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5.1.   ACCESS AND CIRCULATION
5.1.1.   Purpose and Intent
The purpose of this section is to ensure the safe and efficient movement of vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, and deliveries on development sites in the Town's jurisdiction. More specifically, these standards are intended to:
   A.   Protect the health and safety of Town residents and visitors;
   B.   Ensure pedestrian accessibility is included in site planning;
   C.   Protect the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists from traffic entering or exiting the street system; and
   D.   Encourage alternative forms of transportation.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
5.1.2.   Applicability.
   A.   General. Unless exempted in accordance with Section 5.1.3, Exemptions, or except where otherwise expressly stated, the standards in this section apply to all new development in the Town's jurisdiction.
   B.   Existing Development. Compliance with these standards shall also apply to redevelopment of an existing structure, building, or use when it is expanded, enlarged, or otherwise increased in intensity in an amount equivalent to or beyond 50 percent.
   C.   Conflict. In the event of conflict or overlap with the standards in this section and the standards in Article 6: Subdivisions, the standards in Article 6 shall control.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
5.1.3.   Exemptions
The following forms of development are exempted from the standards in this section:
   A.   Redevelopment consisting of one single-family detached home on its own lot of record (though these standards shall be applied to residential subdivisions proposing more than one lot); and
   B.   Redevelopment of an existing duplex.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019; Ord. 2022-19, passed 10-4-2021)
5.1.4.   Access to Lots
Except where authorized in accordance with Section 5.1.4.B, Alternative Access, all development shall comply with the following standards:
   A.   General Requirements.
      1.   Every lot shall abut or have direct access, via a driveway, to a publicly-maintained street.
      2.   No building or structure shall be constructed or placed on a lot that does not abut or have direct access to a publicly-maintained street.
      3.   Access to residential lots shall meet the minimum requirements of Section 4.3 Residential Use Types.
      4.   Direct access to a publicly-maintained street shall not extend through or across land in a different zoning district than the lot being served by the access (see Figure 5.1,4.A: Lot Access). This requirement is waived when the land in the different zoning district:
         a.   Is classified as a business or mixed-use district; or
         b.   Allows the use being served by the direct access; or
         c.   Provides the sole means of access for the use.
Figure 5.1.4.A: Lot Access
   B.   Alternative Access. As an alternative to compliance with the general standards in subsection (A) above, development may incorporate one of the following alternative street access standards (see Figure 5.1,4.B: Alternative Lot Access):
      1.   Multiple Lot Development. Up to a maximum of three individual lots in a multiple lot development may have shared rights of access along a single driveway that is at least 20 feet in width and leads to a publicly-maintained street.
      2.   Single-Family Lot of Record. Vacant lots of record established prior to January 1, 2020, that do not abut a publicly-maintained street may establish access through a recorded access easement, provided the lot is used for one single-family detached dwelling and its allowable accessory uses, and provided the easement complies with the following:
         a.   The minimum easement width is 20 feet;
         b.   The minimum separation between the easement and any other platted access or right-of-way is at least 150 feet;
         c.   The location of the easement is recorded on a plat; and
         d.   The easement permits ingress, egress, regress, and necessary utilities to serve the lot.
Figure 5.1.4.B: Alternative Lot Access
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019; Ord. 2022-19, passed 10-4-2021)
5.1.5.   Compliance with Requirements for Streets
Development subject to the standards in this section that includes construction activity affecting streets or street rights-of-way shall also comply with the standards in Section 6.10, Streets.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
5.1.6.   Driveways
The standards in this section apply to all driveways in the Town's jurisdiction, except where specifically exempted by the text of this Ordinance. Lawfully-established driveways existing prior January 1, 2020, that do not conform to these standards shall be subject to the standards in Article 7: Nonconformities.
   A.   Purpose for These Standards. These driveway standards are intended to:
      1.   Ensure safe vehicular movements in the Town's jurisdiction;
      2.   Configure lot access in accordance with the Town's adopted policy guidance for roadway corridors;
      3.   Minimize conflicts between pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles;
      4.   Provide as much physical separation between street intersections and driveways serving individual land uses as is practicable;
      5.   Minimize individual access points to collector and arterial streets to the minimum necessary; and
      6.   Encourage shared access to individual lots.
   B.   Compliance with NCDOT Standards.
      1.   Driveways providing ingress or egress to a State-maintained street shall be placed and constructed in accordance with the "Policy on Street and Driveway Access to North Carolina Highways" adopted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), as amended.
      2.   All driveways connecting to State-maintained streets shall obtain driveway permit approval from NCDOT prior to the construction.
   C.   Compliance with Town Standards.
      1.   Driveways providing ingress or egress to a Town-maintained street shall be placed and constructed in accordance with the applicable Town standards.
      2.   All driveways connecting to Town-maintained streets shall obtain driveway permit approval from the Town prior to construction.
   D.   Driveway Configuration.
      1.   All driveways shall be constructed so that:
         a.   Vehicles can enter and exit from a lot without posing any substantial danger to themselves, pedestrians, bicycles, or vehicles traveling on abutting streets; and
         b.   Interference with the free and convenient flow of traffic on abutting or surrounding streets is minimized.
