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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)
5.1.7.   Sight Distance Triangles
   A.   Sight Distance Triangles Established. Corner lots and lots with driveways, alleys, or other methods of ingress/egress to a street shall include sight distance triangles to ensure visibility for drivers and pedestrians moving through or in an intersection. Required sight distance triangles shall be configured in accordance with Table 5.1.7.A: Sight Distance Triangle Requirements. Land within a required sight distance triangle shall comply with the standards in Section 5.1.7.C, Limitations on Obstructions within Required Sight Distance Triangles.
 
TABLE 5.1.7.A: SIGHT DISTANCE TRIANGLE REQUIREMENTS
Type of Street, Intersection, or Driveway
Minimum Sight Distance Triangle Configuration Required [1] [2]
Intersections of streets [3]
10/70
Driveways serving parking lots
10/70
Driveways serving individual land uses without parking lots
Single-family detached, single-family attached, Duplex, Triplex, Quadriplex
None
All other uses of land
10/70, wherever possible
NOTES:
[1] The NCDOT may require an alternative sight distance triangle configuration.
[2] AASHTO requirements shall be applied to curved or curvilinear streets.
[3] Includes all streets (State-maintained and Town-maintained).
 
   B.   Measurement of Sight Distance Triangle. Sight distance triangles shall be an area between a point at the edge of a street right-of-way located 70 linear feet from the intersection and a second point at the edge of the opposing street right-of-way located ten feet from the intersection (see Figure 5.1.7.B: Sight Distance Triangles).
   C.   Limitations on Obstructions Within Required Sight Distance Triangles.
      1.   No planting, structure, fence, wall, slope, embankment, parked vehicle, or other obstruction to vision between the heights of two-and-one-half (2 ½) feet and ten feet above the centerline grades of intersecting streets or accessways may be located within a required sight distance triangle.
      2.   No structure or object, regardless of its size, which obstructs visibility within a required sight distance triangle to the detriment of vehicular or pedestrian traffic shall be permitted.
Figure 5.1.7.B: Sight Distance Triangles
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
5.1.8.   Parking Lot Connections
   A.   Purpose and Intent. The intent of this section is to provide for parking lot connections between comparable commercial, mixed-use, and multi-family land uses that front arterial and collector streets so that vehicles leaving one lot may access the adjoining lot without having to re-enter the street system.
   B.   Applicability. The standards in this section shall apply to lots abutting arterial and collector streets that contain any of the following uses:
      1.   Uses in the commercial uses classification in Table 4.2.3, Principal Use Table;
      2.   Mixed-use development; and
      3.   Multi-family development.
   C.   Exemptions. Parking lot connections are not required when any of the following conditions are present:
      1.   Adjacent lots do not have common frontage along an arterial or collector street;
      2.   Significant topographical differences in existing or proposed conditions are present;
      3.   Significant natural features exist in the only viable location for parking lot connections;
      4.   Vehicular safety factors exist or would be created including, but not limited to, unsafe turning movements or pedestrian conflicts;
      5.   Sufficient access already exists without need for additional parking lot connections;
      6.   Residential, institutional, or other incompatible land uses are present on adjacent lots;
      7.   Existing infrastructure obstructions; or
      8.   Other safety or security factors, in the opinion of the Planning Director or Town Engineer.
   D.   Configuration.
      1.   Parking lot connections shall join parking lots on two or more different lots (see Figure 5.1.8: Parking Lot Connections) subject to these standards.
      2.   A parking lot connection shall be included on at least two sides of a lot except when conditions prevent connections in accordance with Section 5.1.8.C, Exemptions.
      3.   Parking lot connections shall be paved with asphalt, concrete, or pavers and shall maintain a minimum width of 12 feet for one-way traffic and 18 feet for two-way traffic.
      4.   All parking lot connections shall be built to the lot line, to the maximum extent practicable.
      5.   A minimum distance of 40 feet shall be required between a parking lot connection and an intersection or driveway entrance.
   E.   Impact on Required Site Features.
      1.   Where a required parking lot connection eliminates a required landscape planting area, the landscaping requirements shall be reduced to accommodate the cross-accessway and replacement landscaping shall not be required.
      2.   When a required parking lot connection eliminates required off-street parking spaces, replacement spaces shall not be required.
   F.   Easement Required. A parking lot connection easement shall be recorded on the final plat for property involving a subdivision, or recorded by separate instrument when, no plat is proposed.
   G.   Connection Required. Development on vacant land subject to these standards shall install parking lot connections to the shared property line. However, if the abutting landowner that does not already have a parking lot connection stub and is unwilling to allow the connection to be built to the shared property line due to the impact of the grading equipment or other construction activity on their property, then the Planning Director shall notify the unwilling property owner that they will be responsible for completing the entire parking lot connection when their property is developed.
Figure 5.1.8: Parking Lot Connections
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
5.1.9.   On-Site Pedestrian Walkways
On-site pedestrian walkways that minimize conflict between pedestrians and vehicles shall be provided on all non-residential, mixed-use, and multi-family development sites, and shall be configured in accordance with the following standards.
   A.   On-site pedestrian walkways shall connect building entrances to off-street parking areas and to other building entrances on the same site (see Figure 5.1.9: Pedestrian Walkways).
   B.   Development subject to these standards shall provide at least one connection to an existing or planned public sidewalk or existing greenway via an on-site pedestrian walkway configured in accordance with these standards.
   C.   Connections shall be made to all existing or planned adjacent transit facilities, to the maximum extent practicable.
   D.   On-site pedestrian walkways shall be paved with asphalt, concrete, or other all-weather material, and shall be of contrasting color or materials when crossing drive aisles.
   E.   On-site pedestrian walkways shall be positively drained and configured to avoid areas of pooling water.
   F.   On-site pedestrian walkways shall be in compliance with applicable State and federal requirements, including ADA requirements.
   G.   Development with 200 or more off-street parking spaces shall provide fully-separated, improved on-site pedestrian walkways within planted landscape islands located a minimum of every six parking rows. On-site pedestrian walkways shall be aligned perpendicular to the buildings served and terminate at building entrances, to the maximum extent practicable.
Figure 5.1.9: Pedestrian Walkways
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
5.1.10.   Compliance with Requirements for Sidewalks
Development subject to the standards in this section shall comply with all applicable standards in Section 6.8, Sidewalks.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019)
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