(A) Lots. Unless modified herein, minimum lot area, dimensions and street frontage shall be determined by the City’s zoning ordinance. Except in the case of planned unit developments, when some strict requirements may be waived, the following general standards shall be observed for all lots suitable for development:
(1) Required Frontage on Public Way. Each lot shall front upon a public street. Each lot shall have direct public access or private easement access to a public street unless restricted by City Council resolution.
(2) Boundary Prohibition. No lot shall extend over a political subdivision boundary.
(3) Lot Grades. Each lot shall provide a building site at least 18 inches above the street grade at the top back of curb. Lot grades on lots and blocks of record shall be verified, prior to issuance of building permits, on a certificate of survey.
(4) Remnants of Lots. All remnants of lots below minimum standards in the applicable zoning district left over after subdividing a larger tract must be added to adjacent lots rather than allowed to remain as unusable parcels.
(5) Lots Abutting Bodies of Water. Lots abutting upon a watercourse, drainage channel or stormwater pond shall have additional depth or width to ensure that building sites are not subject to flooding. Road access both to the subdivision and to the individual building sites shall be no lower than two feet below the regulatory flood protection elevation.
(6) Through or Double-Frontage Lots. Through or double-frontage lots shall not be permitted, except where such lots abut a minor arterial or principal arterial highway. Such lots shall have an additional depth of ten feet for berming, screening and/or plantings to negate noise and other potential adverse impacts from higher volume roadways. Vehicular access may be limited to one street at the time of subdividing.
(7) Cul-De-Sac Lots. Cul-de-sac lots shall not be narrower than 60 feet in width at the right of way. An exception can be made in unsewered areas by the City Council in the case of severe topography where land would be underutilized without this exception or when developed in a sewered area under a planned unit development zoning district.
(8) Corner Lots. Corner lots shall be at least ten feet wider than interior lots.
(9) Transition Lots. Where a proposed subdivision is adjacent to higher volume roadways, incompatible land uses, zoning districts, or future land uses identified on the Comprehensive Plan or amendments thereto, depths of lots shall be increased by at least 25 feet to allow for a combination of space berming or other landscaping techniques to buffer each incompatible land use.
(10) Designation of Lot Square Footage. Lot square footage shall be designated on the preliminary plat, boundary adjustments or rural subdivisions or simple lot divisions
(11) Building Sites. Lots shall be designated and building sites located so that sufficient lot width and depth are provided for reasonable space for outdoor living and required parking space is available. Residential living units built on a slope shall have at least 20 feet of rear yard usable space at a minimum slope.
(12) Minimum Rear Lot Line. Where practical, all lots should have a minimum of 30 feet in width at the rear lot line.
(13) Natural Features. Subdivision design shall be sensitive to such items as rock outcropping, tree growth, drainage and watercourses, slopes and bluffs. The design and grading plan shall strive to preserve those that add attractiveness or environmental sensitivity to the proposed development.
(B) Blocks.
(1) General Requirements. Block length and width or acreage within boundary streets shall accommodate the size of the residential lots required in the area by this code and provide for convenient access, circulation control and safety of street traffic.
(2) Length. In residential areas, other than water frontage, blocks shall not be less than 300 feet nor more than 1,300 feet in length, measured along the greatest dimension of the enclosed block area, unless minor variances are necessitated by topography or conformance with an adjoining plat.
(3) Crosswalks. In blocks over 900 feet long, pedestrian crosswalks may be required pursuant to section E of this chapter.
(4) Widths. Blocks shall be wide enough to allow two tiers of lots with the minimum depth required by this code, except where one tier lots are necessary because of topographical conditions.
(5) Commercial and Industrial Areas. Blocks for commercial and industrial areas may vary from the elements of design contained in this section if the nature of the use requires.
(C) Streets.
(1) General Standards.
(a) Proposed streets shall conform to the state road and county highway plans as have been prepared, adopted and/or filed as prescribed by law, and to the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
(b) Streets shall be logically related to the topography to produce usable lots and reasonable grades.
(c) Local streets shall be laid out to discourage their use by through traffic.
(d) Where adjoining areas are not subdivided but may be subdivided, the arrangement of streets shall make provision for the projection of streets into adjoining areas, by carrying the new streets to the boundaries of the new subdivision at appropriate locations. The street arrangement shall not cause hardship to owners of adjoining land in platting their own land and providing convenient access to it.
