(A) General requirements.
(1) Frontage on improved streets. No subdivision shall be approved unless the area to be subdivided shall have frontage on and access from:
(a) An existing state, county, or township highway, or Town of Cloverdale street; or
(b) A street shown upon a plat approved by the Plan Commission and recorded in the Office of the County Recorder. Such street or highway must be suitably improved as required by the highway rules, regulation specifications, or orders, or be secured by a performance bond required under these regulations, with the width and right-of-way required by these regulations or as indicated in the Thoroughfare Plan. Whenever the area to be subdivided is to use an existing street frontage, such street shall be suitably improved as provided herein above.
(B) Grading and improvement plan. Streets shall be graded and improved and conform to the Town of Cloverdale’s construction standards and specifications and shall be approved as to design and specifications by the Town Engineer in accordance with the construction plans required to be submitted prior to secondary approval.
(C) Topography and arrangement.
(1) Streets shall be related appropriately to the topography. All streets shall be arranged so as to obtain as many as possible of the building sites at, or above, the grades of the streets. Grades of streets shall conform as closely as possible to the original topography. A combination of steep grades and sharp curves shall be avoided. Specific standards are contained in the design standards of these regulations.
(2) All streets shall be properly integrated with the existing and proposed system of thoroughfares and dedicated rights-of-way as established in the Thoroughfare Plan and/or Comprehensive Plan.
(3) All arterials and collector streets shall be properly related to the pattern of existing and proposed land uses, to population densities and to special traffic generators including, without limitation, traffic generators such as industries, business districts, schools, churches and shopping centers.
(4) Minor or local streets which do not serve also as collectors shall be laid out to conform as much as possible to the topography, to discourage use by through traffic, to permit efficient drainage and utility systems, and to require the minimum number of streets necessary to provide convenient and safe access to the property.
(5) Rigid, rectangular “gridiron” street patterns are generally to be avoided, and the use of casually curvilinear streets, cul-de-sacs, or loop streets shall be encouraged where such use will result in a more desirable layout and relate better to the existing topography. On flat land, innovative, varying geometrical street patterns (e.g.: non-grid rectilinear, trapezoidal, polygonal, or other geometric patterns) shall be encouraged where they are likely to enhance visual interest and a sense of order for those using them. Particular attention shall be paid to issues relating to natural vehicular traffic control. Recognizing the tendency of drivers to travel faster on straight stretches of road, road grids shall be designed that utilize the natural tendency of drivers to drive slower where the field of vision is limited by gradual curves. Road grids shall also be designed with attention to ease of ingress and egress.
(6) Proposed collector streets shall, where appropriate, be extended to the boundary lines of the tract to be subdivided unless this is prevented by topography or other physical conditions, or unless in the opinion of the Plan Commission such extension(s) is/are not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision under consideration with the existing street layout or for the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts (see division (K) of this section).
(7) In business and industrial developments, the streets and other access ways shall be planed in connection with the grouping of buildings, location of rail facilities, and the provision of alleys, truck loading and maneuvering areas, walkways, bikeways, and parking areas so as to minimize conflict of movement between the various types of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
(D) Blocks.
(1) Blocks shall have sufficient width to provide for two tiers of lots of appropriate depths. Exceptions to this prescribed block width shall be permitted in blocks adjacent to major streets, railroads and waterways.
(2) The lengths, widths, and shapes of blocks shall be such as are appropriate for the locality and the type of development contemplated, but block lengths in residential areas shall not exceed 2,600 feet nor be less than 400 feet in length. Wherever practicable, blocks along arterials and collector streets shall not be less than 1,000 feet in length.
(3) In blocks over 800 feet long the Plan Commission may require the reservation of easements through the block to accommodate utilities, drainage facilities, or pedestrian traffic. Pedestrian ways or crosswalks, not less than ten feet wide, may be required by the Plan Commission through the center of blocks more than 800 feet long or at other appropriate locations and at the ends of the cul-de-sacs where deemed essential to provide for circulation or access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation, or other community facilities. Blocks designed for industrial uses shall be of such length and width as may be determined to be suitable by the Plan Commission for prospective use.
(E) Access to collector streets. Where possible, lots in single family residential subdivisions fronting on collector streets shall be avoided and lots on the corners of intersections between local and collector streets shall front on the local street and have driveway access to it only and not to the collector street. In multiple family residential areas entrances to group parking lots shall have access only to collector streets (where possible) and such entrances shall be widely spaced.
