(A) General.
(1) The subdivider shall conform to the following principles and standards of land subdivision in the design of each subdivision or portion thereof which has not been officially recorded in the office of the Recorder of the county on or before the effective date of this subchapter.
(2) The design standards will encourage good development patterns and particularly the principles and standards which are generally exhibited on a map or maps developed and maintained by the Plat Officer in consultation with the County Highway Department. All proposed arterial thoroughfare locations as shown on such maps are recommendations only and shall not be used in determining the acceptability of a proposed subdivision. Every subdivision designed shall be in harmony with all applicable sections of the current Zoning Ordinance for the county.
(B) Streets.
(1) The street and alley layout shall provide access to all lots and parcels of land within the subdivision. Street jogs of less than 125 feet shall be avoided. Cul-de-sacs shall not exceed 500 feet in length, unless necessitated by prevailing conditions which create undue hardship, said hardship to be determined by the Plan Commission upon adequate showing by the subdivider.
(2) Local streets shall be designed so as to discourage through traffic.
(3) Proposed streets shall be adjusted to the contour of the land so as to produce usable lots and streets of reasonable gradient.
(4) Certain proposed streets, where appropriate, shall be extended to the boundary of the tract to be subdivided so as to provide for normal circulation of traffic within the vicinity.
(5) Wherever there exists a dedicated or platted portion of a street or alley adjacent to the proposed subdivision, the remainder of the street or alley shall be platted to the width herein prescribed within the proposed subdivision, unless the Plan Commission finds it unnecessary.
(6) Reserve strips controlling access to streets shall be prohibited except where their control is definitely placed with the Board under conditions approved by the Plan Commission.
(7) Widths of street rights-of-way shall conform to the widths specified by the County Highway Department, attached hereto and made a part of this subchapter. These widths may be increased, or decreased, or varied in usual circumstances by the Plan Commission and the County Surveyor or appointed official.
(8) Half streets shall not be permitted.
(9) No dead end street shall be permitted where the same is in conflict with the Master Plan. Temporary dead end streets will be permitted where the approved primary plat shows that the street will be extended to conform to the provisions of this subchapter and/or to provide access to adjacent property where deemed necessary by the Plan Commission to provide for adequate flow of future traffic, provided the length of said dead end shall be not greater than 250 feet. A circular right-of-way in excess of the required street right-of-way at the termination of a dead end street shall not be required.
(10) Subdivisions that adjoin or include existing streets that do not conform to the required widths shall dedicate the adequate width along either side or both sides of said street so said street shall be in conformity with all provisions of this chapter.
(11) Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly at the right angles as possible.
(12) If the smaller angle of intersection of two streets is less than 60 degrees, the radius of the arc of the intersection of the property lines shall be as deemed advisable by the Plan Commission.
(13) (a) At the intersection of two streets, the property line corners shall be rounded by arcs with radii of not less than 20 feet or radius of such arcs.
(b) When one or more of the streets involved in an intersection is a limited access street, highway, thoroughfare, boulevard, or parkway, the foregoing minimum standards may be increased by the Plan Commission.
(14) At the intersection of a street with an alley, the property line corners shall be rounded by arcs with radii of not less than 15 feet or radius of such arcs.
(15) Intersection of more than two streets at one point shall be avoided.
(16) Where parkways or special types of streets are involved, the Plan Commission may apply special standards to be followed in the design of such parkways or streets.
(17) Whenever the subdivision contains or is adjacent to a railroad right-of-way or a highway designated as a “limited access highway” by the appropriate highway authorities, provision shall be made for a marginal access street, or a parallel street at a distance acceptable for the appropriate use of the land between the highway or railroad and such streets.
(18) Horizontal visibility on curved streets and vertical visibility on all streets shall be maintained along the center lines as specified by the County Highway Department.
(19) Horizontal curvature measured along the center line shall have a minimum radius as specified by the County Highway Department.
(20) All changes in grade shall be connected by vertical curves of sufficient radii to provide smooth transitions and required sight distances.
(21) Between reversed curves on all streets, there shall be a minimum tangent as specified by the County Highway Department.
(22) Maximum grades for streets shall be as specified by the County Highway Department.
(23) The minimum grade of any street gutter shall not be less than 0.25%.
(24) No street shall have a name which will duplicate or so nearly duplicate as to be confused with the name of an existing street within the county; unless a proposed street is an extension of or in alignment with existing streets, in which case the duplication shall be mandatory. In no instance shall any street name include the word “North,” “South,” “East,” or “West” unless it denotes that geographical direction.
(25) Alleys shall be discouraged in residential areas but shall be included in commercial and industrial areas where needed for loading and unloading or access purposes; and, where platted, shall be at least 20 feet in width.
(26) Dead end alleys shall be avoided where possible, but, if unavoidable, shall be provided with adequate turnaround facilities at the dead end, as determined by the Plan Commission.
(C) Blocks.
(1) Blocks shall not normally exceed 1,320 feet in length, unless unusual circumstances justify greater length.
(2) Blocks shall be of sufficient width to permit two tiers of lots of appropriate depth, except where an interior street parallels a limited access highway, major street, or railroad right-of-way.
(3) No other specific rule is made concerning the shape of blocks, but blocks shall fit easily into the overall plan of the subdivision, and their design must evidence consideration of lot planning, traffic, flow, and public areas.
(4) Within blocks of over 700 feet in length, the Plan Commission may require, at or near the middle of the block, a public walk connecting adjacent streets or other public areas, shopping centers, and the like. Width of right-of-way for such walks shall be at least ten feet and shall be intended for the use of pedestrians only.