(e) Half or partial streets will not be permitted, except where reasonable subdivision of a tract is in conformance with other requirements and standards of this title and where satisfactory assurance for dedication of the remaining part of the street right of way can be secured. Wherever a tract to be subdivided adjoins an existing half or partial street, the part of the street within such tract shall be platted.
(f) Dead end streets shall be prohibited, except as stubs to permit future street extension in adjoining tracts or when designed as cul-de-sac streets. Temporary turnarounds shall be provided.
(g) Private streets shall be prohibited, unless approved by the City Council as part of a planned unit development subdivision or overlay district.
(h) Subdivisions abutting arterial roads, as defined in the Comprehensive Plan must include a buffer strip 75 feet wide.
(i) All landscaped medians and cul-de-sac islands must be landscaped. A landscape plan must be submitted to the City for review and approval.
(j) A uniform landscape design, utilizing natural landscape plantings and materials, must be installed around the perimeter of all ponds, infiltration basins, and similar drainage features.
(k) A uniform mailbox design must be approved as part of the preliminary plat review and approval process.
(2) Minor Arterial and Collector Streets.
(a) Access of minor streets onto state and county highways, or to streets designated complying with the governing jurisdiction.
(b) Access to collectors or minor arterials, shall be prohibited at intervals of less than ¼ mile.
(c) Where a proposed plat is adjacent to a minor arterial street, there shall be no direct vehicular access from individual lots to such streets and roads. In platting small tracts of land fronting on minor arterials where there is no other alternative, a temporary entrance may be granted; as neighboring land is subdivided and more preferable access arrangements become possible, such temporary access permits shall terminate.
(d) Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing or planned collector or minor arterial street or a railroad right of way, a street approximately parallel to and on each side of such thoroughfare and right of way may be required for adequate protection of residential properties and separation of through and local traffic. Such service streets shall be located at a distance from the major thoroughfare or railroad right of way suitable for the appropriate use of the intervening land, as for park purposes in residential districts or for commercial and industrial purposes in appropriate districts. Such distances shall also be determined with due regard for the requirements of approach grade and future grade preparations.
(3) Street Widths.
(a) Minimum right of way widths and pavement widths for each type of public street or road shall be as follows:
Type of Street | Street or Lane Width (Face of curb to Face of curb) | Right-of-Way Width |
Minor arterial street | 12 feet minimum for lane 4 feet minimum for shoulder | 120 feet |
Collector street | 11 feet minimum for lane 2 feet minimum for shoulder, 8 feet minimum for parking width | 100 feet |
Local street | 34 feet | 66 feet |
Cul-de-sac turnaround radius | 50-foot radius | 15 feet from back of curb |
Cul-de-sac/rural other than a collector roadway | 50-foot radius | 15 feet from back of curb |
(b) Where a subdivision abuts or contains an existing street of inadequate right-of- way width, additional right of way width shall be provided.
(c) Additional right of way and roadway widths may be required to promote public safety and convenience when special conditions require, or to provide parking space in areas of intensive use.
(d) Extensions of existing streets with lesser right-of-way widths than prescribed above may be permitted only as a part of a “planned unit development” as defined in the zoning ordinance.
(4) Cul-de-Sac Streets.
(a) Cul-de-sac streets, permanently designed as such, shall not exceed 500 feet in length, except where, by reason of unfavorable land form or the irregular shape of the land, a normal pattern cannot be established, or that land would be underutilized.
(b) Unless future extension is clearly impracticable or undesirable, the turnaround right of way shall be placed adjacent to a subdivision property line, and a right of way of the same width as needed for the type of street shall be carried to such property line in such a way as to permit future extension of the street into the adjoining tract. At such time as such a street is extended, the acreage covered by the turnaround outside the boundaries of the extended street shall revert in ownership to the property owner fronting on the temporary turnaround.
(5) Street Grades.
(a) Streets shall be graded in accordance with the plan approved by the engineer. The grading shall include the entire width of the right of way and shall provide a boulevard section in addition to the minimum pavement width.
(b) Street grade within 100 feet of an intersection shall not exceed 2%.
(c) Centerline gradients shall be at least 0.5% and shall not exceed the following:
Classification | Gradient |
Minor arterials and collector streets | 5 percent |
Local streets | 8 percent |
(d) Different connecting street gradients shall be connected with vertical curves if the change in gradient in 100 feet is greater than 0.5%. Vertical curves shall be designed based on stopping sight distance in accordance with State Aid Standards
(6) Pavement. All streets and alleys shall be improved with concrete or bituminous surface and with concrete curb and gutter, except as may otherwise be approved by the governing body for rural areas identified in subsection 6(b) of this section.
