Chapter 7.65 — DESIGN STANDARDS

The purpose of this chapter is to establish design standards for subdivisions in accordance with the allowances of the Subdivision Map Act.

(Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all subdivisions of land, unless specifically stated otherwise in the Subdivision Map Act.

(Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)

(A) The widths, alignments, and geometric designs of streets and highways shall conform to city standards and to the following requirements, unless otherwise specified in state or federal standards and requirements:

(1) All streets, as far as practicable, shall relate to the alignment of the existing adjacent streets or their proper projection in the general conformity with the city’s General Plan.

• (2) The proposed street plan shall give consideration to the future division of adjoining and undivided property.

• (3) All streets shall be designed to serve the proposed use of the abutting land.

(4) On part-width boundary streets abutting undivided land, the subdivider shall provide the prescribed half-width street and shall acquire additional dedications as necessary. The minimum overall required right-of-way shall be determined by the City Engineer based on the applicable road classification, traffic study, safety study, or other information that is available in making this determination.

(5) Additional right-of-way or easements shall be provided where necessary to accommodate roadway slopes, drainage facilities, trails, transit facilities, and other facilities related to land division improvements.

(B) Street improvements fronting a proposed development shall extend a minimum of 12 feet past the centerline unless determined otherwise by the City Engineer.

(C) Special street design.

(1) Design of streets shall make provisions as necessary for railroads, parkways, grade separations, prevailing geological conditions, local drainage facilities, hillside property, water quality, pedestrian mobility, and equestrian trails.

• (2) Cul-de-sacs.

(a) The maximum cul-de-sac length in residential, commercial, or industrial subdivisions shall be 600 feet unless a longer cul-de-sac is approved by the Fire Department.

(b) Cul-de-sacs and knuckles shall be constructed in accordance with city standard plans and specifications. All lots fronting on a cul-de-sac, a knuckle, or a curved street shall be designed to meet city standards.

(c) A cul-de-sac that does not meet the requirements of this section shall not be constructed, unless a waiver has been granted by the City Engineer and the Fire Department.

(3) Other than as provided in this section, no dead-end streets shall be allowed. A dead-end street shall not exceed 600 feet in length and shall only be permitted as an interim condition to facilitate phased construction of a final map

based on an approved or conditionally approved tentative map. The Fire Department shall review and comment on all requests for dead-end streets.

• (4) The approving authority may require greater street widths and improvements on streets serving multifamily residential, commercial, or industrial divisions of land.

(5) Where a proposed subdivision abuts or contains an existing or proposed urban arterial or expressway, the approving authority may require frontage streets or reverse frontage with nonaccess easements along the urban arterial or expressway, or such other treatment as may be justified for the protection of residential properties from the nuisance and hazard of high-volume traffic and to preserve the function of the urban arterial or expressway.

(6) Developments adjacent to existing frontage streets, as determined by the city, shall provide full street improvements unless determined otherwise by the City Engineer.

(D) Private streets may be used for only those streets serving property within the subdivision and which access by the public is controlled by the subdivision design by either posting or gating. Private streets may be used with the approval and consent of the Planning Commission when the Commission finds that:

(1) There is adequate provision for their construction and continued maintenance.

• (2) The welfare of the occupants of the development will be adequately served.

• (3) The public welfare will not be impaired.

(E) The grades of highways, streets, and alleys shall not be less than 1% and shall not exceed the grades established on approved city standard. The desirable grades are between 1%and 6%. Grades of less than 1% and greater than the maximum established by approved city standard may be approved only when conclusive evidence shows that a lesser or steeper grade respectively is impractical, and that no adverse effects such as excessive ponding will occur as a result. The high cost of excavating and/or importing borrow fill material, making the development of a particular parcel of ground uneconomical, shall not be considered as conclusive evidence nor valid justification for a departure from the established minimum or maximum grade.

(F) Street alignment.

(1) Curves in streets shall have as large a centerline radius as determined by the City Engineer, with a minimum length of curve of 150 feet. Thedesirable minimum centerline radius for residential streets is 500 feet. The minimum centerline radius for residential streets on comparatively level terrain shall be 300 feet and on steep hillside terrain shall be 150 feet.

