El Cerrito Municipal Code Ch. 18.24 General Regulations and Design

The street and highway design shall conform both in width and alignment to any master plan of streets and highways approved by the council, and right-of-way for any such street or highway indicated on said master plan shall be dedicated.

(Prior code § 9204.1-1.)

The street and highway design shall conform to any proceedings affecting the subdivision, which may have been initiated by the council or approved by said council upon initiation by other legally constituted bodies of the city, county or state. If a parcel of land to be subdivided included a portion of the right-of-way to be acquired for a public freeway or parkway, and the council shall determine the boundaries of the right-of-way to be acquired, the subdivider shall either dedicate or withhold from a subdivision for a period of not to exceed eighteen months all the area included in said right-of-way.

(Prior code § 9204.1-2.)

A. All streets shall, as far as practicable, be in alignment with existing adjacent streets by continuations of the centerlines thereof or by adjustments by curves and shall be in general conformity with the plans of the planning commission for the most advantageous development of the area in which the subdivision lies.

B. Streets shall be required to intersect one another at an angle as near to a right angle as is practicable in each specific case.

C. Where necessary to give access to or permit a satisfactory future subdivision of adjoining land, streets shall extend to the boundary of the property and the resulting dead-end streets may be approved without a turn-around provided that control of access across such dead-end streets shall be vested in the city. In all other cases a turn-around having a minimum radius of forty feet shall be required.

D. Whenever a major street or state highway intersects any other street or highway, the property lines at each block corner shall be rounded with a curve having a radius of not less than thirty feet. On all other street intersections, the property line at each block corner shall be rounded with a curve having a radius of not less than fifteen feet. In either case, a greater curve radius may be required if streets intersect other than at right angles.

E. The centerline curve radius on all streets and highways shall conform to accepted engineering standards of design and shall be subject to approval by the city engineer.

F. No street or highway shall have a grade of more than twelve percent, unless because of topographical conditions or other exceptional conditions the city engineer determines that a grade in excess of twelve percent is necessary.

G. Reserved strips controlling the access to public ways or minimizing values for special improvement assessments will not be approved unless such strips are necessary for the protection of the public welfare or of substantial property rights, or both, and in no case unless the control and disposal of the land comprising such strips is placed definitely within the jurisdiction of the city under conditions approved by the planning commission.

(Prior code § 9204.1-3.)

Streets and highways not shown on any master street and highway plan or not affected by proceedings initiated by the council or approved by the council upon initiation by other legally constituted governmental bodies shall not be of less width than those set forth under this chapter, except where it can be shown by the subdivider, to the satisfaction of the planning commission and the council that the topography of the small number of lots served and the probable future traffic development are such as to unquestionably justify a narrower width. Increased widths may be required where streets are to serve commercial property or where probable traffic conditions warrant such. Approval or determination of street or highway classification shall be made by the planning commission.

A. Major streets or highways, minimum right-of-way: Eighty-six feet in commercial areas and eighty feet in residential areas. Minimum pavement width: Fifty-six feet in residential areas and sixty-four feet in commercial areas.

B. Secondary streets or highways, minimum right-of-way: Sixty feet. The planning commission may require up to eighty feet where street may become a major street at some future date. Minimum pavement width: Forty feet.

C. Minor streets, minimum right-of-way: Fifty feet. Minimum pavement width: Thirty-four feet.

D. One-way streets, minimum right-of-way: Thirty feet. Minimum pavement width: Eighteen feet.

E. Two level streets, right-of-way width variable. Minimum pavement width: Two eighteen-foot paved sections with sufficient room for proper slope in between.

F. Cul-de-sac streets and service roads when not over two hundred and fifty feet in length, minimum right-of-way: Fifty feet. Minimum pavement width: Twenty-eight feet.

G. Cul-de-sac streets and service roads when over two hundred and fifty feet in length, minimum right-of-way: Fifty feet. Minimum pavement width: Thirty-four feet.

(Prior code § 9204.1-4.)

Lot Sizes by Type and Improvements Required

* 20% of the lots in any hillside subdivision (not including lots at end of cul-de-sac) may have a reduced frontage provided that such reduction is not below the requirements of the next least restrictive type or classification of subdivision.

** When average cross slopes are steeper than the maximum permitted under the type or classification, the developer shall fall in the more restrictive classification permitting such average cross slopes.

(Prior code § 9204.1-5.)