(a) Urban Areas.
1. The design of street pavement for all streets covered by this title shall be in accordance with the state transportation department “Road Design Manual No. 5- 291” for flexible pavements. The design thickness of the surfacing elements shall be in accordance with the flexible pavement design standard for road classifications as follows:
Classification | Pavement Design: Axle Load |
Minor arterial, collector and commercial service streets | As determined by projected traffic needs |
Local streets | Seven ton minimum |
2. To determine subgrade soil classifications, soil samples shall be collected and analyzed by a reputable testing laboratory. The soil analysis shall be submitted to the engineer with the pavement plans. Soil samples shall be taken along the centerline of the proposed road, at intervals not exceeding 500 feet.
3. Concrete curbs and gutters shall be constructed on both sides of streets. The construction shall be in accordance with “Standard Specification for Highway Construction”, state highway design specification no. 2531. Concrete curb and gutter cross sections shall be either design no. B618 or design D.
(b) Rural Areas.
1. Unless otherwise approved by the Council, new streets in rural areas shall be improved to urban standards. The Council may approve streets to be surfaced with gravel if there will be three or fewer lots abutting the proposed street.
2. Streets which will have only a gravel surface shall be so designed that the base and subbase requirements of state transportation department “Road Design Manual No. 5-291” for flexible pavement are met. At least the top six inches of the street surface shall be of class 5 gravel or a material approved by the engineer.
(7) Intersections and Street Jogs.
(a) Streets shall intersect at right angles. The angle formed by intersecting streets shall not be less than 60°, with 90° intersections preferred.
(b) Intersections of more than four corners shall be prohibited.
(c) Roadways of street intersections shall be rounded by a radius to the back of curb of not less than 15 feet. Corners at the entrance to the turnaround portion of cul-de-sacs shall be rounded by a radius of not less than 15 feet.
(d) Street jogs with centerline offsets of less than 150 feet shall be prohibited.
(e) When connecting street lines deflect from each other at any one point by more than ten degrees, they shall be connected by a curve with a radius of not less than 275 feet unless waived by the City Council.
(8) Boulevard and Yard Improvements.
(a) In urban and rural areas, all boulevards and yards must have a minimum of four inches of organic topsoil or black dirt placed on them and then be sodded as specified in this title.
(b) Driveways shall be constructed from the curb to minimum structural setback and the width of the proposed driveway in all zoning districts. The driveway shall be constructed of four-inch thick asphalt or air intrained concrete 3,000 psi, brick pavers or better. This provision is not required in rural zoning districts.
(9) Sodding of Residential and Commercial Lots.
(a) The entire lot area, except for areas proposed for landscape beds and below the high water elevation for storm water basins for all residential and commercial lots in new developing urban areas must be sodded.
(b) All residential and commercial lots in rural areas shall be sodded from the street curb to the minimum front yard setback line of the zoning district therein located.
(10) Street Names and Signs.
(a) Names of new streets shall not duplicate existing or platted street names unless a new street is a continuation of, or in alignment with, the existing or platted street, in which event, it shall bear the name of the existing or platted street. Street names shall conform to the county uniform street naming and property numbering system.
(b) All street signs shall be provided and installed by the City at the expense of the subdivider.
(D) Alleys.
(1) No new alleys may be installed in any zoning district in the City.
(E) Sidewalks, Walkways, Trails, and Bikeways.
(1) Where Required.
(a) In residential districts sidewalks shall be installed on both sides of all public streets.
(b) Sidewalks or trails shall be installed on both sides of all minor arterial and collector streets.
(c) In blocks over 900 feet long, ten-foot-wide paved pedestrian trails/crosswalks may be required through the blocks in locations where such crosswalks are deemed necessary to public health, convenience and necessity. Suitable paving, fencing or screening shall be provided by the subdivider.
(2) Design Standards.
(a) All sidewalk widths shall be a minimum of five feet.
(b) All trail widths shall be a minimum of eight feet.
(c) Sidewalks shall slope one-fourth inch per foot away from the property line, and the profile grade shall not exceed eight percent.
(d) All sidewalks shall be constructed of concrete at least four inches thick. At least six inches of gravel shall be placed under all sidewalks with the area that crosses a driveway being thickened to match the driveway (six inches minimum for residential, eight inches minimum for commercial). Where sidewalks intersect at street intersections or are within three feet of the back of curb, the area between the sidewalk and the curb shall be filled in with concrete, and the apron shall be handicap accessible per design requirements of the City Engineer.
