The subdivision of land including the arrangement, character, extent, width, grade, and location of all streets, alleys, crosswalks, easements, sites for parks, playgrounds, and schools or other land to be dedicated for public use shall conform to the comprehensive plan and official map of the village of Western Springs. Approval of the design of a proposed subdivision shall be considered on the basis of its relation to existing and platted streets, reasonable circulation of traffic within the subdivision and adjacent land, topographic conditions, runoff of stormwater, public convenience and safety, and appropriate relation to the proposed land uses of the areas to be served.
A. Size And Shape Of Land To Be Subdivided:
1. The size and shape of the land to be subdivided shall be sufficient and proper for land planning purposes and suitable in area and dimensions for the uses intended.
2. The plans for the subdivision of the property shall incorporate into, and be compatible with, the existing and potential uses on outlots bracketed by the area to be subdivided.
B. Desirable Environment: The layout of the streets, lots, blocks, buildings, parking lots and public lands shall create a desirable environment for the people who shall use the proposed uses, without exercising a detrimental influence or effect upon surrounding land uses.
C. Design Compatible With Natural Features:
1. The design of every subdivision shall be compatible with the existing topography, drainage patterns, and other natural features on the site.
2. Every subdivision shall conserve isolated mature trees, wooded areas, watercourses, scenic views, ponds, floodplain areas, historical landmarks, and other features of the property, which, if preserved, would add to the attractiveness and value of the subdivision, neighborhood, or the village as a whole.
3. The design of the subdivision should, wherever possible, lower all maintenance costs through a self-maintainable ecological system to conserve materials, construction labor, construction equipment, land and environmental values; to balance construction costs, amortization costs, operating costs, maintenance costs and replacement costs, thereby minimizing total average annual costs; to encourage the construction and installation of energy efficient systems.
4. The design of every subdivision shall make adequate provision for the use and maintenance of open space.
5. The design of every subdivision shall provide adequate acoustical and visual privacy for incompatible adjacent uses.
D. Subdivision Name: The proposed name of the subdivision shall not duplicate, or too closely approximate phonetically, the name of any other subdivision in the area covered by these regulations. The plan commission shall designate the name of the subdivision with the approval of the preliminary plat.
E. Lots:
1. Political Boundaries: Lots shall be laid out so that they do not cross any political boundary, especially any school district boundary or the boundaries of the village of Western Springs.
2. Arrangement: The lot arrangement shall be such that there will be no foreseeable difficulties, for reasons of topography or other conditions, in securing building permits to build on all lots in compliance with this ordinance and the building code and in providing driveway access to buildings on such lots from an approved and dedicated street.
3. Lot Dimensions:
a. Lot dimensions shall comply with the minimum standards of this ordinance.
b. Where lots are more than double the minimum required area for the zoning district, the plan commission may require that such lots be arranged so as to allow further subdivision and the opening of future streets where they would be necessary to serve such potential lots, all in compliance with these regulations.
c. In general, side lot lines shall be at right angles (or radial to curving street lines) unless a variation from this rule shall provide a better street or lot plan.
d. Building setback lines shall conform to the front yard requirements of this ordinance with corner lots observing the minimum front yard requirements from both streets.
e. The depth and width of properties reserved or laid out for business, commercial or industrial purposes shall be adequate to provide for the off street parking and loading facilities required for the type of use and development contemplated, as established elsewhere in this ordinance.
f. Residential lots with the rear lot line abutting an expressway, regional arterial street, railroad right of way, or other inharmonious use shall have a depth of twenty feet (20') in excess of that typically required by the regulations for that district. A landscape easement shall be required on such lots across said twenty foot (20') strip of land and shall be designated on the final plat as follows: "This strip is reserved for landscape screening. The placement of structures hereon or vehicular access hereacross is prohibited". (Ord. 92-1855, 12-14-1992)
g. Lots abutting a watercourse, drainageway, channel, or stream shall have a minimum width or depth required to provide an adequate building site and the minimum usable area of front, side, and rear yards, as required in this Ordinance. All usable space in a new building or that which has been added to an existing building or in an existing building undergoing substantial improvement located in areas outside the boundary of the SFHA or regulatory flood plain, but within one hundred feet (100') of the SFHA boundary or within the boundary of the 500-year flood plain, shall be elevated or floodproofed to at least the flood protection elevation. Furthermore, buildings, with basements to be constructed outside of the SFHA, but within one hundred feet (100') of its boundary will require special analysis as related to hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads on the foundation and basement floor. Based upon the hydrostatic and/or hydrodynamic analysis, floodproofing and special construction of the basement floor and walls may be required. Floodproofing devices shall be operational without human intervention. If electricity is required for protection against flood damage, then a backup power source that will activate without human intervention shall be provided. The floodproofing shall be certified by a professional engineer. (Ord. 97-2021, 12-15-1997)
h. For lots abutting a watercourse, drainageway, channel, or stream, lot lines should be placed in the center line thereof.
4. Access:
a. All lots shall abut a publicly dedicated street.
b. Double frontage and reverse frontage lots shall be avoided except where essential to provide separation of residential development from regional or community arterial streets or highways or to overcome specific disadvantages of topography and orientation.
5. Drainage: Lots shall be laid out so as to provide positive drainage away from all buildings, and individual lot drainage shall be coordinated with the general storm drainage pattern for the area. Drainage shall be designed so as to avoid concentrations of storm drainage waters onto adjacent lots. All drainage courses shall be protected by covenants and deed restrictions preventing alteration, building upon, or obstructing of the drainageways.
6. Driveway Location:
a. Driveways shall be located so that there is adequate clear sight distance onto the abutting road, avoiding locations along the inside curve or below the crown of a hilltop on community arterial and regional arterial streets.
b. The center line of any driveway shall be off-set a minimum of one hundred fifty feet (150') from the right-of-way line of a regional arterial street and fifty feet (50') from all other rights of way.
F. Blocks:
1. Design:
a. The length, width, and shape of blocks shall be determined with due regard for the following:
(1) Provisions for adequate building sites suitable to the special needs of the types of uses contemplated.
(2) The size requirements of lot size within the applicable zoning district.
(3) Needs for convenient access, circulation, control, and safety of the street traffic.
b. 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 regional arterial streets, railroads, watercourses, or other property lines of the subdivision.
c. No block shall exceed one thousand six hundred feet (1,600') in length except where required by unusual topographic conditions, nor shall they be less than four hundred feet (400') in width.
2. Easements In Blocks: Easements no less than ten feet (10') wide through blocks shall be required to accommodate utilities, drainage facilities, or pedestrian traffic. (Ord. 92-1855, 12-14-1992)