Livermore Municipal Code Part 2 General to All (CA)

LDC Chapter 2.01. SITE PLANNING AND GENERAL SUBDIVISION STANDARDS

LDC § 2.01.010. Applicability.

A. These standards are applicable to any parcel greater than two acres or if the project involves a subdivision of land.

LDC § 2.01.020. Site Planning and Subdivision Design Standards for All Zones.

A. Roads and Streets. The layout, design, and construction of proposed roads and streets shall comply with Part 7 (Thoroughfare Standards), the General Plan, and adopted City Standard Details and Specifications.

Street alignment plan.

a. Each street shall conform in alignment with that shown or indicated on the General Plan or any standards adopted in compliance with the General Plan.

b. As a condition of approval of the subdivision, the subdivider shall be required to make dedications and construct improvements as required.

c. These requirements may be waived by the Director upon recommendation of the City Engineer, if the proposed street is located upon a section line or its precise alignment can be otherwise determined.

Circulation standards.

a. Transect zones.

(1) Streets and street layout. The layout, design, and construction of proposed streets shall comply with the General Plan and Part 7 (Specific to Thoroughfare Standards).

b. All zones.

(1) Streets and street layout. The layout, design, and construction of proposed streets shall comply with the General Plan and this Development Code.

(2) Subdivision access.

(A) The subdivision and each of its phases shall have a minimum of two points of vehicular ingress and egress from existing and surrounding streets.

(B) Where providing this access is physically impossible or a cul-de-sac is proposed, this requirement may be waived or modified by the City Engineer.

Connectivity.

a. Interconnected streets. Streets proposed within a new subdivision shall be interconnected and shall connect with adjacent streets external to the subdivision, to provide multiple routes for pedestrian and vehicle trips from, to, and within the subdivision, as determined by the review authority to be appropriate.

b. Street extensions and stub streets.

(1) Street extensions. Where the subdivision adjoins unsubdivided land, streets in the subdivision shall be extended to the adjacent unsubdivided land, as prescribed by the maximum block length requirements to provide access to the unsubdivided land in the event of its future subdivision.

(2) Stub street improvements.

(A) In the case of stub end streets extending to the boundary of the property, a barricade, the design to be approved by the City Engineer, shall be constructed at the end of the stub end street, pending the extension of the street into adjacent property. A sign noting future street extension shall be posted at the applicant's expense.

(B) Where required by the review authority, a temporary connection to another street, or a temporary turnaround, shall be provided by the subdivider.

(3) Access to open space amenities. Where the subdivision abuts protected, unsubdivided land, the Director may require street extensions and/or stub streets as necessary to allow access opportunities to publicly owned open space amenities such as trail heads.

(4) Adjacent to urban growth boundaries. Where subdivision abuts an Urban Growth Boundary the Director may require stub streets.

c. Dead-end streets.

(1) Subdivision design shall not include dead-end streets except where through streets cannot be provided because of existing development or an environmental feature requiring protection and/or preservation (e.g., a creek channel).

(2) The length of a dead-end street shall not exceed 300 feet, as measured from the center of the closest intersection to the center of the cul-de-sac bulb, and these streets shall provide a suitable turn-around designed to the satisfaction of the Director and City Engineer.

(3) The length of a dead-end street shall not exceed 150 feet as measured from the face of curb, without a turnaround.

B. Block size.

Transect zones.

a. Individual block sides shall not be more than 500 feet in length.

b. The total perimeter shall not be more than 1,800 feet in length.

Conventional zones.

a. Individual block sides may not be less than 330 feet in length, or more than 990 feet in length.

C. Parcel design. The arrangement, shape, and size of proposed parcels shall comply with this section, and with any General Plan policy, specific plan requirement, or other Livermore Municipal Code provisions that apply to proposed subdivisions.

