Adequate areas of suitable size and location shall be allocated for all required easements.

    A.    Utility Easements. Utility easements shall provide reasonable continuity within the subdivision. There shall be at least fifteen feet in width when located at rear lot lines and at least ten feet in width when located along side lot lines. The commission or plat committee may require larger easements when deemed necessary.

    B.    Drainage Easements. Drainage easements shall be provided where necessary within the subdivision to drain water away from building sites and to channel the flow of stormwater runoff. All drainage easements shall conform to the specifications of the board. No permanent structure, including fences and any vegetation that will impede the natural flow of the runoff, shall be permitted in a drainage easement unless specifically accepted by the engineering department.

    C.    Access Easements. Access easements providing legal access to land shall be at least fifty feet in width and shall have the capability of providing suitable locations for future public streets meeting the standards set forth in this chapter. Generally, no more than two lots shall receive access from a private access easement. If, by reason of topography, traffic safety, or other condition peculiar to the property, the commission finds it appropriate, as many as four lots may be served by such easement.

    D.    Utility Location.

    1.    All electric, telephone, television and other communication lines, both main and service connections, shall be placed underground. Main lines shall be located within appropriate easements.

    2.    Lots that abut existing easements of public rights-of-way where overhead electric or telephone distribution supply lines and service connections have previously been installed may be supplied with electric and telephone service from those overhead lines, but the service connections from the utilities' overhead lines shall be installed underground. In the case of existing overhead utilities, should a road widening or an extension of service or other such condition occur as a result of the subdivision and necessitate the replacement or relocation of such utilities, such replacement or relocation shall be underground.

    3.    Where overhead lines are permitted as the exception, the placement and alignment of poles shall be designed to lessen the visual impact of overhead lines. Alignments and pole locations shall be carefully routed to avoid locations interfering with views. Clearing swaths through wooded areas or farm fields shall be avoided. (Ord. 99-24 § 3 (part), 1999; Ord. 94-5 § 3 (part), 1994; prior code § 28-50)