The design and improvement standards found in this Section shall be considered requirements for map approval.
A. Land-Use Standards. The land-use standards in this Subsection shall be applied as requirements for map approval.
1. The minimum areas and dimensions of lots shall be as required for the particular land use district classification in which the property is classified by the Development Code; provided, however, that:
a. Lot or parcel side lines shall be approximately normal to street lines.
b. Each lot or parcel on a dead-end street where the side lines thereof are converging from front to the rear of such lot or parcel, shall have an average width of not less than sixty (60) feet, or that width required by the Development Code, whichever is greater, measured along the front building setback line.
c. Each lot or parcel on a curved street where the side lines thereof are converging from the front to the rear of such lot or parcel, shall have an average width of not less than sixty (60) feet, or that width required by the Development Code, whichever is greater.
d. Double frontage lots shall be discouraged except where essential to provide separation of residential developments from major or secondary highways or due to topographical conditions. When double frontage lots are permitted, vehicular access rights shall be dedicated to the City along the street designated by the planning agency.
e. The planning agency may require lots larger than the above minimum sizes specified in multiple-residential, commercial and industrial subdivisions.
When lots or parcels twice or more the required area or width are shown as part of a subdivision of land, the planning agency may require such lots or parcels to be so established as to make practical a further division into allowable building sites, without injury to adjoining property.
f. In desert areas or in hilly or mountainous land, the planning agency may require lots larger than required minimums. Larger lots shall be required if it is deemed necessary in order to conform to the land-use element of the General Plan.
g. Modification of the lot design standards may be allowed under the following circumstances:
(1) Pursuant to the lot area regulations of Chapter 16.48;
(2) Pursuant to any planned development regulations of the Development Code.
h. This Subsection does not apply to any lot or parcel which the subdivider offers to dedicate to the County or any public agency or district.
i. When a land use district classification line established by the Development Code divides a lot or parcel, such lot or parcel shall have the area and frontage required for that land use district classification within the lot or parcel which has the greater area and frontage requirements.
B. Circulation Standards. The circulation standards in this Subsection shall be applied as requirements for map approval.
1. If the General Plan designates a general location of a proposed highway and any portion thereof may be wholly or partially within any proposed subdivision or may be affected by a proposed subdivision prior to the approval of the proposed subdivision, a specific alignment plan shall be prepared and adopted. Each such roadway shall conform in width and alignment with that shown or indicated on the general or specific plan or any standards adopted pursuant thereto. As a condition of approval of said subdivision, the subdivider shall be required to make dedications and construct such reasonable improvements required by the specific alignment plan. Such requirements may be waived by the planning agency upon recommendation of the City Engineer, if the proposed highway is located upon a section line or its precise alignment can be otherwise determined.
2. The following provisions shall apply as standards governing circulation design and shall be required for map approval:
a. The circulation design of all subdivisions shall be compatible and coordinate with the General Plan and the existing street and land-use pattern in the surrounding area.
b. Any part-width highway lying along and adjacent to any boundary of a subdivision shall have such a part-width and alignment as will conform to the route lines shown on the master plan of highways covering the same portion of such subdivision.
c. Each street intended to be extended into adjoining property shall be terminated by a one (1) foot parcel of land extending across the end of the street and, in the case of a part-width street, a one (1) foot parcel of land shall extend along the entire side of the street. The parcels shall be designated alphabetically as a lot, labeled as a future street and offered for dedication by appropriate certificate on the final or parcel map. The offer of dedication of the future street shall include a restriction against the use of same for access purposes until such time as it is accepted as a public street.
Where it is determined by the planning agency that to protect the public health, safety and general welfare, it is necessary to extend a street beyond the boundaries of the subdivision for adequate traffic needs, the subdivider shall provide separate deeds for the necessary easements or rights-of-way to accommodate such traffic facilities. Such rights-of-way shall be improved in accordance with City standards or as required by the planning agency.
d. Cul-de-sacs shall not exceed six hundred (600) feet in length, except as provided below and shall terminate with a turn-around as specified in the adopted County road standards. The planning agency may approve a cul-de-sac which exceeds six hundred (600) feet if the planning agency finds that the cul-de-sac will not be injurious to the public health, safety and welfare.
e. Road grades shall not exceed twelve percent (12%) unless it can be demonstrated that in order to accomplish the objectives of the General Plan a road grade in excess of twelve percent (12%) is necessary. In such circumstances, the planning agency may approve a road grade not to exceed fourteen percent (14%) grade for a distance not to exceed five hundred (500) feet if a finding is made, based upon the recommendations of the City Engineer and the Fire Marshal, that the roadway will not create an unacceptable hazardous risk to the public health, safety or welfare.
f. Access to a Subdivision. The subdivision and each phase thereof shall have two (2) points of vehicular ingress and egress from existing and surrounding streets, one (1) of which may be emergency only. Where it can be shown that this requirement is a physical impossibility or a cul-de-sac is proposed, this requirement may be waived.
