(A) Minimum width. A driveway is a cartway that provides access to a public road for 1 or 2 residential lots or principal dwelling units or a single commercial or industrial lot. A driveway shall have a minimum width of 10 feet to provide access for fire trucks and ambulances.
(B) State roads. A state highway permit is required for all access onto or work within the right-of-way of a state road. Where applicable, the issuance of such permit shall be an automatic condition of final subdivision approval.
(C) Driveway slopes. Slopes of driveways shall be minimized so as to accommodate access by emergency vehicles as provided in division (E) below. Generally, driveway slopes should not exceed 15% for any horizontal distance longer than 25 feet, except that the first 20 feet of a driveway from the entrance to a road shall have a maximum slope of 10%.
(D) Drainage. The developer shall make adequate provisions to maintain uninterrupted parallel drainage along a road where intersected by a driveway.
(E) Emergency access. The Subdivision Administrator may require an applicant to provide a statement on a subdivision plan regarding whether or not it will be possible to construct driveways on new lots that will be suitable for emergency access. Proposed driveway should be sufficient in width, slope, height clearance, weight limit, turning radius and drainage to provide adequate access for fully loaded fire trucks and ambulances. Generally a 10 feet minimum horizontal clearance and a 12 feet minimum vertical clearance should be maintained.
(1) A review by emergency service providers may be requested.
(2) The county does not accept responsibility to guarantee that such access will be possible.
(F) Sight distance. Driveway entrances onto roads shall be located to maximize sight distances of oncoming traffic. See also State Highway Administration requirements for entrances onto a state road, and county roads ordinance requirements for entrances onto a county road.
(Res. 2010-5, passed 5-25-2010)