§ 14.3 STREETS.

   14.3.1   Dedication of right-of-way. Right-of-way for public streets shall be dedicated to the town pursuant to G.S. Ch. 160A, Art. 19, Part 2 and other applicable state laws. When dedication cannot be required, any future street right-of-way indicated on adopted thoroughfare plans or collector street plans shall be shown on the plat.

   14.3.2   Conformance with thoroughfare plans and collector street plans. The location and design of streets shall be in conformance with applicable thoroughfare plans and collector street plans. Where conditions warrant, right-of-way widths and pavement widths in excess of the minimum street standards may be required.

   14.3.3   Conformance with adjoining street systems. The planned street layout of a proposed subdivision shall be compatible with existing or proposed streets and their classifications on adjoining or nearby tracts.

   14.3.4   Internal street network connectivity.

      (A)   A minimum street connectivity index, as determined by the method outlined in division 14.3.4(B), shall be established for all new residential subdivisions. Within the RP and RR Districts, the minimum index score shall be 1.2, and within the RS, RT, and RMX Districts, the minimum index score shall be 1.4. Planned unit developments shall have a minimum index score of 1.5 for the entire street network serving the development.

      (B)   The street connectivity index shall be calculated by dividing the number of “links” contained in the network by the number of “nodes” contained in the network. For the purpose of this calculation, a “node” is the intersection of two streets or the head of a cul-de-sac within the development. “Links” are lengths of street that connect the nodes. Street stubs shall be considered to be links, but alleys and temporary dead-end streets within the development are not counted as links. One link beyond each node that connects the internal street network to the external street network shall be included in this calculation.

      (C)   An applicant may submit a petition to the town requesting that the minimum connectivity index score be reduced. In the petition, the applicant shall demonstrate how if the proposed site design developer has achieved the required connectivity score to the maximum extent practicable given the topography, environmental conditions, natural features, or adjacent existing development patterns. The Ordinance Administrator shall review the petition and evaluate whether it meets the town's connectivity standard to the maximum extent practicable given the demonstrated site conditions listed in this subsection.

   14.3.5   Access to adjoining property. Where, in the opinion of the approving body, it is desirable to provide for street access to adjoining property, proposed streets shall be extended to the boundary of such property.

   14.3.6   Minimum number of access points to public street network. The minimum number of points of street access shall be based on the number of dwelling units in the proposed development as set forth below.

      (A)   Residential developments with more than 50 lots or dwelling units shall have at least two separate points of public road access.

      (B)   Residential developments with more than 150 lots or dwelling units shall have at least three separate points of public road access.

   14.3.7   Reserve strips. Reserve strips adjoining street rights-of-way for the purpose of preventing access to adjacent property shall not be permitted under any condition.

   14.3.8   Public street design criteria. Public streets shall be constructed in accordance with the standards contained in the NCDOT Roadway Design Manual or the NCDOT Subdivision Roads Minimum Construction Standards as appropriate.

   14.3.9   Private street design criteria.

      (A)   Where permitted. Private streets shall be permitted in single-family detached residential developments, townhouses developments, and in residential developments that are gated or otherwise secured self-contained developments that have their access to public street(s) at one or more secured points.

      (B)   Design and construction. The pavement, construction, and design standards for all private streets shall be equivalent to the standards for local residential streets unless the developer supplies an alternate pavement design (supported by an engineering study) approved by the town. The developer must furnish an engineer’s seal and certification that the private streets have been tested and certified for the subgrade, base, and asphalt. Common area may need to be widened to include the side ditch section.

      (C)   Through streets. No through street in a residential area connecting two public streets can be designated as a private street.

      (D)   Connections to public streets. All private streets connecting with public streets require approved driveway permits from the town or NCDOT as applicable.

      (E)   Sidewalks. Where sidewalks are installed on private streets, they shall be constructed in accordance with all applicable standards as specified in this ordinance and shall meet or exceed the town’s standard specifications for sidewalks.

   14.3.10   Street intersections. Streets shall be designed to intersect each other at angles as close to 90 degrees as possible. Property lines at street intersections shall be a tangent connecting points on each right-of-way line, which are located a minimum distance of 20 feet back from the intersection of the two right-of-way lines in residentially zoned areas and 50 feet in nonresidentially zoned areas.

   14.3.11   Streets crossing natural areas. All streets crossing natural areas, wetlands, or streams shall cross at or as near to 90 degrees as possible within topographic limits.

   14.3.12   Spacing between intersections. A minimum spacing of 150 feet between intersections shall be maintained. In no case shall a pair of intersecting streets be approved with an offset that does not meet this minimum distance standard.

   14.3.13   Maximum length of cul-de-sacs. The maximum distance from an intersecting through street to the end of a cul-de-sac shall be 1,000 feet, except in the Watershed Critical Area, where a maximum length of 1,600 feet is allowed.

   14.3.14   Temporary turnarounds. Streets stubbed to adjoining property or to phase lines shall be required to have temporary turnarounds at the end of the street which are of a sufficient size to permit sanitation and emergency vehicles to turn around.

   14.3.15   Grades at intersections. The grade on stop streets approaching an intersection shall not exceed 5% for a distance of 100 feet from the centerline of the intersection.

   14.3.16   Street names. Street names, prefixes, suffixes, and addresses shall conform to the guidelines and policies set forth by the county E-911 street naming and addressing standards.

   14.3.17   Street and traffic-control signs.

      (A)   Street signs. At each intersection, the developer shall be required to install street name signage in accordance with town standards for the design of such signage.

      (B)   Traffic-control signs. The developer shall provide traffic-control signs that meet the Manual on Uniform Traffic-Control Devices (MUTCD) standards in locations designated by the town.

      (C)   Maintenance. Maintenance of signs on private streets or drives shall be the responsibility of the owner or owners’ association, as appropriate.

(Ord. A.21.01, passed 6-3-2021)