§ 280-a. Permits for buildings not on improved mapped streets. 1. No permit for the erection of any building shall be issued unless a street or highway giving access to such proposed structure has been duly placed on the official map or plan, or if there be no official map or plan, unless such street or highway is (a) an existing state, county or town highway, or (b) a street shown upon a plat approved by the planning board as provided in sections two hundred seventy-six and two hundred seventy-seven of this article, as in effect at the time such plat was approved, or (c) a street on a plat duly filed and recorded in the office of the county clerk or register prior to the appointment of such planning board and the grant to such board of the power to approve plats.

2. Before such permit shall be issued such street or highway shall have been suitably improved to the satisfaction of the town board or planning board, if empowered by the town board in accordance with standards and specifications approved by the town board, as adequate in respect to the public health, safety and general welfare for the special circumstances of the particular street or highway.

Alternatively, and in the discretion of such board, a performance bond sufficient to cover the full cost of such improvement as estimated by such board shall be furnished to the town by the owner. Such performance bond shall be issued by a bonding or surety company approved by the town board or by the owner with security acceptable to the town board, and shall also be approved by such town board as to form, sufficiency and manner of execution. The term, manner of modification and method of enforcement of such bond shall be determined by the appropriate board in substantial conformity with section two hundred seventy-seven of this article.

3. The applicant for such a permit may appeal from the decision of the administrative officer having charge of the issue of permits to the board of appeals or other similar board, in any town which has established a board having the power to make variances or exceptions in zoning regulations for: (a) an exception if the circumstances of the case do not require the structure to be related to existing or proposed streets or highways, and/or (b) an area variance pursuant to section two hundred sixty-seven-b of this chapter, and the same provisions are hereby applied to such appeals and to such board as are provided in cases of appeals on zoning regulations. The board may in passing on such appeal make any reasonable exception and issue the permit subject to conditions that will protect any future street or highway layout. Any such decision shall be subject to review by certiorari order issued out of a special term of the supreme court in the same manner and pursuant to the same provisions as in appeals from the decisions of such board upon zoning regulations.

4. The town board may, by resolution, establish an open development area or areas within the town, wherein permits may be issued for the erection of structures to which access is given by right of way or easement, upon such conditions and subject to such limitations as may be prescribed by general or special rule of the planning board, if one exists, or of the town board if a planning board does not exist. If a planning board exists in such town, the town board, before establishing any such open development area or areas, shall refer the matter to such planning board for its advice and shall allow such planning board a reasonable time to report.

5. For the purposes of this section the word "access" shall mean that the plot on which such structure is proposed to be erected directly abuts on such street or highway and has sufficient frontage thereon to allow the ingress and egress of fire trucks, ambulances, police cars and other emergency vehicles, and, a frontage of fifteen feet shall presumptively be sufficient for that purpose.