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1
Installation of a Driveway Entrance Policy
1.0 Policy Objective
The purpose of this policy is to outline the requirements for the installation of driveway
entrances on existing streets within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Mahone
Bay.
2.0 Existing Driveway Entrances
2.1
The Town accepts responsibility for all portions of existing driveway entrances,
which are located on Town property, and will maintain them in a manner
consistent with the content of this policy document.
2.2
The Town will not reimburse any property owners, which may have incurred
expenses related to maintaining their driveway entrances (including culverts)
prior to adoption of this policy document.
3.0 Application Process
3.1
No driveway entrance shall be installed on an existing street without first
obtaining a Town of Mahone Bay Street Excavation Permit {refer to Town of
Mahone Bay - Streets and Sidewalks ByLaw #41, Sections 3 & 4}. The permit
application must be completed by the applicant and approved by the Town. If a
driveway entrance is installed without having obtained a permit it may be
removed by the Town at the property owner's expense.
3.2
The Town's Director of Operations will assess the proposed entrance for adequate
sight distance and determine the size of drainage culvert, if required. The
applicant is required to identify the location of the proposed driveway entrance
with stakes marking the proposed location and width prior to filing an application
in order that it may visually assessed.
3.3
The applicant will be notified once the application/permit has been approved.
Notification will include the size of culvert to be installed, if required.
3.4
The applicant is responsible for all aspects of construction, including but not
limited to; removal and replacement of any sidewalk, curb/gutter, supply of a new
culvert, backfill material, rip rap, labour, and traffic control. Work may be done by
the applicant or a contractor engaged by the applicant; however, ultimate
responsibility for installation rests with the applicant. Unsatisfactory installation of
a driveway entrance may result in removal by the Town at the property owner's
expense. In the event the Town is required to take action to satisfactorily
complete the work all costs associated will be at the property owner's expense.
3.5
The applicant subject to agreement by the Director of Operations may hire the
Town to install the driveway entrance upon satisfactory Work Order and payment
process being made with the Town.
3.6
The applicant must notify the Director of Operations a minimum of 48 hours prior
to beginning the installation of a driveway entrance.
4.0 Environmental Protection
Every effort must be made to expose as little soil to the elements as possible during the
construction process. If the culvert is within 30 meters of a watercourse, or there is any
chance sediment may enter a watercourse, erosion and sedimentation control
measures must be employed in accordance with regulations established by the
Province of Nova Scotia.
5.0 Driveway Width
The driveway top (i.e. traveled portion) shall be a minimum of 3 m (10 ft.) wide; the rip-
rap end portions of a driveway requiring a culvert are in addition to the traveled portion.
The maximum width of the driveway top shall be 8 m (26 ft.).
6.0 Materials
6.1 Concrete and Asphalt:
New driveway entrances requiring the reinstatement of
any sidewalk, curb or gutter must match the existing. Concrete used for sidewalks,
curb and gutter to be 35 MPa (5000 psi). Asphalt must be hot mix asphalt properly
installed by a qualified contractor.
6.2 Culvert: Unless warranted by specific conditions, as determined by the Director of
Operations, pipe size for a new culvert installation shall be a minimum of 400mm
(16 in.) inside diameter {refer to Town of Mahone Bay Municipal Specifications, May
14, 2002, Section 6.5}. Culvert pipe may be aluminized corrugated steel or
aluminum alloy; or smooth inside wall diameter Class 65D concrete; or double
walled smooth interior High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe.
In the case of open top culverts, new treated wood may be used, however, the
design and materials proposed for use in building the structure must be approved
by the Director of Operations.
The use of used culvert pipe or wood will not be approved.
6.3 Backfill: Backfill material shall be 20-25mm (¾ -1 in.) gravel or good native soil with
no stones over 75mm (3 in.) in the largest dimension. Slate may be used only if it is
from a source approved by the NS Department of Environment and Labour.
6.4 Top Material: Top material shall be 100-150mm (4-6 in.) of Class A (20mm or ¾ in.)
gravel, sloped to prevent water from running onto the roadway; minimum slope
requirement is 2%. If pavement is desired, it should consist of a minimum of 75mm
(3 in.) of hot mix asphalt on a bed of 100-150mm (4-6 in.) of Class A gravel.
6.5 Rip-Rap: Minimum wall thickness shall be 400mm (16 in.); therefore, material shall
be 400-500mm (16-18 in.) flat stones. Slate may be used only if it is from a source
approved by the NS Department of Environment and Labour.