(2) The minimum centerline radius for other types of streets classifications shall be compatible with the street classification, anticipated usage, speed, and shall be designed in accordance with the California Department of Transportation Highway Design Manual.

(G) Intersections.

(1) All street intersections shall be at 90 degrees measured at the intersection of the centerlines, unless otherwise approved by the City Engineer.

[FIGURE DELETED WITH ORDINANCE 2019-286]

(2) Street-to-street centerline offsets shall be less than five feet or more than 200 feet, except in special design cases and as approved by the City Engineer.

(3) A minimum curb return radius of 25feet shall be provided at intersecting streets designated as general local roads or a lesser standard unless determined otherwise by the City Engineer. A minimum curb return radius of 35 feet shall be provided when one or both of the intersecting streets is designated as a collector road or greater unless determined otherwise by the City Engineer. The property line return radius shall be so set as to maintain a uniform parkway width or provide a uniform transition into the intersecting parkway. The property line radius shall be designed so as not to reduce the parkway width below the city standard.

(4) Median openings or crossovers between opposing lanes of a divided highway or street shall be located only at approved intersections at intervals of not less than 500 feet unless determined otherwise by the City Engineer. (H) Alleys.

(1) Alleys shall be required in the rear of all lots used or intended to be used for business, commercial, or industrial uses, unless adequate off-street parking areas and service loading and unloading areas to serve such properties are securely reserved for such use and are shown upon the map and approved by the city in the manner set forth in this title.

(2) Alleys shall be required in the rear of all lots fronting directly on a street designated as a secondary roadway or greater unless determined through site plan review procedure that the requirement for alleys does not exist.

• (3) The minimum paved width for alleys shall be 25 feet, unless determined otherwise by the City Engineer.

• (4) A minimum curb return radius of 15 feet shall be provided at the alley and intersecting street.

• (5) Where a dead-end alley is designed, an adequate turning area shall be provided to accommodate a truck

having a 35-foot turning radius. The radius shall be such that the truck is able to turn around with only one backing movement. This turnaround shall be eliminated only under the circumstances of a previously adopted specific plan of record providing for the alley extension. All turning areas shall be reviewed and approved by the Fire Department. (Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)

(A) All lots created in a division of land shall conform to the minimum requirements of the Development Code and the General Plan as adopted by the city for the particular zone district, use, and classification in which the development is being constructed.

(B) Lot sizes.

(1) All lots shall meet the area, frontage, width, depth, and building setback requirements of the zone district within which the lots are located, unless otherwise permitted through the provisions of Title 9; provided, however, that in its consideration of any land division, the approving authority may determine that a greater than minimum lot size is necessary:

• (a) For the proper protection of the public health, safety, and general welfare;

• (b) To be consistent with the general pattern established in the vicinity;

• (c) To maintain the value of property in the vicinity; or

• (d) To provide sufficient pad area for buildings and usable open space.

(2) When lots or parcels twice the required area or width or more are shown on a division of land, the approving authority may require such lots or parcels to be so established as to make practical a further division into allowable building sites, without injury to adjoining property.

(3) Lot sizes and arrangement shall be compatible with lots in the surrounding area, subject to the preceding two provisions.

(C) Side lot lines.

(1) Sidelines of lots shall be at approximately right angles to the street lines, except where terrain or street design makes such lot lines impractical.

(2) Side and rear lot lines shall be located along the top of slopes instead of at the toe of slopes or at intermediate locations. Exceptions may be reviewed and approved by the City Engineer or the applicable approval authority, when not the City Engineer or Community Development Director.

(D) Lot frontage.

• (1) All lots shall have frontage upon a public or private street, which shall be open to and usable by vehicular traffic. The width of such streets shall be determined in accordance with this title.

(2) Double frontage lots shall be avoided, except where essential to provide separation of residential development from traffic arteries, or where required by unusual or excessive topographic conditions. When double frontage lots are permitted, access rights shall be dedicated to the city along the street designated by the approving authority.

(E) Wherever practicable, subdivisions of property abutting rights-of-way for freeways, expressways, railroads, transmission lines, and flood control channels shall be so designed as to create lots that back up to the rights-of-way or are separated from the rights-of-way by a street or frontage street, as applicable.

