The following sections outline the city’s policies related to various improvements associated with the development process. They are by nature general in scope. Reference should be made to the appropriate sections within the balance of these standards for specific details.
(A) Street improvement policy.
(1) All developments within the city shall provide an interior street system adequate to ensure that all parcels and/or facilities within the development shall have reasonable access to the balance of the public street system. Further, they shall provide access into the development for public service and/or emergency operations. Such facilities shall be of such width and structural strength as to provide safe and unrestricted access.
(2) In single-family developments it is the intent of the city that the street system be designed in conformance with current street classifications. There shall be minimal direct access to the collectors, secondary streets, and extremely limited access to the arterials.
(3) When the development occurs adjacent to a boundary street, it is the city’s policy that it shall be the responsibility of the developer to install improvements along their frontage to the ultimate grade and alignment for that boundary street. This may include removal and replacement of the existing street surface to the centerline if that structure is inadequate to meet the current design standards. Concrete curb and gutter, concrete sidewalk, street lighting, landscaping, irrigation and burial of overhead utilities will be required, at the sole or substantial expense of the developer.
(B) Storm drainage policy.
(1) It is the city’s policy that all developments within the city shall provide sufficient retention/detention so as to minimize the adverse impact of that development on its downstream neighbors. To that end, all development shall provide sufficient on-site retention/detention to contain, at the least, the runoff generated by storm event falling on that property (see Apache Junction City Code Vol. II, § 10-4-2(A)(1) and (2)). Such retention/detention facilities shall be separate and distinct tracts or drainage easements within the development and shall be planned for accordingly.
(2) Further, it is the city’s policy that all developments shall provide adequate drainage facilities so as to convey runoff, generated both on and off the project, around or through the project in such a manner as to ensure that the structures will be free from flooding and that there is reasonable access for emergency and public service vehicles. The developer shall install storm sewers, channels and/or other physical improvements necessary to achieve this result.
(3) The Drainage Design Manual for Maricopa County; Volume I, Hydrology, shall be used to determine peak discharge volumes for design purposes, and Volume II, Hydraulics is to be utilized as a basis for design guidance and criteria.
(4) When washes cross a property, an erosion hazard setback from the edges of the wash(es) will be determined by the development services department and no buildings will be constructed within the setback without industry acceptable erosion hazard setback mitigation techniques and structures.
(C) Water line extension policy. It is the city’s policy that all development within the city shall have an adequate and secure source of potable water. Therefore, unless specifically excepted in writing by the Apache Junction Water Utilities Community Facilities District (“WUCFD”) or the Apache Junction Water District (“AJWD”), all developments within the city shall be serviced by AJWD or Arizona Water Company. Further, the developer shall extend the system to and through the development as necessary to ensure adequate supply to the development. If deemed necessary and appropriate, the developer shall extend the water distribution system to the extremities of the project so as to ensure that more distant potential users shall have reasonable access to the potable water source.
(D) Sewer line extension policy. It is the city’s policy that, unless specifically excepted in writing by the Superstition Mountains Community Facilities District No. 1 (“SMCFD”), all developments within the city shall provide for the discharge of domestic and other liquid waste into the sewage system provided by SMCFD. All developers shall be required to extend to and through their project a sewage collection system of a size sufficient to dispose of these wastes to the SMCFD’s system. When deemed appropriate and necessary, the developer shall extend the main trunk and/or collector lines to the upstream extremities of the project so as to provide reasonable access for potential upstream users to the SMCFD’s sewage system. Owners of developments outside the city limits but within the CAG 208 Plan boundaries must annex into the city and enter into a development agreement to do so which is binding to successors in interest.
(E) Site development policy. It is the city’s policy that all development within the city shall be designed and constructed in such manner as to provide a safe and pleasant environment for the current and future citizens of Apache Junction. To that end, the appropriate standards have been established for site development, to include: public and/or private access for general and special uses; water and sewage systems; on-site and off-site drainage; irrigation; landscaping; storm retention; street lighting, traffic control and public utilities as may be required. The structures themselves are to be constructed in accordance with the Subdivision Regulations (Apache Junction City Code Vol. II, Chapter 2) and/or Zoning Ordinance (Apache Junction City Code Vol. II, Chapter 1), the current adopted International Building Code, Standard Specifications, and these standards, as appropriate.
(F) Order of precedence. It is not intended by these standards to repeal, abrogate, annul or in any way impair or interfere with existing provisions of other laws or ordinances except those specifically repealed with private agreement, or with restrictive covenants running with the land to which the city is a party. Where these standards impose a greater restriction on land, buildings or structures than is imposed or required by such existing provisions of law, ordinance, contract or deed, the provisions of these standards shall prevail.
(G) Definitions and abbreviations. The words, abbreviations or phrases used in these standards may be found in the Maricopa Association of Governments Uniform Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction (Standard Specifications) and Uniform Standard Details for Public Works Construction (Standard Details). All other words or phrases shall be per the generally accepted meaning of the English language.
(Ord. passed - - )