Chapter 18R.08 DESIGN CRITERIA2

A. Subdivision Density. The maximum number of dwelling units permitted within a proposed subdivision shall not exceed the density established by the general plan for the area or the maximum number of dwelling units permitted by the applicable zoning districts, whichever is less, and may be further restricted by considerations of safety, traffic access or circulation, the slope of the natural terrain, the physical suitability of the site, the nature or extent of existing development, the availability of public facilities, utilities, or open spaces or any other provision set forth herein.

B. Blocks.

1. Size. Blocks shall be designed to allow for adequate building sites for the type of use proposed, to allow for convenient pedestrian and vehicular circulation, access, traffic control and safety, and with regard to limitations created by topography.

Block lengths shall be dependent upon intersection spacing as set forth in subsection G of Section 18R.08.020 of these criteria.

Block widths shall be sufficient to allow for two tiers of lots with rear easements as required.

2. Corners. At intersections, all block corners shall be rounded at the property line on a 20-foot radius curve. Greater radii may be required where necessary for traffic safety.

C. Lots Generally.

1. Width and Area. The minimum width the area of all lots shall conform to the requirements of the zoning districts in which the subdivision is located.

2. Depth. The depth of a residential lot, exclusive of flag lots, shall not be greater than three times the width of the lot. Minimum residential lot depth shall be 80 feet.

3. Lot Frontage. All lots within a proposed subdivision shall have frontage on a public or private street.

4. Lot Lines. The side lot lines wherever practical shall be at right angles or radial to street lines, except where the community development director determines an alternative design is acceptable.

5. Lots Adjoining City Limits. No lot shall be divided by a city boundary line.

6. Lot Grading. All lots shall be adequately drained. Surface water from each lot shall be conducted directly to the adjacent street or alley, or to underground storm drainage facilities or drainage channels.

D. Lot Configuration.

1. Flag Lots. Flag lots shall be approved only where required by topographic conditions or where there is no practical alternative design for the development of the interior portions of excessively deep parcels. Flag lots shall conform to all of the following requirements:

a. Flag lots shall conform to all of the requirements contained in these criteria except those provisions relating to lot line and lot frontages set forth in subsection C above, and shall have a minimum area of 6,000 square feet. The accessway serving the flag lot(s) shall not be included when calculating the required lot area of any lot.

b. The accessway to the rear lot(s) shall conform to the following design standards:

(1) An accessway serving one unit on a single lot shall be at least fifteen (15) feet wide, with twelve (12) feet thereof being paved. An accessway serving two or three lots, or a single lot with more than one unit, shall be at least twenty-five (25) feet wide with twenty (20) feet thereof paved the entire length of the accessway with an adequate turnaround provided at the end. The number of flag lots served by one accessway shall not exceed three, except that no more than two infill residential flag lots, as defined by section 19.76.180, shall be served by one accessway.

(2) Curbs and gutters may be required depending on drainage requirements, however, sidewalks shall not be required.

(3) The maximum length of a roadway serving one flag lot shall be 200 feet. The maximum length of a roadway serving two or three flag lots shall be 300 feet.

c. Each dwelling unit situated on a flag lot shall provide two (2) off-street parking spaces in addition to those spaces required by Title 19 of the Chico Municipal Code.

d. Prior to the time a flag lot is developed, the site plan therefor shall be reviewed and approved by the city fire chief for fire access and service requirements.

2. Double Frontage Lots. Double frontage lots will be approved only on collector and/or local streets and only if they meet at least one of the following requirements:

a. They are corner lots;

b. Their depth is greater than 200 feet;

c. Such lots are required by reason of unusual topographic or other physical conditions.

For lots which do not meet these requirements, the subdivider shall eliminate the double frontage condition by providing the city with an access waiver which waives all vehicular and pedestrian access rights to street along one of the two frontages. In addition, the subdivider shall provide an approved fence, landscaping, and sprinkler system along such non-access frontage. Maintenance of said landscaping shall be the responsibility of the subdivider and/or future subdivision lot owners.

Lots with triple frontages will not be authorized.

