El Centro Municipal Code Art. IV Tentative Maps—requirements

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 24-03, § 10, adopted Sept. 17, 2024, repealed the former Art. IV, §§ 24-35—24-42, and enacted a new Art. IV as set out herein. The former Art. IV pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 08-10, § 1.

Except in those cases where the approval authority finds that the size and shape of the real property, topographical conditions or proposed land use makes compliance impractical, the standards of design shall be as provided in the section entitled "subdivision design standards" and other published standards of the city.

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 12, 9-17-24)

In reviewing tentative maps, the community development director and city engineer shall review the following standards for subdivision design:

(1) Dedications. Dedications of real property for streets, alleys, floodways and easements for:

a. Major streets and thoroughfares for opening or widening shall be as shown on the major street plan or the circulation element of the general plan.

b. Streets shall comply with the street design standards in chapter 23, article IV (street design standards), chapter 23, article V (complete streets), the circulation element of the general plan, and other published standards of the city.

c. Cul-de-sac streets shall comply with the requirements of section 23-62(d).

d. Boundary line streets and half streets requiring paving less than thirty-two (32) feet wide shall be permitted for a local street only when such partial dedications are necessary for the carrying out of the major street plan or when assurances are presented in writing by the adjoining property owner of the streets' completion when the abutting real property is subdivided.

e. Reservations shall be required for public uses.

(2) Easements. The subdivider shall grant easements not less than ten (10) feet in width for public utility, sanitary sewer, and drainage purposes along the rear or side lot lines, in planting strips or wherever necessary. Easements of lesser widths, but not less than five (5) feet, may be allowed after thirty (30) days written notice to the affected utility company or companies, when at the determination of the city engineer, the purposes of the easement may be accomplished by easements of lesser width, and provided that in such determination, the city engineer shall prescribe the width of such easement. Upon receipt of notice, the affected utility company may present its objections or recommendations to the city engineer, whose decision on the matter will be final. Dedication of easements shall be for the purpose of installing utilities, planting strips or for other public purposes as may be ordered or directed by the city engineer.

(3) Parks, etc. Neighborhood parks or other public areas, as may be appropriate, based on the general plan.

(4) Lots and blocks. Lot and block dimensions shall conform to the applicable requirements of the zoning ordinance. In no case shall the lot area be less than six thousand (6,000) square feet, unless the zoning ordinance provides for a smaller size pursuant to a specific plan or P.U.D. The following requirements shall be applicable to lots and blocks:

a. Lot sizes in all residential zones shall be not less than fifty (50) feet wide and one hundred (100) feet deep with a 60-foot minimum width for corner lots. Lots fronting on curved sections of streets, knuckles, or cul-de-sac shall also be not less than fifty (50) feet in width measured at the front yard setback line. See figure 24-36.4(a), below.

FIG. 24-36.4(a) LOT SIZES [Figure: FIG. 24-36.4(a) LOT SIZES]

b. The shapes and building locations of large lots may be required to permit later practical subdivision. On curves or at corners, lots shall be oriented in a different direction than those at mid-block. In these cases, some lots can be nonrectangular and angled on the street.

c. Blocks shall, wherever possible, be two (2) lots in width and not over one thousand three hundred (1,300) feet in length; provided, however, that if blocks are shown at greater width, the city council may require easements, offers of dedication or other assurances to permit later practical subdivision. See figure 24.36.4(c), below.

FIG. 24-36.4(c) BLOCKS [Figure: FIG. 24-36.4(c) BLOCKS]

(5) Utilities.

a. Utility facilities for the purpose of supplying cable television, communication, electricity, gas, sewer, and water service to the subdivision, shall be constructed and installed within the subdivision boundary.

b. All communication and electrical distribution facilities installed within the subdivision boundary for the purpose of supplying any communication or electrical service in the subdivision, including all community antenna television distribution facilities installed for the purpose of supplying a community antenna television signal service to a subdivision, shall be placed underground, except as follows:

1. Transformers, pedestals, terminal boxes, meter cabinets, concealed ducts and other facilities necessarily appurtenant may be situated above ground if they are used solely for the purpose of providing service within the subdivision and are used solely in connection with the underground distribution lines.

2. General transmission, subtransmission, long distance, trunk or feeder lines may be situated above the surface of the ground when such lines are not used as individual subdivision distribution lines. Location of such lines shall be approved by the serving utility and the city engineer.

