A. Requirements: Except where modified by the City Council, each subdivision or parcel map and the map thereof shall be in conformity with the standards set forth or referred to in this Chapter and the standard specifications of the City.
B. Conformance To Plans: All subdivision maps shall conform to any specific plans of streets, public areas or other projects or plans adopted or approved by the Council. There shall be conformity with the principles and standards of the General Plan, Specific Plan and to the City Zoning Regulations.
C. Buildable Lots: All subdivisions shall result in the creation of lots which are developable and capable of being built upon. The minimum area of any lot shall be as required by the Zoning Ordinance. No subdivision shall create lots which are impractical of improvement due to size or shape, steepness of terrain, location of watercourses, problems of sewerage or driveway grades, or other natural physical conditions.
D. Access To Public Streets: All lots or parcels created by the subdivision of land shall have direct access to a public street except where adequate internal circulation is provided by a private street. If private streets are proposed, subdivider shall submit a development plan showing the alignment, width, grade and material specifications of any proposed private street, the topography and means of access to each lot, drainage and sewerage of the lots served by such private street, and plan satisfactory to the City Council for ownership and maintenance of said street and the liability for taxes thereon. Construction of the private street or access shall be completed prior to occupancy of any buildings on lots served by a private street.
E. Lot Standards: The size, shape and orientation of lots in the subdivision shall be appropriate to the location of the proposed subdivision and to the type of development contemplated. The following principles and standards shall be observed:
1. The minimum area and dimensions of all lots shall conform to the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance for the district in which the subdivision is located;
2. The sidelines of all lots, so far as possible, shall be at right angles to the street which the lot faces, or approximately radial to the center of curvature, if such street is curved. Sidelines of lots shall be approximately radial to the center of curvature of a cul-de-sac on which the lot faces;
3. No lot shall be divided by a City boundary line, tax district line, special district line, nor any boundary between parcels registered under separate ownership. Each such boundary line shall be made a lot line;
4. No remnants of property shall be left in the subdivision which do not conform to lot requirements, or are not required for a private utility or public purpose unless designated alphabetically on the subdivision map for a specific use or nonuse and referred to as an outlot;
5. Lot numbers shall begin with the number one and shall continue consecutively through the tract, with no omissions or duplications, and no block designation shall be used;
6. Lots having double frontage shall not be approved except where necessitated by topographic or other unusual conditions. Where such lots are approved, vehicular access from one frontage shall be waived. The width of each block shall be sufficient for an ultimate layout of two (2) tiers of lots therein of a size required by the provisions of this Chapter unless the general layout in the vicinity, lines of ownership, topographical conditions, or locations of arterial streets or freeways justify or make necessary a variation from this requirement.
F. Streets:
1. Conformance: The subdivision design shall conform to the pattern of arterials designated in the Corcoran General Plan, and to any future street plan lines approved by the City Council. Whenever a subdivision fronts on a designated arterial, it shall be included on said map and shall be platted by the subdivider in the location indicated in the General Plan.
2. Minimum Standards: Street standards shall be adopted by the City in the City of Corcoran Improvement Standards or Standard Specifications. All streets and arterials shall be platted according to the standards provided for in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time of the preparation of the subdivision map, except where it can be shown by the subdivider, to the satisfaction of the City Council, that the topography or the small number of lots served and the probable future traffic development are such as to unquestionably justify a lesser standard. But in no case shall the right-of-way width be less than the minimum specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications, with the exception of a planned unit development which may further modify these standards.