3. Backup or Side-on Lots. Backup (reverse frontage) or side-on lots may be approved in lieu of a frontage road adjacent to an arterial street. Where such lots are approved, access waivers of vehicular and pedestrian access rights to the arterial street over rear or side lot lines shall be required. The subdivider shall provide two (2) feet of additional right-of-way, landscaping, and a suitable fence or other approved barrier along such non-access frontage.

Rear lot lines are those lines adjacent to the arterial street.

4. Property Remnants and Reserve Strips. Remnants of property which do not conform to lot requirements or are not required for a public or private utility or other public use or approved access purpose shall not be created by a subdivision.

Reserve strips designed to provide private control of access to streets, alleys, easements, or other public ways shall not be permitted.

The advisory agency may require an access waiver to provide public control of access and to protect and facilitate the future development and extension of public rights-of-way.

E. Easements.

1. Public Utility and Cable Television Easements. Where alleys are not provided, the advisory agency, public utility agencies or cable television grantee may require public utility and/or cable television easements on each side of rear lot lines and/or side lot lines. Rear lot easements shall, as nearly as practicable, follow a direct course through the entire subdivision.

2. Storm Drain and Sanitary Sewer Easements. Storm drain and/or sanitary sewer easements, as described in the improvement standards, shall be dedicated as requested by the director. Easements of greater width may be required along natural water courses, conforming substantially to the lines of such channels.

Acquisition and maintenance of temporary construction easements outside of the limits of the subdivision shall be the subdivider’s responsibility.

(Res. No. 9 77-78 (part), Res. No. 57 82-83 §3, Res. No. 103 82-83 §§1, 2, Res. No. 127 86-87 §3, Res. No. 82 87-88 §2, Res. No. 105-07 §1, Res. No. 113-07, Res. No. 19-13)

18R.08.020 Public streets.

A. Public Streets Generally.

1. The subdivider shall provide a comprehensive trafficway system, designed and constructed in accordance with these criteria, applicable standards and ordinances, and the city of Chico general plan. Design of streets shall provide for safe vehicular operation at a specified design speed.

2. Public streets shall be required when the street is shown as an arterial or collector street on a master street and highway plan, the general plan, or any other specific or precise plan; or when the street will be used by the general public as a through access route; or when a public street is necessary for special needs including, but not limited to, bus routes, public service access, bike routes and pedestrian access.

B. Street Layout.

1. Existing Streets and Unsubdivided Land. Streets shall be laid out to complement the alignment of existing streets in adjoining subdivisions and to provide a logical continuation of existing streets where the adjoining land is not subdivided.

The advisory agency may require the realignment of streets in contemplation of the development or use of adjoining property and may require the provision of streets or dead-end street extensions to facilitate the subdivision of adjoining property.

Permanently dead-ended streets without cul-de-sacs shall not be approved. When a temporarily dead-ended street is extended to the boundary of the subdivision, a one-foot fee simple strip the width of the street right-of-way shall be dedicated to the city at the end of the street. A barricade, or temporary turning area, or temporary connection to another street shall be required for any such street.

2. Provision for Resubdivision. Where property is subdivided into lots substantially larger than the minimum size required by the zoning districts in which the subdivision is located, the advisory agency may require that streets and lots be laid out so as to permit future resubdivision in accordance with the provisions of these regulations.

3. Future Streets. Where determined necessary for the protection of the public welfare or substantial property rights, the advisory agency may require or approve the reservation of streets within a proposed subdivision for future public use; provided, that all land so reserved shall be dedicated in fee simple to the city.

4. Streets Parallel to Rights-of-Way. Where a subdivision borders on or contains a railroad right-of-way, canal, or limited access highway right-of-way, the advisory agency may require a street approximately parallel to such right-of-way at a distance suitable for the appropriate use of the intervening land. Such distance shall be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grades and future grade separations.

5. Local Streets. Local streets shall be designed so that their use by through traffic will be discouraged. Excessively long, straight residential streets, conducive to high-speed traffic, shall not be approved.

C. Street Names. Proposed street names shall not be similar to present street names, except that streets that are a prolongation or approximate prolongation of existing streets shall be given the same names as the existing streets. No street shall be designated by the same name as any other street even though differentiated by a suffix (avenue, boulevard, way, place or other term), except that a frontage road shall be given the same name as the street on which it borders. Generally no street should change direction by more than 90 degrees without a change in street name.

