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)