(a) Purpose. This Section establishes standards for the design and layout of subdivisions, and the design, construction, or installation of public improvements within subdivisions. The purpose of these standards is to ensure, through careful site evaluation and design, the creation of new usable parcels that are consistent with the General Plan, any applicable community plan, and any applicable specific plan.
(b) Applicability. Each subdivision shall be designed in compliance with the standards of this Section, except where an exception is granted in compliance with § 87.01.100 (Exceptions to Subdivision Standards).
(c) Roads and Streets. The layout, design, and construction of proposed roads and streets shall comply with the General Plan, and adopted County street standards.
(1) Highway Alignment Plan. If the General Plan (or any applicable community or specific plan) designates a general location of a proposed highway and any portion thereof may be wholly or partially within a proposed subdivision or may be affected by a proposed subdivision before the approval of the subdivision, a specific alignment plan shall be prepared and adopted. Each roadway shall conform in width and alignment with that shown or indicated on the General Plan or any standards adopted consistent with the General Plan. As a condition of approval of the subdivision, the subdivider shall be required to make dedications and construct reasonable improvements as required by the specific alignment plan. These requirements may be waived by the Director upon recommendation of the Department of Public Works, if the proposed highway is located upon a section line or its precise alignment can be otherwise determined.
(2) Circulation Standards.
(A) General Plan Consistency. The circulation design of all subdivisions shall be compatible and coordinate with the General Plan (and any applicable community or specific plan) and the existing street and land use pattern in the surrounding area.
(B) Part-Width Highways and Alignments. Any part-width highway lying along and adjacent to any boundary of a subdivision shall have a part-width and alignment as will conform to the route lines shown on the Master Plan of Highways covering the same portion of the subdivision.
(C) Cul-de-Sacs. Cul-de-sac streets shall not exceed 600 feet in length, except as provided below, and shall terminate with a turn-around as specified in the adopted County Road Standards. The Director may approve a cul-de-sac that exceeds 600 feet if the Director first finds that the cul-de-sac will not be injurious to the public health, safety, and general welfare.
(D) Road Grades. Road grades shall not exceed 12 percent unless it can be demonstrated that a road grade in excess of 12 percent is necessary to accomplish the objectives of the General Plan (and any applicable community or specific plan). In these circumstances, the Director may approve a road grade not to exceed 14 percent grade for a distance not to exceed 500 feet if a finding is first made, based upon the recommendations of the County Director of Public Works and the County Fire Marshal, that the roadway will not create an unacceptable hazardous risk to the public health, safety, or general welfare.
(E) Subdivision Access. The subdivision and each of its phases shall have two points of vehicular ingress and egress from existing and surrounding streets, one of which may be for emergency use only. Where providing this access is physically impossible or a cul-de-sac is proposed, this requirement may be waived or modified.
(d) Public Access to Public Resources. Each proposed subdivision shall be designed and constructed to provide public access to waterways, lakes, and reservoirs in compliance with Map Act Chapter 4, Article 3.5 (Public Access to Public Resources).
(e) Parcel Design. The size, shape, and arrangement of proposed parcels shall comply with this Section and with any General Plan (and any applicable community or specific plan) policy, requirement, or other County Code provision that applies to proposed subdivisions.
(1) General Parcel Design Standards.
(A) Each proposed parcel shall be determined by the review authority to be “buildable” because it contains at least one building site that can accommodate a structure in compliance with all applicable provisions of this Development Code.
(B) No subdivision shall be designed to leave unsubdivided islands, strips or parcels, or property unsuitable for subdividing, which is not either accepted by the County or other appropriate entity for public use, or maintained, as common area within the development.
(2) Parcel Area. Each proposed parcel shall comply with the minimum area requirements of the applicable land use zoning district established by Division 2 (Land Use Zoning Districts and Allowable Land Uses), except as otherwise provided by this Section.
