In addition to the standards set forth in this chapter, the City Engineer shall from time to time prepare, and the Council shall from time to time adopt by resolution, technical standards for public improvements. Such technical standards for public improvements shall contain the minimum acceptable specifications for the construction of public improvements. Such technical standards may vary for classes of improvements, and the extent and character of the area served by the improvements. Upon adoption by the Council by resolution, such technical standards for the public improvements shall have such force and effect as if they were fully set forth herein.
1. Street Standards. The following standards shall apply to all streets to be located within the subdivision:
A. Conform with Street Plan. Streets shall provide for the continuation of major streets from adjoining platted areas, and the extension of major streets from adjoining platted areas, and the extension of major streets into adjoining unplatted areas. Where a plat encompasses the location for a major street proposed in the Comprehensive Plan or major street plan, the plat shall provide for such major street.
B. Grade. Street grades shall align to existing streets, and all grades for streets shall be as approved by the City.
C. Arterial Streets. Arterial streets shall be located so as to not require direct access from the arterial street to abutting lots.
D. Width. Street right-of-way widths and pavement widths shall be as specified in the City Standards, the Comprehensive Plan, major streets plan, or other technical standards for public improvements.
E. Half-Streets. Half-streets are prohibited except where an existing platted half-street abuts the subdivision, then a platted half-street to complete the street shall be required.
F. Minor Streets. Minor Streets should be designed to discourage through traffic while safely connecting the major collector or arterial streets.
G. Intersections. Streets shall intersect as nearly at right angles as possible, and no street shall intersect any other street at less than seventy-five degrees (75º).
H. Radius of Intersection. At intersections of major streets, and otherwise as necessary, lot corners abutting the intersection shall be rounded with a radius sufficient to provide necessary space within the right-of-way for sidewalks, traffic control devices, and other necessary improvements without encroachment onto the corner lots.
I. Dead End. Dead-end streets are prohibited except where a street is planned to continue past the subdivider’s property, a temporary dead end may be allowed.
J. Cul-de-Sacs. Streets which connect with other streets, or loop streets, are preferable for maintenance, fire protection, and circulation, but cul-de-sacs may be permitted. Cul-de-sacs shall not exceed six hundred (600) feet in length and shall be provided with a turn-around with a minimum right-of-way diameter of one hundred (100) feet.
K. Alleys. In general, alleys shall be prohibited in residential areas and required in commercial areas with normal street frontage. Dead-end alleys are prohibited, unless provided with a turn-around with a minimum right-of-way diameter of one hundred (100) feet.
L. Future Streets. When a tract is subdivided into larger than normal lots or parcels, such lots or parcels shall be so arranged as to permit the logical location and opening of future streets and appropriate resubdivision with provision for adequate utility connections for such resubdivision. Easements for the future openings and extensions for such streets or utilities may, at the discretion of the Council, be made a requirement of the plat.
M. Street Names. Streets which are or will become extensions of existing streets shall be given the same name as the existing streets. New street names shall not be the same or sound similar to existing street names. All street names shall be at the approval of the Council.
N. Private Streets. Private streets not dedicated to the City shall be avoided. The Council may approve a private street where unusual conditions make a private street desirable, provided adequate covenants or other legal documents ensure that the City will not have or need to assume any maintenance or other responsibility for such street.
2. Block and Lot Standards. The following standards apply to the layout of blocks and lots in all subdivisions and, to the extent possible, in all resubdivisions:
A. Length and Width. No residential block shall be longer than 1,320 feet or shorter than 300 feet, measured from street right-of-way line to street right-of-way line. The width of blocks should be arranged so as to allow two tiers of lots, with utility easements.
B. Pedestrian Way – Long Blocks. In blocks over 750 feet in length, the Council may require a public way or an easement at least ten feet in width, at or near the center of the block, for use by pedestrians.
C. Size and Shape. The size and shape of blocks or lots intended for commercial or industrial use shall be adequate to provide for the use intended, and to meet the parking, loading and other requirements for such uses contained in Section 165.30 to 165.36, Parking and Loading Regulations.