7.0 Sidewalk, Curb and Gutter Replacement
7.1
Any necessary replacement of concrete sidewalk, curb and/or gutter will be
completed in accordance with the specifications contained in the most recent
edition of the Standard Specification for Municipal Services, as published by the
NS Road Builders Association & Consulting Engineers of NS.
7.2
Any necessary replacement of asphalt sidewalk or curb will be conducted in a
manner to match the existing site conditions, unless otherwise determined by the
Director of Operations.
7.3
Prior to pouring any concrete or placing asphalt, an inspection, by the Director of
Operations, must be completed. It is the applicant's responsibility to schedule
such inspection.
8.0 Bed Excavation for Culverts
8.1
Prepare an area for the pipe in the lowest point of the ditch, aligned with the
direction of flow.
8.2
All organic material (grass, bushes, etc.) under the length of the pipe shall be
removed before placing pipe.
8.3
Excavate ditch to a depth of 150mm (6 in.) below existing flow line of ditch.
8.4
Fill excavated area with 125mm (5 in.) of Class A or B gravel.
9.0 Pipe Installation for Culverts
9.1
The pipe shall be placed on the prepared bed of gravel, following the natural slope of
the ditch allowing the pipe flow line to be approximately 25 mm (1 inch) below the
flow line of the ditch and shall be aligned to maintain the direction of flow.
9.2 If two or more lengths of pipe are required they shall be joined with approved
couplers, available from the pipe manufacturer. The couplers shall be joined as per
manufacturer's instructions.
9.3 Prior to back filling, an inspection, by the Director of Operations, must be completed.
It is the applicant's responsibility to schedule such inspection.
9.4 Backfill material shall be a minimum of 150 mm (6 inches) deep on each side of the
pipe and compact with a vibrating compactor. Continue to place backfill material in
150 mm (6 inch) layers and compact on each side of the pipe before adding more
material. Compacted material must be kept even on both sides of the pipe and must
extend the width of the pipe. When backfill material is very granular, clay material
shall be used to seal the ends to prevent water from flowing through the backfill
material.
9.5 The backfill material plus top material shall extend a minimum of 300 mm (12 inches)
above the top of the pipe unless otherwise approved by the Director of Operations.
9.6 The permit holder shall remove all surplus excavated material from Town property
(i.e. the street right-of-way).
9.7 Rip-rap shall be placed across the upstream and downstream ends of the pipe.
Concrete end walls may only be used on the installation with the approval of the
Director of Operations.
10.0 Final Inspection
10.1 Once the driveway entrance is completely installed, the Director of Operations shall
be notified to arrange for final inspection. In the event the inspection determines
deficiencies in the work the applicant will be notified and asked to correct them.
Following corrective action, the applicant is required to notify the Director of
Operations for a re-inspection.
10.2 If the driveway entrance is not satisfactorily installed after two final inspections, the
Town reserves the right to remove the driveway entrance, and take any other action
it deems necessary to remediate the site at the Property Owners expense.
11.0 Responsibilities
11.1 After the driveway entrance is installed and approved, should the culvert deteriorate
from age or normal use, the entrance will be replaced as follows:
Residential Entrance: Culvert piping up to a maximum of an 8-meter top width. All
costs to be borne by the Town.
Churches, Cemeteries & Other Non-Profit Agencies: Culvert piping up to a maximum
of an 8-meter top width. All costs to be borne by the Town.
Commercial or Combined Commercial & Residential: All costs at the Property
Owners expense.
11.2 When replacing an existing driveway entrance the Town reserves the right to
conduct the work using its own employees and equipment, or to utilize the
resources of a competent contractor.
11.3 When replacing an existing driveway entrance, culvert pipe and any end treatments
removed by the Town shall be replaced with rip-rap. Replacement pipe shall be of
the type commonly used by the Town at the time of replacement.
11.4 The Town will not maintain the driveway top, with the exception of normal
shouldering operations and in that case only to the extent of the shoulder and not
the entire street limit. The Town will only correct frost heave of a culvert if it is
causing a problem with water flow in the ditch.
11.5 In the event any portion of a paved driveway is excavated in order to replace a
culvert, it will be the responsibility of the property owner to reinstate the paved
portion if they so choose.
11.6 The property owner is expected to keep the culvert free from obstructions, maintain
the rip-rap on the culvert ends, and to keep the top grade of the driveway at an
elevation as to prevent water flow onto the road.
Clerk's Annotation for Official Policy Book
Date of notice to Council Members of Intent to Consider
[minimum 7 days notice]
Date of Passage of Policy
______________________________
_____________________
Town Clerk
Date