(e) All trails shall be constructed of bituminous at least four inches thick. At least eight inches of gravel shall be placed under all trails. Where trails intersect at street intersections or are within three feet of the back of curb, the area between the sidewalk and the curb shall be filled in with concrete, and the concrete apron shall be handicap accessible per design requirements of the City Engineer.
(f) Notwithstanding a waiver of the requirements for the immediate construction of sidewalks, all streets shall be graded within the rights of way for future sidewalk construction.
(g) Pedestrian crosswalks/walkways/bikeways between lots shall be required in locations deemed necessary to provide access to public facilities. Sidewalks at least five feet in width shall be required in all pedestrian crosswalks.
(h) Receiving pedestrian ramps shall be installed along the sidewalk across from all intersecting streets regardless of if the street has a pedestrian facility
(F) Utilities.
(1) Trunk Facilities. Where a larger size water main, sanitary sewer, storm drain or similar facility is required to serve areas outside the subdivision, the larger facility required must be constructed. Additional cost is to be borne by the benefiting properties, and the assessments are to be determined by the governing body where existing trunk facilities provide the subdivision with a lateral benefit. An amount equal to the estimated current value of the lateral benefit, as determined by the City Engineer, shall be paid to the City.
(2) Sewer and Water.
(a) Urban Areas.
1. Sewer Lines.
a. No public sanitary sewer facilities shall be extended which are not in conformance with the utility staging plan of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
b. Where trunk line sanitary sewer facilities are available, the subdivider shall install sanitary sewers and connect such sanitary sewers to such trunk line sewers. Extensions of the public sewer system shall be designed to provide public sewer service to each lot.
c. All sanitary sewers shall be inspected by the City by means of television, at the subdivider’s expense, prior to their acceptance by the City. In the event that such facilities are not available but, in the opinion of the City Council, can be made available within a reasonable period of time, such sewers and all necessary laterals extending from the main sewer to the street curb shall be installed and capped for future connection as service becomes available.
d. Unless otherwise required, a minimum eight inch sanitary sewer pipe shall be placed at grades approved by the engineer. Mains over eight inches in size may be required, and the additional cost may be borne by the City. Service wyes shall be four inches; rubber or plastic compression joints are required.
2. Water Mains.
a. Where mains from public water system are available, the subdivider shall install water mains on the plat and connect such mains to such public water system.
b. Extensions of the public water supply system shall, when available, be designed to provide public water service to each lot. Such extensions shall comply with the criteria, recommendations and policies of the comprehensive water system plan, if applicable, or if not, as required by the City Engineer.
c. A minimum water main of eight inch ductile iron pipe or other approved pipe shall be required. Mains over eight inches in size may be required, and the additional cost may be borne by the community.
3. Building Services. Each applicable building service shall be run from the main to the property line where a cap or plug shall be placed until the service is extended to the structure. A one inch type K copper water service, corporation stop, curb box and stop, and four inch sewer service shall be minimum requirements and may be placed in a common trench in accordance with the Department of Health.
(b) Rural Areas.
1. Sewage Disposal Systems.
a. Where lots cannot be connected with a public sewerage system, provision must be made for sanitary sewerage facilities, consisting of a central treatment plant or individual disposal devices for each lot.
b. Any subdivision or lot not provided with offsite sewer facilities shall be subject to soil and percolation tests to determine whether the lot size proposed will meet minimum standards of health and sanitation due to limitations of soils as shown on existing soils maps. The lot area and topography must be such that it will accommodate an adequate disposal system to serve the residence for the estimated unsewered years, as determined by the governing body. Such test shall be made at the expense of the subdivider, and a sketch map shall be submitted to identify the specific locations where tests were made. At least two soil borings and two percolation tests shall be performed on each proposed lot for the purpose of siting both a primary and secondary drainfield.
c. All sewage disposal systems shall comply with the standard of WPC-40 as interpreted by the State Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Rules Ch. 7080 and Minnesota Rules Ch. 6120, the utilities element of the Comprehensive Plan, and any other regulations adopted by the City for their installation and maintenance. All on site system designers and installers shall be certified by the Minnesota pollution control agency.
d. In any situation where the Council approves the installation of onsite disposal units, they shall be so located as to permit the easiest and least expensive connection to the sewer when it becomes available and usable. Where such onsite units are installed, the builder shall provide underground plumbing ten feet beyond the footing and plugged. The area around the stack shall be so scored that the septic tank line can be disconnected, and connection made with the public sanitary sewer system.
e. When an individual sewage system is used and the septic tank is placed on a side other than that from which the public sewer line would connect, a capped sewage disposal line shall be extended from the point of ground entrance of the basement or house to a point ten feet beyond and to the side from which the future sewer connection will be made. Inside the basement, the elbow shall be set up to be easily reversed for connection to the capped line.
