(A) No individual driveway entrance constructed within the town shall be of a greater width than 50 feet measured parallel to the street or roadway or wider than one-third of the frontage, whichever is smaller. In the event that the lot frontage does not permit the use of two driveways of one-third lot frontage as above limited, then one combined entrance and exit of a maximum width of 50 feet may be provided. Notwithstanding the above and regardless of the number of driveways, the combined width of all driveways shall not exceed two-thirds of the width of the lot on any street, except as otherwise specifically authorized by the Board of Commissioners.
(B) The frontage on the street or road right-of-way other than the driveway itself shall be either curb and gutter or in the form of a ditch or drain. Modification thereof may be permitted provided proper drainage is constructed and curbs or posts or other safeguards are installed to prevent misuse. Written permit for any modification must be obtained from the Town Clerk before any work is begun.
(C) Suitable return radii shall be provided as determined by the Town Engineer.
(D) At intersections where sight-distance or clear vision areas have been obtained, no driveway shall be permitted to cross these areas. The driveway at the right-of-way line should begin at a point no closer than the intersection of the sight-distance line and the right-of-way line.
(E) The drainage in street or roadside ditches shall not be altered or impeded. The person constructing any driveway within the town shall provide suitable drainage structures at entrances and exits at his or her own expense.
(F) No driveway or entrance shall be permitted to enter directly into an intersection, but shall be so placed as to turn traffic into a dominant or subservient street before passing through the intersection.
(G) (1) All noncommercial driveways shall be so located that the flared portion thereof adjacent to a traveled way shall not encroach on adjacent property.
(2) A minimum distance of 18 inches shall be reserved between the driveway and the property line.
(H) (1) All commercial driveways shall be so located that the flared portion thereof adjacent to the traveled way will not encroach on adjacent property.
(2) A minimum distance of five feet shall be reserved between the driveway and the property line.
(3) The grade of entrance and exit of commercial driveways shall slope away from the street or road surface at a rate not less than one-fourth inch per foot and not more than one inch per foot for the distance between the sidewalk and the street or roadway, unless the grade of the sidewalk requires a variance therefrom.
(4) (a) Channelizing commercial driveways, curbs, channelizing islands or posts shall be so constructed or placed as to define entrances and exits to the degree needed to prevent entire frontages from being used as driveways and thereby eliminating parking immediately adjacent to the traveled way and in front of business places.
(b) Between each driveway, if there is more than one, there shall be a channelizing island between the property line and the street curb for a minimum length parallel with the street of eight feet along the property line and such greater length along the curb as may be necessary to conform with the requirements of division (A) of this section.
(5) (a) The angle of commercial drive-ways shall not be less than 45 degrees with the edge of the street or roadway.
(b) However, on dual streets or roadways where there is a median strip the entrance angle may be decreased to not less than 30 degrees.
(c) Exit drives onto dual streets or roadways shall have an angle of not less than 60 degrees with the edge of the street or roadway.
(1988 Code, § 98.37) Penalty, see § 10.99
Statutory reference:
Authority to regulate driveway connections, see G.S. § 160A-307