(A) General requirements.
(1) The design standards are intended to assure that the layout of the proposed subdivision is consistent with existing plans affecting the property and surrounding area and that it is in conformance with city plans.
(2) The proposed subdivision shall conform to the Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Plan, zoning provisions of the city code, the design standards contained in this section, and other provisions of this chapter. The design standards and features set forth in this section are minimum requirements. The city may impose additional or more stringent requirements concerning lot size, and overall design as deemed appropriate considering the nature of the surrounding conditions.
(3) The preliminary plat must cover all the owner's contiguous land, but the final plat may cover only a portion of the land in the preliminary plat provided it is in conformance with an approved preliminary plat and other requirements herein.
(4) Where the parcel is subdivided into one or more tracts larger than for building lots appropriate for the zoning district and the area, such parcels shall be divided so as to allow for the opening of major streets and the ultimate extension of adjacent minor streets.
(5) Subdivisions showing unplatted strips or private easements controlling access to public ways shall not receive approval. However, at or adjacent to the city's municipal line the city may allow or require a boulevard reserve or other appropriate control to provide a buffer wherever necessary or appropriate to control access to the city's right-of-way.
(B) Streets.
(1) The street layout of every subdivision shall be in conformity with the city's transportation plan, and shall provide for the continuation of major streets, which serve property contiguous to the subdivision. Street networks shall provide ready access for fire and other emergency vehicles, and the Planning and Zoning Commission may require additional access points if such are found to be beneficial or necessary to protect the public safety. Where the plat to be submitted includes only part of the tract owned or intended for development by the subdivider, a tentative plan of a proposed future street system for the unsubdivided portion shall be prepared and submitted by the subdivider. Reserved strips controlling access to streets are prohibited.
(2) No land situated in the city, which has been subdivided or laid out into separate tracts shall be sold for use for dwellings unless such tracts of land shall abut a public or private street or public highway. This limitation shall not apply to planned developments approved by the City Council pursuant to the zoning ordinance. Street access shall not be denied by creation of parcels of land of substandard depth, which are held in private ownership.
(3) Classification of streets shall be determined with reference to the transportation plan and official streets maps including highway, arterial, major and local collector and local streets.
(a) Cul-de-sacs or dead-end streets designed to have one end permanently closed or in the form of cul-de-sac, (turn-around) shall be provided at the closed end with a turn-around having a minimum right-of-way radius of not less than 60 feet. Cul-de-sacs shall not exceed 600 feet in length. Cul-de-sacs may be longer than 600 feet in length if the street does not serve more than 20 houses from the nearest through street intersection. Cul-de-sac streets shall only be allowed where one or more of the following criteria have been met:
1. Area topography or other physical site conditions warrant a cul-de-sac, dead-end design; or
2. A through street is not physically feasible.
(b) Curved streets should be so arranged as to fit the natural topography as closely as possible and to make possible desirable land subdivisions and safe vehicular traffic.
(c) Half streets shall be prohibited, except where essential to reasonable development of future subdivisions. In cases where the entire right-of-way has been dedicated to the public, but the property of the owner and subdivider is located on one side of such street, the owner and subdivider shall be required to grade the entire street in accordance with the plans to be approved by the City Engineer, but the owner and subdivider shall only be required to deposit payment for one-half of the engineer's estimated cost for the improvement required. Building permits shall be denied for lots on the side of the street where the property is owned by persons who have not entered into a development agreement with the city for the installation of the improvements required under this chapter. A street lying along the boundary of a subdivision may be dedicated less than the required width if it is practical to require the dedication of the remaining portion when the adjoining property is subdivided. Whenever there exists a dedicated portion of a street in a subdivision adjoining a proposed subdivision, the other portion of a street shall be dedicated on the proposed subdivision to make the street complete. To assure that this occurs, a one-foot reserve strip shall be deeded to the city on the subdivision boundary along the street for the purpose of withholding access from the unsubdivided property to said street until such time as the completed street is constructed. The same procedure will be required when a street dead ends without a cul-de-sac at the boundary of any subdivision.
