(A) Streets. The design standards which shall apply to streets are as follows.
(1) Right-of-way widths. Minimum street right-of-way widths shall be in accordance with the major street plan and shall be not less than the following, unless approved as part of a conditional approval as provided for in city ordinance.
(a) Expressway: 120 feet.
(b) Arterials:
1. Acceptable: 80 feet.
2. Desirable: 100 feet.
(c) Collector streets:
1. Acceptable: 60 feet.
2. Desirable: 80 feet.
(d) Local or minor streets: 60 feet.
(e) Marginal access streets: 60 feet.
(f) Cul-de-sacs: 55 feet.
(g) All streets located beyond the corporate limits of the city and within one mile thereof: 60 feet.
(2) Pavement widths. Pavement widths back-to-back of curb shall be not less than the following.
(a) Arterials.
1. Acceptable: 49 feet.
2. Desirable: 73 feet.
(b) Collector streets.
1. Acceptable: 45 feet.
2. Desirable: 49 feet.
(c) Local or minor streets: 32 feet using city-approved traditional curb, 26 feet using city-approved mountable curb.
(d) Marginal access streets: 32 feet.
(e) Cul-de-sacs: 32 feet using city-approved traditional curb, 26 feet using city-approved mountable curb.
(3) Grades. Street grades shall be as follows.
(a) Street grades shall be not more than 10% nor less than 0.5%.
(b) Grades approaching intersections shall not exceed 5% for a distance of not less than 100 feet from the centerline of the intersection.
(4) (a) Horizontal curves. Where a centerline deflection angle of more than ten degrees occurs, a circular curve shall be introduced, having a centerline radius of not less than the following.
1. Major streets: 500 feet.
2. Collector streets: 300 feet.
3. Local or minor streets: 150 feet.
(b) Proper superelevation shall be provided for curves on major streets.
(5) Vertical curves. All vertical curves shall have a length as necessary to provide safe sight distance.
(6) Tangents. A tangent of not less than 100 feet in length shall be provided between curves.
(7) Intersections. Street intersections shall be laid out as follows.
(a) Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect at less than 75 degrees.
(b) Sight distances at all intersections other than in the Central Business District shall comply with the North Carolina Department of Transportation standard of a ten feet 70 feet sight distance triangle.
(c) Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a minimum radius of 20 feet. At an angle of intersection of less than 90 degrees, a greater radius may be required. Where a street intersects a highway, the design standards of the State Highway Commission shall apply.
(d) A centerline off-set minimum of 125 feet shall be provided at street jogs.
(8) Cul-de-sacs. Permanent deadend streets shall not exceed 400 feet in length, depending on topography, and shall be provided with a turnaround having a 40-foot radius, and a right-of-way radius of 55 feet. Temporary deadend streets shall be provided with a turnaround having a 40-foot radius. Temporary turnarounds shall be paved or graveled in accordance with the city specifications and standards.
(9) Half-streets. The dedication of half-streets at the perimeter of a new subdivision is prohibited. If circumstances render this impracticable, adequate provision for the concurrent dedication of the remaining half of the street must be furnished by the subdivider. Where there exists a half-street in an adjoining subdivision, the remaining half shall be provided by the proposed development.
(B) Alleys. All alleys shall be constructed in accordance with city specifications and standards and shall meet the following requirements.
(1) Right-of-way width: 20 feet.
(2) Minimum centerline radius when a deflection angle of more than ten degrees occurs: 35 feet.
(3) Property-line radius at alley intersections: 15 feet.
(C) Blocks. The maximum and minimum length and width of blocks shall be as follows.
(1) Length. Block lengths shall not exceed 1,500 feet, nor be less than 400 feet, unless approved by Planning and Zoning Board or City Council, when applicable by ordinance. Where deemed necessary by the Planning and Zoning Board or City Council, a pedestrian crosswalk of at least eight feet in width shall be provided.
