(A) The street layout of the subdivision shall generally conform to the Archbold Thoroughfare Plan, which exhibits the most advantageous development of adjoining areas and the entire neighborhood. Subdivision blocks shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Proposed streets shall be extended to the boundary lines of the tract to be subdivided, unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions or unless, in the opinion of the Planning Commission, such extension is not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision as existing or the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts.
(2) Cul-de-sacs of up to 700 linear feet will be approved where necessitated by topography or where, in the judgment of the Commission, they are appropriate for the development type.
(3) Permanent dead-end streets shall not be permitted.
(4) Intersections involving junctions of more than two streets shall be avoided.
(5) Proposed streets shall intersect with one another as nearly at right angles as topography and other limiting factors of good design permit. The angle of intersection between any street and an arterial street or collector street shall not be less than 80 degrees as measured from the centerline of each street. All other streets shall not intersect at an angle less than 70 degrees.
(6) The minimum tangent roadway centerline distance from an intersection shall be 75 feet before a horizontal curve may begin.
(7) Wherever there exists a dedicated or platted and recorded half-width street or alley adjacent to the tract to be subdivided, the other half-width of such street or alley shall be platted.
(8) Alleys or service drives may be platted in commercial and industrial areas if no other provisions are made for adequate access to parking and loading spaces. To provide safe access to residential lots located on freeways, expressways, and arterials, the alleys may be platted in the rear of such lots or service drives using such means suggested in this section. Alleys may also be appropriate in traditionally designed neighborhoods that provide private drives to serve rear-loaded garages.
(9) If intended for residential use, lands abutting limited access highways, arterials, and railroads shall be platted to create attractive lots for such use by cushioning the impact of heavy traffic on such thoroughfares and minimizing the interference of traffic. In each specific case, the subdivider shall take into consideration topography, existing physical conditions, the character of the existing and contemplated development, and other pertinent factors that may apply. Additional solutions may also be considered when a subdivision contains a petroleum or natural gas pipeline, or other utility easements. The subdivider may accomplish this objective in several ways, particularly those described as follows:
(a) Plat the lots abutting such traffic ways at very generous depths and provide vehicular access to them by means of either alleys or service drives in the rear or provide a frontage access road next to the highway.
(b) Front the lots on a minor street that parallels the highway, arterial, or railroad at a
generous lot depth, rather than on the major thoroughfare. Private driveways in this case would connect with the minor street.
(c) Plat a collector street more or less parallel with the highway or railroad, with a depth of 600 to 1,000 feet, from which loop streets would extend toward the highway or railroad, the ends of which giving access to the lots abutting the highway or railroad to the rear.
(d) Use landscaping, fencing, mounds, or other appropriate buffers of sufficient depth and height to mitigate the impacts of abutting major thoroughfares and railroads.
(10) Temporary dead-end streets, due to a phased development schedule, future planned connection, or other similar reason, shall be permitted where necessary for the subdivision design provided that a temporary turnaround shall be constructed when lots front on such temporary dead-end streets. The extra width, in said case, shall be the same as that required for permanent turnarounds, provided that such extra width in excess of the street right-of-way shall be vacated upon the extension of the street.
(11) Blocks shall have sufficient width to provide for two tiers of lots of appropriate depth. Single tier lots may be permissible to accommodate stormwater detention areas, common green spaces, etc.
(12) The lengths of blocks shall be appropriate for the locality and the type of development under the direction of the Planning Commission. Blocks shall not be less than 500 feet nor exceed 1,400 feet.
(13) The Commission may require a mid-block crosswalk or pedestrian way with a minimum of ten feet in width to be constructed across any block that is over 900 feet in length to provide proper access to schools, recreational areas, shopping centers, and other facilities.
(14) The number of intersecting streets along freeways, expressways, and arterials shall be held to
a minimum. Wherever practical, blocks along such traffic ways shall be not less than 1,000 feet in length unless otherwise approved by the Commission.
(Ord. 2024-16, passed 2-19-2024)