All proposed street names must be approved by the city fire chief and the Butte County street coordinator.

D. Horizontal Alignment.

1. Specific Requirements. The criteria for the following design elements for each functional street classification shall be as set forth in Table 1:

a. Minimum design speed;

b. Minimum curve radius at centerline;

c. Minimum length of tangent between reversing curves; reversing curves without an intervening tangent shall not be permitted;

d. Minimum stopping sight distance at the given design speed.

2. Superelevation. Superelevations other than those set forth in the standard plans will be acceptable only in extraordinary circumstances and will be designed on an individual basis.

E. Profile.

1. Profile Generally. The grade line should coincide with the centerline of the street. To improve appearances and to reduce the number of sight distance restrictions, vertical curves should, when possible, be superimposed on horizontal curves. For safety reasons, the horizontal curve should lead the vertical curve. Sharp horizontal curves shall not be introduced at or near a pronounced grade sag or summit.

2. Minimum Grade. Minimum grades for all streets with paved gutters shall be 0.25%. Streets with unpaved gutters shall have a minimum grade along centerline of 0.50%.

3. Maximum Grades. Maximum grades shall be 6% for arterial and collector streets and 8% for local streets. A maximum grade of 4% is desirable whenever possible, especially at intersections.

4. Vertical Curves. Parabolic vertical curves shall be used when the algebraic difference in grade is greater than 1.0%. The criteria for the following design elements for each functional street classification and its corresponding minimum design speed shall be as set forth in Table 2:

a. Minimum length of vertical curve;

b. Minimum stopping sight distance;

c. Minimum passing sight distance;

d. Maximum rate of change of grade in percent per 100 feet at the minimum stopping sight distance. This criteria may dictate a vertical curve longer than the minimum stated in this section.

F. Cross Section.

1. Geometric Cross Section. Standard widths for street geometric cross sections shall be as set forth in the improvement standards.

Subdividers of subdivisions with five (5) or more lots shall be required to install full improvements on existing streets adjacent to the subdivision in accordance with the limits of construction required by the improvement standards. In the event that the subdivision will generate sufficient vehicular traffic to require additional traffic lanes or street extensions, the subdivider may be required to provide and improve these facilities.

Subdividers of subdivisions having fewer than five (5) lots shall be required to install full improvements on existing streets adjacent to the subdivisions from the subdivision property line to the existing edge of street pavement, or beyond as may be needed to maintain a maximum five percent (5%) shoulder cross slope, in accordance with the improvement standards.

2. Structural Section. The subdivider’s engineer shall prepare a soils report and determine the R value of the proposed subgrade material. Minimum structural section thicknesses shall be as set forth in the improvement standards. These minimums are based upon a subgrade material having an R value of 25 or more. If the R value is less than 25, the structural section shall be increase accordingly.

The director will determine the traffic index and, if needed, will require an increase in the structural section. Pavement structural section design shall be in accordance with the methods shown in the Highway Design Manual.

3. Curb and Gutter. Curb and gutter shall be installed adjacent to streets in all subdivisions and shall be constructed in accordance with the improvement standards.

4. Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be installed within all streets in all subdivisions and shall be constructed in accordance with the improvement standards. Sidewalks shall be separated from the adjacent curb and gutter by a parkway unless a contiguous sidewalk is specifically approved to save trees or to conform to an existing contiguous sidewalk configuration. All sidewalks shall be installed within the public right-of-way.

The advisory agency may require the installation of sidewalks outside of the subdivision to maintain continuity of pedestrian access from the subdivision to other areas in the immediate vicinity.

5. Half-streets. Half-streets shall not be approved.

G. Intersections.

1. Intersections Generally. The criteria for intersections set forth in this subsection shall be minimum requirements. Based upon traffic analysis, the director may require additional features such as speed change lanes, tapers, separate turning lanes, refuse areas and traffic-control devices. Intersections with more than four approaches shall not be approved.

