(a) General Requirements.
(1) Frontage on improved roads. No subdivision shall be approved unless the area to be subdivided shall have frontage or access from an existing street or:
A. An existing state, highway; or
B. A street shown upon a plat approved by the Commission and recorded in the County Clerk’s office. Such street or highway must be suitably improved as required by the highway rules, regulations, specifications, or orders, or be secured by a performance bond required under these Subdivision Regulations, with the width and right-of-way required by these Subdivision Regulations.
(2) Topography and arrangement.
A. All streets shall be properly integrated with the existing and proposed system of thoroughfares and dedicated right-of-way as established by the Comprehensive Plan.
B. All thoroughfares shall be properly related to special traffic generators such as industries, business districts, schools, churches, and shopping centers; to population densities; and to the pattern of existing and proposed land uses.
C. Minor and local streets shall be laid out to conform as much as possible to the topography, to discourage use by through traffic, to permit efficient drainage and utility systems, and to require the minimum number of street necessary to provide convenient and safe access to property.
D. The rigid rectangular gridiron street pattern need not necessarily be adhered to, and the use of curvilinear streets, cul-de-sacs, or U-shaped streets shall be encouraged where such use will result in a more desirable layout.
E. Proposed streets shall be extended to the boundary lines of the tract to be subdivided, unless prevented by topography or other physical conditions, or unless in the opinion of the Commission such extension is not necessary or desirable for the coordination of the layout of the subdivision with the existing layout or the most advantageous future development of adjacent tracts.
F. In business and industrial developments, the streets and other accessways shall be planned in connection with the grouping of buildings, location of rail facilities, and the provisions of alleys, truck, loading and maneuvering areas, and walks and parking areas so as to minimize conflict of movement between the various types of traffic, including pedestrian.
(4) Blocks.
A. Blocks shall have sufficient width to provide for two (2) tiers of lots of appropriate depths. Exceptions to this prescribed block width shall be permitted in blocks adjacent to major streets, railroads, or waterways.
B. The lengths, widths, and shapes of blocks shall be such as are appropriate for the locality and the type of development contemplated, but block lengths in residential areas shall not exceed two thousand two hundred (2,200) feet or twelve (12) times the minimum lot width required in the zoning district, nor be less than four hundred (400) feet in length. Wherever practicable, blocks along major arterials and collector streets shall be not less than one thousand (1,000) feet in length.
C. In long blocks the Commission may require the reservation of an easement through the block to accommodate utilities, drainage facilities, or pedestrian traffic. Pedestrianways or crosswalks, not less than ten (10) feet wide, may be required by the Commission through the center of blocks more than eight hundred (800) feet long where deemed essential to provide circulation or access to schools, playgrounds, shopping centers, transportation, or other community facilities. Blocks designed for industrial uses shall be of such length and width as may be determined suitable by the Commission for prospective use.
(5) Access to Primary Arterials. Where a subdivision borders on or contains an existing or proposed primary arterial, the Commission my require that access to such streets be limited by one of the following means:
A. The subdivision of lots so as to back onto the primary arterials and front onto a parallel local streets; no access shall be provided from the primary arterial, and screening shall be provided in a strip of land along the rear property line of such lots.
B. A series of cul-de-sacs, U-shaped streets, or short loops entered from and designed generally at right angles to such a parallel street, with the rear lines of their terminal lots backing onto the major arterial.
C. A marginal access or service road (separated from the primary arterial by a planning or grass strip and having access thereto at suitable points).
(6) Road names. the sketch plat as submitted shall not indicate any names upon proposed streets. The Commission shall approve the name of all roads at the time of preliminary approval. The local postmaster shall be consulted by the Commission prior to rendering its request to the Commission. Names shall be sufficiently different in sound and in spelling from other road names in the City so as not to cause confusion. A road which is or is planned as a continuation of an existing road shall bear the same name.
(7) Reserve strips. The creation of reserve strips shall not be permitted adjacent to a proposed street in such a manner as to deny access from adjacent property to such street.
(8) Construction of roads and dead-end roads.