C. Public Services and Facilities. The public services and facilities standards in this Subsection shall be applied as requirements for map approval.
1. These standards shall regulate the placement of utilities within the subdivision.
a. Utility lines, including but not limited to electric, telephone, communications, street lighting and cable television, within or directly serving each subdivision, shall be placed underground. The subdivider is responsible for complying with the requirements of this Subsection without expense to the City, and he shall make necessary arrangements with the utility company for the installation of such facilities. Appurtenances and associated equipment such as boxes and meter cabinets and concealed ducts in an underground system may be placed above ground. Waiver of the requirements for underground utilities shall be made through the Public Utilities Commission. This Subsection shall not apply to existing utility or common carrier routes in use at the time the subdivision is completed which do not provide service to the area subdivided. Aerial routes still in existence at the time the subdivision is completed may be reinforced from time to time as conditions dictate; however, all provisions of this Subsection shall be subject to the requirements of any underground district created pursuant to City ordinance or regulation and in existence prior to the subdivision of the land or created subsequent thereto.
b. Overhead utility lines, where permitted, shall be located at the rear of lots or parcels where practical, and along the sides of lots or parcels where necessary.
c. If a local cable television system is available to serve the project, any subdivision for which a tentative map is required pursuant to Section 16.08.010.A. shall be designed to provide the appropriate cable television system an opportunity to construct, install and maintain on land as reserved for cable television service or by separate instrument, any equipment necessary to extend cable television services to each residential parcel in the subdivision.
“Appropriate cable television systems,” as used in this Subsection, means those franchised or licensed to serve the geographical area in which the subdivision is located.
This Subsection shall not apply to the conversion of existing dwelling units to condominiums, community apartments, or stock cooperatives.
d. Whenever the City imposes as a condition to its approval of a tentative map or a parcel map a requirement that necessitates replacing, undergrounding or permanently or temporarily relocating existing facilities of a telephone corporation, cable television system, common carrier or other public utility, the developer or subdivider shall reimburse the appropriate facility provider for all costs for the replacement, undergrounding or relocation. All these costs shall be billed after they are incurred and shall include a credit for any required advance payments and for the salvage value of any facilities replaced. In no event shall the telephone corporation or cable television system be reimbursed for costs incurred in excess of the cost to replace the facilities with substantially similar facilities.
D. The standards herein are determined to be related to public safety.
1. The standards herein shall govern drainage works.
a. When a subdivision lies in the path of existing watercourses or overflows therefrom or natural drainage from upstream properties, it shall not be approved unless adequate dedicated rights-of-way or improvements are provided in a manner satisfactory to the planning agency.
b. When, in the opinion of the planning agency, a subdivision may cause an unnatural increase or concentration of surface waters onto downstream property, said subdivision shall not be approved by the planning agency unless drainage outlets are provided which will be adequate to render the City and the County Flood Control District harmless from any damages caused therefrom.
c. The location, type and size of watercourses or drainage works, and all drainage of streets and other drainage works between streets, shall be in accordance with City standards or as required by the planning agency.
d. When, in the opinion of the planning agency, drainage rights-of-way are necessary, the subdivider shall offer to dedicate upon the final map of the subdivision the necessary rights-of-way for such drainage facilities.
e. Where dedication is offered or granted for Flood Control District rights-of-way, such rights-of-way shall be shown as lots lettered alphabetically on the final map. Such offer of dedication or grant shall be made by an appropriate certificate on the title sheet of the final map.
2. The standards contained herein related to fire protection measures shall be considered as requirements for map approval.
a. Subdivision design shall provide for safe and ready access for fire and other emergency equipment and for routes of escape to safely handle evacuations.
b. The subdivision shall be served by water supplies for community fire protection in accordance with the standards set by the Fire Marshal.
c. In hazardous fire areas, all flammable or combustible vegetation shall be removed from around all structures, in accordance with the requirements of the Uniform Fire Code. Where erosion is probable, the slopes shall be planted with fire resistive ground cover.
3. The standards contained herein related to sewage disposal systems shall be considered as requirements for map approval.
a. Subsurface sewage disposal systems shall be located as far as practical from a perennial or intermittent stream pursuant to Uniform Building Code and the requirements of the County Department of Environmental Health Services and the Regional Water Quality Control Board.
b. When a soils or a geologic hazards report for a subdivision is prepared (either at the developer’s volition or as a requirement of any governmental agency), it shall include findings and recommendations concerning probable adverse effects of such hazards to the integrity of water supply and sewage disposal facilities and structures.
E. Environmental and Public Health. Lands to be subdivided for residential, park, playground or land recreation purposes may be subject to environmental quality standards as established by ordinances and regulations of the different departments and agencies within the City.