2. Intersection Spacing. Intersection spacing shall be determined in accordance with these criteria and those set forth in subsection B above, entitled “Street Layout.”

Maximum spacing between intersections shall be 1320 feet.

Minimum spacing of intersections shall be as follows:

a. Local streets, 250 feet;

b. Collector streets, 300 feet;

c. Arterial streets, 500 feet.

3. Geometrics.

a. Alignment. A secondary street shall intersect a primary street at right angles (radial when the primary street is curved). The secondary street alignment shall be perpendicular to the primary street from the centerline of the primary street to the end of the curb return on the secondary street.

b. Cross-Slope in Intersections. The criteria for treatment of cross-slope in intersection areas shall be as set forth in Figure 2.

c. Curb Returns. The standard curb return radius shall be 30 feet, measured to the face of curb.

d. Handicapped Ramp. The standard handicapped ramp shown in the improvement standards shall be installed at all curb returns.

H. Cul-de-Sacs. Cul-de-sac streets shall not exceed 500 feet in length.

The advisory agency may require reduced length, or may require the elimination of a proposed cul-de-sac in order to provide for the efficient circulation of traffic, the future development of the neighborhood street system, or the deployment of emergency services.

Cul-de-sacs shall be constructed in conformance with the improvement standards.

I. Access.

1. General. Street access control may be required by permitting ingress and egress only at specific locations determined by the advisory agency.

Access to arterial streets shall, in general, be permitted at intersections only. The advisory agency may require installation of backup (reverse frontage) lots, or side-on lots adjacent to arterial streets.

Access to other than arterial streets shall, in general, be limited to one opening per lot.

Access to the subdivision from adjacent streets shall be designed to utilize the most efficient circulation pattern within the subdivision.

2. Driveways. Driveways shall be constructed in accordance with the improvement standards.

J. Traffic Control and Safety Devices and Street Name Signs. Traffic control and safety devices shall be installed on all streets as required by the improvement standards and the public works director in order to promote traffic control and safety. Traffic control and safety devices shall include but not be limited to regulatory signs, warning signs, guide markers, construction signs, pavement markings, lane delineations and traffic signals. Street name signs shall be installed at all public, private and public/private intersections in accordance with the improvement standards.

K. Street Lights. City-owned street lights shall be installed on all public streets in accordance with the improvement standards. Street light spacing shall be as required by the public works director.

L. House Numbers. House and unit numbers shall be assigned by the building official and shall be placed and maintained in a manner which is clearly visible from the street.

(Res. No. 9 77-78 (part), Res. No. 57 82-83 §4, Res. No. 110 86-87 §§3-4, Res. No. 59 90-91 §§2-6, Res. No. 167 92-93 §1, Res. No. 113-07, Res. No. 19-13)

18R.08.030 Other public ways.

A. Alleys. Alleys may be required as part of a subdivision circulation system.

Alleys shall be constructed in accordance with the improvement standards.

Intersections of two alleys will be discouraged but may be acceptable in special instances.

B. Bicycle Paths, Pedestrian Ways and Equestrian Ways.

1. Generally. Bicycle paths, pedestrian ways, and equestrian ways may be required in conformance with an established city-wide plan or as required by the advisory agency. Design of said ways and paths shall be consistent with the principle of keeping separation between motorized vehicular traffic and other modes of traffic.

2. Bicycle Paths. Bicycle paths shall be constructed in accordance with the improvement standards. Recommended geometric criteria shall be as follows:

a. Design speed, 20 mph;

b. Sight distance, 120 feet;

c. Minimum curve radius, 65 feet;

d. Overhead clearance, 8 feet;

e. Maximum grade, 5%.

Adequate access points and bicycle parking facilities shall be provided as necessary.

Bicycle stands conforming with the improvement standards shall be provided at parking facilities.

3. Pedestrian Ways. In addition to sidewalk required adjacent to public roadways, pedestrian ways may be required where needed for traffic safety; and access to schools, playgrounds, shopping facilities, or other community facilities. The required width and location shall be as determined by the advisory agency.

4. Equestrian Ways. The minimum required typical section shall be as shown in the improvement standards. Minimum vertical clearance shall be 10 feet.

(Res. No. 9 77-78)

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