General parcel design standards.

a. Each proposed parcel shall be determined by the review authority to be "buildable" because it contains at least one building site that can accommodate a structure in compliance with all applicable provisions of this Development Code.

b. No parcel shall be created that is divided by a City, County, school district, or other taxing district boundary line.

c. No subdivision shall be approved which leaves unsubdivided islands, strips or parcels, or property unsuitable for subdividing, which is not either accepted by the City or other appropriate entity for public use, or maintained as common area, within the development.

Parcel area.

a. Compliance with Part 3 (Specific to Zones). The minimum area for new parcels shall be as required by Part 3 (Specific to Zones) for the applicable zone, except as otherwise provided by this section.

b. Minimum parcel area requirements for common interest projects. The minimum parcel area requirements of Part 3 (Specific to Zones) shall not apply to condominiums, condominium conversions, and townhouses, but shall apply to the creation of the original parcel(s) that are the location of the condominium or townhouse.

Dimensions. The dimensions of new parcels shall comply with the applicable provisions of Part 3 (Specific to Zones), or as otherwise required by the review authority.
Lot line orientation. Side lot lines shall be at right angles to the street on straight streets and shall be radial on curved streets.
Parcel configuration. The layout of proposed parcels and streets shall be designed to use land efficiently and minimize site disturbance in terms of cuts and fills and the removal of vegetation. See also the parcel design provisions regarding energy conservation in subsection E (Energy Conservation), below.

a. Access. Every lot or parcel created shall have access to a public or private street.

(1) Lots located on public streets in zoning districts other than residential shall have a minimum frontage of 25 feet on a dedicated street unless specified otherwise by this Development Code.

(2) Lots located on public streets in residential zoning districts shall have a minimum frontage of 42 feet unless specified otherwise by this Development Code.

(3) Lots located on private streets are subject to the requirements found in subsection H.4, below. The subdivider shall submit a development plan showing the alignment, width, grade, and material specifications of a proposed private street, the topography and means of access to each lot, and the drainage, water supply, sewerage and the utilities of the lots served by the private street.

(4) Reserve strips, or nonaccess at the end of streets or at the boundaries of the subdivision, shall be dedicated unconditionally to the City when required by the City.

b. Street frontage required.

(1) Each proposed parcel shall have frontage on a public street unless specified otherwise by this Development Code. (An alley is not considered a street for the purposes of this subsection.)

(2) The frontage width shall be at least the minimum parcel width required by the applicable zone, except where a flag lot is approved in compliance with subsection C.5.d (Flag lots), below.

c. Double-frontage parcels discouraged.

(1) Parcels with streets along both the front and rear parcel lines shall be discouraged. (An alley is not considered a street for the purposes of this subsection.)

(2) For through parcels as described in subsection C.5.c(1), above, the Director shall determine which frontage(s) shall be considered as the "parcel front" or "parcel frontages" for the purposes of compliance with the minimum setback requirements specified in Part 3 (Specific to Zones).

d. Flag lots.

(1) Flag lots may be approved only where the review authority first determines that unusual depth or other characteristic of a parcel to be subdivided prevents one or more proposed parcels from having a frontage width equal to the minimum parcel width required by the applicable zone.

(2) Where allowed, the "flag pole" portion of a flag lot shall met the following standards:

(A) No parking on driveway minimum width of 24 feet.

(B) Parking on one side of driveway 32 feet.

(D) The review authority may require additional width depending upon the length of the "flag pole" portion and traffic safety sight distance considerations.

D. Public access to public resources. Each proposed subdivision shall be designed and constructed to provide public access to waterways, lakes, and reservoirs in compliance with Government Code Title 7, Division 2, Chapter 4, Article 3.5 (Public Access to Public Resources).

E. Energy conservation. Each proposed subdivision shall be designed to provide maximum opportunities for energy conservation, including opportunities for passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities, in compliance with Government Code Section 66473.1, and as follows.

Street layout. The streets proposed in a subdivision shall be planned in a primarily east-west orientation where feasible.
Parcel and building site design. Proposed parcels shall be designed, where feasible, to provide building sites that allow the orientation of structures in an east-west alignment for southern exposure, and to take advantage of existing shade or prevailing breezes.
These recommendations should not be used in a way that forces irregular placement of building by shifting setbacks or non-perpendicular placement of buildings in relation to the street but rather through block and lot layout and building design.

