ARTICLE 4 - MINIMUM
DESIGN STANDARDS
- The area of the lots shall be determined by the standards in the zoning regulation and the availability of public sewer and a public water supply. Prior to the submission of a preliminary plat, the subdivider shall obtain a determination from the City Engineer as to whether adequate public sewer and water supply are available, as provided in Article 8. Development within all land use areas as designated on the Future Land Use Map shall be served by the City sewer system.
- If the proposed subdivision is serviced by a public water supply and a public sanitary sewer system, the minimum lot area requirements shall be subject to those set forth herein in the Zoning Regulations.
- If the proposed subdivision is serviced with a public water supply, but not with a public sewer system, or is serviced with a public sewer system, but not a public water supply, the preliminary plat shall be prepared on the basis of minimum three (3) acre lots; provided, however, that additional lot area may be required if the area has or is suspected of having a high water table or if soil conditions prove to be unsuitable based on standards of the Butler County Sanitation Code.
- If the proposed subdivision is not served with either a public water supply or a public sewer system, the subdivider shall submit a Preliminary Plat on the basis of minimum 6-2/3 acre lots; provided, however, that additional lot area may be required if the area has or is suspected of having a high water table or if soil conditions prove to be unsuitable based on standards of the Butler County Sanitation Code.
- All water and sewer systems shall be approved by the City upon recommendation by City Engineer as provided in Article 8.
- Length: Intersecting streets (which determine block length) shall be provided at such intervals as to serve cross traffic adequately and to meet existing streets in the neighborhood. In residential districts, where no existing plats are recorded, the blocks shall not exceed 1,320 feet in length, except that a greater length may be permitted where topography or other conditions justify a departure from this maximum. In blocks longer than 800 feet, pedestrian ways and/or easements through the block may be required near the center of the block. Such pedestrian ways or easements shall have a minimum width of ten feet.
- Width: In residential development, the block width shall normally be sufficient to allow two tiers of lots of appropriate depth. In certain instances, however, a different arrangement may be required in order to provide better circulation or to protect a major circulation route. Blocks intended for business or industrial use shall be of such width and depth as may be considered most suitable for the prospective use.
- Relationship to Adjoining Street Systems: The arrangement of streets in new subdivisions shall make provisions for the continuation of the principal existing streets in adjoining additions (or their proper projection where adjoining property is not subdivided) insofar as they may be necessary for public requirements. The width of such street rights-of-way in new subdivisions shall be not less than the minimum street widths established herein. Alleys, when required, and street arrangement must cause no hardship to owners of adjoining property when they plat their land and seek to provide for convenient access to it. Whenever there exists a dedicated or platted half street or alley adjacent to the tract to be subdivided, the other one half of the street or alley shall be platted and dedicated as a public way.
- Street Names: Streets that are obviously in alignment with other already existing and named streets shall bear the names of the existing streets. Street names should not be similar to already platted street names. Streets and house numbers shall be numbered in accordance with the adopted house numbering policy of the City.
- Arterial Streets: Arterial streets through subdivisions shall conform to the major street plan of the Comprehensive Plan as adopted by the planning commission and the governing body
- Local Streets: Local streets should be designed so as to discourage through or non-local traffic.
- Cul-de-sacs: An adequate turnaround of not less than a 120-foot diameter right-of-way shall be provided at the closed end of a dead-end local street longer than one lot in length. Such local street segment should not exceed 600 feet in length from the centerline of an intersection of a cross street to the center of the cul-de-sac, but may be longer, based on the density of platted lots, as approved by the Planning Commission upon the recommendations of the City Engineer.
- Right-Angle Intersections: Under normal conditions, streets shall be laid out to intersect, as nearly as possible, at right angles. Where topography or other conditions justify a variation from the right-angle intersection, the minimum angle shall be 60 degrees.
- Streets Adjacent to a Railroad Right-of-Way, Limited Access Freeway, Principal Highway or Arterial Street: Where lots front or side, but do not back on railroad rights-of-way, limited access freeways, or principal highways or arterial streets, a marginal access street or frontage road may be required parallel and adjacent to the boundary of such rights-of-way. The distance from said rights-of-way shall be determined, with due consideration to minimum distance required for approach connections to future grade-separated intersections.
- Half-Streets: The dedication of one-half of a right-of-way (Half-streets) shall be prohibited, except where no lots front on such half-street.
- Alleys: Alleys may be required in commercial, industrial, and residential areas. Dead-end alleys shall be avoided, wherever possible; but if unavoidable, such alleys shall be provided with adequate turnaround facilities at the dead-end. Alleys should be avoided in residential areas except where alleys of adjoining subdivisions would be closed or shut-off by failing to provide alleys in the adjoining subdivision.
