(A) The purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum regulations for access to property. Standards are established for new roads, driveways, shared access, parking lot cross access, and service roads. The standards of this chapter are intended to promote safe and convenient travel within the town; minimize disruptive and potentially hazardous traffic conflicts; ensure safe access by emergency vehicles; protect the substantial public investment in the transportation system by preserving capacity and avoiding the need for unnecessary and costly reconstruction which disrupts business and traffic flow; separate traffic conflict areas by reducing the number of driveways; provide safe spacing standards between driveways, and between driveways and intersections; provide for shared access between abutting properties; implement the Comprehensive Plan and the Thoroughfare Plan recommendations; ensure reasonable access to properties, though not always by the most direct access; and to coordinate access decisions with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), as applicable.
(B) The intent of this chapter is to provide and manage access to land development, while preserving the regional flow of traffic in terms of safety, capacity, and mobility. Major thoroughfares serve as the primary network for moving people and goods. These transportation corridors also provide access to businesses and homes and serve as the focus for commercial and residential development. If access systems are not properly designed, these thoroughfares will be unable to accommodate the access needs of development and retain their primary transportation function. This chapter balances the right of reasonable access to private property, with the rights of the citizens of the town and the State of Indiana to safe and efficient travel.
(C) To achieve this policy intent, state and local thoroughfares have been categorized by function and classified for access purposes based upon their level of importance. The standards of this chapter are based on traffic analysis by the Town of Fortville, Hancock County, the Madison County Council of Governments (MCCOG), or INDOT, as applicable. This analysis demonstrates that the combination of roadway design, traffic speeds, traffic volumes, traffic crashes and other characteristics necessitate special access standards.
(Ord. 2018-2A, passed 2-20-18)