Berkeley Municipal Code Ch. 21.40 Design Requirements

*For natural watercourse requirements generally, see Chapter 17.08 of this code; for erosion and sediment control requirements generally, see regulations on file with the Department of Public Works.

The design requirements of this chapter shall apply to all subdivisions and all other public right-of-way alterations, modifications, and construction. The design requirements as herein specified shall be subject to the discretion and final approval of the City Engineer. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

The street pattern of proposed subdivisions shall be in general conformity with the general plan of the City. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

The centerlines of all through streets and highways shall be the continuations of the centerlines of existing through streets and highways in adjacent and contiguous territory. In cases in which straight continuations are not reasonably possible, such centerlines may be continued in accordance with good engineering practices. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Widths of streets shall be as follows:

(Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Grades shall not exceed fifteen percent on major residential streets, or twenty-five percent on any street, unless it is determined by the City Engineer that the topography shall necessitate steeper grades, and twenty-five percent maximum on any driveway. Centerline radii on any street shall not be less than one hundred feet where normal topographical conditions prevail. Lesser radii may be used in cases in which sufficient evidence is presented to show that the above requirements are not practicable. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Private streets, alleys or ways shall not be permitted. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Reserved strips controlling the access of public ways or which will not prove taxable for special improvements will not be approved unless such strips are necessary for the protection of the public welfare or of substantial property rights of the subdivider or both, and in no case except in which the control and disposal of the land comprising such strips is placed under a holding agreement or trust with a title company under terms and conditions approved by the Planning Commission. Such reserve strips will be approved where the City or other governing body requires a subdivider to make improvements that benefit an adjoining land owner and the City or other governing body may make arrangements for the adjoining land owner to pay a pro rata share of such improvement costs when the adjoining lands are subdivided, and the City or other governing body shall reimburse the original subdivider for their pro rata share of said costs or on the basis of some other program previously agreed upon. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Streets shall be required to intersect one another at an angle as near to a right angle as is practicable in each specified case, and no intersection of streets at angles less than sixty degrees shall be approved unless necessitated by topographical conditions. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Where two alleys intersect, ten-foot corner cutoffs shall be required. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Whenever the size or location of a parcel of land does not permit a lot layout directly related to a normal street arrangement, there may be used a court, non-connecting street, or other way, as best fits the case. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Streets that are obviously in alignment with others already existing and named shall bear the names of such existing streets. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Where a subdivision adjoins acreage, unimproved right-of-way for streets which may be extended in the event of the subdivision of the acreage may be required to be provided through to the boundary lines of the tract by recording a future street right-of-way, but not improving the same. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Dead-end streets shall not exceed eight hundred feet in length and shall have a circular end with a minimum property line radius of forty feet. In the hill area, where the topography precludes a forty foot radius circular end, the radius may be such as is adequate for the turning of fire fighting equipment. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Blocks in excess of six hundred feet in length shall be provided adjacent to major thoroughfares to reduce number of intersections. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

At street intersections the block corners in a residential district shall be rounded at the property line by a radius of not less than fifteen feet, and in a commercial district or on lots adjacent to a secondary or major highway by a radius of not less than twenty feet or more in case such is necessary to provide at least one hundred feet sight distance diagonally between intersecting street centerlines. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

The minimum size of lots or parcels, except those in commercial and industrial areas, shall be as required for the particular zoning district in which the property is classified by the City zoning ordinance. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

In a subdivision in which the lots may be resubdivided at some future time, the location of lot lines and other details of layout shall be such that resubdivision may readily take place without violating the requirements of this title and without interfering with the orderly extension of adjacent streets and highways. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

The side lines of lots shall be required to run at right angles or radially to the street upon which the lot faces, as far as practicable, except where unusual topography dictates otherwise. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Lots without frontage on an improved public street from which access is provided shall not be permitted, except in hillside areas where the terrain is such as to justify the design of lots having an access strip. Such access strip shall have a width of not less than fourteen feet for its entire length, and shall serve only one lot. For two lots without frontage, a common access strip of not less than twenty feet width may be permitted if approved by the City engineer; however, three or more lots must have full frontage on an improved public street. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Corner lots shall have an average width of not less than fifty-five feet unless otherwise designated in the zoning ordinance. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Each interior lot or parcel shall have an average width of not less than fifty feet unless otherwise designated in the zoning ordinance. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Each lot or parcel on a curved street, where the side lines thereof are converging from the front to the rear of such lot or parcel, shall have an average width of not less than fifty feet. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Each lot or parcel on a dead-end street turn-around or on a curved street, where the side lines thereof are diverging from the front to the rear of such lot or parcel, shall have a width of not less than fifty feet, measured along the building line established by the required front yard for the main building and between the side lines of such lot or parcel. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Lots other than corner lots having double frontage will not be approved except where necessitated by topographic or other physical conditions. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

In the event that the subdivision is traversed by any watercourse, channel, stream or creek, the subdivider may be required to dedicate rights-of-way or easements for storm drainage purposes, conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourse, channel, stream, or creek, or to provide by dedication further and sufficient rights-of-way or easements as shall be required for structures or channel changes or both, to dispose of such surface and storm waters. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

A tentative map may be disapproved because of flood hazard or potential inundation. Protective requirements may be required to be constructed as a condition precedent to the approval of the map.

The provisions of Sections 17.12.010 through 17.12.320 of the Berkeley Municipal Code pertaining to flood control regulations shall be complied with. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

Subdivisions shall comply with grading, erosion and sediment control regulations on file in the Public Works Department. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)

The subdivider shall grant easements not less than five feet in width for public utility, sanitary sewer and drainage purposes on each side of rear lot lines, or not less than ten feet in width on one side of the rear or side lot lines where five foot easements on each side of such lines are not feasible, provided easements of lesser width may be allowed when at the determination of the City Engineer the purposes of easements may be accomplished by easements of lesser width; and provided further, that in such determination the City Engineer shall prescribe the width of such easements after consulting with the public utilities involved. Dedication of easements shall be to the City for the purpose of installing utilities, planting strips and for other public purposes as may be ordered or directed by the City. (Ord. 5793-NS § 2 (part), 1987)