A. General Layout.
1. The layout, arrangement, width, grade, character, and location of streets shall conform to the Town's adopted policy guidance, topographic conditions, natural features, and drainage systems.
2. When a development abuts or contains an existing or proposed interstate or arterial, the TRC may require frontage streets, reverse frontage with landscape plantings, or other treatment as may be necessary for adequate protection of residential properties and to ensure separation of through and local traffic.
3. Reserve strips or parcels controlling access to streets shall be prohibited, except where required as part of development on a double-frontage lot.
B. Compliance with Access and Circulation Standards. New streets and changes to existing streets located within a single lot or tract shall also be subject to the standards in Section 5.1, Access and Circulation.
C. Compliance with Transportation Impact Analysis Findings. In cases where new development is subject to a requirement to prepare a transportation impact analysis in accordance with Section 6.13, Transportation Impact Analysis, all streets and street-related infrastructure shall comply with the findings of the analysis.
D. Street Intersections. Street intersections shall be configured in accordance with the following standards (see Figure 6.10.7.D: Street Intersections):
1. Not more than two streets shall intersect at any one point unless the Town or NCDOT certifies that such an intersection can be constructed with no extraordinary danger to public safety.
2. Streets shall intersect at right angles to the maximum extent practicable, and no two streets shall intersect at less than 60 degrees.
3. Whenever possible, proposed intersections along one side of a street shall coincide with existing or proposed intersections on the opposite side of the street.
4. Where a street center line offset (jog) occurs at an intersection, the distance between centerlines of the intersecting streets shall be not less than 125 feet.
5. Except when no other alternative is practicable or legally possible, no two streets may intersect with any other street on the same side at a distance of less than 200 feet measured from centerline to centerline of the intersecting street. When the intersected street is an arterial, the distance between intersecting streets shall be at least 1,000 feet, unless no other alternative is practicable.
6. Property lines at street intersections shall be shown as a chord connecting points not less than 15 feet back from the street intersection along each street right-of-way line. Longer setbacks for chord connections for property lines may be required by the TRC as needed for public safety.
7. In commercial developments the Town may assign traffic control to thru traffic within 500 feet of the point of access to the public right-of-way.
8. Alleys are required to provide a vehicular turn-around or connect to another street or alley.
E. Block Length and Width.
1. Block Length. Except for arterial streets, or where otherwise required by the NCDOT, intersecting streets shall be laid out at such intervals that block lengths do not exceed 700 linear feet.
2. Block Width.
a. The width of the block shall normally be sufficient to allow two tiers of lots of appropriate depth.
b. Blocks intended for business or industrial use shall be of such width as to be considered most suitable for their respective use, including adequate space for off-street parking and deliveries (see Figure 6.10.7.E: Block Configuration).
F. Street Grade. Street grades shall comply with the following standards:
1. Streets and their associated gutters shall maintain grade levels in accordance with Table 6.10.7.F: Maximum and Minimum Street Grade.
2. Street and intersection approaches shall not have grades in excess of three percent for a distance of 100 feet from the intersection of center lines in all directions for all streets.
3. All changes in grades for local streets and collectors shall be connected by a vertical curve of a minimum length of 40 times the algebraic difference in the percents of grade ("k" value). Stop conditions shall have a minimum "k" value of 14 times the algebraic difference of the percents of grade. "k" values for arterials shall be per the AASHTO Geometric Design of Highways and Streets based on design speed.
4. The Town Engineer may consider deviations from these standards based on topographic conditions or public safety concerns.
G. Street Curves. Street curves shall maintain the minimum radii established in Table 6.10.7.G: Minimum Curve Radii and Tangents:
H. Street Connectivity.
1. The arrangement of streets in a development shall provide for the alignment and continuation of existing or proposed streets into adjoining lands in those cases in which the adjoining lands are undeveloped and deemed appropriate by the Planning Director for future development or in which the adjoining lands are developed and include opportunities for such connections.
2. Street rights-of-way shall be extended to or along adjoining property boundaries such that a roadway connection or street stub shall be provided for development where practicable and feasible in each direction (north, south, east, and west) for development which abuts vacant lands.
3. Arterial and collector streets shall intersect with surrounding collector or arterial streets at safe and convenient locations, as determined by the NCDOT and Planning Director.
4. At all locations where streets terminate with no street connection, but a future connection is planned or accommodated, a sign shall be installed at the location with the words "FUTURE ROAD CONNECTION" to inform property owners.
5. The final plat shall identify all stub streets and include a notation that all street stubs are intended for connection with future streets on adjoining undeveloped or underdeveloped lands.
6. The use of residential strips of land in order to prevent the extension of proposed or existing streets or access thereto is prohibited.
7. Where access to a subdivision site is by a street that does not meet State standards, that street shall be improved by the developer in order to meet current State standards.
I. Development Entry Points.
1. Unless exempted in accordance with subsection (4) below, all subdivisions shall provide streets from the development to the street system outside the development in accordance with Table 6.10.7.I: Required Points of Access:
Type of Development | Development Size | Minimum Number of Vehicular Access Points [2] |
Residential and Mixed-Use Development | 50 or fewer lots | l |
51 to 200 | 2 | |
201 or more | 2 + 1 per every additional 100 lots | |
Non-Residential Development, other than Industrial | Less than 5 acres or fewer then 10 lots | 1 |
More than 5 acres | 2 | |
NOTES: [1] Points of access shall refer to streets, not driveways. [2] Additional vehicular access points may be required where determined necessary by the Town. | ||
2. Nothing in this section shall limit the total number of streets providing access to the street system outside a development, or exempt a development from meeting all applicable street connectivity standards.
3. Street stubs shall be credited as an access point when all ingress or egress to a development is only available from a single arterial or collector street.
4. Development shall be exempted from these standards if it is demonstrated the following conditions apply:
a. A transportation impact analysis allows a deviation;
b. No other street access points can be located due to existing lot configurations, absence of connecting streets, environmental, or topographic constraints;
c. NCDOT will not authorize the required number of entrances; or
d. Alternative access can be provided in a manner acceptable to the Town that is supported by a transportation impact analysis.
J. Cul-de-Sac Design.
1. Cul-de-sac length that shall be in accordance with the standards in Table 6.10.7J: Maximum Cul-de-Sac Length:
2. All permanent cul-de-sacs or other dead-end streets shall be provided at the closed end with a turn-around configured in accordance with the Town of Zebulon's specifications.
3. Dead-end streets intended to be continued at a later time shall be provided with a turnaround as required for a dead-end street when required by the Planning Director.
4. Only that portion to be required as right-of-way when the street is continued shall be dedicated and made a public street.
K. Street Knuckles or Bulb-Outs. If knuckles or bulb outs are provided as a part of new development, they shall comply with all applicable Town requirements.
L. Half Streets. Half streets along property lines shall be prohibited except that whenever a half street already exists adjacent to a tract to be subdivided, the other half of the street shall be platted within the tract to be subdivided.
(Ord. 2020-36, passed 12-2-2019; Ord. 2021-33, passed 9-1-2020)