(F) No lot shall be divided by a city, county, school district, or other taxing agency boundary line.

• (G) Blocks.

• (1) Blocks shall not be less than 250 feet in length.

(2) Blocks shall not be over 1,350 feet in length, except along major highways or where topographical conditions or previous highway or street layouts require a different length.

(Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)

(A) Any land division shall provide vehicular access to all homes within a land division for purposes of police and fire protection. The layout of the tract shall be such that blocks of 35 or more homes shall have access by two or more streets.

(B) Access for lots not fronting on a public street (flag lots). When a land division is proposed to create any lot(s) other than one(s) fronting directly on a public street or highway, access shall be provided of a width not less than as specified below as being the minimum width necessary to serve the maximum number of lots.

(1) Minimum access width per potential number of lots. Minimum access widths shall be provided in accordance with Table 7.65.050-1.

Table 7.65.050-1: Minimum Access Widths

(2) Access surfacing . Prior to final inspection for occupancy of any building or structure relocated, erected, or constructed on any lot not fronting directly on a public street or highway, the full length of any required access shall be improved with concrete or asphaltic concrete surfacing, in accordance with city engineering standards and requirements, at a width of not less than 24 feet.

(Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)

The design of a subdivision shall be in conformance with Cal. Gov’t Code § 66473.1, with respect to passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities in the subdivision, and with the requirements of Cal. Code of Regulations of Title 24.

(Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)

When an environmental constraint sheet is required, a note shall be placed below the surveyor’s notes on the tract map in 0.25-inch-high bold block letters, stating:

“ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINT NOTE: Environmental constraint sheet affecting this map is on file in the Office of the Riverside County Surveyor in E.C.S. Book ___ , Page . This affects Lot Nos. ____ or Parcel No..”

(Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)

CHAPTER 7.70: DEDICATIONS AND FEES

(A) Right-of-way dedications, irrevocable offers of dedication, and grants of easements required upon a final or parcel map shall either be accepted, consented for recordation, accepted subject to improvement, or rejected at the time the final or parcel map is approved. Acceptance of the dedication or easement shall serve to transfer the appropriate interest to the city, subject to the terms of the offer and the acceptance certificate. Rejection of the dedication or easement shall reserve the city’s ability to accept all or part of the dedication or easement in accordance with state law. The City Engineer shall determine whether the dedication, irrevocable offer of dedication, or easement shall be accepted, accepted subject to improvement, or rejected pursuant to city standards. No utility easement or other rights-of-way shall be granted within proposed street dedications subsequent to the date of filing of a preliminary tentative map. Necessary right-of-way outside of the subdivision boundary shall be processed by separate instruments. (B) Fee title shall be granted by the subdivider when in the opinion of the City Council in consultation with the City Engineer, it is necessary to carry out policies and requirements of the General Plan and any city ordinance, resolution, or standard.

(C) The types of dedications, easements, or grants of fee title that a subdivision may be subject to may include, but not be limited to, streets, alleys, access rights, drainage, public utility, landscape, slope, sewer, and parkland dedication or in lieu fees. Dedication of land or payment of fees in lieu of dedication of parkland shall be pursuant to the provisions contained in Chapter 7.75 (Parkland Dedication and Fees).

(D) Whenever a subdivider is required to dedicate roadways to the public, he or she may also be required to dedicate such additional land as may be necessary and feasible to provide bicycle paths for the use and safety of the residents of the subdivision, if the subdivision, as shown on the final map or parcel map thereof, contains 200 or more parcels.

(E) The subdivider shall offer a dedication or an irrevocable offer of dedication of land within the subdivision for local transit facilities such as bus turnouts, benches, shelters, landing pads and similar items which directly benefit the residents of a subdivision if (a) the subdivision as shown on the tentative map has the potential for 200 dwelling units or more if developed to the maximum density shown on the adopted general plan or contains 100 acres or more, and (b) the approving authority finds that transit services are or will within a reasonable time period be made available to such subdivision.

(Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)

Development impact fees shall be paid as described in § 7.80.010(B).

(Ord. 2019-286, passed 11-20-2019; Am. Ord. 2019-291, passed 12-18-2019)