(A) Design.
(1) No land shall be subdivided for residential use if such land is considered by the Commission to be unsuitable for such use by reason of flooding or improper drainage, objectionable earth, and rock formation topography or any other feature harmful to the health and safety of possible residents and the community as a whole.
(2) All proposed subdivisions shall conform to any thoroughfare plan. Whenever a tract to be subdivided embraces any part of a major street, boulevard, or parkway so designated on the thoroughfare plan, such part of such proposed public way shall be platted by the subdivider in the locations and of the width indicated on the thoroughfare plan. Due considerations shall also be given by the subdivider and owners of adjoining property for the provisions of school sites, park sites, rights-of-way for public utility lines, sites for business centers, industrial locations, and other features as indicated on the Master Plan.
(3) Street and alley location and arrangement.
(a) The street and alley layout shall conform to the neighborhood plan of the Commission for the development of the neighborhood in which the proposed subdivision is located.
(b) Proposed streets shall be adjusted to the contour of the land so as to produce usable lots and streets of reasonable gradient.
(c) Wherever there exists a dedicated or platted portion of a street or alley adjacent to the tract to be subdivided, the other portion of the street or alley to the prescribed width shall be platted.
(4) Minimum street and alley widths.
(a) Major streets shall have widths not less than indicated on the thoroughfare plan.
(b) Streets in business districts designated by the zoning ordinance shall have right-of-way widths not less than 80 feet.
(c) Other streets shall have right-of-way widths not less then 50 feet.
(d) Alleys shall have right-of-way widths not less than 20 feet or more than 30 feet.
(e) Dead-end streets, 50 feet. All dead-end streets shall not exceed 600 feet in length and shall terminate in a circular right-of-way within a minimum diameter of 80 feet, unless the Commission approves an equally safe and convenient form of space instead of the required turning circle.
(5) Minimum radii or curvature on the center lines. Where a deflection angle of more than ten degrees in the alignment of a street occurs, a curve shall be introduced, providing for:
(a) Major streets, a minimum radius of 300 feet, but should be much greater wherever possible.
(b) Other streets, a minimum radius of 100 feet, but should be much greater wherever possible.
(6) Tangents. Between reversed curves, there shall be not less than a minimum tangent for:
(a) Major streets, of 200 feet.
(b) Other streets, of 50 feet.
(7) Intersection.
(a) At street intersections, property line corners shall be rounded by an arc at least 20 feet in radius.
(b) All streets intersecting a major street shall do so at right angles or as nearly so as is possible. Where the intersection angle is less than 60 degrees, the foregoing radii shall be increased not less than 40%.
(8) Blocks.
(a) The width of blocks shall be sufficient to allow two tiers of lots as described in divisions (A)(9)(a) and (b) of this section.
(b) Blocks shall not exceed 1,320 feet in length.
(c) In blocks over 750 feet in length, the Commission may require, at or near the middle of the block, public walk connecting adjacent streets or other public areas. Such walkway shall be at least ten feet in width and shall be intended for the use of pedestrians only.
(9) Lots.
(a) In any agriculture or resident district, the minimum width and area for lots shall conform to the requirements of the zoning ordinance, but in no case shall the width be less than 60 feet at the setback line, and the area contain less than 6,000 square feet if a public water supply and sanitary sewers are provided, 7,200 square feet if a public water supply but no sanitary sewers are provided, 10,000 square feet if neither public water supply nor sanitary sewers are provided, where property is located in a business or manufacturing district, the minimum permissible lot size and frontage shall be at the discretion of the Commission.
(b) The depth-to-width ratio of the usable area of a lot shall be not greater than 3 to 1.
(c) Building setback lines shall not be less than those required by the zoning ordinance.
(d) Whenever possible, side lines of lots shall be at right angles or radial to street lines.
(e) Every lot shall abut on a street.
(f) Through lots having frontage on two parallel or approximately parallel streets will be permitted only at the discretion of the Commission.
(g) Except where alleys are provided for the purpose, each lot shall have an easement for utilities along the rear lot line and along the side lot line where necessary. No easement shall be less than ten feet wide on each lot, making an overall easement width of 20 feet.
(h) When the terrain so requires, easements for sanitary sewers along lot lines other than the rear lot lines shall be provided.
(10) Public spaces. Whenever a park, recreation area, school site, or other open space shown on the Master Plan is located in whole or in part in the proposed subdivision, the Commission may require the dedication of those spaces or their reservation for a period of not less than three years.