F. Environmental health. Lands to be subdivided for residential, park, playground, or land recreation purposes may be subject to environmental quality standards as established by ordinances and regulations of the different departments and agencies within the City.

G. Fire protection.

Subdivision design shall provide for safe and ready access for fire and other emergency equipment and for routes of escape to safely handle evacuations.
The subdivision shall be served by water supplies for community fire protection in compliance with the standards established by the Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department.
In hazardous fire areas, all flammable or combustible vegetation shall be removed from around all structures, in compliance with the requirements of the Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department. Where erosion is probable, the slopes shall be planted with fire-resistive ground cover.

H. Additional standards.

Applicable standards. The following additional standards shall apply:

a. Freeways, limited access, and unlimited access State highways shall conform to the standards of the California Department of Transportation. The standards of the California Department of Transportation shall be deemed to be the minimum standards acceptable.

b. Special local streets where freeways, grade separations, parkways, railroads, or other dominant factors are involved may need additional approvals from other agencies, which may own or have easement rights (LARPD, UPRR, Caltrans).

c. Where the City has no standard design guidelines specified the California Department of Transportation standards shall be deemed the minimum standards acceptable.

Pedestrian walkways away from street frontages.

a. As part of subdivision approval, the City may require dedicated and improved pedestrian walkways in locations away from street frontages where necessary to provide safe and convenient pedestrian access to a public facility or to otherwise provide convenient connections between existing pedestrian routes.

b. Where walkways are required, the City Engineer shall specify the standards for their design and construction.

Street dedications.

a. A street that is not constructed to City standards will not be accepted by the City for dedication as a public street.

b. Even a street that complies with all applicable City standards may not be accepted for dedication.

c. Acceptance of street dedication is at the discretion of the City Engineer.

Private streets. Within the residential zoning districts lots for dwelling units without frontage on a public street, private streets may be permitted subject to approval of a conditional use permit and in conformance with the following requirements:

a. Minimum setback. All structures shall be set back at least 30 feet from the curb of the private street.

b. Private street width. All private streets shall conform to the following minimum width requirements:

(1) 33 feet, including the parallel parking along one side of the private street.

(2) 19 feet shall be added for each row of parking when the private street includes diagonal or perpendicular parking.

(3) Seven feet shall be added for each row of parking when the private street includes parallel parking.

c. Frontage on private street. Minimum lot frontage width shall be 50 feet. A reduction in this width can be approved, provided the following findings can be made:

(1) The reduction in lot frontage width is necessary or desirable because of the topography or other physical features that prevent reasonable utilization of the undeveloped site.

(2) The reduction in lot frontage width will not result in a significant reduction in the amount of landscaping visible from the public street.

d. Sidewalks and pedestrian pathways. Sidewalks and pedestrian pathways shall conform to the following requirements:

(1) They shall be constructed along both sides of the private street within the building setback area;

(2) They shall provide access to all building entrances, parking, and open space areas;

(3) These sidewalks and pathways shall have a minimum unobstructed width of five feet.

e. Lighting. All private streets shall be illuminated with a maintained minimum of one footcandle of light at the street surface. Lighting fixtures shall be so arranged as to disseminate light uniformly over the street surface.

f. Minimum improvements. All private streets shall be improved with the provision of paving and a six-inch high concrete curb and gutter on each side of the driveway. Improvement shall be in conformance with the City of Livermore Standard Street Sections for Traffic Index 4.5.

g. Maintenance. Provision shall be made for perpetual maintenance of all facilities utilized in common, including easements, sewer lines, storm drains, driveways, buildings, lighting fixtures, parking lots, and similar features, through establishment of a maintenance assessment district or other method satisfactory to the city for purposes of securing revenue for such purpose.

h. Development standards. The development of the private street projects shall not preclude the subdivision of adjacent properties, shall not preclude the development of streets necessary to handle local traffic needs, and shall be adequate to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the city.

