The location, width, and alignment of streets shall conform to the General Plan and applicable specific plans, any applicable design guidelines adopted by the City Council, except where alternative standards are approved by the City Council. Streets shall be designed for the most advantageous development of the area in which the subdivision lies and for high connectivity with surrounding areas. Specific requirements shall be as follows:
(A) Street configuration.
(1) Width.
(a) The width of streets shall be per the latest edition of the Design Guidelines and Standard Drawings and Specifications in the office of the City Engineer.
(b) Street classifications shall be consistent with the General Plan Transportation and Circulation Element and any applicable specific plan.
(c) Part-width streets shall be permitted only on the periphery of a subdivision as required by the City Engineer and approved by the Planning Commission or City Council.
(d) Part-width streets shall contain a minimum of two 12-foot-wide travel lanes, one 8-foot-wide parking lane along project frontage, and a paved 4-foot shoulder.
(2) Centerlines.
(a) Existing or planned streets shall continue the centerlines of the existing streets as far as practical, in accordance with the City Design Guidelines and Standard Drawings and Specifications and as approved by the City Engineer.
(b) The centerlines shall be offset at least 150 feet if no extensions from existing centerlines exist.
(3) Connectivity. Street configuration shall provide maximum connectivity for pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles within subdivisions.
(4) Private streets. New private streets are permitted only if they meet all of the following requirements:
(a) The Planning Commission or City Council determines that a private street system will not be a substantial detriment to adjoining properties, or to the properties served by the private street system, and will not disrupt or prevent the establishment of an orderly circulation system in the vicinity of the subdivision.
(b) All private streets shall comply with the current edition of the City's Design Guidelines and Standard Drawings and Specifications in the office of the City Engineer.
(c) The subdivider shall establish provisions, approved by the City Engineer and City Attorney, for a homeowners' association or other organization to assume responsibility for the maintenance and ownership of private streets, alleys and their rights-of-way, including any trees and landscaping provided within the street and alley rights-of-way.
(d) The Planning Commission or City Council may require that a proposed private street be subject to an offer of dedication pursuant to Cal. Gov't Code § 66477.1.
(e) Public utilities within private streets shall require dedication of public utility easements for their maintenance.
(5) Alleys.
(a) Alleys shall be at least 20 feet in width.
(b) Alleys may be allowed in residential subdivisions when determined to be desirable by the Planning Commission or City Council for any of the following reasons:
1. The unusual size, shape or topographical character of the property to be subdivided.
2. The relationship to existing or proposed adjacent commercial, industrial, or high-density residential development or adjacent railroad or canal rights-of-way.
3. The need to maintain continuity of existing alleys where the property to be subdivided is located immediately between existing residential blocks where alleys are provided.
4. To improve traffic circulation or to reduce possible traffic conflicts.
5. To provide rear access to parking and reduce the visual impact of garages, and provided that the city will not be required to provide on-going maintenance.
6. To comply with street configuration requirements of this chapter.
(6) Sidewalks.
(a) Concrete sidewalks shall be installed on both sides of all streets.
(b) Sidewalk widths shall be in accordance with the General Plan, applicable specific plan, the latest edition of the city's Design Guidelines and Standard Drawings and Specifications in the office of the City Engineer, or as specified by the City Engineer.
(7) Cul-de-sacs or stubbed streets.
(a) The use of cul-de-sac or stubbed streets in residential subdivisions shall be minimized so as to meet the requirement for connectivity, above.
(b) Where cul-de-sacs or stubbed streets are used, they shall not exceed 500 feet in length.
(c) Where necessary to give access to or permit a satisfactory future subdivision of adjoining land, streets shall extend to the boundary of the property proposed for subdivision and the resulting stubbed streets may be approved within a dedicated easement.
(d) Cul-de-sacs shall be open at their end for pedestrian access whenever possible.
(e) The property line radius at the terminus of the cul-de-sac shall be designed so as to provide a uniform parkway width.