2. Water; Individual Wells. An individual well shall produce at least ten gallons per minute, have a well casing at least four inches in diameter and be grouted to provide a safe, potable water supply.
(3) Storm Water Drainage. A drainage system design shall be required that conforms to the City’s surface water plan and may include a storm sewer system or a system of open ditches, culverts, pipes, catchbasins and ponding areas, or both systems. Such facilities and easements shall be installed as will adequately provide for the drainage of surface water; drainageway easements or land dedication may be required when such easements or land is needed in the public interest for purposes of floodplain management, proper drainage, prevention of erosion, pedestrian access to water bodies or other public purpose. If there is a watershed district, that board must approve all surface water drainage. All such systems shall conform to all City drainage plans and to the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
(4) Easements.
(a) Easements at least 12 feet wide, centered on rear and other lot lines as required, shall be provided for utilities where necessary. They shall have continuity of alignment from block to block. Where underground utilities are being installed, a front or side yard easement may be required. These easements shall be shown on the plat.
(b) Easements shall be provided along each side of the centerline of any watercourse or drainage channel, whether or not shown on the Comprehensive Plan, to a width sufficient to allow for maintenance and protection of storm sewers, and to provide for stormwater runoff from a ten year storm of more than one hour duration.
(c) Utility and drainage easements shall be dedicated for the required use. Where necessary, drainage easements corresponding with lot line shall be provided. Such easements for drainage purposes shall not be less than 20 feet in width or a 1:1 (H:V) from the invert of the utility, whichever is greater.
(5) Utility Location.
(a) When practicable and feasible, all utilities shall be placed underground. All underground work shall be completed prior to street surfacing. All utility lines for telephone and electrical service shall be placed in rear line easements when carried on overhead poles.
(b) Unless otherwise approved by the City Engineer and the public works director, all utilities shall be constructed out from the curb line a distance of no more than eight feet.
(c) Street Lighting. All subdivisions shall contain street lighting if a new public street is constructed in a manner that conforms to City policy.
(G) Monuments.
(1) Monuments Required. All subdivision boundary corners, block and lot corners, road intersection corners and points of tangency and curvature shall be marked with survey monuments meeting the minimum requirements of state law. All federal, state, county or other official benchmarks, monuments or triangulation stations adjacent to the property shall be preserved in precise position unless a relocation is approved by the controlling agency. These monuments shall be set within one year after recording of the final plat, or sooner if specified in the Development Agreement. Said placement shall be a part of the financial guarantees for the subdivision.
(2) Specifications. All lot corner pipes or iron rods shall be a minimum of half an inch in diameter and eighteen inches in length, and shall be inscribed with the registration number of the land surveyor making the survey. All unmonumented quarter corners and section corners will be set by the county surveyor.
(H) Resubdividing Combined Parcels. Any parcel of land, either platted or unplatted, that has been combined for tax purposes or for other reasons cannot be reseparated without a simple lot division, rural subdivision or plat approved by the City Council in a manner prescribed in this title.
(I) Building and Occupancy Permits.
(1) Compliance with Provisions. No building permits will be issued by the City for the construction of any building or structure on any lot in the “subdivision” as defined herein which has been approved for platting until all requirements of this title have been fully complied with and until utility and street construction contracts have been awarded. No building permit shall be issued for a lot not having the required right of way frontage on a public street in the zoning district in which it is located unless the lot complies with provisions of this code.
(2) Utilities Required. No occupancy shall be granted until public and/or private utilities are available. Where building permits are issued as provided in subsection A of this section, the building or units therein shall not be occupied (except model homes) until said building(s) are provided with public sewer and water service, private services (gas, telephone, electricity, sewer and water) and an improved public street to the extent that the street is graded and gravel surfaced.
(3) Nonliability of City. Where a building permit is issued the person to whom the permit is issued proceeds at his/her own risk and the City assumes no obligation to provide public services within a specified time limit.
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