Each lot or parcel approved through the land division process shall abut a public or private street for the required minimum lot frontage for the zoning district where the lots or parcels are located. The location, width and grade of streets shall be considered in their relation to existing streets in the vicinity of the proposed subdivision or partition, to the topographical conditions and to the proposed use of land to be served by the streets and shall be, whenever possible, extension of existing center lines. Streets should intersect at or as near right angles as practicable. These regulations may be modified where the city determines that topography, or the small number of lots or parcels involved or other unusual conditions, justify such modification. If not otherwise indicated in the comprehensive plan or a capital improvement’s plan, streets shall conform to standards of the Transportation System Plan (including the Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan) as summarized below.
Street Standards | ||||||||
Street Type | Right-of- Way Width | Total Surface Width | Parking Strip Width | Bike Lane | Walkway (Planting Strip) | Curb Return Radius | Maxim um Percen t of Grade | Minim um Radius of Curvat ure |
Arterial | 80' | 48'-52' | 8' on both sides3 | 6' on both sides4 | 6'-18'2 (7-8')3 | 20' | 10% | 700' |
Collector | 66'-72' | 32'-34' | 7-8' on both sides3 | 5' on both sides4 | 5'-6' (7'-8')3 | 20' | 12% | 500' |
Local | 47'-51' | 25'-28" | 7-8' parking on one side1 | None | 5-6' (7-8') | 15' | 13% | 100' |
Alley | 16'-20' | 12'-16' | None | None | None | 15' | 10% | 150' |
NOTES TO TABLE: For all rights-of-way, one street name sign shall be provided at each intersection for each street. 1. Parking may be provided on unpaved shoulder that is designated as a planting strip. The minimum sidewalk width on Main Street in downtown Joseph is 10 feet. 2. Optional planting strips and appropriate curb extensions may be accommodated within walkways. 3. In physically-constrained areas, a planter strip may be constructed in lieu of on-street parking; conversely, on-street parking may also be constructed in lieu of a planter strip at the city’s discretion. Parking may consist of parallel or angled parking in downtown. 4. Narrower bike lanes may be allowed under certain circumstances, as explained in the Design Guidelines chapter of the Joseph Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. 5. Standards for cul-de-sacs are addressed in division (K) below. | ||||||||
(A) Street grades. No street grade shall be in excess of 8%, unless the Council finds that, because of topographic conditions, a steeper grade is necessary.
(B) Reserve block. Reserve blocks controlling the access to public ways or which will not prove taxable for special improvements may be required by the Council, but will not be approved unless such strips are necessary for the protection of the public welfare or of substantial property rights, or both, and in no case, unless the land comprising such strips is placed in the name of the city for disposal and dedication for street or road purposes whenever such disposal or dedication has the approval of the Council or such other person as may have jurisdiction.
(C) Additional right-of-way. Where topographical requirements necessitate either cuts or fills for the proper grading of the street, additional right-of-way shall be required to allow all cut and fill slopes to be within the rights-of-way.
(D) Street names. Except for extensions of existing street, no street name shall be used which will duplicate or be confused with the name of an existing street. Street names and numbers shall conform to the established pattern in the city and shall be subject to the approval of the Council.
(E) Street dedication. If an area or unit of land to be subdivided or partitioned includes a portion of a right-of-way, highway or road, the location of which has been determined by the city, but which has not been acquired by the city, the person subdividing or partitioning said land shall dedicate such right-of-way, highway or road for the purpose or use proposed.
(1) If any lot abuts a street right-of-way that does not conform to the design specifications of this chapter, the owner may be required to dedicate up to one-half of the total right-of-way width required by this chapter.
(2) In no instance shall a subdivider be required to dedicate more than 25% of the total land area of the subdivision.
(F) Radius at street intersection. The property line radius at street intersections shall be approved by the Council.
(G) Two-level streets. Where it is determined that two-level streets best serve hillside tracts, the right-of-way shall be of sufficient width to provide on each level, space for one sidewalk, plus a minimum width of 20 feet for roadway, curbs and drainage facilities. Between the two street levels and out to the right-of way lines, there shall be space for cut and fill slopes.