(d) Local streets shall be designed so their use by through traffic will be discouraged.
(e) Private streets may be permitted, upon approval of planned unit development, of narrower width than public streets where connection with a public street is provided and utility and snow storage easements adjacent to the right-of-way are provided of sufficient width to total the right-of-way width requirements for similar public streets. Such streets are to be maintained privately.
(4) Design standards of streets shall be as follows:
(a) For all public ways hereafter dedicated and accepted, the minimum right-of-way widths, paved widths, and construction requirements for all streets shall be as shown in the city's Transportation Plan; greater widths shall be required where existing or anticipated traffic so warrants.
(b) Minimum designs standards for collector and arterial streets shall comply with Minnesota State Aid Design Standards.
(c) Driveway access width shall be no more than 24 feet in residential areas and no more than 32 feet in commercial and industrial areas.
(d) There shall be a minimum grade on all streets of not less than 0.5%, and wherever possible grades within 30 feet of a local street intersection with arterial and collector streets shall not exceed 3%. The grade in all streets, in any subdivision shall not be greater than 6% for all streets.
(e) Where horizontal street lines within a block deflect from each other more than ten degrees at any one point, there shall be a connecting curve with a radius adequate to ensure a sight distance of not less than 200 feet for local and collector streets and of such greater radii as the city shall determine for arterial and other special cases. A tangent of at least 100 feet shall be introduced between reverse curves on arterial and collector streets and 50 feet on other streets.
(f) The length of vertical curves shall be in accordance with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Green Book, also known as the AASHTO Green Book.
(g) Under normal conditions, streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, except where topography or other conditions justify variation as determined by the city. The minimum angle of intersection of streets shall be 80 degrees. Street intersection jogs with an offset of less than 125 feet shall be prohibited.
(h) Curb and gutter with adjustments where applicable for handicap ramps, shall be installed as follows: four-inch surmountable type design for local streets and standard six-inch rise with an 18-inch wide gutter and known as B618.
(i) Street names shall be assigned or approved by the city.
(C) Alleys. Alleys are prohibited in the city, except for fire lanes, which are required or permitted in commercial and industrial developments or permitted under a planned unit development.
(D) Blocks.
(1) Block length. In general, intersecting streets, determining block lengths, shall be provided at such intervals as to serve cross-traffic adequately and to meet existing streets. Where no existing plats control, the blocks in residential subdivisions shall normally not exceed 1,800 feet in length, or shorter than 300 feet, except where topography or other conditions justify a departure from this maximum.
(2) Block width. The width of the block shall normally be sufficient to allow two tiers of lots of appropriate depth, unless it adjoins a railroad or limited access highway and unless topographical conditions necessitate a single tier of lots.
(3) Block use. Blocks intended for business institutional, or industrial use shall be of such widths as to be considered most suitable for their respective use, including adequate space for off-street parking and deliveries, loading, and such other facilities that may be required to accommodate motor vehicles. The facilities shall be provided with safe and convenient limited access to the street system.
(4) Pedestrian ways. Pedestrians ways and/or easements through blocks may be required on blocks longer than 900 feet or in other areas to provide access to schools, parks, and other destination points deemed desirable by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. Pedestrians ways shall be an easement at least 20 feet wide through the block to provide for the crossing of underground utilities and pedestrian traffic where needed or desirable, and the City Council shall further require at its discretion that a ten-foot wide path be included within the 20-foot wide easement as well as screened.
(E) Lots.
(1) All lots shall abut for their full-required minimum frontage on a publicly dedicated street as specified by the zoning code, and shall have direct access to a local street, collector street, or a minor arterial, except where permitted under a planned unit development or a variance under this chapter is granted.
(2) Lot dimensions shall comply with minimum lot area and other dimensional requirements specified in the zoning code. This requirement shall not apply to property used for a public purpose such as, but not limited to, a well site or park.