A. Construction of Roads. The arrangement of streets shall provide, for the continuation of principal streets between adjacent properties when such continuation is necessary for convenient movement of traffic, effective fire protection, or efficient provision of utilities, and where such continuation is in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan. If the adjacent property is undeveloped and the street must be a dead-end street temporarily, the right-of-way shall be extended to the property line. A temporary T- or L-shaped turnabout shall be provided on all temporary dead-end streets, with the notation on the subdivision plat that land outside the normal street right-of-way shall revert to abuttors whenever the street is continued. The Commission may limit the length of temporary dead-end streets in accordance with the design standards of these regulations.
(b) Design Standards.
(1) General. In order to provide for roads of suitable location, width, and improvement to accommodate prospective traffic and afford satisfactory access to police, firefighting, snow removal, sanitation and road-maintenance equipment, and to coordinate roads so as to compose a convenient system and avoid undue hardships to adjoining properties, the design standards for roads in Table 1 are hereby required. Road classification shall be determined by the Commission.
(2) Excess Right-of-Way. Right-of-way widths in excess of the standards designated in these regulations shall be required whenever, due to topography, additional width is necessary to provide adequate earth slopes. Such slopes shall not be in excess of three to one.
(3) Intersections.
A. Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. A proposed intersection of two (2) new streets at an angle of less than seventy-five (75) degrees shall not be acceptable. An oblique street should be curved approaching an intersection and should be approximately at right angles for at least one hundred (100) feet therefrom. Not more than two (2) streets shall intersect at any one point unless specifically approved by the Commission.
B. Proposed new intersections along one side of an existing street shall, wherever practicable, coincide with any existing intersections on the opposite side of such street. Street jogs with center-line offsets of less than 150 feet shall not be permitted, except where the intersected street has separated dual drives without median breaks at either intersection. Where streets intersect major streets, their alignment shall be continuous.
Intersections of major streets shall be at least eight hundred (800) feet apart.
C. Minimum curb radius at the intersection of two (2) local street shall be at least twenty (20) feet; and minimum curb radius at an intersection involving a collector street shall be at least twenty-five (25) feet. Alley intersections and abrupt changes in alignment within a block shall have the corners cut off in accordance with standard engineering practice to permit safe vehicular movement.
D. Intersections shall be designed with a flat grade wherever practical. In hilly or rolling areas, at the approach to an intersection, a leveling area shall be provided having not greater than a two percent (2%) rate at a distance of sixty (50) feet, measured from the nearest right-of-way line of the intersecting street.
E. Where any street intersection will involve earth banks or existing vegetation inside any lot corner that would create a traffic hazard by limiting visibility, the developer shall cut such ground and/or vegetation (including trees) in connection with the grading of the public right-of-way to the extent deemed necessary to provide an adequate sight distance.
F. The cross-slopes on all streets, including intersections, shall be three percent (3%) or less.
G. Bridges. Bridges of primary benefit to the applicant, as determined by the Commission, shall be constructed at the full expense of the applicant without reimbursement from the City. The sharing expense for the construction of bridges not of primary benefit to the applicant as determined by the Commission will be fixed by special agreement between the City and the applicant. Said cost shall be charged to the applicant pro rata as the percentage of his land developed and so serviced.
(c) Road Dedications and Reservations.
(1) New Perimeter Streets. Street systems in new subdivisions shall be laid out so as to eliminate or avoid new perimeter half-streets. Where an existing half-street is adjacent to a new subdivision, the other half of the street shall be improved and dedicated by the subdivider. The Commission may authorize a new perimeter street where the subdivider improves and dedicates the entire required street right-of-way width within his own subdivision boundaries.
(2) Widening and Realignment of Existing Roads. Where a subdivision borders an existing narrow road or when the Comprehensive Plan, or zoning setback regulations indicate plans for realignment or widening a road that would require use of some of the land in the subdivision, the applicant shall be required to improve and dedicate at his expense such areas for widening or realignment of such roads. Such frontage roads and streets shall be improved and dedicated by the applicant at his own expense to the full width as required by these subdivision regulations. Land reserved for any road purposes may not be counted in satisfying yard or area requirements of the Zoning Ordinance whether the land is to be dedicated to the municipality fee simply or an easement is granted to the City.
