The purpose of this section is to implement the Transportation System Plan (including the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan) by managing access to roadways while allowing for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. The standards in this section are intended to maintain roadway safety, capacity, foster connectivity, be consistent with roadway functional classifications and maintain highway mobility (level of service) standards set forth in the Transportation System Plan.
(A) General frontage standard. Except as modified in this section, every lot shall abut a street, other than an alley, for at least 25 feet.
(B) Applicability. Except for division (A) above, this section shall apply to arterial and collector streets (as defined in the Transportation System Plan) and to properties that abut such streets.
(C) Cross-access for major traffic generators required. This division (C) applies to major traffic generators, as defined in § 156.003 of this chapter, and is intended to minimize traffic congestion from commercial and office development. Adjacent commercial or office properties identified as major traffic generators shall provide a cross-access drive and bicycle and pedestrian access to allow circulation between sites.
(D) Joint use driveways and cross-access easements required where feasible. For commercial and offices uses that are not major traffic generators, a system of joint use driveways and cross-access easements to allow circulation between sites shall be established and incorporate the following:
(1) A continuous service drive or cross-access corridor extending the entire length of each block served to provide for driveway separation consistent with the access management classification system and standards;
(2) A design speed of ten mph and a maximum width of 20 feet to accommodate two-way travel aisles designated to accommodate automobiles, service vehicles and loading vehicles;
(3) Stub-outs and other design features to make it visually obvious that the abutting properties may be tied in to provide cross-access via a service drive;
(4) A unified access and circulation system plan for coordinated or shared parking areas; and
(5) The city may modify or waive the requirements of this section where the characteristics or layout of abutting properties would make the development of a unified or shared access and circulation system impractical.
(E) Shared parking. Shared parking areas shall be permitted as a reduction in required vehicle parking spaces if peak demands do not occur at the same time periods.
(F) Implementation of cross-easements and shared parking agreements. Where cross-access easements or shared parking are required and feasible, property owners shall:
(1) Record an easement with the deed allowing cross-access to and from other properties served by the joint use driveways and cross-access or service drive;
(2) Record an agreement with the deed that remaining access rights along the roadway will be dedicated to the city and pre-existing driveways will be closed and eliminated after construction of the joint-use driveway; and
(3) Record a joint maintenance agreement with the deed defining maintenance responsibilities of property owners.
(G) Reduction in access separation distances. The city may reduce required separation distance of access points where they prove impractical; provided, all of the following requirements are met:
(1) Joint access driveways and cross-access easements are provided in accordance with this section;
(2) The site plan incorporates a unified access and circulation system in accordance with this section; and
(3) The property owner enters into a written agreement with the city, recorded with the deed, that pre-existing connections on the site will be closed and eliminated after construction of each side of the joint use driveway.
(H) Driveway and approach standards. Driveways and their approaches shall meet the following standards.
(1) If the driveway is a one way in or one way out drive, then the driveway shall be a minimum width of ten feet and shall have appropriate signage designating the driveway as a one way connection.
(2) For two-way access, each lane shall have a minimum width of ten feet and a maximum width of 12 feet.
(3) Driveway approaches must be designed and located to provide an exiting vehicle with an unobstructed view. Construction of driveways along acceleration or deceleration lanes and tapers shall be avoided due to the potential for vehicular weaving conflicts.
(4) The length of driveways shall be designed in accordance with the anticipated storage length for entering and exiting vehicles to prevent vehicles from backing into the flow of traffic on the public street or causing unsafe conflicts with on-site circulation.
(I) 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 and shall be brought into compliance with applicable standards under the following conditions:
(1) When new access permits are requested; or
(2) Change in use, enlargements or improvements that will increase trip generation to 400 daily trips or above.
(J) Requirements for consolidated development plans. This section promotes unified access and circulation systems.
(1) Plans for phased developments, development sites under the same ownership or development sites that have been consolidated for the purposes of development and comprised of more than one building site shall be reviewed as single properties in relation to the access standards of this chapter.
(a) The number of access points permitted shall be the minimum number necessary to provide reasonable access to these properties, not the maximum available for that frontage.
(b) All necessary easements, agreements and stipulations shall be met. This shall also apply to phased development plans.
(c) The owner and all lessees within the affected area are responsible for compliance with the requirements of this chapter and both shall be cited for any violation.
(2) All access must be internalized using the shared circulation system of the principal development or retail center. Driveways shall be designed to avoid queuing across surrounding parking and driving aisles, and pedestrian walkways.
(K) Access to street of lower classification required.
(1) Lots that front on more than one street shall be required to locate motor vehicle accesses on the street with the lower functional classification.
(2) New direct accesses to individual one- and two-family dwellings shall be prohibited on all but district-level state highways.
(Ord. 2009-01, passed - -2009)