D. Arrangement. Lot arrangement and design shall be such that all lots will provide satisfactory building sites, properly related to topography and surrounding land uses.
E. Zoning Compliance. The size and shape of all lots shall comply with all requirements of Section 165.16, Land Uses and Regulations by District and 165.20 to 165.29 Supplementary Regulations.
F. Frontage – Access. All lots shall abut a public street, or upon an approved private street, with a minimum frontage as specified in Section 165.16, Land Uses and Regulations by District, measured as a straight line between the two front lot corners, except cul-de-sac’s minimum width shall be 50 feet or 60 feet at the building line.
G. Access Limited. Unless unavoidable, lots shall not front, or have direct access to, arterial streets. Where unavoidable, lots shall be so arranged as to minimize the number of access points.
H. Lot Lines. All lot lines shall be at right angles to straight street lines or radial to curved street lines, except where, in the judgment of the Council, a variation to this provision will provide a better street and lot layout.
I. Corner Lots. Corner lots shall have sufficient extra width to permit the required front yard setback as specified in the zoning ordinance, oriented to either street.
J. Reverse Double Frontage. Reversed frontage lots are prohibited. Double frontage lots shall only be permitted where abutting a major street and a minor street, and such lots shall front only on the minor street.
K. Sanitary Sewage. Any lot not to be served by a sanitary sewage system shall have sufficient area to allow for a satisfactory drain field. No subdivision to be served by septic systems shall be approved by the Council until percolation tests have been performed and the results of said tests have been provided to and reported on by the City Engineer.
3. Sidewalks. Sidewalks shall be installed whenever development of undeveloped or redeveloped land occurs, particularly when: (i) platted under the current subdivision chapter; or (ii) rezoned under the current zoning chapter; or (iii) granted a conditional use under the current chapter. The Council shall not waive the requirement for sidewalks but may consider granting a delay in their installation under the following conditions:
A. When sidewalks are to be located along streets developed as a rural cross-section, which are those streets that have gravel shoulders, open ditches which parallel the driving surface, and right-of-way grades which do not allow for construction of sidewalks without extensive grading.
B. When they are to be located along streets lacking curb and gutter which would require substantial grade changes from the existing road surface if curb and gutter were to be installed, thus requiring the removal and reinstallation of any sidewalks constructed prior to such grading.
C. Other limited situations when it can be clearly demonstrated that no pedestrian, health, safety, or other related problems will occur for those living, working or traveling in the immediate area. The Council may agree to such a delay only through acceptance of an “agreement to install” sidewalks at a later date when so mandated by the Council. Said agreement shall be recorded in the records of the Linn County Recorder and shall become part of the Abstract of Title. The petitioners for deferment consent and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of any assessment, whether special or otherwise, relating to the construction or modification of sidewalks and petitioners waive any right to object or protest the petition of said assessment. The City’s costs and expenses associated with the consultation, preparation and negotiations of petition for sidewalk deferment, including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees and the costs of recording, shall be paid by the petitioner.
4. Erosion Control. The owner shall control erosion occurring in the subdivision by such methods as seeding, sodding, earth dikes, sediment basins to trap runoff water, or by other methods as approved by the City Engineer and as required by the State.
5. Maintenance. The abutting property owner shall be required to maintain all property outside the lot and property lines and inside the curb lines upon the public streets, including the maintenance of an island within a cul-de-sac. Maintenance shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, snow removal and repair of the parking spaces, pruning, maintenance and replacement of the landscape plants and mowing and maintenance of any grass. Maintenance shall not include the removal of diseased trees or dead wood on publicly owned property or right-of-way. Abutting property owners to any cul-de-sac with an island shall equally share in the maintenance of the island, unless the sharing of the maintenance is divided differently in a written agreement entered into by the abutting property owners or their successor(s) in interest.
6. Collection of Costs. If the abutting property owner does not maintain such property, the Council may serve notice on such owner by certified mail, requiring him to maintain such property within the reasonable period of time and if such action is not completed within the reasonable period of time designated by the City, the City may perform appropriate maintenance and either directly collect the costs from the abutting property owner or assess the costs against the abutting property for collection in the same manner as a property tax.