§ 155.052 STREETS.

   (A)   General requirements.

      (1)   Frontage on improved streets. No subdivision shall be approved unless the area to be subdivided shall have frontage on, and access from, an existing street and unless the street is: A street shown upon a plat approved by the City Council and recorded in the County Recorder’s office. The street or highway must be suitably improved as required by Maricopa Association on Governments (MAG) Specifications, or be secured by a performance bond required under these subdivision regulations, with the width and right-of-way required by these subdivision regulations or the General Plan. Wherever the area to be subdivided is to utilize existing road frontage, the road shall be suitably improved as provided herein.

      (2)   Grading and improvement plan. Roads shall be graded and improved and conform to the city construction standards and specifications by the City Engineer, in accordance with the construction plans required to be submitted prior to final plat approval.

      (3)   Topography and arrangement.

         (a)   Roads shall be related appropriately to the topography. Local roads shall be curved wherever possible to avoid conformity of lot appearance. 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. Specific standards are contained in the design standards of these regulations.

         (b)   All streets shall be properly integrated with the existing and proposed system of thoroughfares and the dedicated rights-of-way as established in the General Plan.

         (c)   Local 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 property.

         (d)   Proposed streets shall be extended to the boundary lines of the tract to be subdivided, unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions, or unless in the opinion of the City Council, the extension is not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision with the existing layout or the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts.

      (4)   Blocks.

         (a)   Blocks shall have sufficient width to provide for two tiers of lots or appropriate depths. Exceptions to this prescribed block width shall be permitted in blocks adjacent to major streets, railroads, waterways, or parks.

         (b)   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 1,000 feet or 15 times the minimum lot width required in the zoning district.

         (c)   In long blocks the City Council may require the reservation of an easement through the block to accommodate utilities, drainage facilities, emergency access, or pedestrian traffic.

      (5)   Access to arterial streets. Where a residential subdivision borders on or contains an existing or proposed arterial street, the city may require that access to the streets be limited by one of the following means:

         (a)   The subdivision of lots so that the lots back onto the arterial street and front onto a parallel local street; no direct access shall be provided from the arterial street.

         (b)   A series of cul-de-sacs, U-shaped streets, or short loops entered from and designed generally at right angles to a parallel street, with the rear line of their terminal lots backing onto the arterial street.

         (c)   A marginal access or service road (separated from the arterial street by a planting or landscaped strip and having access thereto at suitable points.)

      (6)   Street names. Street names shall be sufficiently different in sound and spelling from other street names in the city so as not to cause confusion. A street which exists or is planned as a continuation of an existing street shall bear the same name.

      (7)   Street names and regulatory signs. The applicant shall deposit with the city at the time of final subdivision approval an amount equal to the cost of each street sign required by the City Engineer at all road intersections. The city shall install all street signs before issuance of certificates of occupancy for any residence on the streets approved. Street name signs are to be placed at all intersections within or abutting the subdivision, the type and location of which are to be approved by the City Engineer.

      (8)   Street lights. Installation of street lights shall be required in accordance with the design and specification standards approved by the City Engineer. All street lights shall utilize luminaries that minimize reflection into the night sky. Lighting on local and collector streets shall maintain a minimum of .4 lumens at any given point along the street right-of-way while .7 lumens shall be maintained along arterial streets. In addition, light standards shall be spaced such that each intersection is provided at least one light standard.

      (9)   Construction of streets and dead-end streets.

         (a)   Construction of streets. The arrangement of streets shall provide for the continuation of principal streets between adjacent properties when the continuation is necessary for convenient movement of traffic, effective fire protection, for efficient provision of utilities, and where the condition is in accordance with the city General Plan. If the adjacent property is undeveloped and the street must be a dead-end street temporarily, the right-of-way shall be extended to the property line and there shall be a notation on the subdivision plat that land outside the normal street right-of-way shall revert to abuttors whenever the street is continued. The city may limit the length of temporary dead-end streets in accordance with the design standards of these regulations.

         (b)   Dead-end streets (permanent).

            1.   Where a street does not extend to the boundary of the subdivision and its continuation is not required by the city for access to adjoining property, its terminus shall normally not be nearer to the boundary than 50 feet. However, the city may require the reservation of an appropriate easement to accommodate drainage facilities, pedestrian traffic, or utilities. A cul-de-sac shall be provided at the end of a permanent dead-end street in accordance with city construction standards and specifications.

