Los Angeles County Municipal Code Part 3 Local Streets and Ways

A.

Each alley and street shall have a width of right-of-way, vehicular pavement, and sidewalk, where a sidewalk is required, to conform to the following cross-sections, as shown on the diagrams following this section.

B.

The advisory agency may modify the requirements of this section, provided the minimum width of the right-of-way is 40 feet, excluding alleys, the safety and convenience of bicyclists and pedestrians, including children, senior citizens, and persons

with disabilities are maintained, and either of the following apply:

The requirements of this section cannot be met or are unnecessary or impractical because of topographic features, title limitations, general plan or Community Standards District policies or requirements, existing patterns of development, or existing improvements or safety considerations; or

The advisory agency finds that the standard street widths required by this section are not consistent with the design of an applicant's residential planned, density-controlled, or hillside management development.

C.

The cross-sections designated as "alternate" in the diagrams following this section shall apply to existing improved streets only if the advisory agency finds that:

The standard cross-section is not necessary to provide for the safety and convenience of pedestrians, including children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities;

The alternate cross-section will not directly serve land zoned residential or commercial;

Pedestrian-heavy institutional uses, including private schools, public schools, colleges, universities, parks, and post offices will not be served by the alternate cross-section;

The alternate cross-section will not impact either existing or proposed bicycle facilities that are required by and/or consistent with, the County Bicycle Master Plan; and

That the use of such alternate cross-section would be in keeping with the design and improvement of adjoining highways or streets.

D.

That position of a street marked with an asterisk () in the following diagrams may be counted as part of the net area of a lot or parcel of land. The line between that portion of a street marked with an asterisk () and the portion thereof not so marked shall be deemed to be the property line as the words "property line" are used in the Zoning Ordinance set out at Title 22 of this code, but this shall not permit any encroachment within any portion of such street by the underlying fee owner.

E.

Cross-sections—not to scale. (See Cross-section Diagrams for Section 21.24.090 on the following pages.)

(Ord. 2013-0001 § 3, 2013; Ord. 85-0168 § 8, 1985: Ord. 10485 § 11, 1972; Ord. 9086 § 1, 1966: Ord. 7634 § 4, 1959: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 54, 1945.)

No highway or street shall have a grade of more than six percent, except for short stretches where the topography makes it impracticable to keep within such grade, and in no event shall the grade exceed 10 percent, except where evidence, which is satisfactory to the advisory agency, is given that a lower grade is not possible.

(Ord. 85-0194 § 3 (part), 1985; Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 55, 1945.)

Intersections of road right-of-way lines, where one or both roads are local residential, shall be rounded with a curve having a radius of 13 feet, unless otherwise determined by the road commissioner. Intersections of road right-of-way lines, where both roads are shown as highways on the Highways Plan or one of the roads serves a commercial or industrial development, shall be rounded with a curve having a radius of 27 feet, unless otherwise determined by the road commissioner.

(Ord. 85-0168 § 9, 1985: Ord. 9721 § 5, 1969: Ord. 8822 § 2, 1965: Ord. 8792 § 2, 1965: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 57, 1945.)

Wherever the advisory agency shall have determined that a street is necessary for the future division of property as shown on the tentative map, or for adjoining property, but that the present dedication and construction of such street is not warranted, the advisory agency may require that the location, width and extent of such street shall be shown on the final map or parcel map as a future street. No improvement of such future street shall be required of the subdivider.

(Ord. 85-0194 § 3 (part), 1985; Ord. 9071 § 5 (part), 1966: Ord. 5883 § 3, 1952: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 56, 1945.)

On any street the centerline curve radius shall not be less than 100 feet, unless sufficient evidence is offered to the advisory agency by the subdivider to show that the 100-foot radius is not practicable.

(Ord. 85-0168 § 10, 1985: Ord. 85-0194 § 3 (part), 1985; Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 45, 1945.)

Except as provided in Section 21.24.060, any highway or street intersecting any other highway or street shall intersect it at an angle as nearly a right angle as practicable.

(Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 46, 1945.)

A.

Whenever it is proposed to divide property abutting a major or secondary highway, a service road or other local street shall be provided unless the circumstances of such property or of adjoining property render it inadvisable or undesirable to provide access by such service road or other local street.

B.

Where a service road or local street is not required, the subdivider shall provide an alley at the rear of such lots unless the advisory agency finds such alley inadvisable, undesirable, detrimental to adjoining property, or contrary to the best community design.

(Ord. 9071 § 5 (part), 1966: Ord. 5345 § 2, 1949: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 50, 1945.)

The advisory agency may require that an alley be provided at the rear of all lots where property is to be used for multiple residential use (not including two-family use) or commercial or other less-restrictive uses.

(Ord. 9721 § 4, 1969: Ord. 9204 § 3, 1966: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 48, 1945.)

Where two alleys intersect, a cutoff of not less than 10 feet along each alley shall be provided.

(Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 49, 1945.)

A.

A turning area shall be provided at the end of cul-de-sac streets and dead-end alleys. The advisory agency may require turnarounds:

Upon the recommendation of the subdivision committee, at intermediate points on cul-de-sacs of more than 700 feet in length, and on other local streets where the distance between intersections exceeds 2,000 feet; and

At the end of stub or dead-end streets or more than 300 feet in length where the future extension of the street is remote.