(F) Access to primary arterials. Where a subdivision borders on or contains an existing or proposed primary arterial, the Plan Commission may require that access to it be limited by one of the following means:
(1) The subdivision of the lots so as to back onto the primary arterial and front onto a parallel local street. Where there is required, no access shall be provided from the primary arterial and screening shall be provided within a strip of land along the rear property line of such lots:
(2) A series of cul-de-sacs or loop streets, entered from and designed generally to be at right angles to an access street which is at some distance from and parallel to the arterial street with the rear lines of their terminal lots backing onto the major arterial.
(3) A marginal access or service road (separated from the primary arterial by a landscaped and/or decoratively fenced grass strip and having access thereto at widely spaced suitable points).
(G) Street names. The sketch plan, as submitted, shall indicate names of proposed streets. As part of his review the Administrator shall refer proposed street names to the local postmaster and the Putnam County “911” administrator for their comments regarding duplication of names or possible confusion. After reviewing them the Administrator shall inform the subdivider of his recommendations for their possible revision during the sketch plan review. Names shall be sufficiently different in sound and in spelling from other street names in the Town of Cloverdale or other nearby areas so as to avoid confusion. A street which is, or is planned as, a continuation of an existing street shall bear the same name.
(H) Street regulatory signs. The applicant shall provide and install a street sign at every street intersection within the subdivision. Specific locations are to be approved by the Cloverdale Utility Manager. The Town of Cloverdale shall inspect and approve all street signs before issuance of certificates of occupancy for any residence on the approved streets.
(I) Street lights. Installation of street lights shall be required in accordance with design and specification standards approved by the Cloverdale Utility Manager. Street light standards and fixtures
shall, at a minimum, be consistent with the minimum design standards utilized by the local electric utility for the least expensive utility provided standard and fixture.
(J) Reserve strips. The creation of reserve strips shall not be permitted adjacent to a proposed street in such a manner as to deny access to it from adjacent property if such street is a local street rather than a collector or arterial street (see divisions (E) and (F) of this section).
(K) Construction of streets.
(1) Construction of streets other than cul-de-sacs. The arrangement of streets shall provide for the continuation of principal streets between adjacent subdivisions or other properties when such continuation is necessary for the convenient movement of traffic, effective fire protection, efficient provision of utilities, or where such continuation is in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. If the adjacent property is undeveloped and the street must be a dead-end (stub) street temporarily, the right-of-way shall be provided for all such temporary dead-end streets, with the notation on the subdivision plat that land outside the normal street right-of-way shall revert to abutters whenever the street is continued. Temporary turnarounds must be provided at he ends of such stub streets. The Plan Commission may limit the length of temporary dead-end streets in accordance with the design standards in these regulations.
(2) Cul-de-sacs (permanent dead-end streets). A street that does not extend beyond the boundary of the subdivision because its continuation is not required for access to adjoining property shall terminate at least 50 feet from the boundary of the subdivision. The Plan Commission may require the reservation of an easement to accommodate drainage facilities, pedestrian traffic or utilities from the end of the cul-de-sac to the boundary of the subdivision. A cul-de-sac turnaround shall be provided at the end of a permanent dead-end street in accordance with Town of Cloverdale construction standards and specifications available from the Administrator’s office. For greater convenience to traffic and more effective police and fire protection, permanent dead-end streets shall, in general, be limited in length in accordance with the design standards in these regulations.
(L) Design standards. In order to provide for streets of suitable location, width, and improvement to accommodate prospective traffic and afford satisfactory access for police, fire fighting, snow removal, sanitation, and street-maintenance equipment, and to coordinate street location in order to achieve a convenient system and avoid undue hardships to adjoining properties, the following design standards for streets are hereby required. (Street classifications are indicated on the Thoroughfare Plan.)
(1) Street surfacing and improvements. After sewer and water utilities have been installed by the developer, the applicant shall construct curbs and gutters and shall surface or cause the roadways to be surfaced to the widths prescribed in these regulations. Said surfacing shall be of such character as is suitable for the expected traffic and in harmony with similar improvements in the surrounding areas. Types of pavements shall be as determined by the Town Engineer. Adequate provision shall be made for culverts, drains and bridges. All street pavement, drainage improvements and structures, curbs, turnarounds, and sidewalks shall conform to all construction standards and specifications adopted by the Plan Commission, Town Engineer, or the Town of Cloverdale and shall be incorporated into the construction plans required to be submitted by the developer for plat approval.
