Del Norte County Municipal Code § 12.05 Standards For Private Rural Roads 12.05.10 Purpose Of Chapter 12.05.20…

This chapter is adopted to regulate the construction of private rural roads in connection with:

1. Subdivisions.

2. Building permits requiring off-county maintained road use permits.

3. Grading permits for roads which could provide access for future land development.

(Ord. 97-017 (part), 1997; Ord. 89-05 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 78-23 § 1 (part), 1978)

The definitions given in this section shall be used in the interpretation of this chapter, unless another meaning is apparent from the context.

1. "Roadway" means the width of road surface. The traveled width, not including shoulders.

2. "Rural roads" means a road serving as access to an area of one dwelling per acre or larger land use designation in the county's general plan.

(Ord. 89-05 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 78-23 § 1 (part), 1978)

1. One to Three Lots Inclusive. This standard shall apply to the construction of private rural roads which will serve land which has been divided, or could be divided under current zoning ordinances, into no more than three parcels.

   1. The roadway shall be a minimum twenty feet wide crushed rock, four inches minimum compacted thickness.

   2. Graded shoulders shall be constructed with a minimum width of two feet each side of the roadway.

   3. Drainage improvements shall be constructed as hereinafter defined.

   4. Right-of-way width shall be thirty feet.

2. Four to Twenty Lots Inclusive.

   1. This standard shall apply to the construction of private rural roads which will serve land which has been divided, or could be divided under current zoning ordinances, into not less than four nor more than twenty parcels.

   2. Ultimate section shall be a minimum twenty feet wide roadway with four feet graded shoulders each side and drainage Improvements as hereinafter defined. Right-of- way width shall be fifty feet minimum.

   3. 1. Phase One-One to Seven Lots. Road shall be graded to the ultimate width, including shoulders and drainage structures. Road surface shall be a minimum twenty feet wide crushed rock by four inches compacted thickness. Full right-of-way width shall be provided.

      2. Phase Two-Eight to Ten Lots. Road surface as constructed in Phase One above shall be improved by the addition of three inches of crushed rock, twenty feet wide.

      3. Phase Three-Eleven to Twenty Lots. Road surface as constructed in Phase Two above shall be improved with two inches of asphalt paving, twenty feet wide.

3. Twenty-one or More Lots.

   1. This standard shall apply to the construction of private rural roads which will serve land which has been divided, or could be divided under current zoning ordinances, into twenty-one or more parcels.

   2. Ultimate section shall be a minimum twenty-four feet wide roadway with four feet graded shoulders each side and drainage improvements as hereinafter defined. Right-of-way width shall be fifty feet minimum.

   3. 1. Phase One-One to Three Lots. Road shall be graded to the ultimate width, including shoulders and drainage structures. Road surface shall be a minimum twenty feet wide crushed rock by four inches compacted thickness. Full right-of-way width shall be provided.

      2. Phase Two-Four to Seven Lots. Road surface as con structed in Phase One above shall be widened to twenty-four feet crushed rock by four inches compacted thick ness.

      3. Phase Three-Eight to Ten Lots. Road surface as con structed in Phase Two above shall be improved by the addition of three inches crushed rock, twenty-four feet wide.

      4. Phase Four-Eleven or More Lots. Road surface as constructed in Phase Three above shall be improved with two inches of asphalt concrete paving twenty-four feet wide.

(Ord. 89-05 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 78-23 § 1 (part), 1978)

1. No roadway shall have a horizontal inside radius of curvature of less than fifty feet and additional surface width of four feet shall be added to curves of fifty through one hundred feet radius two feet to those from one hundred through two hundred feet.

2. The length of vertical curves in roadways, exclusive of gutters, ditches, and drainage structures designed to hold or divert water, shall be not less than one hundred feet.

(Ord. 91-26 § 3 (part), 1991)

The minimum turning radius for a turnaround, including a cul -de-sac or terminus bulb, shall be forty feet from the centerline of the subject road. If a hammerhead T is used, the top of the "T" shall be a minimum of sixty feet in length.

The minimum right-of-way radius for a turnaround shall be fifty feet from the centerline of the subject road. The hammerhead T shall have a minimum right-of-way width at the top of the “T” equal to the right-of-way for the subject road.

(Ord. 2016-003 § 3; Ord. 91-26 § 3 (part), 1991)

When permitted or required, turnouts shall be a minimum of twelve feet wide and thirty feet long with a minimum twenty-five feet taper on each end. The turnout and taper shall have a four-inch thick crushed rock surface.

The right-of-way width associated with turnouts shall be fifteen (15) feet wide and equal to or greater than the length of the turnout.

(Ord. 2016-003 § 3; Ord. 91-26 § 3 (part), 1991)

Where further development is proposed on an existing substandard private road, the standards for new roads shall be used as a guide. The lot split review committee shall make recommendations to the planning commission as to the proposed standards, reviewing these situations on an individual basis.

(Ord. 89-05 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 78-23 § 1 (part), 1978)

The following additional geometric standards and specifications shall apply to all roads covered under this chapter.

1. All streets shall intersect as nearly as possible at right angles.

2. Streets entering upon opposite sides of a given street shall have their centerlines directly opposite each other, or said centerlines shall be offset at least three hundred feet.

3. Improvements to private rural roads shall extend from the nearest county-maintained road to the farthest property line of the most remote lot of the development, or to the end of the turnaround if the road does not go through.

4. Drainage improvements shall be designed to carry runoff from a ten-year storm provided, however, that residential building sites are protected from a storm of one-hundred-year frequency.