- Minimum Requirements: The right-of-way grades and widths for streets and alleys, in order to be dedicated and accepted, shall conform to the designation in the Comprehensive Plan and shall not be less than the minimum for each classification as follows:
|
|
Minimum Right-of-Way Width |
Maximum Grade |
|
Major Streets: |
|
|
|
Arterials |
80 feet |
5% |
|
Collectors |
70 feet |
8% |
|
Local Streets: |
|
|
|
Residential |
60 feet |
10% |
|
Industrial & Commercial |
70 feet |
6% |
|
Cul-De-Sacs |
120 feet diameter |
|
|
Marginal Access Streets or Frontage Roads: |
|
|
|
Two-Way |
50 feet |
10% |
|
One-Way |
50 feet |
10% |
|
Alleys |
20 feet |
10% |
|
Pedestrian Ways |
10 feet |
|
When existing or anticipated traffic on arterial and collector streets warrants greater widths of rights-of-way, the additional width shall be dedicated. The minimum gradient on any street shall be 0.50%, unless impractical, in which case the absolute minimum gradient shall be no less than 0.32%.
- Street Alignment: Minimum horizontal and vertical alignment on all streets, except in unusual cases, shall be as follows:
- Minimum Horizontal-Radii at the Centerline:
Arterial Streets 500 feet
Collector Streets 300 feet
Local Streets 100 feet
(2) Minimum Sight Distance on Vertical Curves:
Arterial Streets 350 feet
Collector Streets 250 feet
Local Streets 150 feet
- Street Alignment: On streets with reverse curves, a reasonable tangent shall be provided between curves to permit a smooth flow of traffic.
- Street Layout: Proposed streets shall conform to topography as nearly as possible to reduce drainage problems and grades.
- Minimum lot width shall be measured at the building setback line. In addition, corner lots should have a width fifteen (15) feet greater than the minimum width.
- Minimum lot depth shall be 100 feet. (Said measurement shall be made through the center of the lot and shall be perpendicular to the property line or radial to the property line on curved streets.)
- The maximum depth of residential lots shall not exceed three (3) times the width thereof, except where the lots are intended for single-family attached dwellings in which case the depth shall not exceed five (5) times the width.
- Minimum lot area shall be subject to the Zoning Regulations of the district in which the subdivision is located and the minimum design standards of this regulation. The more restrictive of the regulations shall govern.
- All side lot lines shall bear between 60 and 90 degrees from the street right-of-way line on straight street or from the tangent of a curved street.
- Front building or setback lines shall be shown on the final plat for all lots in the subdivision and shall not be less than the setbacks required by the Zoning Regulations or any other regulations adopted by the governing body; the most restrictive setback requirement shall govern.
- Double frontage lots shall be avoided unless, in the opinion of the planning commission, a variation to this rule will give better street alignment and lot arrangement.
- Every lot shall abut on a public street other than an alley.
- The subdivision or resubdivision of a tract or lot shall not be permitted where said subdivision or resubdivision places an existing permanent structure in violation of the requirements of the Zoning Regulations or the minimum design standards of these regulations.
- Where possible, residential lots should not face on arterial streets. The number of lots facing on collector streets shall be kept to a minimum in each subdivision. The street pattern shall be designed so that the sidelines of lots abut collector streets wherever land shapes and topography permit.
- Lots created under the condominium or townhouse laws and established in either the Planned Unit Development or “T-H” district shall be acceptable regardless of building setbacks established thereby. It is recognized that such lots may result in a zero lot line building or structure.
- Utility Easements: Where alleys are not provided, permanent easements of not less than ten (10) feet in width shall be provided on each side of all rear lot lines, and on side lot lines, where necessary, for utility poles, wires, conduits, underground conductors, storm and sanitary sewers, gas, water and heat mains, and other public utilities. These easements shall provide for a continuous right-of-way. Where the utility company or agency has the need for a wider easement than required above for a specific location, this easement shall be shown on the plat. Permanent easements shall not be obstructed by structures, retaining walls or trees. A property owner may install fences and landscape the easement with grass and shrubs at their own risk.
A twelve (12) foot temporary construction easement shall be provided on each side of all lot lines for initial construction of water, sewer and other utility lines.
- Drainage Easements: If a subdivision is traversed by a water course, drainageway or channel, then a storm water easement shall be provided. Such easement or right-of-way shall conform substantially to the lines of such water course and shall be of such width or construction, or both, as may be necessary to provide adequate storm water drainage and for access for maintenance thereof. Parallel streets may be required in connection therewith. The subdivider may be required to have an engineer's study prepared for the planning commission as to the required width of such easement for each major water course or drainageway involved. Such study shall be based on a 100-year storm.
- Access Control: In the interest of public safety and for the preservation of the traffic-carrying capacity of the streets system, the planning commission shall have the right to restrict and regulate points of access to all property from the public street system. Such restrictions shall be indicated on the final plat.
- Subdivision Design: The design of the subdivision shall provide for efficient traffic flow, proper mixing of land uses, and a logical link between surrounding, existing development, and the proposed layout. The Comprehensive Plan should be used as a guide in determining if the design of the proposed subdivision is proper. The planning commission shall have the authority to deny a plat or request redesign, if, in its opinion, the layout is not suitable for the site, or if the development of the subdivision would be premature.
- Storm Water Runoff Plan: The subdivider may be required to have an engineer's study prepared on the amount of increased storm water runoff which will be created by proposed development and a plan of how this runoff will be accommodated. The City may require design modification of the proposed storm water system to reduce increased runoff.
- Design Techniques: The following illustrations are examples which may be used as guides in the review of the subdivision applications:
