The arrangement, character, extent, width, grade and location of all streets shall conform to all of the elements of these right-of-way guidelines and the Street Standards.
(A) 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 Street Standards.
(2) All streets shall be properly integrated with the existing and proposed system of thoroughfares and dedicated rights-of-way as established on the Comprehensive Plan.
(3) Minor streets 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.
(4) 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 the use will result in a more desirable lay-out and relate better to the existing topography. On flat land, innovative, varying geometrical street patterns shall be encouraged where they are likely to enhance visual interest and a sense of order for those using them (e.g., non-grid rectilinear, trapezoidal, polygonal or other geometric patterns).
(5) Proposed 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 the 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.
(6) In business and industrial developments, the streets and other accessways shall be planned in connection with the grouping of buildings, location of rail facilities and the walkways, bikeways and parking areas so as to minimize conflict of movement between the various types of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
(B) 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 arterial 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 1,800 feet nor be less than 400 feet in length.
(3) In long blocks, the Commission may require the reservation of easements through the block to accommodate utilities, drainage facilities or pedestrian traffic. Pedestrianways or crosswalks not less than 12 feet wide, may be required by the 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 a length and width as may be determined to be suitable by the Commission for the intended use.
(C) Reserve strips (spite strips). The creation of reserve strips shall not be permitted adjacent to a proposed street in a manner as to deny possible access to it from adjacent property.
(D) Construction of streets.
(1) Construction of streets other than cul-de-sacs. The arrangement of streets shall provide for the continuation of streets between adjacent subdivisions or other properties when the continuation is necessary for the convenient movement of traffic, for effective fire protection, for efficient provision of utilities and where the continuation is in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan.
(2) Cul-de-sacs (permanent dead-end streets). Required where a street does not extend beyond the boundary of the subdivision and its continuation is not required by the Commission or is nearer to the boundary than 50 feet. However, the Commission may require the reservation of an appropriate easement to accommodate drainage facilities, pedestrian traffic or utilities. A cul-de-sac turnaround shall be in accordance with Street Standards, and a stub street requires a 100-foot temporary turnaround. For greater convenience to traffic and more effective police and fire protection, permanent dead-end streets shall be limited in length to 1,000 feet, measured from the point of intersection of centerlines through the center of the circle to the end of the right-of-way.
(E) Addressing. Addressing of all land/buildings in the unincorporated county is the responsibility of the Department as determined by Chapter 152. Addressing by the Department of proposed building sites will occur only after the Department is presented with a property deed recorded in the office of Recorder for the county and an accurate location of buildings to be addressed.
(F) Variation and exceptions. When a subdivider can show that a provision of these right-of-way guidelines, if strictly adhered to, would cause unnecessary hardship because of topographical or other conditions peculiar to the site, and a departure may be made without destroying the intent of these standards, the Plan Commission may authorize a modification of the action in question.
(Ord. 2009-67, passed 3-2-2009; Ord. PC 2016-20, passed 7-18-2016; Ord. PC 2017-19, passed 10-16-2017)