The purpose of this section is to protect the substantial public investment in the city's street system by preserving the traffic capacity of existing streets. It is the further intent of this section to promote safe and efficient travel within the city; minimize disruptive and potentially hazardous traffic conflicts; establish efficient standards for driveway spacing and the number of driveways; and ensure reasonable vehicular access to properties, though not always the most direct access.
(A) Zoning districts. The standards of this section shall apply to land in Garden City's nonresidential zoning districts only.
(B) County or state access management standards. Where Wayne County or the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) have adopted access management standards which are more restrictive than the standards of this section, the adopted county or MDOT standards shall supersede the standards of this section.
(C) Driveway spacing standards. Each parcel or part thereof subject to the standards of this section shall have no more than one driveway entrance and exit opening to a public street for each 75 feet of frontage or fraction thereof.
(1) Where more than one driveway is allowed, the driveways shall be located at least 30 feet apart.
(2) No driveway shall be located within 25 feet of a side lot boundary, or within 25 feet of an intersection of two or more street rights-of-way.
(D) Shared access standards. Vehicle access to parcels or parts thereof subject to the standards of this section may be provided by the development and use of shared driveways, cross-access drives, and similar means of shared access, subject to the following:
(1) Location. New shared driveways and cross-access drives shall be aligned with existing or proposed drives on adjacent lots where feasible, and shall be located parallel or perpendicular to the street right-of-way, as appropriate.
(2) Cross-access easement. Shared driveways and cross-access drives shall be located within a dedicated access easement that permits traffic circulation between lots. Such access easement shall be recorded with the County Register of Deeds.
(3) Maintenance. The easement area shall remain clear of obstructions and shall not be used for parking unless otherwise approved by the Planning Commission. Each property owner shall be responsible for maintenance of the shared access easement area.
(E) Allowed modification. The Planning Commission may waive certain requirements of this section if practical difficulties exist on the site that make compliance unreasonable (i.e., sight distance limitations, existing development, topography, unique site configuration or shape) or existing off-site driveways make it impractical to comply with the standards of this section. The modification shall be the minimum necessary.
(Ord. 11-004, passed 4-11-11) Penalty, see § 154.999