Article 5 — DESIGN STANDARDS

Blocks shall not be longer than six hundred (600′) feet between intersecting street lines, except on major streets and thoroughfares where longer blocks may be required. (§ 3.04, Ord. 341, as amended by § 9, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)

Lots with frontage on more than one street shall not be permitted, except corner lots, unless approved by the Commission and when access rights are released on one street.

All lots shall abut on an improved street unless approved as a "deep lot" subdivision by the Commission pursuant to policies adopted by the Commission. (§ 3.04, Ord. 341)

A one foot non-access strip, in addition to other easements, shall be dedicated to the City for the installation of a permanent wall to be provided by the subdivider when required by the Commission or the Council.

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(§ 3.04, Ord. 341)

Improved walkways not less than ten (10′) feet in width may be required through blocks more than for hundred (400′) feet in length and through other blocks where necessary to provide access to schools, parks, and scenic easements.

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• (§ 3.04, Ord. 341, as amended by § 10, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)

• (a) Sides and rear of lots. Easements not less than five (5′) feet wide shall be required on each side of all lots and ten (10′) feet wide at the rear of all lots where necessary for poles, wires, drainage, water mains, or other utilities. A reduction of the width may be permitted where a lesser width is justified in the opinion of the City Engineer and the serving public utility. All pole lines shall be located underground except when otherwise approved by the Commission.

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• (b) Watercourses and storm drains. Watercourses shall be shown as easements, and storm drains shall be placed in easements where a public right-of-way is not available or adequate. The Commission or City Engineer may require water-courses to be placed entirely in underground conduits or be adequately fenced or otherwise improved.

• (§ 3.04, Ord. 341, as amended by § 11, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)

Survey monumentation shall be in accordance with the Improvement Standards and Specifications. (§ 3.04, Ord. 341, as amended by § 6, Ord. 732, eff. May 3, 1985)

Building setbacks at least as great as the applicable zoning requirements shall be required. (§ 3.04, Ord. 341)

• (a) Continuation of existing streets. Existing streets shall be continued as required by the Commission.

• (b) Street stubs. Street stubs shall be required to adjacent unsubdivided property where, in the opinion of the Commission, they are necessary. A satisfactory temporary turnaround may be required.

• (c) Intersections. Streets shall intersect at as near right angles as is practicable. The radius of curvature where the property lines intersect shall be adequate to allow the construction of wheelchair ramps in accordance with the Improvement Standards and Specifications and shall, in no event, be less than ten (10′) feet for collector streets and twenty (20′) feet for arterial streets. "T" or three way intersections shall be preferable to four way intersections but may not be located nearer than one hundred fifty (150′) feet to any other intersection.

• (d) Reserve strips. Reserve strips, where required to control access over certain lot lines or over the ends of street stubs, shall be dedicated to the City.

• (e) Alleys. Alleys shall be required in industrial, commercial, and multiple-family areas where necessary to control access to thoroughfares and major streets.

• (f) Cul-de-sacs. Cul-de-sac streets shall have limiting dimensions as stated in the City of Los Banos Improvement Standards and Specifications.

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• (g) Street names. Names for proposed new streets shall be approved by the Fire Chief or designee and shall be shown on the final map.

• (h) Offers for dedication. Streets, rights-of-way, and easements in any standard subdivision or record of survey subdivision shall be shown on the tentative map.

• (i) Conformance with Master Plan for Streets and Highways. Streets shall conform as to alignment and width to the official Master Plan for Streets and Highways of the City.

• (j) Curve radius. The minimum center line radius of streets shall be in accordance with the City of Los Banos Improvement Standards and Specifications.

• (k) Grades. Minimum and maximum grades shall be in accordance with the City of Los Banos Improvement Standards and Specifications.

• (§ 3.04, Ord. 341, as amended by § 5, Ord. 732, eff. May 3, 1985, and § 12, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)

Where a subdivider, by written affirmation, signifies his or her intent to enhance the livability and appearance of the proposed subdivision by using new concepts in the arrangement of lots and the circulation patterns and street design to serve such lots by providing permanent open space within the neighborhoods in the proposed subdivision and by providing appropriate means of access to blocks, schools, shopping centers, and other uses, such subdivider may use the following procedures:

• (a) An improved design based on density control and better community environment may be used. The standards set forth in Article 4 of this chapter and Sections 9-2.501 through 9-2.508 and 92.511 through 9-2.513 of this article may be varied where such design has the approval of the Commission, and where, in the opinion of the Commission or on appeal to the Council, such deviation will:

  • (1) Produce a more desirable and livable community than the minimum requirements set forth in this chapter;

  • (2) Create a better community environment through the establishment of non-dedicated permanent scenic easements or non-dedicated open spaces and the rearrangement of lot sizes; and

  • (3) Provide for the development of condominium units and mobile home subdivisions and the maintenance of non-dedicated improvements.

• (b) Where a residential subdivision has been approved by the Commission under the provisions of this chapter, full and adequate provisions acceptable to the City shall be made for the preservation and maintenance of all commonly owned land and improvements which are not dedicated and accepted by the City. Such provisions may be satisfied by a declaration of covenants, conditions, and restrictions duly signed and acknowledged by the owner; articles of incorporation, forming a homeowner's association or some other legal entity, which shall include provisions empowering the entity created to own and maintain all the properties within its jurisdiction and to exercise the powers and duties of the entity which shall be set forth in the declaration; bylaws setting forth rules of membership, fees, and assessments; and forms of deeds incorporating the declaration by reference to its recording data. The owners of the individual lots, as a condition of ownership of such lots, shall be required to participate in the legal entity so formed and be responsible to such legally formed entity for the cost of performing the necessary maintenance. Any failure to so maintain shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be, unlawful and a public nuisance endangering the health, safety, and general welfare of the public.

• (c) As an incentive to creating better overall communities, the Commission may authorize deviations from standards set forth in this chapter where such deviations are for the purposes set forth in subsection (a) of this section.

• (d) Before any deviation based on improved design shall be authorized, such deviation shall be passed by the Commission upon a finding that the deviation, as authorized, shall result in a community which is a substantial improvement over the community which could have been developed by using the requirements set forth in Article 4 of this chapter and in this article.

(§ 3.05, Ord. 341, as amended by § 2, Ord. 662, eff. June 20, 1980, and § 13, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)

Street design shall conform to the Improvement Standards and Specifications adopted by the Council by reference as set forth in Chapter 10 of Title 8 of this Code. (§ 3.06, Ord. 341, as amended by § 14, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)

Streets in subdivisions shall conform to the design standards set forth in the City of Los Banos Improvement Standards and Specifications.

(§ 3.07, Ord. 341, as amended by § 2, Ord. 732, eff. May 3, 1985, and § 15, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)

Minimum sidewalk widths shall be as specified in the Los Banos Improvement Standards and Specifications. (§ 3.08, Ord. 341, as amended by § 1, Ord. 732, eff. May 3, 1985, and § 16, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)

Where needed, minimum alley widths shall be as follows:

(a) Commercial and industrial. Rights-of-way thirty (30′) feet; pavement width thirty (30′) feet; and

(b) Residential. Rights-of-way twenty-six (26′) feet; pavement width twenty-six (26′) feet. (§ 3.09, Ord. 341, as amended by § 17, Ord. 1102, eff. February 4, 2012)