(f) Barriers shall be erected to the City of Tulare specifications, at the expense of the subdivider, at the ends of all stubbed streets.
(g) For stubbed streets more than one lot in length, a temporary turnaround having a minimum radius of 50 feet measured to the property line is required until the street is extended.
(8) Curved streets. The centerline curve radius on all streets shall conform to accepted engineering standards of design and shall be subject to the approval of the City Engineer.
(9) Grades. Street grades, longitudinal to the centerline, shall be not less than 0.2%. Any grade deviation shall be approved by the City Engineer.
(10) Intersections. Street intersections shall be as near to right angles as practicable.
(a) Where new streets intersect existing "tee" intersections, the new centerline shall align as closely as possible with that of the opposite street.
(b) At street intersections the block corners shall be rounded at the property line with a curve having a radius of not less than 20 feet.
(c) A greater curve radius may be required if streets intersect other than at right angles, or required by the City Engineer.
(11) Continuation of existing streets. Streets that are a continuation of streets on contiguous property shall be aligned to ensure that their centerlines coincide. In cases where straight continuations are not practical, such centerlines shall be continued by curves of appropriate radii.
(12) Traffic conflicts. When a subdivision lot fronts on any primary thoroughfare or arterial streets designated in the Transportation and Circulation Element of the General Plan, one or more of the following methods may be applied to lessen potential traffic conflicts:
(a) Frontage streets.
(b) Backing lot treatment.
(c) Common driveways.
(d) Driveway access onto alleys.
(e) Other suitable method approved by the Planning Commission or City Council.
(f) Access limitations.
(B) Street lighting.
(1) The subdivider shall provide and install street lights on all streets where required by the city.
(2) The lighting system shall be designed and constructed to city and serving public utility standards.
(C) Street names.
(1) All new streets, public or private, shall be named consistent with the City of Tulare Street Naming Policy. The names shall be chosen by the city, or the subdivider or developer, subject to the review and approval of the City Street Naming Committee.
(2) Street name signs shall be installed at intersections of all streets and highways, including private streets and at such other locations designated by the City Engineer.
(3) All street name signs shall conform to city standards.
(4) Proposed street names shall not duplicate or too closely approximate phonetically the names of any streets in the city or its immediate environs. Where streets are functional continuations of existing streets, the existing street name shall be used.
(5) All east-west streets shall be known as "Avenue"; all north-south streets shall be known as "Street"; all curvilinear or diagonal streets shall be known as "Drive"; very short or cul-de-sac streets shall be known as "Court," "Circle," or "Place."
(D) Median islands.
(1) Raised median islands shall be required in accordance with the provisions of the General Plan Transportation/Circulation Element, City Standards, and any applicable specific plans.
(2) Median islands shall be designed and constructed in accordance with city standards.
(3) Median islands shall be treated or landscaped and irrigated in conformance with the General Plan and City landscape standards.
(E) Monuments.
(1) Placement.
(a) Monuments shall generally be placed at the angle point on the exterior boundary lines of the tract, at the intersections of centerlines of streets, the beginning and ends of curves, points of reverse curvature, points of compound curvature along street centerlines, street bulb connections, and eccentric cul-de-sacs.
(b) Monuments may be placed on offset lines.
(2) Lot stakes.
(a) Lot stakes shall be set six inches below finished grade at property corners.
(b) Lot stakes shall be of iron pipe or rod, one-half inch in diameter and 18 inches in length.
(F) Ownership transfer or dedication.
(1) Existing private streets may be transferred or dedicated to the city only if sufficient funds are placed on deposit or repairs are made to ensure that the street meets the standards for streets set forth in this chapter and any other applicable requirements.
(2) The city may require the establishment of an assessment district for street and storm drain maintenance for any existing private street transferred or dedicated to the city.
(Ord. 2021-04, passed 12-21-2021; Ord. 15-12, passed 12-15-2015)