(A) The town shall provide a transportation network that promotes access, mobility, and health by providing streets that are safe, convenient, accessible, and attractive for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, users of public transportation, motorists, operators of golf carts, freight providers, those of all ages and abilities (including children, the elderly, and the disabled), emergency responders, and adjacent land users.
(B) The town’s transportation network shall include facilities and amenities that are recognized as contributing to complete streets, which may include, but not be limited to, streets; sidewalks; shared-use lanes and paths; street and sidewalk lighting; street crossings, including crosswalks and improvements such as median refuges; transit accommodations; bicycle accommodations; improvements that provide ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant accessibility; street trees and landscaping; street furniture; and adequate drainage facilities.
(C) The town shall implement complete streets projects to fit within and enhance the context and character of the surrounding built and natural environment. All streets are unique, and the needs of various users must be balanced in a flexible manner. All town-owned transportation facilities in the public right-of-way shall be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained so that users of all ages and abilities can travel safely and independently. Privately constructed streets and parking lots shall adhere to this section. The town shall approach every transportation improvement and project phase as an opportunity to create safer, more accessible streets for all users. These phases include, but are not limited to, planning, programming, design, right-of-way acquisition, construction, construction engineering, reconstruction, resurfacing, retrofit, operation, and maintenance.
(D) Any exception to this section, including for private projects, must be approved by the Planning Commission and be documented in writing with supporting data that indicates the basis for the decision. Such documentation will be publicly available. Exceptions may be considered for approval when:
(1) Specific users are prohibited from using a street or other transportation facility (such as a state highway) by law;
(2) The activities that are ordinary maintenance activities designed to keep assets in serviceable condition and do not change the street's geometry or operations. Such activities may include mowing, cleaning, sweeping, pothole filling, concrete joint repair, and other regular or seasonal maintenance;
(3) The cost of providing full accommodation would be excessively disproportionate to the need or probability of use, now or in the future;
(4) Accommodation is not proactively feasible because of severe topographic constraints or significant adverse impacts to the natural environment, historic or cultural resources, or neighboring and uses; or
(5) The project is under construction or in the final design stages at the time of the adoption of this section.
(E) When projects are exempted from this section, a greater effort shall be made to accommodate affected users elsewhere, including on adjacent streets and on streets that intersect with that street or facility.
(F) The town shall follow accepted or adopted design standards and use the best and latest design standards, policies, principles, and guidelines available. Principles and strategies of good street and bikeway designs offered by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) shall be utilized first and foremost in decision making. Guidelines and standards may include, but not be limited to, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO), Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG), and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
(G) In recognition of various contexts, public input, and the needs of many users, a flexible, innovative, and balanced approach that follows other appropriate design standards may be considered, provided that a comparable level of safety for all users can be achieved.
(Ord. 2019-009, passed 9-10-2019)