(H) Street improvements. All plans and specifications for street improvements, including pavement, curbs, sidewalks and surface drainage shall be approved by the Council prior to construction. Approval of the subdivision may be withheld until the Council is satisfied that some or all of the following improvements will be completed:
(1) Clearing and grading to full right-of-way limits;
(2) Storm drainage facilities both within and outside of right-of-way limits if determined to be so necessary by the Council; and
(3) Base and/or pavement materials for streets as required by the Council.
(I) Connectivity.
(1) The street system of proposed land divisions shall be designed to connect with existing, proposed and planned streets outside of the subdivision as provided in this section.
(2) Wherever a proposed land division abuts unplatted land or a future development phase of the same development, street stubs shall be provided to provide access to abutting properties or to logically extend the street system into the surrounding area. All street stubs shall be provided with a temporary turn-around unless specifically exempted by the Public Works Director and the restoration and extension of the street shall be the responsibility of any future developer of the abutting land.
(J) Local connectivity. Minor collector and local residential access streets shall connect with surrounding streets to permit the convenient movement of traffic between residential neighborhoods or facilitate emergency access and evacuation.
(1) Connections shall be designed to avoid or minimize through traffic on local streets.
(2) Appropriate design and traffic control, such as four-way stops and traffic calming measures, are the preferred means of discouraging through traffic.
(K) Cul-de-sacs and accessways. Cul-de-sacs or permanent dead-end streets are discouraged, but may be used to serve a proposed development plan where topographical, environmental or existing adjacent land use constraints make connecting streets infeasible.
(1) Cul-de-sac lengths in excess of 300 feet are prohibited.
(2) Where cul-de-sacs are planned, accessways shall be provided connecting the ends of cul-de-sacs to each other, to other streets or to neighborhood activity centers.
(L) Corner clearance.
(1) Corner clearance for connections shall meet or exceed the minimum connection spacing requirements for that roadway.
(2) New connections shall not be permitted within the functional area of an intersection or interchange, as defined by the connection spacing standards of this chapter, unless no other reasonable access to the property is available.
(3) Where no other alternatives exist, the city may allow construction of an access connection along the property line farthest from the intersection. In such cases, directional connections (e.g., right in/out, right in only or right out only) may be required.
(M) Joint and cross-access. Where land divisions are proposed in commercial areas, the city shall require cross-access easements and bicycle and pedestrian access as provided in § 156.051 of this code of ordinances.
(N) Access connection and driveway design. Access connections and driveway design, where approved through the land division process, shall comply with § 156.051 of this code of ordinances.
(O) Non-conforming access features. Legal access connections in place as of (date of adoption) that do not conform with the standards herein are considered non-conforming features. These access connections shall be brought into compliance with applicable standards under the following conditions:
(1) When new access connection permits are requested; or
(2) Change in use or enlargements or improvements that will increase trip generation are requested.
(P) Accessways. Accessways, when required through the land division process, shall meet the following standards.
(1) Accessways for pedestrians and bicyclists shall be ten feet wide and located within a 20-foot-wide right-of-way or easement. If the streets within the subdivision are lighted, the accessways shall also be lighted. Stairs or switchback paths may be used where grades are steep, but shall be designed in a manner to facilitate reasonably direct pedestrian and bicycle access.
(2) Accessways for pedestrians and bicyclists shall be provided at mid-block where the block is longer than 600 feet.
(3) The Planning Official or City Council may determine, based upon evidence in the record, that an accessway is impracticable. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to:
(a) Physical or topographic conditions make an accessway connection impractical. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, freeways, railroads, extremely steep slopes, wetlands or other bodies of water where a connection cannot reasonable be provided;
(b) Buildings or other existing development on adjacent lands physically preclude a connection now or in the future, considering potential for redevelopment; and
(c) Where accessways would violate provisions of leases, easements, covenants, restrictions or other agreements existing as of 5-1-1995 that preclude a required accessway connection.
(Q) Perimeter street dedication. If any lot abuts a street right-of-way that does not conform to the design specifications of this chapter, the owner may be required to dedicate up to one-half of the total right-of-way width required by this chapter.
(R) Pedestrian access and circulation. Internal pedestrian circulation shall be provided in for all lots and parcels approved through the land division process.
(Ord. 2009-01, passed - -2009)