3. Street Pattern: The street pattern in the subdivision shall be in general conformity with a plan for the most advantageous development of adjoining areas and the entire neighborhood or district. The following principles shall be observed:
a. Continuous Streets: Where appropriate to the design and terrain, proposed streets shall be continuous and in alignment with existing, planned or platted streets with which they are to connect;
b. Extension Of Streets: Proposed streets shall be extended to the boundary line of the land to be subdivided, unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions, or unless, in the opinion of the Planning Commission, such extension is not necessary for the coordination of the subdivision with the existing layout or the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts;
c. Access: Where necessary to give access to or permit a satisfactory subdivision of adjoining land, streets shall extend to the boundary of the property and the resulting dead end streets may be approved with a temporary turnaround. In all other cases, a turnaround having a minimum pavement radius as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted is required;
d. Intersections: Proposed streets shall intersect one another as nearly at right angles as possible. "T" intersections rather than "cross" intersections shall be used wherever possible. The center line of all streets shall be the continuation of the center line of existing streets or shall be offset at least the distance as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted;
e. Certain Streets Prohibited: Excessively long, straight, local residential streets, conducive to high speed traffic, shall be prohibited;
f. Cul-De-Sacs: Cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets should not be more than the length specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted;
g. Street Types: All streets shall be known as "avenues". All curvilinear or diagonal streets shall be known as "drives". Cul-de-sac streets shall be known as "courts" or "circles";
h. Street Names: All street names shall be approved by the Planning Commission. Duplication of existing names shall not be allowed unless the streets are approximately in alignment with existing streets and not so far removed;
i. Alleys: The City Council may require alleys if there is a demonstrated need to maintain continuity of existing alleys. If alleys are required, they shall be constructed to City standards as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted;
j. Design Adjacent To Arterials: Subdivision design adjacent to arterials shall be as specified in the Corcoran General Plan and as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted;
k. Frontage Roads: Frontage roads, if required, shall conform to the standards and shall be separated from the arterial or freeway by a strip of permanent landscaping as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted, subject to approval by the Planning Director. Frontage roads shall enter arterials by means of intersections designed with turning and stacking capacity adequate for the traffic volume as estimated by the City Engineer;
l. Lots Adjacent To Arterials: Where residential lots are adjacent to an arterial street and no frontage road is provided, access from such lots is prohibited. In such cases, an additional ten foot (10') dimension is required in either lot width or depth to provide for a permanent landscaped setback. A wall or fence as approved by the Commission shall be required at the rear or side of lots adjacent to the arterial;
m. Rear Of Lot Boarders Arterial: When the rear of any lot borders an arterial, the subdivider may be required to execute and deliver to the City an instrument, deemed sufficient by the City Attorney, prohibiting the right of ingress and egress from said arterial to said lot;
n. Grades, Curves, And Sight Distances: Grades, curves and sight distances shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer, to ensure proper drainage and safety for vehicles and pedestrians. The following principles and minimum standards shall be observed:
(1) Grades of streets shall not be less than as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted;
(2) Whenever any street intersects an arterial street or State highway, the property line at such intersection shall be rounded with a curve having a radius of not less than as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted. On all other street intersections, the property line at each block corner shall be rounded with a curve having a radius of not less than as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted. In either case, a greater curve radius may be required if streets intersect at other than right angles;
(3) The center line curve radius on all streets and highways shall conform to accepted engineering standards of design and as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted.
G. Curbs And Sidewalks: Curbs and sidewalks shall be installed as specified in the City of Corcoran Standard Specifications in effect at the time the subdivision map is submitted. Sidewalks shall be required on both sides of the street unless it can be shown through design or lot size (in excess of 1/2 acre) that elimination will not jeopardize the public safety.
H. Landscaping: The developer shall be responsible for providing one street tree (minimum 15 gallon) in the front yard setback of all residential lots, the variety of tree to be approved by the Planning Director. The developer shall pay a fee as established by City Council in lieu of providing trees.
I. Utilities And Easements: All utility distribution facilities shall be placed underground. Utility easements shall be provided within the subdivision where required for public utility purposes. Modification of the easement width requirement may be granted only when approved by both the City Engineer and the public utility or utilities concerned.
J. Watercourses: The subdivider shall dedicate a right of way for storm drainage conforming substantially with the liens of any natural watercourse or channel, stream or creek that traverses the subdivision, or at the option of the City Council the subdivider shall provide by dedication further and sufficient easements or construction, or both, to dispose of such surface and storm water.
K. Block Design: When at all possible a block shall have sufficient width for an ultimate layout of two (2) tiers of lots of the size required by the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance.
L. Block Standards: Blocks shall not normally exceed nine hundred feet (900') in length between street lines, except where subdivisions containing parcels of one-half (1/2) acre or larger justify or require a variation from this requirement.
M. Commercial And Industrial Areas: When property is designated for commercial or industrial use either in the General Plan, Specific Plan or the Zoning Regulations, the plan of the subdivision shall be appropriate for such uses. Streets shall have adequate capacity to handle the anticipated traffic which will utilize them. As far as practicable, streets shall be laid out so that there will be direct access to the commercial or industrial area from arterial or collector streets without utilizing local streets traversing residential areas. Lot areas and dimensions shall be adequate to accommodate the yard spaces, off-street parking facilities, and off-street loading facilities required by the Zoning Regulations.
N. Reserve Strips: A one foot (1') reserve strip shall be provided at the dead end of a stubbed street or at the edge of a partial width street and shall be offered for dedication to the City for future street purposes and shown on the final map. (Ord. 527, 8-4-1997)