(A) Relation to adjoining street system.
(1) Streets shall be designed and located in relationship to existing and planned streets, to natural terrain features such as streams, contours and existing tree growth, to public convenience and safety and to the proposed uses of land to be served by such streets.
(2) All arterials shall be properly related to existing and proposed heavy traffic generators, such as industries, business districts, schools, churches and shopping centers, to high population densities and to the pattern of existing and proposed land uses.
(3) Local streets shall be laid out to conform as much as possible to the topography, to discourage use by through traffic, to permit efficient drainage and utility systems and to require the minimum number of streets necessary to provide convenient and safe access to property.
(4) The use of curvilinear streets, cul-de-sacs or U-shaped streets shall be encouraged where such use will result in a more desirable layout than that of a rectangular gridiron pattern.
(B) Half-streets.
(1) Half-streets may only be approved in a subdivision where they are essential to the development of the subdivision and where it will be practicable to obtain dedication of the other half of the street when the adjoining land is subdivided. No buildable lots shall be subdivided onto a half-street unless the City Council finds that the street will have a full street right-of-way prior to the development of the proposed lots.
(2) Where an existing half-street is adjacent to a new subdivision, the other half of the street shall be dedicated by the subdivider. Where a new subdivision abuts an existing street which lacks the required right-of-way width, the additional right-of-way width may be required to be dedicated by the subdivider.
(C) Railroads and highways. Where railroad rights-of-way and arterial streets abut a subdivision, the following shall be required:
(1) In residential districts, a buffer strip of at least 30 feet in depth shall be added to a lot adjacent to a railroad right-of-way or arterial street. Such buffer strips shall be landscaped pursuant to § 155.043(D).
(2) Streets parallel to the railroad when intersecting a street which crosses the railroad shall, to the extent practicable, be at a distance required for future separation of grades by means of appropriate approach gradients.
(D) Access to arterial streets.
(1) Limiting access. Where a subdivision borders on or contains an arterial or collector street, the Planning Commission may require that access to such streets be limited by one of the following means:
(a) The subdivision of lots so as to back onto the arterial or collector street and front onto a parallel local street. No access shall be provided from the arterial or collector street, and screen planting pursuant to § 155.043(D) shall be provided in a strip of land along the rear property line of such lots; or
(b) A series of cul-de-sacs, U-shaped streets or short loops entered from and designed and generally at right angles to such a parallel street, with the rear lines of their terminal lots backing onto the arterial or collector. Such rear lines shall be provided with a screen planting strip pursuant to § 155.043(D); or
(c) A marginal access service street or frontage road (separated from the major street by a planting strip and having access thereto at suitable points). The number of residential streets entering an arterial or collector street shall be kept to a minimum.
(2) Driveway access. Residential driveway access to arterial streets is prohibited. In the platting of small tracts of land fronting on arterial streets, temporary access to arterial streets may be permitted, provided such access is eliminated when access becomes available to local or collector streets.
(3) Control of access. As part of subdivision approval, the City Council may require the developer to waive access to arterial and collector streets.
(E) Street width.
(1) Major street width shall conform to the Comprehensive Plan.
(2) Minimum street widths shall be 70 feet.
(F) Dead-end streets (cul-de-sacs).
(1) Where a normal street pattern is not possible there may be a cul-de-sac, provided that the proper access be given to lots and space provided for building purposes.
(2) Dead-end streets shall terminate in a circular right-of-way of 150 feet diameter or more. No dead-end street shall be longer than 600 feet.
(3) Temporary cul-de-sac. Where a subdivision adjoins unsubdivided land, streets shall be extended to the subdivision's boundary line and a temporary cul-de-sac shall have a turnaround having an outside roadway diameter of at least 75 feet. Such temporary cul-de-sac shall remain in existence until the street is extended beyond the subdivision's boundary line.
(G) Street intersections.
(1) Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. A proposed intersection of any two streets at an angle of less than 60 degrees shall not be acceptable. No more than two streets shall intersect at any one point, unless approved by the City Council.
(2) Proposed new intersections along one side of an existing street shall, wherever practicable, coincide with any existing intersections on the opposite side of such street. Street jogs with center line offsets of less than 150 feet along local streets shall not be permitted.
(3) Where streets intersect arterial streets, their alignment shall be continuous. The intersections of local or collector streets with arterial streets shall be kept to a minimum. Wherever practicable, the intersection of local streets with collector streets shall be at least 300 feet apart.
(H) Alleys. The development of public alleys within residential, commercial and industrial developments shall be discouraged. Where alleys are deemed necessary for access to off- street parking, loading areas or for utility service, alleys may be approved by the City Council, provided that:
(1) The minimum right-of-way width for an alley shall be 30 feet. The minimum pavement width shall be 18 feet;
(2) Alleys shall intersect public street rights-of-way at right angles; and
(3) Dead-end alleys shall be prohibited unless unavoidable. If unavoidable, they shall have a minimum cul-de-sac pavement radius of 44 feet.
(I) Reserve strips. Reserve strips controlling access to streets are prohibited.
(J) Private streets. Private streets may be considered subject to the following conditions:
(1) Private streets shall be constructed to city street design standards and specifications.
(2) Must be established as part of a Common Community Interest Plat.
(3) The proposed private street layout shall not prevent the continuation of established street patterns or corridors, or prevent reasonable access to or interfere with the future orderly development of adjacent developable areas.
(Ord. 989, passed 7-10-06) Penalty, see § 154.99