(3) Side lines of lots shall be approximately at right angles to street lines or radial to curved street lines.
(4) Lots shall be graded so as to provide drainage away from building locations.
(5) Lots shall be placed to preserve and protect natural amenities, such as tree growth, watercourses, bluffs, historic spots or similar conditions, which if preserved, will add attractiveness and stability to the proposed development.
(6) Lot remnants which are below the minimum lot size must be added by the subdivided to adjacent or surrounding lots or be dedicated to the public if the Council determines a public use can be served rather than be allowed to remain as an unusable parcel.
(7) Double frontage lots with frontage on two parallel streets or reverse frontage shall not be permitted, except where lots back onto an arterial or collector street or where topographic or other conditions render subdividing otherwise unreasonable. The lots shall have an additional depth of at least 20 feet to accommodate vegetative screening along the back lot line.
(8) All lots must have a minimum width of 30 feet at the rear lot line.
(9) Corner lots shall be platted to have sufficient additional width to permit appropriate building setbacks from both streets as required in the zoning ordinance.
(10) No individual lot may extend over school district boundaries.
(11) Butt lots in subdivisions are to be discouraged. Where the lots must be used to fit a particular type of design, they shall be platted at least 20 feet wider than the minimum width of the lots specified by the zoning code.
(12) The top of the foundation and the garage floor of all structures shall be at minimum 18 inches and at maximum 36 inches above the grade of the crown of the street upon which the property fronts. Exceptions to this standard may be approved by the Zoning Administrator or designee for special circumstances such as increased setback, site topography, flooding potential, and the like, provided that proper site and area drainage is maintained and the elevation of the structure is in keeping with the character of the area.
(13) When a tract is subdivided into larger than normal building lots or parcels, such lots or parcels shall be so arranged as to permit the logical location and openings of future streets and appropriate re-subdivision, with provision for adequate utility connections for such re-subdivision.
(14) Lots abutting on a water course, drainage way, channel, stream, lake, or pond, shall have an additional depth or width as required to assure compliance with Floodplain and/or Shoreland Zoning and Surface-Water Management.
(15) Street arrangements for the proposed subdivision shall not cause undue hardship to owners for adjoining property in subdividing their own land and providing convenient access to it.
(16) All proposed streets shown on the plat shall be in conformity with the city and county comprehensive plans and shall be offered for dedication as public streets.
(F) Tree and woodland preservation.
(1) A tree preservation and replacement plan shall be submitted in accordance with § 153.065, Tree and Woodland Preservation, as amended, whichever is applicable.
(2) Each lot shall have at least two trees per lot in accordance with § 153.062, Landscaping and Turf Establishment, as amended, whichever is applicable.
(G) Erosion and sediment control. Grade and drainage requirements for each plat shall be subject to approval of the City Engineer. The following controls shall be practiced to manage erosion and sediment control:
(1) Where topsoil is removed, sufficient arable soil shall be set aside for re-spreading over the developed area. Top soil shall be restored or provided to a minimum depth of six inches and shall be of a quality at least equal to the soil quality prior to development.
(2) The development shall conform to the natural limitations presented by topography and soil so as to create the least potential for soil erosion.
(3) Erosion and sediment control measures shall be coordinated with the different stages of construction and approved by city staff. Appropriate control measures shall be installed prior to development when necessary to control erosion. Silt fences or sod shall be installed right behind the curb or if a sidewalk is in place right behind the sidewalk. If a sidewalk is located in the front of the lot the developer or builder will be responsible for sodding the boulevard between the sidewalk and the curb before a final certificate of occupancy will be issued.
(4) Critical erosion areas exposed during construction shall be protected with temporary vegetation, mulching, or other acceptable means.
(5) Sediment basins, (debris basins, desilting basins, or silt traps) shall be installed and maintained to remove sediment from runoff waters from land subject to earth disturbance activities.