(2) Excess right-of-way. Right-of-way widths in excess of the standards designed in this regulation shall be required whenever, due to topography, additional width is necessary to provide for adequate and stable earth slopes. Such slopes shall not be in excess of three to one.
(3) Railroads and limited access highways. Railroad rights-of-way and limited access highways where so located as to affect the subdivision of adjoining lands shall be treated as follows:
(a) In residential districts a buffer strip at least ten feet in depth in addition to the normal depth of the lot required in the zoning district shall be provided adjacent to the railroad right-of-way or limited access highway. This strip shall be part of the platted lots and shall be designated on the plat: ‘This strip is reserved for screening. The placement of structures hereon other than earth berms walls, fences and other landscape screening devices approved by the Plan Commission is prohibited.”
(b) In districts zoned for business, commercial or industrial uses, the nearest street extending parallel or approximately parallel to a railroad shall, wherever practical, be at a sufficient distance from the railroad to ensure a suitable depth for commercial or industrial sites.
(c) Streets parallel to a railroad when intersecting a street which crosses the railroad at grade shall, to the extent practicable, be at a distance of a least 150 feet from the railroad right-of-way. Such distance shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for future separation of grades by means of appropriate approach gradients.
(4) Intersections.
(a) Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. A proposed intersection of two new streets at an angle of less than 75 degrees shall not be acceptable. An oblique street should be approximately at right angles for at least 100 feet from the intersecting street. Not more than two streets shall intersect at any one point unless specifically approved by the Plan Commission.
(b) Proposed new intersections along one side of an existing street shall, wherever practicable, coincide with any existing intersection on the opposite side of such street. Street jogs with center-line offsets of less than 150 feet shall not be permitted except where the intersected street has separated, dual drive, without median breaks at either such intersection. Where local streets intersect with major streets, their alignment shall be continuous. Intersections of major streets shall be at least 800 feet apart.
(c) Minimum curb radius at the intersection of two local streets shall be at least 20 feet; the minimum curb radius at an intersection involving a collector street shall be at least 25 feet. Alley intersections and abrupt changes in alignment within a block shall have the corners cut off in accordance with standard engineering practice to permit safe vehicular movement.
(d) Intersections shall be designed with a flat grade wherever practical. In hilly or rolling areas, at the approach to an intersection a leveling area shall be provided having not greater than a 2% grade at a distance of 60 feet, measured from the nearest right-of-way line of the intersecting street.
(e) Where any street intersection will involve earth banks or existing vegetation inside any lot corner that would create a traffic hazard by limiting visibility, the developer shall cut such ground and/or vegetation (including trimming trees) in connection with the grading of the public right-of-way to the extent seemed necessary by the Engineer to provide an adequate sight distance.
(f) The cross-slopes on all streets, including intersections, shall be 3% or less.
(5) Bridges of primary benefit to the applicant, as determined by the Plan Commission, shall be constructed at the full expense of the applicant without reimbursement from the Town of Cloverdale. The sharing of expense for the construction of bridges not of primary benefit to the applicant, as determined by the Plan Commission, will be fixed by special agreement between the Town of Cloverdale and the applicant. Said cost shall be charged to the applicant pro-rata as the percentage of his land to be developed and so served.
(M) Street dedications and reservations.
(1) New perimeter streets. Street systems in new subdivisions shall be laid out so as to eliminate or avoid new perimeter half-streets. Where an existing half-street is adjacent to a new subdivision, the other half of the street shall be improved and dedicated by the subdivider. The Plan Commission may authorize a new perimeter street where the subdivider improves and dedicates the entire required right-of-way width within his own subdivision’s boundaries.
(2) Widening and realignment of existing streets. Where a subdivision borders an existing narrow street or when the Comprehensive Plan, Thoroughfare Plan, or zoning setback regulations indicate plans for realignment or widening of a street that would require use of some of the land in the subdivision, the applicant shall be required to improve and dedicate such streets at his own expense. Such frontage streets and other streets on which subdivision lots front shall be improved and dedicated by the applicants at his own expense to the full width required by these subdivision regulations. Land reserve for any street purposes may not be counted in satisfying the yard or area requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.
(Ord. 2011-07, passed - - )