3. Poles supporting streetlights, and the electricity lines within such poles, may be situated above the ground.

4. The city engineer may waive all or part of the underground requirements of this section if he finds that topographical, soil or other conditions or circumstances make underground installation of such facilities unreasonable or impracticable.

5. In those cases where requirements for underground utilities have been waived, easements for overhead pole lines shall be provided at the rear of all lots, and/or alleys.

6. The waiver of the requirements of this section for one (1) portion of a subdivision shall not affect the requirements for the balance of that subdivision.

(6) Zoning compliance. A lot, piece or parcel may be divided only if each parcel created thereby has an area, width and street frontage equal to the minimum requirements for lots in the zone in which such parcel is located.

(7) Storm drainage retention. The subdivider, as a condition of approval of the tentative map, shall provide and install storm drainage and/or retention improvements in compliance with the policies and procedures of the department of public works.

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 12, 9-17-24; Ord. No. 25-12, § 2, 12-16-25)

The approval authority may impose a requirement that any dedication or offer of dedication of a street shall include a waiver of direct access rights to such street from any property shown on a final map as abutting thereon, and that if the dedication is accepted such waiver shall become effective in accordance with the provisions of the waiver of direct access. In lieu of the waiver, the approval authority may require a holding strip not less than one (1) foot wide to be dedicated to the city as a lot (not a building site) for the purpose of controlling access to abutting land. Said strip shall be included as part of the street dedication when the abutting property is subdivided. Direct access to residential lots from an arterial street (as defined in the general plan circulation element) shall be prohibited.

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 12, 9-17-24)

The subdivider shall improve or agree to improve all streets, highways, alleys, ways or easements in the subdivision as a condition precedent to acceptance thereof. Such improvement shall be installed on alignments and grades in accordance with standard specifications approved by the city engineer and shall include:

(1) Streets, etc. Streets, curbs, gutters and sidewalks shall be improved to the width of and in accordance with city standards.

(2) Disturbance of pavement. Services from public utilities where provided, shall be made available for each lot in such manner as will obviate the necessity for disturbing the street pavement, gutter, curb and sidewalk when service connections are made.

(3) Fire hydrants. Maximum interval shall not exceed three hundred (300) feet. See figure 24-38.3, below.

FIG 24-38.3 FIRE HYDRANTS [Figure: FIG 24-38.3 FIRE HYDRANTS]

(4) Grading, etc. Grading, drainage and drainage structures necessary for proper use and to the public safety.

(5) Monuments. Permanent subdivision survey monuments shall be placed at corner of all lots in accordance with the section 24-62, monuments.

(6) Installation of utility facilities. The subdivider is responsible for compliance with this chapter, and he shall be the subscriber and make all necessary arrangements with each serving utility (I.I.D., A.T. & T., S.C.G.C., C.A.T.V., I.V.T.A., water, sewer, etc.) for the installation of its facilities. The I.I.D. project approval process is described in appendix B at the end of this chapter.

(7) Sewage disposal. Sanitary sewer facilities and connections for each lot where in the opinion of the city engineer an outfall sewer is reasonably available.

(8) Street lights. Street lights shall be installed according to city standards.

(9) Trees. Street trees to city specifications as to type, size and location as required by the zoning ordinance.

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 12, 9-17-24)

In addition to the minimum improvements referred to in section 24-38, the approval authority may require such additional improvements and facilities as may be needed.

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 12, 9-17-24)

The subdivider may be required to install improvements for the benefit of the subdivision which may involve additional size, capacity, or number, which may in the future benefit property not within the subdivision, as a condition precedent to the approval of a tentative map, and thereafter to dedicate such improvements to the public. However, when service is provided to benefited developments, the subdivider may request a payback agreement (from future developers) to be reimbursed with annual interest for that portion of the cost of such improvements equal to the difference between the amount it would have cost the subdivider to install such improvements to serve the subdivision only and the actual cost of such improvements, pursuant to the provisions of the Subdivision Map Act.

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 12, 9-17-24)

No charge, area of benefit or local benefit district shall be established unless and until a public hearing in accordance with the provisions of the Subdivision Map Act and other pertinent provisions of state law is held thereon by the city council and finds that the fee or charge and the area of benefit or local benefit district is reasonably related to the cost of such supplemental improvements and the actual ultimate beneficiaries thereof.

(Ord. No. 24-03, § 12, 9-17-24)