Planning and Zoning Commission, Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency, Conservation Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.
Town staff will provide you with the appropriate applications, checklists, guidelines and forms that may be required.
Should you have any questions please contact the Building and Planning Office at 1-860-267-9601.
STEP ONE
SITE IDENTIFICATION
If you already have a site you may go to step two. If you need to identify a site, you may wish to contact the Town Planner, The Planning and Zoning Administrator and the Town Assessor to help you define the type of use you are interested in, residential, commercial or industrial. At this stage it is recommended to discuss a potential site with the Planner or Planning Administrator, to determine the feasibility of the site or sites for your proposed use. A preliminary discussion may be recommended with the Planning and Zoning Commission, Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Agency, Conservation Commission and Economic Development Commission, where applicable.
STEP TWO
SITE PLAN PREPARATION
Once you have identified a site that will accommodate your needs, your next step will be to develop a plan for the site. You will need to hire a Licensed Land Surveyor, Soil Scientist and Professional engineer (where applicable and discuss your building requirements with a building contractor, if you have not done so already.
If you are constructing a single family home, your will be required to provide a site plan showing an A2 Survey, location of house, well and septic, topography, area of clearing and Erosion & sedimentation control measures.
If your project is a subdivision or one of a commercial /industrial nature you may wish to prepare a conceptual site layout. This will allow Town staff the opportunity to review the design at a very early stage and make recommendations before your engineer advances further into the design of the site. In a very large and complex development, staff may recommend that you present your conceptual layout to the Planning and Zoning Commission for informal review. At any time staff welcomes the opportunity to discuss your project
STEP THREE
APPLICATION/STAFF REVIEW
For new home construction, you will be required to apply for a building permit and zoning permit. Staff will provide copies of all the application forms and information that you will need to have. If you are building on a non-conforming lot, your proposed construction may require that you apply to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a variance.
Staff will review your application for compliance and will inform you of any additional information required if necessary. The Building Official will then issue a building permit and zoning permit.
Should a variance be required, no permits or construction will be allowed to begin until the variance is approved and filed in the Town Clerks Office.
It is also possible you may need a Wetlands permit or a wetbelt permit, if you are crossing wetlands or if you are building within 100ft of a wetland. This will be determined by the location of wetlands on your property by a soil scientist. Again, no construction may begin until all requirements have been met.
You will be required to have inspections throughout the construction process. For new home construction only, you may now proceed to STEP 8, if you have no Commission or Board applications required. If you do, please follow requirements under STEP 3, STEP 4, and STEP 5
For larger projects, commercial or industrial, your next step will be to submit applications (on forms provided by the Planning office) along with your site plans to the Planning Dept. Staff will place them on the next agenda for Planning and Zoning to be accepted. If a public hearing is required, the date will be set at this meeting. If a public hearing is not required, the application will be hear at this time.
The application will also be placed on the next agenda for the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Agency, and Conservation Commission. The application will be forwarded to the Economic Development Commission where appropriate. Applications have a deadline date of two (2) weeks before the date of the meeting for submission.
Any applications submitted after that date cannot be guaranteed to be placed on the agenda for that meeting.
The application will be sent to the appropriate staff for review. Staff will then return commentary to the applicant, in order that plans may be revised accordingly. All revisions to plans must be completed and submitted to staff prior to the date of the meeting. Revisions submitted at the time of the meeting, may not be accepted, as staff will not have had time to verify that all corrections as requested by staff have been added to the plans.
STEP FOUR
REGULATORY AGENCY REVIEW
A list of the meeting dates for the various Commissions and Agencies will be provided with your application. You will also be mailed a copy of the agenda to notify you of the meeting you will be attending. You and your engineer should be in attendance at these meetings to present your application and answer questions.
The Commission/Agency will review and may act on the application on the meeting date. Those applications which require a public hearing will have a date set on date of acceptance, however the application will not be reviewed at this time.
Order of required approvals:
If a variance is required, this is the first approval that must be received.
If there are wetlands on the property, a wetlands permit for any crossing and or wetbelt permit for any construction within 100ft must also be approved.
Finally, Planning and Zoning Commission Review.
Commissions may review an application out of the order, however the Planning and Zoning Commission cannot act until ZBA and IWWA have acted on the application.
In the case of commercial/ industrial applications, architecture and landscaping will also be reviewed for the proposed site. You may also want to present your application to the Economic Development Commission for their Advisory review and input.
STEP FIVE
POST APPROVAL STAGE
Once your applications have been approved by the aforementioned regulatory agencies, there are several items that will need to be addressed.
The Planning and Zoning Commission and the Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Agency may enumerate various conditions of approval. Some approval conditions may include changes to the site plan. Your engineer/surveyor will need to address such changes.
You may need to file bonds for the following:
a performance bond for road and utility construction
an erosion and sediment control bond
a landscaping bond
The amount of all bonds shall be approved by the appropriate Commission and the Town Engineer.
You may need to file deeds or easements that may be associated with your development.
You will need to contact the local utility companies to coo9rdinate hook-up with ties-ins to water, sewer, electric and telephone lines.
You may also need to receive final approval from state agencies such as State Traffic Commission, Dept. of Transportation, Department of Environmental protection and Department of Health.
You must submit your Mylar’s (if required) of your site plan to the Planning Dept. so that Town staff can arrange to have them reviewed for accuracy and signed by the Chairman.
All plans shall have a copy of the letter of approval from all appropriate agencies placed on the plans.
Remember, there is a 15-day appeal period for all actions by the Commission/Agencies.
STEP SIX
BOND FILING/ MYLAR FILING/special permit
Prior to any construction all required bonds must be filed along with any required Mylar’s of site plans /subdivision plans. After the Mylar’s have been signed by the Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission they will be filed in the Town Clerk’s office by staff after receiving the appropriate filing fee from the applicant.
