A. General. Any proposed subdivision containing land zoned or otherwise intended to be used for commercial, industrial, or multi-family uses is subject to the design standards contained in this section, in addition to those standards applying to all subdivisions of land.
B. Arrangement of lots and/or blocks. Proposed commercial, industrial, multi-family parcels shall be laid out in such a manner as to provide safe access; harmonious arrangements of land uses; separation of different modes of transportation; areas for drainage runoff and, utilities.
C. Street to comply with usage. If access will be required for large trucks and/or heavy loads, the Commission may increase the construction and design requirements upon recommendation of the City/County Engineer. Roads serving primarily non-residential traffic, especially truck traffic, shall not normally be extended to the boundary with adjacent tracts used or zoned for residential purposes, nor shall primarily residential roads be used for access to industrial subdivisions. Multi-family dwelling complexes shall be designed so as to discourage vehicular traffic from using streets designed and constructed primarily for single-family residential use.
D. Large development: commercial, industrial tracts. In large tracts of land for development of commercial and/or industrial development a street across the tract shall be indicated for immediate construction or scheduled construction over a given period of time. When a proposed street is found to be inappropriate for continuation in light of unforeseen developments, changes may be made if approved by the Plan Commission. A peripheral street shall be provided when large parking lots have a customer access street immediately adjacent to the place of business. Said street shall have no less than two traffic lanes and shall be appropriately delineated by ornamental islands described in the off-street parking requirements of the Zoning Ordinance.
E. Alleys/service drives. Alleys may be provided in commercial and industrial districts unless provision is made for adequate service access. Alleys may be permitted by the Commission to provide loading and service areas. Such alleys are recommended to have a right-of-way width of at least 30 feet and a pavement width of at least 20 feet. Dead-end alleys should be avoided, but if unavoidable, shall be provided with an adequate turn-around at the closed end, as approved by the Plan Commission.
F. Loading docks and parking. Loading docks, truck parking and/or truck turn-around areas shall be designated by the use of signed and pavement markings. These areas shall be separated from parking and access areas used by automobiles or pedestrian traffic. The intent of this provision is to minimize truck parking, standing, or backing on public, or private, streets used primarily to move pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
G. Fire lanes. Refer to Chapter 94, Fire Prevention Code of the City of Columbia City.
H. Parking lots. Parking lots shall have a hard, dust-free surface and shall be designed to provide safe, well-defined points of ingress and egress. The Commission may require such physical barriers, pavement markings, signs, and landscaping as it deems necessary to properly channel traffic to designated parking entrances and exits. (See Chapter 10, “Off-Street Parking and Loading Requirements,” Columbia City Zoning Ordinance.)
I. Buffers. Subdivisions containing land zoned for commercial or multi-family use shall contain landscaped buffer areas at least 20 feet in width along all lot lines abutting land zoned for single-family or two-family residential use. Subdivisions containing land zoned for industrial use shall contain landscaped buffer areas at least 25 feet in width along all lot lines abutting land used or zoned for residential use. The subdivision plans must show the planting details, including the type(s) and height of vegetation and the caliper of trees to be planted. Such landscaped buffer shall be at least six feet in height, including mounding and landscaping, and shall consist of materials which will form a dense screen, or an opaque fence shall be constructed to accomplish this purpose. The design and materials of such fence shall be shown on the plans.
J. Drainage. A drainage plan meeting the requirements contained in Paragraph 4.08 shall be submitted. Such system shall be designed so as to minimize the disposal of storm water off-site. Such system shall make maximum use of on-site retention ponds or detention basins to minimize the downstream impact of the drainage from the site.
(1980 Code, Ch. 154, § 4.10) (Ord. 2001-4, passed 3-27-2001)