(a) Function of Streets. In order to promote public safety and convenience, streets shall be planned to serve particular functions as follows:
(1) Major streets, primarily for the movement of fast, heavy traffic between centers of traffic generation.
(2) Secondary streets, for collecting traffic from or distributing it onto local streets and connecting with major streets and providing access to abutting properties and between neighborhoods.
(3) Local streets, for providing access to abutting properties and circulation of slow-moving traffic and pedestrians within a neighborhood.
(b) Major and Secondary Streets. Unless shown otherwise on the thoroughfare plan, they shall be planned for continuation of existing streets in the system at the same width or greater width in accordance with adopted standards. Secondary streets will normally contain a relatively large number in intersections with local streets. Major streets shall contain as few intersections as possible, with little or no access provided to abutting properties.
Where a subdivision of one-family dwellings abuts a major street, the Commission may require the developer to prepare sketches and estimates of a plan based on marginal access streets or such other treatment as the fronting of lots on perpendicular local streets in order to protect the residential property from the movement of heavy traffic and to eliminate driveways cutting into a major street.
(c) Local Streets shall provide access to each lot and shall be planned for convenient circulation toward the principal directions of travel, to bus routes, to schools and playgrounds. The layout shall be related to the topography and natural features. The street pattern shall be indirect to prevent through traffic and yet continuous; it shall be formed of straight, moderately winding, curved, loop, angular or ell streets. Tee-intersections shall predominate; cross-intersection, gridiron and other rigid geometrical patterns shall be avoided.
(d) Cul-de-Sac Streets or permanent dead-end streets shall be permitted only where parcels are isolated by surrounding allotments, where continuous streets would require excessive grading because of very irregular topography, or where other types of non-through streets would not provide sufficient discouragement of through traffic.
Where approved, cul-de-sacs shall not exceed six hundred (600) feet in length measured from the intersection of the centerlines of the entering intersection or serve more than fifteen (15) one-family dwellings; and a permanent turn-around shall be provided having an outside roadway diameter of at least seventy-five (75) feet, and a street property line diameter of at least one hundred (100) feet. If the cul-de-sac is not open in the direction of schools or playgrounds, a pedestrian-way shall be provided.
(e) Temporary Dead-end Street. Where a subdivision adjoins unsubdivided land, a temporary turn-around, or back-around, shall be provided for each street more than two hundred (200) feet in length if lots front thereon, and provisions made for future extension of the street and utilities, and reversion of the excess right-of-way to the abutting properties; and such provisions shall be so noted on the final plat.
(f) Street of Nonconforming Width. Streets of less than the required width shall not be permitted except where the Commission finds such a street will be adequate to serve a small development, or finds it reasonable not to require the dedication of the full width until all abutting property is subdivided. Where property abuts a street which does not conform to the width as required by the thoroughfare plan or these regulations, or plans of the County or State Highway Department, the additional width shall be dedicated when the land is subdivided.
(g) Reserve Strips Adjoining Streets, or other provisions to control access or extensions to pavement and/or utilities to another property, shall not be permitted except where provisions for the control and disposal of land comprising such strips has been assigned to the City under conditions approved by the Commission.
(h) Streets for Multi-Family Developments shall be planned to connect with major or secondary streets so as to not generate large volumes of traffic on local residential streets. Vehicular and pedestrian access shall be adequate and convenient to each dwelling unit, planned so that a street, service drive, parking area or delivery area will be located not more than one hundred (100) feet from every main or service entrance of a building.
(i) Streets for Business and Industrial Developments shall be planned to connect with major streets so as to not generate traffic on local residential streets. The intersection of service streets, or driveways from parking areas, with major streets shall be located so as to cause the least possible interference with the movement of traffic on the major streets and wherever possible shall be located not less than one hundred twenty-five (125) feet from the intersection of a major or secondary street (measured from the centerlines), or spaced not less than sixty-five (65) feet from each other. Parking areas, serving adjoining business establishments, shall be interconnected by drives and designed to provide the maximum safety and convenience. The Commission may require the dedication and improvement of service roads along major streets.
(j) Intersection. Streets shall be designed to intersect as nearly at ninety (90) degrees as possible, and no street shall intersect another at less than sixty (60) degrees. The intersection of more than two streets at a point or with centerline offsets of less than one hundred twenty-five (125) feet shall not be permitted.
Property lines at street intersections shall be rounded with a radius of not less than thirty (30) feet for major streets, twenty (20) feet for secondary streets, and ten (10) feet for local streets.
(k) Right-of-Way Widths.
(1) Local street right-of-way widths for one-family subdivisions shall be not less than sixty (60) feet, provided however, fifty (50) feet right-of-way may be permitted by the Commission for cul-de-sac and other non-through streets not serving more than twenty-five (25) lots.
(2) Street right-of-way widths for multi-family, business or industrial subdivisions shall be determined for each development; each street shall be of sufficient width to safely accommodate the maximum traffic, parking and loading needs of access for fire protective equipment.
(3) Secondary street right-of-way widths shall be in accord with County or City plans and standards, and may vary from sixty (60) to eighty (80) feet.
(4) Major street right-of-way widths shall be in accord with State Highway, County or City plans and standards, and may vary from eighty (80) to one hundred twenty (120) feet.
(l) Grades of Streets shall not exceed 10 percent for local streets, 7 percent for secondary streets, and 6 percent for major streets. Street grades shall be not less than 0.4 percent in order to provide adequate surface drainage, provided however, the Commission may permit a minimum of 0.25 percent where necessary because of topographic or other conditions.
All changes in grade shall be connected by vertical curves of sufficient length to provide a smooth transition and clear visibility for vehicular operations. A rate of change of grade of 3 to 4 percent per one hundred (100) feet is the maximum recommended to give at least one hundred (100) feet of sight distance. Streets shall level off to a grade not exceeding 3 percent for a distance of not less than one hundred (100) feet from each side of a intersection.
(m) Curvature of Streets. Angles in the alignment of street lines shall be connected by a curve with a radius on the centerline of not less than two hundred (200) feet for local streets, three hundred (300) feet for secondary streets, and five hundred (500) feet for major streets. Between reverse curves there shall be a tangent at least one hundred (100) feet long on major and secondary streets and fifty (50) feet long on local streets.
(n) Street Names shall be selected which will not duplicate or be confused with the names of existing streets in Ashtabula County irrespective of modifying terms such as street, avenue, boulevard, etc. Streets that are or will eventually be continuations of existing or platted streets shall be named the same. Street names shall be subject to the approval of the Commission and wherever possible shall be in accordance with the following system:
Long Short General Direction Continuous Disconnected North-South Streets Courts East-West Avenues Places Diagonal Roads Ways Curving Drives Lanes or Circles |