(A) Intent. The purpose of these entrance and drive standards is to provide for a safe and efficient vehicular and pedestrian transportation system by establishing minimum standards for site entrances, driveways and interior drives.
(B) General entrance/drive standards. These standards are applicable to all zoning districts. All driveways and interior drives shall conform to the following design requirements.
(1) Entrance widths. No entrance shall exceed the following pavement widths at the point which it intersect the public right-of-way. The distances for these standards shall be determined by measuring from the outside edges of the curb or pavement (whichever is more) of the entrance or drive at the public right-of-way which it accesses, and shall not include any acceleration or deceleration lanes or turning radii.
(a) Fourteen feet per lane (exclusive of any medians) if from a nonresidential or multifamily residential use onto any type of street;
(b) Twenty-four feet total if from a single-family or two-family use onto any type of street; and
(c) The maximum driveway width shall not exceed 30 feet.
(2) Travel direction. The direction of travel for vehicles using entrances shall be as follows.
(a) All entrances providing access to a public right-of-way from all lots used for purposes other than single- or two-family residences shall be designed so that vehicles are traveling in a forward direction when entering and leaving.
(b) In no case may any entrance for any use be designed to require a vehicle to back onto any arterial or collector street.
(3) Shared entrances and drives. Shared entrances and drives are encouraged for all uses in all zoning districts, specifically for any multifamily residential or nonresidential uses accessing a major collector or arterial street.
(a) Access easements. All shared entrances and drives shall be shall be constructed only in appropriate access easements which easements must be recorded before usage commences.
(b) Required documentation. A permanent documentation of any shared entrance and drive agreement must be signed by all involved property owners. The permanent written agreement shall include, but is not limited to the following items: maintenance, snow removal, ownership and liability. The agreement, which can be amended and assigned shall be reviewed and approved by the City Board of Works and duly recorded with the County Recorder. Any changes to the agreements must be accomplished with the consent of the Administrator. A copy of the agreement shall be retained for the files of the Plan Commission. The agreement shall be recorded prior to the issuance of the occupancy permit.
(4) Interior drive widths. The minimum pavement widths for driveways and interior drives shall meet the following requirements, exclusive of any parking spaces:
(a) For single and two-family residential uses the minimum driveway width shall be 12 feet;
(b) Multifamily drives shall be a minimum of 20 feet; and
(c) Driveways in commercial developments shall be a minimum of 20 feet.
(5) Curbs. All entrances and interior drives for property used for purposes other than agriculture, single-family residential or two-family residential shall generally be completely curbed. Curbing shall not be required if, in the opinion of the City Stormwater Board and/or County Surveyor, the drainage system for the property shall be best served if curbs were not present.
(6) Commercial area internal linkages. All uses located in a commercial zoning district shall provide interior drives that allow access between existing and proposed commercial uses on adjacent properties.
(a) Cross-access required. The drives must be designed as a single two-way drive or a pair of one-way drives that provide access between the parking lots and interior drives of all adjoining commercial uses.
(b) Separation. Interior drives providing cross-access between adjacent parcels shall be separated from the right-of-way of any street based on the vehicle stacking requirements of the entrance(s) to the property from the public street.
Example of an Interior Drive with a Rear Cross-Access Drive in a Commercial Subdivision
(C) Entrance signs. A minimum of one sign shall be provided at one entrance to a subdivision. Refer to § 7.7.
(1) The sign shall identify the subdivision.
(2) The materials should be compatible with the visual character of the subdivision.
(Ord. 07-16, passed 12-10-2007)
Cross-reference:
Riparian area requirements, see Title XV, § 7.9(A)(2)(b)