5. Road grades shall be no steeper than sixteen percent.

6. Unpaved roads shall have three percent crown and paved roads a two percent crown.

7. Dead-end roads shall be constructed with turnarounds at the end. The turnaround shall either be a culde-sac or a hammerhead. The structural section shall be equivalent to the structural section of the ad - joining roadway.

8. Additional granular base material may be required, depending on soil conditions and as determined by the director of public works.

9. Horizontal and vertical alignment shall be consistent with good engineering practice and take into consideration the topography of the area.

10. Crushed rock surfacing material shall be Caltrans Class 2 Aggregate Base-three-fourths inches maximum, or as approved by the director of public works.

11. Asphalt concrete shall be medium gradation, Type B asphalt concrete in conformance with Section 39 of the latest edition of the Caltrans Standard Specifications.

(Ord. 2016-003 § 3; Ord. 93-08 § 1, 1993; Ord. 89-05 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 78-23 § 1 (part), 1978)

1. All driveway, road, street and private lane roadway structures shall be constructed to carry at least the maximum load and provide the minimum vertical clearance as required by Vehicle Code Sections 35550, 35750 and 35250.

2. Appropriate signing, including but not limited to weight or vertical clearance limitation, one-way road or single lane condi tions, shall reflect the capability of each bridge or similar structure.

3. Where a bridge or an elevated surface is part of a fire apparatus access road, the bridge shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges, 17th Edition, published 2002 (known as AASHTO HB-17), hereby incorporated by reference. Bridges and elevated surfaces shall be designed for a live load sufficient to carry the imposed loads of fire apparatus. Vehicle load limits shall be posted at both entrances to bridges when required by the local authority having jurisdiction. Where elevated surfaces designed for emergency vehicle use are adjacent to surfaces which are not designed for such use, barriers, or signs, or both, as approved by the local authority having jurisdiction, shall be installed and maintained. A bridge or similar structure with only one twelve foot wide traffic lane may be permitted by the county however, it shall provide for unobstructed visibility from one end to the other and shall also provide turnouts at both ends.

4. All bridges and similar structures shall be founded on permanent foundations which are capable of withstanding a one-hundred-year flood. The deck of the bridge shall be elevated above the onehundred-year-flood level.

(Ord. 2016-003 § 3, 2016; Ord. 91-26 § 3 (part), 1991)

The director of public works may require that road plans, profiles and drainage calculations be submitted for approval. When required, said plans, profiles and calculations shall be prepared by a registered civil engineer pursuant to provisions of the business and professions code.

(Ord. 89-05 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 78-23 § 1 (part), 1978)

When necessitated by geographical terrain features, or when the strict imposition of these standards would entail a substantial hard ship to a landowner not borne by other landowners similarly situated or when necessary to protect and preserve large trees, an applicant may request from the board of supervisors modified road improve ment standards. Any person who desires to request a modification to the road improvement standards as conditioned by the planning commission or by staff of the county, that person must file a request for a modification to the road improvement standards with the clerk of the board of supervisors and the planning commission secretary within ten days of the action of the planning commission or if the subject project does not require action by the planning commission the request for modification must be filed with the clerk of the board of supervisors and the community development department prior to issuance of the permit by county staff.

When a modification is requested, the applicant shall pay any applicable fee and shall submit sufficient information to demonstrate the hardship and to address the findings necessary to grant the modification. Any request for a modification shall first be reviewed by the planning commission, if not reviewed previously, who shall forward a recommendation to the board of supervisors for their consideration.

1. When considering the granting of a modification to these standards, by the board of supervisors, the following must be shown:

   1. Geographical terrain features apply to the subject land in the application which do not apply to other lands similarly situated; and/or

   2. The strict imposition of these standards without modification would entail a substantial hardship to the applicant not borne by other application or landowners similarly situated; and

   3. The granting of the modification is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of substantial property rights of the applicant; and

   4. The granting of the modification will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, affect adversely the health or safety of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of the site of the subject project requiring road improvements, and will not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to property or improvements in the neighborhood.

2. The granting of a modification to these standards, by the board of supervisors, shall be subject to any conditions as will assure the modification granted shall not constitute a grant of special privileges and secure the intended purposes of this chapter.

3. On a case-by-case basis, a written recommendation from the local fire district regarding the modification required may be required by staff to proceed.

(Ord. 2016-003 § 3, 2016; Ord. 2001-001 § 4, 2001; Ord. 91-26 § 2, 1991; Ord. 89-05 § 1 (part), 1989; Ord. 7823 § 1 (part), 1978)

Any person who desires to request a deferment of the standards for private rural roads as conditioned by the planning commission or by staff of the county, that person must file a request for a deferment of the standards for private rural roads with the clerk of the board of supervisors and the planning commission secretary within ninety days of the action of the planning commission or if the subject project does not require action by the planning commission the request for a deferment must be filed with the clerk of the board of supervisors and the community development department within ninety days of the issuance of the permit by county staff.

When a deferment is requested, the applicant shall pay any applicable fee and shall submit sufficient information to demonstrate the hardship and to justify the basis to grant the deferment by the board of supervisors. Any request for a deferment shall first be reviewed by the planning commission, if not reviewed previously, who shall forward a recommendation to the board of supervisors for their consideration.

The granting of a deferment of these standards, by the board of supervisors, shall be at the sole discretion of the board of supervi sors. The deferment if granted may be subordinated to a first mort gage and/or a property improvement loan, subject to the approval of the county of Del Norte.

(Ord. 2001-001 § 5, 2001)