B.

All such turnarounds shall conform to the specifications of the road commissioner.

(Ord. 10485 § 6, 1972: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 47, 1945.)

A.

Cul-de-sacs shall be not more than:

500 feet in length, when serving land zoned for industrial or commercial use;

700 feet in length, when serving land zoned for residential uses having a density of more than four dwelling units per net acre;

1,000 feet in length, when serving land zoned for residential uses having a density of four or less dwelling units per net acre.

B.

This section shall not be construed to prohibit the approval of a division of land utilizing frontage on an existing cul-de-sac of more than the maximum permitted length nor shall it be construed to prohibit the advisory agency from reducing the length of a proposed cul-de-sac to less than the maximum length permitted by this section or requiring the elimination of a proposed cul-de-sac in order to provide for the efficient circulation of traffic, the future development of the neighborhood street system or the deployment of emergency services.

(Ord. 10485 § 7, 1972: Ord. 7634 § 3 (part), 1959: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 47.1, 1945.)

Those streets, existing or proposed within or contiguous to a mobilehome division of land which are to be dedicated or offered to be dedicated for public use shall meet the standards outlined in Section 21.24.090. Driveways in such division shall have minimum widths of 30 feet. However, greater driveway widths may be required by the advisory agency if the design or magnitude of such division warrants the greater width.

(Ord. 85-0168 § 11, 1985: Ord. 11681 § 2, 1978: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 59, 1945.)

A.

Internal mid-block pedestrian ways. Except in the case of any reversion-to-acreage map, vacation map, or boundary-line map, a transverse pedestrian way with a minimum width of eight feet may be required through the approximate middle of each block having a length of more than 700 feet. No such pedestrian way shall have a grade exceeding 10 percent, provided that where one or more adequate stairways in such pedestrian way are made a part of the improvement thereof, the grade of such stairway may be as great as 50 percent.

B.

Maintenance. All pedestrian ways not within the road right-of-way shall be privately maintained by a homeowners' association, a maintenance association, or by the property owners of properties adjoining the pedestrian way, the cost of which shall be shared equally. The maintenance requirement shall be set forth in a covenant or a maintenance agreement, the terms of which shall be to the satisfaction of the Director of Regional Planning.

C.

Design standards. All pedestrian ways, except those provided in a compact lot subdivision, shall be designed subject to the following design standards:

Open public access, unless recommended otherwise by the County Sheriff, or unless the advisory agency determines that access to the pedestrian way shall be gated for safety reasons;

Walls and/or fences if needed for safety or security, provided they allow for transparency;

A paved surface that is a minimum of five feet in width;

A landscaped strip, a minimum of four feet in width, adjacent to the pedestrian way;

Tree plantings within the above landscaped strip at sufficient intervals to provide a continuous shade canopy;

Lighting at sufficient intervals to illuminate the pedestrian way; and

Any other appropriate measure as determined by the Director of the Regional Planning.

D.

Cul-de-sac through access.

When cul-de-sacs are proposed for the development and where title considerations and/or topography otherwise allow, each cul-de-sac shall provide a pedestrian and/or bicyclist pathway or stairway, a minimum of eight feet in width, to connect to:

a.

Any highway, parkway, street, driveway, fire lane, or alley that adjoins any portion of any lot that fronts the cul-de-sac;

b.

Any existing or proposed trail located within 500 feet from any point on the cul-de-sac right-of-way;

c.

Any existing or proposed recreational facility located within 500 feet from any point on the cul-de-sac right-of-way;

d.

Any existing school located within one-quarter mile from any point on the cul-de-sac right-of-way; and

e.

Any existing commercial area located within one-quarter mile from any point on the cul-de-sac right-of-way.

The through-access pathway or stairway required by this subsection shall be depicted on the tentative map or exhibit map showing an access and pathway/stairway construction easement or dedication, but when infrastructure improvements are required pursuant to this Title 21, a constructed pathway/stairway shall be depicted on the tentative map or exhibit map.

(Ord. 2020-0032 § 3, 2020; Ord. 2013-0001 § 4, 2013; Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 51, 1945.)

In areas where, in the opinion of the forester and fire warden, there will be fire hazard to the watershed or any other properties, unobstructed fire-protection access easements, not less than 15 feet wide, shall be dedicated from the public highway to the boundary of the division of land. Where the design of a division of land will cause an existing fire road or fire break to be severed, and the forester and fire warden advises that this condition will impair the provision of adequate fire protection, the advisory agency may require that the subdivider either revise the design of the division of land so that the fire road or fire break will not be severed or provide an alternate easement. The forester and fire warden shall recommend to the advisory agency regarding the location, design and grading of easements required pursuant to the provisions of this section. Such location, design and grading shall be as found necessary by the advisory agency.

(Ord. 10485 § 8, 1972: Ord. 9071 § 5 (part), 1966: Ord. 7634 § 3 (part), 1959: Ord. 4478 Art. 4 § 47.2, 1945.)

Collector streets shall be established on all section lines and quarter-section lines in the Antelope Valley, except on those lines designated as highways on the Highway Plan. The advisory agency may select a different location for such streets where existing conditions on the ground, ownership patterns, topography, environmental factors or other concerns warrant.

(Ord. 85-0168 § 12, 1985.)