(2) Width. Blocks shall have a sufficient width to allow two tiers of lots of minimum depth. Blocks may consist of single-tier lots where they are required to separate residential development from through vehicular traffic or nonresidential uses.
(D) Lots. The size, shape, and orientation of nonresidential lots shall be such as the Planning Board deems appropriate for the type of development and use contemplated. Residential lots shall comply with the following requirements.
(1) Area. All lots shall meet the size requirements for their respective zoning district and use provided in Chapter 92
. Additional area is required when the following conditions exist.
(a) Public water but not a public sewer is provided. In this case, the lot shall be not less than 10,000 square feet in area.
(b) Neither public water nor a public sewer is provided. In this case, the lot shall be not less than 20,000 square feet in area.
(c) Residential subdivisions may utilize lot averaging where lot size of one or more lots is reduced by no more than 20% of the required minimum so long as additional lots exceed the required minimum lot size by a proportionate area, and overall units per acre is still in compliance with the respective zoning district.
(2) Width. All lots shall have a minimum width at the street line of not less 20 feet and a minimum width at the building line sufficient to accommodate a structure of at least 20 feet in width with required side setbacks for their respective zoning district. Corner lots shall have an additional width of ten feet to permit adequate setback from the abutting street.
(3) Depth. All lots shall have a minimum depth sufficient to accommodate a structure of at least 20 feet in depth with required front and rear setbacks for their respective zoning district.
(4) Orientation. Side lot lines shall be substantially at right angles or radial to street lines.
(E) Building setback lines. The minimum setbacks from property lines for each lot shall conform with dimensional requirements as defined in Chapter 92
.
(F) Easements. Utility and other easements shall be provided as follows.
(1) Utilities. Utility easements centered on rear or side lot lines shall be provided where deemed necessary by the City Engineer, and shall be at least 12 feet in width.
(2) Crosswalks. A crosswalk easement of at least eight feet in width shall be provided if required by the Planning Board.
(3) Drainage. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainage way, channel, or stream, there shall be provided a storm water easement or drainage right-of-way conforming substantially with the lines of the watercourse, and any further width or construction, both, as will be adequate for the purpose. Parallel streets or parkways may be required in connection therewith.
(4) Lakes, similar areas. Lakes, ponds, creeks, and similar areas within the city will be accepted for maintenance only if the acceptance is recommended by the Planning Board and approved by the Council.
(5) Shape. To the greatest extent possible and unless otherwise required by ordinance, new lots shall be square or rectangular in shape with corners at right angles in order to allow for an organized development pattern, the easiest application of standards of this chapter, standard construction methods for structures and features of the site and easily identifiable boundaries between properties and rights-of-way by builders, residents and city staff and service providers in the future.
(a) When pre-existing conditions of a site, including hydrology, topography and existing infrastructure require uneven or irregular lot angles and dimensions, lots will be created in the most regular and orderly fashion possible for the site.
(b) Creation of interior "flag lots" shall be minimized and permissible primarily in the subdivision of smaller, pre-existing tracts of land with limited frontage along existing right-of-way and whose dimensions are not conducive, practical or in the best interest of the city for creating new streets to service a small number of lots, however flag lots shall not be used solely to avoid creation of new streets. In no case shall flag lots be created along new streets within a proposed subdivision. Where necessary, there shall be no more than two flag lots in subdivisions of ten or fewer lots. In subdivisions of more than ten lots no more than 20% of all lots shall be flag lots. "Flagpoles", or small strips of land to connect new internal flag lots to existing streets shall be no more than 200 feet in length and their area shall be credited to no more than 10% of the total required lot size for their respective lot. Setbacks and other dimensional and development requirements required in Chapter 92 for interior "flag lot" shall be applied to the larger portions of said lots, not their connecting portions or flag poles. Front yards shall be oriented in the same direction as exterior lots fronting entirely on existing streets.