(D) Lots.
(1) All lots shall abut on a street which is accessible to an established public street already in use.
(2) Side lines of lots shall be at approximately right angles to straight streets and on radial lines on curved streets. Some variation from this rule is permissible, but pointed or very irregular lots shall be avoided.
(3) Double frontage lots shall not be platted, except that where desired among primary or secondary streets, lots may face on an interior street and back on such thoroughfare. In that event, a planting strip, or a planting screen, at least 20 feet in width shall be provided along the rear of the lot, and the design shall be such that access to those lots shall be only from an interior street.
(4) Lot dimensions, areas, and building setback lines shall conform to and be not less than the minimum specified by the County Zoning Ordinance, as now or hereafter amended, for the district in which the lot is located; except where a main water supply system or a sanitary system is not available, and the lot area necessary to adequately provide for the efficient operation of a private water supply and/or sewage disposal system on the lot, would be greater, to be in accord with the County Board of Health and/or the State Department of Environmental Management, then their area recommendation shall become the minimum lot area.
(5) Wherever possible, a unit shopping center, based on sound development standards, should be designed in contrast to the platting of lots for individual commercial use.
(6) Corner residential lots should be wider than normal to permit appropriate setbacks from both streets. Interior residential lots abutting a corner lot should be wider than the average interior lot in order to permit a wider side yard adjacent to the corner lot.
(7) Residential lots fronting on arterial, primary, or secondary streets shall have extra depth to permit deeper building setbacks from such traffic arteries, as specified by the Zoning Ordinance.
(E) Utility easements.
(1) Where alleys are not provided, easements for utilities shall be provided. Such easements shall have a minimum width of 15 feet, and where located along interior lot lines, one-half the width should be taken from each lot. Before determining the location of easements, the plan shall be discussed with the local utility companies to assure the proper placing for the installation of services.
(2) Whenever a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainage way, channel, or stream, there shall be provided a drainage right-of-way which shall be for the purpose of widening, improving, or protecting the stream at the subdivider’s expense. To ensure proper drainage right-of-way width, the following requirements shall be incorporated in the plat.
(a) In order to protect stream banks and/or located tile and allow for maintenance, an easement of 75 feet or more, as may be required by the County Surveyor, measured from the normal high bank on each bank of any ditch or creek, or centerline of located tile shall be provided.
(b) In order to protect riverbanks and allow for maintenance, an easement of 75 feet (or more as may be required by the County Surveyor), measured from the normal high bank on each bank of any river shall be provided.
(c) In order to allow for the creation of a new channel or drainage way, relocation of an existing channel, an easement of 100 feet (or more as may be required by the County Surveyor), measured from the normal high bank on both sides of said proposed channel shall be provided.
(d) The width of the drainage rights-of-way shall be adequate for any necessary channel relocations and straightenings and to determine adequacy, the drainage right-of-way shall be reviewed by the County Drainage Board. The drainage right-of-way shall relate as closely as possible to the requirements of the Master Plan. Parallel streets or parkways may be required in connection therewith.
(3) A guy line easement of sufficient width and length, as determined by the utility company, shall be provided. Said easement length shall be measured from the apex of the deflection angle.
(F) Ingress/egress easements. Where an easement is desired or necessary to serve a property not adjacent to a public road, the width of said ingress/egress easement or the deeded portion of the lot which serves as ingress and egress to said parcel shall be a minimum of 30 feet in width if the same services one lot. In the case of ingress/egress ways serving more than one lot, the minimum width shall be 60 feet.
(G) Public use areas. Where sites for parks, schools, playgrounds, or other public use areas, as shown in the Master Plan, or recreational space as required by § 153.088(F) are located within the subdivision area, the Plan Commission shall require that such areas be so designated on the secondary plat. (See § 153.088(F).)
(H) Topography, natural vegetation, and flooding.
(1) In the subdividing of any land within the jurisdiction, due regard shall be shown for all natural features, such as tree growth, watercourses, or other similar elements which, if preserved, would add attractiveness to the proposed development.
(2) The natural topography shall be retained wherever possible in order to reduce excessive runoff onto adjoining property and to avoid extensive regrading of the site.
(3) Floor elevations of all buildings shall be carefully studied in relation to existing 12-inch and larger caliper trees, and other pertinent site features.
(4) Consideration shall be given to varying the setback line required in the zoning district where the subdivision is proposed in order to retain wherever possible existing topography, rock formations, and large trees. Consideration shall be given only after the Board of Zoning Appeals has granted a building line variance for the affected subdivision.
(5) Where there is a question as to the suitability of a lot or lots for their intended use due to factors such as rock formations, flood conditions, or similar circumstances, the Plan Commission shall consider withholding approval of such lots.
(6) The Plat Officer shall review all proposed subdivisions to determine whether the subdivision lies in a flood prone area as defined in §§ 153.105 through 153.129. If the Plat Officer finds the subdivision to be so located, the Plan Commission shall forward pertinent plans and materials to the State Department of Natural Resources for review and comment. The Plat Officer or Plan Commission may require appropriate changes and modifications to the subdivision proposal in order to comply with the requirements of §§ 153.105 through 153.129.
(7) All subdivision plats containing lands identified elsewhere by ordinance as flood prone areas shall have the elevation of the 100-year flood listed thereon.
(Ord. 2020-13, passed 11-10-2020) Penalty, see § 153.999