(Ord. 89-11. Passed 8-21-89.)
TABLE 1
DESIGN STANDARDS FOR ROADS
Residential District | Nonresidential | |||
Improvement | R-1 | R-2 | R-3 | Commercial-Highway-Industrial |
Minimum Width Right-of-Way (In Feet) | ||||
Local Road | 32 | 35 | 35 | 50 |
Collector Road | 35 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
Secondary Arterial | 40 | 50 | 50 | 80 |
Primary Arterial | 80 | 80 | 100 | 100 |
Minimum Width Traveled Route (In Feet) | ||||
Local Road | 20 W/S* | 24 W/C** | 24 W/C** | 30 W/C** |
Collector Road | 22 W/S | 26 W/C | 26 W/C | 40 W/C |
Secondary Arterial | 22 W/S | 32 W/C | 32 W/C | 44 W/C |
Primary Arterial | 44 W/S | 48 W/C | 48 W/C | 48 W/C |
Maximum Grade (Percent) | ||||
Local Road | 16 | 16 | 16 | 6 |
Collector Road | 12 | 12 | 12 | 6 |
Secondary Arterial | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
Primary Arterial | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
Minimum Grade | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Minimum Radius of Curve (In Feet) | ||||
Local Road | 100 | 100 | 100 | 200 |
Collector Road | 100 | 100 | 100 | 200 |
Secondary Arterial | 300 | 300 | 300 | 400 |
Primary Arterial | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
Residential District | Nonresidential | |||
Improvement | R-1 | R-2 | R-3 | Commercial-Highway-Industrial |
Minimum Length of Vertical Curves | ||||
Local Road | 100 feet, but not less than 20 feet for each algebraic difference, in grade | |||
Collector Road | ||||
Secondary Arterial | 200 feet, but not less than 50 feet for each 1 percent | |||
Primary Arterial | 300 feet, but not less than 50 feet for each algebraic difference in grade | |||
Minimum Length of Tangents Between Reserve curves (In Feet) | ||||
Local Road | 100 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
Collector Road | 100 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
Secondary Arterial | 200 | 200 | 250 | 300 |
Primary Arterial | 300 | 300 | 350 | 400 |
Minimum Sight Distance (In Feet) | ||||
Local Road | 200 | 200 | 200 | 250 |
Collector Road | 200 | 240 | 240 | 250 |
Secondary Arterial | 275 | 275 | 300 | 300 |
Primary Arterial | 275 | 275 | 300 | 300 |
Intersection | Across Corner - 75 feet Back | Intersection | ||
Minimum Turnaround (In Feet) | ||||
Local Roads Right-of-Way Diameter | 80 | 80 | 80 | 160 |
Pavement | 60 | 60 | 60 | 140 |
Center Island Diameter (If Required) | 40 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
Residential District | Nonresidential | |||
Improvement | R-1 | R-2 | R-3 | Commercial-Highway-Industrial |
Assign Speed (Miles Per Hour) | ||||
Local Roads | 25 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
Collector Roads | 30 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
Secondary Arterial | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
Primary Arterial | 40 | 40 | 40 | 50 |
Minimum Length of Cul-De-Sac | ||||
Permanent | Six times minimum lot width, serving no more than fourteen (14) families and not exceeding 500 feet in length. | |||
Temporary | Twelve times minimum lot width, serving no more than twenty-five (25) families and not exceeding 1,000 feet in length. | |||
Minimum Radius (In Feet) | ||||
At Right-of-Way | 24 | 24 | 26 | 30 |
At Pavement | 18 | 18 | 18 | 30 |
*With Shoulders (Roll Type Curb)
**With Curbs (Concrete Vertical Firm Curbs)
NOTE: T or L shaped turnaround shall be of the same right-of-way and paved with the required street.
(Ord. 89-11. Passed 8-21-89.)