(A) Calculation of Area. When calculating the area of a parcel to determine compliance with this Section, this Division or the General Plan (and any applicable community or specific plan), the following shall be deducted from the gross area of any parcel:
(I) A vehicular access easement through the parcel, unless there is alternative legal and physical access to the parcel for which the easement is granted;
(II) Any easement completely restricting or prohibiting any use of the property, for ingress, egress, landscaping, recreation, storage, etc.; or
(III) The “flag pole” (access strip) of a flag lot.
(B) Minimum Parcel Area Requirements for Common Interest Projects. The minimum parcel area requirements of this Development Code or the minimum “buildable” parcel size shall not apply to condominiums, condominium conversions, and townhouses, but shall apply to the creation of the original parcel(s) that are the location of the condominium or townhouse.
(3) Dimensions and Configuration. The dimensions of each new parcel shall comply with the requirements of the applicable land use zoning district established by Division 2 (Land Use Zoning Districts and Allowable Land Uses), or as otherwise required by the review authority.
(A) Side parcel lines shall be approximately normal to street lines.
(B) Each parcel on a dead-end street where the side lines converge from front to the rear of the parcel shall have an average width of not less than 60 feet, or the width required by this Development Code, whichever is greater, measured along the front building setback line.
(C) Each parcel on a curved street where the side lines converge from the front to the rear of the parcel shall have an average width of not less than 60 feet, or the width required by this Development Code, whichever is greater.
(D) Double frontage parcels shall be discouraged except where essential to separate residential developments from major or secondary highways or due to topographical conditions. When double frontage parcels are allowed, vehicular access rights shall be dedicated to the County along the street designated by the Director.
(E) The Director may require parcels larger than the above minimum sizes specified in multi-family residential, commercial, and industrial subdivisions. When parcels twice or more the required area or width are shown as part of a subdivision, the Director may require the parcel(s) to be so established as to make practical a further division into allowable building sites, without injury to adjoining property.
(F) In desert, hilly, or mountainous areas, the Director may require parcels larger than required minimums. Larger parcels shall be required when it is deemed to be necessary in order to conform to the General Plan or any applicable community or specific plan.
(G) Flag lots shall be discouraged.
(H) Modification of these parcel design standards may be allowed in compliance with:
(I) The Parcel Area Regulations of Division 2 of this Development Code.
(II) The Planned Development standards and regulations of Division 4 of this Development Code.
(I) This Subdivision does not apply to any parcel which the subdivider offers to dedicate to the County or any public agency or district.
(J) When a land use zoning district classification line divides a parcel(s), the area and frontage requirements for the parcel(s) shall be those of the land use zoning district that requires the greater or most restrictive standards between the two districts involved.
Example: If the line between a Neighborhood Commercial (CN) District and a Single Residential (RS) district divides a parcel, the applicable area and frontage requirements would be those for the CN as they are greater than those for the RS district.
(f) Energy Conservation. Each proposed subdivision shall be designed to provide maximum opportunities for energy conservation, including opportunities for passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities, in compliance with Map Act § 66473.1, as follows.
(1) Street Layout. The streets proposed in a subdivision shall be planned in a primarily east-west orientation where feasible.
(2) Parcel and Building Site Design. Proposed parcels shall be designed, where feasible, to provide building sites that allow the orientation of structures in east-west alignment for southern exposure, and to take advantage of existing shade or prevailing breezes.
(g) Environmental Health. Lands to be subdivided for residential, park, playground, or land recreation purposes may be subject to environmental quality standards as established by ordinances and regulations of the different departments and agencies within the County.
(h) Fire Protection.
(1) Subdivision design shall provide for safe and ready access for fire and other emergency equipment and for routes of escape to safely handle evacuations.
(2) The subdivision shall be served by water supplies for community fire protection in compliance with the standards established by the appropriate fire authority.
(3) In hazardous fire areas, all flammable or combustible vegetation shall be removed from around all structures, in compliance with the requirements of the County Uniform Fire Code and the Fire Safety Overlay District. Where erosion is probable, the slopes shall be planted with fire resistive ground cover.
(Ord. 4011, passed - -2007)