(c) All newly created interior lots requiring more than 200 feet for flag poles, or being larger than two acres in size or otherwise being necessary for future street connectivity, shall feature flagpoles with a minimum of 60 feet in width and street frontage to allow for further subdivision and street construction in the future. Placement of new structures on such lots shall comply with development standards of this chapter and Chapter 92.
(G) Park lands. In the event that a proposed park, playground, school, or other public facility shown on the comprehensive plan is located, in whole or in part, in the subdivision, the Planning Board shall require a reservation or dedication of the area by the subdivider as a condition of recording the plat.
(H) Open recreational, or green space. All residential subdivisions larger than five acres or 20 lots require a minimum of 5% of the project area designated as open recreational and greenspace and be set aside in the approximate geographic center of the project area or another such area(s) that is easily accessible by all residents. When part of a larger development open space may be developed on the edge of a development when plans are submitted showing open space additions in future phases. The intent of the open space requirement is to enhance the quality of life in the development by providing for picnicking, walking, team sports and similar recreational opportunities. Open space does not include existing rights-of-way, utility easements, streambeds, flood plains, and other land considered unsuitable for building purposes. At least 50% of the minimum required open space shall be in one tract and shall feature, at a minimum, passive use features as amenities to residents. All open space shall be contiguous or otherwise linked through pedestrian amenities, with no portion less than 100 feet in width, with the exception of buffer zones of at least 50 feet in width. The foregoing 100-feet-width requirement can be decreased upon a finding by the Planning and Zoning Board(or City Council when applicable by ordinance) that, because of unique circumstances related to topography, streams, rock outcroppings, trees, and other natural resources, less open space width will better serve the development and the city. Such open space shall be held in a nonprofit corporate ownership by the owners of the lots within the development, unless otherwise approved specifically by agreement with City Council. If the development adjoins an existing greenway or is shown on an adopted greenway plan, then the developer shall incorporate the greenway dedication into the subdivision.
(I) Access. In developments containing more than 15 lots, two streets in and out of the development will be required in all developments containing three or more acres. No exceptions. Developers will be encouraged to purchase adjoining land if two streets are not feasible. In developments containing 15 lots or fewer, the entrance to the development shall be 54 feet wide, measuring from the back of the curb to the back of the curb, with an island six feet in width and 24 feet in length located not less than 20 feet from the intersecting street, with the divided street transitioning into a city standard street 26 feet in width with mounted curb.
(1) All streets and utilities will be stubbed out to adjoining parcels to insure connectivity and prevent landlocked property.
(2) Sidewalks as required in Chapter 92: Zoning Regulations.
(3) Curb and gutter will be required in all developments except those located in the watershed.
(J) Irrigation lines. Encroachment agreements will be required for irrigation lines within the right-of-way.
(K) Electronic requirement. Approved plat and construction specification shall be provided on an approved digital format by the City Engineer.
(L) Access connections. Access connections for commercial developments are required. The connection shall be not less than 22 feet in width between adjoining lots on all commercially developed property. The purpose is to eliminate having to reenter the public street to visit adjoining businesses.
(‘58 Code, § 14-9) (Am. Ord. 94-20, passed 9- 19-94; Am. Ord. 01-36, passed 8-6-02; Am. Ord. 01-39, passed 8-20-01; Am. Ord. 01-40, passed 8-20-01; Am. Ord. 02-40, passed 9-16-02; Am. Ord. 02-53, passed 12-16-02; Am. Ord. 07-14, passed 6-4-07; Am. Ord. 08-13, passed 4-21-08; Am. Ord. 10-20, passed 6-8-10; Am. Ord. 16-48, passed 11-21-16; Am. Ord. 19-26, passed 8-5-19; Am. Ord. 21-02, passed 1-19-21; Am. Ord. 21-26, passed 7-12-21; Am. Ord. 22-01, passed 1-3-22; Am. Ord. 24-06, passed 2-19-24; Am. Ord. 24-16, passed 6-17-24) Penalty, see §
10.80