            2.   For greater convenience to traffic and more effective police and fire protection, permanent dead-end streets shall, in general, be limited in length in accordance with the design standards of these regulations.

   (B)   Design standards.

      (1)   General. In order to provide for streets of suitable location, width, and improvement to accommodate prospective traffic and afford satisfactory access to police, fire protection, sanitation, and street-maintenance equipment, and to coordinate streets so as to compose a convenient system and avoid undue hardships to adjoining properties. Table 1 below sets forth design standards for streets.

Table 1
Design Standards for Streets
Improvements/Standards		Dimensions in Feet
Minimum width of right-of-way
Local		50
Minor collector		60
Major collector		80
Minor arterial		110
Major arterial
- Multi-land roadway		130
- Parkway		150
Minimum width pavement (defined as face of curb to face of curb)
Local		32
Minor collector		44
Major collector		64
Minor arterial		68
Major arterial
- Multi-lane roadway		92
- Parkway		102
Maximum posted speed limit
Local	25 mph	–
Minor collector	30 mph	–
Major collector	35 mph	–
Minor arterial	40 mph	–
Major arterial	45 mph	–
Minimum radius of curve
Local		300
Minor collector		300
Major collector		450
Minor arterial		575
Major arterial		750
Minimum length of tangents between reverse curves
Local		150
Minor collector		150
Major collector		200
Minor arterial		270
Major arterial		280
Minimum sight distance
Local		175
Minor collector		260
Major collector		325
Minor arterial		400
Major arterial		475
Minimum turn around (local streets only)
Right-of-way diameter		120
Pavement		100
Center island (if required)		40
Maximum length of cul-de-sac
Permanent		600
Temporary		100
Source: BRW, Inc., 1987; Guidelines for Urban Major Street Design, ITE

 

      (2)   Street and sidewalk surfacing and improvements.

         (a)   After sewer, water, and other utilities have been installed by the developer, the applicant shall construct curbs and gutters and shall surface or cause to be surfaced roadways to the widths prescribed in this chapter. The surfacing shall be of the character as is suitable for the expected traffic and in harmony with similar improvements in the surrounding areas. Types of pavement shall be as determined by the City Engineer. Adequate provision shall be made for culverts, drains, and bridges.

         (b)   All street pavements, shoulders, drainage, and utility improvements and structures, curbs, turnarounds, and sidewalks shall conform to the Uniform Standard Details Specifications adopted by the City Council and shall be incorporated into the construction plans required to be submitted by the developer for plat approval.

      (3)   Railroads and limited access highways. Railroad rights-of-ways and limited access highways where so located as to affect the subdivision of adjoining lands shall be treated as follows:

         (a)   In residential districts a buffer strip at least 25 feet in depth in addition to the normal depth of the lot required in the district shall be provided adjacent to the railroad right-of-way or limited access highway. This strip shall be part of the platted lots and shall be designated on the plat: “This strip is reserved for screening. The placement of structures, except for street signs and lighting is prohibited.”

         (b)   In districts zoned for business, commercial, or industrial uses, the nearest street extending parallel or approximately parallel to the railroad shall, wherever practicable, be at a sufficient distance therefrom to ensure suitable depth for commercial or industrial sites.

         (c)   Streets parallel to the railroad when intersecting a street which crosses the railroad at grade shall, to the extent practicable, be a distance of at least 150 feet from the railroad right-of-way. The distance shall be determined with due consideration of the minimum distance required for future separation of grades by means of appropriate approach gradients.

      (4)   Intersections, angles of. Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. A proposed intersection of two new streets at an angle of less than 75 degrees shall not be acceptable. An oblique street should be curved approaching an intersection and should be approximately at right angles at least 100 feet therefrom. Not more than two streets shall intersect at any one point unless specifically approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

      (5)   Widening and realignment of existing streets. Where a subdivision borders an existing narrow street or when the General Plan or zoning ordinance (Chapter 154 of this code) indicates plans for realignment or widening of a street that would require the use of some of the land in the subdivision, the applicant shall be required to improve and dedicate at his or her expense the areas for widening or realignment of the streets. The streets shall be improved and dedicated by the applicant at his or her own expense to the full width as required by these subdivision regulations. Land reserved for any road purposes may be counted in satisfying yard requirements of the zoning ordinance (Chapter 154 of this code), whether the land is to be dedicated to the municipality in fee simple or as an easement for future expansion or as a private street.

(Prior Code, § 15-4-3) (Ord. O88-06-007, passed 10-13-1988)