The proposed street system shall extend existing and projected streets at not less than the required minimum width and shall be in conformance with the following criteria.
(A) Conformance with thoroughfare and transportation plans. The location and design of streets shall be in conformance with any applicable thoroughfare or transportation plans. Where conditions warrant, right-of-way width and pavement width more than the minimum street standards may be required. In any case where any part of a subdivision lies within the corridor of a thoroughfare shown on a NCDOT Roadway Corridor Official Map adopted pursuant to G.S. Ch. 136, Art. 2E, no subdivision approval shall be granted with respect to the property in the roadway corridor; provided, however, no subdivision plat approval shall be delayed by the provision of the Roadway Corridor Official Map procedure for more than three years from the date of its original submittal.
(B) Street classification. The final determination of the classification of streets in a proposed subdivision shall be made by the NCDOT. All streets shall be planned, designed, and dedicated as public streets unless otherwise specifically provided for in this subchapter.
(C) Conformance with adjoining street system. The planned street layout of a proposed subdivision shall be compatible with existing or proposed streets and their classifications on adjoining or nearby tracts.
(D) Reserve strips and half streets. Reserve strips adjoining street rights-of-ways for the purpose of preventing access to or from adjacent property (except those required to prevent access to major thoroughfares) and half-streets shall not be permitted under any condition.
(E) Intersections. Streets shall be designed to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, and no street shall intersect any other street at an angle of less than 75 degrees. Streets crossing natural areas or streams shall cross at or near to right angles as possible within limits of topographic conditions. Offset intersections must be avoided.
(F) Cul-de-sacs.
(1) Cul-de-sacs shall be provided with a turn-around meeting NCDOT standards. Cul-de-sacs may be designed to utilize circular, T, L and Y shapes by following the diagrams in the appendix or to meet NCDOT standards. A temporary cul-de-sac maybe installed within 18 months as part of the plat approval if the subdivider intends to phase the development.
(2) Cul-de-sacs should not be used to avoid connection with an existing street, to avoid the extension of a thoroughfare or collector street, or to avoid connection to adjoining property.
(G) Marginal access streets. Where a tract of land to be subdivided adjoins a thoroughfare, the subdivider may be required to provide a marginal access street parallel to the thoroughfare or provide for through lots on a local street for the lots to be developed adjacent to the thoroughfare. Where through lots are established, such lots may be prevented from having direct access to the thoroughfare by driveways.
(H) Utilities, streetlights, and storm drainage. Street utilities, streetlights, sidewalks, storm drainage and other such facilities are to be placed within the street right-of-way and shall be placed in accordance with NCDOT Standards for Construction in public rights-of-way. This section is also applicable to private streets.
(I) Pavement, curb, and gutter pavement. Curbs and gutters to be placed in public streets shall be placed in accordance with NCDOT Standards for Construction in public rights-of-way. This section is also applicable to private streets.
(J) Street design criteria. All street designs and construction, whether public or private, shall conform to the following standards.
(1) All roads declared public or private shall conform to the minimum standards set forth in the most recent edition of "Minimum Construction Standards for Subdivision Roads", as published by the N.C. Department of Transportation, Division of Highways.
(2) As an option, private driveways may be constructed meeting the design and construction criteria as follows:
(a) Private driveway. A private drive serving up to four lots, with a deeded 45-foot right-of-way, which will be maintained by the property owner, and not intended for public ingress and egress. Each private driveway shall have access to a state-maintained road. Only one private driveway is allowed per subdivision.
(b) Existing easements less than 45 feet. Legal easements with a right-of-way of less than 45 feet established before the effective date of this chapter shall be allowed to serve up to three lots with approval by the Subdivision Administrator. New easements with less than 45 feet of right-of-way are prohibited.
(c) Easement minimum. A minimum of 20 feet shall be required for all easements serving private, family cemeteries that do not front along a state-maintained road.
(K) Water and sewer design criteria. All public systems shall be approved for construction by the appropriate agency of the State of North Carolina. The Subdivision Administrator shall coordinate review with the appropriate personnel.
(Ord. passed 4-17-2023)