(6) Diversions shall be installed to divert surface water runoff from slopes of 10% or steeper.
(7) Provisions shall be made to effectively accommodate increased runoff caused by changed soil and surface conditions during and after development.
(8) Cut and fill slopes shall be no steeper than three feet horizontal to one foot vertical unless stabilized by a retaining wall, riprap, or other acceptable means.
(9) Driveway grades cannot be steeper than 10% measured along the centerline of the driveway.
(10) During grading operations, necessary measures for dust control as required by the city shall be implemented.
(11) Detailed requirements for each plat shall be set forth in a development agreement.
(12) Land shall be developed in increments of workable size such that adequate erosion and siltation controls can be provided as construction progresses. The smallest practical area of land shall be exposed at any one period of time.
(H) Drainage. The natural drainage system shall be used to the maximum extent feasible for the storage and flow of runoff. The design of the drainage system shall conform to and incorporate provisions for storm water runoff consistent with the Lonsdale Storm Water Management Plan as amended, and with established city policies, and conform to the following standards:
(1) Proposed drainage facilities shall have adequate capacity to accommodate potential runoff from their entire upstream drainage area, whether within or without the subdivision; (The effect of the subdivision on existing downstream drainage areas outside the subdivision shall be considered in evaluating the adequacy of the Storm Water Management Plan.)
(2) Storm water runoff shall be discharged to marsh lands, swamps, detention basins or other treatment facilities in a manner consistent with the requirements of the city and county engineers;
(3) No existing ditch, stream, drain or drainage canal shall be deepened, widened, rerouted or filled without review and approval by the city;
(4) Quality of storm water runoff and water infiltrated to the water table shall remain undisturbed to the maximum extent feasible by development of the subdivision; and
(5) The drainage system shall be constructed and operational as part of the first stage of development and construction.
(I) Environmental assessment worksheet.
(1) An Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) shall be submitted if the City Council, State Environmental Quality Board or other groups or agencies determine that one is required by law.
(2) Whenever a project which does not require an environmental assessment worksheet may potentially negatively impact the environment, the state, the county, or city may require the preparation of a discretionary environmental assessment worksheet in order to determine whether an environmental impact statement is needed.
(J) Sidewalks and trails. Sidewalks and trails shall be required as follows:
(1) Commercial areas shall be required to have six-foot wide concrete sidewalks located on both sides of a street unless a ten-foot wide trail is designated by the Comprehensive Plan.
(2) Industrial areas shall have no requirement unless the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council deems it appropriate to provide access to schools, parks, and other destination points. If concrete sidewalks are deemed necessary, sidewalks of not less than six feet wide shall be provided and/or a ten-foot wide trail.
(3) Residential areas shall be required to have six-foot wide concrete sidewalks located on at least one side of all local streets. On collector streets a six-foot wide concrete sidewalk shall be provided on at least one side or both sides of the street unless a ten-foot wide trail is designated by the Comprehensive Plan or deemed appropriate by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council. Sidewalks shall not be required on cul-de-sacs.
(K) Protected areas.
(1) Where land proposed for subdivision contains drainage ways, watercourses floodable areas, wetlands, or steep slopes, and thus may be unsuitable for development, the platting and development of those areas shall be consistent with limitations presented by such conditions.
(2) Subdivisions shall be designed so that at least 90% of the minimum lot area is free of wetland soil types, water bodies, watercourses, drainage ways, or floodway area, or steep slopes (over 18%).
(3) No construction or grading shall be allowed on slopes steeper than 18% in grade over a horizontal distance of 50 feet.
(L) Minimum design features. The design features set forth in this chapter are minimum requirements. The city may impose additional or more stringent requirements concerning lot size, streets, and overall design as deemed appropriate due to the property being subdivided.
(Ord. 78A, passed 8-22-1985; Am. Ord. 2006-193, passed 4-27-2006) Penalty, see § 152.99