Special Permits will also be filed by Staff after receiving the appropriate filing fee.
After filing, staff will return the receipt of filing to the applicant.
Check with the Planning Office for information on bond amount approvals, forms and filing fees.
Note for large projects and subdivisions, there are also a Developer’s Agreement and a 3% Developers fee, which must be posted.
STEP SEVEN
PRECONSTRUCTION MEETING
For subdivision, large commercial and industrial projects, once you have completed all the requirements in Steps 5 & 6, you should request the Planning Dept to schedule a pre construction meeting with Town staff to discuss your responsibilities and the Towns responsibilities with the project. At this time aspects of inspections and bond reductions will be discussed. Note: No bond will be reduced before the first course of pavement has been laid and approved by the Town Engineer.
STEP EIGHT
FILING FOR BUILDING PERMIT
When filing for your building permit, be sure that all appropriate approvals have been filed along with any bond requirements. When construction requires a new driveway or expansion of an existing driveway, a driveway permit and driveway bond must also be posted.
At the time of filing for you building permit, you will also be filing for you zoning permit, sanitary and well site approval. All these applications will be done through he Building Dept. The Building Official will sign the Building permit after the Health Dept has approved the sanitary disposal system, the Zoning permit requirements have been met and the Driveway permit and bond is in place.
STEP NINE
CONSTRUCTION
For any project, all erosion and sediment controls shall be in place and inspected by staff prior to the start of construction.
If you find it necessary to make modifications to the approved site plan or approved building plan, it will be necessary to notify the Town Planner or Building Official respectively, and submit an amendment request or change request to the Planning Dept or Building Official.
Town staff will make inspection of the site and building construction during this phase. The developer must contact the Building Official at least 24 hrs in advance for any building inspections. Road inspections will be addressed through the Town engineer.
STEP TEN
As-built filing
Once you have completed construction site improvements, your surveyor will need to prepare an A2 as-built survey of the site to show exact locations of the site improvements (which could be different than shown on your application) This Plan must be filed with the Building Official or the Planning Dept, where road construction is involved.
STEP ELEVEN
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY
Once you have completed the construction and have submitted your as-built survey to the Building Official, you should make a request for a Certificate of Occupancy. The Building Official will make a final inspection of the construction to ensure the building has complies with all required codes and zoning requirements. Once this is done a Certificate of Occupancy will be issued and the building may be occupied.
STEP TWELVE
Release of bonds
After completion of the project, you may request a release of the bonds that your have filed in accordance with Step 5 if all improvements have been completed.
For single-family dwellings, driveway aprons must be installed and inspected. The property must be stable if an Erosion & Sediment control bond was required.
For Site plans: The property must be stable if an Erosion & Sediment control bond was required. Landscaping and paving may not be completed prior to a Certificate of Occupancy. If this is the case an amount as approved by staff
and/or the Town engineer will be required to remain until all construction and site plan requirements have been completed. At this time a request for final release can be made.
For subdivisions: When all improvements have been completed a 10% bond will be filed for a period of 1 year to insure all improvements have been constructed properly.
OUTLINE OF COMMISION AND AGENCY PROCEDURES
Planning and Zoning commission
Meets on the First Wednesday of the month
Applications must be received by the Planning Office two weeks before the meeting date (see meeting chart)
Application is accepted at the next regularly scheduled meeting
Commission has 65 days to make a decision or schedule a public hearing
Applicant must notify abutters and post a sign if a public hearing is required at least 15 days prior to the meeting
Town must post a legal notice in the newspaper, the first no more than 15 and no less than 10, and the second no more than 5 days prior to the public hearing
Commission has 30 days to hold the public hearing
Commission has 65 days to make a decision after the close of the public hearing.
There is a 15-day appeal period, which begins the day the legal notice is printed
Mylar’s shall be filed within 90days of the end of the appeal period
Special permits become effective at the date of filing or the approval will become null and void
Extensions may be given for any time frame but not to exceed the total amount of that time frame
INLAND WETLANDS AND WATERCOURSES AGENCY
Meets the last Wednesday of the month
Applications must be received by the Planning Office two weeks prior to the meeting date (see meeting chart)
Agency has 65 days to review an application or commence a public hearing.
Public hearing must be concluded within 45 days after it commences
Applicant must notify abutters and post a sign at least 15 days prior to the hearing
The Town will post a legal notice in the newspaper, the first no more than 15 and no less than 10, the second no more than 5 days prior to the public hearing
Decision must be made within 35 days after the close of the hearing or within 65 days of the date of receipt if no public hearing is held.
There is a 15-day appeal period, which begins the date the legal notice is printed
Extensions may be given upon the consent of the applicant for any time frame not to exceed the total amount for that time frame
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Application is submitted 3 weeks prior to the meeting date (see meeting schedule)
A public hearing is held on that meeting date
Applicant must notify abutters and post a sign at least 15 days prior to the public hearing
Town will post a legal notice in the newspaper, the first no more than 15 and no less than 10, and the second no more than 5 days prior to the public hearing
A decision is usually made that same night
The Board has 65 days from the date of receipt of the application to hold a public hearing; date of receipt is the next regularly scheduled meeting
The Board has 35 days to hold a public hearing
The Board has 65 days to make its decision
Extensions for the public hearing for any time frame is with the consent of the applicant
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
The Commission meets the second Thursday of the month
This is an Advisory Commission
There is no deadline date for these applications
All applications will be reviewed at the next regularly scheduled meeting
Economic Development Commission
The Commission meets the third Tuesday of each month
This is an Advisory Commission
The Town Managers Office may be contacted to place an item on the agenda
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