El Centro Municipal Code Art. IV Street Design Standards

Except in those cases where the approval authority finds that the size and shape of the real property or topographical conditions makes compliance infeasible, streets and alleys shall comply with the street design standards in section 23-62, the circulation element of the general plan, and other published standards of the city.

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 7, 9-17-24)

(a) Right-of-way for arterial and collector streets shall be not less than sixty-four (64) feet in width, or as required in the circulation element of the general plan.

(b) Streets shall be designed to:

(1) Provide for drainage,

(2) Have a minimum number of intersections with major streets or thoroughfares,

(3) Have blocks not less than six hundred (600) feet in length nor more than one thousand three hundred (1,300) feet in length unless otherwise specified in chapter 29 (Zoning),

(4) Have blocks not less than two hundred fifty (250) feet in width unless otherwise specified in chapter 29 (Zoning).

(c) Neighborhood circulation and connectivity.

(1) Neighborhood circulation components shall be pedestrian-friendly and configured to facilitate physical and visual connections with adjacent neighborhoods and uses through:

i. Pedestrian and/or bicycle connections from cul-de-sac to adjacent uses and roads.

ii. Consistent and complementary landscaping and other design features between adjacent neighborhoods and uses.

iii. Trails, paseos, sidewalks, parkways, and paths connecting residential neighborhoods, schools, neighborhood commercial areas, and parks.

(d) Cul-de-sac.

(1) Cul-de-sac streets shall be avoided in lieu of an interconnected street network that follows a grid pattern.

(2) When required, cul-de-sac streets shall be not more than four hundred (400) feet in length and shall be terminated by a turnaround right-of-way not less than one hundred (100) feet in diameter, measured from center line of connecting street to center point of cul-de-sac, to accommodate a foot radius to face of curb, and shall be so arranged that all parts of any cul-de-sac street are visible from the through street from which it runs.

(3) Pedestrian connections between cul-de-sac streets and the nearest intersecting street shall be provided when possible.

(4) Cul-de-sac streets more than two hundred fifty (250) feet in length, as measured from the face of the curb of the cul-de-sac terminus and the center line of the through street, may require larger diameter waterlines or other measures to assure adequate water pressure to fire hydrants.

(5) A fire hydrant shall be located at the terminus of a cul-de-sac.

(e) Alleys.

(1) Alleys may be required for multiple-family dwelling use.

(f) Curved streets.

(1) Curved streets shall have a minimum center-line radius of three hundred (300) feet.

(2) Center-line radius less than five hundred (500) feet shall be subject to approval by the city engineer. See figure 23-62(f) below.

(3) Curves serving as speed control points shall comply with the requirements of section 23-62(j) traffic calming.

FIG. 23-62(f) [Figure: FIG. 23-62(f)]

(g) Street corners shall have a minimum curb radius of twelve (12) feet. See figure 23-62(g) below.

FIG. 23-62(g) [Figure: FIG. 23-62(g)]

(h) Street connections.

(1) All street connections shall be at approximate right angles. See figure 23-62(h) below.

(2) Interior angles between seventy-five (75) and eighty-five (85) degrees shall require city engineer approval.

FIG. 23-62(h) [Figure: FIG. 23-62(h)]

(i) Parkways. Parkways shall be provided between the face of the curb and the outside edge of the sidewalk to the width specified in the mobility element. Where the mobility element does not specify a parkway width, a parkway of not less than five (5) feet, measured from the face of the curb and to the outside edge of the sidewalk, shall be provided in residential, commercial, and mixed-use districts.

(j) Traffic calming.

(1) Purpose. The purpose of traffic calming is to design streets in a manner that improves road safety by reducing vehicle speed and volume, which in turn can improve neighborhood livability and provide opportunities for landscaping and aesthetic improvements.

(2) Design speed. Local streets shall be designed to maintain the prima facia speed of twenty-five (25) mph or less. Collector and arterial streets shall be designed to minimize vehicle speed while accommodating higher volumes of vehicles.

(3) Applicability. On local streets, the maximum road length between speed control points shall be six hundred (600) feet. On collector and arterial streets within opportunity areas identified in the general plan land use element, the maximum road length between speed control points shall be six hundred (600) feet. Intersections on collector and arterial streets within opportunity areas shall also include at least one (1) pedestrian treatment and one (1) additional a speed control point as listed in subsection 23-62(j)(4) below.

(4) Speed control points. Speed control points may include any one of the following:

i. Horizontal curve. Curves serving as speed control points shall have a centerline radius of no more than two hundred fifty (250) feet.

ii. Traffic calming device. A traffic calming device is a physical element of the street design located at an intersection or mid-block that compels drivers to slow down. Traffic calming devices that create elevation changes, such as speed cushions, speed humps, speed tables, or raised intersections may be allowed if other devices are not feasible. Preferred traffic calming devices include the following, as well as other traffic calming devices identified in current state and national guidance for street design. See also figure ME-1 in the Circulation Element and figure 23-62(j) below:

(A) Intersection treatments:

1. Traffic circles/roundabouts.

2. Pedestrian refuge islands.

3. Curb extensions/bulb-outs.

4. Protection intersections.

5. Median barriers.

(B) Mid-block treatments:

1. Chicanes.

2. Median islands.

3. Chokers.

iii. Pedestrian treatments. Pedestrian treatments may include the following treatments identified in the general plan mobility element, or others identified in current state and national guidance for street design:

(A) Curb extensions/bulb-outs.

(B) High-visibility crosswalks.

(C) Advance stop bars/lines.

(D) Decorative crosswalks.

(E) Pedestrian countdown signals.

(F) Lead pedestrian intervals.

(G) Pedestrian hybrid beacons.

(H) Rectangular rapid flashing beacons.

(I) Pedestrian islands.

(J) Pedestrian scrambles.

(K) Protected intersections.

(L) Traffic circles/roundabouts.

(M) Landscape buffers.

(N) Pedestrian scale lighting.

iv. Vehicle traffic reduction. The following techniques to reduce the volume of vehicle traffic are encouraged when designing streets for the established design speed:

(A) Curvilinear street form, while maintaining a grid pattern.

(B) T-streets or 3-way intersections.

(C) Traffic circles/roundabouts.

(D) Short block lengths, six hundred (600) feet maximum.

(E) Tree-lined streets. Street trees shall be spaced in accordance with the requirements of chapter 29. Where no requirements are included in chapter 29, street tree spacing at a distance of twenty-five (25) to thirty-five (35) feet apart is preferred.

(5) All traffic calming measures, including those not listed, are subject to approval by the city engineer. Further, the city engineer may waive or modify traffic calming requirements, if deemed appropriate.

FIG. 23-62(j) TRAFFIC CALMING [Figure: FIG. 23-62(j) TRAFFIC CALMING]

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 7, 9-17-24)