(A) Character of land. The Commission shall not approve any plat unless the land whereon buildings are to be constructed shall be of such character that it can be used for building purposes without danger to health or peril from fire, flood, or other hazard.
(B) Natural features. Existing natural features which would add value to the subdivision and the city; such as trees, valleys, watercourses, historic spots, and similar irreplaceable assets; shall be preserved, insofar as possible, through harmonious design of the subdivision.
(C) Streets. The Commission shall not approve any plat unless all streets shown thereon shall be of sufficient width and proper grade and shall be so located as to accommodate the probable volume of traffic thereon, afford adequate light and air, facilitate fire protection, provide access of firefighting equipment to buildings, and provide a coordinated system of streets conforming to the city’s Thoroughfare Plan.
(1) Local streets shall be so planned as to discourage through traffic.
(2) Wherever there exists a dedicated or platted portion of a street or alley along a boundary of the tract being subdivided, the remainder of said street or alley, to the prescribed width, shall be platted within the proposed subdivision.
(3) Half streets shall not be provided except where it is essential to the reasonable development of the subdivision in conformity with the other requirements of these regulations or where it becomes necessary to acquire the remaining half by condemnation so that it may be approved in the public interest.
(4) Cul-de-sacs shall normally not be longer than 500 feet including a turnaround which shall be provided at the closed end with an outside curb radius of at least 40 feet and a right-of- way radius of not less than 50 feet. The maximum grade of the turnaround portion of the cul-de-sac shall be 5%.
(5) Alleys shall not be provided in residential districts, but shall be included in commercial and industrial areas where needed for loading and unloading or access purposes.
(6) The minimum distance between center line of parallel or approximately parallel streets intersecting a cross street from opposite directions shall be 125 feet.
(7) Intersections of more than two streets at one point shall be avoided.
(8) Dead-end streets shall be prohibited unless provided with a turnaround or cul-de- sac arrangement.
(9) Right-of-way requirements may be increased where anticipated traffic flow warrants it or if drainage easements should reasonably parallel such thoroughfares. Such increased width will be established by the Commission with the advice of the Engineer.
(10) Minimum right-of-way widths, paving widths, angle of intersection, curb radius, distance along sides of sight triangles, horizontal alignments, vertical alignments, and maximum grades shall be in accordance with the following table:
Design Characteristic | Arterial Streets | Collector Streets | Local Streets | Cul-de- Sacs | Crosswalks | Alley |
Design Characteristic | Arterial Streets | Collector Streets | Local Streets | Cul-de- Sacs | Crosswalks | Alley |
Grades for 25 feet before intersection | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | |
Horizontal alignment (Minimum radii of center line) | 600 feet | 400 feet | 200 feet | 100 feet | 100 feet | |
Maximum grade | 7.5% | 12% | 14% | 14% | 14% | |
Minimum angle for intersection | 90 degrees | 80 degrees | 70 degrees | 70 degrees | 70 degree s | |
Minimum curb radius | 35 feet | 25 feet | 15 feet | 15 feet | 5 feet | |
Paving width | 40 feet | 26 feet | 24 feet | 24 feet | 10 feet | 20 feet |
Right-of-way width | 70 feet | 60 feet | 50 feet | 40 feet | 12 feet | 33 feet |
Site triangles (distance along sides of) through street/stop street | 500feet/3 0 feet | 500 feet/ 30 feet | 250 feet/25 feet | 250 feet/25 feet | 50 feet/20 feet | |
Vertical curves (minimum sight distance) | 500 feet | 350 feet | 200 feet | 100 feet | 100 feet | |
(D) Blocks. Blocks shall ordinarily not exceed 1,000 feet in length. Where it is necessary for blocks to exceed this length, pedestrian ways and/or easements may be required near the center of the block.
(E) Lots. The lot and yard sizes shall conform with the requirements of the Zoning Code and the lots shall be designed in accordance with the following design standards.
(1) Every lot shall be provided with access adequate for the use of public safety vehicles and other public and private purposes and shall be served by a public or private street system, improved in accordance with this chapter, and connected to the general street system.
(2) Sidelines of lots shall be approximately right angles to straight streets and on radial lines on curved streets wherever feasible. Pointed or very irregular lots shall be avoided unless such variations shall improve the overall neighborhood design.
(3) Double-frontage lots shall be avoided.
(4) When a tract is subdivided into larger than required building lots and there is no covenant preventing resubdivision of the lots, such lots or parcels shall be so arranged as to permit a logical location and opening of future streets and resubdividing with provision for adequate utility connections for each subdivision.
(F) Easements. Easements for utilities and drainage shall have a minimum width of ten feet with access available to all portions of the easement. Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, there shall be provided a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way of width sufficient for the purpose.
(G) Water and sewer systems. The water supply and sewage disposal systems for the subdivision shall meet the design standards and requirements of the State Board of Health and the City Water and Sewer Departments.
(H) Planned unit development. The design standards of this chapter may be modified by the Commission in the case of a plan utilizing an unusual concept of development which meets the requirements of this section. The planned unit development provision is intended to encourage original and imaginative subdivision design which preserves the natural amenities of the site and provides for the general welfare of the city.
(1) The unit plan shall be consistent with the spirit and intent of this chapter.
(3) The area of land to be developed shall not be less than five acres.
(4) Properties adjacent to the unit plan shall not be adversely affected.
(Prior Code, § 151.10)
(Ord. 908, passed 9-15-1969)