All streets shall be designed, within natural limitations of the land, to form part of an interconnected pattern as illustrated below:
A | A common subdivision showing a poor street layout due to few connections and many dead ends. |
B | Better street layouts showing multiple links and a gridded network of streets. |
(a) Right-of-way widths. Minimum street right-of-way widths shall be in accordance with the major street plan and shall be not less than the following:
TYPE OF STREET | MINIMUM RIGHT-OF-WAY (FEET) |
(1) Arterial | 100 |
(2) Collector streets - Minor | 60 |
(3) Local or minor (residential streets) | 50 |
(4) Cul-de-sacs* | 100 |
(5) Alleys** | 20 |
* The distance from the edge of the pavement of the cul-de-sac to the right-of-way line shall not be less than the distance from the edge of the pavement to the right-of-way line on the street into the cul-de-sac.
** Only allowed with a special use permit in a planned unit development.
(b) Pavement widths. Width for local roads and streets shall be as follows:
ROAD TYPE | PAVEMENT WIDTH WITH CURB AND GUTTER | PAVEMENT WIDTH WITHOUT CURB AND GUTTER |
Residential Collector | 30 | 24 |
Local or Minor (Residential Streets) | 22 | 22 |
Cul-de-sac | 80 | 80 |
Alley* | 16 | 16 |
* Only allowed with a conditional use permit in a planned unit development
(c) Grades. Street grades shall be as follows:
Street Type | Maximum Grade | Minimum Grade without Curb & Gutter | Minimum Grade with Curb and Gutter |
Local or Minor | 12% | 0.5% | 1% |
Collector | 9% | 0.5% | 1% |
Alley* | 12% | 0.5% | 1% |
Cul-de-sac | 5% | 1% | 1% |
* Only allowed with a conditional use permit in a planned unit development
Grades approaching intersections shall not exceed five percent (5%) for a distance of not less than one hundred (100) feet from the centerline of said intersection.
(d) Horizontal curves. Where a centerline deflection angle occurs, a circular curve shall be introduced, having a centerline radius of not less than the following:
Street Type | Radius (in feet) |
Collector Streets | 230 |
Local or Minor | 150 |
Alley* | 35 |
* Only allowed with a conditional use permit in a planned unit development
(e) Vertical curves. All vertical curves shall have such length as necessary to provide safe sight distance based on NCDOT Minimum Construction Standards for Subdivision Roads.
(f) Intersections. Streets shall be laid out as follows:
(1) Streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles and no street shall intersect at less than seventy-five (75) degrees.
(2) Street jogs with centerline offsets of less than one hundred twenty-five (125) feet shall be avoided.
(3) Intersections with a major street or highway shall be at least eight hundred (800) feet apart. This requirement may be waived by the Planning Board if such a requirement would prevent a property owner fronting on a major street or thoroughfare from having access to such a major street or highway.
(g) Cul-de-sacs. Permanent dead-end streets are strongly discouraged except when required by extreme topography, water, other natural features. When permitted, no dead-end street shall be longer than one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet or provide access to more than twelve (12) lots. Measurement shall be from the centerline of the last intersection of a through the street to the center of the turnaround of the cul-de-sac. Cul-de-sacs should not be used to avoid connection with an existing street or to avoid extension of an important street.
(h) Marginal access streets. Where a tract of land to be subdivided adjoins a principal arterial street, the subdivider may be required to provide a marginal access street parallel to the arterial street or reverse frontage on a minor street for the lots to be developed adjacent to the arterial. When reverse frontage is established, private driveways shall be prevented from having direct access to the principal arterial.
(i) Nonresidential streets. The subdivider of a nonresidential subdivision shall provide streets following the NCDOT Division of Highways' Subdivision Roads Minimum Construction Standards, July 1, 1985, as amended, and the standard of this chapter, whichever are stricter regarding each particular item. Cross-access between adjacent commercial subdivisions, existing and new, is strongly encouraged wherever possible.
(j) Access points. Subdivisions that front on more than one public road shall provide a minimum of one access point on at least two (2) public roads. Exceptions may be made due to extreme topography, water, and other natural features. If a subdivision has more than one access point on the same public road, those access points must be separated by at least three hundred (300) feet or as many feet as possible based on the property's road frontage, topography, water, and other natural features affecting the property. (Ord. of 11/3/08; Ord. of 6/28/21)