Miscellaneous.

a. Intersection design. All streets shall normally intersect as nearly as possible at right angles, except when it can be shown that any other street pattern will improve the design of the subdivision without hindering traffic safety.

b. LARPD standards may be used, as appropriate, for the development and design of trails and parks of any size, including those less than five acres, in the City.

(Ord. 2178, 7/14/2025)

LDC Chapter 2.02. TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT SITE PLANNING STANDARDS

LDC § 2.02.010. Applicability.

A. These standards are applicable to any parcel greater than 10 acres that is using the Transect zones for implementation to create a walkable urban environment. See Chapter 3.02 (Transect Zones).

B. These standards supplement Chapter 2.01 (General Subdivision and Site Planning Standards).

LDC § 2.02.020. Site Planning Standards for Walkable Urban Neighborhoods.

A. General neighborhood layout.

Any site over 10 acres must be planned with a pedestrian shed, generally described as a quarter mile radius, to determine its focal point.
Any site over 160 acres must be planned with one or more pedestrian sheds to determine neighborhood centers.
Pedestrian shed types include Linear, Long, and Network.
No more than 15% of land should fall outside of a pedestrian shed unless it is being designated as T1-Natural or civic space.

B. Transect zone allocation.

Traditional neighborhood development.

Table 2.1 Traditional Neighborhood Development Required Allocation Mix of Transect Zones 1

Sites less than 10 acres	Minimum % of Land	Maximum % of Land
Sites less than 10 acres Shall allocate zones as set forth in the NMU zone. See LDC § 3.02.030 (Neighborhood Mixed-Use)
Sites greater than or equal to 10 acres but less than 40 acres
T3 Neighborhood	0% min.	25% max.
T4 Neighborhood	25% min.	80% max.
T4 Neighborhood Open	0% min.	50% max.
T4 Main Street Open	10% min.	50% max.
T4 Main Street	10% min.	30% max.
Sites greater than or equal to 40 acres
T3 Neighborhood	10% min.	30% max.
T4 Neighborhood	25% min.	70% max.
T4 Neighborhood Open	0% min.	50% max.
T4 Main Street Open	10% min.	50% max.
T4 Main Street	10% min.	40% max.

1	Percentages shown above may be adjusted up to 10% at the Director's discretion.

Transit-oriented development (TOD).

(placeholder for future regulations)

C. Neighborhood centers/main streets.

For each pedestrian shed, no less than 400 linear feet of frontage should be designated for T4 Main Street or T4 Main Street-Open measured from the edge of lots.

a. T4 Main Street should not be less than 120 feet of frontage, 60 feet on each street side.

b. These designated lots shall have a minimum depth of 130 feet, lots less than 130 feet may be approved by the Director.

This frontage should create a two-sided main street.
The main street must be parallel or perpendicular and directly engaging a primary through street.
The main street must be proximate to the center of a pedestrian shed.

D. Civic space requirements.

Civic space requirements.

a. Projects shall meet the standards set forth in Part 8, Civic Space Types.

b. Projects shall set aside a minimum of 5% of the project area as Civic Space. This number shall be calculated after street rights-of-way are taken out.

c. Each residential lot shall be within 1,000 feet of an existing or proposed playground or tot lot.

d. Civic spaces shall be fronted by buildings or by thoroughfares with building frontages on all sides.

e. For sites greater than 10 acres, there shall be multiple civic spaces, dispersed throughout the pedestrian shed, within the neighborhood to meet these requirements.

Civic Buildings/Use.

a. Sites greater than five acres shall provide a public meeting space that is a minimum of 30 feet x 30 feet and a maximum size of 2,000 square feet. No additional parking shall be required for this space.

b. Schools shall be dedicated according to the General Plan, but shall be placed near a neighborhood center.

c. For sites greater than 40 acres, one civic lot suitable for a child day care building may be required, subject to the Director's discretion, within each pedestrian shed.