(11) Monuments and markers.
(a) Monuments shall be of concrete with a diameter of not less than six inches and a length of not less than 36 inches, with a copper dowel 3/8 inches in diameter, at least two and a half inches in length imbedded so that the top of the dowel shall be not more than one-half inch above the surface and at the center of the monument.
(b) Monuments shall be set so that the top is level with the established grade adjoining it and placed so that the marked point on the metal center shall coincide exactly with the intersection of street property lines, the intersection of all angles in the boundary line and at the beginning and ending of all curves along streets on the inside street lines.
(c) Lot corner not marked by concrete monuments as required above shall be marked by galvanized or wrought iron pipe, or iron or steel bars at least three feet in length and not less than inch in diameter, the top of the pipe or bar to be set level with the established grade of the ground adjoining it.
(B) Required improvements.
(1) Streets, alleys, curbs, and gutters and sidewalks.
(a) Streets shall be completed to grades and to specifications as shown on plans, profiles, and cross-sections prepared by the subdivider and approved by the Town Board. The streets shall be graded and surfaced and improved to the dimensions required by the Town Board.
(b) Alleys, curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, if required or built, shall be completed according to standards and grades required and approved by the Town Board.
(c) Upon the completion of the street, alley, curb, gutter, and sidewalk improvements, plant and profiles, as built, shall be filed with the Town Board.
(2) Sewers.
(a) The subdivider shall provide the subdivision with a complete public sewer system which shall connect with a sanitary sewer outlet, if available, meeting the standards as set forth by the Town Board, or for the disposal of sanitary sewage by means of septic tanks with absorption systems or seepage pits, all constructed according to the minimum requirements of the State Board of Health and compatible with existing sewer improvements in the town.
(b) In this division (B)(2), and the next division (B)(3), the phrase "the subdivider shall provide" shall be interpreted to mean that the subdivider shall install the facility referred to, or that the subdivider shall require, as a condition of the sale of each lot or parcel in the subdivision, that the facilities referred to in these divisions shall be installed by the developer of the lots in accordance with these regulations.
(c) Upon completion of the installment of a public sewer system, the plans for such system as built shall be filed with the Town Board.
(3) Water. The subdivider shall provide the subdivision with a complete water main supply system which shall be connected with the city water supply system, if available, meeting the standard as set forth by the Town Board, or a private water supply for each lot to be installed in accordance with the minimum requirements of the State Board of Health.
(4) Storm drainage. The subdivider shall provide the subdivision with an adequate storm water sewer system whenever the evidence available to the Commission indicates the natural surface drainage is inadequate. When the surface drainage is adequate, easement for such surface drainage shall be provided.
(5) Street signs. The subdivider shall provide the subdivision with standard street signs at the intersection of all streets.
(C) Variance and modification.
(1) Where the subdivider can show that a provision of divisions (A)(5), (6), or (7) of these regulations would cause unnecessary hardship if strictly adhered to and where, in the opinion of the Commission, because of topographical or other conditions peculiar to the site, a departure may be made without destroying the intent of such provision, the Commission may authorize a variance. Any variance thus authorized is required to be entered in writing in the minutes of the Commission and the reasoning on which the departure was justified set forth.
(2) The foregoing requirements and principles of land subdivision may be modified by the Commission in the case of a subdivision large enough to be developed as a community center or neighborhood unit in accordance with a plan prepared by the subdivider and adopted as a part of the Master Plan.
(3) The Plan Commission shall not approve variances unless it shall make written findings based upon the evidence presented to it in each specific case that:
(a) The variance is not detrimental to public safety or injurious to property.
(b) The conditions upon which the request for a variance is based are unique to the property for which the variance is sought and are not applicable generally to other property.
(c) Because of the particular physical surroundings, shape or topographical conditions of the land, a particular hardship would result, as distinguished from a mere inconvenience, if the strict letter of these regulations are carried out. Financial hardship does not constitute grounds for a variance.
(d) The variance will not in any manner vary the provisions of the Housing Ordinance, Master Plan, or Thoroughfare Plan if applicable to Waterloo.
(e) 1. Where the variance impacts on the design and construction of public facilities, all appropriate public agencies will be given ample time to comment in writing to the Commission.
2. In granting a variance, the Plan Commission may require conditions which will secure the standards and objectives of the subdivision regulations, and a requirement that a variance petition be submitted in writing at the time the sketch plat is submitted.
(‘92 Code, § 150.15)