      2.   Driveway radii shall be designed in accordance with the Town specifications, and shall not extend beyond side lot lines.
      3.   No driveway serving an off-street parking area or providing on-site circulation is permitted within any required landscaping area, but driveways may be installed across these areas.
      4.   Driveways shall be as nearly perpendicular to the street right-of-way as possible (see Figure 5.1.6.D: Driveway Configuration).
      5.   Driveways shall line up with other driveways across the street, where practicable.
      6.   Driveways on corner lots shall provide access from the street with less traffic, to the maximum extent practicable.
Figure 5.1.6.D: Driveway Configuration
   E.   Minimum Driveway Width and Depth.
      1.   Driveways shall be configured to extend into the lot they serve for a minimum distance in accordance with Table 5.1.6.E: Minimum Driveway Width and Depth.
TABLE 5.1.6.E: MINIMUM DRIVEWAY WIDTH AND DEPTH
Use Type
Minimum Driveway Width (Feet) [1] [2]
Minimum Driveway Depth (Feet) [3]
TABLE 5.1.6.E: MINIMUM DRIVEWAY WIDTH AND DEPTH
Use Type
Minimum Driveway Width (Feet) [1] [2]
Minimum Driveway Depth (Feet) [3]
Single-family detached and duplex development
10 [4]
25
Triplex and quadraplex development
12
Driveways serving individual units: 25 Driveways serving parking lots: [6]
Single-family attached and multi-family development
One-way: 12
Two-way: 18 [5]
Mixed-use development
One-way: 12 Two-way: 24 [5]
[6]
Nonresidential development
NOTES:
[1] Drive aisles shall comply with the standards in Section 9.3.11.F, Parking Space and Access Aisle Dimensions.
[2] A wider driveway shall be provided when required by the Town's adopted Fire Code.
[3] Measured from the edge of the right-of-way serving the driveway. In cases where the driveway is located within an access easement that crosses another lot, minimum driveway depth is measured from the edge of the lot line where the driveway is located.
[4] Minimum width only applied to the area where minimum driveway depth standards are applied.
[5] Travel lane widths on two-way driveways may differ when required by Town staff.
[6] See Section 5.1.6.FMinimum Parking Lot Stem Length.
 
      2.   The width of any driveway accessing a public street shall not exceed 36 feet at its intersection with the right-of-way, except as required by the NCDOT, the Town of Zebulon, or in an approved transportation impact analysis (see Section 6.13, Transportation Impact Analysis).
   F.   Minimum Parking Lot Stem Length.
      1.   Driveways serving off-street parking lots shall comply with the standards for minimum stem length in Table 5.1.6.F: Parking Lot Stem Length.
      2.   In no instance shall a parking lot be configured to allow access to an individual off-street parking space, drive aisle, or other vehicular accessway at a point closer to the street right-of-way than the minimum parking stem length (see Figure 5.1.6.F: Parking Lot Stem Length).
      3.   In cases where a development is subject to a transportation impact analysis, the parking lot stem length specified in the transportation impact analysis shall control.
      4.   Nothing shall limit a parking lot stem with a longer length than specified in this subsection.
TABLE 5.1.6.F: PARKING LOT STEM LENGTH
Number of Provided Off-Street Parking Spaces in Parking Lot
Minimum Parking Lot Stem Length (Feet) [1][2]
TABLE 5.1.6.F: PARKING LOT STEM LENGTH
Number of Provided Off-Street Parking Spaces in Parking Lot
Minimum Parking Lot Stem Length (Feet) [1][2]
10 or less
25
11 to 51
50
51 to 100
75
101 to 200
100
201 to 250
150
251 or more
As determined by the TRC
NOTES:
[1] Measured from the edge of the right-of-way serving the parking lot stem.
[2] The TRC may allow a reduced parking lot stem length based on site conditions, provided public safety can be maintained.
 
Figure 5.1.6.F: Parking Lot Stem Length
   G.   Required Driveway Spacing.
      1.   Spacing from Streets.
         a.   No portion of any driveway leading from a street shall be closer than 100 feet to the corner of any adjacent street intersection measured from the edge of the right-of-way.
         b.   On lots with less than 100 feet of lot width, the driveway shall be located as far as practicable from the adjacent street intersection.
      2.   Spacing from Other Driveways.
         a.   Certain Residential Uses.
         i.   Except when configured as paired driveways, driveways serving individual single-family detached dwellings, individual single-family attached dwellings, duplex, triplex, or quadriplex buildings shall be located at least 20 linear feet from any other driveway on the same or different lot.
         ii.   For the purposes of this section, paired driveways are up to two driveways, whether on the same or different lots, where one side of a driveway is within five feet of the side of the other driveway.
         b.   All Other Uses. No two driveway access points, whether on the same or different lots, shall be located within 50 feet of each other, to the maximum extent practicable.
   H.   Driveway Surfacing. New driveways established after January 1, 2020, that abut a paved street shall be surfaced with asphalt, pavers, or six inches of concrete. Single- family detached dwellings and duplex dwellings on lots of 21,780 square feet or more may be served by a gravel driveway.
   I.   Driveways on Collector Streets Prohibited. Driveways on Town-maintained collector and arterial streets are prohibited.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
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