When any lots proposed for commercial usage front on any major or secondary street or highway, the subdivider shall be required to dedicate and improve a service road to provide ingress or egress to and from such lots or in lieu thereof. If approved by the planning commission, the subdivider may dedicate for public use and improve an area approved by the planning commission and adjacent to such lots for off-street parking purposes. When the front of any lots proposed for residential usage front on any freeway, state highway or parkway, the subdivider shall dedicate and improve a service road at the front of such lots, unless such is already existent as a part of such freeway or parkway. In addition to any requirement for a service road, the planning commission may require adequate off-street parking areas for all lots proposed for commercial usage.

(Prior code § 9204.1-6.)

When the rear of any lots border any major or secondary street, highway, or parkway, the subdivider may be required to execute and deliver to the city an instrument, deemed sufficient by the city attorney, prohibiting the right of ingress and egress to the rear of such lots across the side lines of such streets or highways. When the rear of any lots border any freeway, state highway or parkway, the subdivider may be required to dedicate and improve a planting strip adjacent to such parkway or freeway.

(Prior code § 9204.1-7.)

When any lots are proposed for commercial or industrial usage, alleys at least thirty feet in width shall be required at the rear thereof with adequate ingress and egress for truck traffic.

(Prior code § 9204.1-8.)

All street names shall be as approved by the planning commission.

(Prior code § 9204.1-9.)

Where a parcel is subdivided into lots of one acre or more, the planning commission may require that the blocks shall be of such size and shape, and be so divided into lots, as to provide for the extension and opening of streets and alleys at such intervals as will permit a subsequent division of any parcel into lots of normal size.

(Prior code § 9204.2.)

The subdivider shall dedicate easements not less than five feet in width for public utility, sanitary sewer and drainage purposes on each side of rear lot lines, along side lot lines, and in planting strips wherever necessary, provided easements of lesser width may be allowed when at the determination of the city engineer that 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. Easements for overhead wire lines shall be provided at the rear of all lots, except where alleys are available, and in contiguous locations to permit anchorage, line continuity, ingress and egress. 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 council.

(Prior code § 9204.2-1.)

The size and shape of lots shall be in conformance to any zoning regulations effective in the area of the proposed subdivision and shall not be less than the regulations specified therein. The planning commission may recommend the granting of exception to this provision where there are unusual topographic conditions, curved or cul-de-sac streets or other special conditions. In unclassified districts the planning commission shall specify the size and shape of all lots in conformance with the use proposed and approved by said planning commission.

(Prior code § 9204.3-1.)

The side lines of all lots, so far as possible, shall be at right angles to the street which the lot faces, or radial or approximately radial if the street is curved.

(Prior code § 9204.3-2.)

Building setback lines shall be indicated by "dotted" lines on the subdivision map as required by the planning commission.

(Prior code § 9204.3-3.)

No lot shall be divided by a city boundary line.

(Prior code § 9204.3-4.)

Lots without frontage on a street will not be permitted.

(Prior code § 9204.3-5.)

Lots, other than corner lots, may front on more than one street where necessitated by topographic or other unusual conditions.

(Prior code § 9204.3-6.)

The subdivider may be required to dedicate and improve walkways across long blocks or to provide access to school, park, or other public areas.

(Prior code § 9204.4-1.)

The subdivider shall, subject to riparian rights, dedicate a right-of-way for storm drainage purposes, conforming substantially with the lines of any natural watercourse or channel, stream, or creek that traverses the subdivision, or at the option of the subdivider, provide by dedication further and sufficient easements or construction, or both, to dispose of such surface and storm waters. The council may require adequate fencing of all ditches and streams when it is in the public interest.

(Prior code § 9204.5.)

In all respects, the subdivision will be considered in relation to the master plan of the city, or any part thereof, or proposed master plans made in anticipation thereof.

(Prior code § 9204.6.)

A copy of the deed restrictions applicable to the subdivision shall be filed with the planning commission at the time of filing final map.

(Prior code § 9204.7.)

If any portion of land, within the boundaries shown on the final map, is subject to overflow, inundation or flood hazard by storm waters, such fact and said portion shall be clearly shown on such final map enclosed in a border on each sheet of said map and further adequate storm drain system and/or levees, dykes and pumping systems shall be provided, and if fill is used in tideland areas, it shall be a minimum of two feet above high tide. All public utilities and facilities, such as sewer, gas, electrical and water systems shall be located, elevated, and constructed to minimize or eliminate flood damage.

(Ord. 316 N.S. § 5, l973: prior code § 9204.8.)